Chocolate Oatmeal Squares

Chocolate Oatmeal Squares - Adapted from The Marathon Mom

(Printable Recipe)

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/4 cup butter

1/3 cup honey

1 cup rolled oats

2 Tablespoons flour (I used spelt)

2 Tablespoons flax seeds

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Melt peanut butter, butter, and honey in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when melted.

Stir in oats, flour, flax seeds, and chocolate chips. 

Pour into a wax paper or foil lined 8x8 baking dish. Refrigerate until cooled. Cut into squares. Store in refrigerator.

Southwestern Chicken Salad

A couple months ago one of my friend's posted this recipe on her blog. I've tweaked the recipe a little to suit our tastes and my hubby asks for it to be on the menu at least every two weeks!

Southwestern Chicken Salad - Adapted from Brown Sugar Toast

(Printable Recipe)

2 chicken breasts, cut into strips

1-2 T. oil

salt

1 T. taco seasoning

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

salad greens (we usually use the "spring mix")

black beans, rinsed and drained

about 1 cup frozen corn, thawed

sour cream

salsa

shredded cheddar cheese

ranch dressing

broken tortilla chips

Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken strips and sprinkle with salt - this helps the chicken not to splatter and pop so much. Brown chicken on both sides, then sprinkle with taco seasoning and garlic powder. Stir to coat both sides of chicken, then cover and cook on low for about 5 minutes. 

We assemble individual salads on each of our plates, but you can layer the salad in a serving bowl if you'd like. Layer in this order - salad greens, black beans, corn, chicken strips, sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, ranch dressing and tortilla chips. The reason I didn't put amounts for the "condiments" is because we do it "to taste" instead of measuring! 

We get about 4 servings out of this recipe - you don't have to overload on the chicken since the black beans provide protein as well.

Enjoy!

Lemon Bars

Lately I have been craving all things lemon - it must be the lovely springtime weather we've been enjoying! When my mother-in-law asked me to bring a dessert for dinner last Sunday, I immediately knew I would bring lemon bars. They were a hit! I love that they aren't too sweet but they have a definite lemony taste.

Lemon Bars - Adapted from All Recipes

(Printable Recipe)

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup confectioners sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 eggs

1 T. grated lemon zest*

1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (2 large lemons)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, confectioner's sugar, and 2 cups flour. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together white sugar and remaining flour. Whisk in the eggs, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.

Bake for an additional 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned. The bars will firm up as they cool. Once cool, cut into bars and sprinkle with confectioner's sugar. Refrigerate leftovers

*It is best to zest the lemons before cutting and juicing them. When zesting, make sure you only get the yellow of the peel - the white underneath is very bitter. 

CrockPot Cream Corn

Image credit

This recipe is so easy and super delish! Next time I'm going to add a can of green chilies for a little zing.

CrockPot Cream Corn - Adapted from Southern Plate's CrockPot EBook
(Printable Recipe)

3 (12 oz) packages frozen corn
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 stick butter
salt & pepper to taste

Spray crockpot with non-stick cooking spray. Place corn into the crockpot and put block of cream cheese on top (in the center). Slice butter all over corn and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook on Low for 3-3 1/2 hours, stirring once or twice to incorporate the cream cheese as it melts. You do not want to cook this on high or the corn will get tough.

Broccoli Salad

I love this salad! It is the perfect blend of sweet and tangy and crunchy and chewy. So good!

Broccoli Salad - Adapted from my Southern Plate cookbook

(Printable Recipe)

4-5 cups chopped broccoli (you can chop and use the stalks too)

1/2 cup raisins (I used some golden and regular raisins)

1 (3oz) package real bacon bits

1/2 of a red onion, chopped

1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

1 cup mayo

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Combine broccoli, raisins, bacon bits, onion, and walnuts in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk may, sugar, and vinegar together until sugar dissolves. Pour over broccoli mixture. Stir until well coated and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Peppermint Brownies

A few weeks ago my brother-in-law mentioned how much he likes Starbucks peppermint brownies - that got my attention because I've been loving chocolate and peppermint together lately! So I decided to come up with a similar recipe to Starbucks. If you've had one from Starbucks, you will notice that mine don't have the extra layer of chocolate frosting on top. I decided that a decadent brownie topped with peppermint frosting was enough richness for my brownies!

Peppermint Brownies

(Printable Recipe)

Brownies:

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp peppermint extract

1/2 cup water

1 cup flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 13x9 baking pan.

In a large bowl whisk together first seven ingredients. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt; beat until well combined.

Spread in prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Peppermint Frosting:

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 T. water

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1/4 cup crushed peppermint candies

In a medium bowl beat butter until fluffy. Add remaining ingredients. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add more powdered sugar or more water if the consistency is too thin or too thick - you want the frosting to be spreadable, but not too thin.

Spread evenly over cooled brownies. Refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting into squares. Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

To Die For Brownies

Seriously, these are the most amazing "from scratch" brownies I've ever made or eaten. My family and friends agree too! Yes, there are black beans in them, but no! you cannot tastes them at all!

The black beans take the place of oil and eggs and they also add good fiber and protein! Sounds pretty healthful to me...except for the outrageous amount of sugar. But all brownies I have ever made from scratch or from a box have a ton of sugar in them.

Ok, here's the recipe:

To Die For Brownies (adapted from $5 Dinners)
(Printable Version)

2 (15oz each) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 - 3/4 cup water
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup cocoa (I used Hershy's Special Dark)
1 T. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 (12oz) pkg semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

Puree black beans in blender with water until smoothie like consistency. {I added a 1/2 cup of water first and then added a little more during blending}

Combine black bean mixture, sugar, and milk in a large mixing bowl. Mix with electric mixer until well combined.

Add flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until smooth.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pan. {Feel free to lick the bowl since there are no eggs in it!}

Bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. {Mine were done in 30 minutes and they were a little gooey in the middle - Love that!}

Cool on a wire rack. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container.

Homemade Grilled Pizza

I know grilled pizza sounds hard, but it really isn't! Jacob and I tried it for the first time tonight, and loved it. I especially liked that I didn't have to use the oven and heat up the house.

• Make sure your grill is clean! You don't want your pizza to stick. 

• Turn grill on to medium heat.

• Mix up your favorite pizza dough. This is my all time favorite recipe. It's super quick and easy and oh so tasty!

• Roll out dough on a lightly floured baking pan or stone. We made two smaller pizzas so they would be easier to handle.

• Brush olive oil lightly onto both sides of the dough. You don't want to overdo on the oil or you will have flare-ups!

• Gather all your toppings. We used sauce, pepperoni, mozzarella cheese, onions, and parmesan cheese. The onions didn't get quite cooked, so next time I will grill the veggies a little before putting them on the pizza.

• Take pizza dough, toppings, and spatulas {pancake turners as we call them} out to the grill.

• Lightly spray grill rack with cooking spray.

• Carefully pick up pizza dough a lay it on the grill. Don't worry, it will not fall through the grate!

• Close lid and cook for 1 1/2 minutes or until the bottom is browned and there are bubbles on top {like pancakes get}.

• Use pancake turner and flip the dough over.

• Working quickly, slap on your toppings and close grill lid. Cook 1 1/2 minutes or until bottom is browned and cheese is melted.

• Carefully remove pizza to the baking pan or stone you used to roll the dough out on.

• Cut into wedges and enjoy!

Red Beans & Rice

One of my friends shared this recipe with us. I love that you can just throw it in the crockpot and forget about it!

Red Beans & Rice
(Printable Version)

1lb small dried red beans, rinsed & sorted
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 green pepper, cut into wedges
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1 T. Tony Chachere's (creole/cajun seasoning)
7 cups water
1 lb sausage or kielbasa, sliced
Hot cooked rice

Add first 7 ingredients to a large crockpot. Stir gently, cover and cook on High for 5 hours. Add sausage and cook 2 more hours. Serve over hot rice.

Brownie Bites

I made these adorable little brownie bites to give my family for Valentine's Day. They really are pretty easy even though there are several steps involved!

Brownie Bites
(Printable Version)
1 family size brownie mix
1 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2-3 T milk
2 drops red food coloring
1 cup semisweet (or dark chocolate) chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the mini cupcake holders in a mini muffin tin. Make brownie mix according to package directions and fill muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake for 13-15 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool in pan 5 minutes then remove to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl melt chocolate chips in microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and continue heating in 30 second increments as needed until all chips are melted. Spoon into a quart size ziplock bag. Let chocolate cool in bag 10-15 minutes. Cut the tip off the bag {just the very tip!}. Pipe chocolate into heart shapes onto waxed paper. Refrigerate until hard.

