#1,740: Cinnamon Roll Apple Scones

I wanted to make something easy and quick for the kids for our New Years breakfast so I decided to have Chloe help me make these scones for them.  I've made scones twice now for them and both times they've been big fans, so I thought this recipe might be one they liked as well.  Personally this is not my favorite version of scones I've ever made, and I think they are quite dry, but my kids enjoyed grabbing a bite for dessert for New Years and all claimed "this is good!" so that's a good sign for breakfast for them tomorrow.  :)

Hope you all have a wonderful 2016!!  Happy New Years! 

1/2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 c. whole wheat flour
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp plus 1 tsp butter, divided
2 large eggs, divided
1/2 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. plus 1 tbsp granulated sugar, divided
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 medium apple, cored and chopped
1/4 c. slivered almonds, toasted and finely chopped
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 c. powdered sugar
1 to 2 tsp milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

Place oats in blender or food processor. Cover and blend until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl. Stir in all-purpose and whole wheat flours, flaxseed, baking powder, salt, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and nutmeg.

Using a pastry blender, cut in 3 tablespoons butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center; set aside.

In a medium bowl, lightly beat 1 egg. Add buttermilk, 1/4 cup granulated sugar and vanilla. Stir in apple and almonds. Add all at once to flour mixture. Using a fork, stir just until moistened.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead dough by folding and gently pressing it for 10 to 12 strokes or just until dough holds together. Divide dough into 8 portions. Pat each portion into a 3-by-2-inch rectangle. Place scones 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet.

In a small bowl, lightly beat remaining egg; brush onto scones. In another small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon sugar, brown sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle on scones.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden. Cool slightly on baking sheet.

In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 teaspoon butter. Stir in powdered sugar and enough milk to make icing of drizzling consistency. Drizzle icing over scones.

To store: Place iced scones in a single layer in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw at room temperature.

#1,739: Sloppy Joe Puffs

This recipe was crazy easy and my family loved it.  It actually made enough filling for my family to eat it for two meals (I'm hoping the leftover filling will be enough for a second tube of biscuits).  Normally I make homemade sloppy joes but the family did not object to the Manwich at all, so I'd use it again with this recipe for sure.  Huge hit with this crew! 

1 pound ground beef

1 (16 oz) can Manwich (any variety)

1 package (8 ct) canned biscuits

Shredded cheddar cheese

Prepare Manwich according to package directions.

Meanwhile, spray a muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.  Flatten biscuits and place them in the muffin pan so that they form a cup shape.  Fill each biscuit cup with prepared Manwich.  Top with shredded cheese.

Bake in a 375 degree preheated oven for 12-15 minutes or until biscuits are golden and cooked through. 

#1,738: Creamy Crockpot Hot Cocoa

So my weekend napping ritual with Matthew (age 3) is to watch youtube or facebook cooking vidoes.  You know the ones that go quickly (less than 2 minutes) and show you how to make a recipe.  We love it.  And I decided that I wanted to make a video like they do as well.  So Chloe (age 6) and I made one using this super simple hot chocolate recipe that we made for New Years.  This is by no means a great video (and I realized somehow we omitted the video clip with turning on the crockpot, and yes it's blurry at the end) but we are still excited that we made one.  Hoping we can make a few more of these in 2016...of much higher quality of course!!  :) 

As far as this recipe goes, it is super creamy and rich.  If you notice in the video we altered the amounts a little bit based on some of the ingredients we had on hand.  We only used 1 cup of mini chocolate chips and I think it was the perfect amount.  We loved this hot chocolate!
1.5 cups whipping cream

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk

6 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups of chocolate chips 

Stir together the whipping cream, milk, vanilla, and chocolate chips in a crockpot.

Cover and cook on low for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and chocolate chips are melted. Stir again before serving. Garnish as desired.

#1,737: Baked Pumpkin Squares

I had leftover pumpkin from the Breakfast Oatmeal Cupcakes, so I figured I'd make another pumpkin oatmeal breakfast to freeze for the next week or two when I go back to school.  These taste really similar to the Oatmeal Cups I made a few days ago since they both have pumpkin and nuts in it.  That's okay though, it still gives me more easy breakfasts ready to go in the freezer.  This recipe didn't make many squares, and I was supposed to use mini muffin tins for this but I used my Pampered Chef square brownie pan instead since there is literally no clean up or struggles to get the muffins out of the tin!  I've been known to throw muffin tins out before instead of trying to scrub them clean! 

