No Bake Energy Bites

These little bites remind me of a granola bar, but in a ball form.  They were super easy and quick to throw together and most of the ingredients I already had in my pantry.  The recipe doesn't make a ton of balls (well I suppose it depends on how big or small you roll them, but mine were about 1 TBSP of mixture each).  My husband and son LOVED these!  I had some for a snack earlier today and they were FANTASTIC!!! Next time I plan to double the recipe.  :)

INGREDIENTS:
1 C oatmeal
1/2 C peanut butter or other nut butter
1/3 C honey
1 C coconut flakes
1/2 C ground flaxseed
1/2 C mini chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Mix all ingredients together in a medium sized bowl until thoroughly combined.  Place the bowl in the fridge and allow to chill for at least a half hour.  Remove from the fridge and roll/press the mixture into balls.  These can be stored in an air tight container and can be refridgerated for up to one week.  Enjoy!

recipe adapted from smashedpeasandcarrots.blogspot.com

Bangin' Bacon and Cheddar Scones

These scones were most definitley bangin'! My husband suggested that we sell this recipe to starbucks because they go perfectly with a strong cup of coffee.  Unfortunatly, this isn't our recipe to sell :( I am sure I will make these again, they'd work great for a brunch! And I loved them even more because I was able to use up the rest of the homemade bacon bits that I had leftover from that Thanksgiving dish I made,  as well as some cheddar and green onions I had hanging out in the fridge. :)

INGREDIENTS:
3 C self rising flour, plus more for work surface
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 C cold butter
1 1/2 C grated sharp cheddar
4 green onions, thinly sliced
10 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
1 1/4 C buttermilk
1 large egg, for egg wash
1 TBSP coarse sea salt (I just used kosher)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Add the flour, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.  With a box grater, grate the butter into the flour. (or you can use a pastry blender for this).  Mix the butter into flour with your hands until well incorporated.  Add the cheese, green onion and crumbled bacon.  Mix until evenly distributed.  Add the buttermilk and mix with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a stiff dough.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  With a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle (or a circle as I did) 1/2 inch thick.  Cut wedges of dough out to preferred scone size and arrange on a half sheet tray lined with parchment paper.  In a small bowl, beat the egg and brush each schone withthe egg wash.  Sprinkle with a little coarse sea salt and bake until nicely browned, about 14 to 16 minutes.  Remove from the oven and arange on a serving plater.

recipe is from foodnetwork.com

Mexican Chicken & Tomato Soup

This is not an authentic "Mexican" soup, but it is still an oldie but goodie in our household.  It works wonderfully for a cold night, middle of the week meal.  I believe the original recipe was called "tortilla soup", but I never called it that since I never served it with the tortilla chips and cheese as the original recipe notes.  I feel the soup goes better by itself or the broth can be decreased and it goes really well over a plate of steamed white rice.  This recipe uses a lot of canned products, so if your not a fan then this recipe isn't for you.  I suppose you can make it happen purely from scratch, but then it wouldn't be "quick and easy"! :)  Avocado slices are a nice addition to this dish, but I wasn't able to find any at the grocery store last night that were ready to be cut into.  (I hate it when that happens!!!)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cooked chicken breasts; shredded
2 cans Mexican stewed tomatoes
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can chopped green chillies
1 onion chopped
1 TBSP fresh chopped cilantro
1 tsp cumin
2 limes; juiced
2 cans fat free chicken broth

DIRECTIONS:
Sprinkle the cumin over the shredded chicken in a large pot; mix to coat completely.  Add all other ingredients.  Bring to a boil, simmer 20 min.  This can be served in bowls with tortilla chips and cheese, alone or over steamed rice.

recipe from my lovely Aunt Mari!

Cookies N Creme Oreo Bark

If your not much of a baker, but still LOVE to to get your dessert on (like me!) then this recipe will be right up your alley!  Its extremely easy, super fast, and very delicious!!! AND it only requires TWO, yes thats right, I said  TWO ingredients!

