Awaken Your Tastebuds With Star Wars™ Cereal, Recipes, And More! Cookiee Chew-Bar-Ccas Recipe!

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Momma Told Me: Fans make the franchise.

These days it seems like everyone is a Fanboy or Fangirl. Some people like to get all uptight about who is a fan, and who is just following the fandom because it's the cool thing to do. But, when you get down to Brass tacks so in my generation actually have rights to claim 'authentic' fandom on a franchise that has been around since the 70s. Sure, we have a title that pays homage directly to the Millennium Falcon, or so I like to think, but millennials have no more ownership to the awesome universe that is Star Wars than the generation after us. Truth be told, a true Star Wars fan loves the characters, the lore, the (let's be honest) franchise so much it matters little who liked it first or the longest, but rather that we all love it so very much.

It's no secret I am a fan of Star Wars™- there have been countless references here and on my social forums for as far back as I existed on social media. Yes, since Disney acquired the rights to the characters and upcoming films merchandise has become, well, much more available- but I was there ranting over Jar-Jar in the midnight release line of 2002, just as I was one of millions crashing online ticketing systems when the The Force Awakens tickets went on pre-sale in October. My childhood was full of images of Ewoks and tenacious space princesses- and every year I dress the pets up for Halloween, or even just because as any character I an justify. But why do I really love Star Wars™?

I love it because it is a universal language so wide in reach a single instrumental can solicit cheers without a single image or word. Because in high school I'd argue with otherwise strangers about 'Who shot first,' until it quite literally became a debate in the debate club. Because those who love it feel so passionately about it I consider them a sibling in a strangely wonderful universe of geekdom that is so mainstream, it's hardly even considered nerding out anymore. And while some who have been in love with the franchise as long as me, may feel disgruntled by the appearance of fresh generations of fans, and daringly new characters and content, I embrace the chance to speak my language with a whole new legion of fans.

I couldn't care less whether you just watched the original films this year for the first time, or were lucky enough to be in the theater during those first 1977 showings. Star Wars™ is amazing because of each and every one of it's fans, so hold that R2-D2 thermos or BB-8 plushie high with pride, because you are a part of something amazing. And, in that spirit, I'm going to share with you some of my own fandom celebration as we count down the days to the big theatrical release this week! But first, you'll have to go to Walmart to snag your favorite General Mills cereal in one of several limited edition boxes with exclusive Star Wars™ Droid Viewer prizes! Whether you love to snack on the sweet and crunchy O's of Honey Nut Cheerios®, or enjoy the crisp crunch of Cinnamon Toast Crunch®, you're sure to find something awesome and plenty of Star Wars™ fun. Just check out the Exclusive Droid Viewer I poured out of my Cinnamon Toast Crunch® box!

You're also going to want to grab a few boxes of specially marked Cookie Crisp® cereal from Walmart- there's an exclusive limited edition Droid Viewer inside and it just so happens to be the secret ingredient in my Cookiee Chew-Bar-Ccas recipe! While you'll need an entire box for the special cookie biscuit base, Cookie Crisp is delicious to snack on without milk- so grab an extra box for that midnight screening line too.

Start by pulverizing an entire box of Cookie Crisp® in a blender or food processor. The mixture should be fine, and even, like a delicious cookie powder.

Next take 2 softened bars of salted butter, flour, and some vanilla extract and smash up the mixture until it is mold-able, but not 'wet.' Press the crust like mixture into the bottom of a well greased 9" x 13" pan and bake it in the oven for 30 minutes at 300F. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

While your cookie 'biscuit' layer is cooling melt your caramels over medium-high heat with half and half, stirring constantly as to not burn the mixture. Once the caramel is an even texture and coats the back of a spoon when turned, remove from heat and pour over your 'biscuit' layer.

Sprinkle a generous layer of sweetened coconut flakes over the warm caramel layer and send the pan to the refrigerator for 45 minutes to an hour. Once the caramel has set run a knife horizontally through the layers, then vertically to create 16 even bars. Carefully remove and separate each bar, placing them 2" apart on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Coat with a thin layer of melted chocolate or chocolate candy coating and return to the refrigerator for 1 hour, or until set.

These Cookiee Chew-Bar-Ccas, as we like to call them, are inspired by two of our favorite candy bars and so addictive, it truly does require use of The Force to refrain from eating half a tray. The buttery, crispy, crunch Cookie Crisp base is the perfect companion to the chewy caramel and melty coconut shell. We cannot get enough, and they are so easy to make, even the youngest of Padawans can help!

Nora, however, was not impressed. She mush prefers the less developed 'cousin' of the Wookiee, the Ewoks, whose primitive ways make them destined for galactic domination- or so she thinks. I can't really give her opinions much weight, after all, she keeps questionable company...

Meanwhile, in my fridge something awesome was about to awaken- the limited edition Star Wars™ Go-Gurt® with Glow-In-The-Dark Light Saber packaging and Blippar app interactivity. Not only do these delicious limited edition flavors have packaging tubes that resemble light sabers and glow-in-the-dark, but I can scan the characters on the front of each tube to bring exclusive content and 3-D models to life! Within seconds I was looking at a 3-D model of the First Order Star Destroyer I could actually transpose over live images and take photos with! This is just one of over a dozen pieces of exclusive Star Wars™ The Force Awakens pieces of content you can unlock with the Blippar app and Star Wars™ Go-Gurt®!

I was so inspired by the fun light saber packaging I decided to whip up some sabers of my own! With some leftover plastic test tubes, from Halloween, food color, washi tape, and powdered milk, I set out to make fun light saber favors perfect for a Star Wars™ themed breakfast. This project really could not be any simpler, and it has impressive impact with fans of any age- after all, who doesn't love playing with a light saber? Even better, the colored powdered milk harnesses the power of the force to turn any breakfast cereal morning into a special event!

While this project is fairly simple and affordable, you will likely run into a snag of you attempt to color 'powdered' anything without some advance tips. First, save time and buy affordable powdered food color, which is high in concentrate and very effective in small pinches. Or, you may color with traditional food color drops- but you will need to be a lot more patient- rubbing the color into the mixture until it clumps and turns into powder once more- Liquid food color will yield a colored result, but it will require significantly more color, and cause your powdered milk to be more clumpy in appearance- this may also diminish the shelf life.

Once you've settled on your method of coloring, combine your powdered milk in a plastic zipper bag and blend until fully colored- for our Light Sabers we went with red, green, and blue. Once colored we portioned the powdered milk into the plastic tubes, taped the ends with black electrical tape and silver washi tape and 'Voila!' Cereal Milk Light Sabers, just pour into your bowl and add water! It's not only a fun way to take your cereal on the go ANYWHERE, but also a fun way to play with the exclusive Star Wars™ limited edition General Mills cereals from Walmart.

No matter what side you are on, you simply must get your hands on these limited edition General Mills Star Wars™ cereals, because they won't be around for long- and cereal makes an awesome Blu-Ray viewing party snack. I know I'll be enjoying a bowl every night this week for dessert in preparation of the theatrical release!

Whether you're young, old, green, or a clone- all you need be is a fan to be among my circle of Star Wars™ friends. It really doesn't matter who your favorite character is, or even your favorite film (though there really is no correct answer other than 'Empire Strikes Back,') as long as you share a love for the series that makes your heart pound when you hear that infamous theme. So, go ahead, leave your comments and thoughts- tell me your first Star Wars™ memory, your favorite scene, the quotes you'll never forget and let's all indulge in a little fandom- because that's what Star Wars™ is all about. Check out the #AwakenYourTastebuds social hub for more awesome recipes, and even party ideas, you're sure to love!


What Daughter Says: The only thing better than celebrating my favorite franchise is enjoying it with family and friends.

Cookiee Chew-Bar-Cca Bars

**Click here for printable coconut caramel cookie candy bar recipe.

Breakfast At Home Makes Sense: $25 VISA Giveaway~ 7/13

Momma Told Me: Eat your breakfast!

