Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins

About a month ago, we decided we needed to have a healthier option for mornings that we are all having to go in opposite directions, and needing our tummies to stay full! Enter these awesome muffins. Don't get me wrong, I love the boxed muffin mixes, but there is something so nice to know you are eating something with lots of nutrition, not just sugar. I originally came across this recipe in "The Taste of Home" cookbook, and love that it is easy to throw together.
 
 This is one of those recipes that is good to keep on hand. I have made a few batches of these muffins now, and freeze whatever is extra for future crazy mornings. They freeze great, and make it so I don't always have to worry about breakfast for the hubby, he can just grab one of these out of the freezer before he heads to work. I love them, for the same reason, before I have to take kids, and the kids love them because they don't know they are a good for them. :)

They don't take much effort, and have such a nice texture when they are done. Try them out this weekend for brunch, I promise you won't regret it!!

Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins: makes 12 muffins
1 c. oatmeal, not instant
1 c. whole wheat flour
1/2 c. all-purpose flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
3/4 c. milk
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a small bowl combine the dry ingredients, and mix well. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet just until moistened. Line your muffin tin with muffin cups, and fill them 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack. Serve.

Sausage Queso Dip

With football season in full-swing, I thought I would share an EASY, delicious party food. We love this queso dip! It's nummy, as my 2-year-old says, and it good for all ages. If you've ever eaten at Chili's this is kind of like their queso, without the fat, cost, and WITH more flavor.

This recipe could not be easier. It is literally one both my kids help me put together, and stir while everything is melting together. Hooray for food our kids can help us make!

Seriously, though, you'll not regret taking this side to your next tailgating party, or whatever other gathering you have coming up.

Sausage Queso Dip:
1 lb. Sausage, cooked
16 oz. Velveeta cheese, cut in cubes
16 oz. salsa, this homemade version, or your favorite store brand
Crumble and cook sausage over medium heat in large saucepan until browned. Drain on a paper towel then return sausage to saucepan. Add Velveeta to sausage. Cook, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted. Stir in salsa. Serve with warm tortilla chips or toasted baguette bread, over a baked potato, or whatever else you'd like! Enjoy!  

*I do halve this recipe, most of the time, unless we have A LOT OF PEOPLE OVER! I still cook all the sausage at once, then remove half and freeze it for another time, or recipe.

Japanese Curry

Our family LOVES curry!! Not really sure why it has become our favorite dish, but we all love when curry night comes around. I have learned how many different kinds there are out there. Of course there are the Indian and Thai curries, but this one has taken us to a new level. I love how EASY this is to make. My husband introduced me to Japanese curry, and it quickly become our #1 around here. It's not too spicy for the kids, and it could not be easier to make. Really the only thing we add to this dinner is Naan bread (you can find Naan bread in the bakery section of your grocery store.)

So what makes this curry so easy? Enter this little gem...

We first found  this at Walmart, but have since seen it at all the grocery stores close to our home. You can find it in the Asian foods aisle. It makes curry a breeze. All you do is cook the desired veggies and meat (we use diced chicken, carrots, celery and potatoes), add water and then add what is in the box. From start to finish, about 25 minutes. Perfect with fall coming, and school already in session for a healthy and delicious family dinner!

Japanese Curry:
1/2 lb. chicken breast, diced
1/2 c. carrots, diced
3 small potatoes, cooked, whichever variety you like
water
oil
Follow the directions on the back and side of the box.
Start by cooking the chicken until cooked through in 1 T. oil. Add the veggies and let cook for another 5 minutes. Add in the amount of water on the package, I think it is around 2 1/2 cups, and bring up to a boil. Once it hits a boil, reduce the heat and let simmer for just a couple minutes. Stir in the curry cubes from the box, and allow to simmer until until the dish hits your desired consistency for curry. Serve over rice along side of Naan bread. Enjoy!!

Chicken Tamale Pie

Yes, this tastes almost exactly like a real chicken tamale, without all the crazy work. It's ridiculously easy to put together, and everyone in my family likes it. It is a whole meal in one, just add a salad and you are good to go!

I love that I can serve my family something that is healthy, without sacrificing taste or variety. Try this guy out and let me know what you think!

