Salad Bar On The Go

I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Rubbermaid. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation.

For my kids, back to school means early mornings and homework. For me, it means early mornings and packing lunches! Well, let me be honest, I will not be bragging about my ability to pack lunches. However, that is changing. At the high school, my son can spend between $8-$10 on lunch...every day (ouch)! On the other hand, my daughters lunch is less expensive, but she likes her food "a certain way." So this year, I am sending them off with a healthy Salad Bar On The Go packed up in a Rubbermaid Lunch Blox.

Perfectly Delicous EASY Vegetable Pasta Salad

This family of mine LOVES pasta. I LOVE veggies (and they sort of do...sometimes..depending on the veggie). So what better way to give them the pasta they love and make mom happy than with a Perfectly Delicious Vegetable Pasta Salad. Not only is this salad packed of of nutritious veggies, but it has the heartiness of ultragrain quinoa pasta, tossed with your favorite dressing and kissed with some freshly grated Parmesan. This pasta salad is so versatile - it is great for lunchboxes, dinner on a warm evening, and a crowd-pleaser at picnics and barbecues (Labor Day is fast approaching!)

Who Doesn't Want to Be a Mermaid?

I vividly remember wanting, wishing to be a mermaid growing up. My daughter has the same wish and thanks to this opportunity with Fin Fun Mermaid Tails, my little cutie has transformed into a gorgeous mermaid.

Banana Split Ice Cream Pie (Recipe)

We really love ice cream in this house. I used to exercise only so I could eat ice cream (makes sense, right?). After making Mocha Mud Pie for the family, I felt inspired to make MORE ice cream pies. I have been feeling very traditional and nostalgic, and so what better "old Fashioned" flavors to put into an ice cream pie than a BANANA SPLIT! Chocolate, strawberry, vanilla, banana, hot fudge, whipped cream, cherries - whats not to love!

I did some research on what exactly was in, or on a banana split. I did not know that pineapple and strawberry toppings, along with marshmallow was a part of the traditional banana split! Did you? I took a few modern liberties with my ice cream pie, but it absolutely tastes like a luscious decadent banana split!

NOTE: You have to work quick if you live in a hot area - it is ice cream, after all! Be prepared, have your ingredients ready and your work surface prepped. If I can make this pie in the heat of a Texas summer, you can manage it too!
 

Ingredients

• 4 cups Vanilla ice cream
• 4 cups chocolate ice cream
• 4 cups Strawberry ice cream 
• 1 Package Vanilla Wafers
• 5 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (or less..or more!) Hot Fudge Sauce 
• 3 medium bananas, sliced
• Whipped Cream
• Maraschino cherries
• Marshmallow topping
• Optional
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
• Mini Vanilla Wafers
• Pineapple (sundae) sauce
• Strawberry (sundae) sauce

Supplies

• Food Processor
• Wood spoon, spatula
• Pie Tins or cake round (I used the 9" round cake pans in the Cake Boss 5-Piece Bakeware Set )
• Mixing Bowls
• Knife
• Optional: Ziploc bag (with tip cut off) - similar to a DIY piping bag.

THE COOKIE CRUST 
NOTE: MY daughter said she would like to try Oreo Cookie Crust next time. If you want that recipe head over to the Mocha Mud Pie I posted the other day

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Place about 45 Vanilla Wafers in a food processor and process until they are fine crumbs.
• Melt butter in the microwave (in a microwave safe dish) for about 30 seconds.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and butter together and mix thoroughly.
• Place the cookie crumb mixture into the pan and press down and onto the side of the pan to create a crust. I use a small glass bowl to press the crumbs down and up onto the sides firmly.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the 350F oven.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely. 

THE FILLING - do this THREE TIMES, Once for CHOCOLATE, once for STRAWBERRY, and one for VANILLA ice cream

Once the pie crust is cooled...

• Let CHOCOLATE ice cream soften slightly, just so it is spreadable, and spread into the bottom of the pie crust
• NOTE: I discovered this as I put my last layer of ice cream (Vanilla) on the pie and realized that next time I will do this for each layer.
• Place softened ice cream in a gallon size ziploc bag
• Snip the tip off and add the ice cream to the pie crust in a swirling motion. Start on the outside edge of the pie crust and circle your way into the middle with the ice cream.
• Then spread smooth with a spatula.
• Return pie to the freezer to let the chocolate set/harden up (essentially you are doing this if you want to achieve "clean" layers of ice cream in the pie. If you don't care about the layers appearing clean and even...keep on going!)

• REPEAT above steps with STRAWBERRY Ice Cream.
• REPEAT above steps with VANILLA Ice Cream.
• Return to freezer for 4-6 hours (or overnight)

• The ice cream part of the recipe is complete. You can see the edges of my pie are showing some chocolate. The bananas will cover it...or use mini Vanilla Wafers!

• Just prior to serving, slice the bananas and place them all over the top of the pie.  

• Heat the hot fudge and drizzle it over the bananas.

NOTE: It was SUPER HOT the day I made this. I did return the pie to the freezer for about 30 minutes to firm up - it makes it much prettier and easier to cut.

• Use 1-2 Tablespoons of Marshmallow topping on the plate. I made a circle with the back of the spoon. Set the pie in the center of the marshmallow topping.
• Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and a cherry. It might be fun to set out some pineapple, strawberry, and marshmallow toppings to let your guests complete the banana split pie masterpiece! 

What's your favorite ice cream dessert?

if you like this recipe, be sure to check out the Mocha Mud Pie recipe! 

 

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre

Mocha Mud Pie: Celebrate National Ice Cream Pie Day (Giveaway!)

