The yummiest granola you will ever eat!

With fall just around the corner, I'm starting to get into baking mode! I LOVE me some homemade granola, and I think this is the tastiest I've ever tried! The original recipe case for twice the sugar, honey, oil, etc. And I have found that it really doesnt need all of it! So here is the recipe I have come up with:
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup Brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 to 1 cup.chopped nuts ( I love pecans and almonds)
1/4 cup golden flax seed ( optional but is super healthy and I think its yummy)
6 to 7 heaping cups of oats
Combine everything in a bowl and divide evenly onto two baking sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for about 25 minutes, stirring every ten minutes, until golden brown. Keep stirring after its come.out of the oven as it cools so that it doesn't harden into one big clump.
This is so yummy we eat it as dessert!

Cake Balls

It was my neice's birthday this weekend, and I wanted to do something special for her. I haven't made cake balls in ages...and I forgot how much work they were...and how delicious they are! Have you ever made cake balls before? You bake a cake, let it cool down a bit, then crumble the whole cake into a mixing bowl. Add a can of frosting, mix all together, and form balls:

 Let the balls set up (I stuck mine in the freezer for a quick set up, or you can do fridge) Then dip then in chocolate. They are DIVINE! My neice kept sneeking them from the fridge, and she said, "Each one I eat gets better and better!"

S-S-S-Slacker

So someone has been completely slacking on the blogging around here...I have a million excuses..wanna hear 'em? How about instead I share a recipe? I honestly have not been cooking much lately...nothing's sounding good, and I'm getting a little tired of winter cooking--crockpots, soups, etc. Well, today was 70 degrees and BEAUTIFUL and inspired a little spring foods! I made pitas and they were delish! Well, I didn't actually make the pitas themselves, but I made the filling and it was so easy and so yummery and so light and tasty. It just felt like spring.

For the Pita Filling I chopped up veggies :
Lettuce, tomatoes, and I LOVE adding sprouts. You could grate carrots, add chopped spinach, anything you like!

 In a bowl, combine with the veggies:
shredded cheese, diced lunch meat (I used ham and chicken) sunflower seeds, sliced olives (these two ingredients are key!)

 If you are going to eat it now, go ahead and add mayonaise and mix it all together. If you are going to eat it later, or are only eating part of the filling, mix with mayonnaise in a separate bowl so that the leftovers don't get soggy.

Put filling in pita (the pitas at my grocery store didn't look too yummy so I just bought sandwich thins.

 I forgot to take a picture of the filling inside of the pita, because I was too darn hungry!

Just a little tip: if you buy those romaine hearts that come 3 in a bag, wash them all when you get them home, let them dry a little, wrap them in paper towels, and store them in a bag. They stay fresh and crisp much longer!

And coming soon... this lovely old filing cabinet is getting a facelift! Can't wait!

Nutella Cookies

We made these cookies tonight and they turned out so darn good that we had to take them around and deliver them to our neighbors! (Rarely do things that I bake turn out good enough to want others to try them.) The secret weapon?? Nutella!!
Cream together:
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup nutella
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Add:
1 1/3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Once combined, stir in 1 heaping cup of chocolate chips. Bake at 375 degrees for about ten minutes. They are SOOOOO tasty!

Oh, and my new favorite snack? Pretzel sticks dipped in Nutella. My daughter and I devoured a good cup of Nutella today dipping our pretzels into it...YUM!

What's (Not) For Dinner Wednesdays

This week has been rainy and cold here, and I have had a nice head cold to go with it! So for dinner for the last three nights, we have had chicken noodle soup from a can. Nice. That's probably what we'll be having again tonight, so I decided to share one of my favorite dessert recipes in the ENTIRE WORLD!!! You really must try this...you will be in HEAVEN!

