Granloa Bars

So remember a few posts ago I was saying those things about my husband? You know, the stuff about him exercising and eating healthy and all that?

Well, he's actually been doing pretty good! So I made these for him, and they are so so yummy! Easily the best homemade granola bars I ever had...and even better then ones I've had from the store!

Usually for his lunches, I'll pack him some Cliff bars to munch on for a snack or whatever....but those things are pricey! So I set out to make my own granola bars, but ones that actually taste good and are moist. I don't know if this is a common problem, but I feel like when I make granola bars they come out crumbly and just not that yummy. So many of them have oil in them too and I'm just not that into oil in my granola bars. 

I got this basic recipe from Smitten Kitchen and made a few tweaks.

They came out perfectly moist and candy-bar like! Yay!

And the best thing about these bars, is you can add whatever you want for nuts and dried fruit and all that stuff.

So be creative!

Granola Bars

Makes 8-12 bars, depending on size 

Pre-heat oven to 350

Line an 8x8x2 pan with parchment paper or foil and lightly grease.

1 2/3 Cups instant oats

1/2 Cup sugar

1/3 Cup ground up oats (either in a magic bullet, blender or food processor)

1/2 Tsp. salt

1/4 Tsp. ground cinnamon

2 to 3 Cups dried fruit (I used raisins and dried cranberries)

2/3 Cup chocolate chips 

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter (Or Almond butter)

2 Tsp. Vanilla

6 Tbsp. Melted Butter

1/3 Cup Honey or Agave Nectar ( I did about half of each)

1 Tbsp. Water

Mix together oats, sugar, ground oats, salt, cinnamon and dried fruit.

Whisk together melted butter and vanilla and sweetener and water.

Toss wet and dry ingredients together and add peanut butter. 

Mix together until well combined and press evenly and firmly into the bottom of your prepared pan.

Bake bars for 30-35 minutes.

I wanted mine really chewy, so I did 30 minutes...the edges should be lightly browned.

Let them sit in the pan til they are cool.

Place them in the refrigerator for about an hour so they cut easier.

When you are ready to cut them, take the bars out of the pan by lifting the parchement paper or foil out and placing it on a flat surface.

Cut into desired size, and if you want, drizzle with melted chocolate. 

I realize the chocolate part isn't healthy, but I don't care. It's makes for optimal yummy-ness.

When the chocolate hardens, I wrap them individually in foil and throw them in the fridge or freezer to take out as Mr. husband needs them.

Enjoy!

Fluffernutter Nutella Filled Cupcakes

I think its a command, that when you grow up, you have to eat peanut butter and jelly, or peanut butter and fluff sandwiches for lunch every day.

At least in my house growing up it was/we did.

Every day. 

And we somehow never got sick of it? And then nutella was invented- well, it probably was invented a long time before we had it in our house, but we were food-sheltered children growing up. My mom was a health nut....I mean nut in the best sense of course.

So then the lunches became peanut butter, nutella AND fluff sandwiches. Gourmet, much?

I have strong, passionate feelings for Nutella- It's like creamy gold.

If it was appropriate for adults to do such a thing, I would eat it right out of the jar.

Oh, right. I already do that. Last night as a matter of fact.

These cupcakes are a magical marriage of PB, Fluff and Nutella, all in one, adorable, delicious little cupcake. These little cupcakes are packed with yummy-ness. And they are Husband approved.

Fluffernutter Nutella Filled Cupcakes

Makes around 48 mini cupcakes- or 12 regular sized. But Mini is best :)

Pre- heat oven to 350.

For the cupcake:

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cup milk

Filling:

1 Cup Nutella

Frosting:

2 Cups Fluff

1/4 Cup Shortening

1 Cup powdered sugar

1 Tsp. Vanilla

(I didn't Actually measure the frosting...so these are approximate guesses.Sorry! It's not rocket science though- so you should be fine)

Line mini muffin pan with liners.

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt.

In the large bowl of an electric mixer, mix both sugars together, then beat in butter and peanut butter until smooth.

Add in the egg and vanilla- mix until well beaten and fluffy.

Alternately add the flour mixture and milk to the creamed sugar/butter/PB mixture.

Beat until smooth.

Divide batter between liners, filling 3/4's of the way.

Bake 12-14 minutes for the mini's and 20-22 minutes for regular sized cupcakes, or until cupcakes spring back when you touch them.

Let them cool on a wire rack.

Mean while, make your frosting.

Combine all ingredients, and beat, beat, beat, for a minute or two- until its light and fluffy, but thick.

If it's too thick, add a teaspoon of milk at a time til it's at the desired consistency.

If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Once cupcakes are cooled, take out a pinky size amount from the top middle of your cupcake with a knife.

Fill a plastic ziplock bag with nutella, snip off the corner a little and fill the middle of each cupcake. 

Fill another ziplock bag no more than 1/2 way with frosting, snip off the corner, and frost the top of your cupcake, making a little swirly design to be all fancy.

If you want, and are feeling extra creative, do a nutella swirl around your frosting swirl.

There is never such a thing as too much Nutella.

Perfect Every Time Pancakes

Saturday mornings are for pancakes.


Mostly every saturday morning, when my husband is home, we have a lazy morning in our jammies. I put on a pot of coffee, start the breakfast..... and It's lovely.


But it didn't always used to be that way. It's only recently that me and pancakes have become friends. Well, I should clarify- me and pancakes have always been friends. Me and pancake making have not. So pancake making was always my husbands job...Except they had to be from a box. But I didn't care, cause at lease someone was making me breakfast, they were fluffy and yummy and filled my tummy, and he always put chocolate chips in them.
I just try to not think about the bad stuff in the mix that I'm eating. It figures too, cause his fav pancake mix is the cheapest, baddest, most bleached kind.


One day I decided enough was enough. This was stupid. I can't make a pancake??? They would always come out waaaay too heavy and thick (more like a dense bread) or they would be floppy. Neither one of those is satisfactory when my tummy desires fluffy goodness.So I set out on a quest, to find the best pancake recipe not from a box. I was NOT going to let pancakes get the best of me.


I came across a recipe that made me curious cause it has white vinegar in it and I remember hearing somewhere that vinegar would make them fluffier and give them a diner-like taste/fluffiness. I gave it a shot, and behold: The best, perfect EVERY time pancake you ever had!
No joking here.


This recipe makes quite a few pancakes, but they are so good, we end up eating most of them, and the left overs I freeze for a quick breakfast!

Perfectly Fluffy Pancakes

Makes 8-12 pancakes (depending on size)

• 1 1/2 Cups Milk (I use Almond 35 Unsweetened,but any kind works!)
• 1/4 Cup White Vinegar
• 2 Cups all-purpose Flour
• 1/4 Cup White Sugar
• 2 Tsp. Baking Powder
• 1 Tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp. Salt
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 Cup Butter, melted
• Chocolate chips, Blueberries, or whatever else you want/like in your pancakes!

In a glass measuring cup, measure your milk and add the vinegar- let sit for 5 minutes.

Combine Flour, Sugar, Baking powder, Baking soda and salt in a large bowl.

Mix melted Butter and eggs.

Add butter mixture to milk mixture, then add that mixture to your dry ingredients.

Whisk until lumps are gone.

Feed your child with crazy morning hair a blood orange for the first time. 

 (Note: those are not my hands or hairy arms)

Then, heat a large skillet over low-medium, and coat well with cooking spray. 

Pour batter 1/4 cup at a time into hot skillet.

Add yummy things like blueberries or chocolate chips.

Flip Pancake when little bubbles appear on the surface - this should only take a minute to happen.

Re-spray skillet in between pancakes.

Perfect! Enjoy your new, favorite ever pancakes :)

Samoas Bars

I've been seeing these things all over Pinterest lately and have been dying to try them...plus, they are my husbands fav girl-scout cookie ever!


