Are you running out of indoor play ideas for cold and rainy days? Winter is coming and our warm days are limited. I love sensory play for indoor entertainment. We started using sensory play techniques with our daughter when she was just a couple months old. Here I introduce over 15 indoor sensory play ideas for infants and toddlers.
Author: Kayla Strodtman
Vanilla Cream Banana Bread
As someone who loves to bake, I don't generally get too experimental with bread recipes. An idea dawned on me a couple of weeks ago to try and make a bread with a cream center, kind of like filled donuts. I thought this would be great for a banana bread, banana bread filled with vanilla. I gave it shot...
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6 Reasons To Start an Apple Orchard Tradition
One tradition in my family is going to a local apple orchard and picking our own apples. I have three go-to recipes that I make each year with the apples we pick. Every family should make visiting an apple orchard a yearly family tradition. Here are the reasons why:
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Granny’s Apple Cobbler
This apple cobbler is the third recipe I make to use my fresh-picked apples straight from a local orchard. My Granny is such a wonderful cook. This Apple Cobbler is her original recipe. A favorite childhood memory of mine is playing at her house and eating....
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Ingredients
For the Apples
- Apples (I use Jonathan) peeled, cored, sliced, and cut in half
- 3/4 cups Granulated sugar
- dash salt
- 1/2-1 tsp. Lemon juice
- 1/2 cup Flour
- Cinnamon
Topping
- 1 cup Flour
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup Butter softened
- 1 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Oatmeal
Ingredients
For the Apples
Topping
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Instructions
- Use enough apples to fill a 9x13 pan. Toss apples with the sugar, salt, lemon juice, and flour. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Stir together the topping ingredients.
- Sprinkle the topping over the apples in the 9x13 pan.
- Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until apples are soft and topping is starting to brown.
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Homemade Applesauce
Each Fall, I pick 20 lbs. of apples at a local apple orchard. That's a lot of apples for a family of 3. I manage to use every single one of those apples. My second go-to recipe is applesauce.
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Ingredients
- 8 lbs. Apples (I use Jonathan) peeled, cored, and cut in 1 inch chunks
- Lemon juice
- 4 cups Water
- 2 Tbsp. Cinnamon
- 1 tsp. Nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp. Allspice
- 2 cups Granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Place apples in a large pot on your stove and sprinkles with lemon juice.
- Add remaining ingredients to pot and stir.
- Cover pot and bring to a simmer on medium heat.
- Allow apples to simmer on low stirring occasionally until softened and falling apart. May use a potato masher, I like leaving some chunks in mine.
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Crock Pot Apple Butter
I have three go-to recipes that I make every year after our apple orchard adventures. One of them is crock pot apple butter. I love this recipe! Its very simple and you can adjust the ingredients to your taste. I start it early in the day and leave it on low in the crock pot for several hours. It makes the entire house smell SO good!
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Ingredients
- Apples (I use Jonathan) Enough to fill crock pot
- 2 1/4 cups Sugar
- 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
- 2 tsp. Cinnamon
- 1 1/4 tsp. Allspice
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Peel, core, and cut apples into 1 inch chunks. Fill crock pot to the brim.
- Combine remaining ingredients and pour over apples.
- Cover and cook on low until apples are very soft and take on a smooth texture. This takes several hours (5-8). Stir every hour or so and apples will begin to get mushy.
- You may use a potato masher if need be. Enjoy!
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Chicken a la King
We love anything served over mashed potatoes and this creamy chicken and mushroom dish is so comforting. This is sure to become a go-to recipe for your family too.
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Ingredients
- 1 can (4 oz.) mushrooms drain and reserve juice
- 1 green bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1/2 cup Flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp. chicken buillon dissolved in 1 1/2 cup hot water
- 1 1/2 cup Milk
- 2 cups chicken boiled and shredded
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Cook and stir mushrooms and green pepper in butter.
- Add flour, salt, and pepper and mix until bubbly but be careful not to burn.
- Slowly add in the broth, milk, and mushroom juice stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and allow it to thicken a little.
- Add chicken and remove from heat.
- Serve over mashed potatoes.
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Cookie Dough Rice Krispies Treats
I love cookie dough but every recipe I've tried that has cookie dough or cookie dough flavor is way too sweet. I decided to try my hand at making my own cookie dough flavored recipe and thought rice krispies treats would be a good place to start.
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Butter softened and divided
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup Granulated sugar
- 3 Tbsp Milk
- 1 tsp Vanilla flavoring
- 1 cup Flour
- 1/2-1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini)
- 1/2 bag (about 5 oz) Mini marshmallows
- 6 cups Rice Krispies
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Beat together 6 Tbsps butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, milk, vanilla, flour, and chocolate chips until smooth.
- Add remaining 2 Tbsp. butter to a pot over low heat on your stove. Once butter is melted, add marshmallows stirring continuously until melted.
- Remove from heat and immediately stir in the rice krispies.
- Add cookie dough batter to the pot stirring well. Depending on how hot your pot is, your chocolate chips may begin to melt.
- Press mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Spray the back of a spoon with nonstick cooking spray and use it to press the rice krispies into the pan and smooth them out.
- Because this recipe contains less marshmallow than a traditional recipe and because of the butter, I refrigerated them to help the treats hold together. Enjoy!
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Granny’s Baked Beans
You know any recipe post that starts with "Granny's" is going to be good! My Granny is the best cook! She is one of those cooks that uses a little bit of this, a pinch of that, a dash, splash, a handful, or thumb-sized amount. That's when you know the cook has skill! This baked bean recipe is no different.
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Ingredients
- 3 cans pork and beans
- 1 can Chili beans
- onion chopped
- green bell pepper chopped
- ketchup
- Mustard
- Worsterschire sauce
- liquid smoke
- brown sugar
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a 9x13 pan.
- There are no set measurements so add ingredients to your taste. You are looking for a sweet and smokey taste.
- Bake uncovered at 375 for 45-60 minutes.
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Jack Chicken Spaghetti Casserole
If you love a pasta and just a hint of spice, this recipe is for you! This is one of my husbands creations. It is very, very easy to modify this recipe for little ones or for those who can't tolerate spicy foods.
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Ingredients
- 12 oz spagehtti noodles
- 5 chicken breasts cubed
- 1/2 cup green bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 8 oz portobello mushrooms chopped
- 1 jar diced pimentos
- 2 cans golden mushroom soup
- 1 large block pepper jack cheese shredded
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Saute chicken, peppers, and onions in a covered pan until chicken is fully cooked.
- In another pan, saute mushrooms in a bit of butter.
- Cook spaghetti according to package instructions.
- Mix 1/2 of cheese and all other ingredients and place in a 9x13 pan.
- Bake covered at 350 for 30 minutes.
- Uncover and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
- Bake for another 15 minutes.
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