Toddler Tuesdays: Microwave Chewy Chocolate Granola Bars

It's been a long time since our last Toddler Tuesday post. Landon has become a better eater as of late and has been eating more and more of what we eat so I've really been making less "special" food for him. The ultimate goal is to have him eat what we eat but clearly that doesn't always happen.

Lately Landon has been on a "bar" kick. He loved the Earth's Best or Trader Joe's apple granola bars (like Nutrigrain) and eats them almost daily. He has always wanted to try the Quaker Chewy granola bars but they have so many fake ingredients and really aren't something I'd want him to eat daily, so I decided to try a homemade version. This was Landon's first time cooking with me and it went over SO well. He loved it! He helped pour, stir, and pat the granola down. He even taste tested a few bites as we went along.

I have to say these bars came together in no time. Once they were done I happily tried one and they are awesome. They are much better than the Quaker ones and are so easy to make. I think it took 3-5 minutes to make. Can't beat it. The result is a soft, sweet bar with hints of chocolate. It was truly perfect. However, I have to be honest... Landon still hasn't tried them fully cooked. Once they came out of the freezer I asked Landon if he wanted a bar and he started crying when he realized I meant something other than his Earth's Best bar. Whomp whomp. We'll try again tomorrow. I know he'd love them because he ate the mix as we went along, so clearly he likes them. And if he doesn't.... John and I do! So more for us!

Source: Cooking Classy

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups quick oats
1 1/4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
3 Tbsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1- Place butter, brown sugar and honey in a 2 quart microwave safe bowl and heat mixture in microwave on HIGH power for 1 minute. 

2- Remove from heat and stir then return to microwave and heat on HIGH power 1 1/2 minutes. 

3- Carefully remove from microwave and blend in vanilla, then add in quick oats and stir until evenly coated. Fold in Rice Krispies and toss well to evenly coat, then push firmly into a buttered baking dish. Push until it's settled well onto the bottom of the dish.

4- Sprinke chocolate chips and press into bars. Transfer to freezer and chill 10 minutes, then remove and cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.

Toddler Tuesdays: Banana Oatmeal Bites

Oh Toddler Tuesdays, I haven't forgotten about you! I swear.

I haven't been too adventurous in the kitchen lately with Landon. Little man is picky, and as a cook, picky eaters are seriously not fun to cook for! However I decided it was time to try another new treat for Landon and decided to use what I had in the house to make him a cookie/cracker type snack. You see, Landon will eat crackers like nothing else. Saturday night he ate 14 crackers. FOURTEEN CRACKERS. I was in shock. So I decided to try something cracker shaped that was healthier.

These oatmeal bites are great. They are soft- more of a cookie texture than a cracker- and dense. Landon has been nibbling on them since I made them and seems to like them. I think he's definitely confused as to why they taste like "nana" but don't look like one haha! You could add in some raisins, chocolate chips (which, btw, Landon doesn't like! WHO doesn't like chocolate?!?!?!), or any other mix in that appeals to you. Definitely an easy recipe that makes a healthy, toddler friendly, snack.

(Pardon this off coloring, my son is not this shade of red, it's the best pic I could get- he screamed "CHEESE" as I took this, then refused to let me take another one haha!)

Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:

2 large overripe bananas

1 cup quick cook oats

2 tbsp graham crumbs

1 tsp canola oil

Directions:

1- Preheat the oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with silpats or parchment paper.

2- In a bowl mash the bananas until smooth. Stir in the oats, graham crumbs, and oil. Stir well until fully combined.

3- Scoop tablespoons into sheets. Flatten. Bake 15 minutes, until golden.

4- Remove and allow to cool on cooking sheet.

Toddler Tuesdays: Applesauce Melts

This is so far from a "recipe", seeing as how there's only one ingredient, but it's so kid friendly- you'll thank me.

Landon loves yogurt melts. You know, those dehydrated disks of yogurt that taste like sour milk? Yup- loves them. He can eat a whole pack in one sitting (and has more than once) so when I saw these applesauce melts on Pinterest I knew I had to try them. I made them quickly one night while he was eating dinner and within an hour they were ready to go. Landon was skeptical at first... he's still unsure about cold things like ice cream/Italian ice/etc. He didn't want to touch them, but once he got the spoon involved he was a happy camper. These are a great treat, especially with the hot summer beginning.

