How is your post-Valentine’s-Day chocolate coma coming along?
I actually didn’t have much chocolate on the 14th (just some scrumptious chocolate-dipped strawberries), but Rob and I were both craving something sweet after dinner last night, so I whipped up some brownies. They are halfway gone…

So let’s just put sweets out of mind for a moment (or a week or two) and switch to a savory topic. Get out your napkins and paper towels because a sloppy recipe is coming your way! Normally I’m content with a good ol’ can of Manwich (for just a buck, how can you go wrong?), but I do love to make as much as I can from scratch when time allows. I truly wish it were possible to make everything in my kitchen homemade (from all my seasonings to condiments to cereals to pasta, etc, etc, etc), but I think I’d have to quite my job and devote my entire life to food prep for that to happen. So for now, a nice balance will have to do.

I don’t know about you, but I find that a sloppy joe is not complete without a layer of crunch between the joe and the bun. Am I right?

That layer of crunch brings us to today’s review: ips! The name ips is actually an acronym for “intelligent protein snacks,” and they’re all natural, puffy crisps made with non-GMO corn and egg white protein for an added nutrient boost. I looked through the ingredient list on the label of each of the four flavors, and I didn’t find anything unsettling. That’s one smart snack if you ask me! P.S. They’re gluten free.

I’ll be honest, my first taste of ips caught me a little off guard. I was expecting a potato-chip-like snack and instead bit into a puffy crisp that reminded me more of a puffed-rice- or puffed-corn-like snack. I wasn’t sure I liked them at first. However, I soon got over the fact that they’re not a potato chip (Well duh, they never claimed to be!) and was quite pleased.

The four flavors currently available are Barbecue, Cinnamon, Sea Salt & Black Pepper, and Aged White Cheddar. The Cinnamon flavor makes a lovely snack for indulging a sweet craving. It actually reminds me quite a bit of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal (which is a very good thing since we all know how much I love cereal); it’s just more puffy than crunchy, and it has less sugar (Woo! Smart snack!). As for the savory flavors, I’m not sure which I like best. Barbecue– tangy, smoky, and slightly sweet– was definitely my favorite for pairing with the sloppy joes, but strictly for snacking purposes I think I’m going with Sea Salt & Black Pepper. The flavor is full and robust, but still simple and not overwhelming. Barbecue is probably a close second.

I was prepared not to like Aged White Cheddar at all, as white cheddar is typically not a flavor option that bodes too well with me, but I really do like it! I’m not just saying that either. It’s got a slight bit of tang but is very smooth. Plus it’s made with real cheese! That must be why it’s better than any other white cheddar flavored foods I’ve tried. Haha, those are likely not real cheese… I currently have all four bags sitting around my laptop, and I’ve been snacking in a circle trying to decide which one is the best. It’s a toss up.

Of course flavor is an important component when choosing what to eat, but if you’re like me, nutrition is another top deciding factor. I love that ips were created by a guy looking for healthier food options for his kids, and he came to this great idea from the crispy edges of cooked eggs his kids loved so much. So when you eat a 1-oz. serving of ips, you’re getting as much protein as an egg! Neat. You may be wondering, like I was, why this snack is made specifically with egg whites as opposed to the whole egg. Well, egg whites are considered one of the best forms of proteins because they contain all nine essential amino acids (the ones your body can’t make). Besides, omitting the yolk leaves out the cholesterol and most of the fat. So there you go. Smart snack! (Check out more nutrition facts here if you’d like.)

I promise we’re just about to get to the sloppy joes recipe, but I just have to get in a quick Friends reference for fellow fans out there. Scroll on if that’s not you!

Remember on “The One With The List” when Monica gets a job creating recipes for a synthetic chocolate substitute called Mockolate? Well Rob said he was hungry right after I opened up my ips, and when I held out my hand to offer him some, I felt like Monica saying to Ross, “How about a nice steaming cup of hot Mockolate?” It’s not the same at all because Mockolate tasted awful and wasn’t approved by the FDA, but it still gave me a chuckle!

Okay, onto the recipe!

Ingredients:
(adapted from Cooking Classy)

• 1 1/2 lbs. lean ground meat (I use deer or elk; beef or turkey would be fine.)
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 c. diced yellow onion
• 1 c. diced bell pepper (a combination of red and green, or whatever you like best)
• 1-2 medium carrots, finely grated (about 1/2 c.)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 can (15 oz.) tomato sauce (or two 8-oz. cans)
• 1/3 c. water
• 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 2 Tbs. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 to 1 tsp. pureed chipotle in adobo, optional (gives a touch of heat and smoky flavor)*
• 1 1/2 Tbs. molasses
• 2 tsp. yellow mustard
• 3 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 2 Tbs. dried parsley
• 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
• 2 Tbs. chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• salt (I use Himalayan) and pepper, to taste
• 6 hamburger buns
• Barbecue ips for serving, optional
• shredded cheddar cheese for serving, optional

* A little chipotle in adobo goes a long way! I purée the whole can and freeze what I don’t use, slicing off chunks as needed.