1 banana

1 egg

1 cup oats

1/2 cup pumpkin

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp baking powder

Preheat oven to 375*.  Beat eggs and add all other ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together.

Grease a mini muffin tin well and pour batter in to the brim.  Bake for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through.

Allow to cool completely before removing or your oatmeal might stick. Use a knife to cut along the edges and twist to remove.

#1,736: Hershey kiss chocolate chip cookies

I pinned this recipe two years ago, and figured it was time to remove it from my Pinterest boards!  We had some leftover Hershey Kisses from a New Years Eve activity we did with the kids, so it was a great recipe to use them up on.  I made the cookie dough the day before and just left it in the fridge until the kids and I were ready to make the cookies.  That was a mistake.  I couldn't roll out the dough!  So I had to let it sit out again for a couple of hours so we could actually make these.  Lesson learned.  The kids helped me make these, but I had to flatten out some dough for them to use/wrap around the kiss.  We really enjoyed these and it was such a simple recipe.  It would be even easier if you use the pre-made cookie dough too.  AND it would be good with different flavors of Hershey's Kisses.   

48 Hershey's Kisses Brand Milk Chocolates

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup Mini Chips Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl until well blended. Add flour to butter mixture; blend until smooth. Stir in small chocolate chips. Mold scant tablespoon dough around each chocolate piece, covering completely. Shape into balls; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. 

#1,735: Baked pumpkin oatmeal cups

Oh my gosh, these were seriously so good, I'm still thinking about them in my freezer and thinking I will eat them for breakfast again tomorrow!  These are going to make a wonderful, healthy, and quick breakfast when winter break is over!  

5 cups rolled oats
2 1/2 cups over-ripe mashed banana (I used canned pumpkin)
1 tsp salt
5 stevia packets
optional: 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips (I omitted)
2 2/3 cups water
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp coconut or veg oil
2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
optional add-ins: cinnamon, shredded coconut, chopped walnuts, ground flax or wheat germ, raisins or other dried fruit, etc. (I added some shredded coconut and some cranberry trail mix)

Preheat oven to 380 F, and line 24-25 cupcake tins.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir very well.

In a separate bowl, combine and stir all wet ingredients (including banana (pumpkin)). Mix wet into dry, then pour into the cupcake liners and bake 21 minutes. (If you let them cool overnight, they’ll no longer stick to the liners.) These oatmeal cakes can be eaten right away, or they can be frozen and reheated. 

#1,734: Chocolate Cinnamon Roll Pull Apart Bread

That does look good doesn't it!?  I made these for my kids this morning since it's Christmas break and they ate the entire pan, they didn't even leave any for their dad!!  At first he was upset that we didn't save him any, but then he realized that we had Nutella mixed into it and he didn't care anymore.  Even though I think he would have totally loved these if he was open minded enough to try them.  

Since my chocolate spread doesn't seem to spread easily (I swear I would have used the entire jar with this recipe), I decided to put a huge spoonful in the microwave to thin it out and make it easier to spread.  It worked well doing that and I definitely think I used less that way.  

This was another huge hit of a recipe in our house and I would definitely make these again.  The hardest (IMPOSSIBLE) part of this recipe it to try to cut each biscuit lengthwise in THIRDS.  NOT POSSIBLE.  I cut each one in half and that was hard enough not to smash them all. 

1 can Pillsbury Grands! Cinnamon Rolls (not flakey)
Chocolate spread (such as Nutella, Chocolate Peanut Butter, or any similar product)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5 loaf pan with cooking spray.  

Unroll the tube of Cinnamon Rolls carefully. If they split, just press them back together. Separate the rolls. Slice each into three thin slices, lengthwise (like you'd cut a sandwich roll).  (I cut each one in half) 

Sandwich the slices together with chocolate spread, forming a loaf. Do not spread any chocolate on the outside of the two ends. Place the loaf in the pan. Bake for 24-28 minutes until golden brown. Place the frosting cup that comes with the rolls on the stove while the loaf is baking to melt it (or in the microwave for a few seconds), then pour it over the warm bread. Serve warm.