Mile High Peanut Butter Brownie Pie
Ingredients

• 1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
• 1 (15.5 ounce) package Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix
• 1/4 cup peanut butter chips
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 egg
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
• 2 tablespoons peanuts, chopped
• 2 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll pie crust; place in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie; flute edge.
2. In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, peanut butter chips, oil, water and egg 50 strokes with spoon. Pour batter into crust-lined pie plate.
3. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, covering edge of crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes, until crust is golden brown and center of brownie is set. Cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour or until completely cooled.
4. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture over brownie. Sprinkle with peanuts and chocolate chips. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

What's for Dinner Wednesdays

Slow Cooked Chicken, Apples, Onions, and Rosemary


2 c. chopped onion
2 green apples cubed
4-5 uncooked chicken breasts
2 T Rosemary
salt/pepper to taste

Sauce
1 can cream of celery, mushroom, or chicken soup
1 cup chicken broth
Mix the sauce together in a separate liquid measuring cup.

Place onions on bottom of slow cooker, then place chicken, apples, and seasonings on top. Pour sauce over chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. Serve on top of rice.

This is really easy and a yummy, savory dish that will warm you up on a cold day! Rosemary reminds me of the holidays, so I especially like this around the holidays. I got this recipe from a good friend who lives states and states away from me now, so it always reminds me of her as well!

What's for Dinner Wednesdays!

My brother and sister in law have been in town staying with us for the holidays, and my sister in law made the most scrumptious dinner last night that I just had to share! They are chicken quesadillas, and they seriously are restaurant worthy, and so easy!

3-4 chicken breasts cooked and cubed or shredded
1 can green chiles
2 green peppers
2-3 tomatoes
green onions
cheese
tortillas

In a pan, saute green peppers in a little butter. Add tomatoes, chicken, and chiles. In another pan, place tortilla, add a good portion of the chicken mixture, and lots of cheese. Fold tortilla in half and cook 'til golden brown, flipping halfway through.
Top with sour cream, avacados, salsa...etc.
So YUMMY!!!

What's For Dinner Wednesdays!

On Wednesdays I'm going to post something yummy we are having for dinner. Disclaimer: I'm pregnant, and just getting into my second trimester, so I am still not feeling tons of energy and food is still not sounding great, so I have not been cooking/baking much of anything! So the meals for the next little while will probably be VERY simple (which is what I love even when I'm not pregnant!)
This is an easy recipe for Chicken Pot Pie that I learned when I was serving in Young Women's in my last ward. Our Young Women's president did a fun activity night to teach the girls some easy, inexpensive recipes they could use when they went off to college, moved out on their own, etc. I think I learned/enjoyed the activity more than any of the young women!

Easy Chicken Pot Pie

Frozen Pie Crust (In freezer section at your grocery store, usually come in a pack of two, very inexpensive)
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 cup chicken (you can use rotisserie, canned, boiled...she suggested you crockpot a whole bunch of chicken and shred it up and store it in individual cup sized portions in the freezer. I'm a big fan of this idea.)
1 handful of grated cheese

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, pour into pie plate, and top with pie crust. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until crust is started to get golden brown.

This is so cheap and easy to make, and my whole family loves it!

Holiday Recipes

I love this time of year. I love celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ. I love driving around looking at Christmas lights. I love the beautiful glow of our Christmas tree lit up at night. And I especially love all of the Christmas goodies!!! Here are a couple of my favorite fun festive (and easy) recipes:

Peppermint Bark

Melt 1 bag chocolate chips, spread on wax paper or foil lined tray. Refridgerate until hard.
Melt 1 bag white chocolate chips. Add a few drops of peppermint extract. Spread over hardened chocolate, and while white chocolate is still warm and soft, top with crushed peppermints. DELISH! And so much cheaper than buying peppermint bark!

Chocolate Kiss Cookies

These are so easy! Just whip up a batch of brownie mix (follow recipe on box)
Spray mini muffin tins, fill each about half full of brownie. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, and while still hot, place a chocolate kiss in the center of each. YUMMO!

Ooo, I'm going to go start baking!