Real Life Simple

Super Easy Homemade Granola

2012-05-04T07:38:00.004-07:00

The other day, I was searching through Pinterest and I stumbled Upon this Homemade Rasin Bran Recipe from . I was inspired to do this myself...But The more I thought of doing ALL of it, made me decide to start just with Granola. and I am so glad I did! I did some research on Easy Granola Recipes and stumbled upon this Homemade Granola Recipe from TinyUrbanKitchen.com... it is SO Super Easy!!! Not only is it Easy, it is more delicious than ANY Granola I have every brought before. And let me tell you...I have bought my fair share of granola...

Besides the fact that this Granola is so delicious there are 2 major perks in my book about it.

#1... You can add WHATEVER you want...I mean anything...
#2... It is CHEAP! Especially because most of us have everything in the cupboard already.

Thanks to this recipe, I vow to never buy Expensive, not as delicious Granola ever again! I follow both of these amazing websites, they have amazing Recipes. I suggest you pop on over to both of these fabulous websites, tinyurbankitchen.com and willowbirdbaking.com get inspired to cook as I do every day.

I took the Tiny Urban Kitchen Granola Recipe but wanted to add almonds. Almonds are so good for us with tons of vitamins, protein, and are an alkaline food which is good for balance in our bodies. Plus, the hubby really likes them. So As I was toasting them, I decided to add the Oats and toast them as well. Im not sure if it makes much of a difference, but hey, it was worth a shot! So lets make some Granola...

Super Easy Homemade Granola

Printable Recipe

* 2 cups Old Fashioned Oats
* 1/3 cup Oil
* 1/3 cup Honey
* 1-2 TBSP Brown Sugar
* 1 tsp Vanilla
* Pinch of Salt
* 1 cup Almonds chopped (optional)

1) Toast Almonds (and Oats if desired) in pan on high heat. Continuously toss so they don't burn. Once you smell them, they are ready.

2) In a Bowl, Mix together 1/3 cup Oil, 1/3 cup Honey, 1-2 TBSP Brown Sugar, 1 tsp Vanilla and a pinch of salt.

3) Mix your Oats and Almonds into the Honey Mixture until coated evenly.

4) Spread your Granola onto a baking sheet (with Parchment paper) into as thin a layer as possible.
(you may need to do 2 batches if using a small pan)

5) Bake @ 350* F for 20 minutes. Toss Granola at 10 mins or when the top is nicely golden brown.

6) Take your granola and spread out onto a greased board to let cool. It will still be "chewy", as it cools off, it will crunchify very nicely.

7) Once completely cooled, break up into small pieces and/or put into a Tupperware and shake until it breaks up.

French Onion Soup with Bacon and Potatoes

2012-05-02T10:24:00.005-07:00

Its been raining and super windy lately here in South Florida. So I thought a little soup would make us feel a little better about our sunshine MIA lately. My Aunt has THE BEST French onion soup recipe. So I felt like making it up. The problem was that the Beer Bread that I made the other went beyond being stale. It was just funky. So in the trash it went, and onto being creative I had to be. I had a HUGE bag of potatoes that I bought on sale last week (total impulse) that I just have to start using up. So I thought to myself, how about I use the potatoes in place of the croutons that I use for french onion soup. I thought it could totally work, especially because my Hubby could seriously survive on potatoes. But then, I remembered I have some nice thick cut bacon in the fridge that has been screaming at me to either use or freeze, so I decided to throw it into the mix and oh boy am I happy I did...

I got so many "wow, this is amazing" from Mr. Picky. He told me that, although he loves my Aunt Marinas French Onion Soup, He thinks this soup makes her soup seem boring now! It really was delicous, almost too delicious because before I could get my second bowl, he had finished to pot! Which is why, I am doubling the recipe for you all. It just needs to be done! Lets get cooking...

French Onion Soup with Bacon and Potatoes

Printable Recipe

* 8 cups Beef Broth
* 4-6 TBSP Worcestershire
* 6-8 Strips of Bacon
* Butter
* 2-4 Large Onions (depending on how many onions you like)
* 2-4 Med-Lg Potatoes
* Cheese for topping optional (Pepper Jack, Swiss, Provolone, Parmesan, etc...)

