Snack Mix

I am good with dinners. I am good with desserts. I am so so with lunches. I am terrible with snacks. My kids always tell me there is nothing to eat. I don't buy chips or cheesey crackers or any cracker for that matter, unless it belongs on top of a casserole. I decided to make up a snack mix and keep it in a plastic air-tight container for easy grabbing. The kids and I both love this snack and it is really quite filling! I love the texture. It has a good combination of crunchy and chewey, sweet and salty!

In a large bowl pour about the same measurements:

Corn Chex cereal
mini pretzels
raisins
chocolate chips or M&Ms

I like to just eye ball the measurements and toss gently with my fingers. You want to handle gently so you don't end up with broken crumbs on the bottom.

Wild Strawberry Frosing

Trish and Courtney, this one's for you! Thanks to Courtney for finding the recipe. She found it at tongue n cheeky blogspot. I found this to be a great recipe! It doesn't taste like strawberry flavored. It tastes like strawberries! I have never actually tasted real strawberry dessert anything until this.  I don't think I can buy strawberry flavored frosting after having tried this. I would recommend frosting your cake or cupcakes right before serving, or keeping them really cool overnight. They tend to melt out in the heat.

In a mixing bowl dump and mix:

3/4 cup strawberries, hand crushed (about 7 medium strawberries)
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
2 lbs powdered sugar

Ham and Bean Soup

Soak in a large pot overnight:

2 cups dry Navy beans
2 quarts water

2, 1/2 hours to 3 hours prior to serving dinner drain the water and add to the beans in the pot:

2 quarts fresh water
1 hamhock or neckbone (just for flavor)
2 cups chopped ham

Bring the water to a boil and then simmer for one hour. If you stir too often you will end up with mushy beans ;)

After the one hour I like to take the hamhock or neck bone out. Add:

1/4 cup onion
1/4 cup carrots, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1 tsp salt
2 T butter

let this simmer for another hour.

Add:

1 cup milk

Let the milky soup simmer for about 5 more minutes and then turn the heat to lowest setting until you are ready to serve.

This soup is better the second day. I like to serve this with wheat bread or rolls. With the protein in the wheat and the bean you get a complete protein.

Also, my Dad gave me a tip once and I really like it! Try serving the soup with just a small spoonfull of Horseradish. It gives it a kick!

Chewey Granola Bar

These are my new favorite granola bars! They are chewey and soft and hold their shape really well. I was a little skeptical if they would ever firm up. When you take them out of the oven they are really soft. I waited 2 hours and they felt like they would be too flimsy and sticky to handle. But I let them completely cool for about 5 hours and they were great! I would suggest that you score or cut the granola bars after they have cooled for 2 hours and then just leave them to finish cooling in the 9x13.

In a large mixing bowl combine:

2 cups oats (I used old-fashioned)
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup wheat germ (found by the syrup)
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup dry dates (found by raisins)

In a microwave safe bowl combine:

2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
3 T butter
1, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

Microwave the honey mixture on high for one minute. Mix with a spoon. Then microwave for another minute. Mix again and poor over the dry oat mixture. Mix with two large wooden spoons. The chocolate chips will melt slightly. That's ok.

Dump the mixture into a greased 9x13 pan. Press down and even out the best you can. Bake at 300 for 30 minutes.

Try making this at night and let cool over night. Cut and serve in the morning with juice or milk!

Applesauce Cookies

I remember making these cookies as a little girl. The recipe came from my Aunt Merlene. I think she uses shortening. I didn't have any so I used butter. You could use either!

In you mixing bowl mix until creamy:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup sugar

add and mix:

1 egg

add and mix:

1 cup apple sauce

add and mix:

2, 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp nutmeg

optional add and mix:

1, 1/2 cups chocolate chips or raisins

Drop by the spoon full and bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes. I like to let my cookies finish baking on the hot cookie sheets.

Valentine Doodles

These cookies are a fun twist to the snicker doodle with sugar and cinnamon.

In your mixer, mix for 1 minute:

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1, 1/2 cup sugar

add:

2 eggs

add and mix quickly:

2, 3/4 cup flour
2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

make balls out of the dough and dip in red sprinkles or a mix of 2 T sugar 1 T cinnamon. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes

Carrot Cupcakes

This cupcake recipe was adapted from the carrot cake recipe I posted earlier. I added some oat flour to add some more nutrition. They turned out really yummy!

mix the following:

3 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup oil
1, 1/2 cup sugar
2 t vanilla

then add the following:

2 t cinnamon
1/8 t nutmeg
1/4 t salt
2 cups flour (1/4 cup of this is oat flour)
2 t baking soda

then add the following:

2 1/2 cup shredded carrots
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped walnuts
8 oz crush pineapple with juice

bake at 350 in a greased and floured pan for 45 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting

cream:
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter

add:

1 tsp orange extract
2 cups powder sugar

Fill muffin sleeves two thirds full. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Test by pressing your finger on the muffin top. You want it to bounch back.

Lemon Ricotta Muffins

Here is another muffin recipe I enjoyed from the sisterscafe blog. This would be a fun alternative to a roll -especially in the summer time. This muffin has a sunny and refreshing flavor! I made these two days in a row because I couldn't get enough of them. The trick is to make sure they are cooked well enough so they don't fall. But you don't want to over cook them. I found that if you press on the muffin top and it jiggles then they aren't done. If you press on the top and it bounces back then they are just right.

In a mixing bowl mix:

1 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter, very very soft
1 T. finely grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 c. whole-milk ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1 T. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp almond extract (do not use vanilla!)

Then add and mix:

2 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Spoon batter into muffin tins until 3/4 full. Sprinkle tops with sugar and sliced almonds.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes