Easy Marmalade Pork

A few weeks ago, my family went to a friends house for dinner. That right there is a special occasion, because my kid goes to bed at 7:30, and when that time comes- its not a scenario that is appropriate for public viewing. To put it bluntly, she turns into devil child. So, we usually try to stick around home at night so as to not experience the devil child situation or make for an unpleasant evening with the public.

We are working on this. You know, trying to teach our little minion to be more flexible around bed time...dang is it hard to train a child that is a clone of yourself. I have found I take her temper tantrums and attitudes very personally- which is another thing I am working on.

I am not a natural at this mothering thing like I thought I would be.

Back to the dinner at our friends house.

So she made this apricot chicken, that was SO good, I wanted to drink the sauce. I am not even joking a little. She gave me the recipe and I have made it twice since....which in our house is rare. I hardly ever make the same thing within the same month- just cause I love experimenting with different flavors and such. Does anyone else get overwhelmed with all the incredible combinations of food there are out there, just waiting to be created??? Maybe I have too much time on my hands....

(no corn syrup- yay!)

The second time I made this recipe, I used marmalade instead of apricot preserves, just because the store I was at didn't have apricot preserves without corn syrup in them.

And I doubled the sauce. And used pork tenderloin instead of chicken thighs.

I posted a picture the night I made the pork and marmalade version, and captioned that it was the stuff dreams are made of.....except I wasn't joking. It was even better with the marmalade, me and the husband agreed.

Did I mention its made in the crock pot, too?

Sorry, I'm already married.

But if you're looking to get hitched, make this for your future spouse.

Marmalade Crock Pot Pork 
1 - 1.5 pound pork tenderloin
most of a 25  oz. jar marmalade
2 tsp. Dried onion flakes
1-2 tsp. jarred garlic
2 TBSP. Low sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. Mustard (dijon or yellow)
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Mix all ingredients, except for the tenderloin, together in the crock pot. 3-4
Add in pork and coat well with sauce.

Cook on low 6-8 hours, or high 3-4 hours, flipping pork half way through and coating with the sauce occasionally.

Try to not drink the broth before you serve it.

We had ours over quinoa that's been cooked with chicken stock, salt and pepper, a roasted pepper and goat cheese salad, and biscuits! The best.

Cinnamon Roll Fried Dough Balls

I have always been afraid of frying things for whatever reason... I think cause it just seemed scary working with hot oil and stuff. But now that I have done it a few times and have the hang of it I want to fry everything and can't stop thinking about different things to try frying.

These were an experiment yesterday that turned out quite fabulously! My uncle and husband were working at our house when I fed these to them, and they were both RAVING about them. I won't lie, they were pretty tasty.

And by pretty tasty, I mean amazing! And SO so easy!
They would be perfect for breakfast. Who doesn't love fried cinnamon sugar things for breakfast?

Cinnamon Roll Fried Dough Balls
Yield:12

1 cup AP flour
1/8 tsp. baking soda
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
3 TBSP. butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
Oil- For frying

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together.
Cut butter into chunks and keep cutting with a pastry cutter until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Add buttermilk and mix just until combined. You may need to add a bit more buttermilk- the dough should be pretty moist.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and need 5 times.
Press into a 1/2" disc with your hands...NOT a rolling pin.
Moisten surface of dough with water using your hands so the cinnamon and sugar will stick well.

Cinnamon sugar filling:
(these are approximate measurements cause I didn't actually measure)

1/4-1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp. cinnamon

Liberally sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture all over surface of the dough. I used all mine...Basically the more you use, the yummier these things will be!
Tightly roll up dough and slice into 1/2" slices.
With your hand, press down on each disc so it doesn't fall apart when you pick it up to dry it.

Heat oil to around 375.
Drop 3-4 dough balls/sices in at a time and fry until golden brown on each side.

Glaze:
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Cups powered sugar
3 Tbsp. milk (more may be needed)

While they're still warm, glaze with a generous amount of glaze and eat!

Antipasto Bake

I made this last week for dinner....Now remember, it's just me and my husband and our 14 month old daughter...

This stuff didn't even last 24 hours.

We LOVED it! 

I've been doing this new rating system thing, where I ask my husband what he thinks of our meals on a scale of 1-10. This way I know if I should waste my time making the dish again or just throw it in the trash....I don't usually have a thick enough skin for these types of things, but I figured I would give it a try anyways.

