Our Taste Tests

Chocolate Almond Protein Bars

2018-09-09T10:11:00.001-07:00

I'm on the Health & Wellness committee where I work, and we had a meeting coming up where we were all going to bring a "healthy or healthified" food dish. I originally had plans on finding and creating some amazing, hearty dish that I would bring and wow them all. Silly, typical me- I forgot all about it until pretty much the late evening before. Since it was my idea to do this, I figured it would be obnoxious if I showed up empty-handed, so I scoured Pinterest for something healthy and easy that I could do with items in my house.

I had recently picked up the Snack Bar Maker from Pampered Chef, and figured that would be the perfect vessel to make something. I knew I had to have the ingredients for some granola bars. Then I came across this recipe for Vegan Chocolate Almond Protein Bars and knew it was the winner. It seemed simple enough, it was quick, and I had everything I needed.

This recipe as specified on the website has you process raw almonds into almond butter. I was lazy, it was late, and well- I had almond butter on hand, so why not? So I substituted about a cup of almond butter for the processed almonds. I did crush up some raw almonds and press them into the tops of the bars for added flavor and a bit of crunch.

Let me tell you- despite being horribly last minute-thrown together, these things still made a definite WOW factor at that meeting, and again when I brought them to a gathering at a friend's house just yesterday. They come across unassuming. They are extremely soft, so don't be alarmed by that. They taste amazing! The Snack Bar Maker was indeed the perfect product for this, allowing me to really press the mixture together in the wells, creating perfect sized, uniform bars. Snap the lid on, and pop it in the freezer for a bit, and ta-da! I'm seriously in love with this product!

I'll give you the recipe for how I put them together here, but please go check out the original recipe on PopSugar Fitness and take a look at her website. There is a ton of great info there!

Vegan Chocolate Almond Protein Bars

Ingredients:

3/4 - 1 cup almond butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 & 1/2 cups oats
1 scoop (about 5 oz) vanilla flavored protein powder
1/3 cup maple syrup (the real stuff)

Optional:
1/4 cup chocolate chips
and /or
1/4 cup crushed almonds

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients together (except for the optional ones). The dough will be a bit hard to mix, but it will eventually combine. Make sure it's combined well.

If using the Snack Bar Maker,:

1. I found it easier to just grab a chunk of dough and press it into the well, then use the top of the mini spatula to press it into the corners and then smoosh the whole thing down into the well real good. Continue until all wells are filled. The recipe gave me just enough to do all 12 wells.

2. If using the crushed almonds, sprinkle a bit over the top of the bars and then press in with the mini spatula.

3. Snap the top on and place in the freezer for about 20 minutes.

4. If you want to add the chocolate, melt the chocolate chips, take the lid off the Snack Bar Maker and drizzle the chocolate all over the bars. Don't worry about being "clean" about it. The pan will clean up easy. Pop back into the freezer without the lid for about 10 minutes or so. Long enough for the chocolate to firm back up good. (you can probably add the chocolate before the first round in the freezer, but I like to let the bars set up first with the lid on it first. You do whatever works for you!)

5. Once set, pop the bars out of the silicone base and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

If you don't have the Snack Bar Maker yet,

1. Stop what you are doing, click the link up there, and go get yourself one. Then, while you anxiously await your new kitchen toy:

2.. Grab an 8 x 8 inch pan and line it with parchment paper.

3. Smoosh the dough into the pan with your hands, or the back of a spoon, or a spatula. Whichever is easiest for you. Try to get it as uniform as possible.

4. If using the crushed almonds, sprinkle across the top of the mixture, and press firmly into the mix.

5. If using the chocolate, melt the chocolate and drizzle across the top.

6. Put in the fridge or freezer until set, about 30 minutes. Cut into bars and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Next time I do these, I'm going to try with natural peanut butter and peanuts, and maybe with cashew butter and cashews. If you do your own variations, let me know how they come out!

Carrot Soup

2013-10-11T15:22:00.002-07:00

Fall has definitely made a grand entrance in my area of the Pacific Northwest. It's the perfect weather for a nice bowl of hot soup, and some steaming grilled bacon and cheese sandwiches. I had already made a couple loaves of Honey Oat Bread to make the sandwiches with, and just needed a good, hearty soup.

While I was over at a friend's house a few weeks back, she had made a batch of this soup to share with all of us. Now, I am not a fan of carrots ("gasp!!" , I know..), so was not expecting too much other than to be polite and have a small couple of bites. I wound up eating three servings. The potato really does a fantastic job of smoothing out the carrot flavor. It's also thick and surprisingly filling (despite my goings back for more). It is a perfect fall-time soup to put into your rotations.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 medium potato, diced
1 pound carrots, chopped
3 cups veggie stock
pinch of sugar
2/3 cup half & half
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

In a large pot melt butter. Add onion, potato, and carrots. Cover and let simmer for ten minutes.
Add stock and sugar to pot. Bring to a boil, and let simmer for 30 minutes, or until veggies are soft.
Place mixture into a food processor and mix on "puree" setting. Meanwhile, clean the pot.
Return the mixture to the pot. Stir in half & half, salt, and pepper.
Serve warm.