The best thing is you can make as many or as few as you want. You can use any flavored applesauce you like- Landon is a huge fan of the Healthy Harvest blueberry applesauce as well as the Cherry Berry applesauce by Mott's. I can't wait to make a huge batch of these for him soon. I might do some mixed with some Greek yogurt to make a healthy yogurt/fruit snack!

Source: Inspired from Pinterest 

Ingredients:

Applesauce

Directions:

1- Pour applesauce into a zipper bag. Snip off a tiny section of one corner.

2- Squeeze disk shaped applesauce blobs onto a silpat covered baking sheet (or parchment paper). Freeze for one hour- or until set. Remove from sheet- store in a freezer bag.

Toddler Tuesdays: Roasted Chick Peas

Well, this is the first recipe on Toddler Tuesdays that I can say was a huge hit, and yet will never be made again. Interesting, right? Keep reading...

Landon has entered the lovely phase of toddlerhood where he is exceptionally skeptical of all new foods, especially ones with different colors and textures. He is getting pickier by the day. Being the insane loving mom that I am I am constantly trying to find ways to get him to eat new and nutritious foods, even if he is constantly trying to snub me for anything that isn't a Goldfish cracker. I had seen these roasted chick peas floating around the internet and though that was a super interesting idea. Landon loves crunchy things, he loves small stuff, and he tends to prefer snacks to meals. Therefore I was sure these would be a hit. And they were!! He ate several, which is huge for him the first time he tries a new food.

However, later on in the day we noticed that he had an allergic reaction to something he ate. We had fed him these just before leaving for a BBQ, where he ate all foods prepared by others in various kitchens (a logistical nightmare to a parent of a child with multiple food allergies), but I diligently hunted down the chef of each dish and asked if it contained any of his allergens. I thought we were safe... but there was a reaction. I did some research and it seems that some kids with peanut allergies can't eat chick peas because they are in the legume family. Well, you learn something new every day... So I'm not sure if it was the chick peas or something else from the BBQ, but for now, I'm laying off. However, for those of you out there with toddlers (or who just like chick peas!) these are awesome. There are tons of flavor combos, and essentially this is more of a method rather than a recipe! Toss in any seasonings you want- cajun to make is spicy, lemon basil to give it some pucker, etc. Or try my sweeter version listed below. You really can try anything with this and have a great, easy, healthy snack! 

Ingredients:
1 14 oz can chick peas (rinsed, drained, and patted dry)
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp favorite seasonings (I used Italian seasonings and garlic combined)
Options: If you want a sweeter variety, use melted butter in place of oil and use some brown sugar/cinnamon in place of the seasonings.

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 425.
2- Line a jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet with edges) with parchment paper or a silpat. Evenly lay the chickpeas out in a single layer.
3- Roast for 40 minutes, flipping halfway through.
4- Toss the roasted chick peas in a large bowl with oil and seasonings. Stir well. Enjoy.

Note:  They can be stored for up to a day or two in an airtight container, but mine got moldy on day three!

Raspberry Twists

Happy New Year my friends! I know a lot of people look at the start of a new year as a new start, a fresh slate, and a beginning. To me it's just another day. Is that horrible? Negative? I don't know... I just don't really buy into the hype of putting too much energy into a change of the calendar. I do, however, always make a resolution. This year I am resolving to stop procrastinating and to put more effort into my blog. 2012 was an amazing year with a new baby, but it also meant that blogging took a bit of a back seat. I still blogged but definitely less frequently than in past years and I also put less effort into cooking/meal planning in general. So here's to improving on that!

With that said, these twists are from Christmas. I have been in a bit of a raspberry kick lately and am loving raspberry jam in all forms. These twists were very easy to make and really were delicious. They are best warm. When I served them on Christmas they were cool and not as good. When we ate the leftovers we heated them for a few seconds in the microwave to bring some life back to them and they were perfect! John and I were fans- Landon liked them in theory, kept pointing to them and saying, "That? That?" but then would taste it and look less than impressed. What can I say... can't please everyone ::wink wink::!

