#2,817: Loaded Tater Tot Bites

We enjoyed these so much I think I've probably made them four times.  We've eaten them as a side dish at dinner, as an after school snack, and for breakfast.  They freeze well too so you can make a whole bunch ahead of time and just reheat in the microwave! 

32 oz Tater Tots frozen

1 1/2 c. Cheddar Cheese shredded

This is a mini tart shaper

1 lb Bacon cooked and diced
about 1/2 package of fresh chives, finely chopped

Note: You can use any ingredients you like on your loaded baked potato. These are just suggestions!

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Grease a mini muffin pan and place five tater tots in each cup. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Remove the muffin pan from the oven and use a mini tart shaper (or a small glass or even a spoon) to press the tater tots down into each cup. This will create a tater tot cup.

Fill the tater tots with the cheese,bacon, and chives (or your desired loaded potato ingredients).

Place the tater tots back in the oven and cook for another 15 - 20 minutes until the tater tots become golden brown.  If they don't want to come out of the muffin cup pretty easily (you might need to use a butter knife to loosen the edges), then it's probably not done yet. 

Remove from the oven and let the tots cool for at least 5 minutes.

Let cool completely if you want to freeze them to eat later.  To reheat, place frozen tater tot cups on a microwave safe plate and reheat for 30-60 seconds. 

#2.815: Homemade Organic Gummy Bear Fruit Snacks

 

The first time I made these, they were easy, but the worst part was straining the seeds out of the fresh strawberry puree.  My kids liked them, but I felt like it was too much work for the amount I got out of it.  Then I figured I'd take a shortcut step and find organic fruit purees to use in place of the fresh strawberries.  Plus, the original recipe I tried was orange-strawberry, and although I liked the taste of them when done, I didn't love the smell they were giving off when cooking.  So I went to Target in search of organic baby food pouches I could use in place for the puree (PLUS I was hoping to sneak in a veggie too!).  I found several different kids so I've made this recipe multiple times.  These are definitely a personal preference kind of recipe....we all like different ones the best!  I got the super cute gummy bear mold for about $6 at Walmart.  Personally, you probably should get 2 because you can make a batch quicker (you get 45 gummy bears per mold).  But each mold only has to be in the freezer for 15 minutes before they set so I just used one mold and kept dumping and refilling it.  You can freeze these to eat later, but you have to let them thaw in the fridge before eating.  (PS...keep these refrigerated). 

Here is the link to the original recipe for the strawberry-orange flavored ones. 
Below is the recipe for using the organic fruit pouches.  

1/2 cup fruit puree (from baby food/toddler pouches)

1/2 cup juice (apple, orange, cranberry, etc.)

2 tbsp honey

3 tbsp gelatin

Combine puree and choice of juice in a saucepan. Heat on low until the liquid is almost simmering. Remove from heat. Let cool for a few minutes and then add honey to the mixture. 
In a small bowl add gelatin.  Add the slightly cooled puree stirring constantly until the gelatin is dissolved.

Use a dropper to fill the silicon Gummy Bear molds OR pour the gelatin liquid into the molds using a spatula to smooth it out and push all the puree into the mold. Place in the freezer for 15-20 minutes or until the gummies are firm.

#2,801: Peanut butter and jelly muffins

I'm playing catch up with recipes and making my way through Food Network Magazines month of muffins!  This is the recipe from September and is a perfect back-to-school recipe!  One of my kids likes grape jelly, and one likes strawberry, (and one doesn't like jelly), so I made both kinds.  The muffin is a tiny bit dry, so the jelly definitely helps.  The peanut topping is so good on it though!  We really enjoyed these and the kids would ask me every morning if they could eat them and how many they could have.  I just kept responding "how many do YOU think you should have?"  LOL

2/3 cup whole-wheat flour (I used more all-purpose flour)

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup whole milk

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3/4 cup honey-roasted peanuts, finely chopped

1 cup strawberry or grape jelly or jam

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk both flours, the baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Whisk 1/3 cup peanut butter, the milk, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl; stir into the flour mixture until just combined.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling them three-quarters of the way. Tap the bottom of the pan lightly on the counter to smooth out the batter. Bake until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let the muffins cool 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a rack to cool completely.

Using a melon baller or teaspoon, scoop out a shallow hole in the middle of each muffin. Melt the remaining 2/3 cup peanut butter in the microwave until loose, stirring halfway through, 45 to 60 seconds. Spread the peanuts on a plate. Dip the top of 1 muffin in the melted peanut butter, letting the excess drip off, then dip it in the chopped peanuts to coat. Transfer to the rack and repeat with the remaining muffins.

Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon jelly or jam into the hole in each muffin. Let set 5 minutes.

#2,795: Orange Zucchini Bread

Allison told me she wanted to guess what was in this recipe...ok I'll play along.  She guessed zucchini right away (the fact that she could see it in the bread was a good start), and then guessed every fall fruit possible as the other ingredient.  When I told her it was orange juice, she KNEW it had to be something citrusy.  HA.  Nice try girly.  You were close.  

This bread is quite moist and who knew that orange and zucchini went so well together.  Since I have now cut myself TWICE (in the same spot I might add) on my food processor blade, I figure I better put a disclaimer/warning/don't learn from my mistakes note out there to y'all.  Please be careful with your food processor blades!  Even when you are mentally telling yourself to be careful so you don't cut yourself again it can (and might) happen!  

This is big batch recipe and makes 4 mini or 2 regular sizes loaves.  So make a batch and share some with your neighbhors.  Or stick them in the freezer for breakfast or snacks for the kids...or yourself. 

3 cups flour

2 cups cups sugar

3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 tbsp zest of one Naval orange

4 oz juice of one Naval orange

3 cups minced fresh zucchini, drained of juice use food processor and drain of moisture

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

3 eggs

3 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Ensure rack is in middle position.

Rinse and cut zucchini (skin on) into quarters and put in a food processor. Turn on for 30 seconds or so until zucchini is minced or finely shredded. 

In a large bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add sugar, oil, orange zest, orange juice and eggs. Add flour mixture one cup at a time mixing on low. Stir in minced fresh zucchini. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and make sure flour is incorporated evenly into batter.

Grease two loaf pans (8"x 4"x 3") with cooking spray. Pour half of the batter into each loaf pan and bake at 350F for 50-60 min. Test by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clean, it is done. Let rest for 30 min before cutting. Enjoy warm or cold. Store in the refrigerator for several days. Wrap in wax paper and put in freezer bag to freeze up to 6 months.

#2,793: Almond flour chocolate chip cookies

I don't know if you all enjoy the taste of almond flour as much as I do, but I might get a little too excited when I see it used in a recipe.  So since I happened to have some on hand (I usually do!), I figured I'd give these almond flour chocolate chip cookies a try.  I'm a fan of raw cookie dough, and this cookie dough was no exception (I know...you aren't supposed to eat raw cookie dough!!).  These are quite good...they are NOT as good however when you forget they are in the oven until you smell them burning and are shocked to see you never took the last batch out!  I might have almost cried (and then got Young Living Purification Oil going in my diffuser to get that burned smell out of my house).  

Although mine look NOTHING like the original posters recipe, I'll still make (and eat) them again.  

1 + 1/4 cups almond flour

1/2 cup ground flaxseed meal

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/4 cup avocado oil (or baking oil of choice)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, combine almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, salt and brown sugar. Mix until ingredients are well combined.

In a separate medium bowl, combine egg, oil and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, gently folding all the ingredients together until well combined.

Fold in mini chocolate chips.

Cover dough and place in fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or reusable silicone mat.

Using your hands, roll about 1-inch dough balls and place on baking sheet. The cookies will not spread, so they do not need much space between them.

Gently press each dough ball to slightly flatten it (do not flatten all the way, just a little).

Bake for 7-9 minutes until tops begin to brown and dough is set.

Allow cookies to cool for 2-3 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooking rack to cool completely.

#2,790: Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Bread

Since taking a leave from work, my kids often come home to some sort of baked good for an after school snack now (added perk of mom being home).  Usually they badger me to find out what weird or healthy ingredient I added to it but then once I can get them to try it, they are usually pretty happy.  This recipe was one of those recipes.  They could tell by the color there was something in this and it wasn't a form of banana bread, but the cinnamon-sugar topping persuaded them to at least try it.  They devoured this mini loaf.  I think I've make this two or three times again since!  Hey it's pumpkin season, it's the perfect time to make this recipe!  Plus it freezes well so I can pretty much always have some on hand for breakfast OR for after school snacks. 