This antipasto stuff was a 9.

Meaning it was pretty great..............I HIGHLY suggest you make this for your man. If I have learned nothing else since I have been cooking for my husband, it's that men love simple food. With a lot of meat. And cheese. They don't care how it's made- so long as it's hearty and flavory.

Antipasto Bake
adapted from tidy-mom

2 cans crescent dinner rolls
1/4 lb. thinly sliced ham
1/4-1/2 lb. provolone cheese
1/4 lb. swiss cheese
1/4 thin sliced salami
1/4 lb. pepperoni
3 eggs
4 tbsp. parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. black pepper

• Pre-heat oven to 350.
• Layer 1 can crescent rolls in a greased 9x13" pan. 
• Layer the meats and cheese on the dough.
• Beat the eggs, parmesan cheese and pepper, and evenly pour 3/4 of the mixture over the meat and cheese.
• Place the second layer of dough over everything, and with your hand spread the remaining egg and cheese mixture over the the crescent dough.
• Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 25 minutes.
• Remove foil, and bake for another 10-15 minutes, until dough is puffy, risen, and golden brown!

Enjoy! You will love this and your husband will love it even more! :)

Fudge Round Trifle

I am not a creative person by any means, but sometimes, I do things that are just genius.
I can't even tell you how divine this dessert is; there are no words to describe what I feel for it...So I will let the food speak for itself and I highly suggest you get your little hiney to the store to make it. Unless of course you already have 16 little debbie fudge rounds lying around your house. If that's the case, you're ready to go...it's so easy to throw together. Perfect for a last minute dessert that will blow everyone away.

Fudge Round Trifle
16 Fudge Rounds, broken up
1, 16 oz. container Cool Whip
For the Mousse:
1/2 Cup butter, softened
3 Cups confectioners sugar
1/2 Cup Hershey's dark cocoa
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. milk if needed to thin
1 Cup whipping cream or heavy cream

To make the mousse:
In the bowl of an electric mixer beat butter and 1 cup of confectioners sugar together til smooth.
Add in 1/2 cup cocoa and vanilla and on low mix togther until it all comes together in a smooth paste.
Add in remaining 2 cups confectioners sugar with mixer on low until completely incorporated then turn up to high. If needed add in milk to thin the batter.
Transfer batter to another bowl and wash out mixing bowl.
Pour in cream, and with a whisk attachment, on high mix until whipped cream is made.
Gently fold whipped cream into chocolate frosting/batter with a spatula until completely combined.

Method:
In a trifle dish, lay 8 broken up fudge rounds on the bottom, over that spread half the chocolate mousse, then half the cool whip.
Repeat.

The end.

*It is at it's maximum greatness if you let it sit a few hours before eating. I ate some right away, and also waited the few hours. No matter what, you really can't go wrong!

Also, here's a tip for you:
Fudge Round ice cream sandwiches!!!

Do it!

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

No-Bake Golden Cookie Bars

These bars are so easy, and nothing short of amazing!

I ate so many of them I couldn't eat lunch and wasn't hungry for dinner. But that didn't stop me from eating 2 lobsters I got at the farmers market for only $4 a pound!! I love lobster. And farmers markets. It's going to be really sad when summer is over and farmers markets are over... 

I spied these over at Cookies and Cups last week and have been dying to try them...do you ever see a recipe, and you just feel in your heart you need to make them? That's what I felt with these bars and they did NOT disappoint! They're a cross between a  bar and fudge...you need them, I tell you!

Golden Cookie Bars

Adapted from Cookies and Cups

2 1/2 cups (or 30 cookies) golden oreos or other vanilla sandwich cookie

1, 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

10 oz (a tad more than 1 1/2 cups) white chocolate chips

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chocolate chips for garnish (optional, but strongly suggested)

In a Ziploc bag, crush cookies with rolling pin until in crumbs and small chunks.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and white chocolate. Stir frequently until smooth.

In a large bowl, mix together cookie crumbs and white chocolate mixture.

Let cool for 5ish minutes before mixing in chocolate chips.

Press into prepared pan, and press the other 1/2 cup of chocolate chips on top into cookie mixture. (If you want)

Chill in freezer for about 30 minutes before cutting and enjoy this amazingness!

Blueberry Peach Crisp

I am loving all this summery fresh fruit stuff going on these days. 
When I did the grocery shopping this week there were these beautiful peaches I had to buy. I felt like I needed to make peach crisp... 
Today, my husband had to work, which is a major whomp on a saturday...so me and the baby girl were just lounging around this morning, when I decided it was the perfect time for some peach crisp- for breakfast!
But wait. It gets better. 


I threw in a bunch of juicy, fresh blueberries. 


Does any one not like crisp? Any kind...apple, pear, plum, strawberry rhubarb...SO GOOD.


I served myself up some with a big dollup of whipped cream and It was the best choice I ever made. Today, at least.

Blueberry Peach Crisp
-heat oven to 375


Filling:
1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed
6 peaches ( I didn't bother peeling mine, and it made no difference to me)
2 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. Lemon Juice

Topping:
3/4 cup oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup pecans


In a large bowl, mix the filling ingredients together very well.
Pour into a large pie plate.
For the topping, combine all ingredients in a large bowl (I just re-used the same bowl for the topping) and cut in the butter with a fork.
Sprinkle over the filling.

Bake for 45 minutes.

Best when served warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

Enjoy!

Rolo Stuffed White Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

I hosted my first ever Lia Sophia party last night at my house! It was really fun. Not that many people were able to come, but that's okay cause my house is really small...So it all worked out, and I had fun.

I made a few little things for us to munch on, one of those things being these cookies. They are totally my new favorites! Peanut butter + white chocolate + chocolate/caramel = true love.

And don't bother mentioning how creative I am with naming things. It comes naturally.

Please please please make these.

White Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Rolo Stuffed Cookies
Pre-heat oven to 350.

-Your favorite recipe for PB cookies
-1 Cup white chocolate chips
-1 pacakge-ish of unwrapped Rolos

Make cookie dough, and at the end, mix in white chips.
Take a small amount of dough, and flatten it into a disc.
Place rolo in the disc and form dough around rolo.
Use as little dough as possible so the cookie to rolo ratio is right!

Bake for 8-9 minutes.
I enjoyed mine fresh out of the oven- YIKES!
Also they are still amazing cold, but I don't think you can really experience the joy of this wonderfulness in it's entirety without it being a little warm.

Reeses Puff Krispies

Yesterday afternoon I went to the farmers market and bought things for the first time ever!

Have you ever been to a farmers market?

Man.....I easily dropped $60 in things I never even knew I needed... Like Carrot Cake Jelly!

???!!!

There are no words. We ate half the jar last night. Also, we got some local honey, maple syrup, and tons of fresh produce...It was one of the most fun things I have ever done in my life. This one lady was selling fresh cherry tomatoes that she had picked THAT MORNING and let me just say, I will never buy cherry tomatoes from the grocery store again...

Safe to say I'm a farmers market person now.

Also, my mom has a stand at this particular market selling yummy goodies and organic/vegan soaps and such, and ever since she started participating, I feel really strongly about helping out our community and supporting local entrepreneurs.

Plus, everything is SO GOOD!

Last night I made pancakes for dinner so we could test out our syrup, honey and jelly...We ate all the pancakes, and were also soaking some bread I had in the goodness....

I feel like it's so easy to be inspired to eat healthy and fresh and local when you're outside at the market. And then you get home, and real life sets in. As in you start to want something unhealthy and peanut-buttery.


I present to you, the Reeses Puff Krispie, and they are super!!!

Reeses Puff Krispies
1/4 cup butter
1, 10 oz. bag mini marshmallows
4 cups reeses puffs cereal
1/2 cup peanut butter, smooth or crunchy
1 bag chocolate chips, divided

In a medium saucepan, melt butter and marshmallows over medium-low until smooth.
Stir in Peanut butter.
Add in cereal and mix until well combined and evenly coated.
Sprinkle in 1/2 cup chocolate chips and mix.

Press into whatever sized pan lined with lightly greased wax paper. (Depending on desired thickness)
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

In a bowl, melt the remaining chocolate chips VERY carefully at 20 second intervals. If you are afraid it might size, add a couple tablespoons of butter or shortening.

When chocolate  is completely smooth, pour over krispies, and spread evenly.

Pop back in the fridge for at least another 30 minutes before cutting.

Enjoy!!!!!

No- Bake Peanut Butter Rocky Road Bars

My husband loves rocky road things, and although I don't share his passion or see what the big deal is about rocky road things, I like to keep him happy, so I came up with this combination for him...but I won't lie. I secretly really liked them a lot!!!

No-Bake Peanut Butter Rocky Road Bars
Makes 12-16 bars


1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. cocoa
1/4 cup milk
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4-1/2 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup marshmallows
1 1/2 cups oats


In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, milk and butter. Over medium heat, stir constantly until mixture boils, then cook for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and oats.
In a waxed paper lined, lightly greased 8x8" pan spread and press half the mixture. Use your hands if you need to, but be careful cause it's probably pretty hot!
Over the first layer, sprinkle 1/4 cup chocolate chips, marshmallows, and peanuts.

In 4 sections, drop the remaining batter over your toppings, working carefully, and press top layer into them. 

Top off with remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips, pressing in to top.
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before lifting wax paper out of the pan and cutting.

Enjoy!

Easy No-Bake Granola Bars

Sunday night, as me and my husband were getting ready for bed, I realized I hadn't packed a lunch for him.

I almost left him a note just saying he should grab something at mickey-d's or whatever for lunch...but quickly I decided against that because 1: I despise McDonalds with PASSION, and 2: we had just had a conversation about being better about saving money and all that.

So it was time for me to get creative.

Did I mention Sunday is the day before monday which is usually shopping day? Which also means finding something to fill and satisfy a big hungry man is nothing short of a great mission.

So I boiled some pasta, slapped some pesto and grated peccorino romano cheese on it, threw some cottage cheese in a tupperwear with blueberries sprinkled on top (does he even like cottage cheese?), and gave him 2 cookies from the freezer and a peanut butter granola bar that was so small it wouldn't have even been enough to feed our 10 month old daughter for a snack.

Later on when he came home, (I had since grocery shopped) I asked him what he thought of his 'creative' lunch?

The pasta was underdone, he doesn't really like cottage cheese, but ate it cause it was food and he was hungry, the cookies melted and somehow got on the ladder in the back of his truck on the ladder ( don't ask me how that happened) and when the guys were unloading at a job, they thought it was dog poop all over everything.

Nice.

I made up for the horrible lunch and we had a fantastic dinner. All is forgiven.

When I was grocery shopping earlier that afternoon, I was going to buy him some manly granola/energy bars, but they are so expensive and I have a love/hate relationship with them. 

I love how they are big and manly and have lots of protein in them for my big man and are all wrapped up, and ready to throw in his lunch box, but I hate how they are like, over a dollar each.

Sometimes I make them, sometimes I buy them. Depends on my mood.

Since I was trying to spend as little as possible on this shopping trip, I opted for making them.

These couldn't be easier...5ish ingredients, and 5 minutes. No sugar, plenty of protein and lots of yummy.

Viola!

Easy No-Bake Granola Bars

Makes 12-5 bars

2 cups oats

1/2-1 cup raisins and/or chocolate chips (I didn't have chocolate chips, just raisins)

3/4 cup melted smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup honey

Mix all ingredients very well.

Press very firmly into a 9x13" pan lined with wax paper.

Refrigerate for at least an hour before lifting out of pan and cutting into desired size!

Add in's:

dried cranberries, cherries 

chia seeds

flax seeds

nuts

seeds

coconut

Easy Pizza Pasta Bake

Believe it or not, there are some nights I just don't feel like cooking dinner or at least doing anything fancy...

Last night was one of those nights. I had like, 7 different kinds of cheeses hanging around my fridge leftover from other recipes I had made, and I wanted to use them up before they went bad.

And seeing a bunch of little chunks of random cheese in my fridge was stressing me out.

So I threw this stuff together and it was D-E-LI-CIOUS.

So easy. So fast. So yummy.

Easy Pizza Pasta Bake

(Serves 4-6)

Pre-heat oven to 350.

8 oz. Pasta

2 Cups canned, unseasoned tomato sauce

2 Cups grated cheese (1 Cup mozzarella, and the other cup can be whatever you want)

1/2 Cup turkey pepperoni slices, halved

3 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese

1 Tsp. dill

1 Tsp. italian seasoning

1 Tsp. parsley

1/2 Tsp. red pepper flakes

Cook pasta according to package directions.

When pasta is cooked, drain and return to pan.

Add in tomato sauce, spices, 1 1/2 cups of the cheese and the pepperoni.

When everything is well covered and mixed, pour into a deep pie plate, or a 9x9" pan.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese  on top.

Bake for 15 minutes.

EAT.