Making chocolate cream cheese frosting from scratch can be almost as easy as cracking open a jar -- and the one you make yourself will have far fewer ingredients! My favorite recipe only has 4 ingredients, and should only take about 10 minutes start to finish. It's basic, but delicious.

The picture above shows chocolate frosting on a shortbread cookie, but you could use it on sugar cookies, vanilla cake, or even with some fresh strawberries! My kids love spreading this chocolate frosting on graham crackers or apple wedges as an afternoon snack.

This is NOT a buttercream recipe. Buttercream is great, but I prefer a whipped version because it is lighter and fresh. Here are some other ways to eat this yummy frosting:

• Dip for pretzels
• Use as a topping for Ice Cream Sundaes
• Sandwich the frosting between 2 graham crackers and put it in the freezer
• Spread on vanilla wafers
• On Red Velvet Cake

Is your mouth watering yet?

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

What You Need:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened
• 4 tsp white or turbinado sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Step 1: Whip the whipping cream with a hand mixer or a stand mixer. You can whip it by hand, but it will take a LONG time and your arm will feel like it's going to fall off. It took me about 5 minutes with my KitchenAid stand mixer on medium-high to get the cream to the right, stiff, consistency.

Step 2: Mix the cocoa powder and sugar together with a fork in a small bowl.

Step 3: When the cream is completely stiffed and whipped, beat in the sugar/cocoa mixture on medium power.

Step 4: Fold in the vanilla extract and cream cheese.

That's all there is to it!

It's best to use this frosting fresh, but it can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours if need be.

Not looking for chocolate? Try our recipe for The Best Cream Cheese Frosting!

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I love discovering new recipes as I’m sure most of my readers do. So if you posted an awesome recipe on your blog this week, link it up here! If you have a recipe to share and you don’t have a blog just post it for us in the comments! I’ll be hosting this exchange every Tuesday so don’t forget to mark your calendars! Here’s the rules:

• The link posted must go directly to the recipe  or weekly meal plans not to a homepage or a search category. All incorrect submissions will be deleted.
• And please link back to the recipe linky so everyone can join in the fun!
• In your linky please post a pic of the food(or something pretty) and the name of the recipe.
• Link up as many recipes or posts related to food as you like!

Last week's most clicked on recipe was this one for Gooey Turtle Cookies. Yum!

Link up gluten free recipes, dessert recipes, main dishes, or any kind of recipes you enjoy and want to share with others!

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Rhubarb is an unjustly-maligned vegetable. Yes, even though rhubarb is most commonly served in sweet dishes, it is actually a vegetable.  In its uncooked form, ripe stalks resemble large rosy celery. If you are lucky (or smart) enough to own a rhubarb plant, don't get rid of it! It is super-easy to grow, requiring virtually no maintenance.

When harvesting rhubarb, focus on the rosy-green stalks. Discard the leaves in a place where children or pets cannot get them; the leaves contain a compound that can cause the throat to swell so that breathing is impaired.

But hang on to those delicious stalks. You can make an easy and utterly delicious dessert in minutes with them! One of my favorites to make is this Rhubarb Crumble recipe. Yes, it has plenty of sugar in it, but I use only oats instead of white flour for the crisp topping. At least that way there is plenty of fiber in your dessert as well.

This can easily be made gluten-free if you use gluten-free oats.

Rhubarb Crumble Recipe

What You Need:

For the rhubarb filling:

• 2 cups of rhubarb, chopped into 1/4" pieces
• 2 tsp corn starch
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 tsp ginger

For the Oat Topping:

• 1 1/2 cup rolled oats -- use gluten-free oats if you desire
• 4 oz melted butter
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp ginger
• 2 tsp cinnamon

Instructions:

1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all the ingredients for the rhubarb base and gently mix.

2. In a large glass bowl, melt the butter. Then add the oats, brown sugar, ginger, and cinnamon. Mix together until nice and crumbly. You may want to add more oats depending on your preference.

3. In a greased 8x8" glass pan, spread the rhubarb filling into the bottom of the pan. Top with the oat mixture.

4. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until oats are golden brown.