It is National Ice Cream Pie Day and I am celebrating with Ginny's! It was pretty easy for me to decide to join in the celebration. Every year someone requests an ice cream pie for their birthday! My Mocha Mud Pie is among the most requested! This delicious ice cream pie is rich and creamy with a crunchy chocolate cookie crust. Drizzle it with hot fudge and it is pretty much perfection! This summer we were traveling for the kids birthdays, and so (gasp!) I did not make my Mocha Mud Pie...but now we have the perfect reason to make this pie and celebrate summer and National Ice Cream Pie day!! (Hint, Hint: Be sure to read to the bottom...thanks to Ginny's there are two chances for you to enter to win some pretty amazing gift cards during this celebration!)

This pie is pretty easy to make - easy enough that you could whip it up and be able to enjoy if for dessert tonight. Of course you can make your own ice cream, but for this version we are sticking to store bought ice cream. 

NOTE: You have to work quick if you live in a hot area - it is ice cream, after all! Be prepared, have your ingredients ready and your work surface prepped. If I can make this pie in the heat of a Texas summer, you can manage it too!
 
Ingredients

• 1.5 Quarts Coffee ice cream
• 1 Pint chocolate ice cream
• 1 Package Oreo Cookies (with the creme scraped out) NOTE: You can use Chocolate Wafer Cookies - I just have a hard time finding them where I live. Reserve about 6 (3 for the center garnish and/or for crushing for a topping)
• 5 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup (or less..or more!) Hot Fudge Sauce 
• 1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds
• Optional for decorating, mini Oreos, crushed Oreos.
  

Supplies

• Food Processor (like this Villaware 12-Cup Food Processor)
• Wood spoon, spatula
• Pie Tins or cake round (I used the 9" round cake pans in the Cake Boss 5-Piece Bakeware Set )
• Mixing Bowls (I love these Cake Boss Mixing Bowls) 
• Knife

Make It!
I was lucky to be able to use some amazing products from Ginny's - be sure to visit those links! And head over to Ginny's to enter to win one of 5 $250 giftcards!  

THE COOKIE CRUST

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Scrape/Remove the creme filling from the Oreos using a butter knife.
• Place cookies in a food processor and process until they are fine crumbs, resembling coffee grounds.
• Melt butter in the microwave (in a microwave safe dish)
• In a mixing bowl, combine the cookie crumbs and butter together and mix thoroughly.
• Place the cookie crumb mixture into the pan and press down and onto the side of the pan to create a crust. I use a small glass bowl to press the crumbs down and up onto the sides firmly.
• Bake for 10 minutes in the 350F oven.
• Remove from oven and let cool completely. 

THE FILLING
Once the pie crust is cooled...

• Let coffee and chocolate ice cream soften.
• Individually, stir the ice cream into a creamy texture.
• Add the creamed chocolate to the coffee ice cream and thoroughly combine.

ASSEMBLE IT

• Put the creamed ice cream mixture into the cooled pie crust and smooth out with a spatula.

• Option #1
• Place mini Oreos around the outside edges on the pie tin.
• Sprinkle toasted almonds all over the top of the pie.
• Heat 1/4 cup+ of the hot fudge and drizzle it all over the pie. I use a spoon and go back and forth horizontally, then turn the pie tine and do it criss-crossing the other drizzles.
• (NOTE: You can wait to add the hot fudge until you serve it...or add even more when yo serve it.)
• Place the completed pie back into the freezer to firm up. It needs at least 4 hours (Overnight is best).

• Option #2
• Crush cookie and sprinkle all over the pie.
• Sprinkle Toasted almonds all over the pie.
• Heat 1/4 cup+ of the hot fudge and drizzle it all over the pie. I use a spoon and go back and forth horizontally, then turn the pie tine and do it criss-crossing the other drizzle.
• (NOTE: You can wait to add the hot fudge until you serve it...or add even more when yo serve it.)
• Place the completed pie back into the freezer to firm up. It needs at least 4 hours (Overnight is best).
• Place the completed pie back into the freezer to firm up. It needs at least 4 hours (Overnight is best).

When you serve this little piece of heaven

All that is left to do is enjoy...and enter these amazing giveaways!

First...head over to Ginny's to enter to win one of 5 gift cards for $250 each! (Open to US based residents).

Just click right here to enter.

Now, enter HERE to win a $100 giftcard to Ginny's

Open from 8/18/2015 through 8/25/2015 to U.S. Based Residents. Winners picked at random

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Visit Ginny's on Facebook 

Ginny's on Pinterest  

Ginny's on You Tube

and check out their Blog, The Kitchen Sink 

Happy National Ice Cream Pie Day! 

This post is written and created at 504 Main by Holly Lefevre   disclosure: Compensation for this post is supplied by Ginny's. Opinions and original recipes are from 504Main.

The Lazy Moms Guide to Disneyland

My family loves going to Disneyland. Growing up in Southern California, I remember going for special occasions...it was such a treat! When I had my son, we bought season passes and we went all the time. We'd just pick up on a Sunday afternoon or in the middle of the week, and head to Disneyland. Now, I do not profess to be an expert at Disneyland. When we go I like to concentrate on having fun. I do not over think the process, but I do have a few tips that have worked VERY well for us over the past years and many, many trips to the "Happiest Place on Earth."

Get Your Kids to Drink Green Smoothies

I love the energy green smoothies give me. I also love being able to get all those vitamin and minerals in me with a great tasting smoothie. And, guess what? My kids drink them too...without complaint! In fact, they love them. They ask for them. When I talk to people about the green smoothie craze, they often tell me that their kids wont drink them...and sometimes they wont either! But I have a few tricks that helped me get my kids started b green smoothies, and have helped a few adults conquer their "fear" of the green smoothie!