Reese's Peanut Butter Bars

Sadie Keller brought this dessert to the ward Christmas Party. I totally loved them! They tasted a lot like Buckeyes so the ingredients are probably very similar. Sadie got the recipe from ourbestbites.com

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 lb (3 1/2 C) powdered sugar

1 1/2 C creamy peanut butter

1 C (2 sticks) real butter, melted

1 12oz bag chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, or dark, you pick!)

2 tsp shortening

In a large mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, powdered sugar and peanut butter and butter and beat until combined. Press into a parchment (or waxed paper or foil) lined 9×13 pan.Place chocolate chips and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one, until melted and smooth. Pour chocolate over peanut butter mixture and spread out evenly. Place pan in the fridge just until chocolate is set and then cut into bars. Tip: If the bars chill until the chocolate is too hard to easily cut, use a sharp knife and score the cuts first, then gently cut through. Can be stored in the fridge or at room temp. They will stay firmer if stored in the fridge.

*Tip: Love this tip from one you! Instead of adding shortening to the chocolate topping, add a scoop of peanut butter. That will prevent the top from getting solid and it will taste yummy!

Pumpkin Bars

4 eggs

1 2/3 c sugar

1 c oil

16 oz pumpkin

2 c flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Mix eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin together. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a sheet cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Frost once cooled.

Frosting:

6 oz. cream cheese

Stick of butter

2 tsp. vanilla

4 cups powdered sugar


Let the cream cheese and butter soften to room temperture.  Then mix cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Add vanilla and powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix until smooth with desired consistency.

Apple Crisp

Now I am not experienced in apple crisp because I have never liked it, but this is a great dessert and very easy.

1 can light or sugar free apple pie filling

2 cups oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup four
2/3 cup butter - melted

Pour can of apple pie filling in the bottom of an 8x8 pan.  Mix all of the other ingredients together in a bowl.  Pour on top of apple filling.  Bake @ 350 for 25-30 minutes.  Serve with vanilla ice cream on top.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

(from institute a couple weeks ago)

Cupcake:

Buy Yellow Cake Mix and follow the directions on the box except do NOT add water. Instead add one (15 or 16 oz) oz can of Pumpkin. Bake as directed.

Icing:

Beat 8 oz. of Cream Cheese with 1 Cup of Powdered Sugar

The cupcakes will go further than one pan. Every time I make it I get exactly 1.5 pans. Once the cupcakes are cooled you can ice. The first time I made them, I was a little too generous with the icing, so be a little conservative when icing, but don't be cheap with it! It's too yummy to not lather :) You can top with candy corn or candy pumpkin but just a warning... put the candy on right before serving, because the color will run off and look tacky. Even if it looks tacky, it will still taste pretty dang yummy (I made it and refrigerated the night before).

It's a really easy recipe and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Butternut Squash Soup

Has the weather got you down?  

Try this yummy soup.

2T.  butter

1 large sweet onion

1/2 t. rosemary

2 cloves garlic

5 cups peeled diced butternut squash

1 cup peeled diced potato

5 c.  chicken stock
1 t. salt
pepper to taste
1/2 c. cream
1 1/2 c. diced ham  (thick deli slices)

melt butter in large pot.  stir in onion and rosemary.  cook until onion is soft.   add garlic, cook 1 min.  add squash, potatoes, salt and chicken stock.  Bring to boil and simmer until squash and potatoes are soft.  (about 20-25 min).  add ham just before serving.  drizzle a little cream into individual bowls. 

*try not to cut your fingers off when peeling the squash.  anyone know an easy way to peel one?...let me know.

Chicken Broccoli Braid

I made this when I hosted book club and for Heather's shower and got lots of requests for the recipe. It is my all time favorite dish. The key is to chop up the chicken, peppers and broccoli into super tiny pieces which is pretty time consuming but it's worth it! Call me if you have questions because it can be a bit confusing.



Chicken & Broccoli Braid
Ingredients:
1 cup (250 mL) chopped broccoli florets
2 cups (500 mL) chopped cooked chicken breasts (see Cook’s Tip)
1/2 cup (125 mL) diced red bell pepper
1 cup (250 mL) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (125 mL) mayonnaise
1 garlic clove, pressed

2 tsp (10 mL) All-Purpose Dill Mix
1 garlic clove, pressed
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
2 pkg (8 oz or 235 g) refrigerated crescent dough
1 egg white, lightly beaten
2 tbsp (30 mL) slivered almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Combine broccoli, chicken, bell pepper, cheese, mayonnaise, dill mix, pressed garlic and salt in Bowl; mix well.