Instructions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic, sautéing for just a moment, then add the ground meat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the meet has browned.
2. Add the bell peppers and carrots, and cook for 3-5 minutes, until they become tender.
3. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. Serve sloppy joes on hamburger buns, topped with shredded cheese and Barbecue ips if desired. Enjoy!

In other news, I’m really excited about the increased amounts of sunlight we’re getting as spring approaches! The winter slump has never really affected me much until this year, but December and January were unusually gloomy. I haven’t spent as much time outdoors as I like to; it’s just tough when the air inflicts pain, y’know? It’s so tempting to stay indoors and snuggle up in a blanket. Petra knows how it’s done:

Some days the wind doesn’t howl as harshly. Some days, when we’re lucky, those days even land on weekends! Then we go frolic through the forest, and Petra learns how to climb trees. Me gusta.

Wherever you are, whatever season you’re in, I hope you are experiencing great joy and finding the time to do what you love!

Be blessed!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

I hope the first couple weeks of the new year have been treating you well so far. How are your resolutions coming along?

I resolved to start recycling in 2015, and there is now an impressive little pile of glass jars and bottles in the garage. Alright, that’s really not impressive at all, but I’m working toward it! Today I browsed the interwebs for recycling storage/organization ideas and read my city’s regulations, and my hopes are high. Rob has been in the building mood lately, so I’ve asked him to build a recycling station or tower of some sort. My other resolutions include reading all the books on my shelf that I’ve been meaning to, getting back into marathon shape, and going deeper with the Lord. Oh and I also resolve to find a job I enjoy and am passionate about. This year is going to kick last year’s bum!

For today’s recipe, I’m sharing a variation of one of my dad’s specialties: pan-fried pheasant. Wild game was the norm around my house growing up; we ate pheasant instead of chicken, deer and elk instead of beef. For some, these are acquired tastes. For others, delicacies. For my family (and any other hunting family), it’s just what’s for dinner.

Dad makes his pheasant strips with trusty Fryin’ Magic. That stuff is perfectly tasty and easy to cook with, but I decided to concoct a homemade (MSG-free) version. I’ve been using Fryin’ Magic for years because that’s how Dad always did it, but a recent glance at the label revealed some disagreeable ingredients. The good news is that I didn’t even require a trip to the grocery store to mix up my own shake ‘n’ bake coating.

I realize not everyone has unfettered access to pheasant meat like we North Dakotan hunting folk (Well, I’m no hunter really, but my dad keeps us stocked up!); you could certainly substitute chicken (or your other bird of choice) to make any kind of poultry nugget.

If you procured your pheasant in the natural way (trekking out into the wilderness and taking it right out of the sky) or graciously received it from someone who did, keep an eye out for those pesky BBs when preparing your dinner. Dad used to give us 50¢ if we happened upon a BB while dining. He’s pretty good at cleaning them, so it wasn’t a common occurrence.

I cooked probably eight breasts for this meal and found two BBs in the bunch. Let me tell you, finding one in the preparation step is highly preferable to crunching down on one with your teeth (as I’m sure you can imagine).

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
• 1/8 c. (or 2 Tbs) whole wheat flour
• 1/4 c. + 2 Tbs. fine corn meal
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt (I use Himalayan)
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 3/4 tsp. reduced sodium, MSG-free seasoned salt
• dash onion powder (less than 1/8 tsp.)
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp. paprika
• 1/8 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• approximately 8 raw pheasant breasts, cut into about 1″ nuggets
• approximately 1/4 c. vegetable oil (or other preferred oil), for pan frying

Instructions:

1. Combine all the coating ingredients in a large bowl until well incorporated.
2. A few at a time, add the pheasant chunks, and toss until evenly coated. Remove coated pieces from the bowl, set aside, and continue the process until all nuggets are coated.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil (just enough to coat the surface) to medium high. Swirl the pan around to let the oil spread out. Once the oil is hot, add all the nuggets.
4. Cook the nuggets, stirring and turning occasionally, for 5-9 minutes, until lightly browned. Don’t overcook them, or they’ll get tough.
5. Serve immediately plain or with sweet & sour sauce (or other preferred dip). Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container.

In complete honesty, I liked this homemade Fryin’ Magic just as well as the real thing. It was less sweet (which is an easy fix by merely adding more sugar), but I liked it that way.

Now, keep reading if you’re interested in this hunting thing.

Typically you rise at the butt crack of dawn to leave the warmth and comfort of your home. After a brief spell of travel with smelly (albeit highly intelligent) dogs, you traipse through fields and sloughs, hoping to stumble upon (quite literally) a rooster (male pheasant). Hens are off limits. Said smelly dogs are brought with to help locate the birds and flush them from their hiding places. It’s quite neat to watch the dogs do their work. We brought Petra with us for her first ever hunting trip while home for Thanksgiving. She was so excited and got the hang of it pretty quickly by watching the masters, my dad’s two dogs.