Chicken Tamale Pie:
1/3 c. milk
1/4 c. egg
1/2 T. taco seasoning
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1-15 oz. can creamed corn
1-8.5 oz. box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1-4 oz. can diced green chilies, drained
1-10 oz. can red enchilada sauce, any heat level
1 T. taco seasoning
1 lb. chicken, shredded, can use breasts or thighs
3/4 c. shredded cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine milk, egg, 1/2 T. taco seasoning, ground red pepper flakes, creamed corn, muffin mix and chilies in a large bowl, stirring together just until combined. Pour mixture into a greased round pie plate. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until it is barely set and golden brown. While that is baking, combine the chicken with 1 T. taco seasoning, and the enchilada sauce. When the corn mixture has set enough, pierce it all over with a fork. Pour the chicken mixture over the top spreading evenly. Top with cheese. Bake again at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or just until the cheese melts. Cut and serve!

Shoyu Chicken

Our family has become a big fan of the CROCKPOT! With three kiddos now, and schedules changing all the time, I still want to feed my family a healthy and nutritious meal each night. Thank goodness for being able to throw things together, and letting them cook slowly throughout the day!

The first time I made this for my family, I didn't quite know what to serve with it. Since then, and after I took this picture, we have discovered our favorite way to top it is with fruits and veggies. Don't be alarmed, when I say fruit, I mean pineapple chunks. :) Feel free to try this "Hawaiian Chicken". It really hits the spot, especially with some cooler temps coming our way.

Shoyu Chicken:
1/2 c. soy sauce
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 c. water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped finely
1 tsp. grated ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 T. dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flake
2 lbs. chicken (thighs or breasts, or combo)
Whisk together all ingredients, except the chicken, in a bowl. Put the chicken in a crock pot, sprayed with cooking spray, to keep from sticking. Cover the chicken with the sauce mixture. Cover and let cook on low for 8 hours, or high for 4 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks, and then let it keep warm in the crockpot with all the cooking juices until ready to serve. Serve over cooked rice.
Toppings can include: fried chow mein noodles, celery, pineapple chunks, jalapeño, possibilities are endless. :)

Long absence

Long time away, now it's time to play....in the kitchen, that is!

Thanks for your patience with me, here we go again!

Citrus Pound Cake

There is nothing like a light and bright dessert when the warmer months come around. We wanted something special for our Easter Sunday meal a couple weeks ago, and decided to try something new. We loved this pound cake. It tasted a lot like a citrus shortbread, with a light glaze frosting on top. It is a change from a normal pound cake dessert, and we really liked that the taste was a citrussy-pop without being overbearing.

There was one minor drawback to this dessert. It did take a while to throw together and bake, but it was definitely worth the wait!

Citrus Pound Cake:
CAKE:                                                                               GLAZE:
1 c. butter, softened                                                            1 c. powdered sugar
2 1/4 c. sugar                                                                      2-3 T. milk
zest of 1 lemon                                                                   1 tsp. vanilla extract
zest of 1 orange
4 eggs
1/2 c. water
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 c. Greek yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. orange extract
juice of 1 lemon
To the butter, add sugar and zests, cream together until they are light and fluffy. Add the eggs beating well after each. Add flour, salt and baking soda. Add the Greek yogurt and beat until batter is smooth. Add the extracts and lemon juice. Beat until combined. Prepare an 11 c. bundt cake pan by coating with cooking spray. Pour batter into the pan. Bake at 325 for 1 hour, until just done. Cool cake on a cooling rack for 10 minutes and then remove from the pan. While cake is cooking, combine the ingredients for the glaze and stir with a fork until the glaze is smooth. Just after the cake comes out of the pan, drizzle with the glaze. Enjoy!!

Easy Breadsticks

The other day we were making dinner and I realized we only had sauce and noodles, whoops!!!

Enter this insanely easy breadstick recipe, along with some fruit and salad, but we'll stick to the bread! In the time it took my husband to call, drive home, and get his work stuff put away (45 minutes) these were ready with the rest of dinner. That is my kind of bread! These were really good, especially since I didn't give them time to rise. If I were to make them again, I would give them time in between to rise, but the fact that you don't have to to have delicious homemade bread with dinner is a win in my book.

Enjoy the easiness of the bread, and the less stress that comes with this breadstick!