2. Unroll one package of the crescent dough; do not separate. Arrange longest sides of dough across width of Rectangle Stone. Repeat with remaining package of dough. roll, pinch or press dough to seal perforations. Cut dough into strips 1 1/2 in. (4 cm) apart, 3 in. (7.5 cm) deep. (There will be about 6 in. in the center for the filling.)

3. Spread filling evenly over center of dough. To braid, lift dough strips across filling to meet in center, twisting each strip one turn. Continue alternating strips to form a braid. Tuck ends up to seal at end of braid. Brush egg white over dough. Sprinkle with almonds. Bake 25-28 minutes or until deep golden brown
Yield: 10 servings

Nutrients per serving: Calories 360, Total Fat 24 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 40 mg, Carbohydrate 19 g, Protein 16 g, Sodium 530 mg, Fiber 1 g

U.S. Diabetic exchanges per serving: 1 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 1/2 low-fat meat, 3 fat (1 carb)

Cook’s Tips: If desired, 1 tsp (5 mL) dried dill weed can be substituted for the All-Purpose Dill Mix.

Bacon-Wrapped Mini Sausages

i'm really surprised i like these, since i'm not a huge fan of bacon.  these are a really great appetizer and so easy.



Ingredients
1 {14 oz} package Lit'l Smokies
1 {12 oz} package lean bacon
3/4 cup brown sugar

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Using a pair of kitchen shears, cut the slab of bacon into thirds {or halfs - just make sure they are long enough to fit around the width of the smokies}.

2. Wrap a slice of bacon around a sausage, secure with a toothpick, and place on the baking sheet.

3. Repeat with remaining sausages and bacon. Sprinkle brown sugar over sausages and bake for 40-45 minutes or until bacon has cooked and is starting to brown.

Shrimp with Avocado-Mango Salsa

Before I start this post I want to tell the rest of you to get on the ball!  I want some of your recipes!  I miss all you guys like crazy!

I know my last post had mango and avocado so sorry if you don't like them, but I am loving them together! McCall got me started pinning and I found this recipe from self.com and decided to try it last night.  Jefferson and I both really liked it and I thought it was post worthy!  If you don't like shrimp I think that you could substitute the shrimp for some chicken and it would still be good but I'd cook my chicken before adding it to the packet to make sure it's gets cooked all the way.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 8 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup couscous
• 1 lb medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 large mango, peeled and diced
• 1 medium avocado, diced
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 1/2 jalapeño chile, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

PREPARATION

Heat grill. Fold four 18-inch-long pieces of foil in half; unfold and coat inside with cooking spray. Place 2 cups spinach in center of 1 half of each piece of foil. Combine couscous with 1/4 cup water; divide evenly among packets, placing on top of spinach. Combine shrimp, 1/4 cup cilantro, oil and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Divide shrimp evenly among packets, placing next to couscous. Fold foil to close and crimp edges to seal; place on grill; close lid; cook until packets are fully puffed, 10 minutes. Combine remaining 1/4 cup cilantro with remaining 1/4 tsp salt, mango, avocado, tomato, onion, jalapeño and lime juice in a bowl. Carefully cut foil to open; stir contents; garnish with salsa before serving.

The skinny

397 calories per serving, 10 g fat (1 g saturated), 52 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 25 g protein

refrigerator bran muffins

not only do these muffins taste good, the dough lasts up to 6 weeks in your refrigerator!  AND - you can either bake them in the oven, or they cook in the microwave in less than a minute.  they are a really quick breakfast or snack.