After the hunters shoot the birds, they usually land somewhere among the mass of snow-covered brush and reeds in which they were previously hiding, thus becoming hidden again. But that’s why we bring dogs! The dogs retrieve the trophies, which then go into the oversized vest pockets.

Pheasant season is in the fall and winter, so if you don’t wear warm enough boots and socks, you’ll be fighting all the while to remind yourself that there are worse problems in the world than losing toes to frostbite.

It really is quite peaceful though, being out in nature, breathing in the freshest air. During the outing in these photos, we spotted a huge, majestic moose not far off! Ah, nature. I love it.

photo by my buddy Weston (@westonadkins on Instagram)

To leave you with a laugh, here’s a glimpse into my childhood. Perhaps you can tell by this photo, but I’m not into killing animals myself. I understand that the population control is good for the environment and have no problem with hunting, but I leave it to those who didn’t aspire to be veterinarians when they were little.

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

And, you guys, this is not a recipe you want to skip over. Of all my family tradition recipes, küchen is probably my favorite. My grandma is 100% German, and this is one of her signature desserts. I can’t make it, eat it, or even think about it without being reminded of her. Though she lives on the opposite side of this vast state, I am blessed not only to still have a grandmother, but also to still have the privilege of seeing her every now and then. Before I go any further, I should probably explain what küchen is for those of you who are unfamiliar. Küchen is actually the German word for “cake,” but it also refers to a few specific German desserts. This küchen is a pie-like pastry with a puffy dough crust and a custard filling. It is often made with fruit (usually cherries or peach slices in my family), but it’s also good without! As you would expect of any German woman, Grandma RoseMary makes a mean küchen. When I was younger, she nearly always had some waiting for us when we came for a visit. I don’t know how most partake of it, but we even eat it as breakfast! You know, it has fruit (usually), so it counts.

Now, one does not simply whip up a küchen. At least not in my family. No, my grandma’s recipe makes 18 küchen, and it is an all-afternoon project. It’s so worth the effort though! Before Rob and I were married, he even took a trip with me to visit my grandparents, and we all made küchen together. It was wonderful. For today’s recipe, I am deviating slightly from Grandma RoseMary’s original. First, I downsized the yield a bit because I don’t have seven children to feed like she did! And as marvelous as the original is, I couldn’t deny the pumpkin staring at me with those penetrating eyes. This is the season for pumpkin, and darn it, I’ll add it to everything I can! Don’t worry; I will share the original recipe at some point. Pinky promise.

You may be saying, “Ummm, hello, pumpkin season is over. This is gingerbread and egg nog season! Get with it!” You may be (partially) right, but I made this küchen two months ago and have had this recipe sitting in my drafts since then. It was initially supposed to be a special “blogiversary” recipe, but after that came and went, it was going to be a Thanksgiving recipe. I know, I’m tardy. Bloggy has just been neglected since I got a full time job, as my nights and weekends have been preoccupied with making dinner, housekeeping, wedding festivities, birthday celebrations, Christmas preparations, and the list goes on. Besides, I enjoy pumpkin year-round. Thanksgiving does not designate the end of pumpkin in my book! No no, pumpkin desserts are perfectly acceptable for Christmas, too. Anyway, sorry for the excuses; I truly appreciate you who stick around to read my posts, however far and few between they may be! Side note: Since my last post, I gave Milk & Cereal a tiny makeover. Do you like my new header?

Crust Ingredients: (Alternatively, you may use store-bought dough to make your crust. Grandma recommends Rhodes Sweet Dough; you’ll find it the frozen section, and one loaf can make 3 crusts.)

• 3/4 c. warm water
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 packet (1 1/8 tsp.) fast-rising yeast
• 3 Tbs. shortening
• 2 1/4 to 2 1/3 c. flour, plus more for dusting the countertop
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• dash of cloves
• dash of nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp. salt

Custard Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. cream
• 1 egg, beaten
• 5 Tbs. (1/4 c. + 1 Tbs.) granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling on top
• 2 Tbs. flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 c. pureed pumpkin
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top
• scant 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• scant 1/8 tsp. cloves

Instructions:

1. First, make the crust in a large bowl. Stir 1/4 c. sugar and the yeast into the warm water, and let it sit (or “proof”) for 30 minutes.
2. Add the remaining dough ingredients to the yeast mixture. Use a pastry blender and your hands to combine the ingredients until a soft and sticky dough forms. Let the dough rise (in a warm place, for best results), then knead it down, and let it rise a second time. This process may take an hour or two.
3. Use Crisco (not oil) to grease 4 or 5 pie tins, depending on their sizes. I usually use 8-inch tins.
4. Divide the dough into 4 or 5 portions, and roll them our to fit your pie pans without extending over the edges. Place the rolled dough into the pans, and pull the crust up the sides about 1/2 to 3/4 inch.
5. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cover the crusts with a dish towel, and let them rise (preferably in a warm place). Once the crusts have risen, “walk out” the air bubbles with your fingers. Start in the center, and move toward the edges, getting all the air bubbles out.
6. Pour in enough custard to just cover the bottom of the crust. You will want to fill them more, but don’t! They won’t bake properly if they’re overfilled.
7. Sprinkle the tops generously with cinnamon and sugar (and a just touch of cloves and nutmeg, if you wish), and bake for about 20-25 minutes, or until set. The centers should jiggle just slightly when shaken.
8. Let the küchen cool and set for about ten minutes, and enjoy! Küchen is good at room temp or refrigerated.

