Brittany's PantrySweet Treats & Summer Fun
Brittany wrote this on 15 May 2015
chocolate
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #ShareFunshine #CollectiveBias 
There are few things in this world as satisfying as ice cream on a hot day.
This seems to be a universal joy across all age groups and now that I live in South Carolina, I take my position as hostess on 100 degree days very seriously. At this point in time in my life, there are always kids at my house and that is often my focus when entertaining. When kids are happy, the parents are happy, and then everyone can relax. And isn’t that what we all want out of our get togethers? To have fun, laugh, chill, and really connect with our family and friends? That is how memories are made and where relationships flourish. If I can accomplish all of that and enjoy my time as well, I call that being a successful hostess.
I used to do everything from scratch and while it was exhausting, I really loved it. The older I get, the more I realize that it isn’t the food that is served, but the time spent with each other that is remembered. I have found an easy way to serve the ever popular ice cream in a fun and festive way! Not only is it something I can do ahead (score!) but it is incredibly easy with maximum impact.
That happens with these Snickers® Ice Cream Bars and right now they are starting of the summer with some fun!! Do YOU want to get in on the action? You can learn all about how to enter the sweepstakes to Share A Little Funshine by clicking here.
Share a Little Funshine Sweepstakes
Snickers® Ice Cream Bars are pretty incredible all on their own. I am actually pretty choosy with my ice cream and these are one of the lucky few that make their way into my freezer from time to time. Why? Because with chocolate, caramel, peanuts, and ice cream all combined in one bite, it is pretty hard to resist. I have always loved these treats and with kids, I wanted an easier way to serve them.
Enter these frozen pops! This is so easy, its shameful! Unwrap a Snickers® Ice Cream Bar and OH so very carefully, insert a wooden popsicle stick into one end, going about halfway up the stick. Immediately place the ice cream back in the freezer (we want them to stay really frozen) and continue with as many as you would like to make. 
See the cute little ribbons in the pic above? So easy. Just knot on any kind of ribbon you like, although the 1/4 inch wide seems to work the best for this. Customize your colors to a birthday party, bbq theme, Memorial Day celebration, July 4th, or use whatever you have on hand. This is a great way to get kids involved with prepping for a get together and you can make as many or as few as you need. Since they are stored in the freezer, simply set them on a decorative plate and serve. No messy fingers, and even adults can walk and chat and munch on their ice cream. Even better if you have a bonfire going and you can simply toss the sticks into the flames. No clean up!
Did you know that these come in a value box too? So much easier when feeding a crowd! I picked these up at Walmart and they couldn’t be easier to locate! Follow the ICE CREAM sign and voila!
There are so many ways to enjoy time with friends and family this summer and it doesn’t stop with ice cream! Having a few extras on hand can be a great way to celebrate warmer days and enjoy that occasional treat! In addition you can download the Blippar app from your Apple or Android store to scan your package and receive exclusive content.
Peanut M&M’s® are my go to treat when I want something chocolatey.
Which are your favorite to share with friends and family? Are you a Plain M&M® kind of person? Or a chewy Skittles® fan?
Sweet Citrus Sun Tea
Brittany wrote this on 13 May 2015 gluten-free, lemon, orange
Whenever someone mentions sun tea, I immediately think of pickle jars. Well, pickle jars and the black, well used grill we had when I was a kid.
Gigantic, gallon pickle jars were not scarce in a family with 6 kids and we had several in rotation to make sun tea. Eight little tea bag strings hanging out under the lid and sitting on top of our grill. That is what I see in my head. 🙂 As a child, I used to love to sit and watch the water slowly warm up, the copper stain of the tea spreading down and darkening the liquid. That jar was toasty warm after a few hours!
I know it isn’t the most convenient or speedy way to make tea, but it is economical, fun, and I swear it tastes better! I mean, sweet tea made with solar power? Can it get much cooler?
Actually it can. While I used to be a kind of sweet tea purist (yes, even Minnesotans drink sweet tea) I have recently been kind of addicted to excessive amounts of citrus in my drinks. I really love Arnold Palmers (50/50 sweet tea and lemonade) and I just decided top stop messing around and give my tea the lemon kick from the beginning. Hence, this citrus sweet tea. Easy, thirst quenching, and totally customizable to your tastes. Now that summer is just around the corner, embrace the 90 degree days and be prepared! 
