Chocolate Chip, coconut, peanut butter bars

I left my boys with my friend the other day and when I picked them up she shared one of these bars with me. They were delicious and my boys loved them too!

2 1/2 cups crispy rice cereal

2 cups old fashioned quaker oats

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 cup packed coconut

1/4 mini chocolate morsels

1/4 peanuts

Directions:

In a large bowl combine the rice cereal and oatmeal. Grease or line a 9x13 baking dish. (I prefer to line the pan with saran wrap because it makes for easy clean up).

Mix brown sugar, honey and peanut butter in a small sauce pan. Stir over medium heat until just boiling. Add to cereal mixture along with vanilla, cinnamon, salt, peanuts, coconut and chocolate chips.

Press into prepared pan using a spatula, spoon or your hands. Set aside to cool, then cut into bars.

TIPS:

*To keep chocolate from melting into mixture try freezing them first as well as adding the morsels towards the end of the mixture process.

*Once the bars have cooled I place a cutting board on top of my pan and then flip the pan upside down on to the cutting board. I can then lift the pan off, remove the saran wrap, and cut into bars.

*Bars taste great if frozen. Once thawed they retrain the chewy texture however, I would avoid refrigerating the bars as this seems to dry them out.

*To keep fresh store at room temperature in a sealed container.

*Try swapping out the crispy rice cereal for something you already have one hand. Corn flakes, cherrios etc.

Fun "ADD INS" to experiment with:

Chocolate morsels, M&M's, peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, dried cranberries, raisins, dates, dried apricots, coconut, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, flax seed, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, toffee pieces....

Buttercream Frosting

4 tsp. vanilla

6 tsp. butter flavoring

4 tsp. milk or water (I use milk)

1 cup butter

1 cup shortening

Dash of salt

2 pounds powdered sugar

Mix all ingredients together until creamy. This makes A TON of frosting. I swear you could frost a 4 layer cake with it. The first time I used this recipe I only made 1/2 and it frosted a 9x13 cake plus left me plenty to do decorations with my cake tips.

Cinnamon Bun Popcorn...

adapted from Our Best Bites

12 cups popped popcorn (about 1/2 C kernels)
1 cup pecan halves, roughly chopped (optional)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup karo syrup (or honey makes a good substitution)
1 stick real butter (1/2 C)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 bag white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Place popcorn and chopped pecans in a large bowl and set aside.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated.

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined cookie sheet. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.

My findings...I popped 3/4 cup of kernels and I did one and an additional half of the sauce recipe. I used 1/2 of bag of white chocolate chips and drizzled over the top of the popcorn at the end.

Buckeyes

aka little pieces of heaven... (ha ha, I'm teasing, but they ARE really good!)

recipe from Lori Thompson who found it in Family Circle magazine

BUCKEYES

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioners sugar

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper; set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat peanut butter, butter, and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined. Roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheets. If mixture is sticky, wet hands with cold water and continue rolling. Place baking sheets in freezer for 30 minutes or until balls are firm.

3. Microwave chips in a glass bowl on HIGH for 2 minutes, stirring midway (I prefer to use a double boiler, it keeps the chocolate at a more even temperature for easier dipping). (Hilary's notes: We don't have a double boiler, so I put a canning ring in a sauce pan, put water in and then put a glass bowl on top - it worked great!)

4. Pierce each ball with a toothpick (I've found a fondue fork works better if you have one) and dip into chocolate 3/4 of the way deep wiping excess chocolate on rim of bowl. Place on waxed paper; repeat with remaining balls. Return undipped buckeyes to freezer for 10 minutes if they get too soft. (Hilary's notes: It works so much better with COLD buckeyes - I kept taking them to the freezer. Otherwise they just fall off while you're dipping)

5. Chill in fridge for 45 minutes, until set. 

6. Try not to eat them all in one sitting!

Makes: about 4 dozen

Foster's 5 'P' Pasta

I normally wouldn't have thought to put these all together, but Clint had similar on his mission in Italy. It's another easy pasta that has 5 ingredients that start with P!

