Fudgy Oatmeal Bars

These wonderful creations are super yummy and even better if you make them a day ahead allowing the chocolate to set into it's gooey deliciousness. This recipe comes from High Heels and Grills and you can see the original recipe HERE. Give them a try. You will NOT be disappointed!

Ingredients

Cookie:

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened

2 cups light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup milk

2 1/2 cups flour

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

Fudge:

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 bag milk chocolate chips

1/3 cup salted butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9x13 pan.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar and eggs and mix well. Add the vanilla and milk and incorporate well. 

3. In a medium, separate bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Spread 2/3 of the mixture into the pan and set aside. 

4. In a medium saucepan, combine all of the ingredients for the fudge and let melt completely over medium heat. Once melted, pour over the prepared cookie mixture. 

5. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining cookie dough over the top of the fudge. It won't cover it completely, but will make for a pretty top. 

6. Place in oven and bake for 25 mins. If the top is getting browned after 15 mins, cover with foil. Let cool completely, so the insides don't run everywhere. This is not a rushed square it needs setting time. 

Incredible Boneless Pork Roast With Vegetables

I usually do most of my meats in the crockpot...just seems easy and it's done at the end of the day when you want it. BUT this is definitely worth doing in the oven. The flavour is so yummy! I got this recipe from Food.com By Iron Chef Nicole you can find it Here. 

Ingredients

4-5 lbs boneless pork loin

1 tbsp garlic powder

1 tbsp onion powder

1 tbsp parsley

1 tbsp rosemary (fresh or dried)

1 tbsp seasoning salt

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp black pepper

10 fresh garlic cloves, chopped

5-6 yukon gold potatoes, quartered

8-16 ounces baby carrots

1 large Spanish onion, quartered

1 (8 oz) can beef broth

Directions

1. Place pork loin fat side down in a 9x13 pan or roaster and arrange vegetables around it. 

2. In a small bowl mix garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt and black pepper until combined and rub it onto the port (top only, not the bottom)

3. Sprinkle the parsley and rosemary on top, and then the garlic. Drizzle the olive oil over top of the pork. I highly recommend using some of the seasoning on the vegetables as well. 

4. Add beef broth from the corner, do not pour over the pork. Place foil, over the pork leaving a tiny vent on the side. Cook on 325 for 2 1/2 hours. Midway through rotate the pork so it is fat side up and replace the foil so it is covered again. 

5. After its done take the foil off and put the broiler on HIGH (I used LOW setting and it was good). Flip the pork again to meat side up and broil for 10 mins. You will do this twice (meat side up , 10 mins, fat side up 10 mins, and then meat side up one last time for 10 mins) for a total of 30 mins. You many need a few mins longer depending on your oven. Just look to see how browned it's getting. 

6. let meat rest for 30 mins.

7. Enjoy! The vegetables will have an incredible flavour and so will the meat. 

8. You can add more veggies but you will need a bigger roaster. 

9. You can make gravy with the drippings to kick it up a notch. 

Favorite Chicken Potpie

So I'm sure there are not too many that does not like the wonderful comfort food of potpie. Even my very picky eater son loved this. It's great because the recipe has enough for 2 one for your family and one for your freezer for later and because I'm not the most accurate in measuring I did have some filling left over that we just ate and it was so yummy. This recipe comes from Taste of Home and you can find the original recipe HERE. 

Hope you enjoy it!

Ingredients

2 cups diced peeled potatoes

1-3/4 cups sliced carrots

1 cup butter, cubed

2/3 cup chopped onion

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 3/4 tsp salt

1 tsp dried thyme

3/4 tsp pepper

3 cups chicken broth

1-1/2 cups milk

4 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 cup frozen peas

1 cup frozen corn

2 packages refrigerated pie pastry. (enough for 2 pies top and bottom)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place potatoes and carrots in a large saucepan; add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook, covered, 8-10 mins or until crisp-tender; drain. 

2. In a large skillet, heat butter over med-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Stir in flour and seasonings until blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir 2 mins or until thickened. Stir in chicken, peas, corn and potatoe mixture; remove from heat. 

3. Unroll a pastry sheet into each of two 9-in (I had enough for a 10-in) pie plates; trim even with rims. Add potpie mixture. Top with remaining pastry. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits on top of each pie. 

4. Bake 35-40 mins or until crust is lightly browned. let stand 15 mins before cutting. 

Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked pies. To use, remove from freezer 30 mins before baking (do not thaw). Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place pies on baking sheets; cover edges loosely with foil. Bake 30 mins. Reduce oven setting to 350 degrees; bake 70-80 mins longer or until crust is golden brown and a thermometer inserted in centre reads 165. 