Source: Sprinkle Bakes

Ingredients:

1 package puff pastry (2 sheets)
1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam
Flour for dusting

Directions:

1- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment and set aside.
2- Allow puff pastry to thaw as directed on the package. Dust work surface with flour and lightly dust rolling pin with flour. Roll out puff pastry until about 2" larger on each side. Cut crosswise into two rectangles.
3- Heat 1/4 cup of jam in microwave for15-20 seconds, just enough to loosen the consistency.
4- With a pastry brush, coat one piece of puff pastry with half the jam. Cover jam-coated piece with the remaining plain piece of puff pastry and gently roll together with rolling pin - not too hard, or your jam will squish out.
5- Slice into long strips and twist, then place on parchment lined pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before removing from the pan. 

6- If desired, sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.

Peanut Butter Caramel Corn

Are you a sports person? I'm not. It's one thing that made me scared to have a son- I just have no sports knowledge nor do I have a desire to have any knowledge about sports. So when we were invited to our friends James and Jen's Superbowl party my first thought was, "What should I make?" Because honestly...the Superbowl is 100% about snacks to me! I couldn't decide if I wanted to make an appetizer or dessert so I decided to split the middle and make a snack. This popcorn is really so simple to make and results in an amazing treat. It's rich, sweet, and full of flavor. People were raving about it which is always a good sign. Be warned, my variation yields a ton of popcorn! Typically caramel corn stores well in air tight containers so the leftovers won't go bad too quickly. Try this for your next party. It's definitely a winner.

Source: Heavily adapted from Pretty Peas

Ingredients:
3 bags natural popcorn, popped (standard size bags, not mini)
1 2/3 cups brown sugar
1 2/3 cup light colored corn syrup
5 tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tsp vanilla

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 250.
2- Grease 2 9x13 dishes with cooking spray. Pour the popcorn evenly into the dishes and set aside.
3- In a small saucepan heat the sugar, syrup, butter, and salt. Cook about 3 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in the peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until completely melted.
4- Pour the peanut butter sauce evenly over the two pans of popcorn. Gently stir to coat.
5- Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Once done allow it to cool completely, then break the popcorn into pieces.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Big news: I'm on maternity leave! I am officially done with work until September, which is scary and exciting for me. You see, I knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was a little kid (as early as 4-5 years old). Teaching is a huge part of my life. I remember once being at some event where you had to describe yourself in three words and the first word I listed was "teacher." It's just a huge part of my identity. But in a few weeks I'll be adding a new trait to that list, "mommy." And as much as I love being a teacher I am truly looking forward to this next chapter.

My students, being typical 10 year olds, love to eat. Love it more than anything else I could offer them. So when it was my last week with them for the year I decided to treat them to a special snack. I made this dip for them and brought it in on Halloween. A couple kids were skeptical, eyeing the slightly orange dip, but once the first "mmmmmmmm" erupted they all dug in. This recipe yields a lot of dip and that's a good thing if you're making it for a crowd. It was perfectly sweet, had a nice bit of pumpkin flavor to it, and made for some happy fifth graders. I served it with apple slices, Nilla wafers, and pretzel sticks. According to the kids the apples and Nilla wafers are the best dipping agents!

Source: Carolina Charm

Ingredients:

16 ounces Cool Whip
1 5 ounce box instant vanilla pudding mix
1 15 ounce can pumpkin
1/2 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:
1- Stir all of the ingredients listed above together.
2- Refrigerate for at least three hours.
3- Serve with assorted dippers.

Crispy Sugar Crumb Triangles

I have fallen into a deep love with Pinterest. Aside from the fact that I get tons of hits from there (thank you to people who pin my recipes, I REALLY appreciate it!) to the fact that I am exposed to lots of new recipes, it's a favorite site of mine. When I saw these I knew I needed to make them for John. John loves anything with cinnamon and sugar, especially if a crescent roll is involved. Boy was I right, he was so obsessed with these he ate half the batch in one morning. I have to agree with him though, they are so good. They taste like a crumb cake but require a fraction of the effort and seriously no skill.

On a somewhat unrelated note, the original name for these is "sugar crumb crispy" but I felt like it was missing a word. It sounded like a bunch of describing words but no object of description. The title also made me think of this school lunch they serve where I teach: crunchy cheese squares. Descriptive, but I still have no idea what a "crunchy cheese square" is except that it's presumably crunchy, cheesy, and square shaped. I'm not sure why those things came to mind but the whole time I was making these I was trying to envision a "crunchy cheese square" and decided to rename this recipe something that wouldn't leave you confused based on it's title!