1 box Penne pasta

1 cup frozen Peas

2-3 small red potatoes

1 cup (or less) chopped Prosciutto (regular ham works fine)

1 cup favorite Pesto

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (of course you can always add more cheese)

Wash and chop potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. (No need to peel the red ones). Add potatoes & pasta to salted, boiling water at same time. Add frozen peas to the water the last 3-4 minutes of cooking. Drain pasta, potatoes & peas. Add prosciutto & stir in pesto & parmesan. Buon Appetito!

Amber's Plan for the week...

Mon: Chicken Cordon-bleu with brown rice & roasted rosemary veggies

Tues: Tacos (with hidden sweet potato) & green salad

Weds: Pesto Pasta (we call it the 5 'p' pasta)

Thurs: Chicken Bread Braid w/ green salad

Weekend: No cooking :)

Mandarin Confetti Pasta Salad

• 16 oz Bow tie pasta
• 10 oz baby spinach
• 6 oz craisins
• 3 -11 oz cans mandarin oranges, drained
• 1- 8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained (I usually omit this)
• 1 bunch sliced green onions
• 1.4 cup sesame seeds
• 6 oz honey roasted peanuts (I prefer cashew pieces)
  
• 2 cups cooked chicken cubed
• Dressing:
• 1 cup oil
• 2/3 cup teriyaki sauce
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box to al dente. Rinse well and drain. Mix dressing and pour over pasta in a large bowl. Marinate in the fridge for 5-8 hrs, stirring often. Just before serving stir in everything else.

Buttermilk Syrup

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cube butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

Bring sugar, butter and buttermilk to a boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda*. Stir well. Serve over pancakes, waffles, French toast, etc.

* Mixture will foam up when you add the soda so use a large pan.

Italian Mac-n-Cheese

Recipe from Rachel Ray

• 1 pound ziti rigate, penne rigate or cavatappi (ribbed, hollow corkscrews)
• 1 pound Italian bulk sweet sausage
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 12 mushrooms, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 (10-ounce) sack, 2 1/2 cups, shredded Italian 4 cheese blend, available on dairy aisle
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained well
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco), optional
• 1/2 cup Parmesan, a couple of handfuls

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and cook pasta to a chewy al dente, about 8 minutes.

In a nonstick skillet, brown and crumble the sausage. Drain cooked crumbles on paper towel lined plate. Return pan to heat and add extra-virgin olive oil, butter, garlic and mushrooms. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Saute 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are lightly golden.

Preheat broiler to high.

To mushrooms, add flour and stir, cooking 2 minutes. Whisk in stock, then stir in cream. Bring cream to a bubble, then stir in 2 cups of 4 cheese blend. When cheese has melted into sauce, add tomatoes. When sauce comes to a bubble, remove from heat and adjust seasonings, adding hot sauce if desired.

Combine cheese sauce with sausage and pasta, transfer to baking dish, casserole or oven safe serving platter. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of 4 cheese blend and the grated Parmesan over the top and brown under hot broiler.

BBQ Beef Sandwiches aka Sloppy Joes

2 lbs. ground beef, cooked or a 2 lb roast cooked in the crockpot and shredded
1 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. diced green peppers
1 c. shredded/grated carrots
1/2 cube butter
1 T brown sugar
1 T vinegar
1 T mustard (yellow)
1 T lemon juice
2 T Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp garlic salt
1 18-20 ounce bottle of Ketchup
1 c. water

In a large kettle, saute onions, celery, peppers and carrots in butter over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes, until soft, but not brown. Add the remaining ingredients, except the beef and simmer for 2 hours. Add beef and heat through (15-20 mins). Serve on toasted hamburger buns.