Chocolate Banana Muffins

2013-10-11T15:09:00.002-07:00

In a search for something to do with my browning bananas yesterday, I came across this recipe at Sally's Baking Addiction. The thing I love about her site is she takes some of the most unhealthy comfort foods, and makes them fit into a healthier lifestyle, so I can feel better about eating stuff like this when I get the craving. These sounded perfect. They use no butter or oil, so they are "healthier" than other variations. The only alteration I made was substituting peanut butter chips in place of the chocolate chips, and oh my- am I glad I did! They brought these to a whole other level of yum. My kids have been gushing on them while they devour them.

Ingredients:

3 large bananas
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup applesauce
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup peanut butter chips (or chocolate chips)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake papers.
In a large bowl, mash bananas completely- no large lumps. Stir in sugar, egg, and applesauce.
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Make sure to sift the cocoa so you do not get clumps.
Stir flour mix into wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in chips. Batter will be chunky.
Spoon into prepared muffin tins. These do not really "puff" up, so go ahead and fill them all the way up. If desired, sprinkle more chips on top.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until done in the center. Cool completely.

Autumn Cookies

2013-10-11T14:56:00.001-07:00

I got into a baking mood yesterday, but once again find myself tired of the same old things I always make in there. Instead, I went browsing through my Pinterest boards looking for something new and tantalizing. I found them here: Two Peas & Their Pod. I get a lot of recipes from this website. I have never had one fail me. In fact, they've probably been linked to in more than a few of my posts. =)

There they call them "Zucchini Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies". I'm simply calling them "Autumn Cookies", because that is exactly what it tasted like I was biting into- a delicious morsel of Fall. I didn't have any chocolate chips on hand, so just omitted them. Let me tell you, they are not necessary. They were absolutely perfect, and I will be making these quite often, methinks! Perfect for this time of year!

Ingredients:

1 cup flour (next time I will try wheat flour, or half all-purpose, half wheat)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup applesauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup shredded zucchini
2 cups oats
Chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
In a larger bowl combine applesauce and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Stir in zucchini.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture. Stir in oats and chocolate chips if using.
Bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Let cool completely.

Banana Brownies

2013-09-25T11:36:00.001-07:00

A while back, the library I work at had the fantastic idea of creating a cookie cookbook to help raise funds for our Friends of the Library group that helps finance some of the branch's activities, programs, etc. They had everyone, patrons and coworkers alike, submit their favorite cookie recipes. They then selected the favorites, and put them into a cookbook. See it here: Cookie Cookbook.

Now, I know this isn't a cookie, but I sure am glad they included it in this cookbook. My kids and I are in love with this brownie recipe. It's super simple to make, and oh so yummy!   I have made a few adjustments here and there to suit my family's tastes. I'll give the original recipe, and then put my adjustments in parentheses next to it. The way I make them tends to have a denser end result.

Banana Brownies
as submitted by Laura Early:

Ingredients:

1/2 stick of butter
6oz chocolate chips (I just use a 1-cup measuring cup)
3/4 cup flour (I use whole wheat flour)
1/2 cup sugar (I use brown sugar)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (hate walnuts, so omitted them)
1 small banana, mashed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla (I eyeball it)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg

Directions:

Note: I like to have all of my ingredients ready to just throw into the pan. To prepare, I put the butter and chocolate chips straight into the pan. In a larger bowl, I combine all dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, I mash the bananas, and then beat in the egg and vanilla. When the butter/chocolate mix is melted and ready, I add the banana mix first, then stir in the dry ingredients.

1. Preheat oven to 350*F.
2. Spray a 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. (I used a round one.. it's what was clean..)
3. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate chips over low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove pan from heat and beat in the remaining ingredients until thoroughly combined.
5. Pour into prepared pan and spread evenly (batter is thick).
6.   Bake for about 30 minutes, or until center is set.
7. Cool completely.

Now please- go check the book out from the library. The cookies are delicious, and there is something to suit everyone in there!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Banana Bread

2013-08-01T18:40:00.013-07:00

Yeah... you read that correctly. Are you salivating yet? I know I am. I've got a batch of it in the oven right now, and I can't wait to devour it, probably still hot from the pan. If it's anything like last time, I will be too impatient, and will try to get it out of the pan while it's still too hot. This will cause it to fall apart, which will of course require me to immediately devour it. I mean, its broken, so it must be eaten right away, right??

I got the original recipe here: Southern Living's Cream Cheese Banana Bread . Since I can't stand walnuts or pecans in bread, I omitted those. It's a delicious bread all on its own. After I got comfortable with the recipe I began to play with it just a smidge; mostly by experimenting with add-ins. Chocolate chips was the obvious place to start, and the kids loved it when I added a bunch of mini chocolate chips to it. Then one day I was in the grocery store and stumbled upon These Bad Boys . It just so happened I had been planning on making banana bread when we got home, and I was in that particular aisle to get just plain ol' chocolate chips. When my daughter and I saw these, we knew our banana bread experience was about to reach a whole new level. I mean, everyone knows that chocolate, peanut butter, and banana is just a exquisite ménage a trois. We were so right.