Keep any uneaten küchen in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to five days or in the freezer for a few months. I always store them on a paper plate with a paper towel under the küchen in case of condensation, and inside a ziploc bag. You especially want to use a paper towel under the küchen if you’re freezing it so that the paper tower soaks up the moisture when it thaws.

Well, there it is, folks! If your kitchen still has pumpkin galore like mine does, get at this pumpkin küchen for the holidays! It just may become your family’s new favorite.

Of course I can’t end this post without a little Christmas cheer.

As afore mentioned (in last year’s Christmas post on Melt Away Cookies), Christmas is my favorite holiday. Aside from too much focus on presents (which I may be guilty of at times– I love giving gifts!), there really isn’t anything I don’t like about Christmas. I look forward to the songs that start playing the day after Thanksgiving (“O Holy Night” is my favorite! What’s yours?), the beautiful lights that adorn the neighborhood, and the family gatherings. Most of all, I love celebrating the birth of our sweet Jesus. This year I started reading John Piper’s “The Dawning of Indestructible Joy.” It’s an advent devotional that offers fresh revelation to some old truths, and it really reiterates the reason for the season. I’m going to start reading it every December, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes reading about why Christ came in the way that He did and what He came to do.

Lastly, I also can’t end this post without a little Petra The Dog.

The weather has been surprisingly mild so far this winter. Translation: We haven’t yet acquired feet upon feet of snow, and the temperature hasn’t even dropped too far below 0°F. Last winter was brutal, with the majority of days being well below zero (even down to 50 and 60 below with wind chill), so this has been quite enjoyable. Last weekend we were graced with an alluring fog, and Petra and I enjoyed a brilliant nature walk among it while Rob cozied up indoors with some video games. I will say though, I do hope we get a nice dusting of snow for a white Christmas!

Cheers to you all! May your Christmas be merry! I wish you an abundance of peace, love, and joy this holiday season and in the year ahead.

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

This week, friends, I’ve got a shiny new recipe that took many attempts to perfect.
I offered to write a guest post for Laura’s Mess and decided upon French macarons.

As we Northerners enter into the cold and desolation of winter (Well, we’re technically entering into fall, but we likely won’t be graced with its presence for long before winter shows its face!), and Southerners enter into the fresh rejuvenation of spring, I decided on a macaron recipe fitting for all seasons and any hemisphere: Dark Chocolate Orange. The slight piquancy of citrus is especially for those of you in or entering a season of warmth, and the chocolate is for anyone, because is there ever not a time for chocolate?

Laura somehow stumbled upon Milk & Cereal a year or two ago now, and she immediately started following this blog, always leaving the sweetest & most encouraging comments. Though we have yet to meet face-to-face, I consider her a true friend and am continually blessed by her. Laura’s stunning photos, captivating words, and love for the Lord are an inspiration, and you should certainly go have a look at her blog if you’ve never done so! Honestly, her blog is not like the rest out there (in the best of ways!).

So head on over to Laura’s Mess to see my Dark Chocolate & Orange Macaron recipe, complete with a plethora of tips from my own experiences and from the pros!

What have you all been up to lately?

Rob and I enjoyed a relaxing Labor Day weekend at home, with nothing on our schedules and free to do whatever we felt like. The week before, we visited my mom in Breckenridge, CO. The weather was rather cold and rainy much of the time, but we managed to get in one small hike. It was wonderful to be up in the mountains spending time with family!

Thanks for stopping by, and I do hope to be back with another recipe for you before long!

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

I’d be lying if I said that I don’t wake up every morning excited for breakfast.

I’m even oftentimes excited for breakfast already when I go to bed at night.

I’d also be lying if I said that cereal isn’t a frequent meal of mine when Rob is out of town.
There’s nothing wrong with that though, right? Right.

For the longest time, I’ve been wanting to make my own cereal bars; I don’t know why it’s taken me so long! I knew they’d be easy enough to make, but all the recipes I’ve seen have lacked a very important component: milk! If I’m going to make a bar to replace my morning (or afternoon or evening) bowl of cereal, it needs to have all the components (calcium included). A little Google search provided me with some ideas of ingredients that would add calcium to the bars. Dry milk powder seemed to be the most obvious (and is the option I chose), but some nondairy possibilities (from this article) include molasses, almonds, sesame seeds, oranges, and seaweed (not the most appetizing breakfast food, in my opinion, but worth mentioning for those who like it).