Breadsticks:
1 T. yeast
1 1/2 c. warm water
2 T. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. butter
garlic salt
In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water and sugar. Add flour and salt. Mix and knead bread for 3 minutes. Cover and let rise for 10 minutes. Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness. Melt the butter in the microwave for a few seconds, until just melted, and brush over dough. Cut dough into strips and put on a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle the dough with A LITTLE garlic salt. Let rise for another 15 minutes (this is the rising step I skipped, but the texture would be even better if you have a few extra minutes.) While the dough is rising again, preheat oven to 350 degrees, and then bake for 20 minutes. Can sprinkle with a little Parmesan cheese once they come out as well. :)

S'more Rice Krispie Treats

I Know, right?!!


One of the most viewed recipes on this blog is for the Butterfinger Rice Krispie Treats, if you liked those you will LOVE these. I actually like these a little bit more because they aren't so chocolatey-rich.

I don't know about your family, but mine is getting camping hungry!! We have had a good stretch of GORGEOUS weather, and it is making it hard to not dream of those summer nights camping in the mountains, or even your own back yard! My daughter asked me last night if we could make s'mores. Of course, I had to try something, they sounded so good, thus this delicious treat came about.

The best part about this recipe is how EASY it was to create and make! My kids did most of the work, I just did the part over the stove. It's amazing how much kids like to cook and help in the kitchen when you let them do so. Don't get me wrong, it is NOT easy to let them help!!! Everything takes longer and becomes a much larger mess, but it is so important to let them help when they can. We've found in our family, when we let the kids help with the little things, they are much more likely to help with the bigger things when they are asked.

Take my word for it, make these for your next family treat, I promise you'll love them!!!!

S'more Rice Krispie Treats:
3 T. butter
1-10.5 oz. package of mini marshmallows
4 c. Rice Krispies cereal
2 c. honey graham crackers, crushed
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Line a 9x13" pan with cooking spray. Melt the butter in a large sauce pan. Add the marshmallows, and stir continuously until the marshmallows and melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Add in the cereal and graham crackers and stir until coated. Add a 1/2 c. chocolate chips and stir into the treats. Drop the mixture into your 9x13" pan, and spread and pat it down evenly. Finish it off with a light sprinkle of the remaining chocolate chips on top. Let cool completely before serving.

Nacho Casserole

There is nothing better than a meal you can put together quickly that everyone will eat.

I put together this meal when we had a bunch of leftovers in the fridge that needed to be used before going on vacation. Add a couple staples from the pantry, and voila! My 2 and 4 year old kids ate without complaint, and I was happy it had so much protein to keep them full with good energy.

Nacho Casserole:
favorite tortilla chips
shredded chicken or pork (you could also use ground beef if you have that around)
1-2 c. shredded cheese
1-15 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 tsp. taco seasoning
1-4 oz. can diced green chilies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place a layer of tortilla chips in the bottom of the pan. Next spread 1/2 the meat, then a layer of cheese, a layer of black beans and 1/2 the green chilies. Then repeat the layers. Sprinkle the top with a little taco seasoning. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cheese is bubbly and everything is warm. Serve immediately!

Homemade Pasta Sauce

My family loves Italian food, honestly, what's not to love. There are so many good flavors and combinations, and it's such a great way to get families together.

I was lucky enough to live in Italy for a time, and was able to learn a few tricks to make a more authentic-tasting tomato pasta sauce. The main key to making a good tomato sauce is cutting the acidity of the tomatoes, without compromising the taste. There are a couple different ways to do this, the first is to just use plain granulated sugar, which I had done my whole life. This way is best if you want a lighter sauce. The other way to cut the acidity is to add a packet of hot chocolate mix, YUMMY, this trick is best if you want a little heavier sauce, like you would use in lasagna or spaghetti and meatballs.

You'll be completely surprised at how easy this is, we don't have Prego or Ragu in our home, because this tastes so much better, and is so easy to make! Trust me, once you start making your own sauce, you'll never go back!

Homemade Pasta Sauce:
1-28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1-2 T. dried Italian seasoning
3/4 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. granulated sugar OR 1 packet hot chocolate
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients in a medium sauce pan, and let simmer for at least 20 minutes, or up to 11/2 hours, stirring occasionally. The longer the sauce simmers, the better incorporated the flavors will be. Combine into your favorite pasta dish. DELICIOUS!!

