Homemade Playdough recipe

I remember playing with play-doh when I was a kid and maybe even a time or two as an adult. I loved the way the dough felt between my fingers and even the way it smelled. I have always loved anything to do with art, creating and playing with items that I can sculpt in my hands. The original play-doh brand modeling compound is composed of flour, water, salt, boric acid and mineral oil and has always been non-toxic and generally safe for kids. However, I like to save money and learn to make everything from scratch in case the apocalypse goes down, there are no more tubs of play-doh and I need something to make to keep my kids busy while we are all trying to survive in the chaotic world that is an apocalypse. You get the picture.

So I went in search for some easy and safe recipes to make at home for my little ones. I usually check out Pinterest and Youtube first. I watched a lot of videos of people making there own playdough, but I only found one recipe and video tutorial that was actually simple and easy to make. All of the other recipes and videos were more complicated than they really had to be.

I followed the video and recipe from BeforeAndAfterTv on Youtube and I really liked how simple she made it. I watched a few other videos for comparison purposes and I was surprised at how difficult and messy some of them were. So, check it out for yourself and see If you can find one as easy as this. Depending on which ingredients you have at home, will depend on what kind you can make. I like that I can make this all in less than 20 minutes and choose which colors I want and store them in little baggies until my munchkins can use them. I also like that I know exactly what is in my playdough and I don't have to worry about my kids eating any boric acid or mineral oil, even though they would probably be just fine if they did. None-the-less, it is gratifying to make things with your own two hands for your children instead of going out and buying it.

I am very happy with the way these little balls of doughy fun came out and my youngest had a grand time playing with them. We spent an hour playing with the playdough and making fun shapes and throwing the balls of dough. The fact that my 18 months old sat long enough to do anything for an hour is unheard of. So I give myself a pat on the back for effort.  

I used about half the dough in each color and sealed up the rest and stuck them in the fridge til next time. I just grabbed some old cookie cutters, a rolling pin, a non-stick rolling mat and some other odds and ends that would be fun to play with and we went to town. He absolutely loved it.   

Even Mommy had fun making some cute little heart shaped creations. As much as I love to bake and play with actual dough, how could I not love playing with this. Too bad I couldn't bake them and then eat them. They actually look real yummy!

 

Check out this link for the video tutorial on how to make this fun non-toxic playdough and give it a try. Your kids will be forever grateful and you will have some extra time to whatever it is that Mommy/Daddy needs to do while the kids are having fun using their minds and creating art.

 

As always

Blessing to all

Check out my previous post

How to make easy mini quiche



 

How to make easy individual mini quiches

 I love breakfast foods. However, I tend to have a hard time waking up and eating a meal right away. I like to enjoy a couple cups of coffee before I even get hungry and I find myself eating more breakfast foods at other times of the day.  However, my one year old is ready to throw down as soon as he wakes up. Since I have no appetite when I wake up, it can be challenging to cook a meal. So, I went on the search for some easy breakfast foods that I could pre-make and even possibly easily reheat for my little one in the morning. I have seen these little quiches around and thought I would give it a try. One of the biggest appeals for me is that they can be pre-made, refrigerated, frozen and then reheated again. These are also healthy if you use fresh healthy ingredients, like free-range cage-free eggs and veggies. However, use whatever your little heart desires. I won't tell. I already know how to make a quiche and I certainly know how to make an omelet. This dish combines the two, except there is not a crust, which is a good way to cut back on even more calories. 

Here are the ingredients you will need for this recipe. It Is very simple.

 

Ingredients:

8 fresh eggs (if possible cage-free)

3 tbsp. Half&Half (you may also use heavy cream and even milk)

1/2 c diced tomatoes

1/2 c shredded cheese (I use sharp cheddar)

1/2 c fresh chopped spinach

1/4 turkey lunch meat (you may also use ham or omit meat all together)

a pinch of salt to taste

 

Utensils:

Large mixing bowl

Whisk/Fork

Measuring cups/spoons

Non-stick muffin pan

knife

cheese grater

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 F

 

Using a whisk or fork, scramble the eggs in a large bowl. Add cream and salt.

Whisk again! Now add the rest of the ingredient all at once and whisk until thoroughly combined. You want to make sure every quiche gets a little bit of everything in it. 

Once the mixture is combined, you can pour some into each individual muffin spot. I filled mine up to the top. I also used a large Pyrex glass measuring bowl, which has a spout and handle and that made it really easy to pour directly from the bowl into the muffin pan. This recipes yields 9 individual quiches. I also added a little extra cheese to the top of each quiche before I put it in the oven. This of course is optional but I noticed it makes it a little more moist and yes, a little yummier.

Bake the quiche in a 350 F oven for 25 minutes or until cooked thoroughly and cheese is melted. 25 minutes cooked my quiche perfectly and the cheese melted just right. Allow them to cool for a few minutes before eating them because they will be steaming hot.

Voila! 

A perfect little mini quiche!

You can store the left overs in an air-tight ziplock baggie or container and put them in the refrigerator. I wouldn't leave them in the fridge for more than a day or two. You may also freeze them and heat them up as you need them. If you double this recipe you can make 1.5 dozen and store a bunch in the freezer for quick breakfasts. When you are ready to use them from the fridge, you can microwave them for about 30 seconds and from the freezer about 1 minute. I made these yesterday morning and refrigerated them. I took one out to eat this morning and heated it up in the microwave and it tasted just as moist and delicious as when they came out of the oven and that is what I like about these.

 

Here are a few other ingredient ideas to use when making these quiche.

The options are endless:

Mushrooms, onions, chives, swiss cheese, bacon, ham, peppers

 

As always, have fun in the kitchen and Enjoy!