1) Cook up your bacon and remove from pan. Let cool and then crumble or chop (this is for toppings)

2) Chop your onion however you like it in your onion soup. We like short slices of them, so I cut them in half and then cut the half in half.

3) Saute Your Onions into the Bacon Grease and Butter mixture or one or the other. Whichever your choose will be fine.

4) Add 1 TBSP Worcestershire to the onions and let cook down and turn your onions brown.

5) Chop your Potatoes (with or without the skins) into cubes.

6) Once onions are ready, Slowly add your 8 cups Beef Broth and 5-6 TBSP Worcestershire and stir. Bring to a boil.

7) Turn your Burner down to low and add your cubed potatoes. Cover and simmer for 10 minues or until your potatoes are soft.

8) Cover soup with cheese and brown in the broiler or just serve it as is with bacon sprinkled on top!

Bacon Mushroom & Couscous Stuffed Peppers with BBQ Broth

2012-04-28T17:19:00.001-07:00

OK, I haven't been keeping up on my blogging lately and I feel HORRIBLE. I keep forgetting to take pictures of the things I'm cooking, and once I remember I'm almost ready to serve it up! So I decided to put my creativity into high gear the other day and try to make something different yet familiar for all of you. Now, I love stuffed peppers and I've been craving them for a while now. They are pure comfort food for me, especially how my Omi makes them...but the Hubby does not! I've tried to make them all types of different ways, but still similar (with rice, with pasta, with meat, mixed, veggies, tomato sauce, tomato soup etc...) But it was still a thumbs down for him. I started researching online the different types of things people will stuff their peppers with. Most of them were the same as above, or they take more of a Mediterranean twist with things like goat cheese and currants, all of which he will refuse to eat. I remembered that we had just bought some bacon and a new brand of BBQ sauce that is Pretty Tastey and then...A light went off and I realized I had a few Ideas up my sleeve.

Bacon will be eaten in almost any form by him, and I personally thing bacon and mushrooms is a perfect combination. Then If you throw BBQ Sauce some how into the mix and there is a party on your tongue! I decided to mixed all these things together with some couscous and stuff the peppers with this concoction and It sounded delicious. The problem with Couscous in my opinion is that usually, it needs some sort of sauce or it can be sort of dry. I knew BBQ Sauce would be perfect, but to pour a thick sauce on top of such a tender pepper seemed like it would be too much. So why not thin it out with some broth and make it oh so delicate. This dish is extremely simple and something that your really cant screw up...unless you burn the bacon. If your in the mood for something different, you have go to whip these up!

Bacon, Mushroom & Couscous Stuffed Pepper with BBQ Broth

* 4 Bell Peppers
* 6 Strips of Bacon
* 1 Large Onion
* 1 Crate of Mushrooms
* 1 Cup Couscous
* Pepper Jack Cheese (any cheese or optional)
* 4 TBSP BBQ Sauce
* 1 Cup Broth

Printable Recipe

1) Remove Core from Peppers. Cut in Peppers in half (optional) and place in baking pan with sides and spoon a little broth or water into pan. Bake @ 375* for 10 minutes
(Optional: with water or broth covering the bottom of the pan. Cover with tinfoil optional.)

2) Cook Bacon and remove from pan and let cool. Break into pieces.

3) Dice up your mushrooms into small pieces, then add to melted butter (or bacon grease if your not shy) and cook mushrooms until they are browned but has yet to release their liquids. Then Remove from pan.

4) Dice and Saute Half the onion in butter (or more Bacon Grease if your really not shy) until caramelized, Turn burner to high, then add your 1 cup of Couscous and toast quickly (1-2 minutes).

5) Cover Couscous with 1 1/2 cups water and Bring to a Boil. Turn burner off and cover pot. Leave it alone for 5 minutes or until all water is gone from couscous. Fluff your couscous with a fork.

6) Add your Bacon and Mushrooms to the couscous and stir to combine.