So now, instead of paying 27 dollars a box for like, 8 cookies- I can make them for like 2 bucks. And we'll have 30ish bars that will last a week. Yes, a week is a long time in my house. 
Even when my husband is on a health-kick.(Which, by the way, he has been doing surprisingly well...not the exercising part, but the food in moderation part. Go husband!)




They were super easy to make- a tad time consuming cause of the steps, but that actually turned out to be a good thing for me, cause I would complete one step, then need to take care of the child, and by the time she was all taken care of and what not, it was time for step #2 and all that stuff.
So it's not a bad thing, these steps.
Especially when the end result is super spectacular!


Samoas Bars
Adapted from baking bites
yields 30-36 bars


Pre-heat oven to 350.
Cookie Bottom:

• 1/2 Cup Sugar
• 3/4 Cup Butter, softened
• 1 Egg
• 1/2 Tsp. Vanilla
• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1/4 Tsp. Salt

Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large electric mixer, cream together your sugar and butter until fluffy.
Add in your egg and vanilla...mix well.
On low speed, add in flour and salt until mixture is all crumbly- it does not need to come together like a dough, it just needs to be combined.

Pour your crumbly dough into prepared pan, and press into an even layer.

Bake 20-25 minutes until edges are lightly brown.
Cool completely. 


Coconut Topping:

• 3 cups Shredded coconut (Sweetened)
• 12 oz-chewy caramels, unwrapped (I used Werthers)
• 1/4 Tsp. Salt
• 3 Tbsp. Milk
• 10 oz. Semi-Sweet  Chocolate (Chocolate Chips are good, too)

Lower oven temperature to 300.

Spread coconut evenly on a parchment covered pan. I used tin foil and it was all good.

Toast for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes so it gets all evenly toasty.

When it's all golden and gorgeous, set it aside to cool a bit.

While your coconut is toasting, place your unwrapped caramels and salt in a large pot on your oven and melt over low-medium heat. Stirring almost constantly.

(This is just a nice picture of the caramels, not one of me melting them- you don't need my help on that one)

When melted, stir in your coconut.

Put dollops of the coconut-caramel topping on your crust. It's okay if the crust is not 100% cooled...Mine wasn't and they turned out just fine.

Spread topping evenly with a metal spoon til crust is completely covered. 

(Yum)

Let cool completely- I put mine in the fridge for an hour-ish.

When you are getting ready to cut them, Melt your chocolate in a glass microwave safe bowl at 30 second increments...If you have some shortening, I would highly recommend putting a few tablespoons in with  your chocolate so you don't risk seizing it.

When they are cool, cut into bars, whatever size you like. Smaller is easier to work with though when you dip them.

Dip the bottom of your cut bars in the melted chocolate and set on a large piece of parchment paper. 

Drizzle the tip with the rest of your chocolate to make them look all beautiful.

Let the chocolate harden before removing from parchment paper and serving.

Enjoy with a cold, tall glass of milk!

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Scones

After this, I swear, I'm all done pumpkin...for bit.




I just had to use up the other half of the lonely can of pumpkin I used for the pumpkin dump cake. Sue me.




So, Mr. Husband took the day off from work -which is wonderful- and usually, on days he stays home or goes into work late, I like to cook up a little somethin- somethin for breakfast. I took a risk with these scones, not wanting to take advantage of my pumpkin ban being lifted and all... But while I was scouring the internet for the perfect, not boring breakfast treat, I found this super recipe that is supposedly the knock off Starbucks pumpkin scone recipe.




 Hmmmm....was that a challenge? Naturally, I had to see if they really were that good....






Uh, but then I realized, I've never even had a Starbucks scone. Whatever. I know good when I taste it.






With a few little tweaks, (like adding a cup of chocolate chips because a cup of chocolate chips makes everything wonderfuler), and skipping a couple of the spices (cause I didn't have them on hand), the verdict was:






WOW. 