Mint Chocolate Brownies

I LOVE MINTY THINGS! I don't know what it is, but I love the taste of mint. Maybe it reminds me of growing up, maybe it's the freshness of the smell. Whatever the case may be, I love it. The problem is, I crave it at times, and I can only push off those cravings for so long before I need to make a tasty treat. Then I feel guilty having the treats around the house, so my neighbors get to enjoy some of them. Lucky for me I had a good excuse to give them to some neighbors after they had helped me out just a few days prior to making these!

I am all about shortcuts in baking. I love to make things homemade, but I have never had success making brownies from scratch. I don't know what it is, but my homemade brownies ALWAYS turn out SUPER DRY! Hence the need for brownie mixes, and the shortcut for this recipe!

This recipe does take a little time to come together, but it is SO DELICIOUS AND WORTH THE WAIT!

Mint Chocolate Brownies:
1-13x9 brownie mix, made according to package directions
MINT FROSTING:
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 lb. powdered sugar
1-3 T. milk
1/2 tsp. mint extract
3-5 drops green food coloring
CHOCOLATE TOPPING:
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 c. butter
Make and bake the brownie mix, according to package directions. Allow to cool completely
Make the mint frosting by first creaming the butter and then add powdered sugar, slowly, to avoid getting covered in white. :) Add only enough milk to make a smooth consistency. Add mint extract and food coloring. Frosting will be thick. Spread over the brownie layer, and refrigerate to help set.
For the chocolate topping, melt the chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 1-3 minutes, do not overheat the mixture! Stir well to combine. Pour over frosted brownies , covering the mint layer completely. Refrigerate again until the chocolate layer is set. Let brownies sit at room temperature for a few minutes before cutting and serving. Cut into squares and serve!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

I don't know about your home, but we have SPRING FEVER!! There is nothing more frustrating than having a few amazing days of weather, and then winter showing his ugly head again. There are times that I love winter, like when it is SUPPOSED to be cold, but come February, I'm ready for the warmer weather, to get outside, and to not be cooped up inside anymore!

It has been gorgeous these past few weeks, only a few rainstorms here and there, so we have switched over to a lot of our summer favorites. It is amazing how much better you feel when you can eat the "summer foods" again. These pulled pork sandwiches are easier than I care to admit, but when you'd rather be in the sunshine then in the hot kitchen cooking, these are PERFECT!

Pulled Pork Sandwiches:
1 3-5 lb. pork roast
1 can Coke (not diet!!)
1 pinch red pepper flakes, optional
salt and pepper to taste
Ciabatta rolls, slice in half (or any other favorite kind of roll or bun)
That's all!! Throw it all into the crock pot and cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low. When the pork is cooked, shred it in the juices, removing the excess fat in the pot. Leave the meat in the juices on low or warm setting until ready to serve.

Homemade Donuts

So, what do you get when you get guilt-tripped by your children for not buying donuts at the grocery store? You get in even bigger trouble, because you might never buy donuts from the grocery store again. :)

These donuts were not any harder than a regular bread dough, other than the fact that you fry them instead of baking in the oven. The texture of the dough is just like a true bakery donut, except for the fact that you KNOW how fresh these things are! I have never even attempted to make donuts before, but when I saw this recipe on the show Worst Cooks in America I knew that I could make them. For heavens sake, people who CAN NOT COOK made yummy and great looking donuts, so why couldn't I do it? I did do it, and I would make these again. They definitely are not a treat to make all the time, but a good change once in a while.

To say these were yummy would be an understatement! Enjoy them as a treat anytime you want, because you don't have to spend INSANE AMOUNTS OF MONEY on bakery donuts!

Homemade Donuts:

1 cup whole milk (I used skim milk and it turned out great!)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
One 1/4-ounce package active dry yeast (2 1/2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for oiling and frying
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 1/2 to 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for sprinkling and flouring

Bring the milk to a simmer in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then remove from the heat and stir in the sugar and salt. Pour into a large bowl and let cool slightly.

