Single Serving Oatmeal Pancake

This Single Serving Oatmeal Pancake is a filling breakfast.  It's high in protein and high in flavor.  You'll want it for breakfast today!

There's no flour in this pancake.  No flour?  How can one make a pancake with no flour?  Simple--it uses oatmeal instead!  This oatmeal pancake is the most filling pancake I have ever eaten.  I actually was only able to eat half of it before I was to full to continue.  And, I had it for lunch!  Had I had it for breakfast, I maybe could have eaten a third.  This is one filling pancake I tell you!

So where did I come up with the idea for an oatmeal pancake?  Truth be told, I didn't!  Rachel, the author of The Avid Appetite did.  I was assigned to her blog for this month's Secret Recipe Club.  I've browsed her site before, so I knew that I would find a variety of delicious recipes on it.  In fact, my list of recipes I'd like to make from her list was long.  I picked out 17!  Then I had to narrow it down to just one.  I settled on making a breakfast dish and had to decide between a few of her smoothies and these pancakes.  And you know me and pancakes!

Anyway, this pancake is delicious and filling!  I think it's probably similar to baked oatmeal, but I've never had that before.  Rachel's recipe left room for a lot of options.  I chose to use unsweetened applesauce in place of the pumpkin.  Since I didn't have flavor from the pumpkin, I decided to use peanut butter for flavor, but since I didn't want to increase the calorie count, I used PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter .  The addition of peanut butter made me think to sprinkle in a few chocolate chips.  Then I topped off the whole pancake with a dollop of peanut butter, which I smeared over the pancake after taking pictures.

This pancake does take a few minutes to cook, and isn't the easiest to flip because it's so large.  Be patient with it though and let it cook almost through before flipping (that will make it easier).  If it breaks, no big deal...it will still taste delicious!  The flavor combination possibilities for this pancake really are endless.  You could have a lot of fun customizing your pancakes!

Single Serving Oatmeal Pancake

Serves 1

Ingredients:
1/2 cup oatmeal
2 egg whites
1/2 cup applesauce
1 teaspoon agave nectar
2 Tablespoons milk (I used almond milk)
2 Tablespoons PB2 Powdered Peanut Butter
2 Tablespoons chocolate chips
splash of vanilla
pinch of salt
coconut oil
peanut butter, syrup, fresh fruit, jam (your choice of topping)

1. Mix the pancake ingredients together.

2.  Melt about a teaspoon of coconut oil in a small frying pan.  You could also grease the pan with baking spray.

3.  Pour the batter into the pan.  Let the pancake cook on one side until it is completely set, about 5-7 minutes.  Flip the pancake and cook until the other side is brown, an additional 3-4 minutes.

4.  Top with peanut butter, jam, syrup or fresh fruit.

Source: The Avid Appetite

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Sweet and Salty Peanut Granola Bars

These Sweet and Salty Peanut Granola Bars are a delicious on-the-go snack. They're full of protein to keep you going all morning long!

What a week!  I apologize for the sporadic posts here this week.  Our internet has been acting wonky.  It works well during the day, but for some reason at night it doesn't seem to work.  Of course, I do most of my blog writing at night, and when I can't get on to schedule posts I am stuck!  We're working on figuring out a solution: buying a new router or switching internet providers.  In the meantime, I'll post as often as I can get the internet to work.

To add to the stress of the week, Summer has been teething and it's causing her to not act like herself.  She's incredibly clingy and somewhat irritable.  Definitely not my typically happy baby.  I can see her right incisor showing through the top of her gum, but it has yet to poke through.  In the meantime, I'm giving her lots of teething toys, teething tablets, and plently of cuddles.  It's hard to be a baby...

While I'm dealing with all the stressors of life (did I mention my car wouldn't start yesterday morning?), I don't have time or energy to make healthy food choices.  I turn to quick freezer meals for lunch, cookies for snack, and fast food for dinner.  Since I know that isn't good for me, I'm trying to be intentional about making healthier choices.

One of the ways I've been successful is by creating this homemade version of one of my favorite granola bars.  I've been hooked since I bought my first box a few months back and I eat a granola bar every day for my morning snack.  One day I decided that I could probably make my own granola bar and it would be healthier and tastier than the one I was buying.  I whipped up this batch during nap time (though it was easy enough, I could have done it while Summer was playing) and I was impressed by the taste of them.  I haven'te done a calorie comparision between these homemade bars and the storebought ones, but I know the ingredients in these bars are much better for me!  Mike and my dad also gave these bars two thumbs up, so I know they're a winner!

Sweet and Salty Peanut Granola Bars

Makes 1 9x13" pan

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 cup peanuts
1 cup oats
2 cups cheerios
3/4 cup peanut butter
3 Tablespoons coconut oil

1.  In a large microwave safe bowl, combine the peanut butter and agave nectar.  Microwave for 30 seconds to melt peanut butter and then stir until smooth.