This bread seriously doesn't last a day in this house.

Update 11/11/2024: I usually make these as muffins now, so I'm adding the instructions for those. Same ingredients and quantities. My family loves these, and they are often requested for get-togethers and potlucks. I have even had them requested in lieu of a birthday cake!

*See the notes after the recipe for variations I use.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Banana Bread

makes: 2 loaves or 24(+) regular-sized muffins.

time: a little over 1 hour for the loaves, and about 20-30 minutes for the muffins, plus cooling time

Ingredients:

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoonful baking soda
1/2 teaspoonful baking powder
1/2 teaspoonful salt
3/4 cup butter (or 1&1/2 sticks), softened
8oz cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1&1/2 cups mashed banana
1/2 teaspoonful vanilla
11oz bag of chocolate and peanut butter chips, or whatever add-in floats your fancy.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Prepare two loaf pans by spraying them with cooking spray, or oiling and flouring them.

In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3 cups flour, 1/2 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl, combine the butter and cream cheese. Mix until creamy. Add in the sugar and mix until well combined and fluffy. Add in eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly. Gradually add in flour mixture and mix until just combined. The dough will get a bit thick here.

3/4 cup (or 1&1/2 sticks) butter, 8oz cream cheese, 2 cups sugar, 2 eggs

Add in bananas and vanilla. Dump in the entire bag of chocolate peanut butter chips (and / or whatever add-ins you chose) and mix until well combined.
,mashed banana, 1/2 tsp vanilla, bag of peanut butter & chocolate chips

For bread: Divide the batter between the two prepared loaf pans and bake for one hour. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the pan. It should come out with very little wet dough, and the edges will be a bit browned. I have to let mine completely cool before removing them from the pan, otherwise they fall apart. As mentioned before, this just gives me good excuse to start devouring it right away. However, if you are wanting a prettier presentation, you may want to wait. =)

For muffins: Follow directions above, but instead of using the loaf pan, lightly spay 2 regular size muffin pans with baking spray, or line with cupcake holders. Divide the batter between the two pans, filling the tins approximately 3/4 full. Bake for about 20 minutes, and then check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into one of the muffins toward the middle of the pan. It should come out with very little wet dough, and the edges will be a bit browned. Remove pans from oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes before removing muffins to a cooling rack. These can still be a bit crumbly if you remove them from the pan too soon, so try to let them cool completely.

Enjoy!

Notes:

I encourage you to play with this recipe to make it all your own, like I did. Here is what I do / have done to give you an idea.

Flour- I usually use a combination of 2 cups white all-purpose flour and 1 cup wheat flour. However, I've been known to switch those quantities up, or just use all white flour or all wheat flour.

*I have never tried this with any sort of gluten-free flour, so I have no idea how that would turn out. If you try it, let me know the results!

Sugar- just like the flour, I usually divide this up as 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup lightly-packed brown sugar. However, you can use all white sugar with delicious results.

*I have never tried this recipe using all brown sugar, or any sort of sugar alternative. If you try it- let me know the results!

Banana- Feel free to adjust the amount of banana here. There is not a set amount needed. I typically just use whatever I have that is starting to get too ripe, usually around 2-3 bananas. Using more than 4 medium sized bananas may cause the dough to become a little too wet, so you may need to adjust the cooking time, or the amount of flour.

Add-ins- as the title suggests, my go-to for this recipe is a bag of chocolate & peanut butter chips. However, I've also used just chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips. Just add it until the batter looks like it has enough. I also imagine you could stir in some nuts if you like that. Follow your taste buds!

OMG Chicken

2013-07-13T19:18:00.002-07:00

Ok. I can't say that this is the best thing I've ever put in my mouth, as the title suggests. That's what I've just heard it called.   It's pretty damn good, though! The blog I adapted it from calls it Parmesan Crusted Chicken.   However, since I didn't use just Parmesan cheese, I felt that was misleading, so kept with the OMG. It's more eye-catchy anyway. =)

This chicken is super simple- using only 4 ingredients you probably already have in your fridge and cupboards. It's moist, uber cheesy, with a hint of crispness.   Overall, I think it's fabulous, and it will definitely be making it into the rotations often. I rarely actual measure things, so the amounts are approximated. I think one of the lovely things about this recipe is the ability to kind of mix it up a bit and make it however suits your palate. Play with the mayo part; I think Miracle Whip would work really well with this. Try different types of cheeses.

I served it with a basic side salad and pasta.

Ingredients:

4-6 chicken breast halves
approximately 1 & 1/2 cups mayo, plain yogurt, sour cream, etc.   ( I used regular mayo)
1 bag cheese (the original recipe calls for just Parmesan. I used a Italian six-cheese blend)
Italian style bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425*F.   Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (this part is optional, but it sure makes clean up a lot easier!). Place chicken breasts on prepared pan.