#1,733: Brownie Batter Overnight Protein Oatmeal

Oh my goodness, is this chocolaty goodness a wonderful way to start your day!  I made these at lunch time one day and then didn’t eat it until close to 24 hours later.  It was so good and this will be a wonderful, quick breakfast for me next week when we go back to school after winter break.  It would be a great dessert too since it’s so chocolaty. 

This is for 2 servings: 

1 cup Unsweetened almond milk (or low fat milk of choice)

1/2 cup Plain low fat Greek yogurt (or mashed banana, or pumpkin) (I used pumpkin)

2 tbs Unsweetened cocoa powder

1/8 tsp Salt

2 tbs sweetener (or to taste) (honey, stevia, sugar, etc.)

1 cup Old fashioned oats

1/4 cup Protein powder (or additional oats) (I used chocolate protein powder)

In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients together. Divide between 2 small bowls, mugs, or mason jars. Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for at least an hour (or more) so the oats soften and absorb the liquid). Top with chopped nuts or topping of choice if desired! Enjoy cold, or microwave for 30-60 seconds to enjoy warm!

Update: I have been making this for months now, and have omitted the salt, cocoa powder, and extra sweetener. I pretty much just add the almond (I use cashew) milk, pumpkin (if I have it on hand), oats and a little protein powder.  I also add about 1-2 tbsp of trail mix (or chocolate chips) as well.  Mix it all together and let it sit in the fridge until you are ready to eat.  I usually make 2 servings at a time so I don't have to think about breakfast everyday.  Grab is go is the only way I can get breakfast in.  Plus, this is so filling.  I rarely need a snack if I eat this for breakfast! 

#1,732: Italian Chicken and Potatoes

So I completely intended to make this with the green beans as the recipe below suggests, but I needed to get this in the pan and get out the door fast so I didn't have time to trim them.  Instead I just omitted the green beans altogether and just did the chicken and the potatoes.  As you can see from above, I used fingerling potatoes instead of russet and just left them whole (time saver!).  I literally had this dinner in the oven in 5 minute!!

Overall my family thought this was ok.  Brian and I both enjoyed it but the kids weren't huge fans.  Don't take their opinion on this dish though as my kids aren't big meat eaters (they eat just a few pieces of what I make each night).  I will definitely make this again...it was so simple!

4 medium potatoes, cut (I used fingerling and left them whole)

2 c. fresh green beans, ends trimmed and cut (I omitted only b/c I made this last minute)

1 lb chicken breasts

1/2 c. butter (I used olive oil and coated each chicken breast and then drizzled over the potatoes)

1 package Italian dressing mix (I used about half the package since I didn't have the green beans to coat)

Cut green beans up. Line one side of the pan with green beans.  Cut potatoes up. Line opposite side of pan with the potatoes.  Line the chicken breasts down the middle of the baking dish.

Cut butter up and layer over the green beans, potatoes and chicken. Sprinkle Italian dressing over the entire pan. Cover with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr.

#1,731: Quinoa Salad with Apples, Almonds and Dried Cranberries

Now here is a quinoa recipe that I absolutely loved and had to stop myself from eating the entire bowl.  It was THAT good.  I loved the nuttiness of the almonds and quinoa, yet the sweetness from the fruits and the bitter/sourness from the dressing really balanced it out.  Delish!!  Definitely make this one. 

2 crisp apples, cored, cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 tablespoons lemon juice (I omitted)

1 cup red or white quinoa, rinsed well

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup dried cranberries

2 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 350°F. Toss apples with lemon juice.
Mix quinoa, 1/4 tsp. salt and 2 cups cold water in a pan. Cover; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook until most of water has been absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork, then turn out onto a baking sheet to cool for at least 10 minutes.

Spread almonds on a baking sheet. Toast until golden, 7 to 10 minutes, shaking pan once. Transfer to a plate to cool. In a bowl, whisk vinegar and mustard. Gradually add olive oil, whisking, until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain apples, if necessary, and add to bowl. Add quinoa, almonds, cranberries and scallions. Gently toss; season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. 