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/3 cup vegetable oil, canola oil, or liquid-state coconut oil 

1/4 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond milk

2 tablespoons mild or medium molasses (I omitted)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Cinnamon Sugar Topping

3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided 3 ways

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided 3 ways

Preheat oven to 400F. Spray 3 5x3x2-inch mini loaf pans very well with floured cooking spray or grease and flour the pans; set aside.

To a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and whisk together; set aside.

To a separate large bowl add the sugars, pumpkin, oil (I used coconut) milk, molasses, vanilla, and whisk until combined.

Pour the wet pumpkin mixture over the dry ingredients, and stir until just combined; don’t over mix.

Evenly distribute batter between the 3 prepared pans, filling each about 2/3-full.

Cinnamon Sugar Topping – Evenly sprinkle 1 tablespoon sugar over each of the 3 pans.

Evenly sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon over each of the 3 pans and place pans on a baking sheet (easier than dealing with 3 separate small pans in a hot oven).  Bake for about 40 to 43 minutes, or until tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Start checking at 30 minutes because all mini pans, ovens, and climates vary. Allow bread to cool in pans for about 15 minutes before removing and placing on a wire rack to cool completely. 

Bread will keep airtight at room temp for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

#2,789: Chocolate Fig Energy Bites

What do you do when you have dried figs sitting in your pantry for a few weeks and want to find a recipe to use them up...you do a google and pinterest search and find healthy energy balls to make with them! Energy balls are eaten often in this house but I didn't think my kids would go for these (I was right).  Although I liked these, the texture is a bit soft.  I liked these (it's got chocolate chips in them, how could I not like them?!), but I prefer oatmeal and peanut butter energy balls much more.  

1 c dried figs

½ c + 2 tbsp water

1 c old-fashioned oats 

1 scoop vanilla protein powder (I used ground oats instead)

¼ c unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tbsp miniature chocolate chips

Add the figs and water to a large microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes before adding the hydrated figs and leftover water to a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Let the mixture cool completely to room temperature. (Place in the refrigerator to speed up the process.)

Add the oats, protein powder, and cocoa powder to a medium bowl, and stir until thoroughly combined. Mix in the fig paste until fully incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Lay a sheet of wax paper on a large plate. Shape the chocolate mixture into 32 balls, placing each on the wax paper after rolling.

#2,786: No-Bake Granola Bars

OMG I am warning you, do NOT make these granola bars!  If you do, I'm telling you, you just might regret it because these are addicting!  I can whip up a batch of these pretty quickly, the hardest part is letting the mixture cool a little bit before you add the baking M and M's otherwise, they are going to melt.  It doesn't change the flavor at all, but it will change the appearance for sure.  I made these in an 8x8 pan and then cut it into 10 pieces.  The second time I made these (yep, there was a second time already!), I cut each of the 10 pieces in half and popped those babies in the freezer.  That slowed us down a little bit!  My kids love these as an after school snack, and as a dessert in their lunches.  Everyone in our house give these 2 thumbs up!

The original recipe called for Crispy M and M's, but I wasn't about to waste take my time chopping those up, so I just used baking mini ones instead.  

1 cup crispy rice cereal

½ cup old-fashioned oats

½ cup vanilla protein powder (I didn't have any so I ground up oats and used 1/2 c of those instead!)

¼ cup coarsely chopped M&M’s Crispy, plus additional for topping (I used baking mini ones...see note above)

3 tablespoons chia seeds

½ cup peanut butter softened

¼ cup honey

2 tablespoons coconut oil

Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Place remaining ingredients in a small bowl and heat in microwave for 20-30 seconds, or until softened. Stir, stir, stir until the ingredients are completely combined and smooth.

Pour peanut butter mixture over dry ingredients and stir until all of the dry ingredients are coated.

(I skipped this step and used a foil square cake pan.  I sprayed with a little non-stick spray and these popped right out) Line a square baking pan with wax paper or parchment paper and use the back of a large spoon or spatula to press the mixture into the pan. Really press the mixture down firmly so that the bars hold together properly. Decorate/top with additional M and M's if desired.  Refrigerate until firm (at least a couple of hours, or overnight). Cut into bars or squares.  Store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator or freezer.

#2,658: Gluten Free Baked Mozzarella Sticks

You could totally make this non-gluten free, but I have been trying to avoid gluten for a few weeks now to see what effects it's having on my body.  So I made this with gf breadcrumbs, gf panko, and eggs.  I tried dipping it in almond meal first instead of flour like the original recipe suggested, but it wouldn't stick to the cheese so I just gave up (and saved that almond flour from being wasted!).  

I made these and made Brian try them...he was sure I did something weird to them...but he ate one anyway and liked it!  These are really good.  Like, really good.  Especially dipped in sauce.  But I have never met a mozzarella stick I didn't like.  Ha!  Obviously these are best served right away so the cheese is melty and it doesn't sieze back up as it cools.  I don't know if I'll make these all the time (too much in and out of the freezer for my liking), but for an occasional snack/treat, I'm all for it!  

12 sticks mozzarella string cheese

1 large egg

1/4 cup flour (I omitted)

1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (I used gluten free breadcrumbs)

1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs (I used gluten free panko)

2 teaspoons parmesan cheese

1 Tablespoon dried parsley

Remove string cheese from the wrappers and cut cheese in half to give you 24 pieces. Freeze cheese until hard and frozen, about 30 minutes.

In three separate shallow dishes, place egg, flour and breadcrumbs, each in their own dish. Whisk egg. To breadcrumbs dish, add panko, parmesan and parsley.

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. 

Dip frozen cheese sticks in flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then coat with the crumbs. Repeat for each cheese stick, placing them on the lined baking sheet. Freeze on sheet at least 15 minutes, or until ready to bake (this is a must or they will melt before the crumbs get golden).

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange oven rack in the bottom third of your oven. (I just baked mine on the top rack and then turned the broiler on at the end). 

Bake 4 to 5 minutes, turn sticks over, and bake an additional 4-5 minutes, watching sticks closely so they don't melt. 

#2,650: Sweet Potato Bites with Avocado and Bacon (#2)

I spent a good chunk of my dinner making happy sounds as I ate this meal.  Oh how this recipe includes three of my favorite things...avocados, sweet potatoes, and bacon!  YES!  I was very happy that no one else in my family wanted to try this because I didn't have to share!  Their loss!  I'll probably be making this again tomorrow.  And maybe the next day!  :) 

4 slices bacon, cooked and chopped

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed clean, peels on, cut into 1/4-1/2 inch slices (I just eyeballed it and cut it into thinner pieces)

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided

3/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted, and diced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

I also added some diced red onion

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Line two rimmed baking sheets with foil (I didn't do this step, but just oiled my pan a little). Brush sheets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil each. 

Arrange the slices of sweet potatoes in a single layer on the oiled baking sheets, then brush tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil (I also did not do this additional oil step). Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown underneath. Remove the pans from the oven, flip the slices over, then roast for an additional 8 to 11 minutes, until golden on top.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the avocado, lime juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and smoked paprika. Mash lightly with a fork, leaving the mixture slightly chunky. Set aside.

Transfer the baked sweet potato slices to a serving plate. Top each with a dollop of the avocado mixture, chopped bacon, and cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.

#2,723: Pepperoni Pizza Pierogies

Some days it's a clean out your fridge/freezer kind of meal!  I was looking through my freezer and decided to make some mini cheese pierogies when I remembered seeing an ad/recipe in a magazine that made little "pizzas" out of them.  Wouldn't you know, I had some provolone, pepperoni, and an open jar of spaghetti sauce needing to be used up too, so I threw these babies together.  I think these were done in about 10 minutes, so they would make a great snack or appetizer too! 

1 box mini pierogies (I used 4 cheese medley)
sliced pepperoni
sliced provolone cheese (you could use mozzarella or Italian blend too)
spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
3 basil leaves, chiffonade 

Cook pierogies as desired (boil, bake, or pan fry).  I pan fried mine in a little bit of olive oil. 

When done, transfer to a cookie sheet and top each pierogie with one piece of sliced pepperoni and a piece of cheese.  I had slices of provolone so I just cut each one into about 8 pieces and used one little triangle per pierogie.  Place under the broiler for about 3 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Meanwhile warm up the sauce to use as a dipping sauce for the pierogies. 

When the pierogies are done, transfer to a plate and top with pieces of basil.   

#2,718: Zucchini Pico de Gallo Salsa

This pico/salsa recipe is such a great summer time recipe that uses summer fresh vegetables!  I can't wait to make this again once I have zucchini and tomatoes picked right from my garden.  I was afraid it would be a little too hot for my liking so I cut out the poblano pepper.  Next time I'm going to add in some bell pepper...cucumber might be good too!  I think this would be great on top of grilled chicken (or probably fish if I ate that) too!  

