Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars!

I feel it....Spring is in the air.  Well I felt it yesterday morning, but not this morning!  Anyway, only three more weeks of Winter, and Spring will be here.  I sure hope.

This past weekend was a busy one.  My daughter Becca had a sleepover with some girlfriends.  So I baked  and cooked up a storm for them.  These girls can EAT!  I made them my homemade pizza, homemade waffles, homemade peanut butter ice cream, and homemade chocolate ice cream, homemade pretzels, (Yes, I like "homemade"  just tastes better, dontcha think?) and these really delicious Homemade Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars. It was a fun sleepover, if only next time they would SLEEP!

Here's the recipe, so simple, give it a try!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bars

1-3/4 stick of cold butter, cut into pieces
1-1/2 cup flour
1-1/2 cup regular Oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 13 baking dish.

Mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs. 

Sprinkle half the mixture into the pan and pat lightly to pack it a little tight. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly on top of the first layer.  Sprinkle the other half of the oatmeal mixture over the top and pat lightly again.

Bake until light golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool in pan.

When cool, cut into squares and serve. Enjoy...so YUMMO!

Variation:  Use Jam in place of the chocolate chips, So GOOD!  

Homemade Pretzels

Homemade Pretzels.....they are so easy! If you have a Kitchen Aid Mixer or even a bread machine, set it on the dough setting, the dough will come together in minutes.  Here's the recipe!

Homemade Pretzels
Kitchen Aid Mixer Method
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast
2 tsp. sugar
1 cup warm water

In a large mixing bowl combine the above ingredients, whisk together and set aside for about 5 mins until proofed and foamy.  This is called proofing the yeast.

After the yeast has become all foamy about 5 mins, to the bowl add the following:

3 cups flour (I didn't use bread flour just all purpose flour)
2 TBS oil
1/4 tsp. salt

Using the dough hook, and on low speed, mix it all together until the dough forms a ball around the dough hook.  If the dough doesn't form and the mixture is dry, add 1 TBS water, until it forms the ball.  If the mixture is too wet, and looks like a batter, add a little more flour about 1 TBS....this is the "art" of breadmaking and knowing if the bread dough is ready.

Take the dough out and knead for a couple of seconds in your hand.  The dough should be soft and not too sticky.  If it is sticky, flour your hands before you take it out of the bowl.  Put the dough in a large oiled bowl and turn over to coat the dough.  Put plastic wrap over the bowl, and let it double in size for about 1 hour.

After about one hour, turn the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured board, and cut the dough into 8 pieces.  Roll into about 18 inch ropes.

My Hubby Rolling the dough into a rope.

Form a U shape with 1 rope, and twist and form into a big pretzel. 

Let rise again on a greased foiled covered baking sheet for 20 minutes or until doubled in size. While rising make sure you cover them with a piece of greased waxed paper so the paper doesn't stick or a light-weight kitchen towel.

 Meanwhile, bring a big pot of water to a boil, add 3 tsp Baking Soda.  After the 20 minutes of rising, boil the pretzels for about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, being careful when flipping.  I used a big slotted spoon.

After boiling the pretzels drain them on a rack for about 2 minutes.  Transfer them a greased foiled covered cookie sheet, sprinkle with coarse salt, and bake in a 475 oven for about 15 - 20 minutes until golden dark brown.  Let cool on a rack for about 10 minutes.  So delicious!!!!

So YUMMO!

Valentine's Day!

It's been a quiet couple of days for us around here.  My little boy, Davey was sick and out of school all of last week.  But in spite of Davey being sick, we still had a wonderful Valentine's Day.  I cooked a special dinner of Lasagna and Meatballs, Homemade Italian Bread, and for dessert, Chocolate Covered Strawberries.  Everything was a big hit, and it was nice to just be home with my family and celebrate a day filled with LOVE!

Enjoy some of these recipes.....YUMMO!

Big pot of sauce with meatballs!

Delicious Homemade Italian Bread

Beefy, Cheesy.....PIZZA!

The most delicious Pizza!

I am linking this recipe up with my Sister's Blog, Walking on Sunshine's Foodie Friends Friday.  
 
Well I have been lazy yet again.  I just can't seem to get back into the swing of blogging.  You see I have this busy life here, with two crazy kids and a husband!  Life has been busy, and I am enjoying it.  Sure hope you are too.

We have yet another storm coming, they are naming it "Winter Storm Nemo".  I know, I know, I love snow, but this has been an overwhelming Fall/Winter for us in the good old northeast part of the country.  Where can I move where the weather is always beautiful?  I love a rainy day, but not the stormy rain we get here. And I do enjoy snow, but not this much! So we are hunkering down, and preparing for the storm, hoping we don't get too much.