I don't know about you, but Breakfast is the meal of the day I enjoy preparing most, because it's the simplest. It's hard to mess up on 'breakfast,' and it's the perfect time to play with colorful elements and textures, in a meal that is intended to fuel us throughout the day. I also enjoy serving breakfast to my family, in particular, because I know I am doing something unexpected that will start their day off on a positive note. So how on Earth is it that I, and my family members, eat breakfast about 3/7 days a week, on average? Even more troubling is that which compels us to eat this important meal. I am, by no means a morning person, and the days we eat an 'early meal' (known to some as breakfast), are often spurred by the fact we have plans earlier in the day. During these days we're especially rushed, and anticipating an even longer day ahead, so we often swing through the local drive through, or catch a meal at a diner while heading out of town. Big mistake.

Momma knew the importance of a 'first meal' at home, and made sure she served it every single day. She couldn't control what I ate at school, as much as she liked to think she did, but she knew she could control what went into my mouth while we were together. Even more importantly, she could hear what came out of my mouth best when we were seated at the breakfast nook exchanging hopes and plans for the day ahead. Momma was no short order cook, she was very much your average stay at home mom (okay, Pre-Pinterest Type A average). She'd rather see me eat a bowl of whole grain cereal with a serving of fruit and dairy (milk) than have me stumble out the door only to be distracted by stomach cramps at school a few hours later. And, while there was a donut shop on the corner, directly across from my school, Momma never gave into temptation to take the 'easy way out.' "I can serve you a perfectly nutritious meal, at home, and for less!" she'd reply to my pleas for the freshly baked donut holes wafting down the street.

When you have children, I've been told, you go through a phase of 'nothing's too good for my child.' That is to say that, at least with the first go around, Moms want to do what's best for their children. This is a constant battle between keeping them happy, and keeping them healthy. But mealtime at home every morning doesn't have to break the bank. In fact, General Mills is helping to illustrate this by providing a month of money saving coupons on your favorite GM products through their exclusive Breakfast at Home sub-site. Head on over and print valuable money saving coupons for all of your favorite General Mills cereals, yogurt, meal bars, and more! Even better, through July 15, these savings will stack with already lowered prices in stores nationwide. It's time to stock up on your family's favorites and ensure you're eating a well rounded breakfast all Summer long.

When our family tries to fit in one of it's rushed meals on the go we often end up spending over $6 a head on breakfast, not including a tip if we dine in. I created a nutritious, filling, and well rounded breakfast for my family for just $1.56 a serving! It's as easy as filling a bowl with your family's favorite General Mills cereal, low fat milk (or milk substitute), a glass of orange juice, a fresh piece of fruit, a slice of whole grain bread, and an egg. Sometimes, when I'm feeling especially inspired I'll even cut a little heart in the center of the bread slice and cook the egg directly in the center. It's easier to control portions when I'm home, and I know none of the food will go to waste, because I know how much each of us can eat. (I always feel so guilty when we walk out of a diner with 1/3 of our food still on the plate!)

Eating breakfast at home just makes sense; saving money in our budget, and keeping the family connected. Not only do our favorite General Mills cereals give directly back to Sabrina's school through the Box Tops for Education program, but they keep a little bit of childhood wonder (and nostalgia for the adults) on our table every day. I have to admit, I'm a little disgruntled classic cereal box prizes, as my generation knew them, have become extinct, but we still have fun playing with the colorful marshmallows and filling out the interactive games on the box. Besides, so long as there is cereal, I can 'sneak' pretty much any other element in. I compromise with sugar marshmallows, and she eats her fruit, eggs, and toast. Then we can all start our day filling fueled, inside and out.

What Daughter Says: Breakfast at home makes 'cents' when you stop to add up the savings.

One Momma Told Me follower will win a Breakfast Makes Cents prize bundle from My Blog Spark and General Mills, including; 2 Boxes of GM Cereal, Branded Cereal Bowl, Lip Balm, and $25 Visa GC.