Ginger Casa

Tyler, TX blogger - parenting, cooking, DIY-ing, crafting, sports, and life with three boys!

Gena is the mother of three boys, wife to DFW Dad, gardener, cook, crafter, DIYer, former teacher, and more! They live in the Tyler, Texas area.

Easy Shirley Temple Cake with Grenadine Glaze

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This easy Shirley Temple Cake with Grenadine Glaze is an impressive, delicious dessert that is really simple to make!

shirley temple cake with grenadine glaze

The other day I was scrolling Facebook and I saw an ad for a local person selling Shirley Temple Cakes. So, apparently I have been living under a rock because I had never heard of such a thing. I searched a few recipes on pinterest but could not find exactly what I was looking for, so I bought a few ingredients and made this delicious cake that turned out amazing the first time!!

shirley temple cake with grenadine glaze

My kids had never had a Shirley Temple, which is essentially, 7UP, grenadine, and maraschino cherries. My husband introduced me to this non-alcoholic drink years ago, and it’s really a delicious treat!

shirley temple cake with grenadine glaze

So my kids’ worlds were rocked when I made this Shirley Temple Cake, but also when I let them have a Shirley Temple drink! They all said it was delicious!

shirley temple cake with grenadine glaze

I found that some recipes on the internet said to poke the cake before pouring on any icing or glaze or the maraschino cherry juice, and maybe that would have been good, as well, but when the glaze collects at the bottom, you just scoop it up and drizzle on your cake if you prefer! My guys like that the cake itself was not super soggy and could choose the amount of glaze they wanted on their piece.

shirley temple cake with grenadine glaze

This easy Shirley Temple Cake with Grenadine Glaze is a great Spring cake! Serve at your Easter meal for a delicious, impressive dessert!

Easy Shirley Temple Cake with Grenadine Glaze
Yield: 16 servings

Easy Shirley Temple Cake with Grenadine Glaze

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Additional Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

This Shirley Temple cake with grenadine glaze is so easy to make! Made with boxed cake mix, it's a treat for all!

Ingredients

  • one boxed white cake mix
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1 cup 7UP
  • 1/2 cup oil
  • 1 tsp lemon extract
  • 1 cup drained maraschino cherries
  • for the glaze:
  • 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 3 TBSP grenadine
  • 3 TBSP milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. Prepare cake mix by mixing cake mix, egg whites, 7UP, oil, and lemon extract together in a mixing bowl for 1 minute.
  3. Fold in cherries with a spoon.
  4. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray.
  5. Gently pour cake mix with cherries into bundt pan.
  6. Bake cake for 35 minutes and check. Rotate in oven if not evenly browning.
  7. Cook for another 5-10 miutes, or until a toothpick or knife is inserted and comes out clean.
  8. When done, carefully remove from oven and flip on a plate or cake stand. Let cool for 10 minutes.
  9. Prepare grenadine glaze by combining powdered sugar, grenadine, and milk and mixing well. Add more powdered sugar if too thin, more milk if too thick.
  10. Pour generously over cake.
  11. Serve and enjoy!

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 164Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 30mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 0gSugar: 21gProtein: 1g

The writer is not a doctor or nutritionist and this nutritional information is just a guideline. Please consult your doctor or nutritionist for more accurate information.

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© Gena

Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispy Bars – No Bake Treat!

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I know what brought you here. Your love for Reese’s peanut butter cups. Or maybe it was simply your love for peanut butter? Either way, you will love this recipe for Reese’s Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispy Bars!

reese's peanut butter chocolate crispy bars

Delicious Peanut Butter Chocolate No Bake Treat!

I am a supreme lover of no bake treats. Rice Krispie treats and no bake peanut butter cereal balls were some of my favorites growing up. SO easy to make and the best part is that you do not have to wait for them to cook to eat them! And scraping the bowl is so a delicious part, too!

In case you didn’t know…chopping Reese’s peanut butter cups is pretty exhilarating…

reese's peanut butter cups, chopped

These no bake peanut butter bars are SO DELICIOUS! Anything with peanut butter is delicious, obviously, but these are over the top good. The icing is rich and decadent and is a perfect complement to the crispy bars underneath.