Source: Adapted from Chef In Training

Ingredients:
1 roll of crescent rolls, divided into 8 triangles
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp. water

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 400. Lay the crescent rolls out on a silpat or wax paper covered cookie sheet.
2- In a bowl combine the sugars, flour, and cinnamon. Cut the butter into the mixture until a crumb forms (it's ok if it is not all crumby, mine was partially crumby and partially just a sugar mixture).
3- Sprinkle the crumb topping over the crescents. (I only used about 3/4 of the crumb topping- it made a lot and I didn't need it all).
4- Bake for 8-12 minutes, until golden. Allow to cool, then slice in half (unless you want to leave them large).
5- Assemble the glaze by combining the two ingredients. Add more water if you want it runnier or less if you want it thicker. Drizzle over the bars.

Salted Peanut Butter Chocolate Brittle

This stuff is to die for. Seriously, it's addicting. Be warned.

Now that we got that over with, I've had this many times over the past 6 years. My friend Kristen makes this often for events and I am always excited when I know this delicious dessert will be making an appearance. It's just so amazing. Think about it- chocolate? Check. Peanut butter? Check. Sweet AND salty? Check. It has all the marks of an amazing treat and truly is a crowd pleaser. I took this to a family gathering and it was a huge hit with everyone. I was glad I saved a few pieces for myself at home because I've been thinking about it all week and slowly picking at the few pieces I left myself. I even threatened John when he tried to take one of my last two pieces.

...I do have to say though, I like it better when Kristen makes it ::wink wink:: Luckily for me I work with her and live across the street... so I'm sure I'll have it many more times in my life!

Source: Every Day with Rachel Ray

Ingredients:

Saltine crackers (a little over 1 sleeve)

2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 12oz bag chocolate chips

1 cup creamy peanut butter

Coarse salt

Directions:

1- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, covering the bottom and sides. Place a layer of crackers on the sheet, breaking as needed to cover the surface; set aside.

2- In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the sugar and 2 tablespoons water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook undisturbed until the caramel mixture is light golden and registers 255° on a candy thermometer, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute. Stir in the vanilla and quickly pour over the crackers, using a spatula to spread evenly. Bake for 8 minutes.

3- Remove the brittle from the oven and sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Bake just until the chocolate starts to melt, about 2 minutes, then spread the chocolate evenly and let the brittle cool for 5 minutes.

4- Meanwhile, melt the peanut butter in the saucepan over low heat; drizzle across the chocolate and, using the handle of a spoon, swirl the chocolate and peanut butter. Sprinkle with salt.

5- Let the brittle cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate until set, at least 2 hours. Break into pieces to serve.

Best Banana Bread...Ever

Banana bread isn't something I typically get all excited about. I mean, it's good, but it's not something I'd ever write home about. Until now. Oh.My.Goodness. This bread has changed that for me. I had two bananas decomposing quite ripe on my counter so I decided to throw this together. I wasn't really expecting much, because as I mentioned before banana bread is pretty standard. This recipe really takes it to a new level. Is it the fact that there is a TON of sugar in it (hello- white sugar, brown sugar, and honey)? Yes.. most likely. This bread was moist and the cinnamon crumb topping was amazing. I had a slight issue (or mental break down involving me needing to leave the room- I blame the pregnancy hormones, don't judge me...) getting the bread out of the pan. I didn't spray the pan enough and the bottom stuck a bit, so when I tried to manhandle it out the crumb topping kind of shattered... resulting in me getting abnormally dramatic. Lesson? Spray your pan. Well. Like, really well. And then let your husband take it out of the pan while you pout in the corner. Yup... I'm not proud of my behavior, but I am proud of this bread- so make it!

Source: Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium)
2 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar


Directions:
1- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch metal baking pan (or use nonstick spray- a lot of it). 
2- Whisk 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl. Whisk next 5 ingredients in large bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients; stir to blend. Transfer batter to pan. Mix 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and brown sugar; sprinkle over batter.
3- Bake bread until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour. 
4- Cool bread in pan 30 minutes. Turn pan on its side; slide out bread, being careful not to dislodge topping. Turn bread right side up and cool completely.