In a large mixing bowl beat butter, confectioner's sugar, vanilla, 2 T milk and food coloring. The mixture will not look like frosting. Beat for 5 minutes {this is very important!}. Add remaining tablespoon of milk as needed for the right consistency. You want the frosting to be light and fluffy so it will be easy to pipe onto the brownies. Fill a large ziplock bag or decorator's bag with frosting. You can use a large star tip, round tip, or no tip at all. I used a ziplock bag with just the icing coupler in it because I didn't have a large round tip.

Now you are ready to assemble the brownie bites! Pipe frosting onto cooled brownies starting at the edge of the brownie and ending at the center. Carefully remove chocolate hearts from waxed paper using a metal pancake turner. Gently stick a chocolate heart into the frosting on each brownie. You have to work fast because the chocolate will start to melt in your hands.

Yield: about 48

Enjoy!

Cranberry Bliss Bars

My hubby found this recipe online for me to make for him because he loves Starbucks Bliss Bars so much! He said these are a little more cake-like than Starbucks, but he really liked them.

Cranberry Bliss Bars - modified from Mr. Breakfast

(Printable Version)

Cake base:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 cup dried cranberries, minced
1/4 cup white chocolate, chopped (I used white chips)
1/4 cup crystallized candied ginger, minced

Frosting:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 T butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla

Garnish:
2 T dried cranberries, minced
1/3 cup white chocolate chips, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a 9x13 glass baking dish.

Beat butter and sugar together for the cake base, and add eggs/vanilla beating until fluffy. Sift together flour, ginger, and salt and then add to the butter/sugar mixture beating well. Fold in the cranberries, chocolate and ginger. Spread thick batter in pan and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until light golden.

When cake is cooled, mix all frosting ingredients together and spread a thin layer over the cake. Immediately sprinkle with the minced cranberries. Then use a cake decorating bag of melted white chocolate with a tiny decorating tip (like the size used for writing on cakes) and drizzle the chocolate over the cake.

Cut this into bars immediately because the white chocolate hardens pretty fast and makes cake cutting messy.

Chicken Alfredo

Hubby says this tastes like Olive Garden's Chicken Alfredo...I've never eaten either because of food allergies, but I must say making this for him is much cheaper than going to Olive Garden!

Chicken Alfredo
(Printable Version)
1 pkg fettuccine pasta

olive oil
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin 1 inch strips
garlic powder
parsley
salt & pepper

1 pkg cream cheese
1 stick butter
1 1/4 cup milk
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
freshly ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chicken and sprinkle with garlic powder, parsley, salt & pepper, as much or as little as you like; saute 5-10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink and juices run clear. Cover skillet to keep chicken warm while preparing sauce.

In another skillet, melt cream cheese and butter over medium heat. The mixture will look kind of gross (just warning you!) and cream cheese will be chunky. Once the mixture begins to bubble, turn heat to low and slowly whisk in milk, parmesan and pepper. Warm over low heat until sauce is hot.
Assemble pasta, chicken, and sauce on plates and serve immediately. Enjoy!

Hop over to Cooking During Stolen Moments for more yummy main dish recipes!

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Photo credits: Baco Recipes

Garlic Mashed Potatoes
(Printable Version)
5lb bag red potatoes, peeled and chunked
1 bulb of garlic, separated and cloves peeled
1 stick butter
1/2 - 3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp parsley (optional)

In a large pot boil potatoes and garlic cloves for 20 minutes or until tender; drain and return to pot. Add butter and cover with lid for 5 minutes to allow butter to melt. Add remaining ingredients and mash potatoes with an electric mixer. I start with 1/2 cup of chicken broth but then add more if the potatoes need to be creamier.

Visit The Happy Housewife for more great side dish recipes!

Cheese & Bacon Fries

I came up with this recipe after Jacob had Outback's fries. They are so easy and yummy!

Cheese & Bacon Fries
(Printable Version)
1 pkg frozen shoestring fries
2 cups monterey jack cheese, shredded
1 (3oz) pkg real bacon bits

Cook fries in oven according to package directions. Once they are crispy, top with cheese and bacon bits. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Serve with ranch dressing for dipping.