In a bowl, combine the mayo and cheese. Adjust the cheese amounts to your cheesy preferences. I, personally, think the cheesier the better. =)

Spread cheese mixture evenly over the top of the chicken. Use all of it. The thicker the better. =)

Sprinkle a liberal amount of breadcrumbs over top of the cheese mixture.

Bake in heated oven for 20 minutes.

Smore's Cookies

2012-09-11T10:40:00.002-07:00

While trying to come up with ideas for what type of cookie to bring to a Taylor Swift themed birthday party, I tried to choose between Cowgirl Cookies or Smore's Cookies. In the end, I decided to go with both!

These cookies are more of a bar-type cookie. They are very soft, and very sweet, so I would advise cutting them into smaller than normal portions! They are very good, though, and that is the important part! The only alteration I will make to them next time, and I will be making them again, is to crush up some extra graham cracker pieces and add it to the dough. Other than that, delish!

Ingredients:

1 package graham crackers, broken into squares
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
11 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F. Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Arrange graham crackers to cover as much of the bottom of the pan as possible.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix thoroughly.
Add flour minx to sugar mix and combine well.
Fold in chocolate chips and marshmallows.
Drop by tablespoons over graham crackers and press down to cover and spread evenly.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cowgirl Cookies

2012-09-11T10:28:00.001-07:00

A friend of mine's daughter was turning 10, and wanted a Taylor Swift theme for her birthday party. Her request of me was to bring cookies. I wanted to come up with a cookie that would somehow fit the theme, without taking too much effort, since I would be short on time to make them. I decided on these cookies, which pretty much have that "everything thrown in" feel, and Smore's Cookies. Both make me think of cowboys and cowgirls, of sitting on hay bales around a bonfire in cowboy boots and skirts, of lightly strummed guitars while the stars twinkle overhead.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons hot water
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch or peanut butter chips
1 cup broken pretzel pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Combine the butter and sugars. Beat until smooth.
Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.
Dissolve baking soda in hot water.
Add baking soda water and salt to butter mixture and stir until blended.
Add flour, one cup at a time, mixing well between additions.
Fold in the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and pretzel pieces.
Drop by tablespoons onto prepared pan and bake for about 10 minutes.

Honey-Orange-Mustard-etc Glazed Chicken

2012-09-09T21:19:00.001-07:00

I had decided on the menu plan to make chicken drumsticks for tonight's dinner. As I went into the kitchen to get it started, I realized I had absolutely no idea as to how I wanted to prepare them. I knew I wanted something tasty, not fried, and not horribly difficult to make. I took a look around the kitchen to see what we had, and decided to try my hand at just throwing some stuff together that sounded good. What I came up with was perfect! I am pretty dang proud of myself, because it is very rare that I pull something out of thin air. I am usually a play-it-by-the-recipe cook, and it's almost always from a recipe!

The chicken came out slightly sweet, but with a hint of earthiness and bite that made it easy on the taste buds. (It looked pretty, too, but I had to take a picture with my daughter's Ipod, since the camera is currently out of the area while my boyfriend is away.) Here's what I did, with a guesstimate on the quantities, since I just threw stuff in without measuring:

Ingredients:

Package of chicken drumsticks, skinned (about 1 pound's worth)
1/3-1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup Dijon style mustard (or two very large tablespoons)
The juice from one medium orange
1 tablespoon rosemary, crushed
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (I'm a bit of a wuss with spicy... adjust to your taste!)

Directions:

Arrange chicken in a baking pan. (I used a glass 9x13-inch pan, and did not have any need to grease it.)
Over low-med low heat, stir together honey and mustard until melty and combined. Add remaining ingredients. Adjust spices as desired to suit your tastes. *Note: The sauce on the stove tasted much sweeter than it actually turned out on the chicken.
Once well combined, pour over chicken. (I let mine sit, covered, for a couple hours, but I don't believe this is actually necessary. I just already had stuff in the oven!)
Bake at 375*F for 45 minutes, or until meat no longer pink and juices are clear.

I served this with rice and corn. My kids actually both liked it! Score one for me!

Zucchini Pineapple Muffins

2012-09-09T16:53:00.001-07:00

I bought some zucchini at the store a week or so ago, and never figured out what I wanted to do with it. Since I was having company over today, I wanted to have something a little sweet, but not overly so. Zucchini bread entered my head, but then this recipe popped up on Pinterest and I figured it sounded good enough to try. I am glad I did! They turned out delicious! My children and I are not big pineapple fans, but the pineapple lent just enough sweetness without being overpowering. I may even add a little bit more next time!

Ingredients:

4 eggs
1&1/2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup oil
1&1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup crushed pineapple
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1&1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1&1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well blended and smooth.
Stir in zucchini and pineapple.
In another bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Add gradually to egg mixture until completely combined.
Pour into greased or paper-lined cupcake pan, filling about 3/4 full.
Bake at 350* for 20 minutes.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

2012-03-04T09:16:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe at The View from Great Island. Super easy to make. Super delicious.