Late Night Pasta

• 1 pound spaghetti
• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic
• 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped shallots
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, as desired

Bring a large heavy pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring to separate the strands, until the pasta is al dente, 7 to 8 minutes for dry pasta. Drain in a colander, reserving 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Add the garlic, shallots, pepper, and salt and cook, stirring, until fragrant and the garlic is soft but not brown, about 1 1/2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat and add the egg and reserved pasta cooking water, stirring quickly until the mixture thickens, but the egg does not scramble.

Toss together the bacon mixture and the pasta and sprinkle the cheese on top of each serving.

Chicken Panini

Leftover Rotisserie Chicken
Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light)
Provolone Cheese
Tomato, sliced
Thick sliced sourdough bread, or other panini appropriate bread

Shred or slice the chicken and place it in a bowl with just enough vinaigrette to moisten the chicken, but not so it's drowning. Layer the chicken, cheese and tomato slices on the bread and grill**. Serve hot with a tossed salad and chips!

**You can do this just like grilled cheese if you don't have a panini press, just use a heavy skillet or something to "weigh down" the sandwiches as they cook. I think Rachel Ray sometimes uses a brick wrapped in tin foil!

Shelly's Weekly Menu

Sun/Mon Balsamic Chicken with Lemon Spaghetti
Tues Chicken Paninis
Wed/Thurs Lasagna Soup with Rolls
Fri/Sat ?? Let's just eat out...!

Balsamic Chicken

We like this with the Lemon Spaghetti.

1/2 c balsamic vinegar

1/4 c lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

1/4 c dijon mustard

3 minced garlic cloves

1 tsp each-salt & pepper

1/2 c olive oil

chicken breasts

1 T chopped parsley (or we substituted dried basil cause that's what we had)

1 tsp grated lemon zest

Whisk vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, garlic, s & p to blend. Whisk in the oil. Add chicken & marinate 2 or more hours in refrigerator.

Cook chicken at 400 degrees for about 45 min. When done, remove chicken.

Carefully pour cooking liquid into a small saucepan & boil until sauce thickens.

Pour sauce over chicken, add parsley/basil and lemon zest. Enjoy!

Lemon Spaghetti

This is another easy pasta dish that goes great with a Balsamic chicken.

(from Giada de Laurentis)

Amounts can be altered easily if you're not going to use a whole pound pasta

2/3 c extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 c fresh-grated parmesan

1/2 lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb spaghetti

1/3 c chopped fresh basil or about 1 1/2 T dried

1 T grated lemon zest (from the 2 lemons)

Cook pasta according to directions, but reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. While pasta is cooking:

Whisk together oil, parmesan, lemon juice, salt/pepper.

Toss sauce with spaghetti, basil, & lemon zest.

Add cooking liquid a bit at a time to moisten. Salt, pepper, & more parmesan to taste.

Fast and tasty Tortellini

This really is the fastest pasta you'll ever make (just maybe not the healthiest).

1 lb package cheese tortellini ( your favorite brand from the refrigerated section--we actually always have a bunch of these in our freezer for when we need them).

Sauce:

3/4 stick butter

1 T dried basil (or fresh herbs if you've got them)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper

Generous pinch of nutmeg

Lots of fresh grated parmesan to add on top of dish!

Don't start the sauce until you add the tortellini to the water. They only take about 7 minutes to cook & the sauce is done in about 5. After combining, add salt & pepper to taste. Sprinkle on that cheese (essential to any great italian pasta)

Peanut Butter Bars

Cranberry Almond Pound Cake

Jana Rasband

2 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. + 2 T. unsalted butter

3 t. almond extract

6 eggs

1 c. sour cream

1/4 c. water

1/4 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

3 c. flour

2 c. cranberries (fresh or frozen)

Glaze:

2 T. water

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Mix sugar, butter and almond extract. Add eggs and sour cream, mix well. Mix in water. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt, mix. Add flour and mix well. Fold in cranberries (rinse first to make sure there aren't twigs or bad berries in the bunch). Butter/flour a bundt pan. Pour the batter into the buttered pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour or more. Test with a toothpick. Rest for a few minutes in the pan before inverting and cooling on rack. When barely warm, drizzle with glaze.

