Peanut Butter Dream Bars

Here's another recipe/result of my Pinterest surfing. I currently have 388 pins on my "Sweets" board, which is a little crazy. When in the world am I going to make 388 different desserts!?!  The recipes that I actually make have to not only look good, but be simple enough for me to take the time to do. One day a few weeks ago- this recipe fit those requirements, so I gave it a try. It did not disappoint!! Peanut butter and chocolate is always a good idea. These bars add oatmeal and end up a little melty and gooey. I found them best served warm with ice cream and chocolate sauce. Our weather has been up and down A LOT over the last few weeks, but the next time its up and we can host a backyard bbq, this dessert will definitely be on my menu!

-Wendy

Peanut Butter Dream Bars

Recipe Type: Dessert

Author: Wendy (found on Pinterest)

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 25

Ingredients

• 1 c melted butter


• 1 c brown sugar


• 1 tsp bakíng soda


• 2 1/4 c quíck cookíng oatmeal


• 1 1/2 c flour


• 1 tsp salt


• 1/2 c peanut butter


• 1 can sweetened condensed mílk


• 1 Kíng síze Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup candy bars, roughly chopped


• 1 c chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.


2. Líne a 9×13 pan wíth tín foíl and spray líghlty wíth cooking spray.


3. In a medíum míxíng bowl, stír together melted butter, sugar, soda, oatmeal, flour & salt untíl ít’s crumbly. Set asíde about 1 cup or a líttle more.


4. Press the rest of the crust into the prepared pan. Bake crust for 10 minutes.


5. Whíle crust ís cookíng, ín a small bowl, stir together the peanut butter and sweetened condensed mílk.


6. Once crust has baked, evenly pour and spread peanut butter fíllíng over the baked crust. Be gentle so you don’t pull up the warm crust whíle you spread the fíllíng.


7. Evenly sprínkle the reserved crumbs on top of the peanut butter and sweetened condensed mílk míxture. Bake at 350 for about 15 mínutes.


8. After 15 mínutes, remove from the oven and sprínkle the chopped candy bars and chocolate chíps evenly over the top. Return to oven to bake for another 5-10 mínutes or untíl the toppíng ís líght golden brown and candy bars/chíps are meltíng.


9. Allow to cool to make cuttíng and servíng easíer.

3.2.1310

 

No-Cook Overnight Oatmeal with Chia

I love oatmeal but I'm not very fond of the instant packs so I find that I don't have it as often as I'd like since the mornings are always so rushed and usually involve me yelling at one child or another at some point (or many points).  So when I came across this recipe on the Betty Crocker website and saw that it was a make ahead, I HAD to try it. Plus, it  contained my then-new obsession, chia seeds AND was no cook! Practically perfect in every way!

I was a little leery of the no-cook part in all honesty...I thought, "How could uncooked oatmeal taste good? And not be all chewy and hard and gross?".  Well, it works.

The possibilities for this small but mighty recipe are ENDLESS...I tried out a few versions and I'll list them within the recipe but truly it can go as far as your imagination, and palate will take you. If you try some of your own variations, please share in the comments. We'd love to hear them!

~Leah

No-Cook Overnight Oatmeal with Chia

Recipe Type: Breakfast

Author: Leah (adapted from Betty Crocker)

Prep time: 8 mins

Cook time: 8 hours

Total time: 8 hours 8 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

• Base Recipe


• 1/4 c old fashioned oats


• 1 tsp chia seeds


• 6 oz. yogurt (any flavor, see below for suggestions)


• Cranberry Almond


• vanilla yogurt


• 1/2 tsp. pure almond extract


• dried cranberries


• slivered almonds


• Apple Crisp


• vanilla or apple pie/apple crisp yogurt


• chopped Granny Smith apples


• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon


• chopped walnuts


• Pina Colada


• vanilla, coconut, or pineapple yogurt


• pineapple tidbits


• shaved coconut

Instructions

1. Stir oats and chia together then yogurt (or yogurt and milk if using Greek yogurt -- see notes) in half-pint canning jar (or other resealable container).