I love serving this for company, but it's so easy to throw together, I often make it on weeknights with my kids as well.

Looking for something else to make with your rhubarb? You could also try this Rhubarb Smoothie!

What is your favorite rhubarb recipe?

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We've posted so many money saving tips here on Little House Living over the years, sometimes it's hard to keep up with everything. So I decided to put all the best tips together here in one nice post that you can bookmark or pin for future reference or reading.

Best Money Saving Tips

35 Frugal Budgeting Tips

Here are 35 easy tips that you can start doing today to shave valuable money off your budget!

Make Freezer Meals

Save money buy buying in bulk and making meals ahead of time. You don't have to spend money on eating out but you still get a fast quick meal!

Make Your Own Homemade Cleaners

Have you done this yet? What are you waiting for?

Learn to Can

Seriously. This is one of the biggest money savers you can find. Grow your own produce and then preserve for your family to eat fresh and healthy all winter!

75 Uses for Baking Soda

Cheap and dozens upon dozens of uses!

Learn to Barter

Why pay full price when you don't really have to?

Learn to Sew

Sewing is not an outdated hobby, it's something that can help save your budget!

Save Money on Your Heating Bills

Get 12 tips on how to save money on your heating bills. Stay warm and still save money!

10 Ways to Save Money

Think of ways to save money that you might not have thought of before but are right in front of you!

Organic on a Budget

Buy organics and still save money!

Couponing 101

Learn how to use coupons to be able to donate or save even more on your grocery bill.

Learn to Prepare for Higher Food Prices

Prices are always going to keep going up. Do you know what to do to make the best of it?

Learn to Buy in Bulk

It will save you money if you just take the plunge!

Grow a Garden

Gardening is cheaper than therapy, and you get tomatoes.

Learn to Meal Plan

I love meal planning and do it for a month at a time so I can also utilize my bulk food buying!

Be Thankful for What You Have

If we aren't thankful for what we already have then we won't be able to appreciate anything else in life.

Saving Money

Get 71 more tips and article here!

What are your best money saving tips? Share in the comments so we can add to this list!

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Looking for a healthy snack idea for this summer? Here are 25 great recipes that are from scratch and will keep you going! Make sure to bookmark this page for ideas for picnics, camping trips, and more. I know that I'm constantly looking for something that will keep me full about mid-morning and mid afternoon each day.

1. Healthy Homemade Granola Bars
2. Homemade Microwave Popcorn
3. Cream Cheese Cucumber Sandwiches
4. Whole Wheat Gold Fish Crackers
5. Blackberry Almond Meal Muffins

6. Easy Strawberry Smoothie Recipe
7. Banana Pudding
8. Apricot Canapes
9. Turkey Roll Ups
10. Cocoa Nut Bananas
11. Pizzadillas

12. Healthy Fruit Snacks
13. Thick, Chewy Granola Bars
14. Vegan Chocolate Fruit Dip
15. Orange Julius Strawberry Banana Smoothies
16. Cinnamon Oranges

17. Fruit Juice Gelatin Without Sugar
18. Pumpkin Seeds
19. Slow Cooker Snack Mix
20. Frozen Yogurt
21. Baked Kale Chips

22. Homemade Wheat Crackers
23. Tofu Smoothies
24. Banana Quesadilla
25. Fruit Roll Ups

What is your favorite healthy snack idea from this list? Which one are you going to try first?

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Rhubarb is in season right now and anyone that has a plant or two knows that rhubarb can be quite prolific under the right conditions! Even if you don't happen to have a plant it seems like you can still end up with quite a bit of rhubarb from friends, family, and neighbors that have been bountifully blessed.

If you have a rhubarb plant and haven't grown it before you might be wondering how you go about harvesting rhubarb. Here are some tips...

Harvest season for rhubarb is late spring through early summer. Rhubarb plants will keep growing after that but they tend to get bitter in the heat, even if you keep them watered. It's best to just harvest what you can, while you can and then leave the plant be until next year.

