Reese's Peanut Butter Bars

So today I was really craving something sweet, so i decided to make these! I found them on Pinterest. The recipe is from Baker Lady

Ingredients 

1 Cup Butter Melted

2 Cups Gram Cracker Crumbs 

2 Cups Powered Sugar

1 Cup + 4 Tablespoons Peanut Butter

1 1/2 Cups Chocolate Chips (I used 60% Dark Chocolate, it really helped to balance out how sweet the bottom layer was.) 

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together the butter, gram cracker crumbs, powered sugar, and one cup of the peanut butter. Press evenly into a 9x13 pan (I greased mine just in case). In a metal bowl over simmering water or in the microwave, melt the chocolate chips and the 4 tablespoons of peanut butter, stirring until smooth.  Spread over the peanut butter layer.  let chill in the refrigerator at least one hour before cutting into squares.  

French Beef Stew

On Monday and Tuesdays I nanny for my music teacher and his wife while they teach lessons, and today I made this awesome Crock-Pot beef stew. The kids loved it! It's a low carb meal, so a serving only has 6 carbs. We put it over brown rice which also had quinoa in it. (that's around 30 or so carbs) It's a super easy recipe to follow, and you can go about your day while it cooks! Hope you find it as delicious as we did!

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 t olive oil

4 slices of bacon, chopped

2 onions, finely chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 celery stalk, diced

3 c beef broth

2 c red cooking wine

1/2 t thyme

1.5-2.25 lbs cubed beef stew meat

1/2 c chopped parsley

Cooked Brown Rice

Instructions:

Heat oil in dutch oven over med-hi heat. Add bacon; cook, stirring often, until crisp, 3-5 min. Add onions, carrots and celery; cook, stirring often, until veggies are tender, 8-10 min. Add broth, wine and thyme, Bring to boil, place beef in Crock-Pot. Pour hot veggie mixture over beef. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Serve over rice; sprinkle with parsley.

I also added a little pepper and salt, which I thought was weird the recipe didn't call for those...

Mango Glazed Bacon

My sister and I first made this on Mothers Day 3 years ago. Now we always make it part of our big Christmas brunch! I believe it's Bobby Flay's recipe.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup red wine vinegar
1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon honey
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound slab bacon, cut into ¼-inch thick slices

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place sugar and vinegar in a small saucepan and cook until over high heat until the sugar is melted. Add the mango and cook until the mixture is reduced by half and the mango is soft, stirring occasionally, 5-6 minutes.

2. Transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth; strain the mixture into a bowl season with the honey and salt and pepper.

3. Place the bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and brush both sides with some of the glaze, bake until golden brown and just crisp, about 10-12 minutes, brushing the top of the bacon with more of the glaze every few minutes.



 

 

 

Sloppy Joes (Sloppy Kris')

This is one of the best Sloppy Joe recipes I have ever had! My sister usually makes this one, but tonight I made it. The recipe I have is for 3lbs of hamburger, you can easily cut that in half :)

Ingredients:

3 pounds hamburger

2 1/4 cup ketchup

1 3/4 cup BBQ sauce

1 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

3 tablespoons mustard

2 teaspoons garlic

2 teaspoons garlic

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons salt

1 red bell pepper

Instructions:

Brown the hamburger, add the bell pepper and cook for a couple minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, and simmer for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Mac and Cheese Soup

This has to be the best mac and cheese ever! It's one of my mom and dads favorite!  It's supposed to be less fat, but I'm not convinced it is.  Anyway, it's a favorite around my house.  Hope you like it!

Ingredients:

serves 4

• Kosher salt


• 4 ounces elbow macaroni (1 cup)


• Cooking spray


• Freshly ground pepper


• 3 shallots


• 1 carrot, cut into 1-inch pieces


• 1 stalk celery, cut into 1-inch pieces


• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour


• 3 3/4 cups fat-free low-sodium chicken broth


• 1 1/4 cups 2% milk


• 6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)


• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

We have made it without carrots and celery and its just as delicious! We also use onions instead of shallots.

Directions:

Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook as the label directs; drain.

Mince the shallots, carrot and celery in a food processor. Mist a saucepan with cooking spray. Add the vegetables and cook over medium-high heat until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Gradually stir in the broth and bring to a boil; cook, stirring, until thickened, 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the milk, cheeses and macaroni and stir until the cheeses melt. Season with pepper.

Per serving: Calories 476; Fat 20 g (Saturated 12 g); Cholesterol 84 mg; Sodium 636 mg; Carbohydrate 46 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 27 g

"Lighten up" Three-Cheese Macaroni

This is one of the best Mac and Cheese recipes ever!  It has a lot less fat then most of the others, but still has quite a bit!