2.  Add the peanuts, oats, and cheerios and stir until coated.

3.  Press mixture into a greased 9x13" pan.

4.  In a small microwave safe bowl, combine the peanut butter an coconut oil.  Microwave for 30 seconds and then additional 10 second increments until the coconut oil is melted.  Stir until smooth.

5.  Use a spatula to spread the peanut butter mixture over the bars.

6.  Refrigerate until the topping is set, then cut into bars and serve.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge to prevent topping from melting.

Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake

When you are craving a delicious slice of chocolate cake, but don't want the temptation of an entire cake, this Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake will be your best friend!

There are just some days when you need a chocolate.  I had a couple of those days this week.  Like most of the country, we've been hit by (yet another!) polar vortex, dumping insane amounts of snow and bringing along frigid temperatures.  After being snowed in for 2 days, I was starting to go stir crazy.  So what did I do?  Headed to the kitchen of course!

I really wanted to make a pan of brownies, they were just calling my name!  But since I'm doing my best to eat healthier, and exercise more frequently, to lose this stubborn baby weight, I knew a pan of brownies was the last thing I needed sitting on my kitchen counter!  So when a friend posted a picture of her afternoon snack, a mug cake, on Facebook, I knew that was the solution to my problem.

I modified the recipe to make it skinny.  Though, I should warn you, skinny is still a bit of a misnomer.  This cake clocks in at 362 calories, but most of those come from the coconut oil and peanut butter.  Both are healthy sources of fat and calories.  Compared to most other mug cakes which contain at least twice as many calories, I'd still count this one as skinny!

This cake uses coconut oil as a source of fat, rather than vegetable oil or eggs, which eliminates that rubbery texture.  I will warn you though, if you're looking for an extremely rich and chocolatey cake, this probably isn't for you. It's not terribly sweet, though you could certainly add in more sugar if you wanted.  However, if you are looking for a fairly healthy and delicious way to indulge your chocolate craving without breaking the calorie bank, this cake is for you!

Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter Mug Cake

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
2 teaspoons sugar (can substitute Splenda)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
dash of salt
1 Tablespoon coconut oil, melted
2 Tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon mini chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter

1.  In your mug, combine the dry ingredients.

2.  Stir in the coconut oil, milk, and mini chocolate chips.

3.  Scoop the peanut butter on top of the cake batter.

4.  Microwave on high for 60 seconds.  (Since microwaves vary, you may need to experiment with the time, adding or subtracting 5-10 seconds.)

Nutrition facts (as calculated by My Fitness Pal): Calories 362; Fat 24.7 g; Cholesterol 1.9 mg; Sodium 208.3 g; Potassium 177.5 g; Carbs 30.6 g; Fiber 1 g;  Sugar 14 g;  Protein 7.1g

Peanut Butter Oreo Popcorn

Popcorn with a peanut butter and white chocolate coating.  And Oreos.  What's not to love?

I am a big snacker. What can I say? I just love food :-) The worst part though, is when I get in a snacking mood, I want to eat everything. Everything.  Maybe that's why this baby weight is still hanging on...

One of  my favorite snacks has always been popcorn.  I'm a sucker for a bag of freshly popped buttery popcorn, but I also love the air popped stuff.  We have a variety of flavors that we use on our popcorn.  Even homemade flavors like apple cinnamon! I haven't always been a fan of Oreos, but when I was pregnant I craved them.  I remember telling a friend how I ate an entire sleeve in one sitting (a big deal for me!) and he laughed and said he could eat a whole package!  Apparently everyone loves Oreos.

Then I saw this idea combining popcorn, peanut butter, and Oreos.  It was a pregnant snacker's dream come true!  I still love in now.  In fact, I'm off to make a batch...and put on my stretchy pants...

Peanut Butter Oreo Popcorn

Ingredients:
1 bag microwave popcorn
8 ounces almond bark (or white chocolate chips)
1/4 cup peanut butter
16 Oreos, coarsely chopped

1.  Pop popcorn according to directions on the package.

2.  Pour the popcorn into a large bowl and remove all the unpopped kernels.

3.  Place the almond bark in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 1 minute.  Stir and add the peanut butter.

4.  Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until the chocolate mixture is smooth.

5.  Pour the peanut butter mixture over the popcorn and stir.  Add the Oreo pieces and stir again.

6.  Pour the popcorn onto a baking sheet lined with waxed paper.  Allow the chocolate to cool until set.

Store in an airtight container.  This popcorn is best eaten the day it is made.

Source: Crazy for Crust

No-Bake Cookies

A traditional cookie filled with chocolate, peanut butter, and oats!

Milk and cookies. Everyone's favorite, right?  Nope, not me!  I know, I'm the odd one out.  Especially in my family where Mike can down a glass of milk in about 30 seconds.  I don't like milk, not one bit!  I pour the smallest amount possible on my cereal, just enough to barely wet it.  And you'll never catch me drinking the last little bit left in the bottom of the bowl; the dog gets that!