2. Cover; refrigerate about 8 hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle with toppings.

Notes

Feel free to use greek yogurt also, but bear in mind that it makes it a lot thicker... so use 1/4 cup greek yogurt and 1/3 cup milk or almond or coconut milk to thin it.

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Banana Cake with THE BEST Chocolate Frosting

Happy Spring-ish! Easter is this weekend so naturally it might snow today in Chicago. Sigh.

Moving right along...you must make this frosting. It's my go-to frosting for just about anything that needs to be frosted. It's also excellent left over and smeared on graham crackers or spoons. :)

And because making an entire batch of frosting for only a spoon is not socially acceptable, I give you a delicious vehicle! Banana cake is a favorite in our house. My oldest requests it every year for his birthday. I have made A LOT of banana cake recipes. While I'm not married to any of them, I come back to the one from my Gourmet cook book most often. I always make it in a 9x13 pan so they turn out like more of a banana bar, but they are quick and easy for a weekday treat.

~Erin

Banana Cake with THE BEST Chocolate Frosting

Author: Erin (adapted from Gourmet and Cake Central)

Ingredients

• Cake


• 1 c. ripe bananas, mashed


• 2 1/4 c. flour


• 3/4 tsp. baking soda


• 1/2 tsp. baking powder


• 1/2 tsp. salt


• 1/4 plain yogurt


• 1/2 c. butter, softened


• 1 c. sugar


• 2 eggs


• 2 tsp. vanilla


• Frosting


• 1/2 c. butter softened


• 1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder (such as Hershey's)


• 1/2 c. chocolate syrup (again, such as Hershey's)


• 3 c. powdered sugar


• 1 Tbs. milk


• 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350.


2. Spray or butter and flour a 9x13 pan.


3. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.


4. Beat butter and sugar together on medium-high speed till light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.


5. In a separate bowl, mix together bananas, yogurt, and vanilla.


6. Gradually add flour mixture to butter and sugar, alternating with banana mixture. End with flour mixture and mix only till just combined.


7. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth top.


8. Bake on middle rack until top is springy and toothpick comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes. Cool completely.

Frosting

1. Combine butter, cocoa powder, and chocolate syrup in mixer on low speed till combined.


2. Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed till combined. Add milk and vanilla.


3. Increase mixer speed to medium and mix till frosting is smooth. Add a little more milk or sugar if needed to get a nice spreadable consistency.


4. Apply generously to cooled cake. Or to whatever else your heart desires!

Notes

Here's the deal...both the cake recipe and the frosting recipe call for sifting your dry ingredients (before measuring). I am lazy when it comes to this extra step. So unless I'm making it for people I'm not related to, I don't sift. Perhaps my cake is a little denser but otherwise I can't tell the difference. Either way people will love it. :)

3.2.1284

 

Chicken Ramen Soup

It baffles the mind that you can buy an entire case of ramen noodles at Aldi for less than $3. No wonder they're the official meal of college students across the country. When the only cooking supplies I had consisted of a hot pot and tap water ramen noodles made a daily appearance on my menu and I was perfectly fine with it. Now that my kitchen (and budget) has expanded I still have found a use for them! I always keep several packages of ramen noodles in my pantry. If you break them up and toast them under a broiler they make the best topping for any salad, especially an Asian chopped salad or coleslaw...yum! However they tend to get the most regular use at my house around lunch time. I love to doctor them up a bit and make this chicken soup. You can add any veggies you have in your refrigerator or freezer. I prefer carrots, peas, corn, and/or edamame. Some other great options might be cabbage, broccoli, red pepper, celery, or spinach. Feel free to experiment! The same is true with the chicken, you could easily use shrimp, pork or beef instead of the chicken. Just don't skip the cilantro or the red pepper flakes- they're my favorite part! This soup does not keep well so be sure to eat it as soon as its ready and don't plan on keeping leftovers unless you don't mind eating it as pasta instead of soup! Its a perfect spring lunch, especially on rainy days like we're having here today. So run out to Aldi or Walmart or wherever and take advantage of the $3 special- it will make you lunch for the next two weeks. How do you beat that??

