Laura Tucker

Valentine’s Day Toffee Crunch Crackers

January 12, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

These Valentine’s Day Toffee Crunch Crackers are a great way to make something great out of very little. They’re crispy, crunchy and full of chocolaty-toffee goodness!

Valentine’s Day seems to be hitting the shelves earlier and earlier every year, doesn’t it? Our Dollar General had all of their Valentine’s Day candy fully stocked on the shelves the day after Christmas when I went in to pick up a gallon of milk. It stopped me dead in my tracks as I wasn’t expecting to see it so soon! Part of me wanted to grumble at the commercialism of it all, but another part of me wanted to sort through the pink and red sprinkles and bring a bottle or two home to spark a little creativity for the upcoming season of love! After all, I love Valentine’s Day, so the wheels have already started turning in my head thinking about sweets, treats and all things pink!

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Books to Read on the 100th Day of School

January 11, 2020 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing my favorite finds with you, and these Books to Read on the 100th Day of School are at the top of my list, and I thought you might love them, too!

My daughter brought home a slip of paper in her school folder earlier this week pertaining to their upcoming 100th Day of School celebration. Being in K4, this is her very first year of school and her first 100th day of school celebration, and we’ll be bringing out all the bells and whistles to celebrate such a fun milestone in her life. When I was a child, we didn’t celebrate this event. Honestly, I don’t think this is something that started to be widely celebrated until the last decade, but I am absolutely in love with the idea. Kids work hard during the school year, and it’s nice to be able to take a day and celebrate their hard work!

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Rocky Railway VBS Craft Ideas

January 4, 2020 by Laura Tucker 2 Comments

Affiliate links are included throughout this post at absolutely no cost to you. I love sharing my favorite VBS finds, and I hope these Rocky Railway VBS Craft Ideas give you just the inspiration you were looking for!

Click here to jump straight to my Rocky Railway Amazon Storefront!

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20 Black Eyed Pea Recipes to Rock your New Year

December 30, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Try these 20 Black Eyed Pea Recipes to Rock your New Year in 2020!

I may get a little side-eye for even having the gumption to make a statement like this, but black eyed peas just aren’t my favorite thing in the world. Honestly, if black eyed peas fell off the side of the earth I wouldn’t be the least bit sad about it. That may sound a little harsh, but they’re not the most flavorful of the legume family and they’re certainly not winning any brownie points with me for visual appeal either. For whatever reason, us southern folk feel the need to force ourselves to eat a heap of them on New Year’s Day for good luck, prosperity and because our Mama told us to, but I have a feeling I’m not alone in my distaste for them.

Truthfully, they wouldn’t be so bad if they just has a little more va-va-voom. You know, a little zing to them. They always end up looking a little slimy cooped up on the side of my plate on New Year’s Day, and I’m always left wondering exactly how many black eyed peas I need to consume before I get all the good luck points.

This year I’m making it a point to revive the black eyed peas on my plate by incorporating them into a dish in a unique way! I’ve searched Pinterest up and down for a little inspiration, and these 20 Black Eyed Pea Recipes are at the top of my list to try this year to spark a new love between me and the black eyed pea!

All of these recipes are put together by a group of amazing food bloggers, so if you see a recipe you like be sure to visit their page and show their recipe a little love!

Black Eyed Peas and Greens Stuffed Buns – Savory Spin

Black Eyed Pea and Sausage Chili – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Black-Eyed Pea Sweet Potato Cornbread Pot Pie – Vanilla and Bean

Jalapeno Black Eyed Pea Cakes – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Black Eyed Pea Cornbread Casserole – Plain Chicken

BBQ Black Eyed Pea Collard Rolls – Vanilla and Bean

Black Eyed Pea Fritters – Immaculate Bites

Black Eyed Pea Dip – Veggies Save The Day

Stuffed Sweet Potatoes with Black Eyed Peas and Kale – Vivian and Me

Hoppin’ John Casserole with Cornbread Crust – Melissa’s Southern Style Kitchen

Hot Black Eyed Pea Dip – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Black Eyed Peas with Smoky Collards and Cheesy Grits – Vanilla and Bean

Spicy Jalapeno Black Eyed Pea Hummus – Spicy Southern Kitchen

Black Eyed Pea Pull Apart Pizza – Climbing Grier Mountain

Black Eyed Pea Hummus – Grits and Pinecones

Black Eyed Pea Texas Caviar – The Hungry Bluebird

One Pot Cajun Black Eyed Peas and Rice – Diary of a Recipe Collector

Black Eyed Pea Salad – Immaculate Bites

Black Eyed Pea and Kale Tacos – Heart of a Baker

Black Eyed Pea Gumbo – The Skinny Fork

Are you a fan of black eyed peas? Do you eat them for New Year’s each year, or do you enjoy them all year long? Leave a comment below and share the love!

Merry Christmas from Southern Made Simple

December 21, 2019 by Laura Tucker 1 Comment

From our family to yours:

We wish you a blessed Christmas and a joyful new year!

Photo Credit: SLK Photography Dothan (I highly recommend her as a photographer if you are in the southeast portion of Alabama!)

Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy

December 11, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy is a classic confection that’s perfect for holiday parties or as a special treat year round!

I love old school Christmas confections. You know, those yummy little treats that you know you’ll see someone bring to a Christmas party at least once or twice during the season. The good ol’ classics that you can never go wrong with. They’re my very favorites. And while this recipe for Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy may not look colorful and festive like the Christmas season, I can’t hold a piece in my hand without singing the chorus to “Jingle Bell Rock” in my head. I turn into a right jolly ol’ elf every time I take a bite!

I don’t believe I own a single hand-me-down church cookbook that doesn’t have a recipe for corn flake candy in it somewhere. All the ladies that have come before me that used to make this treat knew what was good. They’re perfectly chewy with a little crunch in every bite, and just when I thought these candies couldn’t get any better, someone went and added a big ol’ scoop of peanut butter to make me love them even more.

Adding peanut butter to a dessert is a sure-fire way to get me on your good side. Growing up near the peanut capital of the world, I’m pretty partial to my beloved peanuts. The added peanut butter gives these candies a bit of a creamier taste that is irresistible, and it’s a perfect candy to package up and share with friends and family!

Here’s a free printable copy of the recipe if you’d like to give it a try:

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy

Author: Southern Made Simple

Ingredients

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 cup peanut butter I prefer creamy, but crunchy is great, too!
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 cups corn flake cereal
Wax paper

Instructions

Line counter with large section of wax paper
In a large and deep pot, combine corn syrup, sugar and peanut butter and cook over medium heat until the center begins to boil, stirring constantly so sugar doesn't scorch.
As soon as mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and add in vanilla and corn clakes
Stir until cereal is thoroughly coated
Spoon corn flake mixture into dollops onto wax paper immediately, as mixture will quickly harden as it cools
Allow candies to cool down on wax paper for about 30 minutes before consuming
Enjoy!

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

Have leftover corn flakes you want to use up? Make these Corn Flake Christmas Wreaths!

If you like this recipe, be sure to check out these other great recipes found right here at Southern Made Simple!

White Chocolate Drizzled Gingerbread Stars

December 10, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

You know what smells absolutely heavenly this time of year? The smell of freshly baked gingerbread coming out of the oven. It’s such a warm and sweet aroma, and nothing says Christmas is almost here like a fresh batch of gingerbread cookies! These White Chocolate Drizzled Gingerbread Stars are rich and crisp, with just a smidge of softness tucked away in the middle. Go ahead and grab yourself a glass of milk before you continue scrolling. You’re going to want to hang onto this recipe! …

Gluten Free Mississippi Mud Cookies

December 3, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

These gluten free Mississippi Mud Cookies are a spin off of the classic Mississippi Mud Pie, and they’re chock-full of chocolaty goodness!

I have a confession to make.

I can’t spell Mississippi without singing that old silly tune. You know the one.

M-I-crooked letter crooked letter-I- crooked letter crooked letter -I- hump back hump back I!

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Stirring Up Holiday Sweetness with Chocolate Dipped Stirring Spoons & Mr. Coffee®

December 2, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #MyMrCoffeeMoments #CollectiveBias

Thanksgiving break has come to an end, and now we’re back into the swing of our daily routine and bracing ourselves for the hustle and bustle of the busy holiday season! Once our Thanksgiving meal was good and digested, I climbed up into our attic and brought down all of our holiday decorations to celebrate the Christmas season. One of the very first places in our home to receive a bit of Christmas cheer was my beloved coffee bar. With the holiday season comes some of my absolute favorite coffee flavors, and I was thrilled to give my coffee bar a face lift with my new favorite kitchen gadget yet!

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Corn Flake Christmas Wreaths

November 26, 2019 by Laura Tucker Leave a Comment

There are so many simple holiday treats that bring back so many memories for me. Old fashioned corn flake candy is one of those fool-proof treats that makes me think of Christmas time, and I’ve always appreciated how simple it is – no baking required! I’ve been slowly growing a collection of easy and kid-friendly recipes that my 4 year old daughter can roll up her sleeves and help with in the kitchen, and I knew that a simple corn flake-type treat would be perfect! We took corn flake candy a step further and shaped it into these cute little Corn flake Christmas Wreaths, and they’ll be perfect to package up along with all of our many other holiday treats to share with friends and family this year!

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Laura Tucker

Peanut Butter Corn Flake Candy

Ingredients

Instructions

Tried this recipe?

Tag me on Instagram: @SouthernMadeSimple or use the hashtag #SouthernMadeSimple and share your love of southern cuisine!

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