Go there. Read her blog post. Look at her yummy pictures. Then go make them. =)

Notes: I left the wax-paper wrapped log in the refrigerator overnight. I cut them the next morning. They are very crumbly, but I just mooshed them together in my hands and flattened them out a bit and baked them for 13 minutes. Yum. You will definitely want a cup of coffee or glass of milk with them though!

Orange Cream Cheese Bread

2012-03-03T21:47:00.000-08:00

I was in the mood to bake, and had a eensy bit of a sweet tooth. While perusing Pinterest I came across this recipe at Just a Pinch. It sounded delicious, and after reading the comments other people had made about its deliciousness, and realizing I had some oranges in there that needed using... I made it.

*I should note, in case you didn't read through the comments on the recipe there, that people say you should definitely let this cool completely before cutting into it. Otherwise, it crumbles apart very easily, and while still tasty, is not like eating a piece of bread.

*Another note: The original recipe at "Just a Pinch" states to use two pans for this recipe. I used just one, as we like nice, large loaves. That said, we then had to cook it for about 15-20 minutes longer, which caused the edges to brown significantly. While this did not affect the taste really (it was still delicious), you could tell it was cooked longer, and the aesthetic value is not nearly as appealing. Next time, I will follow directions and split it between two loaf pans.

Ingredients:

1 8-oz box of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1&2/3 cups sugar
2 eggs
2&1/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons grated orange peel
1/4 cup orange juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375*F. Grease and flour a bread pan.

Mix together the cream cheese and shortening until creamy. Add in the sugar and mix until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs one at a time, blending well between each addition.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add flour mixture to cream cheese mixture a little at a time, alternating with the milk. Batter will be thick and creamy. Mix in grated orange peel.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let cool for ten minutes, then sprinkle the orange juice over top. Let cool completely before serving.

White Sandwich Bread

2012-02-28T08:04:00.000-08:00

Yep, another bread recipe. But this one actually rises enough to be an actual sandwich type bread. Many of them are too short to make a really decent sandwich. This one fixes that. It's good, and we ate it all up right away. I'm actually considering making another batch today. This recipe was found via Pinterest at Annie's Eats.

I didn't get a picture of it cut, and for that I apologize. Maybe if I do wind up making more today, I'll get an updated picture of that part. I may even make myself a sandwich!

Ingredients

3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. salt

1 cup warm milk

1/3 cup warm water

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

3 tbsp. honey

2 ¼ tsp instant yeast

Directions:

Put the rack in your oven at the lowest position, and preheat your oven to 200*F. Once it's reached 200*, let it stay there for ten minutes, then turn it off. Don't open the door.

Meanwhile, mix 3&1/2 cups of the flour with the salt in a large bowl of a mixer. In another bowl, mix together the rest of the ingredients (minus the remaining flour). Start your mixer and slowly add in the wet ingredients. Increase the speed to medium and let mix for about 10 minutes, adding a tablespoon of flour at a time as needed after five minutes to keep the mixture doughy and not sticky.

Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a smooth ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and a towel, and put in the warmed oven. Let double in size; about 40-50 minutes.

On a floured surface, work the dough into a rectangle, about 1 inch thick and no longer than the size of your bread pan. With long side facing you, roll into a cylinder, pressing the edges together. Turn seam up and pinch closed. Place seam side down into a bread pan and press gently to touch all sides. Cover with plastic wrap and place in a warm area to double in size; about 30 minutes.

Keep one rack in the lowest position, and another in the middle, and preheat to 350*F. Place a pan of boiling water on the lowest rack (at least 2 cups worth). Uncover bread and place on middle rack and bake for about 45-50 minutes. Remove and let cool.

Tootsie Roll Fudge

2012-02-19T10:12:00.000-08:00

My younger brother has an obsession with Tootsie Rolls. Well, I'm not sure if it's still as huge now as it was when we were younger, but every time I see one I think of him. So, when I found This Recipe at Taste of Home a couple years ago, I had to try it. It was Christmastime when I found it, while scouring for yummy treats I could take and give as little gifts. It was delicious! When my brother's birthday came around this year, I decided to make it again, sans the M&M candies, and was just as pleased as last time. It is very sweet, so a little goes a long way!

I highly recommend you gather all of your ingredients, and have them measured and beside you as you do this. You don't want to stop stirring to measure out 3&3/4 cups of powdered sugar! It's a pain!

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 cups Tootsie Rolls (about one bag's worth)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
3&3/4 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Line a 9-inch square pan with foil and grease with 1 teaspoon of butter. Set aside.
In a heavy saucepan, melt remaining butter, Tootsie Rolls and peanut butter over low heat, stirring constantly.
Gradually stir in the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla. Mixture will be very thick.
Spread into prepared pan. Let cool for a minute, then score with a knife into squares. If desired, top with an M&M candy (this is particularly festive for holidays). Cool.
Using foil, remove from pan and break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Chicken and Spinach Alfredo Lasagna

2012-02-15T08:34:00.000-08:00

While I am a fan of lasagna, I rarely ever make it. I know that my kids aren't too keen on the red sauced varieties, so I came up with this one. None of the recipes I could find online matched the ingredients I had in my cupboards, so this one I just winged. It's really the first recipe I've done all on my own. I think it turned out pretty dang good. I loved the crispy cheese on top. My kids aren't too hip on spinach, though they liked the rest of it. It made for wonderful leftovers for lunch the next day, too!