7) Remove Peppers from Oven. Using a Large spoon or Icecream scooper, Fill Peppers with your couscous mixture. Cover with Pepper Jack Cheese (optional or use a different cheese). Place Back into the oven Until Cheese has melted.

8) Dice and Saute the 2nd half of the onion. Once the onions are translucent, add 4 TBSP of BBQ Sauce and Stir so It doesnt burn.

9) Add 1 cup of Broth and stir to combine. Bring to a bubble then turn burner down to low until peppers are ready.

10) Pour the BBQ Broth over Peppers and sit down to eat them up.

I hope you all like these! We thought they were DELICIOUS!

Put it on almost anything Herb Butter

2012-04-19T08:55:00.003-07:00

I have to tell you all about this herb butter I whipped up a couple nights ago! My Hubby and I have been in love with the honey butter I've been making for the Beer Bread lately that I was inspired the other night to make an herb butter. Now I know what your thinking, herb butter isn't some new culinary invention, but this herb butter I made is so universal and delicious and so easy to make however you want with whatever you have in your garden and/or spice rack. Its so Easy that it should be forever a staple in your fridge. It will help for those days your same old same old dinner or lunch or breakfast makes you want to cry. Who needs those expensive Herb Butters and Herb Cream Cheeses when...you can do it yourself and have this Little Gem!

I am warning you, I made my Herb Butter very spicy! We like it hot in our kitchen! So if your not into spicy, leave out the peppers and rely only on herbs. Use Basil, Rosemary, Sage, Parsley, Cilantro...whatever tickles you tounge! I put this over Salmon and Filet, and then the next night I put it over Portabella Mushrooms. You can use it to Saute Veggis, Stir it into Rice, Couscous, or Quinoa (I did this). It can be spread on toast or used in eggs. It really is such a versatile little dish of magic!

Put it on Almost Anything Herb Butter

PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients: (The base of it):

* 1 Stick Butter/ 4 TBSP Margarine

* 1 TBSP Honey

* 1 Garlic Clove

* 1/2 tsp Salt (leave out if butter or Marg. is salted)

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This is where you get creative

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* 1/2 TBSP Black Pepper

* 1/2 tsp Red Pepper

* 2 TBSP Chopped Fresh Chives

Directions:

1) Take your smooth Butter or Margarine and place in dish.
If Butter is still hard, place in microwave for 3-5 seconds
per each side until smooth.

2) Add your Honey. Stir to combine.

3) Place all your herbs and spices and Garlic into the butter . Stir Until it is completely combined...

And there you have it... Put it on almost anything Herb Butter!

Beer Bread

2012-04-18T08:57:00.003-07:00

So, my mom has been talking my ear off about this recipe she dug out of her book. All the ladies in her office have fallen head over heels for this bread that she makes for them. So I decided to try it for Easter and I made it with Yuengling and White Wheat Flour. It is beyond simple and comes out Crusty and Rustic on the outside, but dense and chewy on the inside. We absolutely LOVED it, but I wouldn't be me if I didn't mess around with the recipe to make it even more delicious.
I've made it a few more times and have decided that to make this fluffy and flavorful, you need to use Bread Flour and Dark Beer, but it not necessary, it will still come out great. I haven't had All Purpose Flour in my kitchen (which the Original recipe calls for), so if you try it let me know how it comes out. But see, I made this bread even more scrumptious. I thought to myself, what flavors come to mind when you think of Dark Beer...I thought, Chocolate, Caramel, Vanilla...Honey... Duh Homemade Honey Butter will be Awesome with this bread is. The bread alone is out of this world amazing, but with some melted honey butter practically dripping off of a Hot from the oven slice, pretty much makes this impossible to not eat the entire loaf before it even cools off. Try this recipe out...I bet you will make this ALL THE TIME!!!

Beer Bread

Ingredients:

* 3 1/2 Cups Flour (I used Bread Flour)
* 3 TBSP Sugar
* 1 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
* 1 tsp Baking Powder
* 1 Beer
* 1 Egg

Oven @ 375* for 45 minutes

PRINT RECIPE

Directions:
1) Add your 3 1/2 cups Flour, 3 TBSP Sugar, 1 1/2 tsp Salt and 1 tsp Baking Powder in your mixing bowl and mix slightly with a fork.

