Recipe: Easy S'mores Rocky Road (Gluten Free!)

Easy S’mores Rocky Road Recipe with toasted marshmallows - A gluten free treat that is the perfect homemade gift to share with friends. This Easy S’mores Rocky Road combines blow torch roasted marshmallows, crunchy graham cracker pieces and creamy milk chocolate for a delicious dessert or foodie gift idea. Perfect for Valentine’s Day, birthdays or a handmade Christmas gift idea. Also makes the best hostess gift wrapped in pretty packaging.

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Rocky Road is one of my favourite foodie gifts of all time.  It’s easy to make, easy to customise, easy to gift and seriously impressive to boot. 

All you’ve got to do is melt, mix, chill and slice - only this time I’ve added one extra step. 

And oh what an epic step it is. 

Click to pin this recipe on Pinterest!

This S’mores Rocky Road is seriously delicious. You’ve got toasted marshmallows, crunchy biscuit pieces and creamy milk chocolate, creating the ultimate sweet treat. 

With Valentines Day just days away, it’s the perfect treat to make for your sweetheart.

So let me show you how to make it! >> 

Recipe: Easy Cookies & Cream Rocky Road (Gluten Free!)

This Cookies and Cream Rocky Road Recipe is easy to make, gluten free and the perfect homemade gift alternative to store-bought candy for Christmas, Easter or Valentine’s Day. White chocolate, milk chocolate and gluten free Oreos combine to make this simple treat. 

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Rocky Road is something we make every Christmas (particularly this Kid Friendly Rocky Road Recipe), but recently, I realised that rocky road shouldn't be something I only make at Christmas time. 

So, I thought... why not create a rocky road recipe for every holiday? With Valentine's Day fast approaching, I wanted to come up with a simple rocky road recipe that would be the perfect homemade Valentine's gift - and I think I've come up with the perfect one!

This Cookies and Cream Rocky Road is SO easy to make, and seriously delicious to make... and I'm pretty sure it could make someone fall in love with you. 

I mean, isn't chocolate the way to most people's hearts? Or is it just Jesse and I who would do anything for chocolate?

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Best of all? It's one of those homemade treats that can look really impressive - but is actually so simple even the worst cooks could perfect it. 

Package it up in a box with some cellophane or pop it into a pretty jar and tie it up with some ribbon. It's a simple, easy homemade gift that everyone will love.

Oh, but do make sure you make a little bit extra to save for yourself... otherwise you won't want to give any away 😛 (I may or may not have hid the photographed batch at the back of the fridge so Jesse didn't know it was there... ahem....)

So let me share the recipe with you! >> 

How to Make String Art Using Recycled Wood (an Easy DIY Step-by-Step Tutorial!)

Somehow the first month of 2018 is already at it's end. I don't quite know how that happened - but I do know what that means... 

It's time for a new decor theme!

And with a new decor theme, comes a new DIY project! For February, I decided I'd go with a Valentine's theme. Because, whilst Jesse and I may not celebrate Valentine's Day, it was the perfect excuse to use ALL the pinks and reds and cute heart things. 

This month I knew I wanted to try a craft project that I'd never tried before. I'd seen string art all over the internet and always wanted to try it myself - so this month I bit the bullet and did it and I was super surprised by how easy it was!

So let me show you how to make your own DIY String Art, step by step! >>

4 Budget Friendly Mother's Day Gift Basket Ideas for Last Minute Gifting!

This post has been sponsored by TK Maxx

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I am someone who loves giving gifts to others... but I am very particular when it comes to gift giving. 

I don't like to give just one thing. Sure, there are some singular gifts that are wonderful - but I feel like a collection of small gifts chosen to suit that person is so much more thoughtful... and that's why I thought I'd hunt for some bargains and put together four simple and budget friendly Gift Basket Ideas for Mother's Day!

So let me share them with you! >> 

DIY Valentine's Day Treat Jars - Quick, Easy and Made for Under $5!

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Valentine's Day is fast approaching and since Jesse and I have been working on lots of little craft and DIY projects lately, we thought we'd put together a super simple DIY Valentines Day Craft to share with you! 

These DIY Treat Jars are super easy to make and really cheap too. Using recycled jars, this project ended up costing less than $5 but it's a super sweet gift to share with your loved ones. 

Best of all? We made them all in one afternoon - and then we were ready to share them with out friends!

So let me tell you how to make them! 

DIY: Easy Canvas Light Box Tutorial (Made for Under $10!)

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I love working on projects. One of my favourite things to do on the weekend is bust out my craft box or rummage through the tool box and scrap wood pile to create something beautiful. 

The problem is, craft projects do have a tendency to be time-consuming and costly - but that doesn't have to always be the case! 

This craft project is one I whipped up in a day - and whilst it wasn't originally one I was going to share, it's one that I've been getting so many compliments on that I had to remake all over again so I could share it with you. 

The perfect stylish alternative to a night light and a super easy DIY lamp, this DIY Light Box Canvas is a fun way to feature your favourite quote - and a unique wall decor piece that also makes a great gift idea.