I blame my mom for my dislike of milk.  You see, when I was growing up we had a rule: you have to have a glass of milk with one meal a day, and that milk has to be finished before you get dessert or get to leave the table.  I spent many nights sitting at the table gagging at the thought of drinking my milk.  Eventually, my mom realized that it was a losing battle, and she stopped making me drink milk as long as I took a calcium supplement and ate yogurt.  But since then, I just can't stand milk.

Chocolate milk though?  I can tolerate that.  I still don't down it like Mike does, but the chocolate makes it totally different in my mind.  My parents have actually gotten in the habit of bringing me chocolate milk so that I am getting calcium and nutrients for nursing Summer.  See, my mom is still making me drink milk!  (Just kidding mom!)

Anyway, milk and cookies.  How about milk in cookies?  And, since I was out of regular white milk when I had this craving for no-bake cookies, I used chocolate milk!  Honestly, I can't really tell a difference, so go ahead and use whatever you have in the house.

No-bake Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk, white or chocolate :)
4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups quick-cooking oats

1.  Combine the butter, sugar, milk, and cocoa powder in a medium saucepan.

2.  Heat over medium heat until the mixture begins to boil.  Allow it to boil for 1 minute.

3.  Remove from the heat and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla until the peanut butter melts into the chocolate mixture.

4.  Stir in oats until they're completely coated with the chocolate mixture.

5.  Drop the cookies by the Tablespoonful onto a wax paper lined cookie sheet.  Cool until set.

Store in an airtight container.  I refrigerate mine so they don't melt.

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls

This sweet roll is filled with peanut butter and chocolate chips. A delicious way to start your morning!

Holidays tend to revolve around food at my house!  We typically sleep in and then eat a leisurely breakfast. Then we move on to our morning activities: watching the parade on Thanksgiving or opening gifts on Christmas. We'll often munch on some appetizers before having a late lunch. Dinner is often leftovers from lunch or some more appetizers or even another slice of dessert!

One of my favorite breakfast foods is cinnamon rolls.  This isn't your traditional cinnamon roll though!  Oh no, this one is stuffed with peanut butter and chocolate chips!  I've made other stuffed cinnamon rolls before, like cookie dough, funfetti, and peach. This peanut butter and chocolate chip roll definitely ranks up there as one of my favorites!

P.S.  There is not any cinnamon in the roll, so the title is a bit misleading, but regardless of the filling, I still call these cinnamon rolls! :)

Peanut Butter Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 9 rolls

Ingredients:
3/4 cup milk
2-1/4 teaspoons yeast
1/3 cup sugar
3 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
3 cups flour

2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chocolate chips

1.  Measure milk into a glass measuring cup and microwave for about 30 seconds, until the milk is about 120 degrees.

2.  Add the yeast and sugar to the milk and allow it to sit for 5 minutes, until the mixture becomes frothy.

3.  In the bowl of your stand mixer using the paddle attachment, combine the butter, salt, and egg.

4.  Add the milk mixture and stir.

5.  Switch to the dough hook and add the flour to the mixing bowl.  Mix on low speed until the dough forms a ball.

6.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 1-1/2 hours.

7.  While the dough is rising, stir together the peanut butter and brown sugar.

8.  Once the dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured surface.  Roll it into a rectangle, about 12" by 9".

9.  Spread the peanut butter mixture over the dough.  It might be a little difficult to spread, just do the best you can!

10.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the peanut butter mixture.

11.  Roll the dough up tightly from the long end.  Slice into 9 equal slices.  I find it's easiest to use dental floss to cut the dough!

12.  Place the cinnamon rolls in a greased 9" pan.

13.  Allow the rolls to rise for 1 hour, until the rolls are expanded in the pan.**

14.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

**If desired, you can stop at this point and refrigerate the rolls overnight.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the fridge.  When you're ready to bake them, allow the rolls to come to room temperature while the oven is preheating.  Then bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.

Source: Crazy for Crust

French Toast Rollups

I seem to have breakfast on the brain lately.  Have you seen my Pinterest account?  I think half of the recipes I pinned this week were for breakfasts!  Not to mention, I did post a breakfast recipe the other day.  Have you checked out my Biscuit Waffles yet?  They take just 10 minutes to make and they're so good!  Go ahead and check them out, I'll wait...

Okay, back to today's recipe.  I saw this idea when I was browsing my assigned blog for last month's Secret Recipe Club.  I didn't have time to make it before the posting date, but I knew I would have to soon!

The original recipe brought back memories of breakfasts when I was in Romania.  I remember waking up in the morning to the smell of fresh crepes baking.  When I came out of my room, the table was filled with homemade crepes and a jar of Nutella spread (or the Romanian equivalent) and fresh fruit.  We smeared Nutella on the crepes and rolled them up to eat.  I loved the breakfast so much, I think my hostess made it for me a couple times a week!

This recipe combines the idea of Nutella on crepes along with French Toast.  Really, how can you go wrong with that combination?  I decided to mix it up a little bit and do some of these with Nutella, others with Peanut Butter, and still others with homemade strawberry freezer jam.  I had a really difficult time choosing a favorite, but the sweetness of the Nutella really made those rolls stand out to me!

French Toast Rollups

Makes 12 (approximately 4 servings)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla

12 sandwich bread slices

Nutella, Peanut Butter, and/or Jam

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1.  In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and vanilla.  Set aside.

2.  If desired, remove the crusts from the bread.  (I was lazy and left mine on.)  Using a rolling pin, flatten the bread.

3.  Spread Nutella (or your choice of filling) onto bread slices and roll up, pinching the seam to seal.

4.  Place 2 Tablespoons of butter into a skillet or frying pan and melt over medium heat.

5.  Dip the bread rolls in the egg mixture and place them in the frying pan.  I worked in batches of 6.

6.  Cook the rollups until golden brown, rolling them around as need to ensure even cooking (about 4 minutes total).

7.  Melt remaining butter and cook remaining rollups.

8.  Dust the rollups with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Source: Diethood

Speedy Little Devils

Do you ever have recipes that you look at and think there's no way that recipe is going to turn out?  This recipe was definitely one of those for me!  (Come to think of it, I was a little skeptical of the 45 Minute Dinner Rolls I posted last week...)

About a month ago, I posted on my Facebook page, and asked what you would make if you had an hour of free time to spend in the kitchen.  One of my fans responded with this recipe and said it's a simple but crowd pleasing recipe.  (Thanks Rachael!)

The recipe is called Speedy Little Devils--probably because the recipe comes together in a flash!  As I was making it, I thought that there was no way it was going to to turn out correctly.  The "batter" was so dry, I was afraid I was going to end up with a mess on my hands!  Nevertheless, I pressed on and baked the recipe.

Was I ever in for a surprise!  These little bars turned out amazingly!  I brought a plate in to work to celebrate our intern's last day and I had quite a few requests for the recipe.  I absolutely loved the center of these bars--it reminded me of my Peanut Butter Fluff recipe.  I should note, I didn't have a Devil's Food Cake mix in my house, so I used a brownie mix instead and they still turned out great. 

The moral of the story is:  even if something doesn't look good at first glance, keep going, the results may surprise you!

Speedy Little Devils

Makes 20 bars (1 9x9" pan)

Ingredients:
1 box dry brownie mix (or Devil's Food Cake mix)
1 stick of butter
1 cup peanut butter
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow fluff

1.  In a small microwave safe bowl, melt the butter.  Allow it to cool before using.

2.  In a medium bowl, combine the brownie mix and melted butter.  The batter will be very crumb-like and dry.

3.  Reserve 1 cup of the brownie mix and press the rest into a greased 9x9" cake pan.

4.  In another medium bowl, combine the peanut butter and marshmallow fluff.  If the mixture is difficult to mix, microwave for about 20 seconds and try again.

5.  Spread the peanut butter fluff over the brownie mix.

6.  Sprinkle the remaining cup of crumbs on top of the peanut butter fluff.  Gently press the crumbs down.

7.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Cool bars completely before cutting into squares.

Triple Layer Peanut Butter Pie

A couple weeks ago, my dad had back surgery.  The surgery was successful, but he ended up being in the hospital for 12 days!  When he finally received the green light to go home, he was more than ready for the comforts of home as well as a good homemade meal!

Since we always go to my parent's house for Sunday dinner, I told my dad that he could choose anything he wanted for me to make for dessert.  Anything that sounded good to him, I would make.  And for some odd reason, even though I've never made one for him before, I had a feeling he would choose a peanut butter pie.  He did! 

Since I've never made a peanut butter pie before, I had to find a recipe.  I couldn't find one that I really liked, so I ended up combining different aspects of 3 or 4 different recipes.  The result was this triple layered masterpiece.  Everyone really enjoyed this pie, and I loved that it wasn't too sweet or too rich to have a large slice. 

Who am I kidding?  Even if it was sweet and rich, I'd have had a large slice!

Triple Layer Peanut Butter Pie

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
35 Nilla wafers, finely crushed
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 (3.9 oz) package Jell-O chocolate pudding
1/2 cup milk
6 ounces cream cheese
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 cups Cool Whip, thawed and divided
2 Tablespoons peanut butter

1.  Mix the wafer crumbs and butter until well blended. 

2.  Press into the bottom and sides of a 9" pie pan and bake at 375 for 10 minutes.  Cool.

3.  While the pie crust is cooling, beat the chocolate pudding mix and milk with a whisk for 2 minutes.  The pudding will be thick.

4.  Spread the chocolate pudding onto the bottom of the crust.

5.  Mix the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and peanut butter in a medium bowl and beat until blended.

6.  Fold 1 cup of Cool Whip into the peanut butter mixture.

7.  Spread the peanut butter mixture over the chocolate pudding layer.

8.  Spread the remaining cup of Cool Whip over the peanut butter layer.

9.  Microwave the peanut butter in a small bowl for 15 seconds.  Drizzle over the Cool Whip layer.

10.  Refrigerate for a minimum of 3 hours before serving.

Peanut Butter Eclair Dessert

I'm sure I've mentioned it before but our family tries to make birthdays a special occasion.  Growing up, we celebrated the whole day.  First, we had our choice of breakfast--served in bed.  Then we got to pick our lunch (usually pizza) for our birthday party with friends.  For supper, we got to pick out any meal we wanted.  It certainly helped that my brother's birthday was over Summer vacation and mine was over Christmas break, so we never had to worry about school!

In Mike's family, they got to pick a restaurant to go to for dinner, or a special meal to be prepared.  They also got to pick out a dessert (remember, Mike doesn't like cake) that Mike's mom would make.  We've carried these traditions over into our family by combining the two.  Mike and I get to choose a restaurant or a meal for our birthday dinner.  We also get to celebrate with our families--a homemade meal from my parents, and dinner at a restaurant followed by homemade dessert with Mike's family.

This past year, I really didn't know what to choose for my birthday dessert.  We were celebrating a few weeks after my birthday because of every one's busy schedules and I was at the point in my pregnancy where something might sound good one day but absolutely awful the next day.  That makes it pretty difficult to choose a dessert.  I waited until the last minute and then I saw this Peanut Butter Eclair Dessert on Pinterest.  I sent the recipe to Mike's mom and she made if for all of us to enjoy.  It's a rich dessert, full of peanut butter flavor.  This recipe gets better as it sits, so you'll want to be sure to make it at least the day before you plan to serve it. 

Peanut Butter Eclair Dessert

Serves 12-18

1 box  graham crackers
2 (3-1/4 ounce) boxes vanilla instant pudding
1 cup peanut butter
3-1/2 cups milk
1 (8-ounce) container Cool Whip, thawed
1 can chocolate frosting

1.  Line the bottom of a 9x13" pan with whole graham crackers.

2.  In bowl of your stand mixer, mix pudding, milk and peanut butter. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.

3.  Fold in whipped topping.

4.  Pour half the pudding mixture over the graham crackers.

5.  Place another layer of whole graham crackers on top of pudding layer.

6.  Pour over remaining half of pudding mixture and cover with another layer of graham crackers.

7.  Microwave the container of frosting, uncovered for 1 minute. Pour over the top of the graham crackers.

8.  Refrigerate for at least 12 hours before serving.  This dessert gets better the longer it sits.

Source: Plain Chicken

Peanut Butter Cookies

My father-in-law is one of the hardest people to shop for.  When it comes to Christmas, his birthday, and Father's Day, Mike and I are always faced with coming up for a gift idea for him.  You see, he doesn't need anything.  And anything he might want is either way out of our budget or he just goes out and buys it himself.  Rumor has it that he asked for cash this year.  Call me old-fashioned, but I'm not giving a parent cash for Christmas--it just seems wrong!

This year, we spent a lot of time thinking about the "perfect" gift.  Finally, my mother-in-law suggested that I bake him something each month.  I had considered that before, but having her suggest it meant that it was something my father-in-law was bound to enjoy!  I made a book of coupons for him, one for each month out of the year.  Since Mike had to be involved somehow (and he doesn't bake), I wrote "baked by Melissa, delivered by Mike". 

The gift has turned out to be the most successful one we've given.  Mike and I are impressed by how seriously his dad takes the decision about what to request each month.  In January he asked for Giant Blueberry Muffins.  After much deliberation, in February he requested peanut butter cookies.  I was happy to oblige--especially since peanut butter cookies are sadly lacking from this blog! 

The best part about these peanut butter cookies (other than the taste) is the simplicity. I was astounded to read the recipe and discover that it has only 4 ingredients, none of which are flour.  Seriously, a cookie with no flour?  It can't possibly be good.  Or so I thought...these cookies were excellent!  They come together in no time at all and require such a small amount of work that I can whip up a batch while I'm making dinner.  They were a hit with Mike's dad, and we have enough left over that Mike was able to enjoy a few for lunch too.

4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes 18 3-1/2" cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1.  Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.

2.  Roll dough into 1" balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

3.  Use the tines of a fork to press the cookie flat and create the criss-cross pattern.

4.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, until the edges become golden brown.

Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Source: Bakers Royale

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bugles

I'm a big fan of sweet and salty combinations.  Chocolate covered bacon.  Chocolate covered pretzels.  Salted caramels.  Chocolate and peanut butter.  I love them all!  Mike and I went to a local fast food restaurant a couple months ago when they had bacon ice-cream sundaes.  The concept and taste was great, but the presentation and price were lacking.  That's another recipe I plan on trying at home next time I make homemade ice-cream!

Bugles were always a favorite snack when I was growing up.  How many of you have stuck the Bugles on the end of your fingers to have "witch nails"?  I'm guilty of that!  I saw this idea on Pinterest and thought it would be a great snack for New Years Eve.  My friends and I really enjoyed these.  And, they're the perfect sweet and salty combination!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bugles

Ingredients:
2 cups of Bugles
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1.  Scoop the peanut butter into a pastry bag (or a Ziploc bag with the corner snipped off).