These bars are so easy to whip up, and they make a great on-the-go breakfast or snack! Want to know what makes them even better? They’re packed with protein thanks to the new Cheerios Protein, so they’ll help keep you full longer! I recently started a new job and found myself getting hungry before it was time for my lunch break, but starting my day with Cheerios Protein has really helped tide me over. Plus, it has plenty of fiber, vitamins, & minerals, and all the other healthy nutrients about the Cheerios you know and love. WIN!

The new job has also forced me to get up a bit earlier than before, so I welcome any opportunities to slumber a little longer. When I have these cereal bars on hand for breakfast, I can hit the snooze button a couple times knowing breakfast will be quick and easy. WIN #2.

Now, when it comes to cereal, I abide by a fairly strict sugar code. I make sure to buy only cereals with less than 10 grams per serving (3/4 c.). At first glance, I was disappointed to see that these delicious Cheerios broke my rule; HOWEVER, a second glance revealed a larger serving size than all the other cereals I frequently buy. (P.S. Any cereal with a serving size larger than 3/4 cup scores bonus points in my book. Seriously, my belly cannot thrive on a mere 3/4 cup!) So when I did the math and compared the ratio, Cheerios Protein checked out. WIN #3.

Let’s review, shall we? The new Cheerios Protein filled me up until lunchtime, offered a quick meal to allow for some extra sleep-in time, and tasted perfectly sweet & delicious without venturing into dessert territory. I tried two flavors: Oats & Honey and Cinnamon Almond. To be honest, I couldn’t even decide which one I liked better and ended up mixing both flavors into the cereal bars. It was love at first bite.

If you think you love cereal more than I do, I’d say it’s not possible. But if you love it almost as much as I do and would like to taste the fabulous Cheerios Protein for yourself, you’re in luck! That’s right; it’s GIVEAWAY time! Cheerios was generous enough to share a box with one hungry reader. To enter, simply leave a comment with your Twitter username and why you’d like to try Cheerios Protein. A winner will be selected at random.

To delve further into what Cheerios Protein brings to the table, get the scoop here and here!

Now, onto the recipe for 4 Ingredient Milk & Cereal Bars!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter (homemade does not work best in this recipe)
• 1/2 c. honey (preferable raw, local, organic)
• 1/4 c. nonfat dry milk powder*
• 3 3/4 c. Cheerios Protein (I used half Honey & Oats and half Cinnamon Almond.)

*For dairy free bars, omit the dry milk powder or use one of the calcium suggestions above (molasses, almonds, oranges, etc.).

Instructions:

1. Line an 8×8 or 9×9 inch baking dish with wax paper or parchment paper.
2. In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the honey to near boiling. When it’s warm, whisk in the dry milk powder (if using) one tablespoon at a time, incorporating fully after each addition.
3. Once all the dry milk powder is incorporated, turn the stove off, and remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth.
4. In a large bowl, combine the Cheerios with the honey and peanut butter mixture.
5. Spread the cereal in the lined 8×8 or 9×9 inch pan. Wet your hands, then press the cereal down to compact it a bit.
6. Chill the mixture in the refrigerator, cut into bars, and enjoy!
7. Recipe yields 12 1×3.5 inch bars, but you can cut them into whatever size/shape you like! I left these bars at room temp all day while camping, but they should technically be refrigerated since they contain milk. (No need to worry about refrigeration if you omit the milk.)

Of course, this post wouldn’t be complete without a PetraGram. Rob and I just celebrated three years of marriage, and we spent it camping with Petra in a “tent cabin” in Minnesota.

Look how cute! The “tent cabin” was essentially a tall tent with wooden floor and walls. The roof was canvas, and there was no water or electricity in it– just two wooden platforms for our foam sleeping pads and blankets. (Check out Ruttger’s Pine Mountain Resort, if you’re in the area, for these adorable tent cabins! I highly recommend the campground. ) We all enjoyed a relaxing weekend admiring God’s good Creation. We brought these cereal bars with us, too, so there was no need to worry about bringing bowls or milk for breakfast. It was just perfect!

This is slightly belated, but I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July!
And don’t forget to enter to win a free box of Cheerios Protein!

This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

I CAN’T STOP.

The obsession all started one day at work while cutting up a big ol’ container of lemons. It’s something I’d done hundreds of times, but I was really feeling the summer fever this particular day. After all the lemons were cut, the tray previously holding them was now holding a generous reserve of fresh lemon juice. Summer fever… lemon juice… What’s that saying? “When life gives you lemons…” MAKE LEMONADE! Well okay.

Those lemons produced only one little glass of lemonade. Needless to say, my thirst was not quenched. So I picked up some lemons on the way home and made a whole pitcher full!

Instead of just plain Jane lemonade though, I made a few alterations. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time pouring so much diabetes– I mean sugar– into one pitcher of lemonade. So I decided to replace half of it with local honey. I know, honey is still sugar, but it’s a little better, right? Right (just nod along). I also decided to add a couple other summery citrus flavors into the mix. To get the orange flavor, I used fresh orange juice as well as orange essential oil, and I used grapefruit essential oil for a little extra pop of citrus. Essential oils are a recent addition in my kitchen, and I’ve been adding them to all kinds of stuff! You don’t have to include them in this recipe if you don’t want to go buy them, but they do make it extra tasty!