I served one up to my man, with a side of eggs (cause that makes them healthy) and anxiously watched him take a bite. Then watched him devour the rest of it, the whole time saying: 'Wow, babe- wow.' 'These are so good.' 'Wow....yeah, mmm!' With several more 'wow's, 'mmmm's and a few 'these are amazing's. Yay!




I think it's the glaze that really makes these things over-the-top more delicious than your everyday pumpkin scones.


Whatever it is-I'll be making these things again. and again. and again.


Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Scones
Yields 6 scrumptiously large scones


Pre-heat oven to 425.


2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp.cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 Tbsp. Cream (or milk)
1 Large Egg
6 Tbsp. Butter
1 cup chocolate chips


In a large bowl, add your flour and everything down to your nutmeg. Mix very well.
Cut in with a pastry cutter your butter until the mixture resembles crumbs.
In a seperate bowl, combine your pumpkin, cream and egg. Mix very well.
Fold together the two mixtures, and the chocolate chips,mixing well, and forming it into a ball.Your mixture will be a little sticky but If its super super sticky, you can add more flour, a little at a time. You just want it to be manageable, but not dry like a bread dough.
Pat the dough onto a greased and floured baking sheet, in a rectangle that is 1" thick, about 9" long and 3" wide.
With a sharp knife, cut the dough evenly twice, the short way. Then cut each of the rectangles/squares in half diagonally so you have 6 triangles.
Gently spread the scones away from each other about 1/2 inch.


Bake 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Don't over bake or else you will be really sad.


While your scones are baking, prepare the glazes.


For the first glaze:
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Tbsp. Milk (any kind)


For the spiced glaze:
3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
1-2 Tbsp. Milk (any kind)
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg


When your scones are finished baking, let them cool for 5 minutes, then top with the first glaze. 
Let that glaze harden, then generously top each scone with your spiced glaze.


EAT!

Pumpkin Dump Cake

Mr. Husband is all pumpkin-ed out.




Poor guy, I over did it with the pumpkin cakes, muffins, cupcakes, scones, drinks (yes, pumpkin smoothies are the bomb)- So he asked me to take a break from the pumpkin stuff. For like, ever.






And I intended to comply with his wishes...until I noticed today, way in the deep dark depths of my cabinet of canned goods, that there was one, lonely, unused, neglected can of pumpkin. It was so cute, and so sad...I had to use it.






I came across this recipe, and instantly fell in pumpkin love. 




I made this recipe, and fell in more pumpkin love.




I ate it hot out of the oven, from the pan, burned my mouth, and was still in so much love.




Pumpkin Pie, I can take it or leave it. It's just nothing I go crazy for. But a soft pumpkin pudding/cake like thing, covered with buttery, golden crunch-THAT's my kinda thing!


This is stuff is ridiculous. And my ban from Mr. husband of making pumpkin things was lifted! HURRAH!


I halved this recipe, cause it originally makes a 9x13" Pan, and that's a lot of pumpkin stuff for 2 people. I mean, not that there is such a thing but you know what I'm sayin. So this is the 9x13" recipe, but halving it is super easy, and don't worry about measuring perfectly perfect or whatever, It's a super forgiving recipe!

Pumpkin Dump Cake 

Pre-heat oven to 350

1, 15 oz can pumpkin puree

1, 10 oz can evaporated milk

1 Cup light brown sugar

3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 Box yellow cake mix

2 sticks butter (1 cup) Melted

1 cup coarsely chopped graham crackers or pecans (I used Pecans)

Instructions:

Spray a 9x13 pan

Mix together pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice.

Pour batter into your prepared pan.

Sprinkle yellow cake mix evenly all over the batter.

Sprinkle your grahams or pecans evenly over the cake mix layer.

Pour your melted butter over the entire thing.

Bake in your pre-heated oven for 45-50 minutes, so the center is set, and the edges are nicely browned.

I didn't have whipped cream, but a dollop of that or vanilla ice cream would just be deadly!

Enjoy!

Mom's Hot Fudge Sauce

Last night I made a bad dinner.




I know it was bad, because my husband didn't talk. 




When Mr. husband thinks something is good- you'll know it...He won't shut up about it.




Nope, not last night. So, trying to be optimistic, I thought, well he did just recover from the flu....maybe he just isn't remembering to say he likes it, you know, when people are sick they're not themselves and stuff.




Noticing he had lots of food still on his plate 10 minutes into the meal ( and if you know anything about my man, he is NOT a slow eater-10 minutes is sort of a record)I devised a plan to see what he thought about my meal without coming out and asking: 'Do you like it?!' - I said: "If you don't like it or whatever I'll eat the rest of it."




Guess who had Mr. husbands food on their plate in .5 seconds.




So then I got hurt feelings, and then he felt bad, and the night just went downhill from there. 




Until I made this AWESOME hot fudge sauce.




This is my mom's recipe that she has made forever and ever- you will never ever buy the Hershey's stuff again! After you make this, it will taste like poo to you. Yes, I said poo.




It's way too easy to just eat it by the spoonful too- good luck with that...and did I mention it takes 10 minutes (if that) to make?!?!?!?!


Throw it all in a pot, stir, stir, stir- and TA-DA! 


DIVINITY!




Mom's Hot Fudge Sauce


1 Cup Sugar
2/3 Cup Cocoa
2/3 Cup Water
4 Tbsp. Shortening ( I don't like shortening cause of all the trans fats and plastic-iness of it, so I use this.


Throw it all in a pot...I used one you would use for soup so it would thicken faster. (Cause I'm impatient.)

Stir CONSTANTLY over medium heat- Don't stop. Not even to sneeze, it's not worth it.


It will get really bubbly.


Keep stirring for a good 6 or 7 minutes til it thickens.


Store in a mason jar or some sort of an airtight glass jar in the fridge for a week. If it even lasts that long.

Enjoy!

Almond Butter Protein Balls

I love my husband. And I refuse to ever bash him.




But sometimes, he says and does things that make no sense....




Like, We go out to eat and he orders the biggest, greasiest thing on the menu, devours it, then complains about how full he is, and how fat he thinks he's getting.




Or we'll be out running errands, and on our way home, he decided he's CRAVING a burger and needs one NOW. Even though I just grocery shopped, and if he waited 3 more minutes, we would be home and he could eat all of the wonderful food I just spent $150 on yesterday.






But being a manly man, he wants his manly, greasy, not really food-food. And then I hear 


"man, I gotta start running."


So I say "Let's go running when we get home!"


"Nah, I don't want to have to think about it... I just want to get up and do it."


"You say that everyday."


"I know, but someday I'll get sick of saying it and actually do it."






We have this convo like,  783 times a week. 




But today was the day....I think he's had enough and is driving himself crazy with all his talk....So he's on a kick right now, and went out and bought himself some createne and protein powder cause he said it will make him want to start working out again...




Hmmmm.....




So, me being the good wife that I am, made these super duper delicious almond butter balls to help him on his quest to get back in shape!


You can totally sub Peanut Butter for the Almond Butter. I just loooove Almond Butter and it's sometimes a nice change from PB. Plus it is amazingly good for you! Yes, I do keep healthy things in my house sometimes.




Believe it or not, I am a bit of a health nut, just not one of those crazy ones. I love my sugar and will never, ever give it up. It's a moderation thing most of the time, though will admit I do go overboard and pig out on cake and stuff...... But no one's perfect, and you have to let loose sometimes!




Back to the Almond balls.

They only take 4 ingredients, 5 minutes of your time, And have about 50 calories in each one, and are packed with protein...So when you hit that afternoon slump or need a quick healthy snack, grab a few of these and they will make you happy you didn't get a snickers instead.


Almond Butter Protein Balls
Makes 30-35 balls


1/2 Cup Raw Unsalted Almond Butter (or smooth PB)
1/2 Cup Honey
3/4 Cup Quick Cooking Oats
3/4 Cup Non-Fat Powdered Milk


Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until very well combined.
Roll into bite sized balls.


The End.

Enjoy!                                                    

Coconut Truffles (for my pumpkins 5 month birthday!)