While the milk is cooling, dissolve the yeast in 2 tablespoons warm water in a small bowl, stirring. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Stir the yeast mixture into the milk mixture along with the oil, lemon zest and eggs. Stir in 2 1/2 cups of the flour with a wooden spoon to make a very soft dough. Spread 1 cup of the flour on a work surface and put the dough on top, scraping it from the bowl with a rubber spatula. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, incorporating all of the flour from the work surface and adding just enough additional flour (if necessary); the dough should be slightly sticky. Transfer the dough to an oiled large bowl and sprinkle lightly with additional flour. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise in a warm draft-free place until doubled in bulk, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll out with a floured rolling pin until 1 inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2-inch cutter. To make ring shapes, cut out doughnut holes with a 1-inch cutter. Place on a baking sheet, cover the doughnuts with another kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

While the doughnuts rise, heat about 10 cups vegetable oil in a deep 4-quart pot until it registers 365 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. (I used a deep skillet with about 3-4 cups vegetable oil to fry up the donuts and it worked GREAT!) Fry the doughnuts, turning once or twice, until puffed and golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain. (I used a cooling rack on top of a cookie sheet to let the donuts cool. It made it easy because all the excess grease just feel under the cooling rack, and the donuts didn't stick to the paper towel).

*For the frosting, I just used a container of Pillsbury Chocolate Fudge frosting, because I didn't have the energy to make a frosting this time.

Homemade Salsa

Admittedly, I had never made salsa, EVER, before my husband and I got married. It seemed SO intimidating!! You always see those delicious salsas in the grocery store that make your mouth water, but then you look at the price. It happens to all of us. We then settle with the processed stuff in the jar and it ends up sitting in the fridge until it expires.

I must say, the first time I made this 5 years ago, it was total trial and error, but now I have it pretty close to exactly how we like it EVERY TIME!! Did I mention it literally takes me only 5 minutes from start to finish? Awesome, right?

Go ahead and give this gem a try, I don't think you will regret it!!

Homemade Salsa:
7 roma tomatoes, cut in half and seeded
1-2 jalapeno peppers, with or without seeds, depending on the desired heat
¼ of medium onion
1 tsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Dried cilantro, or 1 T. fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt, begin with 1/2 T. but add as much as needed to create desired taste
Combine all ingredients in a food processor. Turn on and let the machine do its job. Add salt rather slowly so the salsa does not become too salty, taste as you go. When the desired taste is reached, transfer salsa to a tupperware. Makes anywhere from 1 ½ to 3 cups salsa. Serve with tortilla chips, or with Mexican food.

Cinnamon Chip Bread-Great Harvest Copycat

SO SORRY ABOUT THE ABSENCE!!

I'd like to give you every excuse in the book, but probably the most relevant was having had a baby a few weeks ago. We are completely in love with #3, and I'm now ready to really start cooking again.

I can't tell you how grateful my husband is for me to not be pregnant anymore! It always means I start cooking those things I couldn't stand the smell of for how many months now. It also means I have a little more energy to cook those things. :)

This recipe is a GREAT copycat, thanks to the blog Eat Cake for Dinner. The down-side is you really do HAVE to follow the recipe exactly! Not always so easy when you have kid #1 and #2 trying their best to make the bread by themselves. It still turned out better than I was hoping.

I ended up serving this bread when we had breakfast for dinner a few nights back; paired with some fruit, eggs and bacon made for a super easy dinner. Not going to lie though, this bread would be AWESOME to use for French Toast.

No matter what you decide to have with it, this bread will make your home smell like Cinnamon Rolls and making you wish it didn't take "so long" to bake. :)

Copycat Great Harvest Cinnamon Chip Bread:
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast                1 large egg
1/3 c. sugar                                      1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. warm water                               4 1/2-5 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. warm milk                                1 c. cinnamon chips, no more
1/3 c. vegetable oil
In a bowl of a stand mixer combine yeast, sugar and warm water and allow to sit for 5 minutes. It should be bubbly and frothy. If it does not get frothy, start over. Add the warm milk, oil and egg. Mix to combine. Slowly add 2 cups of flour, mix and then add the salt. Begin adding the remaining flour, 1/2 c. at a time, until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. The dough will be very sticky, but the softer the dough, the lighter the bread will be. So, use the least amount of flour you can handle.
Add the cinnamon chips and mix just until incorporated. Since the dough is warm, the chips will melt everywhere if you mix it too long. Transfer the dough to a greased mixing bowl and allow to rise until doubled in size. Punch down dough and divide in half. Form each half into a loaf and place into two greased loaf pans. Allow to rise until doubled in size. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Makes 2 loaves.