Ingredients:

Makes 6 Serveings

• 1 large egg


• 1 12-ounce can evaporated whole milk


• Pinch of cayenne pepper


• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg


• salt and freshly ground black pepper


• 1 1/3 cups grated muenster cheese (4 ounces), plus 4 deli-thin slices (1 ounce)


• 1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (2 ounces)


• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (1 ounce)


• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (4 cups)


• 4 cups medium pasta shells (9 ounces)

 

Whisk the egg, evaporated milk, cayenne, nutmeg, and salt and black pepper to taste in a bowl. Toss the grated cheeses in a separate bowl.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until almost falling apart, about 7 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the pasta to the same water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup cooking water. Preheat the broiler.

Combine the egg mixture and the grated cheeses in the empty pot and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the cheeses melt and the sauce begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the cauliflower. Puree with an blender until smooth and light. Stir in some of the reserved pasta water until creamy.

Toss the pasta in the sauce; season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a shallow casserole dish and top with muenster slices. Broil until golden brown, about 5 minutes.

Per serving about (1 1/3 cups): Calories 403; Fat 17 g (Saturated 10 g); Cholesterol 85 mg; Sodium 517 mg; Carbohydrate 41 g; Fiber 2 g; Protein 20g

 



 

 

 

Whole Wheat Cinnamon-Raisin Bread

This recipe takes a while but the wait will be well worth it!  I got this recipe from Ellie Krieger on Foodnetwork.  This bread is a healthier version of the original raisin bread,  and each slice only has 99 calories.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups bread flour, plus more for dusting


• 2 cups whole-wheat flour


• 1/4 cup nonfat dry milk


• 1 large egg


• 2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for brushing


• 3 tablespoons honey


• 2 teaspoons salt


• 1 1/2 teaspoons instant dry yeast


• Cooking spray


• 2/3 cup raisins


• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar

Make the bread

Measure out 1 1/4 cups very warm water and check the temperature; it should be 120 degrees F to 130 degrees F. Combine both flours, the dry milk, egg, canola oil, honey, salt, yeast and warm water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Mix 3 minutes on the lowest setting, then increase to the next highest setting and mix 5 more minutes. The dough should be soft and sticky.

Let it rise.

Transfer the dough to a large bowl coated with cooking spray. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough has nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Soak the raisins.

Dry raisins will rob moisture from the bread, so soak them first in boiling water until plump, about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.

Fold the dough.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface. Picture it as a loose square. Lift up one side of the dough and fold about one-third of it across; press down on the dough with spread fingers to remove any air bubbles. Repeat with the remaining 3 sides of the dough.

Add the filling.

Mist two 9-by-5-inch loaf pans with cooking spray. Divide the dough in half; roll out each half into an 8-inch square. Brush each square with canola oil, then sprinkle with the cinnamon (it's high in antioxidants!), brown sugar and raisins.

Form the loaves.

Roll up each square of dough into a tight cylinder; place seam-side down in the prepared pans. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough fills the pans and springs back when touched, about 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Bake the bread.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the loaves with canola oil and bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the pans and transfer to a rack to cool completely.

Steak Sandwich

This is the best sandwich ever! I got this recipe from Ree Drummond's book, "The pioneer Woman Cooks". www.ThePioneerWoman.com

(Photos from The PioneerWoman.com)

Ingredients:

1 large onion or 2 small/medium onions

Butter, lots of it

2 or 3 pounds cube steak

Seasoned salt, preferably Lawry's

Lemon Pepper

Black Pepper

Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco (I didn't use this)

4 French or Deli rolls

Start by slicing the onion. Next melt 1/4 stick of butter in skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and light brown, 5-7 minutes. Remove the onion from the pan and set aside.

Cut each piece of cube steak against the grain, into 1-inch strips. Now season the meat with a nice sprinkle or seasoned salt, lemon pepper, and black pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the skillet in which you cooked the onion. Turn the heat to high. Let the butter begin to turn brown, about 2 minutes. You will want the skillet to be hot.

Now add enough meat to the hot skillet to form a single layer. Do not stir. Let sit for about a minute, or long enough for one side to turn brown. Then, using a spatula, flip the meat over. Cook for another minute, then remove from skillet. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.

Return all the meat to the skillet and add the cooked onion. Pour in Worcestershire sauce, several dashes of Tabasco (according to taste), and an additional 2 tablespoons of butter. Simmer the mixture over low heat for about 5 minutes to warm.

Cut each roll in half, spread with butter and brown on a griddle or skillet.

Place the meat mixture in the bun and spoon some of the sauce from the pan on top until it seeps into the bun.

Variations:

Add Mushrooms to the onion mixture

Melt mozzarella on top

Add other veggies and fresh seasonings like garlic, thyme and so on...