Sweet Citrus Sun Tea
Citrus Tea: Fill a glass, gallon sized container (like a pickle jar) with water and float 8 black tea bags on the top. Slice one lemon and one orange (or two lemons or two oranges or two limes etc) and add to the water. Seal with the lid and let steep outside, in the sunshine (duh) and until the tea is dark and warm. This will take a few hours, but don’t let it steep all day or it will get kind of bitter. And no, cloudy days don’t really work for this, for obvious reasons! 🙂 When it is finished, remove and discard the tea bags and the citrus slices. Pour the tea into a pitcher, sweeten if desired (see below), and add fresh slices of citrus just before serving. Enjoy!
Note: This is the BEST sweetener of iced tea. I used it all summer in various drinks and it will keep almost indefinitely in the fridge!
Simple Syrup: Equal parts water and sugar, heated together until the sugar is completely dissolved. Cool to room temp and then store in the fridge in an sealed container! Use as much or as little as you like! Enjoy!
Sweet Potato & Veggie Breakfast Wraps With Alexia
Brittany wrote this on 29 April 2015 eggs, mushrooms, peppers, potatoes, spinach, sweet potatoes, tortillas, vegetarian
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone and always will be! #SpringIntoFlavor #CollectiveBias
We love breakfast around our house. Like, really love it.
My family and I can eat breakfast anytime of day and, in part, love that it is so fast to make. Eggs cook up in no time so any variation of eggs is high on our list of favorites. I recently was hankering for a kind of sweet potato hash/breakfast burrito hybrid and this recipe is the result of those very same cravings. Instead of starting from scratch with my potatoes and adding a whole extra step, I turned to my freezer to cut down on the prep time and got a little help from Alexia.
Since we are STILL in the process of moving and packing and unpacking and building, any convenience food that makes my life easier but tastes like I made it myself, is a food that is saving mealtime in our house right now! I love the Sweet Potato Fries from Alexia but decided to use the Spicy Chipotle version for this breakfast wrap. And OH MY LANTA! The explosion of flavor with the rest of the vegetables was hearty, filling, and exactly what I was looking for! This meat lover didn’t even miss the absence of sausage or bacon!
And look! See those Rosemary Fries W/Sea Salt? They are brand new and just may be our new favorite. My kids couldn’t keep their hands off of them and since they don’t like things as spicy as the hubby and I do, I used those fries in the kids breakfast wraps. They inhaled them, and then proceeded to eat every single rosemary fry left on the sheet pan. When I made the rest of the bag a day or two later to go with burgers, my daughter actually wrote them on the grocery list for me so I wouldn’t forget to pick up more. I have no problem with that and trust Alexia products. They are all natural and fit into the healthy, balanced menus I make for my family. 
This is the packaging so you can look for them the next time you head to the store. This, and other Alexia products are super easy to find at Walmart, or your local super market. Just head to the potato area of the freezer section and proceed to make the difficult choice of how many of the products to limit yourself to!
You can find more recipes using your favorite Alexia products-and get updates about new products-by liking them on Facebook and following along with their Pinterest page!
So how do you throw these beautiful, vegetarian, breakfast wraps together?
Sweet Potato & Veggie Breakfast Wraps
We have eaten these with almost every Alexia product out there (including the Onion Rings-YUM) and we cannot agree on a favorite. Personally, I think the Spicy Sweet Potato Fries W/Chipotle Seasoning is the best in these wraps. This recipe is just a guideline to make one wrap, but build as many as you like, just how you like them.
1 handful Alexia Spicy Sweet Potato Fries, or other Alexia potato product
1 large handful of fresh baby spinach
4 oz fresh mushrooms
1/2 sweet bell pepper, diced
2 eggs
bit of butter for the pan
1 large whole grain tortilla
Cook the fries according to package directions. In the meantime, add a small pat of butter to a sauté pan and place it over medium heat. Gently cook the mushrooms until golden brown and then add the spinach and bell pepper. Cook until the spinach is wilted but the peppers are still crisp tender. Add the eggs, stir gently, and cook over medium low heat, stirring occasionally until the eggs are creamy and cooked to desired doneness. While the eggs and veggies cook, place your crispy potatoes down the center of the tortilla. Top with eggs and veggies, wrap, and enjoy immediately. I HIGHLY recommend a shake of Sriracha!
Love a Good Recipe?
Then you’ve come to the right place! I’m Brittany, and I share tested, trusted recipes you’ll love. I prepare & photograph food, obsess over the perfect recipe, and enjoy grins of delight when I serve up something awesome. Enjoy!