Refrigerator Bran Muffins

2 cups boiling water
4 cups Fiber 1 cereal
5 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
5 tsp. baking soda
1 cup salad oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups All Bran Flakes

Pour boiling water over Fiber 1 cereal. Sift dry ingredients together. Cream oil and sugar; add eggs, hot Fiber 1 mixture, dry ingredients, and buttermilk. Add the 2 cups bran flakes cereal. Mix just enough to combine. Bake in greased and floured muffin tins or line with cupcake papers at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. You can also just toss the mixture into a microwave-safe container and microwave the mix for a minute or two. Makes 6 dozen muffins. Batter may be stored in covered container in refrigerator up to 6 weeks. Bake any amount as desired.

s'more cookies

i love s'mores.  and i love cookies.  why not combine the two?

the soft, almost dough-y cookie mixed with the crunch of the graham cracker that you bake the cookie on... ahhhhh.

the only problem is - you want to eat them right after they've cooled.  the graham cracker is still crunchy.  if you wait until the next day, they are still really good, but the cracker is really soft, so that's a little disturbing.

if you make these, please deliver some to my door.  i will love you forever.

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar

Cream together butter and sugar until incorporated

Add:

2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla

Beat thoroughly

Add:
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips, or one giant Hershey's bar, chopped
1 cup mini marshmallows

Stir to incorporate

Scoop cookie dough onto half graham cracker.

Bake at F350°, for no more than 11 minutes (after 11 minutes, the graham cracker will burn).

Some of the marshmallow may toast off the cracker, but simply remove the cracker from your cookie sheet and quickly transfer to a wire rack.

Lasagna Rolls

8 oz.  Lasagna pasta...not extra wide
10 oz pkg spinach thawed and drained (the recipe calls for 2 pk's, but i don't love that much.)
1 pd. ricotta cheese
1 c. Parmesan
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz mozzarella
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste

cook the noodles about HALF way.
*you want them to be soft enough you can bend and roll them but not so soft they rip.
beat all the other ingredients in a large bowl
lay noodles out on wax paper..or something they won't stick to.
place a half cup of the filling onto each noodle and spread it out evenly over the entire noodle
then roll the noddle up like a jelly roll.
place rolled up noodles in 11 by 14 Pyrex pan

Sauce:
1 chopped onion
2 gloves garlic minced
3 T butter
2, 1 lb 12 oz cans of crushed tomatoes in the puree
16 oz tomato sauce
2 T sugar
2 T olive oil
2 tsp basil
1 tsp Italian herb seasoning
pinch of red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste

saute onion, garlic and butter, until onions are soft.
then combine all other ingredients into the pan and let simmer for 20 min.
pour sauce over the noodles in the Pyrex dish...i usually don't use all the sauce it seems to be to much so i freeze the rest and use it on spaghetti or chicken Parmesan. it is one of my favorite sauces!

top it all off with a little more Parmesan cheese for looks.
cook 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until noodles are all the way soft

yes, this is one of those recipes that seems to take quite some time to make...but super yummy.

Spicy Honey Chicken

I made this Chicken tonight and it was seriously good! I actually made the salad which you can find with the link at the bottom of this post and we loved it.  I actually just copied this from the site I found it and posted it here.

 Recipe by Our Best Bites

8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 2lbs (Yes, Thighs!!)everyone is always asking me if they can use breasts for this. Sure you can, but I’m tellin’
ya right now it’s better with thighs.

2 t vegetable oil

Rub:

2 t granulated garlic
2 t chili powder
1/2 t onion powder
1/2 t coriander
1 t kosher salt
1 t cumin
1/2 t chipotle chili powder

Glaze:
1/2 C Honey
1T Cider Vinegar

  

Combine the rub spices in bowl and mix well.

Use kitchen shears (or a pair of clean scissors) to trim off any excess fat from the chicken pieces.Pat dry. Drizzle oil over chicken and rub in with your hands to lightly coat all the pieces. Then toss chicken with the spice rub to coat all sides well. Use your hands and get in there! Grill chicken for 3-5 minutes on each side, until cooked through.

While chicken is cooking, warm honey in the microwave so it’s not so thick. Add the vinegar and combine well. Reserve 2T honey glaze for later. Take the rest and brush on chicken (both sides) in the final moments of grilling.

I’m gonna warn you that this can make a hot mess, literally. It’s sugar, and it’s gonna drip. But the smelly smoke is worth it for a minute or two. Just leave your grill on for a few minutes after the chicken is done to burn off any excess glaze. It’s totally worth it once you taste this stuff.

If you don’t have a bbq, try it on an indoor grill pan or use your broiler. Just be sure to open a window in case you burn your glaze!

Remember how I had you reserve that extra couple tablespoons of glaze? Ya, drizzle that on top now. Your taste buds will thank you.

And my favorite way to eat Spicy Honey Chicken? THIS salad!