Chicken Ramen Soup

Recipe Type: Soup

Author: Wendy

Prep time: 3 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 13 mins

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 1 pckg chicken ramen noodle soup


• 2 c. water


• 1 c. peas


• 1/2 c. chopped carrots


• 1/4 c. chopped cilantro


• 1 c. chicken breast, chopped


• 1 Tbsp red pepper flakes


• 1 Tbsp olive oil


• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large soup pot heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until slightly browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and remove from the pot, place on a plate and keep warm.


2. Back in the soup pot add 2 cups of water, bring to a boil. Add the seasoning packet from the ramen noodles. Discard the vegetable packet from the soup package.


3. Add the ramen noodles, peas and carrots and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes.


4. Add in the chicken and red pepper flakes, simmer for another 2-3 minutes.


5. Remove from heat. Separate into 2 or 3 serving bowls and add in the cilantro and salt & pepper to taste.

3.2.1284

 

Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

I feel like I've been a little late to the kale bandwagon, party, bruhaha, whatever you want to call it. The benefits of this powerhouse veggie are hard to ignore, no matter if you're a veggie lover or not.

• Source of ALA (alpha-linoleic acid) which is actually a FAT...in a LEAF. But it's a GOOD fat.


• More iron per calorie than beef.


• More vitamin A than any other leafy green (206% recommended daily vitamin)


• More calcium per calorie than milk


• And according to Shape.com, "many of its top health-promoting compounds are rendered more effective when you eat the stuff in combination with another food. Pair kale with fats like avocado, olive oil, or even parmesan to make fat-soluble carotenoids more available to the body. And acid from lemon juice helps make kale's iron more bioavailable as well."

After reading that last part, I've decided that this recipe from Bon Appétit is pretty tough to beat in the good-for-you department. Add some protein by the way of some grilled chicken and it may just be the most healthy thing you can eat on the planet.

Oh, and it's actually really delicious too!

~Leah

Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad

Recipe Type: Salad

Author: Leah (from Bon Apetit)

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 2 mins

Total time: 17 mins

Serves: 8-10

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice


• 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard


• 1 Tbsp minced shallot


• 1 small garlic clove, finely grated


• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more for seasoning


• Freshly ground black pepper


• 2 large bunches of Tuscan kale (about 1 1/2 pounds total), center stem discarded, leaves thinly sliced


• 12 ounces brussels sprouts, trimmed, finely grated or shredded in food processor or with a knife OR bag of shredded brussels sprouts (usually around 10 oz)


• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided


• 1/3 cup almonds with skins, coarsely chopped


• 1 cup finely grated Pecorino

Instructions

1. Combine lemon juice, Dijon mustard, shallot, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper in a small bowl. Stir to blend; set aside to let flavors meld. Mix thinly sliced kale and shredded brussels sprouts in a large bowl.


2. Measure 1/2 cup oil into a cup. Spoon 1 tablespoon oil from cup into a small skillet; heat oil over medium-high heat. Add almonds to skillet and stir frequently until golden brown in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer nuts to a paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle almonds lightly with salt.


3. Slowly whisk remaining olive oil in cup into lemon-juice mixture. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.


4. Add dressing and cheese to kale mixture; toss to coat. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Garnish with almonds.

Notes

Dressing, kale mixture, and toasted almonds can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover dressing and kale mixture separately and chill. Cover almonds and let stand at room temperature.[br][br]FYI, Kale is so hearty that this is one of the very few salads that the leftovers can be saved and aren't a gross mushfest the next day...or two! Bonus![br][br]Shape.com also mentions that "According to the Environmental Working Group, kale is one of the most likely crops to have residual pesticides. The organization recommends choosing organic kale (or growing it yourself!)."