Ingredients:

8-10 ounces spinach, quickly cooked and wilted (I used frozen. Fresh would be awesome.)
1 15-oz package of low-fat ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded mozzarella
about 3 cups alfredo sauce (The link is to my homemade sauce. Jarred would be fine, too.)
12 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
2 cooked skinless chicken breasts (I broiled mine with a little salt, pepper and garlic powder.)
extra shredded mozzarella

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.
Mix together spinach, ricotta and mozzarella cheeses in a medium bowl.
In a 9x9 pan, pour a very thin layer of Alfredo sauce. Lay 4 noodles side by side on top, to cover pan.
Spread half of the spinach and cheese mix evenly over the noodles.
Pour about a third of the Alfredo sauce over top.
Lay another layer of noodles, then spinach/cheese mix, then sauce again.
Top with one more layer of noodles. Pour the remainder of the sauce over top. Sprinkle with extra mozzarella.
Bake for 45-60 minutes.

4-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

2012-02-08T14:45:00.000-08:00

(left half are peanut butter cookies, right half has chocolate chip minis thrown in!)

I've had this recipe for years and years. I must say, it is probably one of my favorite cookies to make. Soft, chewy peanut butter cookies that I almost always have the ingredients for. I mean, who doesn't usually have peanut butter, sugar, an egg and some vanilla laying around? This time, I decided to mix it up and make another batch with some mini chocolate chips thrown in. So I guess those would be 5-ingredient cookies. Super yum!

They can come out a bit crumbly if you try to take them off the pan too soon. But, that just means they are broken and must be eaten, right?! That's my viewpoint, anyway. =)

Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter (can use creamy or chunky, based on your preference)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
handful or two of mini chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Lightly spray a cookie pan with cooking spray.
Mix all the ingredients together. If using chocolate chips, mix the first 4 ingredients together, then stir in chocolate chips until you think you have enough (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup).
Drop by rounded teaspoon onto prepared pan and lightly press down.
Bake for 5-7 minutes. They will be super soft and puffy. Let them sit for a few minutes and cool on the pan before trying to move. I usually use 2 pans for these, and let one batch cool while the other cooks.

Honey Oat Bread

2012-02-05T16:33:00.000-08:00

Since the Rosemary Olive Oil Bread turned out so well, I was inspired to take a shot at another type of bread. My boyfriend requested a Honey Oat bread, so I found a recipe at Epicurious that looked promising and decided to make a go of it.

Once again, it came out superb. I'm so glad I finally got over my fear of bread! It's my new found toy. This one came out light, and delicious. It's another one that the kids really enjoyed, as did my boyfriend and myself. It makes great sandwich bread. Or, it's delicious warm with melted butter and jam. Or honey!

I will definitely be making this bread again.

Ingredients:

1&3/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
3/4 cups quick cooking oats
1/3 cup honey
3 tablespoon vegetable oil
2&1/2 teaspoons salt
about 5 cups flour

1 large egg, beaten
additional oats

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water. Let stand for 10 minutes.
2. Mix in remaining water, oats, honey, oil and salt.
3. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. I used probably 4 cups, maybe a bit more.
4. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer dough to bowl, and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap, then a towel, and let stand until doubled in size. About 1 hour.
5. Oil 2 bread pans. Punch risen dough down, and, using remaining flour as needed to keep dough from sticking, form into 2 small loaves.
6. Place 1 loaf in each pan. Cover again and let rise until doubled- about 20 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 350*F. Brush the tops of risen loaves with the beaten egg, and then sprinkle additional oats over top.
8. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until tops are golden and a tester comes out clean. Cool completely.

Rosemary Olive-Oil Bread

2012-02-03T19:00:00.000-08:00

I finally broke my bread-making cherry. Not just fiddled around with it a little, but actually broke it. We're talking yeast, kneading, punching, and everything!

If you've read my blog before, you probably know that I am a big fan of the Artisan Bread that I've worked with in the past. It's a yeast bread, but requires no kneading or punching- the two aspects of bread making that have daunted me the most. It is a very tasty bread, and makes a superb pizza crust. However, I had made it enough times that I was starting to get bored, and all of these recipes for all of these super tasty breads kept popping up everywhere- making my mouth water and my hands itch to make them!

I found this recipe for Rosemary Olive Oil Bread and, being the huge rosemary fan that I am, I had to try it. I had everything right there in my kitchen, just begging to be used. I read through the recipe a few times and thought, "It really doesn't sound that difficult."