2) Poor in Beer and Mix with fork until combined. DO NOT OVER MIX.

3) Dust your work space with some flour and flour your hands. Your Dough will be very wet and sticky, so take the Dough and roll into flour so all sides have flour. Quickly work into a ball or log...I like the log shape because it creates more even slices.

4) Scramble your egg and brush the onto the top of your loaf then Score the loaf with a very sharp Knife.

5) Place your Beer Bread into the oven or toaster oven @ 375* for 45 minutes.

6) Remove from oven and try to let the Loaf rest for at least 10-15 minutes (It will be hard, but worth the wait)

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While that is cooking, You can whip up your Homemade Honey butter. Its so simple, there was no need for me to take pictures...The ingredients below are enough for the whole loaf, as long as you find your willpower not to scoop this...HERE WE GO...

Ingredients:

* 1 Stick Butter or 1/2 cup Margerine
* 1 tsp Vanilla
* pinch of Kosher Salt
* Honey to taste (about 2 TBSP)

(If your butter is not thawed, place in microwave for 3-5 seconds per each side until it is soft)

- Mix, Butter, Vanilla, Salt and Honey together until smooth. Taste to see if it needs more honey.
- Serve as is, or refrigerate to harden up a bit.

Breakfast Quesadilla

2012-04-16T11:54:00.004-07:00

This weekend was very hectic. My Hubby and I had to re design our front yard landscaping. So This morning, I wanted to make something different for breakfast that was much healthier than the frozen waffle he was requesting. So I looked in the fridge and came up with this Breakfast Quesadilla. You can Add anything your eggy heart desires, but this is what I had and let me tell you..it was DELICIOUS, and received 2 thumbs up (which I don't get too often because he's quite the picky taster). Not only did the two of us eat this right up, but what kid doesn't like an ooey gooey cheesy Quesadilla?

Breakfast Quesadilla

Ingredients:

-Flour Tortilla
-Eggs
-Cheese (any melty kind, I used American for the hubby and Veggie Cheese for myself)
-Diced Onion
-Diced Roasted Red Pepper
-Butter, Oil, Margarine (whatever you use to saute)
-Cooking Spray

Printable Recipe

*Dice up your Onion and Roasted Red Pepper and throw into your pan to Saute...

(Please excuse my cooktop...

recipes to come on how to clean this almost effortlessly)

*Scramble your eggs in separate bowl, and pour over Sauteed Veggies...

*Turn heat down to about medium-low, and use a non abrasive utensil and constantly move your eggs around until they are cooked...

*Once your eggs are cooked to your liking, place in a bowl to the side or remove pan from heat. In a non stick pan, spray with cooking spray and turn heat to Med-High. Place your tortilla onto greased pan and place your cheese on one half...

*Now take your egg mixture and fill up the Quesadilla, and then place the rest of your cheese on top, as close to the edge as possible...

*Fold the other half over with your spatula and fork as you press down slightly with the spatula until the cheese takes hold...

*Once it is folded and staying together, remove from pan and cut in half. Take a big bite out of an easy breakfast that can please almost any picky eater!

I hope you and your family think this breakfast is a delicious step away from the usual eggs and toast.

Hello Blog World!

2012-04-12T14:19:00.001-07:00

Hi Everyone! I am finally introducing myself to the world of blogging!

This is me...Kristina...

I am a new South Florida housewife with a small town heart. I have an amazing husband, who I have known since high school and we have the most adorable dog who I consider my first born (you will learn that about me very quickly). I love the color pink, earth friendly options, healthy living, simple DIY things and most importantly, finding easy delicious recipes that require less time on my feet and more time watching people enjoy my food!

I decided to start this blog because a bunch of my friends kept saying that I should write a cook book because they want to take my recipes and make them for their family. But more importantly, I wanted to inspire and show others how simple it can be to cook healthy, delicious, home cooked meals for their families as well as hose hold gadgets that I simply cant life without and simple DIY solutions to store bought products that can help lower your carbon foot print and make your... Real Life Simple

Love,
KK