If you’ve yet to make fresh squeezed lemonade, what are you waiting for?! It’s really not difficult or tedious. Plus, it tastes better when you’ve done the work yourself.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbs. honey (preferably raw, local, & organic)
• 8-9 c. water, divided
• 2 drops orange essential oil (optional)
• 5 drops grapefruit essential oil (optional)
• about 5 medium to large lemons (or 8-10 small lemons, enough for 1 c. juice)
• 1 small-medium orange (enough for 1/4 c. juice)

Instructions:

1. First, make your simple syrup. Combine the sugar and honey with 1 c. water in a small saucepan, and heat over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is dissolved. Allow it to cool to room temperature.
2. Stir the essential oils, if using, into the simple syrup (sugar water mixture).
3. In the meantime, slice in half and juice the lemons and oranges. To get more juice out of them, use your palm to roll them firmly on the countertop before slicing (Rachael Ray’s handy tip). Though it requires a bit of manpower, I use a simple handheld lemon squeezer like this, but you can use any kind of juicer.
4. Pour the lemon juice (1 c.), orange juice (1/4 c.), and simple syrup into a large pitcher, and add 7-8 c. cold water to your taste preference.
5. Stir to combine, serve over ice, and enjoy!

This is the recipe I can’t stop making this summer. What summer recipe can’t you stop making? Or if you’re in the southern hemisphere, what winter recipes are you making? I like soup anytime of year, so don’t hesitate to share your warm, winter recipes! Oh ALSO– World Cup! Who’s watching?? Unfortunately, the games are airing primarily while I’m at work, but I have caught a few. It’s pretty much the only major sporting event I get excited for, and I’m LOVING IT! Still haven’t decided for sure who I’m rooting for to take it all, but it’s fun to watch either way. Lastly, forgive me for the amount of Petra photos I’ve been including, but I can’t get enough. I also can’t get enough of this summer weather and the WARM SUN!

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

I do apologize; I’ve been holding out on you.

It’s been months now since I created this cookie recipe, but the impending busyness of life (a full-time job plus two side businesses, et cetera) has prevented me from sharing it with you. Fortunately, the time has come!

These cookies are for those of you who crave and adore chocolate as much as I do. They’re brimming with FOUR different kinds of chocolate! Is it overkill? No, not at all. I assure you.

With cocoa powder, melted semisweet chocolate, milk chocolate chips, and dark chocolate chips (or white chocolate, if you prefer), these cookies are not for the faint of heart. For those who prefer fruity or salty sweets, these may be a bit of an overload. However, you should at least give them a chance.

It took many tries to get the recipe just right, but my coworkers, dedicated to cookie perfection, were more than happy to continue taste-testing batch after batch. You can thank them.

In fact, the first few batches contained white chocolate chips in lieu of the dark chocolate. Feel free to use white chocolate if you prefer it to dark, but using dark chocolate will tone down these rich cookies a bit and leave you with balanced perfection.

Ever since making these Chocolate Chip and Chunk Cookies from Averie Cooks, I’ve adopted the habit of making cookies with the addition of bread flour and corn starch. Those ingredients make the cookies softer, thicker, and chewier, which is (in my opinion) how a cookie should be!

Chilling the dough a bit also prevents the cookies from spreading too much and helps keep them soft. While this may look, at first glance, like more ingredients and effort than your basic cookie recipe, the result is so worth it! Taste for yourself.

Ingredients:

• 1 c. all purpose flour
• 3/4 c. bread flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 c. cocoa
• 1 rounded Tbs. corn starch
• 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks or 12 Tbs.) butter, softened
• 1/2 c. granulated sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbs. cream (or any kind of milk)
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate
• 3/4 c. milk chocolate chips, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 c. dark chocolate chips (White chocolate can be substituted for richer cookies.), coarsely chopped

Instructions:

1. Whisk the dry ingredients (flours, baking soda and powder, cocoa, and corn starch) together in a medium bowl.
2. Melt the semisweet chocolate (either with a double boiler or with a microwave on medium power), and allow it to cool while doing the next steps.
3. Cream together the butter and sugars on high for two minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and cream; mix for two minutes on medium high. Mix in the melted chocolate.
4. Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips, and mix until incorporated.
5. Scoop the cookie dough with a 1/2 oz. scoop, shape it into mounds, and place it on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and chill the dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes. (Alternatively, dough can be chilled in the refrigerator for up to five days or frozen up to a week before use.) Chill the shaped cookie dough on a plate if the cookie sheet doesn’t fit in your freezer.
7. Place the cookie sheet of chilled dough in the oven, and bake for 8-11 minutes.
8. Recipe yields about 36 cookies. Enjoy!

And now, I’ll leave you with a few updates (for those of you who’ve been wondering what I’ve been up to in my absence).