Chocolate Lush

My friend Nicole T. gave me this recipe for the holiday's.  I tried it and it was the BEST! She said she never used the nuts, so I decided not to either, it was great without them =D I also used lemon pudding instead of chocolate.  You can also use banana, and put sliced bananas on top before you spread on the cool-whip.

Ingredients:

2 Cup flour
2 Stick margarine or butter
3/4 Cup chopped walnuts
1 Cup confectioners sugar
1 Cup Cool Whip (from a 12 oz. container)
1 8 Oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 small Pkg instant chocolate pudding
3 Cup milk

Directions:

Combine margarine, flour and walnuts. Press into bottom of a 9" x 13" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees 1/2 hour until lightly browned.

Beat softened cream cheese with confectioners sugar. Blend in 1 cup Cool Whip. Spread on top of cooled crust.

Mix pudding with milk with electric mixer. Let stand until thick. Spread on top of cream cheese filling. Spread remaining Cool Whip over top and sprinkle with nuts if desired.

I really wished I had taken a picture of it! If I make it again I will be sure to post one!

Egg Drop Soup

I never really liked the recipes I have found for egg drop soup, so I basically read over dozens of them and came up with my own.  But its not too original!

Ingredients:

Large sauce pan 3/4 of the way full with chicken broth

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

2 Tablespoons Sesame Seed Oil

Dash of salt and pepper

1 Teaspoons of dried ginger

4 beaten eggs

3/4 cup rice optional

Diced Onion optional

Directions:

Bring broth and first 5 ingredients to a simmer.  Add the rice and onion, and cook until rice is tender.  Then slowly pour the eggs into the simmering pot, turn off heat.


Serve with dinner rolls =D

Middle Eastern Rice Bowl

 

I got this recipe from Rachael Ray's cookbook, "Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-minute meals, for kids" .  I used to make this dish all the time! I haven't made in a long while, but I will post the recipe because it is so good!

Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

3/4 pound chicken tenders, cut into bite-size pieces

freshly ground pepper to taste

2 (6oz ea) Near East brand rice pilaf mix

3 cups chicken stock

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leafed parsley (dried works great also)

1/2 cup slivered almonds

2 cups store-bought hummus, for serving (optional)

1 bag pita chips-corn tastes just as good with this dish, for serving

Scallions, red bell pepper, and cucumber, for serving (optional )

 

Instructions:

Heat a medium pot over medium heat; add extra-virgin olive oil and butter.  When butter has melted into the oil, add cut-up chicken tenders.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper.  Sauté the chicken, stirring, until lightly browned.  Add the rice pilaf and cook another minute or 2.  Add the chicken stock.  You do not need to use the seasoning packets included in the rice mix; you'll get your flavor from cooking the rice in the stock.  Put a lid on the pot and raise the heat to high to bring the stock to a quick boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Take off the lid and stir in cinnamon, parsley, and almonds.  Serve rice in bowls with veggies, chips, and hummus on the side.

 

 

Chimichanga's

This recipe is so simple! My mom made this for dinner tonight and it was a hit!

Ingredients:

Pork Roast

One bottle of your favorite BBQ Sauce

Cheddar Cheese

Tortillas

Two Cups Water

Butter

Put the roast, BBQ sauce, and water in the crock pot on high all day.  When its done, shred and put in tortilla's with cheese, and some of the leftover BBQ Sauce.  Roll them up and place on a baking sheet,  brush them with butter.  Let cook in the oven on 350F until light brown.

Serve with refried beans.  Enjoy!

Red Beans

I know I have a lot of rice recipes on my blog, but when you have 13 people to feed, rice goes a long way!  This is like the best red bean recipe ever, and I made it up!  I hope you enjoy this as much as my family does.

This is a awesome crock-pot dish = D

Ingredients:
Red Beans - 1 lbs

Tomato Paste - med size cans

Onion - 1

Garlic - 4 cloves

Salt - 3 tea

Pepper - 2 tea

Paprika - 2 tea

Chili Powder - 2 tea

Sugar - 2 tab

Water - just enough to cover the beans

Soak the beans overnight in water.

Put all the ingredients in a large pot and boil until tender, around 4 hours.  You can also cook it in the crock-pot all day on low.  This dish is really good served on rice and sour cream.

Mac N' Cheese Idea

Make your favorite homemade mac n' cheese, and add peas, bacon bits, spread in a pan sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and broil for 5  minutes. =D

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread

(www.allrecipes.com)

This has to be the best cornbread on earth! I hate when cornbread is all dry and crumbly, don't you?  Well not this cornbread! It's very moist and stays together nicely.  It's sweet and buttery.  Delicious! 