So let me show you how to make it! >> 

DIY Alphabet Dating Book - A Cheap, Easy and Homemade Gift Idea!

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I love my husband, I really do. He's awesome in so many ways and great at so many things... but there's one things he tends to be pretty hopeless at... deciding what to do. 

Whether we're heading out on a date night or just looking for something to do on the weekend, Jesse almost always makes me choose. 

Up until recently, we had our DIY Date Night Jar which has been so popular on the blog, however, we'd done all of those dates and I decided I needed to come up with something even better - and that's where this Alphabet Dating Book came in! 

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For Christmas, I gave Jesse this book along with a challenge - to see if we could fit at least half of the dates into 2017. 

I thought it was going to be something he'd like but, let's be honest, it was also kind of a gift for me... 

Little did I know, Jesse loved it - and thus I decided I really needed to share it with you too! It's a super simple DIY gift idea that can be made in a million different ways - and it doesn't even need to cost a penny. 

So, let me tell you all about it! >> 

Our Anniversary Tradition and How to Create Your Own Family Tradition

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A few days ago I shared a photo on our Instagram that made me realise I never shared our 2nd year anniversary pictures with you! Add onto that an email from Sarah asking for idea for her husband's first anniversary present and I thought I should tell you about our special Anniversary Tradition. 

So let's talk about family traditions! >> 

The Sweetest Picks for Valentines Day

Valentine's Day is just a week away! We've rounded up our sweetest picks for your sweetheart in a short but sweet Valentine's Day Gift Guide just for you!

1. For the Memory Maker; 
   This Heart Shaped Collage Photo Frame from Bowery
2. For your Sweet-Art; 
   This Feathers in a Heart Framed Artwork or a loved up Canvas Wall Art Print like this Watercolour Heart Print
3. For the Heart Racer; 
   The TomTom Spark Cardio (or TomTom Spark Cardio + Music)
4. For the Tech Lover; 
   The Telstra Essentials Tab
5. For the One You Think About All The Time; 
   A clock from Bowery (we have this Vintage Gold Leaf Table Clock and LOVE it!)
6. For the Water Babe; 
   The AQUAJAM AJ2 Waterproof Speaker
7. Wood You Be Mine?; 
   My pick for the gentleman is anything from Woodfolk for your lady! I have the Natural Wood Pear Drop Necklace and love it (and can't wear it without people asking where I got it from!)
8. For the One Who Makes Your Heart Race; 
   The TomTom Bandit Action Cam (this is how we filmed our New Zealand Videos - as seen here). 
9. The Failsafe Options; 
   Candles! You can never have enough good quality candles (even Jesse now shares my obsession). Our picks are this Ecoya Set (the sweetpea & jasmine is AMAZING) or if you want to go flameless, how about Carrara Marble Look Wax Flameless Candle.
10. For the One Who Lights Up Your Life; 
    A Heart Shaped Marquee Light - perfect for giving your bedroom a romantic glow and chic look!

But tell me, will you be celebrating Valentines Day?

What's one gift that you'd love to be treated to right now? 

I'm always pretty practical when it comes to gifts, however, I can never say no to a massage treatment voucher :P 

    

   

Recipe: Vegan Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Bark (Gluten Free & Sugar Free!)

Valentines Day is fast approaching and whilst Jesse and I don't really celebrate the holiday, we do celebrate chocolate - so it's a good excuse to put together some delicious chocolate recipes to enjoy year-round. 

This Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Bark was an experiment gone oh so right. You see, I had a bunch of gluten free pretzels laying about that needed to be eaten, however, I didn't want to just eat them on their own or use them as a dipping vessel. 

At the same time I really felt like making something with chocolate and peanut butter - only to realise that chocolate, peanut butter and pretzels really were a match made in heaven. 

So I got to thinking. At first I thought about making moulded chocolates, however, to be honest that felt like a little too much effort for this lazy girl - so I settled on chocolate bark. 

You see, chocolate bark is one of those deceptively simple creations. It looks really impressive - but really all you did was pour a mixture onto a tray, stick it in the fridge and call it a day. 

It takes so little effort but tastes so incredibly amazing - and I decided to lift the amazingness to a whole new level. 

Instead of melting regular ol' chocolate and mixing things in - I decided to make my own chocolate bark from scratch. A gluten free, vegan, sugar free and dairy free chocolate bark that still only required melting and mixing. 

And oh what a success that experiment was. So successful, in fact, that there's now a designated chocolate bark place in our freezer where a container must sit at all times filled with chocolate bark deliciousness. 

That container gets opened at least a couple of times each day when we're in need of a healthy chocolate fix. 

But enough yapping! Let me share the recipe with you! >> 

Easy Ways to Package Homemade Treats for Gifts

One of the reason I love creating recipes and home made treats is sharing it with others. I love seeing the smile on someone's face when they try something delicious or are given their favourite treat and I love how food really can make memories. 

I love giving friends and family homemade treats as gifts throughout the year; especially at holidays like Christmas or Easter or packaging up a special treat as a little birthday gift. Since that's something I've done quite a bit, I thought I'd share some Super Simple Ideas for Packaging Homemade Treats for Gifts to share with you - as well as some recipe ideas you might like to try out. That way you can be sharing the foodie love with your friends and family ASAP! 

My Punny Valentine: 40+ Punny Valentines Gift Ideas with FREE Printable Gift Tags!

If you've been reading Southern In-Law for a while, you would have realised that I'm a bit* of a dork - and obviously that means I LOVE puns too!

So when I decided to come up with an easy budget friendly Valentine's gift idea, I knew exactly what I needed to create.....

The Ultimate Punny Valentines Gift Ideas list. 

*Understatement of the century.

And that's exactly what I've put together.

40+ Punny Valentines Gift Ideas on a budget, free Valentines Printable Gift Tags and there's plenty of gift ideas for everyone in your life - from candy focused gifts to non-food valentines gift and small gift ideas for friends and everyone in-between. 

So let's get onto the fun, shall we?!

How to make a Healthy Cookie Mix in a Jar!

If you've been reading Southern In-Law for a while, you'd know that Jesse and I are kinda sorta cookie fiends. Or maybe that should be cookie monsters.... 

We make at least one batch of one of our Healthy Cookie Recipe each fortnight and we love sharing them with our friends and family - but what better way than to share the cookie love than with a super cute Healthy Cookie Mix in a Jar! 

There are dozens of recipes online for Cookie Mix in a Jar - but after having a look through dozens, I realised that there weren't any recipes for Healthier Cookies - and gluten free mixes were hard to come by. Being the queen of making classic treats healthier, I decided the Cookie Mix in a Jar idea needed a healthy makeover and I set to work! 

So let me show you how to make a Gluten Free and Healthy Cookie Mix in a Jar! >>

DIY Valentines Project: I Love You Because Sign for Less Than $10!

Phew! Can you believe that Valentines Day is less than a week away?! If you're still scratching your head for gift ideas, worry not, because I've come up with the quickest, easiest and quite possibly the cheapest DIY Valentines Gift Idea that's super cute. 

Last year, I made this DIY Date Night Jar for Valentines Day which proved to be incredibly successful and this year, I wanted to come up with another personalised gift idea that would actually get used. 

A while ago, whilst we were still living 10,000 miles apart, I made Jesse a "Reasons I love you" book which he loved but as it's a book it tends to sit on the bookshelf and rarely get read unless I'm writing a new reason in the spare pages - so I put on my thinking cap. 

First I thought about a whiteboard - but that wasn't going to look very cute on our dresser. Then I remembered that I've used photo frames as dry erase/whiteboards before and I decided that would be a much cuter idea.

 I'd seen this super cute House Photo Frame at Kmart for just $5 and knew it would be perfect for this project and also our room. It stands up on it's own, holds a 4x6" print nice and snug and can easily be written on with a whiteboard marker. 

But let me show you how to make it and give you the FREE printables! >>

Valentines DIY Gifts: Date Night Jar

This Valentines Day will be Jesse and my first together. That is - in the same country. 

Whilst I've always sent him Valentines packages (and ones for just about every holiday you can think of), this year we have the opportunity to actually do things together - and pretty soon, we'll have all the time in the world to spend together!

Living at home with my family means that whilst we do spend a lot of time together - we don't spend that much time alone - so we've made an effort to do things with just the two of us. 

Thus the idea of a Date Night Jar came about! Inside the jar are dozens of fun date night ideas that are inexpensive and easy to organise - that way you don't pick anything out and have to put it back inside because it's just no do-able. 

With me having so many food intolerances, we don't go out to eat (unless it's a froyo date!), so we have to be creative with how we spend our time. 

So how do you do it? Easy!

One: Get a clean (preferably pretty) jar
Two: Cut strips of paper 
Three (optional): Use a heart shaped hole punch to punch hearts on one end of the paper (I chose the far right end).
Four: Write out your date night idea
Five: Fold the piece of paper up and pop it into the jar

Repeat until your jar is full and you've got yourself a super easy DIY present. 

I also added some hearts and a label for the top of the jar - but you can decorate yours however you would like!

Date Night Ideas:

• Cook something together
• Play a board game
• See a movie (if you're on a budget, check to see if your local movie cinema has a day where the tickets are cheaper!) 
• Go to a museum 
• Video Game night 
• Have a picnic 
• Share dessert
• Go to a comedy show 
• Have a movie night at home 
• Play mini golf 
• Go bowling 
• Have a candlelit dinner at home 
• Go and see a band 
• A day out in the city
• Go to the theatre
• Froyo Date
• Walk along the beach at night 
• Try something new together (think: a new food, a new place you've been thinking about going, a new experience)

So tell me, what do you and your significant other like to do together? Do you have date nights? 

If you're single, tell me - what posts would you like to see on Southern In-Law soon?