Breakfast Energy Bars from Bosch cookbook

Breakfast Energy Bars from Bosch cookbook

1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. butter
2 T. honey
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 t. vanilla
1 egg
1 1/3 c. fresh ground wheat flour
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. bkg soda
1 t salt
1 1/2 c. rice crispies
1 1/2 c. rolled oats
1/4 c. sunflower seeds
1/4 c. pumpkin seeds
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. coconut
1 c. frozen berries, craisins, or raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 11 X 15 pan. In mixer, cream sugar and butter. Add honey, peanut butter, vanilla, and egg. Blend together. In another bowl, mix flour, cinnamon, soda, salt, rolled oats, rice crispies, sunflower seeds, and pumpkin seeds. Add to creamed ingredients. Remove bowl from mixer (unless you have a dough hook) and add the following by hand: chocolate chips, coconut, and berries/raisins. You don't want to overmix or it will be dry. Turn into pan and press flat. Bake 22 minutes.

This recipe is a great thing to have on hand. Cut into individual bars/servings and wrap in saran wrap or sandwich baggies. Add to kids' lunches, take in your purse for a mid-morning snack, or send to the office with your husband for his lunch or afternoon snack. You can add or remove whatever ingredients you like or don't like- nuts and dried dates would also be good in this. If you are a runner, this is a good post-run snack to replace all those carbs and give you protein you need.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies

These are by far the best peanut butter cookies I have ever tasted. The texture is perfect - tender and soft, with a nice sugary texture on the outside.

Adapted from the Magnolia Bakery Cookbook and taken from My Kitchen Cafe

1¼ cups all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup unsalted butter, softened (I used salted butter and cut the 1/4 teaspoon salt down to 1/8 teaspoon)

1 cup peanut butter at room temperature
¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon (for sprinkling) sugar

½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup peanut butter chips

½ cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, the baking soda, the baking powder, and the salt. Set aside.In a large bowl, beat the butter and the peanut butter together until fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until smooth. Add the egg and mix well. Add the milk and the vanilla extract. Add the flour mixture and beat thoroughly. Stir in the peanut butter chips. Place sprinkling sugar on a plate. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into the sugar, then onto ungreased cookie sheets, leaving several inches between for expansion. Using a fork, lightly indent with a crissscross pattern but do not overly flatten cookies (I used the back of a flat spatula to flatten). Bake for 10 to 12 minutes (I only baked mine for about 9 minutes). Do not overbake. Cookies may appear to be underdone, but they are not.

Cool the cookies on the sheets for 1 minute, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin Biscuits

Ingredients:

2 c. flour
3 T. sugar
2 tsp. bkg. Powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. bkg. Soda
½ tsp. salt
¼ c. butter, chilledand cut in small pieces
¾ c. fat-free buttermilk
½ c. pumpkin

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through nutmeg); cut in chilled butter with pastry blender until mixture is a coarse meal. Combine buttermilk and pumpkin; add to flour mix, stirring until just moist. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 5 times. Roll to ½ inch thickness. Cut into 12 biscuits with 2 ½ inch cutter.



Place close together on sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 450 degrees for 11 minutes or until golden. Serve with Orange-Honey butter.

Black Bean Tortilla Pie

serves 6
prep time: 25 minutes
total time: 1 hour

4 flour tortillas
1 T. canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno chile, minced (remove ribs and seeds for less heat)
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 t. ground cumin
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
12 ounces beer or 1 1/2 c. water (I used water)
10 oz. frozen corn
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese (I used colby jack)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Trim the tortillas, if necessary, to fit into a 9-inch springform pan. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, jalapeno, garlic and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the beans and beer or water to the skillet, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium; simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated, about 10 minutes. Stir in the corn and scallions, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.

Fit a tortilla in the bottom of the springform pan; layer with 1/4 of the beans and 1/2 c. cheese. Repeat three times, using 1 c. cheese on the top layer. Bake until hot and the cheese is melted, 20-25 minutes. Unmold the pie; sprinkle with scallions if desired. Slice into wedges, and serve immediately with salsa and sour cream.

Quick, easy, and delicious!

Source: Everyday Food Great Food Fast

Som Tum Green Papaya Salad

1 medium dark green papaya
4 garlic cloves
2 green Thai chilies (or to taste)
10 grape tomatoes
½ cup chopped green beans
1 T fish sauce
2 T lime juice
1 T sugar or palm sugar
½ cup peanuts (optional)

Peel the papaya and rinse with running water to remove the acid. Remove the seeds and shred the papaya with a grater. Set aside.

Place the garlic cloves and the chilies in a mortar and mash with a pestle until crushed into chunks. Place the papaya and the remaining ingredients in the mortar and gently combine all ingredients by mixing with the pestle and a spoon.

Serve cold with sticky rice or plain.

This is my favorite Thai Salad. I have made this with carrots instead of papaya and it tastes fantastic. Go easy on the Thai spices if your not used to using thai spices. I will even make it with out Thai chillies and it is fantastic.

Spicy Chicken with Basil

6 garlic cloves, minced

4 shallots, minced

4 mixed green and red thai chilies

(The recipe called for 12. You can if you dare!)

