No bake Granola bars

No bake granola bars 

2 1/2 cups rice cereal 

2 cups uncooked quick oats

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/2 cup dried fruit

1/2 cup chopped nuts or seeds

2/3 cup honey or some kind of syrup (brown rice syrup, maple, agave nectar)

1 cup of nut butter (peanut, almond, sunflower...

2 teaspoons of vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl.

Spray 13x9 pan. 

Spread mixture evenly in pan. 

Press parchment paper on too to flatten down. 

Place in the fridge for at least an hour. 

Once held together cut in desired sizes. I usually cut down horizontally then cut bars. I usually get 16-18 bars total. 

I wrap in Saran Wrap and store in the fridge. 

Enjoy!

Olive Garden Night

WE decided to have an olive Garden night a few weeks back. Makes it kind of nice to find these copy cat recipes and tweak them to be like you were at the restaurant. We made Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo and Salad Dressing.

 
Olive Garden Salad Dressing  

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt, or 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Sugar (optional)

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a blender until well mixed. If this is a little too tart for your own personal taste, add a little extra sugar. You can enjoy your Olive Garden salad dressing for up to 10 days if you store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

This can also be used as a marinade!

Recipe was found  at copykat.com

Olive Garden Chicken Alfredo

 Ingredients

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper (optional)

 Instructions


In a saucepan, combine the butter and heavy cream. Simmer until all is melted and mixed well. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and garlic powder. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes on low. You may wish to add a little salt and pepper.
Additional Notes
I have made this with half-and-half, but we prefer the heavy cream. I wouldn’t recommend trying it with plain milk.
Important: DO NOT use store-bought shredded or grated cheese. Preshredded and pregrated cheeses have an anticaking agent in them that can prevent the sauce from setting up.
Optional Cream Cheese Method
Use this if the sauce is a little thin. The sauce can be thin for a variety of reasons: not using heavy cream, not cooking at a high enough temperature, and using preshredded or pregrated cheese. If the finished sauce is still a little thin whisk in 2 tablespoons cream cheese until the sauce thickens. I have done with and without cream cheese. We also added oldbay and tasted yumm.
We just used leftover grilled chicken and fettuccine.

Homemade Cliff Bars

I am loving all these no bake snacks that are healthy to make for the kids and neighbor kids to eat for breakfast and after school. Not only healthy but money saver.

Homemade Cliff Bars
(Can be doubled in 13x9 pan that's what I did)

• 1 1/2 Cups rice Krispies
• 1 Cup uncooked quick oats
• 3 Tablespoons ground Flaxseed (or almond)
• 1/4 Cup finely chopped dried fruit (whatever you want like raisins, cherrys cranberries...)
• 1/4 Cup finely chopped nuts (roasted or toasted I used almonds)
• 1/3 Cup honey
• 2 Tablespoons Dark brown sugar ( I just used light brown cause that's what I had)
• 1/3 Cup of Peanut butter ( you can use almond, cashew or soy nut too)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 cup unsweetened flaked Cocunut

Directions

1. Grease (spray with nonstick spray) 8 inch square pan unless doubling recipe then 13x9
2. Combine cereal, oats, flaxseed meal, dried fruit and nuts in large bowl 
3. Bring the honey and brown sugar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat stiring constantly 
4. turn temp to low
5. Stir in peanut butter and vanilla until blended and remove from heat
6. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until all ingredients are dry are coated
7. Press mixture into prepared pan using wax paper to make smooth
8. Cool in pan
9. Cut into whatever size bars you like
10. Wrap in wax paper, saran wrap, vacuum seal (whatever works best for your family. If going to be longer then a week store in the fridge. If storing in the fridge bring out to room temp to eat.

Still waiting to cut mine!!

Cinnamon roll cake

The kids devoured this. If it gets stale just toss a piece in the microwave for like 10-20 seconds and all good. You can half this recipe too think I will next time.
CINNAMON ROLL CAKE 
Cake:
3 c. flour
1/4 tsp.salt
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 c. milk
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, melted

Topping:
1 c. butter, softened
1 c. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Directions:
Mix everything together except for the butter. Slowly stir in the melted butter and pour into a greased 9x13 pan. For the topping, mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Drop evenly over the batter and swirl with a knife. Bake at 350 for 28-32 minutes.

Glaze:
2 c. powdered sugar
5 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla

While warm drizzle the glaze over the cake.

I could only get a picture of a slice cause they cut into it too quick lol

Map of our family

Since we are in our final house I wanted new art. But stuff we create. I saw on Pinterest tons of ideas to make maps of love. We have so many states I decided to tweak it our own way. I may change the frame though to a floating frame later on. But I went to www.nationalatlas.gov/printable/reference.html to get my images I had to print AK horizontally and the others vertical for size. I then cut down with scissors. I didn't have simple states to cut. Lol. I also drew hearts in cities most important, Clevland where my husband was born, Baltimore where I was born, Eldersburg/Sykesville where I grew up, Anchorage/Elmendorf AFB where me met and lived, Statenville where we got married, Valdosta where we got engaged lived and Ellie was born, maysville where Gavin was born and brooksville where we live.  I'm pretty pleased with it though definitely think I'll get a floating frame for them. I'll take a picture of that once I'm done. 

I got a floating frame at target today. I have to say I like it a lot better now!! Now to find a wall for it :) 

Chocolate Ganache and truffles!

Last night I made pound cake and needed chocolate ganache or something to go on it but just a little. Found a quick recipe for Ganache and had some extra and here is what I did with both.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

1 1/4 C Semi sweet Chocolate chips/ chocolate

1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

Place chocolate in microwave safe bowl and pour cream over the top

Microwave for 60-90 seconds until cream is hot

Let sit for 2-3 minutes

Stir well to melt all the chocolate to make smooth

Drizzle over cake

So I didn't need a whole measuring cup full so what do you do with the wrest? Make more cake? You can

Eat as fudge? You can

Let your kids crack out? You Can

Or Make Truffles! I did

Truffles

So, I placed in the fridge over night so would turn a bit more solid form. 

Ingredients 

Ganache

Cocoa powder

Directions

Roll into balls

Roll in cocoa powder

Chill for at least an hour

Enjoy!!

Crockpot ribs

Ingredients

Salt and pepper to season

Garlic or garlic powder to season 

3-4 pounds of ribs

Bottle of BBQ sauce 

Directions

Cut ribs in 3 sections

Spray crockpot or use liner 

Season ribs

Place in crockpot

Top with BBQ sauce

Cook on low for 8 hours

You can serve like this or you can put in the oven at 350 for 10-20 mins to carrmalize the  BBQ sauce. 

Enjoy!!

Busy in the kitchen!

It's 10:24 and we are already busy in the kitchen. Gavin keeps chasing me, sometes laughing sometimes whining. Think it's almost lunch time haha maybe a snack! So far we have ribs in the crock pot and made chocolate truffles from left over ganache! I'll post recipes separate. Now to find a new snack recipe I'll have my kids and neighbor kids so that's give for after nap/ school time. 

Oreo Truffles

Man oh man these were sooooo goood. 

Oreo Truffles

Picture is when I put them in the fridge.
Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted
Directions
Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag using a rolling pin.) Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.
Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover chocolate can be stored at room temperature for another use.) Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.
Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Found at www.askchefs.net

No Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

I have had my neighbors kids over more lately, needed quick snacks for my kids, and looking for snacks for when on the run. These were a hit with everyone so far. I think I made like 18 bars. def better then money wasted with the kind in the box! even got to use my neighbors dads honey and my homemade vanilla.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Ingredients
4 cups quick-cook oats (not rolled oats)
2 cups Rice Krispies
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup peanut butter chips
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions
Line a 13×9 pan with parchment paper allowing it to hang over the edge of the pan for easy removal and cutting.  Or spray your pan with cooking spray.
Mix oats and rice cereal in a large bowl.  Set aside.
Melt butter, honey and brown sugar together over medium high heat until it comes to a bubble. Reduce the heat and add peanut butter.  Cook another 2 minutes or until peanut butter is completely melted. Add vanilla and stir.  Slowly pour over dry ingredients and mix well.  Add your peanut butter chips and sir them in. Peanut Butter chips will melt.
Spread the granola mixture into prepared pan and press down to compact it into the pan – you need to make sure they will stick together.
Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips and press down lightly.  Let cool completely until the chocolate chips are set back up before cutting into bars.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Found Recipe at http://www.caramelpotatoes.com

Applebee's Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Applebee's Garlic Mashed Potaoes

2 lbs red potatoes

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup garlic (whole cloves)

1. Place single layer of garlic cloves on aluminum foil and wrap lightly

2. Roast in 400 degree oven for approx 45 mins or until soft

3. Unwrap and let cool to touch

4. Peal cloves and mash with Potatoes when ready

5. Wash and rinse potatoes, and cut up potatoes 

6. Bring potatoes to a slow boil for approx 20 mins

7. Remove from heat and drain

8. In pan combine potatoes, peeled and roared garlic cloves, and all other ingredients and mash

Got recipe from www.food.com

Cracker Barrel a broccoli Cheddar Chicken

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Cracker Barrel Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Recipe

Ingredients

4 chicken Breasts

1 cup Almond Milk (I used regular milk) 

1 cup ritz crackers

1 can of Cheddar Cheese Soup

8oz of Frozen Broccoli

6oz Cheddar Cheese- Shredded

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

Preheat to 350

In bowl whisk milk and soup together

Grease and place chicken in dish 

Season with salt and pepper

Pour soup over chicken

Sprinkle crackers on top

Sprinkle broccoli on top of crackers

Then top with cheddar cheese

Bake uncovered for 45 minutes!!

I found the recipe www.budgetsavvydiva.com. 

Starting over

I've decided I'm going to post

More on here and less on my Facebook when it comes to recipes and crafts I do. That way I can look back and find them plus be a lot more detailed on the things I've maid. The last few weeks I have been trying more and more new recipes out. Totally sick of the same old same old. Working on falling in love with my crock pot again too! Going to have a ton of blog post to update and definitely going to keep up with it too!!!