So “Granola” of Me!

My new favorite recipe blog is this cute one of a Mommy cooking with her little man. And, when I found this recipe on her site, I couldn’t wait to try it!  Who knew it was so easy to make your own granola!? I have a feeling I’ll be trying lots of variations! And, I have a feeling that this tub is going to be gone before you know it…because Q and I both LOVE it!

By the way…my storage container is the rolled oats can that I covered with fun paper! Quick, easy and fun! :) I actually think it would make a thoughtful little gift! :)


Pumpkin Pie Granola Recipe

Ingredients:
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup 100% pure canned pumpkin
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup golden raisins 
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chocolate covered sunflower seeds

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Combine oats, almonds and pumpkin pie spice in a large bowl. Stir well and then toss with the honey, water, oil and pumpkin until everything is moist. Spread it out on a rimmed cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes and then use a spatula to stir up granola so that it bakes evenly. Cook for another 15 minutes and stir again. Cook for 10 more minutes or until everything is beginning to look toasty and brown. Remove from oven and stir in dried cranberries, raisins, and sunflower seeds. Cool completely on the cookie sheet before storing in airtight container or bags.

Candy Corn Cuteness

Since the scary stuff that goes with Halloween just isn’t my thing, I’d say my favorite Halloween symbol is the candy corn. It’s so cheerful, gets me in the Fall spirit…and it’s YUMM, of course! So, when I saw this cute recipe, I was so excited to make them for us! And, they turned out presh! Make ‘em and ENJOY before the stores sell out of this yummy little sugary goodness!

  

Candy Corn Cupcakes

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 c vegetable oil
1/4 c water
1 c sour cream
Food coloring (orange and yellow)
Frosting of choice

With an electric mixer, beat all ingredients for about 2 min. Divide batter into two separate bowls. Add about a 1/2 tsp of food coloring in to each bowl. Stir Well. Spoon about 1 TB of yellow into the bottom of each cupcake liner. Then spoon about 1 TB of orange batter on top of that. Bake for 20 min, remove and let cool completely before frosting.

        

Impromptu Breakfast Salad

Lately, I’ve become tired of the same ‘ole breakfast bars and cereal. So, I quickly looked at a few of my recipe blogs this morning and found this easy little banana salad idea. It took all of 2 seconds and was YUM! I’ll for sure make it again!

Honey Banana Salad
banana
nuts (I used pine nuts, but pecans, walnuts or almonds would be good, too)
dried cranberries
honey

Slice banana. Top with desired amount of nuts and cranberries. Drizzle with honey.

“Incredible Hulk Leaf” Pasta

Lately, my big boy has LOVED helping me with dinner. When he sees me busy at work, he drags a chair into the kitchen so that he can reach the counter…and he’s always eager to help measure, pour and stir. It’s sweet. And, in those moments I talk up how GOOOODDD it’s going to taste and how HE cooked it! :) …So, yesterday, when he asked what the “green stuff” was, instead of responding with “spinach,” I told him that it was “Incredible Hulk Leaves!” Crazy enough, he bought it! And, when it came time to eat, he LOVED his Incredible Hulk Leaf Pasta! …But, even more ridiculous than the name was my Hulk voice as I encouraged him to eat it. Matt looked at me like I was crazy…and we all determined that I sounded more like a mad robot than Hulk! Oh well…it worked! And, he even asked for more! :)
 

Chicken & Spinach Pasta Bake
8  ounces  uncooked rigatoni
1  tablespoon  olive oil
1  cup  finely chopped onion (about 1 medium)
1  (10-oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed
3  cups  cubed cooked chicken breasts
1  (14.5-oz.) can Italian-style diced tomatoes
1  (8-oz.) container chive-and-onion cream cheese
1/2  teaspoon  salt
1/2  teaspoon  pepper
1 1/2  cups  (6 oz.) shredded mozzarella cheese

1. Prepare rigatoni according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, spread oil on bottom of an 11- x 7-inch baking dish; add onion in a single layer.

3. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes or just until tender. Transfer onion to a large bowl, and set aside.

4. Drain chopped spinach well, pressing between layers of paper towels.

5. Stir rigatoni, spinach, chicken, and next 4 ingredients into onion in bowl. Spoon mixture into baking dish, and sprinkle evenly with shredded mozzarella cheese.

6. Bake, covered, at 375° for 30 minutes; uncover and bake 15 more minutes or until bubbly.

Homemade Fun!

While at Mammer and Slickpaw’s, we made homemade pumpkin play dough. It was so easy and smelled so good. Quinn loved it and has already enjoyed playing with it since we’ve been home. I’m not sure why we haven’t made it before…but we surely will again! Homemade Play dough

1 cup flour
1 cup water
1/2 cup salt
1 TBS cream of tartar
1 TBS oil
spices, flavor
food coloring

Heat all ingredients in a saucepan, slow to medium heat. Stir continuously. Once dough is at the consistency you want, remove from heat. Have fun!

       

Makes Our Throats Happy

When I found this recipe, I really think that my mouth started watering. This was MY kinda recipe! …Pasta, grilled chicken, avocado pesto!… It just sounded too good for words! And, when I made it the other night, Matt said it was one of the best things I’d ever made! … WOOO HOOO! That’ll make a wife happy! {Especially after the Swedish Meatball disaster!}

After Matt went back for seconds, Quinn asked him if it made his throat happy! Love it.
And, I can guarantee that it’ll make your throat happy too! Just try it!
Avocado Penne Pesto with Grilled Chicken

1 medium ripe avocado
3/4 c. firmly packed basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 tsp. minced garlic
3 Tbsp. pine nuts
1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
12 oz. penne pasta
1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts
Salt & Pepper, to taste (for chicken)

Cook and drain pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, season chicken with salt and pepper and place on a grill (or grill pan) over medium-high heat for 6 minutes on each side, until center is no longer pink. {You can add other spices if you want, but don't over-season your chicken.}

Peel avocado and remove pit. Put avocado, basil, salt, pepper, garlic and pine nuts in a blender or food processor. (I used my Magic Bullet!)  Turn blender on and add olive oil in a slow, steady stream. Process until mixture becomes a smooth paste. Gently fold in parmesan cheese.

Toss with cooked pasta. Slice grilled chicken breasts and lay across top of pasta. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Joker Approved Pie

Quinn has a recent Batman obsession! It’s cute to watch him play “good guys/bad guys” for the first time! Until now it has been all about Thomas and Lightning McQueen…where bad guys don’t really exist. So, the “boy” in him is really coming out and it’s hilarious! …

Anyway, with a recent Joker, came a “pie shooter.” And, when he was shooting the pies at PawPaw a few weeks ago, they were discussing the flavors of pies that were being shot. One that Q kept coming back to was “Lemonade Pie!” I don’t know where he got it…but, since he loves lemonade, I decided that he needed to have his own Lemonade Pie.

I’ve seen recipes all over the place for this pie. One in my Southern Living. One here. So, I kind of combined the two and made my own version.

Then, I placed them in individual graham cracker crusts…just because I thought they were cute. I’m pretty sure the Joker would approve! My little “good guy” sure did! :)
 

Lemonade Pie
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 (12 ounce) container whip topping, thawed
1 (6 fluid ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, keep frozen
1 box of lemon instant pudding
graham cracker crust

In a medium bowl, add chilled sweetened condensed milk, pudding and cool whip and fold gently. Add frozen lemonade and continue to gently fold. Do not let the mixture become soupy. Pour mixture into the pie crust and refrigerate.  Top with Cool Whip!

My Love Affair

I must admit that I’m a PB and banana fan more than PB & J! That’s why this design from a Woot Watch shirt cracked me up! Inappropriate, but hilarious! :) So, when I found a recipe for PB and banana muffins, I couldn’t wait to try them! Q and I made them on Sunday afternoon after church! And, trust me, they are good!
Peanut Butter & Banana Muffins

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup peanut butter
2-3 mashed ripe bananas
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together softened butter and sugar in bowl. Add eggs, beat well. Stir in peanut butter, bananas, flour, baking soda until blended. Pour into muffin tins. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until done.

You can also make a loaf. Bake for about an hour.

Who cares about the calories? It’s good for the allergies!

I recently made these and ended up eating most if it by the spoonful! It’s yummy!!! Also, I got honey at our local Farmer’s Market! It’s supposed to be REALLY good for allergies if you eat the honey from your area! I guess it made me feel a little less guilty for eating so much. It was good for my allergies! ;) Peanut Butter Granola Balls

1/3 cup honey
¼ cup peanut butter
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup crisp rice cereal
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
¼ cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries or cherries) {optional}

In a small saucepan over medium, heat honey, peanut butter, and butter. Stir until loosened and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in cereal, oats and dried fruit.
Drop mixture by the tablespoon into mini muffin tins. Refrigerate until set, about 15 minutes. To store, refrigerate in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Thank You IKEA!

Dear IKEA,
Thank you for making Swedish Meatballs! They are yummy and my husband and I have both enjoyed then in your cafeteria and at home. And, after last night’s attempt to make my own, I can guarantee that I will continue to buy them from your mega store as opposed to spending hours rolling yucky ground beef…only to be so grossed out by the fact that they didn’t seem quite done enough! Since there was no possible way that I could eat them myself or force my sweet husband and 3 year old to eat them, they got thrown down the disposal. (And all mess was cleaned up by my husband…since the sight of the disaster seemed to make me a little queasy.) And we dined on sandwich fixing instead.

So, thank you again…and the next time I’m at your store to peruse thorough your isles, I’ll be purchasing your “safe” frozen meatballs too.

Sincerely,
Brittney

P.S. If you don’t believe me, you are MORE than welcome to try them for yourself. Here’s the recipe! I swear I followed it verbatim…but I’d love for you to prove me wrong!