(Sidenote: I always always always recommend that if you are taking a dessert or dish to a potluck or somewhere that others will possibly eating your food, to either label it with potential allergens or at the very least, crumble something distinguishable on top to signal to potential allergy sufferers that there is peanut butter inside. I have a child with tree nut allergies, and oh how I wish that people would do this. Food allergies are no joke, y’all. Also, peanuts aren’t tree nuts, in case you were wondering. Thank goodness because he lives on peanut butter.)

reese's pb chocolate crispy bars

Carrying on…I love how these turn out! They’re dense and delicious, so it feels like an actual dessert and not just a rice krispie treat snack. There is peanut butter throughout and every bit of it is delicious.

reese's pb chocolate crispy bars ginger casa

reese's pb chocolate crispy bars ginger casa.com

check out my peanut butter Chex mix recipe! 

 

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispy Bars - No Bake Treat!
Yield: 20

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Crispy Bars - No Bake Treat!

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Additional Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

These Reese's peanut butter chocolate crispy bars are no bake and very decadent!

Ingredients

  • 6 cups crisped rice cereal
  • 2 lbs box or bag of powdered sugar
  • 4 cups creamy peanut butter
  • 1 cup melted butter (2 sticks)
  • Topping
  • 2 cups Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips
  • 1/4 butterscotch chips
  • 1 TBSP coconut oil
  • 12 quartered or crumbled Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups (large)

Instructions

    1. Line jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
    2. Combine creamy peanut butter, crisped rice cereal, powdered sugar, and melted butter in a large bowl.
    3. Press into prepared pan.
    4. Melt chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth (about 2 1/2 minutes)
    5. Pour and spread melted chocolate mixture over peanut butter crispy layer.
      Add quartered Reese's over top.
    6. Refrigerate until chocolate has set (about 30 minutes)
    7. Cut into bars and serve, keep refrigerated best served chilled

Notes

A quick rinse of water in your measuring cup prevents peanut butter from sticking to the sides.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

20

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 726Total Fat: 53gSaturated Fat: 20gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 23gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 430mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 5gSugar: 39gProtein: 16g

The writer is not a doctor or nutritionist and this nutritional information is just a guideline. Please consult your doctor or nutritionist for more accurate information.

How much did you love this recipe?

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© Gena
Category: food

How Do I Help My Child Prepare for the STAAR Test at Home?

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how to help your child prepare for the staar test

This post was brought to you by Merriam-Webster. All thoughts and opinions are mine.

 

If you are a Texas mom, dad, grandparent, guardian or, of course, teacher, you know that Spring = STAAR season for our public school kids! So many are left wondering….”So how do I help my child prepare for the STAAR test at home?” Luckily, the teachers do a pretty fantastic job at helping prepare our kids. BUT, there are a few things that you can do to bring it all home and ensure that your child does the best that he/she can do!

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Nutella Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips

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Our younger two boys love bananas topped with Nutella. This is the easiest snack/treat for them, especially on those nights where they are “starving” at bedtime but can’t think of what they want to eat. Nutella banana? YES! So when I had four old bananas that I needed to use, but didn’t want to make the traditional banana muffin, I made Nutella Banana Muffins instead! And my whole family LOVED THEM!

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8 Tips To Improve Gut Health and Feel Better

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I received this product at no cost from Moms Meet to use and post my honest opinions. Compensation for this post was provided and this post may contain affiliate links. All opinions are mine. 8 Tips to Improve Gut Health and Feel Better!

It does not need to be said, but the past year has been rough on everyone. The stress alone is enough to wreak havoc on your body. But how do you improve gut health so you can feel better? 

gut health

Improve Your Diet

-Add fruits and vegetables, at least 1//2 cup to each meal, to boost antioxidants, fiber, and probiotics

-Eat smaller meals: eating 5-6 mini meals throughout the day can help prevent overload on your body

-Keep a food journal: writing down what you eat can help you to pinpoint culprits causing your gastrointestinal problems

Improve Your Lifestyle

-Start walking! Taking a 20 minute walk after eating can help stimulate digestion. I have started walking nightly and I really love the time spent with my 1-3 kids who want to tag along, depending on the day! Enjoying nature is a great way to relieve stress, too!