INGREDIENTS:
18 oreo cookies; chopped and divided
one 10oz bag of Ghirardelli white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Line an 8inx8in pan with enough parchment paper to extend one inch on each side.  In a double boiler over low heat melt the chocolate chips completely while stirring constantly.  Pour the chocolate into a heat proof bowl and allow to cool for five minutes.  Add the chopped oreos (most of them, but not all of them) and stir to combine.  Pour the mixture into
the prepared pan and use a spatula (like the one my sister got me for my 100th fan!) and smooth the top out.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining chopped oreos.  Chill in the fridge for at least 10 minutes to allow the chocolate to become solid.  Lift the whole bark out of the pan by lifting it by the edges of the parchment paper.  Split the bark onto pieces by using a fork or a knife.

recipe taken from bakersroyale.com

Spinach Alfredo (with a TON of garlic) Thin Crust Pizza

I love love LOVE to create new recipes using things that I have on hand (my husband is going to cringe when he reads that.  For some weird reason he hates when I say "on hand"!)  The two ingredients I wanted to use up were fresh spinach  leaves and some mozzarella cheese.  Mozzarella and pizza just make sense, so thats exactly what I did!

YEAST-FREE PIZZA DOUGH:
1 1/2 C flour
1 TBSP baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C water
2 TBSP olive oil
Mix the three dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Create a well in the center and add in the water and olive oil.  Combine gradually incorporating the dry and the wet ingredients.  On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for five minutes.  Once you have kneaded, the dough is ready to be rolled out.

INGREDIENTS
a ball of yeast-free pizza dough
olive oil
1/2-1 C alfredo sauce (depends on how saucy you like it)
4 cloves of garlic; minced
1/2 ball of mozzarella; grated
garlic salt
Italian seasoning
1 1/2 C lightly packed fresh spinach leaves that have been blanched for 3 minutes
1/4 red onion; sliced

DIRECTIONS:
Pre-heat your oven to 375 F.  Roll out the pizza dough and lay it out on a pizza stone or cookie sheet. Brush with a small amount of olive oil.  Top with alfredo sauce.  Sprinkle with the minced garlic.  Add the cheese and sprinkle with as much or little garlic salt and italian seasonings as you wish.  Top with the blanched spinach leaves and sliced red onion.  Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden.  Enjoy!

This is a signature dish of THE DAILY GARLIC

Baked Portobello Parmesan

This dish was extremely flavorful and rich!!! If your a mushroom lover, this is a MUST try recipe! I served this with a side of creamy polenta which complimented the Baked Portobello Parmesan very well.  I earned a "resturant quality" high five at the dinner table last night :) and the hubby didn't even realize that I served two meatless dinners in a row! (thats usually a big no-no in our house!)

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C Italian-style bread crumbs
1 C (3 oz.) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 C fresh minced parsley, divided use
2 tsp kosher salt, divided use
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 tsp marjoram leaves
1tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano leaves
4 large (5-6 inches wide) stemmed portobello mushrooms, brushed clean
1 1/2 C (6 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese
1 C tomato sauce (I used spaghetti sauce)
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:
1) Position a baking rack in the upper third of oven.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lina a 17-1/2 x 11-3/4 baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Place a 16-1/2 x 11-1/2 inch wire cooking rack inside the baking sheet.  Mist rack with cooking spray.  Set aside.
2) Combine bread crumbs, 1/2 C parmesan cheese, 3 TBSP parsley, paprika and 1 tsp salt in a shallow pan.  Mix well. Set aside.
3) In a seperate bowl, combine eggs, remaining 1 tsp salt, pepper, marjoram, garlic powder and oregeno.  Mix well.
4) Dip both sides of mushrooms into egg mixture.  Dredge in crumb mixture until both sides are completely coated.  Transfer, stem side down, to prepared wire rack.  Spray tops with cooking spray and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until mushrooms are tender.  Remove pan from oven.
5) Reset oven thermostat to 450 degrees F.  Meanwhile, carefully turn mushrooms stem side up.  Cover each mushroom with 2 TBSP of remaining parmesan cheese, 1/4 of mozzarella cheese and 1/4 C tomato sauce.  Spray tops lightly.  Return to oven and bake until cheese melts and mushrooms are warmed through, about 10 minutes.  Use a wide spatula to transfer mushrooms to a dish.  Sprinkle with reserved 1 TBSP parsley.

This recipe was found on oneperfectbite.blogspot.com

Jalapeno Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

No words can express how much we LOVED this recipe!!! It was EXCELLENT!!! The recipe is enough for two sandwiches, and I was a little sad that I couldn't have a second.  :( I recommend this recipe to all mankind!!! :) :) :) Its my newest favorite sandwich!!! I did make a few subtle changes to the original recipe, I'll go ahead and post it exactly how I did it last night for dinner.