#1,730: Fall Apart Crockpot Pork Chops

It's a freezer cooking day here on this day off from school, so I figured I'd make something super simple for dinner for us tonight.  This recipe suggests cooking the pork chops covered with foil in the oven for 3 1/2 hours, but why do that when you can let your crockpot do it all instead?!?!  

This got mixed reviews from my crew...Brian and I both ate/enjoyed this, but neither of us wanted the leftovers (not a good sign with us).  The kids thought it was just ok or they didn't like it.  Would I make this again, yes.  Would my family be jumping up and down for it, no.  It was definitely easy though and a great last minute meal idea.  My family just wasn't thrilled, although like I said, it wasn't bad! 

6 bone-in pork chops (I used thin cut, boneless)
garlic salt to taste
black pepper to taste
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Season the pork chops on both sides with the salt, pepper and garlic powder.  Place the pork chops in the crockpot.  Pour the sauce over the chops making sure all of them are covered in sauce.

Cover and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  

#1,729: Ham and Cheese Pretzel Bites

So I wasn't sure my family would love this recipe as many of them don't like ham and cheese sandwiches.  But they do like pizza and since this recipe used pizza dough I figured I had half a chance they would at least try it.  My husband did not enjoy his first bite, but then half the plate was gone.  I guess he liked them after all.  And my super picky 3 year old was the last to leave the table and was fighting his sister for the last ones. I guess I'll be making these again this week since they enjoyed them so much and it was such an easy recipe!

1 can Pillsbury refrigerated thin crust pizza dough (I used regular crust and just cut it in half to make 2 long rectangles)

1 package (8 ounce) sliced cheddar cheese (I used shredded Italian blend cheese)

1 package (7 ounce) sliced deli ham

1 egg, beaten

Coarse sea salt

1 tablespoon butter, melted

Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Unroll pizza dough onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

Top dough evenly with sliced cheese and ham slices. Carefully and tightly roll up dough from the long end into a log; pinch seam to seal.

Slice log into 16 equal pieces. Set each piece cut side-down on baking sheet.

Brush dough with beaten egg, then sprinkle sides and tops with coarse salt. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Brush dough with melted butter. Sprinkle with more salt, if desired. 

#1,728: Simple Pull Apart Rolls (made even easier!)

I found this recipe for simple pull apart rolls that require you to make your dough from scratch with yeast.  I had some frozen bread dough in my freezer from our recent Christmas morning cinnamon roll breakfast, so I figured I'd just use that instead.

All I had to do was let the dough rise on my counter all day and then bake until they were lightly golden.  Then I melted some butter and added some minced garlic and parmesan cheese to the bowl.  I then brusehed the tops of the rolls and then put them back into the oven until they were golden brown (and let them get all toasty and flavored!)  My family ate all of these up with our dinner.  I will definitely make this again...and use frozen bread dough...it was so much easier!!

Below is the original recipe if you prefer making your rolls from scratch.  

3/4 c. butter or margarine

3/4 c. sugar

1 c. boiling water

1 T. + 1 t. yeast (or 2 packets)

2 eggs

1 t. salt

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

7 – 8 c. flour

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter or margarine with the sugar until creamy. Add the boiling water and mix to combine. Cool to room temperature.

While that cools, dissolve yeast in 1 c. warm water. Add to mixing bowl along with the eggs. Mix well.  Stir in the salt, baking powder, baking soda and 5 1/2 c. flour until combined.

3. Working with 1/2 c. at a time, add remaining flour until dough comes together. It’s okay if the dough is still a little sticky. Knead on a floured surface for about 8 minutes.

Roll the dough into evenly shaped balls, about the size of a golf ball and place into 3 round cake pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown. 

#1,727: Sausage and Hash Brown Balls

Here is another really easy breakfast recipe that was a HUGE hit with our families.  My sister and I also made these hash brown balls to go with our Baked French Toast muffins for our families on Christmas morning and there were none left after breakfast!  I knew the adults would like these but the kids couldn't get enough of them.  Definitely, definitely making these again!!

We also made them the night before and just reheated them in the morning.  So good!!! 

1 lb hot sausage, uncooked (I used mild bulk pork sausage)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups Bisquick

1 1/2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/2 (30oz) package frozen shredded hash brown potatoes (about 4 cups) (I used a package of fresh (not frozen!!) hashbrowns and they still turned out great!!)

Preheat oven to 400F.

Mix all ingredients until well combined.  Roll into 1 1/2-inch balls. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until brown.

#1,726: Baked French Toast Muffins

This photo does not do these french toast muffins justice.  My sister and I made these on Christmas morning for our families since we were together this year, and they were devoured by our kids and husbands.  They enjoyed them so much we decided to make them again over New Years.  Huge hit!  I would suggest making more of the topping though as we pretty much ran out and had to add some sprinkled cinnamon sugar to the tops of each muffin to give it more sugar/caramel/crunch.  

Also, the recipe says to refrigerate for several hours or overnight but we did NOT do this step. I think it was a good idea too otherwise it would have been super soggy.  And this family does not like soggy bread recipes.  

1 loaf French bread, cut or torn into 1/2 inch cubes (about 12 cups of bread)

2 1/2 cups milk

6 large eggs

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Cinnamon Streusel Topping:

1/4 cup cold butter

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose Gold Medal flour

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

Butter and Maple Syrup, for serving, optional

In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Grease a 12 cup muffin tin.  Add the bread cubes and stir to combine.  Divide the mixture between 12 muffin cups.

(I skipped this step) Cover the muffins with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. To make the cinnamon streusel, in a small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Mix together with your hands, until you have a crumbly mixture. Remove the muffins from the refrigerator and sprinkle the muffins evenly with the streusel topping.

Bake for 25 minutes or until tops are golden brown. Let muffins cool for 5 minutes. Remove from pan and serve with butter and maple syrup, if desired.

#1,725: Stacked Cinnamon Roll Christmas Tree

As you can see from the photo above, I had some helpers with this recipe.  My kiddos (3, 6, 8) helped me roll each cinnamon roll piece into balls.  Then the frosting started to harden faster than I liked, and the sprinkles/colored sugar didn't want to stick to it.  But I pretty much dumped a gigantic amount of sprinkles onto the top (who knew there wouldn't be a sprinkle top?!?!) which all bounced around the kitchen counter and floor.  I had to grab the dust buster before the kids all told Mimi on me!!  :)

Overall the kids (and my husband) ate all of these cinnamon rolls, but we all agreed, because they were "bites" they were really dry compared to a traditional cinnamon roll.  Maybe they just need double the amount of icing (which would mean you have to make more because the recipe below says just to use the packet that comes with the rolls).  I'd eat/make this again, but it wasn't anything super special.  It was fun for a Christmas break breakfast though!

1 can (12.4 oz) cinnamon rolls with icing

½ teaspoon colored sugar

Heat oven to 400°F. Spray large cookie sheet with cooking spray. Separate dough into 8 rolls. Use kitchen scissors or knife to cut each roll into 4 pieces.

Shape each piece into small ball, and place on cookie sheet. Place 10 balls in a single layer, clustered and touching together to form a round disk shape. Continue with a formation of 8 balls, then 6 balls, then 4 balls, 3 balls and finally a single ball. There will be a total of 6 disks (including the single ball), which will form the layers of the tree after baking.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until browned. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes. Meanwhile, transfer icing to microwavable liquid measuring cup. Microwave uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until pourable.

Use large, flat spatula to transfer largest disk to serving platter or cake plate. Drizzle with small amount of icing, then top with next largest disk. Drizzle with small amount of icing. Continue with remaining disks, ending with single ball. Drizzle remaining icing over tree. After drizzling, immediately sprinkle with colored sugar.

#1,724: Chickpea Soup

I made this super simple soup at my mom's house over Christmas weekend and enjoyed it for lunch and dinner one night.  It was so simple to throw together and overall the flavors are pretty good.  I love that it's healthy and vegetarian, although you could easily add in some ground beef or turkey to give it more flavor too.  I would definitely make this one again.

I almost had to use dried rosemary in this dish because her local grocery store was out of the fresh stuff, but thankfully with this mild winter, her rosemary was still in her garden.  Although I still almost used dried rosemary because I was too lazy to walk to her garden in the cold!  LOL   But I knew if I didn't do it, she would eventually go for me and I didn't want to be THAT lazy.  Love my mom!  