2.  Pipe the peanut butter into the Bugles.

3.  Melt the chocolate chips in a small microwave safe bowl.  I start with 1 minute, then stir and microwave in 15 second increments until the chocolate is smooth.

4.  Dip the open end of each Bugle into the melted chocolate and set on waxed paper.

5.  Allow the chocolate to completely dry before serving.

Store Bugles in an airtight container.

Inspired by: Cookies and Cups

Peanut Butter Fluff

Family game night.  It's a concept both Mike and I grew up with.  While the idea for both our families were similar--both our dads avoided playing games as much as possible, there were also some differences.  For instance, he doesn't have a younger brother who, when he was losing a game of Sorry!, flipped the board so the game could no longer continue.  Ahhh memories!

We often enjoyed game night at home around the kitchen table.  My mom would often have snacks ready for us--typically a bowl of popcorn or pretzels with chocolate to dip them in.  It was the one night of the week when we typically enjoyed a can of pop as well.

While game night has changed a bit since we've been married (there are surprisingly few games for just 2 players), Mike and I do enjoy playing games.  He bought me a version of Monopoly that features places we've been together and every so often we'll pull that out.  We also enjoy card games (Mike plays Poker with his bowling group and is teaching me how) and playing video games on our Wii.  One thing that's remained the same is snacks--they are a must for game time.  We enjoy a variety--popcorn, cheese cubes, apples with dip, crackers...We like our snacks!

Whether you choose to play card games, board games, or video games, this Peanut Butter Fluff is part of a healthy and easy snack for you to enjoy while playing.  It can be made ahead of time and refrigerated.  In fact, we almost always have a container of this waiting for when the craving strikes.  Just scoop out a dollop, slice up an apple, and snack time is ready!

Peanut Butter Fluff

Serves 8

Ingredients:
1 (7 ounce) container of marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon milk

1.  In a medium bowl, combine the marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, and milk until completely mixed.

2.  Serve with sliced fruit--we love apples with this dip.

Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

Note:  The first time I made this recipe, I used about 1 cup of peanut butter.  It resulted in a very clumpy spread, but that was solved by adding milk, a small amount at a time.  The dip was quite solid and we enjoyed it very much.  I decreased the amount of peanut butter so this dip is fluffier and easier to dip.  Feel free to experiment with the amount of peanut butter you use!

Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes

When is the last time you pulled an all-nighter?  Our youth group had an all nighter this past Friday night to Saturday morning, and I was one of the few adults who "got" to stay up all night with the kids.  Honestly, it wasn't so bad.  We had a lot of activities, games, and awesome conversations to keep us awake.  The all-nighter ended on the best possible note--a pancake breakfast!

A family from our church (and good friends of mine) is moving to Haiti in 2013.  They have a ministry that they started down there a couple years ago and now they'll be taking the leap of faith and moving to Haiti to continue that ministry.  They are famous for making Haitian pancakes--Cinnamon and Haitian Vanilla flavored pancakes that are delicious! 

Speaking of pancakes...I made these beauties a couple weeks ago and posted a picture of my breakfast on my Facebook page.  I had planned to share them with you, and got a reader request to post the recipe please.  (Diane, this is for you!)  These pancakes are an upgraded version of a protein pancake that I make nearly every Friday morning for breakfast.  I had a few bananas that desperately needed eaten so I decided to add them to my pancakes.  While I was at it, I figured I might as well add in some peanut butter and chocolate chips.  It's one of my favorite flavor combinations--you simply can't go wrong!  The additions to my recipe resulted in the fluffiest pancakes I've ever had!

Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Makes 20 pancakes

Ingredients:

3 over-ripe bananas
3 (6 ounce) cups plain or vanilla Greek yogurt (18 ounces total)
3 eggs
1/4 cup peanut butter
1-3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1.  In a medium bowl, mash the 3 bananas.

2.  Stir in the Greek yogurt, eggs, and peanut butter until completely combined.

3.  Add in the flour and baking powder and gently mix until the flour is just combined.

4.  Fold in chocolate chips.

5.  Pour pancake batter onto a hot griddle using a 1/4 cup measuring cup.

6.  Cook pancakes for about 2 minutes before flipping and cooking for 2 more minutes.

Serve hot, with desired toppings.  These pancakes also freeze well--just cool before storing in a freezer bag in the freezer.

“Come join #DairyBreakfastClub recipe party at TidyMom along with The California Milk Advisory Board and RealCaliforniaMilk.com ”

Puppy Chow Bars

By now, I'm sure you are aware of my love of puppy chow. It's a favorite of mine and Mike's.  Judging by the way my fellow youth leaders devoured the bowl I made for our recent retreat, it seems to be a favorite of a lot of people.

I've made a few variations of puppy chow, and a couple different kinds of marshmallow treats.  I wondered what would happen if I were to combine the two loved snacks.  The result?  A delicious bar that tastes like puppy chow without the mess of powdered sugar all over. These bars were fun to make and eat, not to mention they tasted fantastic!  I'll certainly be making them again.

