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



 

Eat & Drink

 

I love to cook. I have ever since I was a little girl. I was raised on real good southern food like buttery biscuits and creamy sausage gravy, chicken fried steak, enchiladas and all of the other fattening southern dishes you can think of. The older I got the more I loved cooking and the better I got at it. I can make some mean fried chicken and a delicious apple pie from scratch. I've always loved those southern favorites, and I still do. The older I get though, the healthier I want to eat. I do a lot of research and read a lot of articles on health and nutrition and once I became educated, I just couldn't go back to the way things were. The more I ate healthy, the better I felt. Foods that may have tasted disgusting to me before, soon became delicious and highly enjoyable. I feel great after I eat healthy food. I have become addicted to eating healthy over the past couple of years.

 

I am a baker at heart and I love sweets, so I still enjoy indulging occasionally and I still make less then healthy meals sometimes. However, the important thing to remember is always "moderation." Have some cake, but don't eat three slices. Have some bread, but not the whole loaf. It is okay to enjoy and indulge in moderation. Don't starve or deprive yourself. You will only pay for it in the end. There is some satisfaction and pride that comes from having a few bites and allowing yourself to enjoy something but then having enough self control to stop when you feel satisfied instead of gorging. Eating smaller meals throughout the day has proven to be the best way to keep the body's metabolism up and to maintain a healthy weight. It makes sense. 

 

"we all have a love affair with food"

 

You can check out my full collection of photos on my Food & Drink page. I am working on putting recipes to all of the photos. My 5 month old isn't interested in my recipes right now. So it'll take time. In the meantime, use them as inspiration to create your own healthy dish. Remember to have fun cooking! Experiment and play. Cooking is art and the expression of your soul through food. Whether you like to create or simply take part in the delicious creation someone else has made, we all have a love affair with food. We all associate memories and experiences with different events that revolved around food. Get the kids involved! It is a beautiful thing when a child is helping in the kitchen. I let my son help me cook and bake all the time and he really really loves it. Letting little ones help in the kitchen allows them to be creative and understand the process of making something with your own hands and then enjoying the fruit of their labor. It's teaching our little girls to be confident in their skills and they will take that with them to being a wonderful wife. I love cooking for my husband. I know he loves it. We are teaching our boys to be confident cooks as well, but also independent and a great husband. It's nice to know if I had a long day and don't feel like cooking every now and then that he can hold his own in the kitchen. So get cooking and enjoy the journey in the kitchen!

 

 

 

Tequila & Lime marinated Shrimp Tacos

 

 

My attempt at Chuy's Salsa Fresca

It came out REAL good! I think I may have liked mine better!!!

 

 

Giant Lump Crab Cakes

 

 

Shrimp Salad

I love making bowls. Rice, beans, cheese, veggies and sometimes a protein like shrimp or chicken. This shrimp salad bowl is so yummy. I use whole grain rice, black beans, pico de gallo, avocados, shrimp and sprinkle with a little cheese. Squeeze a little lime juice over the top. Enjoy!  I use very little fats and they are good fats. I sautee' my shrimp in extra virgin olive oil (coconut oil is a great alternative.) This reminds me of an Island dish. I love Island foods. I could probably survive off of fruits, veggies and fish.

 

 

Texas Teas at Chuy's

I love Chuy's. You may have never been there before. But let me tell you.... One, they make one of then best Texas teas that I have ever had and Two, they make some amazing salsa fresca and this delicious little concoction they came up with call "creamy jalapeno." Mmm, so good!

If you ever find yourself in San Antonio, you should stop by a Chuy's and enjoy some of their out of this world Tex-Mex dishes and taste bud tantalizing Texas Teas. You won't regret it. Spicy!!! 

 

 

A good hostess provides a collection of mixers and liquors!

Getting ready for the New Years Eve Party. I like to get at least a small to medium sized bottle of 4 to 5 liquors and at least 4 to 5 mixers as well. It is also a good idea to get a few citrus' together. Some lemons, limes and maybe oranges or pineapples for garnish too. It's always nice to have options.

 

 

This is what 21 well spent dollars at the produce market looks like. I love that I live in walking distance of the market. I put the baby in the stroller and we take a little walk. I will say that it makes it much easier to eat healthy and eat veggies when there is a convenient way to get them. A good reason to start a garden.

 

 

Banana Blueberry & Strawberry smoothies to start off the day. I love making smoothies. It is a great way to get a lot of fruits in at once if you have a hard time eating fruits. Use some sugar free natural apple juice or orange juice instead of milk. Other healthy options for smoothies include any other fruits, yogurt, honey, flax seed and kale. Their are smoothie combinations than I could even name. Have fun playing and experimenting until you find your favorite. Who knows you could come up with some amazing flavors.  

 

 

"Enjoy the Journey in the kitchen"