1 bunch Swiss chard or Tuscan kale, center stems removed

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 carrots, peeled and diced

1 large onion, chopped

3 - 4 small ribs celery from the heart, chopped (I omitted)

3 tablespoons chopped rosemary

2 - 3 large cloves garlic, chopped

1 tsp. crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

2 15 1/2 ounce cans chickpeas

1 28 ounce can petite diced tomatoes

Minced red or white onions, for garnish

Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, for garnish (I omitted, although it would be very good!)

(I did not do this step, instead I just chopped it finely with a knife). In a food processor, pulse the chard until finely chopped. Transfer to a medium bowl, rinse out the food processor and return it to the base.

In a soup pot, heat 3 tbsp. olive oil, over medium-high. Add the carrots, chopped onion, celery, rosemary, chopped garlic and crushed red pepper; season with salt and pepper. Cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender but not brown, 7 to 8 minutes.

Stir in the stock, chickpeas and tomatoes. Transfer half the soup to the food processor and coarsely puree. Return to the pot and stir in the chard; season. Simmer, stirring often, until the flavors blend, about 5 minutes.

Garnish with raw onion and cheese if desired. 

#1,723: Rosemary Sweet Potato Stackers

Look at how good those sweet potatoes look!!  My cousin Alisa sent me this recipe and I was being lazy and not making these for a few weeks.  But then I decided to finally give them a try and was surprised by how easy these were.  Basically you throw your potatoes in a food processor to slice, then mix it with all the other ingredients and pop them in your muffin tins.  Healthy, easy and delicious!  I ate these for lunch and then ate the leftovers for a snack...both times just as great!  

2 tablespoons organic butter, melted

2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for garnish

1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped, plus extra for garnish

Sea salt and pepper

5-6 large sweet potatoes or yams, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl whisk together butter, coconut oil, parmesan, chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Add sweet potatoes and toss to coat evenly.

Layer potatoes slices into muffin pan and fill to the top. They will shrink down once they are cooking.

Bake for about 45-50 minutes and edges and tops are golden brown and center in tender.

Let cool for about 5 minutes and carefully remove with a spoon. Place on serving tray and top with extra parmesan cheese and fresh chopped fresh rosemary. Serve immediately.

#1,722: Strawberry Dreamsicle Salad

The original recipe for this was to make with orange jello and mandarin oranges, but I am NOT a fan of mandarin oranges.  So I substituted strawberry jello and fruit instead.  I originally planned on using fresh strawberries but they are obviously not in season, expensive and don't look great this time of year.  So I just used frozen strawberries and sliced them while still frozen so they would hold their shape better.  This was actually really good.  My kids loved this, and I thought it was pretty good as well!  I made it for Christmas Eve dinner...hopefully my family enjoys it as much as we do so far. 

1 sm. box (4 serv. size/.3 oz pkg) sugar-free strawberry jello

1 sm. box (4 serv. size/1 oz pkg) sugar free instant vanilla pudding

1 ½ cups fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced (I used frozen strawberries and put them in my food processor with the thickest disk to slice them) 

1 - 8 oz tub fat free frozen whipped topping, thawed

Dissolve jello in 1 c. boiling water. Add 1/2 c. cold water; let set in fridge for 20 minutes.  With mixer or whisk, add dry vanilla pudding mix to jello and beat until smooth. Fold in strawberries and whipped topping (by hand). Refrigerate.

#1,721: French Toast Roll-Ups

Well my kids went crazy for this recipe!  I had to cut them off after four each!  Of course they couldn't make my time in the kitchen simple by all eating/wanting the same filling for their roll-up, but each kid likes a different sandwich filling: Allison-peanut butter; Chloe-grape jelly; Matthew-Nutella.  I tried a bite of each of theirs and although I liked the jelly one the least (I don't love jelly though) they were all very good!  I made this with texas toast and with whole wheat bread and that came down to personal preference.  2 kids and I liked it better with the texas toast; 1 kid prefered the whole wheat sandwich bread.  To each his own!  I plan on making this for my niece and nephew this coming weekend as well...I think it's going to be a big hit!  

8 slices white sandwich bread (I used whole wheat and texas toast)

peanut butter, jelly, cream cheese, dulce de leche, cajeta or nutella (personal choice)

2 eggs

3 tablespoons milk

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

butter, for greasing the pan

maple syrup, for serving (It doesn't need it!  I omitted)

Trim the crust from the bread and flatten it out with a rolling pin.