I made this most delicious recipe a couple of weeks ago.  Another Pioneer Woman's recipe, that looked so good I had to try.  It was so good, and you know me, I can never follow a recipe....so I changed it up to make it my own, but it really is a delicious recipe, and encourage you to try it.

Carnitas Pizza 

Preparing the Chuck Roast
2 tsp Chili Powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp oregano
One 3-4 lbs Chuck roast
12 oz can pineapple juice (YES makes it so good)
2 TBS Canola Oil

1. Combine the spices and rub over the roast. Heat a large oven/proof pot on medium heat and brown the meat in 2 TBS canola oil. Brown on all sides for about 2 minutes per side.  Pour the pineapple juice over the meat and cook in a 325 oven for almost 4 hours, until it is falling apart and tender....it took my roast about 3 hours.

After the 3 - 4 hours take the roast out of the pot, and put it on a cutting broad, with 2 forks start pulling it apart.  It will be so well cooked and tender.  Put the pulled beef back in the pot with the juice and drippings until ready to use.

All shredded and ready!

2. Making the Pizza dough - You can find the recipe for my Pizza dough here..

 Rest of the Ingredients
1 jar of Salsa Verde (one of the changes I made)
1 chopped red pepper saute until soft
1 chopped onion saute until soft
2 cups of cheddar cheese (another change)
About 3 TBS chopped Cilantro (another change)
2 TBS butter
1 TBS Canola oil
Sour Cream for serving

Find it in the Mexican isle at the grocery store

Saute the onion and red pepper in the butter and oil.  Set aside and let cool

After the pizza dough is all risen, punch down cut it in half, this recipe only calls for half of the homemade pizza dough, so use the other half and make another pizza with other toppings.  Spread one half on a large greased cookie sheet, or pizza stone, which ever way you make your homemade pizza.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees put the spread out pizza dough in the oven (with nothing on it) for 5 minutes, I call this prebaking the pizza dough.

Notice the picture below....my new cookie sheet from my family for Christmas, I love them, I got four! 

Take it out and spread the Salsa Verde all over the crust, I didn't use the whole jar, about half the jar.
Then the cooked shredded beef drained from the liquid, next the onions and peppers, top it off with the cheddar cheese.

All ready for the oven!

 Bake in the 450 oven for 20 minutes until the cheese is melted, and the bottom of the pizza is lightly brown and crusty.  Sprinkle with Cilantro before serving,  Serve with sour cream, and the left over Salsa Verde. So delicious, So YUMMO!

Right out of the oven!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

So delicious.....So YUMMO!

I came across this delicious Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe when I was asked to do a cooking demo at our MOPS program at church.  It was back in November, and I cooked my Sausage Stuffing, and Chicken Pot Pie recipes for about 20 Moms. Yes, I was nervous, but it was fun! For a thank you gift, I was given the dry ingredients of this cookie recipe in a cute mason jar, right up my alley!

Now I am a Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie baker, but this recipe is by far better! I think it's the added oatmeal.  In the cute mason jar there were M&M's, chocolate chips, and nuts.  This recipe I didn't add the M&M's, I thought they are too sweet for my already sweet kids!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal oats
1 stick butter softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1/2 bag chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

In a large bowl combine all the dry ingredients and whisk together so everything is mixed well. 

In another bowl cream the butter, sugars, egg, vanilla until light and fluffy.  Add the dry ingredients and mix well.  Add the chocolate chips and walnuts.  I do all of this with my trusty Kitchen Aid!

Line cookie sheets with foil and coat with baking spray.  Spoon nice size spoonfuls onto the cookie sheets, and bake in a 350 oven for about 10 mins or until they are firm to the touch, and lightly brown.  Or if you are like me, a little darker in color.

Cool, and enjoy.  I always double this recipe, just doesn't make enough!  Enjoy!

Faux Crab Cakes......So YUMMO!

Faux Crab Cakes! Delicious!

This past Sunday evening I didn't know what to cook for dinner.  Have you ever had one of those days?  We had a big lunch, but everyone was hungry and I had to cook something.  So I made this most delicious Faux Crab Cakes that I've been cooking for my family for years. They were so satisfying, but they aren't made from crab meat, they are made with TUNA! Yes, the stuff you have in your pantry packed in water..  It's kind of a "poor mans" meal for Crab Cakes. They are easy, and delicious. I make them for lunch when my hubby is home, or even for dinner.  I serve them over a salad, or they can make a great sandwich!  The sauce is the best too, it's a Homemade Honey Mustard Sauce, I think this sauce is a must!   Enjoy!