-Relax! I know, easier said than done, but find a way to relax and stick with it, because practice makes it easier. Sign up for a yoga class, watch YouTube channels about breathing techniques, take baths, or do something that you love to reduce the stress.

-Consider what you drink. Too much alcohol isn’t good, we know that. But did you know that it can inhibit the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine? Limit yourself to no more than two drinks per day or a drink on occasion to really help your gut.

-Find a hobby that you love! Take up gardening, get a houseplant (it will become a healthy addiction!), train for a 5k, paint something, take a class, whatever you love, go all in and find that it’s a great distraction and improves your mental health which will help your whole body and gut health!

improve your gut health with kyo-dophilus

Supplements that can Help

A good-quality probiotic can help support healthy digestion, while offering benefits for immune health. Choose the Kyo-Dophilus® product that’s right for you. I have been taking the Kyo-Dophilus Pro+ Synbiotic:

-great tasting chewable that come in single-serving packets and do not need to be refrigerated

-synbiotic is a term use for probiotics and probiotics, combined to provide the best benefits for your gut

-contains nine different strains, 20 billion CFU, and 2 g of prebiotic

-BioEcolians prebiotic has been clinically studied and documented to help maintain bacterial balance

-can maintain good colon health and relieve occasional digestive discomfort*

-a balanced digestive system also promotes a healthy immune response and inhibits the growth of bad bacteria*

-non-GMO and free of soy, gluten, dairy, and artificial colors and flavors

 

improve gut health

*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

I am not a medical professional. Always consult your doctor before adding supplements to your diet.

15 Minute Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce

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15 Minute Noodles with Spicy Peanut Sauce is a delicious family recipe that the family will love!

noodles with spicy peanut sauce

Pasta is always an easy, frugal meal for families. This recipe for 15 minute noodles with spicy peanut sauce is good with any noodles you may have in the pantry. You can also add sliced chicken or pork to add meat to the meal. I love recipes like this that are versatile and can be easily adapted for a meal that everyone will love. View Post

School Anxiety: What Has Helped Our Family

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School Anxiety:  What Has Helped Our Family

school anxiety

This post contains affiliate links and gifted items, but all opinions are mine and I never recommend products that I don’t believe in and use for our family. Consult a doctor before using any supplements. I am not a doctor and do not offer medical advice.

A few years ago, our oldest started daily pre-k.  Things were great at first, but they got worse.  A lot worse.  He started on a Wednesday and absolutely loved it.  Thursday he cried and said it was because he didn’t like the noisy cafeteria, which they had to go to first thing.  Thursday is also soccer practice day, and the day he gets a little one-on-one from an awesome homeschool teacher, that I’m glad we didn’t have to give up because he loves.  By Friday, he was tired and totally did not want to go to school.  He even mentioned that if I didn’t make him go to school, he would go take a nap….which, he hates napping these days, so I knew it was serious.  I had to pry his hands from the carseat and carry him inside.  By the end of this traumatic experience, he was screaming and crying and I was feeling sadness and guilt.  I wasn’t sure that we had made the right decision, but I said a prayer for him and went home with our then 2 year old.

When I went to pick him up a few hours later, he was smiling and he said he liked school.  The teacher said he had a good day and stopped crying.  He told me that he cried through the cafeteria time and part of recess, but then enjoyed the rest of the day.  It’s so awful to think that your child is crying and you can’t do anything for them.  Friends of mine said it was good for him, that it would prepare him for other life experiences, and he would be fine.  Well, fine he was, but I am not sure that it was necessarily “good” for him, but I guess that’s all dependent on how you look at things.  I know people that have never been left at school, crying and screaming, and they turned out just fine.  🙂  I know quite a few adults who were homeschooled that have adjusted to life quite well, so I don’t really think that all of this is a necessary evil, but it’s just something we have to look at as a family.  It’s a personal parenting decision.

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