Place about a teaspoon or 2 of your chosen filling an inch from one end of the bread spread out in a strip. Roll the bread up and repeat until they're all filled.

In a shallow bowl whisk the eggs and milk until well combined.

In a separate bowl mix the sugar with the cinnamon.

In a skillet set over medium heat melt a tablespoon of butter.  Add the rolls to the egg turning to coat on all sides then place them in the pan seam side down. Cook in batches until golden brown, turning them to cook and brown on all sides. Add butter to the pan as needed.

Add the hot rolls from the pan to the cinnamon sugar and roll until completely covered in sugar.  Serve with maple syrup for dunking.

#1,720: Lemon-Rosemary Roasted Chicken with Potatoes

I know for sure, that I've made this recipe before, but when I found it still on one of my Pinterest boards I realized I never blogged about it.  So I decided to make it again so I could post it and get it off my main dish board!  My family likes this recipe.  They don't go ga-ga over it, but they all eat it.  I like it as soon as it comes out of the oven, but am not a fan of this leftover/reheated.  It was definitely good as our dinner that night though!  It's so simple too,  I love that you can mix it all together in a pan and then bake it on the same pan.  It makes clean up easy too.  

1/4 cup olive oil

2 lemons--1 zested and juiced and 1 thinly sliced (I omitted the second sliced lemon)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes

1 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (I used boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into pieces)

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees . In a small bowl, whisk the oil, lemon zest and juice, mustard and garlic; season the dressing with salt and pepper.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, chicken, rosemary and sliced lemon with the dressing; season. Arrange the potato mixture and chicken, skin side up, in a single layer.

Roast, turning the potatoes once, until the potatoes are golden-brown and tender and the chicken is cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.

#1,719: Cinnamon Walnut Apple Salad

I really thought my kids were going to like this recipe, but none of them were big fans. I have to admit, I didn't go crazy for it either.  They kind of ate it when I didn't have any walnuts in it (as pictured above) but as soon as the nuts went in, they liked it even less.  I added some pomegranate arils to give it more crunch similar to the walnuts, but it didn't make it any more appealing to them.  Bummer...but we won't be making this one again. 

3-4 large apples

2 bananas (I omitted and added some pomegranate arils)

Red or green grapes, halved 

½ cup plain yogurt

1 tsp. maple syrup (I used honey)

¼ tsp. vanilla

½ cup chopped walnuts

Cinnamon to taste

Mix yogurt with maple syrup and vanilla in small bowl. Chop walnuts. Set aside.

Chop apples and place into a large serving bowl.  Sprinkle apples with a few shakes of cinnamon, to taste.  Pour yogurt mixture onto apples and stir to combine.

Cut up bananas into pieces on top of apples. Add chopped walnuts and grapes, if using, to bowl and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately.

#1,718: Snicker's Popcorn

I had a bag of Snickers that I need to get out of my house (so I stopped eating them!!) so I made this super simple recipe to take to book club with me this week.  It was so simple to make and my kids were big fans of this!  I purposely brought it in a foil pan so I could leave it behind.  This is good stuff!  :)  Personally it probably would be better with the peanuts, but I didn't have any on hand and didn't want to run to the store so I just omitted.  The peanuts would be a personal preference addition though.

8 quarts air popped corn (about 2 cups of kernels)

1 cup salted butter

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup salted peanuts (I omitted)

30 "Fun Size" Snickers bars coarsely chopped

3 oz melted semi sweet chocolate (optional) (I added some mini chocolate chips to add a little more chocolate)

Preheat oven to 200. 

Over medium heat boil butter, brown sugar, salt and corn syrup for 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in your baking soda.  Pour over your popcorn and stir to coat evenly.

Transfer to waxed paper lined counter and sprinkle peanuts on top. Stir until all is coated evenly.

Transfer popcorn into a large roasting pan and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and stir in your coarsely chopped Snickers. Return to oven for 3 more minutes so the Snickers begin to melt slightly into the popcorn.

Remove from pan and transfer popcorn back to wax paper to cool.  Drizzle melted chocolate on top of popcorn if desired.

Let set and store in an airtight container.