Makes one  full 9 by 11 inch pan.

ingredients:

1 cup and 2 tablespoons butter

1-1/2 cups white sugar

4-1/2 eggs

2-1/4 cups buttermilk

1 teaspoon baking soda

2-1/4 cups cornmeal

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 9 by 11 inch square pan.

Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar. Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended. Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan. Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Beef and Rice

This dish is so good!

ingredients:

1 Green Pepper

1 Yellow Pepper

1 Green Pepper

1 Onion

1 Clove of Garlic

1 1/2 pounds of beef

4 cups of uncooked rice

Butter

Salt/Pepper

4-5 Packets of Brown Gravy

Chop the peppers and place it in a pan with the Beef, Cook until the meat is cooked.



 Place the meat into a separate bowl and try to save the drippings from the beef for the gravy.  After you have done that start the rice and dump the beef mixture into the water with the rice.  Put salt, pepper, and a pat of butter into the rice.  Cook until the rice is tender.  When the rice is almost done start the gravy, pour the grease from the beef into a pan, then follow the directions on the back of the gravy packet. 



After the gravy is thickened place rice on individual plates and spoon gravy over them.  Serve hot. Enjoy!

Whole Wheat, Oatmeal, Flax, and Banana, Pancakes

I made this for dinner tonight and I think it's the best Pancake recipe ever!

Serves: 15

ingredients:

• 2-1/2 cups uncooked rolled oats


• 2-1/2 cups whole wheat flour


• 1-3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour


• 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons brown sugar


• 1/4 cup flax


• 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons baking powder


• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda


• 1-1/4 teaspoons salt


• 2-1/2 egg


• Blueberries optional


• 5 cups milk


• 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil


• 2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


• 2-1/2 banana, mashed

1. Place the rolled oats into the jar of a blender and blend until the texture resembles coarse flour. Whisk together the blended oats, whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, flax, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.


2. Whisk together the egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana. Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.


3. Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium-high heat. Drop batter by large spoonfuls onto the griddle, and cook until bubbles form and the edges are dry, about 2 minutes. Flip, and cook until browned on the other side. Repeat with remaining batter.

Chicken & Rice Casserole

I guess you can say I sort of made this dish up....I got the idea though from the one and only Paula Deen on the  food network website. 

ingredients:

Makes two 9 by 11 baking dishes.

4 cups of uncooked rice-cooked

2 28oz can green beans

5 cups of shredded chicken

1 onion

2 cups mayo

salt/pepper

Cream Sauce:

1/2 cup oil

1/2 flour

8 cups of milk

1 teaspoons celery salt

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons garlic salt

Chicken flavoring

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 block of velveeta cheese

Directions:

heat the chicken and green beans in a large sauce pan with some salt and pepper.   After that is heated though place the chicken and green beans in a large mixing bowl and coat with the mayo.  

Sauce:

heat oil until bubbly then add the flour and stir until no lumps.  quickly add the milk and whisk.  Add the chicken flavoring, and the salts.  Add the cheese, if it's not thickening after 5 minutes add the cornstarch.  

Spray the pans and spread the rice evenly in the bottom, mix in the chicken and green bean mixture.  Pour the cheese sauce over them and mix lightly so not to mush the rice.   Bake at 345F until light brown and bubbly.  Enjoy!

Jazz up your dishes.

Canned Tomato Soup

Add parsley, basil, and fresh garlic

Canned Green Beans

Heat a skillet with butter and garlic, add green beans, salt/pepper to taste.

Hint: Garlic makes everything better!

Boxed Mac 'N' Cheese

1. Add one cup sour cream, taco seasoning and a half  a pound of ground hamburger.

2. Add some color to your dish throw some thinly sliced peppers into it!

3. add hot dogs.

4. add whole milk and some parmesan cheese.

4. add cook chicken, buffalo sauce, salsa, and a little ranch dressing, and you got yourself buffalo chicken mac n cheese!

5. add a can of mushroom soup.

There are so many I could go on forever but these are the best!

Chocolate Chip Muffins

We have these for breakfast at least 2 or 3 times a week, they are quick, tasty, and easy.  You can also subtract the chocolate chips and add blueberries, or other fruits and veggies like sweet potatoes. 

Ingredients: makes 24 regular sized muffins.

2 eggs

2/3 cup oil

2/3 cup white sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoon baking powder

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 cups milk

2 cups white flour

2 cups wheat flour

2 cups chocolate chips

optional:

1 cup sour cream

1 cup chopped walnuts 

Mix all the wet ingredients together in a medium bowl.  Add the dry ingredients.  Mix well.  Add the chocolate chips and walnuts if desired. Bake for 15 minutes at 345F or until golden brown.



Enjoy!