Bloom Baking has been keeping me busy– Here are just a few of my completed projects.

This is old news by now, but I did a “foodie care package swap” with my favorite Aussie, Laura of Laura’s Mess. (Go pay her blog a visit if you never have! It’s marvelous.) She sent me all kinds of exotic goodies, but I was especially excited about the Tim Tams. Who knew they came in so many flavors?! She really is the loveliest!

Petra The Dog is growing like a furry string bean. Just yesterday I could hold her in one hand!

The Fargo Marathon was a month ago, and I ran the half in an Iron Man mask and a Wonder Woman cape with my friend Brooke. I’ve always wanted to run a race in costume, and I loved it! It was last minute, so hopefully I can put together a better costume next year.

Also, summer is finally here. It came straight from winter, and spring was bypassed, but oh well. Oh how I am glad for the green! This weather is fit for adventuring.

Again, I apologize for the silence of late, but I do hope to be back posting more frequently! To those of you still reading my posts, thanks for sticking with me! I appreciate you.

What have you been up to lately?

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

You know what else? They’re the perfect size. Maybe I’m weird, but I find it annoying when croutons are so large that they have to be stabbed with a fork, which then just causes them to crumble. No, these ones are perfectly small and “scoop-able.” Of course, if you happen to like giant croutons, you can go ahead and cut these into giant pieces.

So far we’ve got amplification to salads, ease to make, and perfect size, BUT if you need another reason to make these croutons, here you go: They’re a great use for leftover bread! I made too many dinner rolls for Christmas dinner, and I didn’t use the whole loaf of French bread for my egg bake. Therefore, lots of bread was about to be thrown out if it didn’t get used up real soon. Enter Homemade Parmesan & Herb Mini Croutons! Yum.

If you’ve never made croutons before, go grab some bread and get started! You’ll never want to spend money on store-bought croutons again.

Ingredients:

• approx. 7 c. cubed bread (I used 5 each of leftover dinner rolls and French bread slices.)
• 1/4 c. plus optional 2 Tbs. oil, divided (I used olive oil.)
• 2 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese
• 1 Tbs. Italian herbs

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Slice the bread into 1/4 inch cubes (or larger, if you prefer bigger croutons).
3. Pour the 1/4 c. of oil into a large bowl, and stir in the herbs and parmesan cheese. Add the bread cubes, and toss until all are coated.
4. Spread the bread cubes in an even layer on the baking sheet. Add the additional 2 Tbs. oil if needed; you want nearly every cube to have at least some oil on it.
5. Bake the croutons for 30 to 45 minutes, or until they’re crispy and golden, stirring every ten minutes or so.
6. Enjoy the croutons on a salad or as a snack! Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Whether you’re bored with plain salads, you’re looking for a snack alternative to potato chips, you’ve got some leftover bread to use up, or all of the above, consider making these croutons.

In other news, say hello to the newest member of our family: Petra the dog!

Isn’t she cute? Petra is a 10-week-old black lab/shepherd mix, and we’ve had her for just a couple weeks. A local animal rescue organization found her abandoned and living outside in the -60 degree windchill weather. Brrr! She’s quite the handful (as most puppies are), but we love her to pieces, and she’s sure happy to be living in a warm home with such fun people.

We like taking adventure/nature walks on the frozen Red River (when it’s not 30 below, that is).

Wherever you are, I hope you’re staying warm and having a wonderful 2014!

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

And with Christmas come lots of unneeded-calorie-wise but temptingly-delicious treats and goodies that fill my belly with joy.

One such Christmas-time treat is the Melt Away cookie. (I think they’re also known by the name “Melting Moments.”) I’ve been making and devouring them since I was a wee child, and you’ll see why once you make them!

Melt Away Cookies are light and buttery, and they’re small enough to thwart any guilt of eating five or ten. As you’ve likely guessed from the name, they really do melt in your mouth. If that’s not reason enough to make them, look how easy they are to make! They require very few ingredients, no dough chilling, and they don’t dirty many dishes. Win, win, and win!

Cookie Dough Ingredients:

• 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, slightly softened*
• 3/4 c. corn starch
• 1/3 c. powdered sugar
• 1 c. flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. almond extract

* You don’t want the butter to be room temperature, but warming just slightly in the microwave for 10-15 seconds will help it incorporate into the corn starch.

Frosting Ingredients:

• 2 Tbs. butter, softened
• 1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. almond extract
• milk to make spreadable (Start with about 2 tablespoons, and add more as needed.)
• optional food coloring and sprinkles

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, cut the butter into the corn starch with a fork or pastry blender until you have small, pea-sized granules.
3. Using an electric mixer or the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, add the remaining ingredients, and mix until a soft dough forms.
4. Form the dough into small balls (about a rounded teaspoon each), and place them an inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly press down with your fingers to flatten the dough slightly.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cookies have just begun to turn golden in color. Let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 10 minutes, or until they’re firm enough to handle. Then, gently transfer them to a cooling rack.
6. Make the frosting by stirring together all ingredients and adding milk to reach your desired consistency. Separate the frosting, and make various colors if you wish. Frost cooled cookies, and top with festive sprinkles (also optional).
7. Recipe makes about 25 to 30 cookies. Enjoy!