Don't harvest rhubarb in it's first year. Rhubarb plants need 2 years to be fully developed. If you leave them be the first year they will have a better chance at growing a strong root system and then they will be ready to produce for you for years to come.

Rhubarb stalks are ready to be harvested when they are firm an no longer bendy. Bendy rhubarb will be too stringy and tough to cut through and eat. Don't let your rhubarb get too large either or it will get bitter. Your best bet is to check your rhubarb plants for harvest each day or every other day in the least.

When you pull the rhubarb from the plant, twist the bottom so the stalk pulls cleanly out from the ground. Don't cut the stalks or it will cause growth issues for the remainder of the plant. Brush the dirt from the stalks you pull.

Cut the leaves off the stalks. They are poisonous and can't be eaten by humans or animals. However the leaves make an excellent addition to your compost pile! When you harvest the rhubarb make sure to never pull more than 30% of the plant at a time or it's roots will become unstable for future harvests.

Rhubarb stores well in the fridge, or you can chop it up and freeze it to be able to enjoy all year long! Now it's time to get some inspiration on how to use up all that rhubarb! Here's a great recipe to try for Rhubarb Smoothies!

Rhubarb Smoothies

What You Need:

• 1 1/2 cups Rhubarb, frozen or fresh (about 1 stalk, washed/cut up)
• 1 1/2 cups Strawberries, frozen or fresh
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Honey
• 1 1/2 cups Milk
• 2/3 cup Pomegranate Juice
• 1 cup Ice (optional)

Using a blender, add your fruit to the bottom, ice and then top it off with your honey, milk, and pomeganate juice. Mix well until all ingredients are smooth. Makes 2 servings.

These smoothies are a great way to really enjoy the fresh taste of early summer since rhubarb has such a short harvesting season!

How long have you been harvesting rhubarb? What's your favorite rhubarb recipe?

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Fruit dip is one of the most versatile dips that I make, and it's also one of the most popular. It is terrific for an easy weeknight dessert with bananas and strawberries, or for a fancy appetizer, with pineapples and kiwi.

Also, it is just SO yummy. Like, licking your fingers in public yummy. Of course it is. Every single ingredient is a designed to work together in mouth-watering harmony.

I make fruit dip in my stand mixer because I find it's the easiest way to get everything whipped up properly, but you could mix it by hand (if you are strong and have great amounts of patience) or with a hand mixer.

Peanut Butter Fruit Dip

What You Need:

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup whipped cream cheese, softened at room temperature for an hour
• 3 tsp sugar

First, whip the cream. I use the medium-high setting on my stand mixer until the cream forms stiff peaks. Add the sugar to the whipped cream and beat again for about 1 minute.

While the cream is whipping, combine the peanut butter and softened cream cheese in a medium bowl. Mix together until thoroughly combined.

Add the peanut butter mixture to the whipped cream and mix together with a spatula, until it is completely mixed.

In just 10 minutes you can whip up some light and fluffy dip. It's best fresh but can be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Peanut Butter Fruit Dip can be used so many different ways. Here are a few of my favorites:

• As a "sauce" for fruit pizza
• With strawberries for snack time
• Spread on a banana, sliced in half lengthwise
• With a plate of cut up kiwi, pineapple, and mango as a tropical hors d'oeuvres
• Alongside fruit "kebabs" - bamboo sticks skewered with a variety of fruit
• Inside a hollowed out melon

There are limitless ways to enjoy this easy treat. I often make this for guests because it seems "fancy" but is easy to make and really enhances the flavor of fresh fruit.

Looking for a savory dip instead of sweet? Try Cream Cheese Taco Dip!

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I love discovering new recipes as I’m sure most of my readers do. So if you posted an awesome recipe on your blog this week, link it up here! If you have a recipe to share and you don’t have a blog just post it for us in the comments! I’ll be hosting this exchange every Tuesday so don’t forget to mark your calendars! Here’s the rules:

• The link posted must go directly to the recipe  or weekly meal plans not to a homepage or a search category. All incorrect submissions will be deleted.
• And please link back to the recipe linky so everyone can join in the fun!
• In your linky please post a pic of the food(or something pretty) and the name of the recipe.
• Link up as many recipes or posts related to food as you like!