My notes: I forgot about using unsalted butter until typing this up! It didn't seem to make a difference?? Also, I used low-fat/fat-free sourcream and I think mine might not have been quite as moist as Jana's. I was surprised by how many bad berries are mixed into the fresh ones, so definitely pick through them. And... for the glaze, I mixed a little almond extract into my 2 Tbsp. water.

Mike who doesn't really like cranberries even liked this. They just provide a little zip. And, the almond flavor is my favorite part.

Dreamy Lemon Bars

I love lemon bars, but always seem to struggle getting them right. Mostly getting the yellow part to set up... (I even tried the queen of yummy recipes version, Paula Deen's... super runny). This recipe is so easy and we've made them three times with perfect results. I think we've found a winner.

 
Ingredients:
1 CUP butter
2 1/4 CUP flour
1/2 CUP powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon lemon rind
1/4 CUP lemon juice
4 eggs, beaten
2 CUPS sugar
Mix the butter, flour, powdered sugar & salt. Spread in the bottom of a 9" x 13" pan. Bake for 25 minutes in a 325 degree oven.


Mix eggs, lemon juice, rind and sugar. Pour on top of the baked crust. You don't have to wait for the crust to cool. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Cut into squares when cooled. Eat!

Pictures and recipe found at Whimsy Love blog.

Soft Sugar Cookies...

1 cup softened butter

1 cup yogurt or sour cream

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

6 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

Combine softened butter, yogurt or sour cream, sugar, eggs, and vanilla and beat for 2 minutes.

Add baking soda, salt, and flour to the creamed mixture. Mix . Roll dough out with a floured counter and

and a floured rolling pin. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 6 to 10 minutes depending

on how hot your oven gets. They should be just lightly brown. DO NOT OVERBAKE!

Cool and frost with butter frosting.

VANILLA BUTTER FROSTING

1/3 cup soft butter

2 cups of powdered sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla or lemon or almond extract

2 to 6 tablespoons of milk

Food coloring for colored frosting

Mix all together with a beater. Add the milk as you go to get the desired consistency of the

frosting. Add the food coloring at the end and mix to achieve the color you desire.

Lasagna Soup

We had this for dinner yesterday and it was BEYOND GOOD. Tastes just like lasagna - so creamy and cheesy. DELISH. Serve with garlic bread.  I added a lot of changes in italics - I like to make things easier!

LASAGNA SOUP
(from Family Fun magazine)

2 teaspoons olive oil (I left this out)
1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage (bulk or with casings removed) (I used hamburger - 1 lb.)
2 onions, finely chopped (I used onion flakes/onion powder. Can't stand the texture of onions!)
4 garlic cloves, minced (I used granulated garlic)
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I used the whole small can - didn't want to waste the rest of it)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves (I used 1/2 tsp. of bay flakes?)
8 ounces fusilli pasta (I'm sure any noodle would work. I bought the fusilli in the bulk section at Winco. They are cute!)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil (I used 1 tsp or so of dried basil)
8 ounces ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pot. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and sauté until the paste turns a rusty brown, about 5 minutes. (or 1 minute!) Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and the bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. (we only simmered 10 or 15 minutes)

2. Add the pasta, then increase the heat to medium-high and boil the soup until the pasta is tender to the bite, following the time recommendations on the pasta package. Discard the bay leaves, then stir in the basil. If desired, season with salt and black pepper to taste.

3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, the Parmesan, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the pinch of pepper. To serve, place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture in each bowl, sprinkle with some of the mozzarella, and ladle the soup on top. (We just put a spoonful of ricotta in our individual bowl, sprinkled heavily with parmesan and poured soup over top.) Makes about 13 cups.