Watermelon Frozen Yogurt Popsicles

This pregnancy has made me crave two things I don't normally care for: chips and water ice. We go to Ralph's, a local Italian ice chain, quite often. We even had them come to our wedding to give out Italian ice when our guests left... we take our ices quite seriously ::wink wink::. However I always get the heavy cream ice which is like a slushier ice cream... yet since being pregnant nothing is more appealing than water ice- lemon in particular. When this ice pop recipe popped up on Cassie's blog I knew I had to make them. It was a healthier way to cure my constant need for fruity water ice. The best thing about this recipe is the possibilities. I'm already imagining a pineapple version- yum. Just change the fruit and even the yogurt and you have a new flavor. These are creamy and taste exactly like the fruit you use because... well... they're made from fruit! Yes, I am clearly Captain Obvious today, I apologize. Even my dad who was skeptical really liked them. Before the summer ends and all of the great fruit disappears give these a shot!

Source: Cassie Craves

Ingredients:
2 cups seedless watermelon, diced
1 6-8 oz carton vanilla yogurt
1 tbsp sugar

Directions:
1- In a food processor combine all of the ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into ice pop molds and freeze according to the directions for the molds (mine required 4-6 hours but I let them go overnight to be sure).

Cake Batter Rice Krispie Treats

I am a member of a cooking community full of bloggers and home cooks. One day there was a conversation about how people were "so over" the cake batter trend. I sat there in complete shock. Never, ever, ever will I be over cake batter flavored treats. I have loved cake batter flavored snacks since I first tired cake batter ice cream at Cold Stone in college. Since then I have just fallen deeper and deeper in love with the cakey goodness.

I first saw this recipe months ago and kept meaning to make it but for one reason or another never got around to it. I'm so glad I finally did! They taste pretty similar to their brother, the regular "plain" rice krispie treat, but with a little fun twist. They have a mild cake batter taste and are full of fun colorful sprinkles. Next time I'm not sure I'd mix as many sprinkles into the mix, or if I did I'd do it at the last possible second because mine melted into the mix and kind of "bled" into it, making them a bit more green than white. Overall, delicious. Like, super duper delicious. If I wasn't being lazy I might be eating one now as I typed... but I am lazy and they are juuuussstttttt out of arms reach!

Source: How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:
3 tbsp. butter
1 10 oz bag mini marshmallows
1/4 cup yellow cake mix
6 cups rice krispie cereal
Sprinkles

Directions:
1- Over low heat melt the butter. Stir in the marshmallows and stir constantly until melted.
2- Once melted, spoon in the yellow cake mix one spoon at a time and stir well. Remove from the heat.
3- Add the rice krispies, stirring well until coated in the marshmallow mixture.
4- Add some sprinkles, about 2 tbsp., and stir well.
5- Spoon into a greased dish (any size you want) and push down to flatten (I spray my hand with nonstick spray and push with my hand). Top with additional sprinkles. Allow to set for 30 minutes, then can with a knife sprayed with nonstick spray. Keep in an airtight container.

White House Granola Bars

Did you ever wonder what President Obama and his crew eat for breakfast? NO!? Well.. honestly, I haven't either. It's just not something that crosses my mind. It would probably be significantly stranger if I did wonder about that, right? However, when these granola bars popped up on my radar as the granola bar recipe that they make in the White House I scanned the ingredients and figured if it's good enough for the President it's good enough for me!

These granola bars were delicious. I have become more and more interested in making my own granola bars. Most of my old favorites are loaded with ingredients that I don't like to eat too often. Not to mention if you do buy the organic or all natural options they are over $5 a box which is nuts when I can make a huge batch using ingredients I have on hand. These were very crunchy and not at all soft. They had a nice texture though- I thoroughly enjoyed the crunch. They don't take the place of my favorite granola bars but they are a very nice alternative. Once they cooled completely and were sliced I wrapped them individually in Press and Seal wrap, then placed them in an air-tight container. It kept them perfectly for almost a week.

Source:  Adapted from Health For The Whole Self

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons oil (vegetable, canola, olive... you choose)
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1/4 cup honey
3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons peanut butter
3/4 cup dried fruit (I used Craisins and a raisin blend)
3/4 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray. (My dish was 6x4 but I know this isn't a typical size, you want something smaller than a standard square baking pan.)
2- Place seeds and oats in a large dry skillet. Heat over medium heat until slightly toasted, about 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly.
3- In a saucepan combine the honey, brown sugar, and peanut butter. Heat until hot and well combined, stirring often.
4- In a mixing bowl combine the oat mixture, liquid mixture, fruit, and cinnamon. Stir well.
5- While the mixture is hot pour it into the prepared baking dish and press down with a clean spoon.
6- Bake 25-30 minutes or until brown and set. Transfer the dish to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

Cheddar Wafers

A couple weeks ago I sat down on the couch, exhausted, and proclaimed that I was "Sick of cooking and NEEDED a break!" John, being the love that he is, said "Ok babe- take a week off. No cooking, just relax." I agreed that maybe a break was needed. I had just made a few orders of cookies with royal icing for party favors, make a huge meal for my mom's birthday, meals for my beautiful new niece's birth, plus all the regular cooking for John and I. Well... let me tell you how long my break lasted. AN HOUR. Yes- 1 hour. I sat on the couch, threw my feet up, and then the "itch" hit. I immediately threw on my apron, got in the kitchen (aka my mecca) and made these cheddar wafers. Needless to say I didn't need a break... and I'm slightly addicted to mushing flour with my hands.

These cheddar wafers were fun to make. I have been trying to make more and more of John's snacks for work from scratch rather than packing him pre-made goodies. I typically have a formula for what I pack John and aside from nuts I always pack something crackery or chipy (yup...those "y"s again... sorry). These fit the bill nicely. And get inventive- if you don't have a small cookie cutter (which I didn't have) use any small circular shape. I used the top of a squeeze bottle that I use for my royal icing.
These had a subtle cheese taste. Next time I might up the seasonings, but even with the amounts listed they were great. A nice alternative to preservative laden crackers. Give it a try.

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway! It ends on Saturday the 19th at midnight. You can enter here.

Source: Eat, Live, Run

Ingredients:
1 stick butter, melted
2 eggs
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups all purpose flour

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 350.
2- Whisk together the butter and eggs. Add the cheese. Stir well. Add the baking powder, garlic powder, peppers, salt, and flour. Mix well.
3- Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness.
4- Using a small cookie cutter, cut the dough. Place on a baking sheet covered with a silpat or parchment paper.
5- Reroll the scraps and cut until all the crackers are formed.
6- Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden.

Makes about 3 dozen wafers.

Thick, Chewy Granola Bars

These are the best granola bars in the world. Yes. I am making that broad of a claim. These are the best granola bars I have ever, ever eaten. And trust me- I've eaten my fair share of granola bars.

Let's get into it, shall we? These are soft yet firm. I'm not sure how, but they are. The edges bake up crisp. The possibilities of mix ins are endless. They are quite healthy and you can feel good about eating them. They are pretty. They are the best granola bars ever.

What I really love about this recipe is that you can keep the base ingredients the same but change out your sweetener, change your mix ins, and next thing you know you have a whole new recipe. I think the only thing that I didn't love about these is that I gave half of them to my dad- I wish I kept them all! We went through them so quickly that I am already thinking about the next batch I'm going to make.

Just a little tip- I took my nuts and put them in the food processor to pulse them down to little bits. I kept the fruit whole but I chopped up the nuts and I really like how the small pieces of nuts spread throughout. If you don't have a food processor you could always put them in a zipper bag and roll them with a rolling pin. It's worth the extra effort.

Source: Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

1 2/3 cups quick rolled oats
1/2 to 3/4 cup granulated sugar, depending on how sweet you want them
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 to 3 cups dried fruits and nuts- *List of suggestions below (I used 1 cup mixed craisins/raisins, and 1 cup cashews/almonds/pumpkin seeds -altogether, not each- pulsed small)
1/3 cup peanut butter or another nut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 tablespoons melted butter
1/4 cup honey, maple syrup or corn syrup (I used honey)
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spray an 8″ x 8″ x 2″ pan with nonstick spray.

Over low heat melt the butter. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth.

Stir together all the dry ingredients, including the fruit and nuts. In a separate bowl, whisk together the vanilla, melted butter/peanut butter mix, liquid sweeteners and water. Toss the wet ingredients with the dry until the mixture is evenly crumbly. 

Spread in the prepared pan, pressing them in firmly to ensure they are molded to the shape of the pan. 

Bake the bars for 30 to 40 minutes, until they’re brown around the edges — don’t be afraid to get a little color on the tops too. They’ll still seem soft and almost underbaked when you press into the center of the pan but do not worry, they’ll set completely once completely cool.

Cool the bars in their pan completely on a cooling rack. Cut with a serrated knife.

*Suggestions: Dried cranberries, apricots, raisins, peanut butter chips, cashews, almonds, peanuts, pumpkin seeds, pecans, sunflower seeds, coconut, walnuts, sesame seeds, pepitas, dried apples or even chocolate chips. 

Cinnamon Sugar Almonds

Confession: I pack my husbands breakfast and lunch for work, daily. Don't hate on me- I like doing it. I just like the process of making his food and knowing he has some yummyness to eat during the day.

 I love Costco's nut trail mix and often add it to John's lunch. It's easy, nutritious, and high in good fats. However, John recently begged, pleaded, and urged asked me to lay off the trail mix for awhile- apparently he's sick of it. Meh.

Even so,  I really wanted him to have some form of nuts so I decided if Costco wasn't cutting it for him anymore I'd make my own variety of nuts and see if he liked it. Sure enough, these were a winner. And really, how could they not be? They are sweet, crunchy, and delicious. They also make your house smell like an amazing cinnamon scented candle while they cook. I made the whole recipe and stored them in an airtight container so these will last awhile. Best of all it's much cheaper than buying the fancy almonds at the grocery store!

Source: Divine Bites

Ingredients:

4 cups almonds

1 egg white

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:

1- Preheat the oven to 250.

2- Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.

3- Combine cinnamon, sugars, and salt in a bowl, mix well.

4- In another bowl whip the egg white and vanilla until it's foamy and thick (but do not let it form stiff white peaks). 

5- Add the almonds to the egg whites and stir well. Sprinkle sugar mixture over the almonds and stir to coat.

6- Spread evenly in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. 

7- Allow to completely cool, then store in an airtight container. 

Mini Chocolate Chip Pecan Loaf Cakes

This year for Christmas I made a list of wish items... and all of them involved the kitchen. Donut pans, an immersion blender, mini loaf pans... the list goes on. Oh- I also requested that cute little pink cupcake stand in the picture- why not, right?! My mom got me the mini loaf pan (among many other great items) and I immediately got to work on coming up with a mini loaf cake recipe.

John recently went snowboarding and I decided to make these little loaves for him to take with him for him and his friends. They received nothing but praise according to John. (One of his friends who always makes anti-marriage jokes even said, "Maybe marriage isn't so bad" after tasting one of these. Now THAT'S a compliment!) I tasted just a bite of one, to make sure I wasn't poisoning his friends, and I was quite pleased with the results. They were soft and fluffy. I loved the combo of the chocolate and pecans. And best of all, in the mini loaf pan you can make little individual servings. Instant portion control my friends. Who says I'm not being mindful of New Year's resolutions?

Source: Adapted from The Amateur Gourmet

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
2/3 cup plain or vanilla yogurt
3 large eggs
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup chocolate chip

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1- Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a mini loaf pan (8 slots) or a regular loaf pan.

2- Using a whisk, whisk together the sugar and yogurt. Add the eggs, one at a time, and whisk until completely combined.

3- 3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry mixture into the wet and mix until just combined.

4. Using a spatula, fold in the melted butter a little at a time. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.

5. 5. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. If using a mini loaf pan, bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. If using a regular loaf pan bake 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

6. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature, right side up. 

Directions:

Flaky Spinach Dip Bites

Before we get down to business, have you "liked" me on Facebook yet?! NO?! Well, get on it! Click HERE and then hit "like."

So now that that's out of the way, let's get to the deliciousness that is above. I volunteered to bring an appetizer on Christmas and I was really raking my brain. I couldn't decide between making spinach dip (which I make constantly for every event) or a hot appetizer. I went back and forth. I wrote pro's and con's lists and pondered the benefits of both...

I kid, I kid.

Then, like a sign from above, I decided to combine the two and do BOTH in one! Ah, so smart sometimes. I decided to change up my spinach dip a bit because I didn't think my go-to recipe would work hot. This dip worked really well! I was a fan and really liked how it came out. The best part is that it's so easy, yet they look impressive. That's my idea of a quality recipe.

It makes a lot of dip, so if you don't need that many bites save the dip, heat it up, and dip some chips in it! Or wait until later this week when I post a chicken recipe using the leftover dip- so good.


Source: Stephanie Cooks Original

Ingredients:

Dip:
10 oz frozen spinach, defrosted
8 oz. frozen artichoke hearts
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. sour cream
1 cup shaved or shredded parmesan cheese (not grated powder)
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Mini phyllo shells (in the grocery store freezer)

Directions:
1- Squeeze the liquid out of the spinach, place in a large bowl.
2- Dice the artichoke hearts into small pieces while they're still somewhat frozen (it's easier to cut frozen). Toss in with the spinach.
3- Add the cream cheese. Using a spoon, smush the cream cheese into the artichokes and spinach until well combined.
4- Add the sour cream, parmesan cheese, and seasonings. Stir well to combine.
5- Transfer to an oven safe dish. Refrigerate at least 1 hour (can be done overnight too).
6- Heat the oven to 350.
7- Heat in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until just warm and beginning to melt. (If you're using it as just a dip keep it in until bubbly and hot.)
8- While it's in the oven, place the mini phyllo shells on a cookie sheet.
9- Remove from the oven. Using a tablespoon, fill each shell with dip.
10- Heat in the oven for 5-6 minutes, until filling and shells are hot and golden.

Cake Batter Bark

Let's end 2010 with a bang, shall we?! THIS RECIPE IS UNREAL.

A have a little system to blogging, and basically at any given point I have 5-10 recipes photographed, edited, and ready to be blogged. When you see something on here I probably ate it 2-3 weeks ago. The truth behind this recipe? The chocolate is still on my fingers. Yes- literally. ::Runs off to wash hands::

I just made this for New Year's Eve and I am so excited to share this recipe with you that I CAN'T WAIT 2-3 weeks. I must share it now. This is, hands down, my new favorite "dessert" recipe. I will make this for everyone I know. I will make this for breakfast. I will make this for lunch. I will gain 30 pounds. And I will lick my fingers happily with every bite.

Make this- please, do. And don't worry about using a bit of cake mix and having a box left- you can still make the cake- it won't miss 1.5 teaspoons of the mix. Or make more bark. 'Cause that's my plan.

Source: Slightly adapted from How Sweet It Is

Ingredients:
7 ounces good dark chocolate (I used Trader Joe's brand)
12 ounces good white chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
1.5 heaping tsp.  yellow bake mix
Colored sprinkles

Directions:
1- Melt the dark chocolate in the microwave, over a double burner, or over low flame. Spread thinly over parchment paper of a silpat.
2- Cool in the freezer for 20 minutes.
3- Melt the white chocolate. Add the cake mix, stir well. Spread over the dark. (Do a little bit at a time because it will melt the chocolate and it won't look as pretty.)
4- Top with rainbow sprinkles. Freeze for 20 more minutes.
5- Break into pieces and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat it.

Caramel Corn

Cracker Jacks are so amazing, aren't they?! The salty sweet popcorn combined with the crunchy peanuts... all covered in a sugary coating... c'mon now, what's not to love?! I can't remember the last time I bought Cracker Jacks, possibly years and years ago, but for some reason this stuff popped into my head while I was planning my Thanksgiving menu. I thought the coloring of the caramel corn was very appropriate for Thanksgiving, so I figured I'd try my hand at making it.

Really it doesn't get much easier than this. Mix some stuff together, melt it, pour it, bake it. Ta-da! Magic. I followed the recipe to a tee and I wish I hadn't- I felt the cook time was off. Even though I mixed it frequently I felt like the top section in the final minutes of baking tasted... burnt. The rest was AMAZING, but every so often I'd get a piece that just tasted too well done. Therefore, the following recipe reflects my changes and the amount of time I feel is necessary. If after this time you feel yours isn't done give it a few more minutes- it needs to be hardened.

The taste of this stuff is great. It's just like Cracker Jacks! If you want to make it really authentic stick a little rub on tattoo in the bag and call it a "prize"- that was always my favorite part as a kid!

Source: Adapted from Good Things Catered


Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. corn syrup
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 bags microwaved popcorn
1 1/2 c. honey roasted peanuts, or addin of choice

Directions:
-Preheat oven to 300 degrees
-Pop popcorn and place popcorn and peanuts in a very large bowl.
-In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.
-Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
-Boil without stirring 4 minutes.
-Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla.
-Pour over popcorn and stir to coat.
-Place popcorn in two large shallow baking dishes and bake in preheated oven, stirring every 15 minutes, for 30-35 minutes.
-Remove from oven, stir one more time and let cool completely before breaking into pieces.