Visit Balancing Beauty and Bedlam for more yummy Appetizer recipes!

Homemade Hot Chocolate

What tastes better on cold nights than yummy hot chocolate?! We love hot chocolate and I was thrilled to find this recipe for super easy homemade hot chocolate! Once you try this, you'll never want to use the instant mix again. ha! You can easily double or triple the recipe too!

Homemade Hot Chocolate (recipe from There is no place like home)
(Printable Version)
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup boiling water
3 1/2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla

Combine cocoa, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk in boiling water and heat mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring continuously. Stir in milk and heat until hot, but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

Serve with your favorite toppings. We like cool whip, marshmallows, cinnamon, peppermint sticks, or chocolate chips. Serves 3-4.

Be sure to head over to Parenting the Tiniest of Miracles for more holiday drink ideas!

Ham & Bean Soup

Ham & Bean Soup (modified from my Mom)
(Printable Version)
1 cup dried Great Northern beans
2 cups chicken broth (I used gluten-free)
4 cups water
2 cups cooked ham, cut into chunks
1 can Rotel
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Soak beans overnight according to package directions. Rinse and drain. In a large pot combine beans, broth, water, ham, Rotel and onion. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 - 2 hours, adding more water as needed. Stir in remaining ingredients. Simmer 30 minutes longer or until beans reach desired softness.

Yield: about 4 servings

Caramel Pie

You can't see all the yummy gooeyness of this pie because I made it to take to a friend. I'll post a better picture next time I make it.

Everyone loves this pie! You'd never guess that it only takes three ingredients to make!

Caramel Pie
(Printable Version)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 pre-made graham cracker crust (or you can make your own)
1 (8oz) container cool whip, thawed

Boil unopened can of condensed milk in a deep saucepan covered for 2 hours. Make sure that the water covers the can the entire time. Carefully remove can from water and let cool for 30 minutes. Open can and spread caramel evenly on the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Top with cool whip. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.


This recipe is linked to Tidy Mom of 2:

Zucchini Casserole

This casserole is fast and super yummy! It's one of my favorite "go-to" side dishes for church dinners or when I'm taking a meal to someone.

Zucchini Casserole (recipe from my Mom)
(Printable Version)
4-5 medium zucchini, washed and cut into chunks
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. salt
1 stick butter
1 box chicken flavored stuffing mix
1 cup shredded carrots
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup

Cook zucchini, onion and salt in boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain thoroughly. In a bowl, microwave butter until melted; stir in stuffing mix and set aside. In another bowl, combine remaining ingredients.

Lightly grease a 13x9 glass baking dish. Layer: 1/2 of the stuffing mixture in the bottom of the pan, then add zucchini and onion, spread carrot mixture over zucchini, and then top with remaining stuffing mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

Frosted Pumpkin Cranberry Bars

These bars are amazing! They got rave reviews at our church dinner last Sunday!

Frosted Pumpkin Cranberry Bars (modified from Taste of Home)
(Printable Version)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. allspice
3 eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)
3/4 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup dried cranberries, chopped

Brown Butter Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
4 to 6 T. milk

In a bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. In another bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin and butter; stir into dry ingredients until well combined. Stir in cranberries. Spread into a greased 15x10 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

For frosting, heat the butter in a saucepan over medium heat until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat; cool for 5 minutes. Stir in confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Spread over bars. Refrigerate several hours before cutting. Store leftovers in the refrigerator. Yield: about 4 dozen

This recipe is linked to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday!

Cheddar Potato Soup

Cheddar Potato Soup (modified from Taste of Home)
(Printable Version)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, chopped
2 T. olive oil
5 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
2 cups (8oz pkg) shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups milk (I used coconut milk)
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1-2 tsp salt (add 1tsp, taste and add more if needed)
Dash paprika

In a large pot, saute onion and celery in oil until tender. Add potatoes, broth, and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

Puree in small batches in a blender until smooth; return to pot. *We wanted more chunky soup, so I pureed about half of the potato mixture and then just roughly mashed the remaining mixture. Just do it however your family likes it* Stir in cheese, milk, pepper, salt and paprika. Cook and stir over low heat until cheese is melted.

Serve with seasoned croutons or crusty bread. Yield: 6 servings