#1,876: Pumpkin and Oat Cookies

This recipe has been posted on my fridge for weeks now, just waiting for me to make it.  I found it in a recent issue of a magazine that was sent by our local grocery store.  I kept avoiding making this recipe because I figured I would love it.  Then my 10 year old asked if we could make it and I gave in.  I shouldn't have because I could have eaten all of these myself!  We ended up giving some away, and I let the kids eat a few for breakfast, packed up a bunch for their lunch, and kept letting them have one as a snack so I wouldn't eat any more.  The kids loved these as much as I did!  Hey at least the kids are getting in some pumpkin and oatmeal with these cookies!  Maybe that can ofset the sugar a little bit!!  :) 

2 1/2 c flour

1 1/4 c old fashioned oats

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

10 tbsp butter, softened

1 c brown sugar

2/3 c granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 c pumpkin puree

1 tsp vanilla

1 c chocolate chips 

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

In a large bowl beat the butter until creamy.  Add sugars and beat until fluffy.  Beat in egg, then pumpkin and vanilla.

Add flour mixture; mix until soft dough forms.  Beat in chocolate chips.  Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. 

Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and place on prepared baking sheets (12 to a sheet).  Bake until cookies are puffy and firm to the touch (12-15 minutes).  Cool on sheets for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.  Cookies will keep tightly covered in container for about 5 days.  

#1,875: Asian Chopped Salad with Sesame Vinaigrette

I love salads....I especially love a salad that I can some how prep ahead of time.  I made this salad in mason jars so it would stay fresh and I LOVED eating it for 2 days for my lunches.  I added a few ingredients to this to make it more to my liking, but as is would be good too (or with whatever your favorite salad toppings are).  This recipe goes well with just about any meat (especially if grilled).  Eh, this recipe goes well as a side to anything in my opinion!  :) 

1 head romaine

1 1/2 cups purple cabbage (I omitted out of laziness)

1 1/2 cups snow peas

3-4 green onions

1 cup shredded carrot

1 red bell pepper

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

About 1/4 c sliced/slivered almonds
I also added edamame, bacon bits, and sunflower seeds.  

{For the dressing}

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. sesame oil

1 Tbsp. tamari (or soy sauce)

1 Tbsp. maple syrup

1 1/2 Tbsp. sesame seeds

Optional: minced garlic or ginger

Chop romaine and cabbage. Place in a large bowl.

Slice snow peas and green onions. Dice bell pepper, slice carrots, and roughly chop cilantro. Add to bowl.

In a small bowl whisk together dressing ingredients.  Pour over salad and toss to combine.

Top with additional sesame seeds if desired.

#1,874: Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies

I was looking for a really easy, quick, and (hopefully) tasty dessert to take to a friend's house, and I had every ingredient on hand for this recipe, so I figured I'd give it a try.  Simple is definitely the word for this recipe!  I whipped this together literally in about 5 minutes (I put the butter in the microwave to soften it).  One of my girls helped me make it too!  This is really good for being such a simple recipe.  I LOVE peanut butter though so rarely can I make something with peanut butter and not like it.  This isn't the best dessert I've ever had, but I certainly enjoyed it.  

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2/3 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup peanut butter and milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

Place butter and peanut butter in a large bowl and stir until smooth. Add sugars and stir until combined. Add eggs and stir until incorporated. Stir in vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt and stir until just combined. Do not overmix.

Place peanut butter batter in prepared pan and spread evenly. (Batter will be thick) Sprinkle peanut butter and milk chocolate chips on top of batter. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until brownies are set.

Cool and cut into squares to serve.

#1,873: Puff Pastry Pizza Twists

If you are on facebook at all, you are seeing so many how-to videos on making different recipes.  This is a recipe I saw on one of those facebook pages.  The video uses puff pastry and says to cut it into a circle.  I saw that as wasting puff pastry so I did it as a rectangle and it just wasn't as pretty.  So I only took a picture of a piece of it.  :)  My family LOVED this dinner.  It didn't matter to them if it was pretty or not.  It was so super simple to make too.  I did have to bake it a little longer though because the center wasn't cooked all the way through, but I think that's my oven!

2 sheets of puff pastry
Pizza sauce
shredded cheese
egg wash

Place the 2 pieces of puff pastry on a parchment lined baking tray.

I skipped this step: Cut out equal size circles.  

Remove the top sheet.  On the bottom sheet, spread pizza sauce on it, and top with shredded cheese.  Place the other sheet of puff pastry on top.  Take a glass and place it in the center of the circle.  Using a knife or scissors, cut strips away from the edge of the glass.  Take each strip and twist.  Brush egg wash over the top of the puff pastry.

Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.  

#1,872: Cheesy Cauliflower Muffins

I am seriously obsessed with cauliflower.  I eat it at least several times a week.  So when I found this recipe I was super excited to try it!  Since making it the first time, I’ve made it now with both broccoli and cauliflower and enjoy it with both veggies.  So this is super adaptable! 

3 cups finely pulsed raw cauliflower florets (cauliflower should be pulsed until they resemble coarse/large crumbs; 3 cups will be about 1/2 of a large head of cauliflower but please measure it out)

2 large eggs

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 cup almond flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp dry Italian seasoning herb blend

1/4 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a cupcake/muffin pan with cupcake liners. (I just sprayed my pan with cooking spray really well and it slid right out). 

Combine cauliflower, eggs, cheddar cheese, almond flour, baking powder, Italian seasoning, onion powder and garlic powder. Mix with a large spoon or spatula until smooth.

Scoop batter into muffin cups, about 2/3 full. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes until muffins are completely cooked and no longer wet to the touch. 

#1,871: Meatball Bombs

I am becoming the queen of easy meals.  Maybe it's because I'm getting lazier as I get older, or maybe it's because I'm choosing to have time to myself and/or with my family rather than spending tons of time in the kitchen.  Regardless of the reason, I'm looking for ways to get dinner on the table as fast as possible.  I found this super easy recipe for these meatball bombs, and resorted to frozen meatballs...my family didn't notice and/or didn't care.  So take the shortcut and just use frozen, pre-cooked meatballs!

1 can (12 oz) Pillsbury Homestyle refrigerated biscuits
8 cooked Italian-style meatballs (if using frozen, let thaw completely)
1 cup marinara/pasta sauce
1 cup shredded cheese (mozzarella or Italian blend)

I omitted these ingredients to make it easier on me (this would have been super good, but my family was ok without it)

4 tablespoons butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

Using your hands, flatten each biscuit into a 4 inch round.

This step was super messy so I gave up on the sauce and just filled eat dough with meat and cheese.  I served the marinara sauce on the side for my family to dip their meatball bombs in.  Place 1 meatball and 2 tablespoons marinara in center of each dough round. Top with 2 tablespoons of cheese.

Wrap dough around meatball and cheese, pressing edges to seal. Place seam side down, leaving room for spreading on prepared baking sheet. Continue until all biscuits have been completed.

I skipped this step: In a small bowl, whisk together melted butter, garlic, Italian seasoning and salt. Evenly spoon on top of each biscuit.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm!