The BEST No-Bake Bars

These are amazing! So good and the best part is they are gluten free for those who need that. Full of energy boosting ingredients too. I have heard some people roll them into balls instead of squares for a quick pop in your mouth treat. 

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter (try to use an all-natural one)

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil (use unrefined for a better coconut flavor)

2 cups dry oats (not instant)

1 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or not it`s up to you)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (try to use a good quality brand)

1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

Melt peanut butter, honey and coconut oil over med-low heat. 

Once melted remove from heat and add oats, shredded coconut, chocolate chips and vanilla. 

Stir until chocolate is entirely melted. 

Pour into a 9x13 pan and cool in the fridge. (you can line the pan with parchment paper making sure edges are hanging over, then when bars are set lift the parchment and cut into squares). 

Store in the fridge. 

Old-Fashioned Bread Pudding with Vanilla Sauce

I love this stuff! My grandmother was raised pretty much on bread, milk and onions, which in turn my mother had a time or too...I tried it once (minus the onions) and didn't really know what the fuss was all about. Well this my friends is a step up and so yummy.  I know I use that word a lot on here, but it truly is! If you like bread pudding or want to try one for the first time, this is it! I have seen this recipe on a few different websites so I`m not really sure where the original comes from. I got the picture from the land-o-lakes website their recipe you can find HERE Enjoy!

Ingredients

4 cups cubed white bread (about 8 slices) -Try to use a bread that is not too soft or this will just end up a really soggy mess. More dense or stale is better like day-old Italian bread cut thick or Texas toast. (or you can toast a bit in the oven before using)

1/2 cup raisins

2 cups milk (whole milk is best)

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tbsp vanilla

1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

Sauce Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tbsp vanilla

Directions for Pudding

-Heat over to 350 F. 

-Combine bread and raisins in a large bowl. 

-Combine milk and 1/4 cup butter in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until butter is melted (4-7 mins) Pour milk mixture over bread; let stand 10 mins. 

- Stir in all remaining pudding ingredients. Pour into greased 1 1/2 quart casserole dish. 

- Bake 40-50 mins or until set in the center. 

Directions for sauce

Combine all sauce ingredients except vanilla in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil (5-8 mins). Stir in Vanilla. 

To serve, spoon warm pudding into individual dessert dishes; serve with sauce, Store leftovers in the
fridge. 

Date Filled Oatmeal Cookies

These cookies even the kids like. I use to make them around Christmas time but then figured they could be made at any time of the year. So yummy!

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup soft butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup milk

2 cups oatmeal

1 1/2 cup flour

3 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup brown sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 

2. Cream shortening and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla, sugar and blend well. Add milk and oatmeal and the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix until well blended. 

3. Chill for 2 hours in the fridge. 

4. Roll out and cut into circles approx 3 inch. rounds. 

5. Bake for 7 mins. 

Date Filling

1 cup chopped dates

1/2 cup water

4 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp maple syrup

Cook in saucepan until a jam consistency. About 3 mins. 

Cool and spread between two cookies. 

Grandmother's Buttermilk Cornbread

Made this at a chili cook-off and won 1st prize! It's so moist and yummy and goes wonderful with chili!

I doubled this recipe and put it in a 9x13 pan. Recipe comes from allrecipes.com. 

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter

2/3 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease an 8 inch square pan (preferably with butter). 

2. 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. 

3. Bake in the preheated over for 30-40 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

Lion House Rolls

Love these rolls and fun to make. You can watch the head baker at the Lion House and how she creates these rolls at this link Here. Nothin' like buttery warm rolls....MMmmmm.

Ingredients

2 cups warm water

2/3 cup skim instant dry milk

2 Tbsp active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 egg

5-5 1/2 cups flour (you can use all-purpose or bread flour)

3 Tbsp butter, melted, plus softened or melted butter for brushing on top after the rolls are baked. 

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer (I used a bread hook on the machine but used a wire hand whisk for the first step), combine the water and the milk powder and stir to dissolve the milk. Add in the yeast and a Tbsp or so of the sugar and allow the yeast to bloom for 5-10 mins Add in the remaining sugar, salt, butter, egg and 2 cups of flour. 

2. Mix on low speed until all the ingreds are wet, then mix on medium for 2 mins. Stop the mixer and add 2 more cups of flour, mix on low until combined, then on med. for 2 mins. The dough will be getting stiffer at this point. Continue adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough is soft and tacky, but not sticky. 

3. Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size. 

4. Sprinkle a work surface lightly with flour. Divide the dough in half. Roll out one half of the dough into an 11x14-inch rectangle. Brush the top of the dough with half of the melted butter. Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough in half horizontally right down the center. Slice the dough into rectangles about 2x4 big. If you hold your hand out so that your hand forms and "L" shape, it can help to be your guide for sizing. 