Puppy Chow Bars

Makes 1 8x8" pan, about 9 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
powdered sugar

1.  In a microwave safe bowl, combine peanut butter, butter, and chocolate chips.

2.  Microwave for 1 minute and stir until smooth.

3.  Stir in vanilla.

4.  Pour cereal into a large mixing bowl.  Pour chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir until cereal is coated completely.

5.  Press cereal mixture into an 8x8" baking dish.

6.  Sprinkle powdered sugar over bars.

7.  Let the bars set for about 1 hour before cutting them into squares.

These bars are best eaten the day they're made.  Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container.

S'mores Puppy Chow

Did you know there's a holiday for just about everything now?  That's right, there's a Nutella day, a Blueberry Cheesecake day, an Eat a Peach day, and a Cotton Candy day. And of course, we can't forget National S'mores Day.  Which just happens to be today, August 10! 

I made this puppy chow when Mike and I went camping with his cousins a few weeks ago.  A few other people had munchies out so I went to the trailer to grab ours.  Mike asked why I was bringing out a snack so close (2 hours) to dinner time?  I said I was hungry and others might want some too.  I was right and I saw quite a few people munching on this s'mores puppy chow right up 'til dinner time.  I also heard comments like, "this is so good!" and "what's in here?" and "what makes this so yummy?"  My secret?  It's made with love.  Just kidding! (Kind of...)

I followed my basic recipe for puppy chow, but I added in broken pieces of graham crackers and mini marshmallows.  This version was certainly a hit and Mike and I scraped the bottom of the bowl clean.  The sugary pieces at the bottom are the best!

S'mores Puppy Chow
Makes 18-20 1/2 cup servings

You will need:
9 cups Chex cereal
2 sleeves of graham crackers, broken into pieces
2 cups mini dehydrated marshmallows
2 cups (maybe more) powdered sugar
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Measure cereal into a large bowl (preferably with a cover).  Add graham crackers and marshmallows and set aside.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and peanut butter.  Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for another 30 seconds, until mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla.

3. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal mixture and stir to coat thoroughly.

4. Pour about 1 cup of powdered sugar on top of coated cereal. Put the cover on the bowl and shake to coat. Add as much powdered sugar as you need to cover the cereal.

Store in an airtight container.

Here are a few more of my favorite s'mores recipes!

S'mores Bark

S'mores Bars

S'mores Thumbprints with Marshmallow Frosting

S'mores Popcorn

S'mores on a Stick

Mess-less S'mores

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting

Last weekend, Mike and I packed up the truck and drove 5 hours to go camping with my Mom's family in Canada.  It was hot, but thankfully we had a bit of shade on our lot.  We enjoyed catching up with everyone, swimming, campfires, and lots of good food (of course!).

My Dad's birthday was on Saturday and so I made him cupcakes to celebrate.  He loves chocolate and peanut butter (who doesn't?) so when I saw these cupcakes, I knew I had to make them.  I'm so happy that I did--these cupcakes were delicious, but the icing on the cake, literally, was the peanut butter frosting!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Cookie Frosting

Makes 24 cupcakes

For the cupcakes:
1-1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 Tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

For the ganache:
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
For the peanut butter cookie frosting:
9 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1-1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
3 cups powered sugar

1.  In a small bowl, whisk together the coffee and cocoa powder until dissolved.  Set aside.

2.  In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking power and salt.  Set aside.

3.  In the bowl of your electric mixer, combine the butter, brown sugar, and sugar.  Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.

4.  Beat in eggs one at a time until combined.  Blend in vanilla.

5.  Turn the mixer on to low speed and add the dry ingredients alternating with the coffee mixture.  Mix after each addition until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

6.  Divide the batter into paper lined cupcake tins, filling each 2/3 of the way full.

7.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of a cupcake comes out clean.  Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

8.  When the cupcakes have cooled, make the ganache.  First, place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl.

9.  Bring the heavy cream to simmer, pour it over the chopped chocolate, and let it stand for about 2 minutes.

10.  Whisk the heavy cream and chocolate until a smooth ganache forms.  If necessary, let the ganache sit at room temperature to thicken before using.

11.  To make the peanut butter cookie frosting, combine the peanut butter and butter in the bowl of your stand mixer and beat on medium for 1 minute.

12.  Add in the powdered sugar and mix on low until completely combined.  Increase the speed to medium and mix until smooth, about 2 minutes.

13.  Scoop about 1 Tablespoon of the peanut butter mixture and form it into a round patty.  Use the tines of a fork to make a crisscross pattern on top of the patty.  (You want it to look like a classic peanut butter cookie.)  Repeat with remaining mixture.

14.  Dip the tops of the cupcakes into the ganache to ice it.  (If your ganache is too thick to dip, use an offset spatula to spread it over the cupcakes.)  Place a peanut butter "cookie" on top of the ganache.

Store in a airtight container in the fridge.

Source:  Sweet Savory Life via Annie's Eats

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

One of my favorite flavor combinations is peanut butter and Nutella.  I often spread the two on a tortilla and roll it around a banana for a quick lunch.  I also enjoy peanut butter and Nutella on graham crackers.  One day I got to thinking about making peanut butter and Nutella cookies.  I took two of my favorite cookie recipes and smashed them together--quite literally!  The result was a delicious cookie that quickly became a family favorite!

I was unsure of how to write out this recipe, since it's really 2 recipes.  If it is unclear, or you have any questions, please let me know so I can make adjustments!

Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies

Makes 2 dozen cookies

For the peanut butter cookies you will need:
1/4 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1.  Cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar together in a mixing bowl.

2.  Beat the egg and vanilla into the mixture.

3.  Add the flour, baking soda, and baking powder to the wet mixture and stir until well combined.

Set aside while you make the Nutella cookies.

For the Nutella cookies you will need:
1/2 cup margarine
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup Nutella
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Cream margarine, sugar, and brown sugar in a mixing bowl.

2. Beat for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

3. Add the egg and vanilla.

4. Add the Nutella and mix well.

5. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix until dough is smooth.

6. Fold in chocolate chips.

To assemble the Peanut Butter Nutella Cookies:

1.  Roll peanut butter cookie dough into 1 inch balls and set aside.

2.  Roll Nutella cookies into 1 inch balls and set aside.

3.  Press 1 Nutella cookie ball on top of 1 Peanut Butter cookie ball and flatten slightly.  *You will want to be sure the peanut butter cookie goes on the bottom as it is more dense and will not spread like the Nutella cookie might.

4.  Place cookie on a greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining cookie dough.

5.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Cookie Source: Tina Reale
Nutella Cookie Source:  Culinary Concoctions by Peabody
Peanut Butter Nutella Cookie idea:  My original

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dippers

I'm always on the look out for easy snacks for Mike and myself.  The other day I was looking through one of Mike's mom's Food and Family magazines and oohing & ahhing over all the ideas I found.  I ended up borrowing some of her magazines and photocopying half the recipes so I can try them out.  I don't (currently) subscribe to this magazine (yet) but it's one of my favorites because the recipes are so family friendly and something the every-day person can easily make!

It took all of 10 minutes to put this treat together.  I brought Mike one to try and he said "I hope you made more of those!"  Luckily for him, I had, but they're so easy I can make them whenever the craving strikes.  These little dippers combine two of my favorite things, peanut butter and chocolate, so they're a hit in my book too!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Dippers

Makes 6 (but can easily be doubled or tripled to make more!)

You will need:

12 Nilla wafers

2 Tablespoons peanut butter

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1.  Spread 6 of the Nilla wafers with about 1 teaspoon of peanut butter each.

2.  Top with another wafer to make little cookie sandwhiches.

3.  In a microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips for 30 seconds or until melted.

4.  Dip each cookie sandwhich halfway into the melted chocolate.

5.  Place on wax paper and allow it to set.  Refrigerate if needed.

Source: Kraft Food & Family

Chocolate Topped Peanut Butter Granola Bars

One of my favorite snacks is granola bars.  I really like the new Nature Valley Granola Thins.  Mike's grandma gave us some and I've been hooked ever since.  I never really liked the crunchy granola bars, but these have converted me! 

I've been making my own granola bars for years, remember the Chewies I told you about?  I used to make them back in middle school!  I really liked the idea of topping granola bars with chocolate or peanut butter, so I thought I would try that out with my new favorite granola bar recipe.  I feel like this is a pretty healthy recipe, it is low fat, uses whole wheat flour, and honey instead of corn syrup.  You could up the health factor by using dark chocolate instead of semi-sweet chocolate for the topping, but I'm not a huge fan.

On another note, did you notice that my blog has gotten a makeover?  (If you're reading this through Google Reader, click over to visit my blog and check it out!)  I'm still working on creating a recipe index for you as well as working on some other pages, but the overall look of my blog is completely different.  I'd like to give a huge thank you to Elena from Three Little Birdies Designs!  If you're thinking about a new look for your blog, I'd highly recommend Elena!

Chocolate Topped Peanut Butter Granola Bars

Makes 18 bars

You will need:

2-1/2 cups oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup peanut butter (I use natural)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1.  In a bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

2.  Stir in honey, peanut butter, and vanilla.  At this point, I find the mixture to be too thick to mix with a spoon, so I just use my hands!

3.  Press granola into a greased 9x13 pan.  It will look crumbly but it will bake together.

4.  Bake at 325 for 20 minutes, until the edges of the bars are browned.

5.  Sprinkle hot granola bars with chocolate chips, let them melt, and then spread over the bars.

6.  Cut into 1-1/2 inch bars.  I cut the bars width-wise first, and then I make one cut down the center of the pan length-wise.  Use a pizza cutter to cut bars--it makes it so much easier!

Store in an airtight container.