My baby girl is 5 months today and it's freaking me out.



Maybe I'm freaking cause that means next month she'll be a whopping 6 months old!!!! 1/2 a year!!!!
aaaaahhhhhhhh.



As much as I want her to grow up and crawl, and sit up by herself, learn to talk, and all that stuff....I also always want her to be my little baby :(



But. I am taking advantage of this opportunity to make something delicious.
In my house, there is always an excuse/reason to celebrate with yummy things!



So in honor of you, my pumpkin-head: The Amazing White Chocolate Coconut Truffle.
May you grow up to love sweets as much as mommy.


Oh, and you might want to halve this recipe. It makes 64ish truffles. I don't really see a problem with ever having 64 truffles in the house, but I'm told there are people that do.

White Chocolate Coconut Truffles

3/4 Cup Evaporated Milk

1 Cup Sugar

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1/2 Tsp. Coconut Extract

1 Bag White Chocolate Chips

2 Cups Mini-Marshmallows

1/2 Cup Coconut, toasted

6-8 squares melting chocolate

In a heavy duty sauce pan, combine milk, sugar and salt.

Over Medium heat, stir constantly for 3-5 Minutes.

When it comes to a boil, shut off heat, and stir in coconut extract, chips, and marshmallows.

Mix very very well until chips and marshmallows are completely melted and mixture is smooth.

Pour into an 8x8 parchment paper lined pan, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until no longer sticky.

To toast your coconut, Just place it in a skillet on the stove top over medium-low heat and stir until lightly browned,

If after the couple hours in the fridge your dough isn't cooperating and is too soft, Mix a 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in and then freeze for half an hour and try again.

Keep Hands coated with powder sugar when rolling.

Once all your truffles are rolled, stick them in the freezer again for 30 minutes.

Melt your chocolate, and dip one at a time putting back on the frozen plate. Garnish with toasted coconut or sprinkles!

Chill until you are ready to serve and store in the fridge/freezer!

Enjoy!!

Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

I know.






I post too much about peanut butter. I would say I'm sorry...but I'm not. It's just too perfect of an invention. Actually, I used to hate peanut butter believe it or not. H-A-T-E it.






But, then again, I also used to hate anything that wasn't cheese, pizza, omlets, Doritos and chocolate.


That's all the food groups, right?






But then, I woke up one morning, and decided to give PB another go............and since then...........things have changed.






I now eat it, straight from the jar. Throw in a few chocolate chips, and you have a meal + dessert in one.






My poor husband doesn't stand a chance when this combo is around.




But let me take you to a whole new, different wonderful level of happiness with this pie. It is the perfect combo of sweet, salty and chocolate-y. But not too chocolate-y. Like there even was such a thing!

Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

Pre-heat oven to 350.

For the Crust: 

2ish Cups pretzels, broken up

1/4 Cup Brown Sugar

5 Tbsp. Melted Butter

Blend the pretzels until they are fine crumbs.

Add in the brown sugar and blend till combined well.

Dump Pretzels and Sugar into a bowl, and mix in melted butter very well.

Press into the bottom of a greased pie plate, and bake for 10 minutes in pre-heated oven.

While Crust is baking, Make your Filling!

For the Filling:

4 oz. Cream Cheese

3/4 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter

3 Tbsp. very soft butter (yes, this DOES make a difference!)

2 Cups Cool Whip

Swirl:

1/4 Cup Nutella

A little Extra Cool Whip

Whip Cream Cheese in electric mixer til fluffy and smooth.

Add in PB and butter and Mix until very well combined and very smooth.

Fold in Cool Whip until completely combined.

Pour Mixture into your pie crust, when it is completely cooled.

Mix your Nutella and extra Cool Whip together, and swirl in the top of your pie. It will look super pretty and taste so yummy. Have you ever had Nutella and Cool Whip together? 

*heavenly*

Freeze, and when ready to serve, let thaw for 15 minutes before you dive in an die of happiness.

Enjoy!