5. Roll or flip the rectangles, buttered side in, and place on a greased baking pan with the end resting on the baking sheet. Repeat with the second half of the dough. 

6. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap and allow to rise until doubled.
7. Preheat the oven to 375F. Uncover the rolls and bake until they are browned and cooked through,15-20 mins. Brush with softened or melted butter while thy are still hot.

Italian Breaded Pork Chops

The whole family really liked this recipe. Very tender and juicy too. I used Panko breadcrumbs and added Italian seasonings to it like basil and oregano, and used garlic powder in the breadcrumbs instead of frying up the garlic. This went really well with green beans and scalloped potatoes. 

Recipe comes from allrecipes.com

Ingredients

3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 Tbsp milk

1 1/2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbsp dried parsley

2 Tbsp olive oil (I used a bit more)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 

4 pork chops

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 

2. In a small bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. In a separate small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley. 

3. Heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until lightly browned, Remove garlic, reserving for other uses. 

4. Dip each pork chop into the egg mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture, coating evenly. Place coated pork chops in the skillet, and brown about 5 mins on each side. 

5. Place the skillet and pork chops in the preheated oven, and cook 25 mins, or to an internal temp of 145 degrees F. 

If you don't have an oven-proof skillet just transfer the chops to a casserole dish when putting in the oven. 

Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

This recipe is creamy deliciousness! Use your favorite crust recipe or buy one from the store and you are good to go. This doesn't keep very long in the fridge but it will probably be gone the first day anyways. If you add 1 cup shredded coconut to milk as it's being heated, you have coconut cream pie! Enjoy!

Recipe comes from Food.com. 

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked

3 cups whole milk

3/4 cup white sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp vanilla

3 bananas

Directions

1. Have baked 9-inch pie shell ready

2. In a large saucepan, scald the milk

3. In another saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt; gradually stir in the scalded milk. 

4. over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook until thickened. 

5. Cover and, stirring occasionally, cook for two minutes longer. 

6. In a small bowl, have the 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten, ready; stir a small amount of the hot mixture into beaten yolks; when thoroughly combined, stir yolks into hot mixture. 

7. Cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly. 

8. Remove from heat and blend in the butter and vanilla.

9. Let sit until lukewarm.

10. When ready to pour, slice bananas and scatter in pie shell; pour warm mixture over bananas. 

Freezer-Friendly Bean & Cheese Burritos

These are handy to have in the freezer for a quick Mexican meal. Eat them on their own in your hand or on a plate with Mexican rice and smothered with enchilada sauce and cheese or just with some salsa or hot sauce. However you like them, they are yummy. 

Ingredients

1 package of large flour tortillas
4 cups of homemade refried beans (recipe on blog) or 2 cans of refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
Approx 2 cups shredded cheese (whichever you like-I use a Tex-Mex type)

How They are Made

Mix refried beans and salsa together (you can add chopped cooked chicken, shedded pork or browned ground beef, if you'd like). Spread bean mixture down the middle of tortilla. (you could warm them a bit before doing this for easier rolling) Sprinkle with cheese and roll up.

To Freeze: Wrap in plastic wrap and stick in a gallon Ziploc freezer bag. When freezer bag is full, seal until airtight and freeze for up to two months.

To Serve: Thaw for a few hours and warm in the microwave or oven.

Homemade Refried Beans

This is definitely a plan ahead thing but so worth it in the end. We love re-fried beans in our Mexican cooking. I like using this recipe to make homemade bean and cheese burritos you can freeze. This recipe makes a lot! You can cut in half if you would like.  Recipe comes from moneysavingmom.com

Ingredients

4 cups cooked pinto beans.

3 Tbsp healthy fat such as butter, coconut oil or lard. Not olive oil. (I cook mine in lard)

1 cup chopped onion

5 cloves minced garlic

2 1/2 tsp cumin (or to taste)

2 tsp paprika

2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)

1/2 tsp black pepper

Milk or water as needed. 

We add jalapeno sauce to the beans (from the States), if you don't have that available you can also chop jalapenos up finely and add as many as you want to the degree of hotness you like but you might want to fry them up the same time as the onion. 

Directions

To prepare dry beans, place the beans in a large bowl, cover with an ample amount of water and allow to soak overnight. (It says 1 cup of dry equals approx. 3 cups cooked but I'm not totally sure I believe that, I did 4 cups dry and made about double I think)

The next day, drain and rinse the beans. Cover them generously with fresh water and simmer for several hours or until tender. I did mine in the crock-pot on low for 5 hours and then high for another 5. It is a big batch but like I said I like to make and freeze burritos and freeze leftovers in containers or baggies.

At this point you can leave whole and mash later after frying or mash in the crock-pot before frying (which is what I do)

In a large pot or saucepan, saute the onions in the fat until they are soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 mins more. 

Add the beans. You may need to add water or milk at this point. Stir in the cumin, paprika, salt, chili powder, and black pepper. Bring to a slow simmer and allow it all to cook on low heat to incorporate flavors. Stirring occasionally. (Mash now if you haven't already after simmering for about 10 mins). I like my beans a bit on the chunky side when I mash. 

Make tostadas or quesadillas or bean and cheese burritos (recipe on blog)

Can freeze leftovers in 2 cup portions. 

Fabulous Chicken Pot Pie

Nothin` like comfort foods. This one is yummy and easy. Grab a rotisserie chicken to make it even faster.
Recipe comes from allrecipes.com




Ingredients

1/4 cup butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 celery ribs, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2/3 cup frozen peas
3 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (1 tbsp dried)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup half-and-half cream
salt and ground black pepper to taste
3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cans refrigerated flaky-style biscuits (such as Pillsbury)
1 egg yolk beaten
1 Tbsp water

Directions

1. Preheat over to 350F
2. Melt butter in a skillet over med-low heat and cook the onion, celery, and carrots until the celery and carrots are tender, about 15 mins, stirring occasionally. Stir in peas, parsley, thyme and flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour coats the vegetables and begins to fry, about 5 mins. Whisk in chicken broth and half-and half, and cook until the sauce is thick and bubbling. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, and mix in the chicken meat.
3. Transfer the chicken , vegetables, and sauce into a 2 quart deep baking dish. Arrange biscuits on top of the filling. in a small bowl, beat egg yolk with water; brush egg yolk on the biscuits.
4. Bake in the preheated over until the biscuits are golden brown and the pie filling is bubbling, about 20 mins let rest 10 mins before serving.

E-Z Cannoli Ice Cream

I was looking for a cannoli recipe and came across this yummy recipe. It has all of my favorite things in it. When I first saw the recipe I thought to myself..good thing it calls for fat-free sweetened condensed milk to counteract the cream which makes this yummy dessert virtually fat & calorie free ;)  OK maybe not but it is a nice treat to have for a special occasion.  It does have a bit of a different texture because of the ricotta cheese but it's creamy and yummy. 

(Thanks to Kraft Recipes for the picture)

Ingredients

1 container (15oz) Ricotta Cheese
1 can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup cold milk
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pt (2 cups) whipping cream
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted
2 oz Baker`s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped

How it`s Made

Place ricotta cheese in blender or food processor container; cover. Blend until smooth. pour into medium bowl. add condensed milk, regular milk and cinnamon; mix well.
Beat whipping cream in large bowl (preferably one that is metal chilled) on high until soft peaks form. Add ricotta cheese mixture, almonds and chocolate; stir gently until well blended. pour into 1-1/2 qt metal bowl; cover.
Freeze at least 4 hours or until firm, stirring once after 2 hours or when edge begins to harden. let stand at room temperature 15 mins or until ice cream can be scooped easily. Store leftover ice cream in covered container in freezer up to 1 week.

Recipe from kraftrecipes.com

New Classy Chicken

I've been wanting more recipes with curry and this is a yummy one.  I got the idea from a friend at work..thanks Shelly! I did do some modifying and combined her recipe with another one I found. so thanks also to Megan at Playing With My Food!




Ingredients

• 1 1/4 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• 1/2-1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 
• 2 teaspoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (can use gluten free all-purpose)
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup skim or 2% milk
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (I use greek yogurt)
• 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked jasmine or basmati rice

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 350F.  Place chicken on a plate and season with salt and pepper.  In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Saute the chicken in the pan for 5 - 7 minutes, or until browned and no longer pink inside. 
2. Lightly grease a shallow 9x9 baking dish or any dish large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer. Transfer the chicken to the baking dish.
3. Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook broccoli for 1 minute. Drain right away and spoon the broccoli over the chicken.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, curry powder, broth, milk, yogurt, and mayonnaise. Pour the sauce over the chicken mixture. 
5. Sprinkle the chicken mixture with the cheddar cheese. 
6. In a small bowl, toss the bread crumbs with the melted butter, and sprinkle over the chicken mixture. 
7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown (letting sit for minutes or so after it comes out of the oven).  Cook rice according to package directions and keep warm until the casserole is ready. 
Serve on top of the rice.  Enjoy!


Shelly's original Recipe for Classy Chicken
4-6 chicken breasts
1 can mushroom soup
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp realemon juice
1 pkg frozen broccoli
2 cups grated cheese

Brown chicken breasts. Layer in 9x13 inch baking pan. layer broccoli over top. Pour sauce consisting of soup, mayo, curry powder, lemon juice over top. Cook 350F for 30-35 mins adding the cheese to melt the last 10 mins. Serve with rice  (I doubled the sauce and used 1 can of mushroom and 1 can of cream of chicken. I did 6 chicken breasts-was good to have the extra sauce) I recommend cutting up the chicken a bit also with this one for faster cooking.