Fried Ice Cream Cake

I love it when I get to try new recipes and today we had another birthday at work and she asked me to make her a cake..yay! Thanks Kalina! So I came across this fun cake and thought I would give it a try. I knew I loved fried ice cream so I figured with the reviews this cake got it was worth a try. The reviews I got at work were pretty good too and it definitely is pleasing to the eye when you see it. HERE is the original recipe from norinesnest.com. Mmmmm..I mean..just look at that! I double this recipe and use a 4L pail of ice cream and put it in a large tin pan. Made 24 squares.

Ingredients

3 cups crushed Corn Flakes cereal (make sure you measure it crushed)

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1 (1.75 quart) container Vanilla Ice Cream

1 (8oz) container Cool Whip

1/4 cup honey - optional (I felt with the caramel it was too much so I would probably leave it out next time)

Chocolate syrup

Caramel syrup

Instructions

1. Take the vanilla ice cream out of your freezer and let sit at room temperature for 30 mins or so, to soften. 

2. Melt butter in a medium skillet, over medium heat. Add the crushed corn flakes, sugar and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Fry mixture for about 5 mins, stirring constantly, until cereal is golden-brown. Be careful not to burn. It may take less than 5 mins. 

3. Take a 9x13 baking dish and spread 1/2 corn flakes mixture into the bottom of pan. Set aside. 

4. in a large bowl, add the softened vanilla ice cream and cool whip. Using a spatula or large spoon, stir and mix well to combine. Spread ice cream mixture over the top of the corn flake mixture in the bottom of the pan. 

5. Spread the remaining corn flake mixture evenly over the ice cream. Drizzle the honey over the top. Cover pan, and place in freezer. Freeze ice cream for at least 5 hours or overnight. 

6. Cut into squares and sere with drizzles of chocolate syrup and caramel sauce. Add some whip cream and a cherry on top. YUM! 

Rhubarb Muffins

My sister gave me a bunch of rhubarb and asked me to make some rhubarb muffins for our mother. I had made rhubarb cake and crumble but not muffins so I was in search of a muffin recipe. 

I came across this one and after changing a couple of things I thought they came out pretty good. I mean it was hard not to just eat one after the other. I love rhubarb and I know this recipe will be used many times. You could keep the nuts out if you prefer...I'm a nut gal and I loved them in this. You could add raspberries or strawberries to this as well. 

makes 24 muffins

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk or 1 cup milk including 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice

(I used 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt and whisked in enough milk to make a cup)

2/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb

1 cup copped pecans or walnuts

For the Topping

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup copped pecans or walnuts

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. (whisking is important)

- In another smaller bowl, beat together the eggs, buttermilk (or the substitute) oil and the vanilla extract. 

- Gently stir the egg mixture into the four mixture, just until combined. Do not over mix. 

- Gently fold in the chopped rhubarb and the chopped nuts.

- Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups about three quarters full. The batter will seem thick but it will be great.

- Sprinkle the tops with the topping mixture.

- Bake at 375 for about 18-20 mins, or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. 

- Cool for about 10 mins before removing the muffins from the pans. 

- Allow to continue to cool on a wire rack (if you can wait that long before you eat them)

Firecracker Chicken

This chicken is so good my picky son even LOVED it. He keeps asking me to make it. There is a lot of sugar but we can indulge once in awhile right? ;) 

It's nice and spicy too! 

Recipe from damndelicious you can see original recipe HERE. I double the sauce.

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch chunks (I used Costco ones)

Salt and ground black pepper

1/2 cup cornstarch

2 large eggs, beaten

1/4 cup vegetable oil

For the sauce:

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar

2/3 cup buffalo sauce, or more to liking (I used Frank's Red Hot)

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or more to liking

Instructions

- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray. 

- To make the sauce, whisk together sugar, buffalo sauce, vinegar, salt and red pepper flakes.  Set aside. 

- In a large bowl, season chicken with salt and pepper to liking. Stir in cornstarch and gently toss to completely coat chicken.

- Heat oil in a large saucepan.  

- Working a small batch at a time, dip the chicken into the beaten egg then add carefully to oil and cook just until outside is golden brown on each side. Chicken will be still raw inside. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

- Put chicken in the prepared baking dish. Top with sauce mixture. Place into oven and bake until the sauce has thickened and chicken is done. About 45 mins, turning over every 15 mins to evenly coat. 

Serve immediately with rice. 

Rice Pudding

This recipe is quick and easy and oh so yummy! My daughter and I LOVE this stuff!

I've tried baked ones and different recipes but I usually just come back to this. I actually don't usually measure so I didn't know what to put down but found this similar recipe you can go by :) 

Found on Food Network HERE

Hope you enjoy. 

Ingredients

3 cups cooked rice (we use Jasmine)

3 cups milk

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 cup raisins

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Put the first 4 ingredients in a pot and stir to combined. Cook on medium heat stirring occasionally. Cook until thickened and milk has pretty much absorbed. Removed from heat add vanilla and cinnamon and stir. Cool slightly. You can serve with a little whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon on top.