I was so right. *high five*

It was absolutely delicious. Even my kids ate it up! It seriously didn't last more than a couple of days. It has a very strong flavor- I will warn you. Of course, I probably put in a tad bit more rosemary than the recipe called for. But, if you are a fan of rosemary, you will adore this bread.
Make sure to wrap it when not in use though. It did get a little tough when left out overnight (once cut open). But, not enough to keep us from munching it right to the crumbs! It would be absolutely divine with some soup. I'm thinking some Zuppa Toscana. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

So, seriously- If you've wanted to try your hand at baking bread, but have been put off by all the kneading and punching and stuff, (and you like rosemary) try this bread. Super easy. Super tasty!

Ingredients:

1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons dry active yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, or 2 teaspoons dried
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups whole wheat flour, + more for kneading
1 egg, whisked
1 tablespoon water
extra rosemary

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the water, sugar, and yeast. Let sit for 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the salt, rosemary, seasonings, pepper, and olive oil. Add the flour and stir until the dough forms a ball. Knead on a lightly floured surface for about 5 minutes.
3. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
4. Punch down the dough and form into a round loaf. Cover and let rise until doubled; about 45 minutes.
5. Preheat oven (and pizza stone) to 400*F. When dough has risen, combine whisked egg with the water, and brush overtop the dough. Sprinkle with extra rosemary.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes until top is golden and it sounds hollow when tapped.

Salmon Cakes

2012-01-29T16:54:00.000-08:00

I had some canned salmon on hand that I had absolutely NO idea of what to do with. I'd never really eaten it before, so wasn't really sure how you were suppose to prepare it, or what you were really even supposed to do to it. So, I went online to search of course! I found this recipe at Cooks.com. I adjusted it to use the ingredients I had on hand, and to suit my taste buds.

The base mix tasted like it might actually be pretty good as it was, on a warmed roll or bread perhaps. Or even as a dip for crackers. So I'll have to keep that in mind for the other can of salmon I have in there!

Ingredients:

for the cakes:
1 can of salmon (mine was about 15oz)
1 egg
1/4 cup light sour cream
1-2 tablespoons minced onion (or 1 small onion, minced- I was too lazy to cut one up)
1 tablespoon lemon juice

for the breading:
1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used Progresso's Italian flavor)
1 teaspoon dill

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.

Combine all of the cake ingredients in a bowl. Mix well. Form into small cakes- it should make 8 small cakes.

Combine the bread crumbs and dill in a shallow bowl. Mix thoroughly. Roll the cakes in the crumb mix, or hold the cake in your hand and liberally sprinkle the mix over the cakes (which is what I did).

Place on a baking sheet. If it is not a non-stick pan, coat with a thin layer of cooking spray. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden.

Skittles Vodka

2012-01-25T10:46:00.000-08:00

So, my boyfriend and I decided to give a try at making our own moonshine awhile back. I was rewarded with about a gallon of the stuff (after diluting it). We diluted it to about a 75-80 percent alcohol mix. Now, what to do with that?

Online, on Pinterest actually (sorry, I don't have the pin of where it came from.. I just remembered how they did it), I found Skittles vodka. I love Skittles, so this I had to try.

Take a small mason jar (or whatever bottle you have) and put about a handful of ONE color of Skittles into the bottom of it. Fill it with vodka. Put the lid on, give it a shake, and let it sit for about a week, shaking it at least once a day, or whenever you walk by it. Eventually the Skittles dissolve. They do leave a bit on gunk in there, so we filtered it through a coffee filter into another bottle.
**Note: The pictures are from before we filtered it.

I really liked the red one mixed into some Diet 7-Up. Tasty!!

Chicken Alfredo and Spinach Pizza

2012-01-23T17:45:00.000-08:00

Earlier in my blogger postings, I showed you how to make the Artisan Bread and then just recently was the Alfredo Sauce .    Last night we combined these two with some diced chicken and spinach to make a wonderful pizza.   It was oh-so-yummy. I couldn't stop eating, and will probably need to spend a couple hours on the treadmill today to make up for it.

For the bread this time, I used 5 cups white flour and 1&1/2 cups wheat flour, and then threw in about a 1/4 cup of honey.   The dough came out very sticky, but we never got to the point of putting it in the fridge, either, since it was made specifically to make pizza dough.

Grab a big handful of the dough and form it into the ball as it says. However, then immediately throw it onto a floured surface and roll it to your desired size for pizza.   Pop it into the oven at 450*F for about 5 minutes to give it a nice little prebake. You don't have to prebake it, but we like the texture it gives the finished pizza.

Make up the alfredo sauce, and spread over the prebaked (or not-prebaked) pizza. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Top with chicken and torn spinach leaves. Sprinkle with just a little more mozzarella to give a little seal. Put back in the oven (at the same setting) for another 8 minutes or so. If you did not prebake the pizza, it may need to be around 10-15 minutes to completely bake the bread. Keep checking it. =)

And there you have it. Delicious pizza. Of course, you can add whatever toppings you like!   Enjoy!