I’d like to say Melt Away Cookies (or rather, cookies in general) are my favorite part about Christmas, but I have a plethora of favorite things about Christmas!

Here are a few favorites (in no particular order):

• Cookies
• gingerbread houses & AMGAC (Annual Midwestern Gingerbread Architectural convention– an epic event my brothers and I created with our friends where we make a gingerbread CITY)
• Christmas trees with pretty lights (We’ve got a fake one downstairs and a real one upstairs!)
• Houses with pretty lights
• EGG NOG (My love for egg nog is comparable to Timmy Turner’s dad’s love for it.)
• Family gatherings
• Abundant generosity (I love giving gifts and seeing other people be generous.)
• Christmas songs (“O Holy Night” is my favorite.)
• Merriment in general
• Christmas-themed movies (HOME ALONE!! Elf!! Christmas Vacation!)
• Snow (clarification: The beauty of snow is my favorite, shoveling it is not.)
• Christ (He’s my #1 favorite part of Christmas. I’m thankful for His sacrifice every day of my life, but I love how He gets extra attention as His story is shared more often this time of year.)

The photo quality isn’t the best, but here are our trees! 

This is our first year sending out a Christmas card, and it makes me happy.

What are your Christmas favorites??

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.

There are so many reasons I love fall– the crisp & fresh air, the utter beauty in changing leaves, comfy flannel all the time, pumpkin everything, hearty soups, and AMPLE AMOUNTS OF APPLES!!

I grew up with an apple tree in my yard, and we used up those apples in any way we could think of. Our favorites were apple sauce, apple juice, apple pie, apple crisp, and apple leather. I suppose that’s where my deep love of apples began.

Though I no longer have an apple tree, my infatuation with the fruit continues. Luckily, this fall was no exception to having an abundance of apples! A coworker with a tree gave me an enormous bagful of tart, baking apples, and I picked up a bag of sweet honeycrisps at the farmers market.

When I finally had a Saturday off work, I seized the opportunity to peel, core, and slice my collection of apples. Most of them went into the freezer for future use (like Rob’s birthday Apple Pie Slices next month!), and some of them became this delectable recipe.

Until now, I’d never actually made apple butter before, so I pulled up a couple recipes I remembered pinning a while back. Disappointed at seeing the boat load of sugar called for in those recipes, I turned to Texanerin’s apple butter recipe that has no added sugar. Her recipe is also a quicker version; it’s made in 1 1/2 hours on the stovetop as opposed to the 6+ hour recipes made in crock pots.

However, I didn’t want my apple butter to merely taste like puréed applesauce, so I compromised and added some sugar, but not boat loads.

Maybe I’m biased, but I think I got it just right with the perfect amount of sugar and spice.

Don’t take my word for it though; make it yourself, and tell me what you think!

Ingredients:
(adapted from Texanerin)

• 12 medium-sized apples
• 1/4 c. granulated sugar
• 1/4 c. brown sugar
• 1 Tbs. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. allspice
• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/8 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/3 c. water

Instructions:

1. Peel, core, and roughly chop all the apples. (This handy device works like a charm!)
2. In a small bowl, combine the sugars, spices, lemon juice, and water.
3. Add the apples and the sugar/spice/liquid mixture to a large saucepan, cover, and cook over medium heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Mash up the apples as much as you can, reduce the heat to medium-low, and stir in a splash of water (a couple tablespoons will do). Cook uncovered for another 45 minutes, stirring frequently (every 5 to 10 minutes) so the apples on the bottom don’t burn.
5. When the apple butter has reached your preferred consistency, remove the pan from the heat, and allow it to cool for a few minutes. Then, purée it using an immersion blender, food processor, or regular blender.
6. Let the apple butter cool off before putting in jars (or other containers), and refrigerate it for up to 5 days. Apple butter can also be frozen. Recipe yields about 1 1/2 cups.

I love to enjoy apple butter as a tasty snack on crackers or toast, and I even tried it this morning on a pumpkin bagel. YUM! My mind is dreaming about apple butter pancakes, so that’ll probably have to be my next experiment…

And now, I’ll leave you with some entertainment. I’m a clumsy chef, and one of the reasons I made this apple butter was to thank my neighbor for taking care of me when I cut myself while making dinner. Haha, I’m such a klutz! It was a deep cut on my thumb, and I didn’t know if it needed stitches or not. Rob wasn’t home, so, knowing my neighbor works in a hospital, I knocked on her door. She lovingly bandaged me up and told me how to take care of it.

Didn’t she do a great job?

We are truly blessed to have such wonderful neighbors!!
It’s not much, but I hope they enjoy the apple butter.

How do you like your apple butter?
What are your favorite things about fall??

© Milk & Cereal. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe.