Easy Granola

Ingredients
* 1/3 cup maple syrup
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 4 tsp vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 5 cups old fashioned rolled oats
* 2 cups (10 oz) raw almonds, chopped coarse
* 2 cups dried fruit (optional)

Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat to 325 F.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl.  Whisk in the oil.  Fold in the oats and almonds until everything is coated.
3. Transfer the mixture to the lined baking sheet.  Spread into a thin layer, and press with a spatula or potato masher until compact.
4. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until lightly browned, turning once half way though the cooking time.
5. Let granola cool for 1 hour, then break into desired size and store in an airtight container.  If desired, mix in the dried fruit with the cooked granola.

Notes
Wow!  How easy is this granola recipe (originally from America's Test Kitchen)!!!  No stirring required, and very few ingredients.  We made it twice this weekend, and have been enjoying it over yogurt with fresh fruit.  We opted out of adding the dried fruit, though a few of us have mixed in craisins.  This is really fantastic granola - and I just can't get over how easy it is to make!

Ice Tea

Ingredients
* 8 cups water
* 2 tea bags
* 1/4 cup (or more) lemon juice
* sugar, to taste (optional)

Directions
Bring water to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Let two tea bags steep for 2 hours.
2. Pour the tea into a pitcher; stir in the lemon juice and sugar (if using).
3. Refrigerate, or pour over ice!  Enjoy!

Notes
I recently came across this method for making ice tea.  The original recipe called for 3/4 cup of sugar, to make it taste like Lipton Lemon Iced Tea.  But yikes...way too sweet for us!  We put in about 1/8 cup of sugar, or leave it out entirely.  No picture here, but just wanted to make sure to share this great and easy (and frugal) way to make ice tea. 

Disappearing Marshmallow Bars

Ingredients
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup butterscotch chips
* 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1.5 cups AP flour
* 2 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 2 cups mini marshmallows
* 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease a 9x13 pan.
2. Melt the butter and butterscotch chips together (in the microwave or on the stove).  Set aside to cool slightly.
3. In a large bowl stir together the brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.  Mix in the melted butter and chips, then the flour, baking powder and salt until smooth.  Stir in the marshmallows and chocolate chips.
4. Spread the batter in the pan, and cook for 20-25 minutes in the preheated oven.  The cool and cut into squares.  Enjoy!

Notes
To grease the pan I used the butter wrapper from the stick of butter.  Great way to prepare the pan, and then you don't need to spray it!  I melted the butter and chips on the stove, and they didn't fully incorporate together, but that happened when they got added to the batter.  So don't despair if it doesn't seem like the butter and chips are working out...it should be fine!  I also used my stand mixer to make these which made it especially easy.  My butter and chips were barely cool, and the recipe worked great.  This seems to be a pretty forgiving recipe, and super delicious!  In my mind this is another great blondie recipe!

Baked Potato Casserole

Ingredients
* 2 1/2 - 3 lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
* 1 cup evaporated milk (regular or lowfat)
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp black pepper
* 1.5 cups shredded cheddar
* 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
* 1/4 cup sliced green onions

Directions
1. Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil.  Cook over medium-high heat for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 F.  Grease a 7x11 casserole dish.
3. Return potatoes to saucepan.  Add evaporated milk, sour cream, salt and pepper.  Stir or beat with a mixer until desired consistency.  Stir in 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and 1/2 of the bacon.  Spoon the mixture into the prepared casserole dish.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.  Top with remaining cheese, bacon, and all the green onions.  Bake for an additional 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

Notes
We made this ahead of time, and then put it in the fridge.  Right befre we left for Saturday evening mass we put it in the oven and used the delayed time bake feature.  Because it had been cold, the way to cook this is to cover it with foil and cook it for 40-45 minutes.  Then uncover, top with the cheese, bacon and green onions for the last few minutes, as directed above.  It was great to have this cook while we were gone and be ready when we got home!  We enjoyed this side dish!And we love green onions, so we added a lot more than it called for!  Probably closer to a 1/2 cup

May 16, 2014

We are finally all feeling better.  Thank goodness!!!!  We had two keepers this week.  The first was the filling for red peppers, a stove top chicken pasta.  We loved the filling, but thought it was  completely unnecessary to stuff the peppers with the filling.  You will notice a mismatch between the photo and the recipe...the recipe I included here is the filling.  My family wants us to make it again, just without the peppers.  Too funny!

The second new keeper recipe was a slow cooker turkey breast.  I absolutely love recipes that go in the slow cooker and end up fabulous!  This was so easy to put together, nothing bad in it and it was really flavorful!  Winner winner turkey dinner :)

I have my eye on a slow cooker bbq pork recipe and a new bread recipe for this upcoming week.  Hopefully we'll have some keepers!

Happy Cooking!

New Recipes
Stove Top Chicken Pasta
Slow Cooker Santa Fe Turkey Breast

Stove top chicken pasta

Ingredients
* 2 cups cooked and chopped chicken
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 small yellow onion, minced
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 28 oz petite diced tomatoes, undrained
* 1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
* 1 tsp salt
* 1/2 tsp pepper
* 6-8 oz dried pasta (rotini or shells)
* 1 cup mozzarella
* 1 cup ricotta cheese
* 2 tbsp Parmesan cheese
* 1/3 cup half and half


Directions
1. In a  large saucepan heat the oil over medium-low heat and saute the onion and garlic until softened.  Add the tomatoes, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.  Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally.
2. While the sauce is cooking, cook the pasta as directed on the package.
3. Add the chicken to the sauce and stir and cook to heat the chicken through, about 4-5 minutes.  Mix the half and half, ricotta, mozzarella and Parmesan cheese in to the sauce.  Stir until the cheese is incorporated.
4. Remove the sauce from the heat and stir in the pasta.  Serve!

Notes
I tossed my onion and garlic cloves in my small food processor - this made it quick to mince both and saved me from crying my eyes out!

This was originally the stuffing for red bell peppers, but my family enjoyed the filling, and didn't really enjoy the peppers!  So the picture shows it in the peppers, but we are going to keep making this as a stove top pasta dish!  I might even leave out the half & half next time...not sure it needs it!  If you have it on hand, add it, but don't go out and buy it if it isn't already in your fridge.

Slow cooker Santa Fe Turkey Breast

Ingredients
* 1 bone in turkey breast, thawed if frozen (approx 5 lbs)
* 1 cup salsa
* 2 tbsp honey
* 1 tbsp chopped chipotle in adobo sauce (from 7 oz can), optional
* 2 tsp cornstarch
* 2 tbsp water

Directions
1. Spray your slow cooker insert.  Place the turkey breast in the slow cooker.
2. Combine the salsa, honey, and chopped chipotle (if using).  Pour this over the turkey.
3. Cook the turkey on low for 6-7 hours.
4. Remove turkey and take off the skin.  Slice the turkey then keep warm while you make the gravy.
5. To make the gravy, remove 2 cups of the liquid from the slow cooker.  Mix together the cornstarch and water, then add this to the slow cooker liquids.  Cook and stir this over medium high heat in a small sauce pot until thickened.  Serve this gravy with the chicken.

Notes
This was so flavorful, and super easy!  Not everyone tried the gravy, but everyone absolutely loved the turkey!  It gave us leftovers for a future meal which was a great bonus.  But seriously...what a great and easy way to cook a turkey breast.  When the frozen ones go on sale, pick one up, thaw it out in the fridge and then cook it in the slow cooker!  Yum!  The pictures above show it with and without the gravy!  Try this...it was delicious!