Faux Crab Cakes
2 cans white tuna in water
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup mayo (you can use light)
1/2 cup bread crumbs or more use your judgement
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying pan

In a skillet on medium to high - heat about 4 tablespoons of oil (canola). Mix all the ingredients together. Form into patties, should make 6 and fry for about 2 minutes on each side and until crispy turning only once, they may fall apart so don't turn them right away...you want them crispy. Drain on paper towels.

Honey Mustard Sauce

1/2 cup Mayo
1 TBS spicy brown mustard
2 TBS Honey
1/4 tsp salt
pepper to taste
2 tsp lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until smooth.  Taste it what does it need?  More honey? More salt, lemon juice?  Drizzle on top of the crab cakes.  Enjoy!

Homemade Granola Bars!

As promised I am back today.  I haven't blogged in such a long time, I am so out of practiced!  I am getting over the flu and sinus infection, so yesterday I was feeling pretty much back to normal, and decided to spend most of the day in the kitchen.  How therapeutic that was!  I made an awesome dinner, and baked these awesome Homemade Granola Bars! 

Homemade Granola Bars!
 

I got the recipe from my favorite blogger and Food Network Celebrity, Pioneer Woman.  She made these bars on her show over the weekend.  I have always wanted to make Homemade Granola Bars, but I just needed a really good recipe, and sure enough Ree's recipe is a winner!  I changed the recipe just a bit for my own liking, I can never follow a recipe to the tee it's just me. There is a lot of sugar in this recipe, so next time, I may come up with a recipe with less sugar, it's the way I do things in the kitchen.

Here's the full sugar recipe, they are really delicious and my family loves them!

Homemade Granola Bars!

6 cups old fashioned Oats
1/4 cup canola oil
6 TBS butter melted
1 tsp salt

Combine the Oats, oil, salt and butter in a big bowl and toss.  Preheat the oven to 325 and put the mixture onto TWO lightly oiled cookie sheets, put them in the oven and toast for 20 minutes until lightly brown, checking and shaking the pans so nothing burns. 

Meanwhile make up the goodness (or should I say glue) that holds the bars together.

Combine in a medium saucepan:
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup Molasses
1/2 cup honey
3 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup apple juice (here is where I changed the recipe, I didn't have apple juice, so I added WATER instead).
Bring this all to a simmer.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl add the Toasted Oats and the following:

1 1/2 cups Rice cereal
1 cup chopped almonds
1/2 cup salted peanuts (this is where I changed the recipe too, PW used pecans, but I thought the salted peanuts would add a nice little salted flavor to the sweetness, and it did!)
1 cup flaked coconut (another changed)
1 cup Wheat Germ

Raise the oven temp to 350

Add all the ingredients to the toasted oatmeal and then the sugar mixture, mix really well.  Line ONE cookie sheet with foil and spray or oil it.  Pat the ingredients onto the cookie sheet and bake in a 350 oven for 25 minutes, will be slightly browned.  Remove and cool on a rack, the bars will firm and crisp up while cooling.  Do not cut the bars while hot, they won't be firm!  Enjoy!

Happy New Year.....I know I've been lazy!

It's been a very busy couple of months for me.  The kids started school back in September, then we had this AWFUL Super Storm Sandy in our area, that did damage everywhere in the Northeast....don't want to really talk about that now!  I just gave up and put my blog to rest, for a couple months.  But I still see my loyal friends who have been coming on and searching for recipes, and I thank you!

 

 

Christmas Snow!  It was beautiful!

 

Christmas came and it was wonderful.  It was a quiet couple of days with my family, but so enjoyable.  I did a lot of cookie baking, and made my first fruit cake, I know it, I should have shared the recipe, next year I promise.  We had my family and good friends over during the season, and yes I cooked up a storm like usual!  I would have it no other way.

My kids are doing so very well in school, I can't believe how fast they are growing up,  it's all so bittersweet for me.

My Kids Christmas!

My Hubby and Me!

 So it's a new year, and I will try to post recipes, and little "things" about my life here in New Jersey.  I have to add, it was a Christmas Miracle, we actually got snow on Christmas Eve!  While driving home from church that evening, it started snowing, and if you have read my past posts, then you will know that I was THRILLED!  Then the day after Christmas we got more snow!  Then the Saturday after Christmas, yes we got more snow.  It was a wonderful Season. 

Taco Pizza!

