Matcha Rice Crispy Treats

Ever since we had a piece of chocolate rice crispy treat as our road nutrition on the way home from Arkansas, I've been wanting to make the homemade rice crispy treats. I made them with the gluten-free Rice Krispy cereal and flavored them with matcha. I don't know why I had to choose the gluten-free cereal when I am using the marshmallows that are full of bad stuff anyway. But I guess I attempted to think healthy. Maybe the benefits of matcha would cancel the bad stuff out! The end product was quite delicious, so it's all good. 

My dog inspects everything I eat

Cooling down on the counter....

Matcha Rice Crispy Treats

3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp matcha, I used 2 Tbsp this time but I could use a little less the next time
4 cups marshmallows
6 cups rice crispy

Melt the butter and add matcha and stir till nicely incorporated. Add marshmallows and melt till smooth. Turn off the heat. Toss in rice crispy and mix well. Transfer to a casserole dish and pat it down. A silicone spatula works well without sticking too much. Cool at least 30 minutes.

Store it in the freezer after opening to keep it fresh

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Summer Haircut

Feeling so much better already

Because we have been having unusually high temperatures lately, I have decided to get our dog a summer haircut. We don't usually do this until mid-summer, so this is quite early for us. He seems to like it a lot, though. I asked them to use the oat meal shampoo which seems to sooth his itchy skin. He had his teeth cleaned, nails ground, ear hair pulled also. He had a big treat when we came home. Good boy!


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Hummingbird Feeder

Time to put the hummingbird feeder out on the front porch. It has been very warm here like summer. We have the air conditioner on all day now. I bet the hummingbirds are thirsty, too.

I want hummingbirds, not ants!

I hope to post a photo of a hummingbird soon for this season. The pictures below are from the last summer.

Perched on dogwood

Still magical after all these years

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Kale, Sausage and White Bean Soup

I was planning to make sautéd kale and sweet sausages, but I was in a mood for something a bit more wholesome. I decided to make soup with white beans and barley in it.  A piece of hearty country bread would make a good meal. 

Move over, Progresso!

Kale, Sausage and White Bean Soup

A bunch of kale
2 sweet Italian sausages, made into tiny balls
1 can white beans
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 piece garlic, minced
1/4 cup barley, I used Quaker's Quick Barley
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
Thyme, just a pinch
2 bay leaves
A sprig of rosemary
2 cans chicken broth
salt and pepper
olive oil

Put 1/2 can of the white beans in the blender till smooth. In a dutch oven, drizzle olive oil and add fennel seeds and sauté the sausages till brown. Add onions for a few minutes and add minced garlic. Add thyme, bay leaves and rosemary. Toss in kale, white beans, creamed white beans, barley and chicken soup. Stir. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put the lid on and cook for 30 minutes.

Did you know....

White kidney beans are really good for you. They are full of soluble and insoluble fiber, which respectively binds cholesterol and removes it from your digestive system. The soluble fiber in white kidney beans is also known to stabilize the blood sugar levels. I better eat more of them!


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