Last week's most clicked recipe was this one for Better Than the Box Brownies.

Link up gluten free recipes, dessert recipes, main dishes, or any kind of recipes you enjoy and want to share with others!

Be sure and like Little House on the Prairie Living on Facebook!

Remember awhile back when I posted that DIY of how to make your own tea bags? Well, I am back again to talk about how to make your own tea. As you may know, the hubs and I love drinking tea together. Sometimes we drink tea in the morning, sometimes we drink tea in the afternoon, and sometimes we drink tea at night. Other times we drink tea all day long.

Most of the time we drink tea that our friends and family has bought for us. Usually in tea bags that they come in. Our favorite is the original Good Earth Tea. I also drink a lot of English breakfast tea with milk and sugar.

Then my sister brought home some loose leaf tea from her trip to China. I believe it is some kind of green tea. So we would brew it in a French press. Then, as you know, we made our own reusable tea bags and would brew this tea in those bags.

The other day, while at a local coffee shop, the hubs and I decided to buy some other kinds of loose leaf tea to try. We ended up standing in front of their mason jars of tea, looking, opening, and smelling all of their different kinds. We ended up buying three different kinds of tea to try separately and to mix and match.

• Green Tea, called Gunpowder, from the Temple of Heaven in China
• Tisane (which is a mixture of dried herbs) called Blood Orange
• Peppermint, which is an herb

To make your own tea, simply add teaspoon of a mixture of tea & herbs to a tea bag. Steep in a cup with hot water for 3-5 minutes. Sip & enjoy! (You could also steep in a French press. Just add a teaspoon of tea mixture for every 6oz of water).

Did you know that different kinds of spices and leaves have health benefits to them? My favorites are lemon grass (which alleviates menstrual cramps) and peppermint (which is an antioxidant and a muscle relaxer)!

Looking for a homemade tea recipe? Try this one for Fruity Strawberry Apple Loose Tea!

What kind of tea to you make at home? Do you make your own tea and create your own blends?

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There is nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than an ice cold glass of fresh lemonade. Growing up we didn't make lemonade very often (we were sun tea drinkers!) but after I was married, me and my husband started a tradition of getting the fresh squeezed lemonade at the county fair each year.

But there's no need to wait until until the county fair to make your own homemade fresh lemonade with this super easy homemade lemonade recipe. Make sure to make this lemonade a few hours before you plan to use it because it will need to chill in the fridge for a while before served.

Homemade Lemonade Recipe

What You Need:

• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. water
• 1 c. lemon juice (about 6-8 fresh squeezed lemons)
• 3-4 c. cold water

On the stove top, stir together the sugar and 1 cup of water. Stir occasionally and keep on a medium heat until all the sugar is dissolved in the water.

Pour the mixture into a pitcher. Juice the lemons and add in the lemon juice and cold water. Stir.

Chill in the fridge for several hours before serving.

In the Little House books, there are a few occasions where lemonade is served. Both in On the Banks of Plum Creek and Little Town on the Prairie. However it's clear from this quote that real lemonade wasn't a regular staple of the pioneers in Laura's time.

"Is your lemonade sweet enough?" Mrs. Oleson asked. So Laura knew that it was lemonade in the glasses. She had never tasted anything like it.
- On the Banks of Plum Creek

Why wasn't lemonade normal in pioneer times? The answer is simple. Produce was not shipped like it is today. Since Laura and many pioneers were in the north and the west, they didn't have access to lemons. What did they make instead? Here's the recipe!

Pioneer Lemonade

What You Need:

• 1 to 2 Tablespoons of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 12 oz. water
• 2 Tablespoons of sugar

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

What do you think? Could you handle the Pioneer Style Lemonade? Apparently the reasoning behind this drink was to add extra Vitamin C into the pioneer diets to help stave off disease. So that makes sense, but I wouldn't exactly call it the same refreshing lemonade recipe that we enjoy today!

Is lemonade a summer staple for you? Do you have your own special homemade lemonade recipe? Would you ever try the Pioneer Lemonade?

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