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Thursday, December 21, 2017

Ritz Chicken Casserole

  • Ritz Chicken Casserole 

  • 3 cups cooked shredded chicken breast meat
  • 1 can (10.75 oz) cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 cup sour cream or plain greek yogurt
  • 1/2- 3/4 cup chicken broth
  • 2 sleeves of Ritz crackers, crushed
  • 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
  • 2 tbs poppy seeds

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 2.5 – 3 quart baking dish.
  2. In a large bowl, mix the soup, broth and the sour cream until well blended. Fold in the shredded chicken.
  3. Turn into prepared pan. Top with cracker crumbs and poppy seed (if using). Drizzle melted butter over the top of the crumbs.
  4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until crumbs are golden brown and casserole is hot and bubbly in the center.
  5. Serve over rice with a green vegetable like broccoli.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Christmas Caramels



Christmas Caramels
(I double this)

1 cup butter
1-1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


  • Line a pan with parchment paper;  set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the sugars, salt and butter, corn syrup and sweetened condensed milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
  • Cook and stir over medium-low heat until a candy thermometer reads 238° (soft-ball stage). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Cool. Using parchment, lift candy out of pan; cut into 1-in. squares. Wrap individually in waxed paper. Yield: 2-1/2 pounds.

Chewy Caramel Popcorn

This is a classic at our house! We make it over and over and keep coming back to it because it turns out every single time without fail. So delicious!!!

Chewy Caramel Popcorn
2 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Corn Syrup
1 cup Butter
1/2 tsp Salt (unless your popcorn is pre-salted)
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 tsp Vanilla
2 large bowls of Popped Popcorn  (old maids removed.)


Combine first 4 items in medium saucepan and stir over medium/high heat. Stir continuously. Let boil for 2-3 minutes (no longer) and then remove from heat. Add the milk and vanilla. Return to heat and stir until is just barely starts boiling again. Remove and drizzle over popcorn. Stir well, to completely coat the popcorn. Spread on buttered cookie sheet to cool. Enjoy!!!

Sunday, June 25, 2017

Simple Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Simple Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

2 cups water
3 cups uncooked macaroni
3 T butter
1 tsp of salt
1 cup milk, evaporated milk, cheam, or half and half
2 cups  shredded cheddar cheese- or a combination of your favorite cheeses

Method:
Place the water, pasta, salt and butter in the bowl of your Instant pot and stir
Place the lid on your pot and hit the manual button and set for 5 minutes
Allow the pot to come to pressure, when the timer beeps do a quick release
One the pot has depressurized, hit the saute button and add the milk to the pasta.
Stir well and allow it to cook, while stirring for about 2-3 minutes or until the liquid shows signs of boiling
Stir in the cheese and mix until it is completely melted
Remove the bowl from the pot to prevent burning on the bottom
 Enjoy!

High Protein Waffles

    In an effort to have high protein breakfast options we've stumbled onto these awesome blender waffles. I like that the recipe is pretty basic with lots of room for customization! My kids, husband and I gave this recipe two thumbs way up! The best part is you don't crash from the over consumption of sugar after you enjoy these! Let me know what you think and how you customize these at your house!?!
 

High Protein Waffles

6 Large eggs
2 Cups low-fat cottage cheese
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
2 Cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
1/2 teaspoon Salt
 
Method
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until evenly mixed and smooth. Heat a waffle iron. Lightly coat with oil or spray with non-stick spray. Place a heaping 1/2 cup full of batter onto the waffle iron and cook 4-5 minutes until golden brown and crisp. Repeat with remaining batter. You should have 4 waffles at the end.
 
Variations:
Add a banana in to blender and stir it to the mix for a creamy, potassium-rich addition.
Try adding a dollop of yogurt, extra chopped fresh fruit, freezer jam, sliced or chopped toasted nuts or nut butter on top.

 

Thursday, February 23, 2017

Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Snack Cake

Since the oatmeal chocolate chip snack cake went over swimmingly yesterday I decided to try another snack cake today! This one was also fantastic, so moist and tender, the kids gobbled it right up!
 
Snickerdoodle Pumpkin Snack Cake
 
2 cups pumpkin puree
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup coconut oil
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 large eggs
2/3 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cups ground flax seed
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
 
Topping:
4tbsp sugar and 1tsp cinnamon combined
 
Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Melt coconut oil and allow to cool.
Add pumpkin,  coconut oil, sugar, egg and greek yogurt and mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. Add flour, baking powder, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Stir together until well combined. Pour into a parchment lined 9x13 baking pan.
Mix sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle over batter.
Bake for 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Chocolate Chip Oat Snack Cake


This cake is a great snack for after school. My kiddo's and their friends literally devoured this and came back looking for more!

Chocolate Chip Oat Snack Cake

2 cups whole wheat or white flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 large eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips        

Method:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 
Line the bottom of a 9 by 13 inch baking pan with parchment long enough to overhang on 2 opposite sides: set aside.
Melt the butter and coconut oil and allow to cool.           
Whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda and salt in a bowl; set aside.
Whisk the butter, egg, brown sugar and applesauce in a large bowl until combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until barely mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake until the cake is light brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Use the parchment overhang to lift the cake out of the pan and let cool completely on the rack. Invert onto a plate and peel the parchment off. Re-invert the cake onto a cutting board, cut into 24 pieces and serve. or place individual servings into small bags and store in fridge.