Chicken and Cheese Enchiladas

2012-01-21T08:52:00.000-08:00

My boyfriend has been wanting enchiladas for awhile now. I came across this recipe while perusing Pinterest the other day, and thought it sounded simple enough. I made it tonight, and the results were astounding. Simple, delicious flavor. We are not big fans of spicy in this household, and this had just enough of the green chilies to give it some oomph, but not too much for our fragile taste buds. Even the kids enjoyed it!

We put some chicken breasts in the crock pot with a bunch of taco seasoning on high for about 4-5 hours this afternoon, then shredded it to use for this dish. I highly recommend this! The recipe originally calls for Monterrey Jack cheese, but since I didn't have that I used the cheddar and mozzarella mix, which I thought tasted fantastic, and so did everyone else. I imagine you could use just about any kind of cheese that your family enjoys and still have a wonderful outcome. I am thinking some of those bags of the Mexican cheese blends next time....

Ingredients:

10 soft burrito shells (I used flour, I imagine corn would be good, too)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 4-oz can diced green chilies
1 cup sour cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F.
In a large bowl, combine the shredded chicken and 1/2 cup of each of the cheeses. Spread the mixture evenly among the tortilla shells. Roll the tortillas up and place in an 9x13 pan sprayed with cooking spray.
In a saucepan, melt the butter. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Add in broth and cook over medium heat until it starts to thicken. *Note- sauce will be a bit thin. The next two steps thicken it a bit.*
Remove sauce from heat. Stir in green chilies and sour cream.
Pour over enchiladas. Top with remaining cheeses. ( I put a bunch more cheese on. We are cheese lovers!)
Bake for 22 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes to brown the cheese.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

2012-01-19T15:52:00.000-08:00

My family loves cinnamon rolls. Me? Eh. I'm not a big fan of cinnamon. However, I had a bug to bake the other day, and while looking through my Cooking Light Cookbook I came across the recipe that follows. Now, I've never made cinnamon rolls before, and the process always seemed complicated to me. After reading through the directions, though, I realized it really didn't seem very difficult, so decided to give it a try.

The results were great. The entire 2 pans were gone within a day! They ate cinnamon rolls all day! I even tried one, and it wasn't too bad. Not a ton of cinnamon flavor, so I could enjoy it.

The cookbook supplied an icing recipe, which I will include, but I must say that though the rolls themselves were awesome, I will not use the icing recipe again. The flavor was just too much powder sugary for me. I think I will whip up a cream cheese icing next time. =)

Ingredients:

Dough:
1 package dry yeast (about 2&1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water (100*F to 110*F)
1/2 cup warm low-fat milk (100*F to 110*F)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, slightly beaten
3&1/2 cups flour, divided
cooking spray

Filling:
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.
2. Add milk, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt and egg; stir with a wooden spoon until combined (batter will not be completely smooth)
3. Add 3 cups of flour and stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Add enough of the remaining flour to prevent dough from sticking to hands.
4. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size. *If you press two fingers into the dough and the indentation remains then it has risen enough.
5. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon for the filling. Roll the dough into a 15x10-inch rectangle. Brush with the 2 tablespoons of melted butter and then sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over top, leaving about a 1/2-inch border. Beginning with a long side, roll the dough up jelly-roll style. Pinch the seams to seal, but leave the ends open. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
6. Unwrap roll and cut into 3/4-inch slices (you'll get about 20). Arrange slices about 1 inch apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until doubled in size.
7. Preheat oven to 350*F.
8. Uncover dough and bake for 20 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown.
9. Drizzle with glaze (recipe follows, or create your own!) while still warm.

Glaze from cookbook:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Combine ingredients and stir well until smooth. Drizzle over warm rolls.

Homemade Maple Syrup

2012-01-19T09:12:00.000-08:00

My kids are pretty big on pancakes. I mean, what kid isn't, really? However, pancakes just are not the same without syrup! We ran out of syrup a while back, and since I am not a big pancake eater, it's just not something I think about when I'm at the store.

I would say that I should get better at keeping lists, but had I done that, then I would have bought syrup at the store, and probably never even looked at this recipe. I had my skepticism, but since today was a snow day, I really wanted to make the kids pancakes, so I figured I'd give it a try.

I have to say, I will probably never buy store-bought syrup again. Not while I have the ingredients to make my own. And if I don't have the ingredients- I probably shouldn't be buying syrup anyway! It had a nice, rich flavor. It was a bit thin, but not terribly so. My kids loved it.

The best thing about this recipe is that you can switch up the flavors. Don't have maple flavoring? Use vanilla or butter. Be creative! I plan to do a few different experiments with this one. Let me know if you come up with something that tastes great!

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple flavoring
1/2 tablespoon imitation butter flavoring

Directions:

In a small - medium sized saucepan, bring the water and sugars to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and add maple and butter flavorings. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and pour into container.

*I added another 1/3 cup of brown sugar, since the sauce was a bit thinner than I wanted, and then let it simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes. Next time, I might reduce the water to 1/2 cup to see if that makes a thicker consistency.