3.2.1275

 

 

Crock Pot Beef Tacos

I'm fairly certain the benefits of the crock pot have been loudly heralded here before. Nothings better- put your meal in a pot, add some seasoning, turn a dial, come back later and eat. Brilliant! This recipe is SO simple and it makes great tacos. Not to mention it can feed a small army. My kids are currently on a quesadilla kick, so when I made the tacos we had plenty of leftovers for quesadillas the next day.

I am never a fan of using water in the crock pot. No matter what seasonings I use, it always comes out tasting well...watery. So I used beef broth in this recipe and had great results. I'm sure you can use water and beef bullion cubes, or probably even just water to add the needed moisture. Add whatever you love to finish off your tacos, but I think these are GREAT with just cilantro, onion and some cheese. (I cannot have tacos without cheese, its against my religion.)

Give yourself a break next week and make these for dinner!

~Wendy

Crock Pot Beef Tacos

Recipe Type: Dinner

Author: Wendy

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 8 hours

Total time: 8 hours 10 mins

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1 1/2-2lb Sirloin Roast


• 2 1/2 c. beef broth


• 1 large onion, cut into 3 pieces


• 2 Tbsp cumin


• 2 Tbsp chili powder


• 1 Tbsp black pepper


• 1 Tbsp salt


• 1 Tbsp onion powder


• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

Instructions

1. Remove the roast from the refrigerator and unwrap. Let rest on the counter for 5 minutes.


2. Meanwhile mix all of the seasonings together in a small bowl. Place the onion pieces on the bottom of the crock pot.


3. Rub the seasonings into the roast, be sure to cover the entire roast.


4. Place the roast in the crock pot on top of the onions. Pour 2 cups of the beef broth into the crock pot AROUND the roast (not on top of).


5. Cook on low for 8 hours, check every few hours, add more broth if necessary.


6. Remove roast and shred the meat with two forks, put into a bowl and add the remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth.


7. Serve with warm taco shells, cilantro, chopped onions, and cheese.

Notes

I used a Sirloin Roast, you could likely use any type of non-fatty beef roast.

3.2.1275

 

 

 

Lasagna Soup

I've got another fab one-pot meal to share! Not to mention hot and cheesy. This is a perfect match for the dreary, cabin-fever-crazed days we have been having here in Chicago.

The first time I made lasagna soup my kids asked for seconds. And hold the phone.....even asked for leftovers the next day! This is unheard of, folks.

While this meal is easy, be sure to factor in some simmering time. 30 minutes is good, but more is great. I also subbed in cottage cheese for the ricotta called for in my inspiration recipe. Just my personal preference, but the two would be interchangeable here.

You might notice my picture above sports no tomato chunks. To avoid forcing diced tomatoes on my diced-tomato-hating 7 year old, I put the entire 28 oz. can though the blender before adding to the pot. I pick my battles. Either way will be delicious, so I encourage you to consider your own tomato eating preferences. Enjoy!

~Erin

Lasagna Soup

Author: Erin (adapted from Closet Cooking)

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 50 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil


• 1 lb. Italian sausage, casings removed


• 1 onion, diced


• 2 cloves garlic, minced


• 1/2 tsp, red pepper flakes


• 4 cups chicken broth (32 oz. carton)


• 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained


• 2 T. tomato paste


• 1 tsp. oregano


• 1 bay leaf


• salt and pepper to taste


• 8 oz. bow tie pasta


• 4 ounces cottage cheese


• 1/2 c. parmesan, grated


• 2 c. mozzarella, shredded


• 1 tsp. dried basil

Instructions

1. Brown sausage in a pan over medium-high heat with olive oil. When no longer pink, remove from pan, and reserving fat in the pan.


2. Add onion to pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.


3. Add sausage, chicken broth, diced (or blended) tomatoes, tomato paste, oregano, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to pan. Simmer for 30 minutes.


4. Add pasta to pan and cook until al-dente, about 7-8 minutes. Remove from heat.


5. In a separate bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan, mozzarella, and dried basil.


6. Serve soup with scoops of cheese mixture on top.

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