2 large tomatoes, chopped

1 medium zucchini, finely chopped

1 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped (I omitted although next time I'll probably throw a bell pepper into this instead)

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 seeded and diced jalapeno pepper, optional

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons lime juice

Combine first nine ingredients. Add lime juice; toss to coat.  Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

#2,717: Homemade Guacamole

When I went to visit my sister this past weekend, I stopped at Mariano's (grocery store) to get some groceries, and they had these beautiful (and huge!) avocados for 88 cents each!  So I grabbed a couple and was able to make two different fresh guacamole recipes.  This was the second one I made, which I added some diced jalapeno to.  And the cilantro was fresh out of my garden!  I taught my 11 year old how to make this guacamole as I coached her through each step while I cooked up a few other recipes.  :)  I think this is pretty good....BUT I love most guacamole so that probably shouldn't be a surprise. 

This recipe also calls for some mayo in it, which is optional.  I happened to have some avocado mayo in my fridge so I did add a little bit to it.  I didn't really notice a difference with it in there so you could omit if you wanted. 

3 medium ripe avocados, peeled and cubed

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped, optional

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup mayonnaise, optional

1 to 2 tablespoons lime juice (I used 10 drops of Young Living Lime Vitality Essential Oil)

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

I also added 1 jalapeno, finely diced

Mash avocados with garlic and salt. Stir in remaining ingredients. 

#2,687: No Yeast Soft Pretzels

I always love a good warm soft pretzel.  But I am not a patient, yeast-using type of cook, so I was looking for an easy recipe that I could use that omitted it.  We whipped this recipe together really quickly, and I gave each of the kids enough dough to make 2 pretzels.  You would think I was torturing them asking them to roll out logs of dough.  Once they were done and put into a semi-pretzel shape, we coated half of them with an egg wash and salt, and the other half was coated with cinnamon and sugar.  It was a 50/50 split vote whether we liked the salty or sweet pretzels.  Both were good though.  These are a bit dense (but I expected that!), but still pretty good.  I don't think these compare to a good soft pretzel, but for a quick, easy recipe, I thought they were ok! 

1 1/2 cups flour

2/3 cups milk

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

topping suggestions: coarse salt, cinnamon, sugar, toasted sesame seeds, etc. 

Preheat oven to 425°F.  Stir together the first six ingredients to make a soft dough.

Sprinkle 2 tbsp of flour on the counter. Divide dough into two balls. Knead it. Put bowl upside down over balls for 15 minutes.

Divide each ball into four balls, resulting in eight total balls. Roll each ball into a long rope, about a foot in length and form into pretzel shape.

Spray cookie sheet and place pretzels on pan.  Beat egg and brush over pretzels. Sprinkle on your desired topping.

Place in the oven for 9-11 minutes, or until slightly golden brown.

#2,051: Pickled Snap Peas

I had a pretty big bag of snap peas that I just couldn't eat fast enough, and I was afraid they were going to go bad.  So I started looking for other ways/recipes that I could use them in.  I found a recipe to pickle them, and since that's so out of my wheelhouse, I was a bit reluctant to try it.  The recipe says to use a non-reactive pot...do you know how long my husband and I debated what that meant and if we had a pot we could use?!  In the end I deided to just use my non-stick pot and go for it.  If it is reactive or not, I guess I'll never know, but it didn't negatively affect this recipe!  

1 1/4 cups white wine vinegar

1 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon pickling salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1 pound sugar snap peas, stemmed and strung

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 or 2 small dried chile peppers, slit lengthwise (I used a few shakes of crushed red pepper)

2 tarragon sprigs (I omitted)

In a nonreactive saucepan, bring to a boil the vinegar, water, salt, and sugar, stirring to dissolve the salt and sugar. Let the liquid cool.

Pack the peas, garlic, chile peppers, and tarragon into a 1-quart jar. Pour the cooled liquid over the peas, and cover the jar with a nonreactive cap.

Store the jar in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks before eating the peas (I started eating them 24 hours later...yum!). Refrigerated, they will keep for several months.