INGREDIENTS:
4 Jalapenos
1 TBSP Cream Cheese
1 TBSP Ranch Dressing
2-3 Green Onions chopped
4 large pieces of sundried tomatoes; chopped (if packed in oil, remove the excess with a paper towel)
cheese (I two slices of colby jack per sandwich)
butter
bread (I used sourdough)

DIRECTIONS:
First you'll need to roast your jalapenos.  You can do this on an outdoor grill, or if you have a gas stove, you can do it on your heating element.  ( I suppose you can do this under the broiler as well).  While your jalapenos are roasting combine the cream cheese, ranch dressing, chives and sundried tomatoes in a bowl.  Once the jalapenos are done roasting, place them in a zip loc bag for a few minutes, then peep the skins off, cut them in half and remove the seeds and spines.  On one slice of bread spread the cream cheese mixture, lay out a slice of cheese, top with two jalapenos, add another slice of cheese and top with another slice of bread that has been prepared with the cream cheese mixture.  Generously butter the outsides of your sandwich and cook on a medium heat cast iron griddle (or in a pan) until golden brown on each side.  Slice in half and serve!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

Why is it that some things just taste better as leftovers??? Don't get me wrong, these were delish last night for dinner, but as I sit here typing this I am eating a leftover wrap for lunch and it is AMAZING!! I found this recipe for "Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps" from melskitchencafe.com. The recipe doesn't specify which kind of rice to use, I chose to make some spanish rice and use that.  I think it added a nice touch.  :)  I noticed that the directions in this recipe only say to mix the ingredients and instructions on how to assemble.  If you like your food served piping hot like I do, then I suggest maybe sauting the bell peppers and throwing everything (except the cheese, sour cream and tortillas) in the pot or pan and heating everything together thouroughly.  Otherwise your tortillas will burn before the insides of the wrap heat completley. No bueno!

INGREDIENTS:
1 C cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
1 C cooked, shredded chicken (I used two chicken breasts)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced
1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
2 C shredded cheese (I used a combo of monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
Sour cream optional
6-10 flour tortillas

***either make sure your cheese is at room temperature or zap it in the micro for a few seconds before assembling your wraps.  The wraps are not on the griddle long enough to completley melt the cheese if it is straight from your fridge***

DIRECTIONS:
Mix rice together with chili powder, cumin and garlic salt.  Add remaining ingredients except for cheese and sour cream.  Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around the edges, then arrange the chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla.  (Optional: dot the cheese with about 1-2 tablespoons of sour cream before arranging the chicken and rice mixture down the center- it'll make the wraps nice and creamy!)  Roll stuffed tortillas, leaving the edges open.  spray the rolled tortillas all over with cooking spray.  (you could probably omit that step)
Heat a cast iron griddle (or a non-stick skillet) over medium heat for 1 minute.  Arrange 2 wraps, seam-side down, in pan and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-3 minutes per side.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with remaining wraps.  Serve.

Carmelized Chicken

If you are anything like me and keep your freezer well stocked along with your pantry, then you can easily use this recipe as a quick go to meal for those days when you didn't have anything planned for dinner.  I always keep chicken breasts and thighs in my freezer and any of the two would work just fine.  I decided to go with the  thighs because I seemed to have a lot in the freezer already.  I pulled out a pack of six frozen chicken thighs in the morning, threw this marinade together in about five mintues and popped them into the oven where they cooked for 35minutes.  Every minute counts during my weeknight evenings so its meals like this that I LOVE to take advantage of.  I'll throw some rice in the rice cooker and serve some fruit as another side.  While the oven and rice cooker are busy at work I like to take advantage of my free time getting in a few miles in on the treadmill.  And in the end I end up looking like supermom, when in reality I had nothing planned for dinner and didn't think I'd get a workout in at all that day!!!

INGREDIENTS:
6 chicken thighs
2 TBSP olive oil
1/3 C soy sauce
2 TBSP ketchup
2/3 C honey
2 cloves of garlic, minced
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a bowl whisk together olive oil, soy sauce, ketchup, honey, and garlic.  Place the chicken into a glass 13x9 baking dish.  sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and salt.  Pour the marinade on top of the chicken and bake uncovered for about 35 minutes.
***My only regret about this recipe is that I wasn't thinking and forgot to pull the skin off the chicken (which I normally do).  So all the yummy flavor was on the skin which I peeled off later and threw away.  :( Next time I will pull the skin off before I cook it.  Tthere was enough excess marinade that I was able to dip my chicken in.  It was delish!!***