1 T oil

1 lb ground chicken (or can be sliced very thin)

1/4 c. fish sauce

2 T. sugar

1 cup hot basil leaves (bai Krapow)

Place the garlic, shallots, and peppers in a mortar and mash with a pestle until a paste is formed.

Heat a large sauce pan to medium-high heat and add theoil. Add the garlic paste and stir for 1 minute, then add the chicken, fish sauce, and sugar. Continue to cook until the sauce is reduced. Toss in the basil leaves.

Serve with jasmine rice.

Thai Soup Tom Yum Goong

2 T Tom Yum Paste
2 cups boiling water
1/2 lb shrimp (or chicken)
1 cup oyster mushrooms

Add Tom Yum Paste to boiling water. Mix. Add meat. Once meat is cooked through, add mushrooms.
(If you prefer a richer soup, add 3 T coconut milk or evaporated milk.)
Garnish with chopped cilantro.
Eat as a soup, or can be served over rice.

This is my favorite thai soup.

Conference Ideas

I was reading the Ensign and Friend last night and they had some great ideas of how to get everyone excited ready and paying attention to General Conference coming up. I thought I would add a few this year to what we already do.

1. Make Conference Books. We take about 10 pieces of plain paper cut in half and staple on the side. We write Conference Book on the front. As a speaker starts we write the name of the person speaking and then the boys color a picture of what they are wearing or talking about.

2. This year I want to add a quiz night where the boys can use their books to ask questions. I think we will do this at FHE just following Conference.

3. Take out the center pictures of the Ensign with all the General Authorities and put it next to the computer or tv and each time a new speaker comes have the boys try and find his picture. I wish I had more of these and they could each have their own to look at. Maybe next year.

4. Have a list of words that if they hear. Like temple, prophet, family, etc... Then they can take a treat out of the special treat bowl for conference.

5. Play a family game between sessions.

6. Have a picnic during one of the sessions and relate it to how King Benjamin's people did the same thing when they gathered to hear the prophet speak.

These are just a few feel free to add your own to the list. They had others listed but they were more for the teenage crowd and I am not quite their yet.

Pilgrims Food

Eggless Egg Salad

3/4 lb very firm tofu (I just used a regular size package)
3 scallions minced ( white and green)
1 medium carrot grated
1 medium stalk celery finely minced
1/2 small bell pepper finely minced ( I like yellow)
1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup light mayo
1/2 tsp salt and pepper to taste

1. Cut tofu into very small dice place in a medium sized bowl.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix gently.
3. Cover tightly and chill until cold.
3. Serve over lettuce. Like lettuce wraps or boats.

I didn't tell the boys or Bri this was tofu at first. They love it. They thought it was chicken. Also my boys love this on ritz crackers. You may want to add more mayo to your liking or put out an extra bowl of sunflower seeds on the side. The boys would decorate with the seeds.

Butterscotch Cookies

1 1/2 stick butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3 cups oats
1 2/3 cups butterscotch chips

Mix first 5 ingredients together. Then mix the dry ingredients together and add to the first 5. Add oats and chips.
Bake on 375 degrees for 10 minutes

We love these.

Oreos on a stick

I made this for my kids teachers and the people I visit teach for Valentines Day.  First I took lollipop sticks (I found them in the craft section at Walmart) and stuck them in double stuff oreos.  Then I melted some white almond bark.  I spooned the almond bark over the oreos and put them on a cookie sheet lined whith wax paper.  Next I sprinkled them with cute valentine colored sprinkles.  Then I put them in the fridge to harden.  I filled a vase (Walmart .97) with sweetheart hearts and tied it with a bow.  After the chocolate hardened I put the oreos in little bags (craft section walmart) and tied them with a ribbon.  I think it's a cute inexpensive gift!

Fruit Salad Yummy Yummy!

Fruit Salad

1-5 oz pkg of pudding- Vanilla or White Chocolate

1 cup milk

*mix together and refrigerate

1-large container of whoppers

Bananas

strawberries

grapes

green apples

Add cool whip to pudding mixture and blend until smooth.  Add fruit and whoppers.  Yum!

Chicken over Rice

Chicken and Rice

1 cube cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

1 can cream of chicken

1 packet ranch seasoning

6-8 chicken breasts

*Cut up the cream cheese and butter.  Throw it all together in a crockpot.  I cooked on low all day.  When ready to serve I turn off crockpot to let mixture thicken and mix , then I take out chicken and shred with a fork then I add it back to the cream cheese mixture.  I serve it over rice but you could also use noodles.  My kids absolutely love this, it is has become our Christmas Eve meal.

Chicken Tortilla Soup (Very Easy)

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 can chicken broth (or 1 chicken bullion cube and 1 cup water)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 can chicken

1 can rotel-we like the mild flavor

2 cans pinto beans (or black beans)

If you use black beans you might want to use just one can. I used 2 in this picture and it made it pretty thick but you could just add more chicken broth.

*Heat everything in a large pot. If desired, top individual bowls with tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheese.

Also you can add corn, rice, or kidney beans. I like to put rice in it and use the left overs to make chicken enchiladas. I put it in tortillas and add cheese then top with a little soup and cheese and bake at 350 until heated through. My kids love this and so do Brandon and I. Sometimes I double it so we can have left overs.

So I was thinking.....

It would be nice to have a blog for all of us to post recipes that we have tried and liked. Also if you want to post craft projects and tips and even tips for places to get good deals.