#2,027: Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookie Dough

My 10 year old found this recipe on Facebook when we were watching cooking blogs/stories together and asked if she could make it for us one day.  She painstakingly, debated about which of the 4 versions she was going to try and finally settle on this Chocolate Chip cookie dough version.  She was so excited to try it and thought she could eat it right after it was mixed...except it was a watery, very unpleasant looking mixture.  So we threw it in the freezer to firm up.  It got rock solid in the freezer so we had to let it sit out a little bit before we could actually eat it.  To my surprise, both of my girls hated this, but my super picky 5 year old son actually enjoyed it!  I personally did too, but it's probably because I could taste the peanut butter, which I love.  I don't think I'd personally take the time to make this again, but I'm glad we tried it. 

1 can chickpea, drained (liquid reserved) and rinsed

¼ cup peanut butter

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons vanilla

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup chickpea water

½ cup chocolate chip

Spread drained chickpeas onto a towel and pat dry.

Remove chickpea shells.

Place chickpeas, peanut butter, vanilla, honey, and salt into food processor.

Mix halfway then add chickpea water to help consistency.

Add chocolate chips to mixed dough. 

#1,868: Fiesta Ranch Dip

I had a big container of cottage cheese that needed to get used up and a recipe to use it in.  I found a recipe that not only helped me use up my cottage cheese, but also use that random fiesta ranch packet I had in my pantry as well.  Plus I happened to also have just the right amount of sour cream, so this seemed like a no-brainer!

I didn't love this when I first made/tried it.  But it definitely does taste better as it sits longer.  It's still not my favorite dip I've ever had, but I certainly would eat this.  Let's be honest though, I'll eat most everything.  LOL! 

12 oz Cottage Cheese (I used more like 16 oz)
8 oz Sour Cream
4 oz Mayo (I added about 6 oz)
1 Fiesta Ranch Mix Packet

In a blender or food processor, mix all 4 ingredients together. Refrigerate until ready to serve.  The longer you let the dip set the more flavor it has. Serve with chips, crackers, or veggies.

#1,866: Puffy Tacos (Puff Pastry Tacos)

It is no surprise that we eat a lot of taco meat in this family.  We all enjoy it, it's easy to make, and I can have it on hand and in the freezer for quick meals.  Plus we can use the taco meat in so many different ways.  So when I came across this recipe to use it with puff pastry I was all too eager to try it.  Only 1 kid on my family didn't enjoy these (she's the weird one LOL), but everyone else not only gobbled these up, they wanted to eat the leftovers for dinner the next day.  (I don't have to cook one night...uh, ok!).  

1 lb ground beef (I used ground turkey)
1 package taco seasoning
1 (10oz) can diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained (I omitted for my family)
2/3 cup water
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 (17.3-oz) package puff pastry, thawed

Preheat oven to 400. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

In a large skillet, cook ground beef until no longer pink. Drain. Add taco seasoning, diced tomatoes and green chiles and water. Simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.

Unfold pastry sheets. Cut each sheet into 9 squares.

Arrange taco meat down diagonal center of the pastry squares. Sprinkle with some of the shredded cheddar cheese. Fold two opposite corners of each square over the filling and press edges to seal.  (Mine would not stay sealed so I dipped my finger in water and moistened one edge.  Then I pressed that edge into the opposite side of the pastry sheet and it sealed better…some still opened but stayed together much better than the ones I did not use water on).  Place on prepared baking sheet.

Bake 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

#1,857: Baked Crab Rangoon

When my mom asked me to make these crab rangoon, I told her we should just call the local chinese place because this was going to be WAY too much work and not taste good anyways. My sister and I almost had her convinced we should do that, but then she complained that she already had all of the ingredients, so we decided just to go ahead and make them for her.  I say WE, but my sister didn't help AT ALL (thanks a lot Trisha!).  However, these were so good, we made them a second time and my 7 year old Chloe helped me make these and now she wants to make them every day.  :)  No these are not as good as a Chinese place because they aren't crispy and fried.  But they taste really good for baked, and let's face it, it's healthier for you.  Maybe Chloe is right and I should get the ingredients for these again.... :) 

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 small green onions, chopped

8 oz imitation crab, finely chopped

6 oz cream cheese, softened

28 wonton wrappers 

In a bowl mix the softened cream cheese, crab, green onion, garlic salt, and Worcestershire sauce.  Spoon about a 1/2 tablespoon or so of cream cheese mixture into the center of each wonton wrapper.  Dip your finger in water and moisten all along the edges of the wonton wrapper.  Fold up the corners by bringing them to the center of the wontons (right above the mixture) and pinch to close/seal the Rangoon.

Bake at 425 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.