I'm linking this recipe up with Walking on Sunshine's Food Friends Friday....go take a look-see!

I made Taco Pizza a couple weeks ago when my daughter had some friends over.  It was a hit!  It was delicious, and easy, and I surely will make it again soon.

I make my own pizza dough, it's so easy, and if you have a Kitchen Aid Mixer, or a bread machine, go for it!  Here's my recipe for Homemade Pizza Dough.  (this pizza dough recipes makes 2 large pizza's).  Enjoy!






Taco Pizza

Two loaves of Pizza Dough, homemade or store-bought
1 can refried beans
1 jar salsa
1 lb ground beef cooked and drained from all fat
1 can black beans rinsed
1 envelope Mexican seasoning
2 TBS water
4 cups Cheddar Cheese or Mexican Blend
sliced black olives - for garnish
1 small can chopped chili peppers - for garnish
chopped tomatoes - for garnish
Sour Cream - for garnish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Brown the ground beef and drain from all fat.  Add the rinsed black beans to the beef, and the Mexican seasoning with 2 TBS water. Stir and cook for another 5 minutes on low. Let cool.

Spread the Pizza Dough on 2 GREASED large cookie sheets or stones. Make sure you let the pizza dough sit at room temp for about 1 hour before you spread it out, otherwise it won't spread easily.  Then pre-bake the pizza dough (without anything on them) in the 450 oven for about 5 minutes and no longer!

Once the pizza dough is pre-baked, take them out and start layering.  Spread the refried beans, salsa, cooked beef mixture, and cheese. 

All ready for the Oven!

Put them back in the oven at 450 for about 15 - 20 minutes being careful to rotate them so the top get crispy, and the bottom gets crispy.

Top the pizza's off with sliced olives, tomatoes, peppers, and serve with sour cream!  YUMMO!

Homemade Fresh Ricotta! So EASY!

 

What Beautiful weather we are finally having here in Northern New Jersey!  This morning when I drove my daughter to the bus stop it was a chilly 45 degrees, just beautiful!

Do you like Italian food?  Well I sure do.  I was raised on Italian food, homemade sauce, meatballs, eggplant parm, baked ziti, sausage and peppers, lasagna, you name it.  I love making it all, and usually have all the ingredients in the my frig or pantry.

I've read about Homemade Ricotta, and always wanted to try it.  So yesterday my Hubby and I gave it a try.  It was so easy, here's the recipe.

Homemade Fresh Ricotta

1 whole gallon of Whole Milk
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup Vinegar
2 TBS of Heavy Cream (if you want yours creamy, I didn't add this, but next time I will)

What you will need:

Crock Pot
Large Bowl
Large Strainer
Thin linen towel, or old clean white tee-shirt
Large spoon with wholes

In a crock pot add the whole gallon of milk, and 2 TBS of Heavy Cream you want, put the temp on HIGH, COVER, and forget about it (in my NY accent of course) for about 2 hours or so until the temp reaches 180 degrees. Check it with a thermometer after the 2 hours.

When the temp reaches 180 degrees, slowly pour the Vinegar and salt, very slowly stir for 10 seconds, keep the cover off, and forget about it for 20 minutes.  This is what it will start to look like.

Then after the 20 minutes this is what it will start to look like.  DO NOT STIR be gentle you don't want to break up the curds!

Get a large Strainer put it in a large bowl to collect the liquid known as the WHEY, and line it with a thin kitchen towel, or I used an old white tee-shirt. After the 20 minutes start carefully spooning the CURD into the strainer.

Now let the CURD strain for about 1 hour, if you like your Ricotta DRY, if you like your Ricotta a little creamy, let it strain for only about 1/2 hour.  Now you have Fresh Ricotta Cheese to make whatever you want with it.  This recipe will give you about 2 cups. 

Now you will have a lot of liquid/WHEY in the bowl, DO NOT THROW THAT OUT! Yes you can make MORE RICOTTA using the liquid. 

Take the liquid and put it into the same crock pot, you don't have to wash it, or just use a big pot on the stove, and reheat it to 200 degrees this time.  When it reaches 200 degrees, add another 1/4 cup of vinegar, and 1 tsp salt, stir for 10 seconds, and let it sit for 20 minutes again.  Strain just like before, you will get about another cup of fresh Ricotta.

Now you can throw out the leftover WHEY, or use it to do whatever you want, I have no use for it at this point, I tried to make another batch of Ricotta with it, but it didn't work. 

I will be using my Fresh Homemade Ricotta tonight for Baked Ziti.  Enjoy and So YUMMO!