Homemade wheat thins

Sooo... I've been slacking on the blog this past week. It's been a bit hectic with hosting my mom & sister's birthday dinner, Easter AND dealing with a dog who loves being outside when it hasn't stopped raining for over a week! We had quite a debacle this weekend where my lovely pup, Cooper, decided to dig a gigantic hole which promptly filled with water/mud and he decided to go swimming in it. He was covered head to toe... he looked hilarious!
Proof: there's normally some white in there.  (featuring his accomplice, Jax...)

Anyways, back to the food.  I love cheese and crackers so I decided to try making my own crackers.  I found a recipe for 'wheat thins' and they turned out pretty good!


Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tea salt (plus extra for topping)
1/4 tea paprika
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup water
1/4 tea vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 2 baking sheet with parchment

Add flour, sugar, salt and paprika and mix to combine.

Cut in butter (you can use a pastry blender or just squish it with your hands)

Combine water and vanilla and add to flour and mix until dough forms

Divide in half and roll each piece into a large rectangle (Thin) about 1/8 in thick.

Use pizza cutter to cut into 1-1 1/2 in squares.

Transfer squares to baking sheets and sprinkle with salt (tip- press salt in gently so it will stick once baked)

Bake until crisp and brown. About 5-10 minutes.

Store in airtight container.

Peppermint Patties

Let me preface this post by saying... YIPPEEE!! I FINALLY figured out how to change the settings on my camera so that my pictures stop coming out yellowy-orange due to the lighting indoors... I did a little happy dance while making these today:)

Anyways, I stumbled upon this post and remembered how much I liked peppermint patties. It has never occurred to me that I could actually make them, but I'm glad I tried!

Ingredients:
Makes about 32 patties

1 can sweetened condensed milk
5 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon peppermint extract
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons shortening (or you could use Gulf Wax- just something to thin the chocolate)

Directions:
Add condensed milk, 2 cups of powdered sugar, and peppermint extract to a large mixing bowl.  Mix everything on medium speed using the paddle attachment until all the ingredients are well incorporated.

Add more powdered sugar, a half cup at a time, until the dough is pliable like firm modeling clay.

Roll dough into about 1/2 to 3/4 inch balls. Place on parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, plate or dish (something that can fit into your freezer). Gently flatten into disks.

Transfer to freezer for about 30 minutes or until they are firm (don't skimp on this or they'll fall apart in the dipping process)

Meanwhile, melt the chocolate and the shortening (or wax). You can do this in a double boiler, or in short increments in the microwave.

Using a fork or candy dipping tool, coat each disk in chocolate and place on parchment to set.  You can put the whole tray in the fridge to speed up the process. They are ready to go when they are dry to the touch.
*This was the part where I struggled. So be warned. I would recommend taking only a few out of the freezer at a time because they get soft VERY quickly, which makes it difficult to dip and transfer and still keep the shape. (let's just say some of mine ended up looking more like peppermint footballs rather than patties...) Regardless of how they look, they still taste delicious:)

yummmmmmm

Peanut Butter and Oat Energy Bites

I'm not sure what prompted me to buy this at the grocery store the other day... Maybe I was on a health foods kick or something, but I remembered hearing that flaxseed is really good for you and that to really get all the health benefits out of it you need to grind it up yourself in like a coffee grinder, OR you can buy it already ground. As I researched on the 'net, there was some conflicting info where some thought that the pre-ground stuff goes rancid more quickly, but others said they had no problem-o... So we shall see. They do recommend keeping it in the fridge. Needless to say, I will now be trying out some new recipes that include flaxseed and we'll see what happens. You can just sprinkle it in just about anything, especially yogurt, oatmeal and smoothies.

I decided to try this recipe because I get a bad case of the munchies right around my plan bell at school and I have to keep something nearby or I'll bust into my lunch and then be angry at lunch since I don't have any food left.... I had these the other day and they were enough to tide me over til lunch:)

Ingredients:
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup unsalted, roasted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup or more dried cranberries, roughly chopped (or fruit of your choice)
2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 Tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl, making sure to evenly distribute all the ingredients. Take some of the dough and press it together between your hands. If it sticks together well, it is ready to go, if it feels to dry- add a bit more peanut butter or honey. If it is too wet, add more oats or flax.

Use a spoon or scoop to roll the dough into small bite-sized balls. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. Should keep 1-2 weeks in the fridge.

Toffee Bars

I first tasted these delicious morsels when my mom brought them to a baby shower (not my baby shower BTW)... I was then prompted to make them when I had a surplus of graham crackers that were left over from a school activity (see Blonde Rocky Road post...) They are yummy!

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped pecans
2 sleeves graham crackers
1 cup brown sugar
2 sticks butter
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Tablespoon Crisco shortening

Directions:

• Separate graham crackers into individual crackers and place side by side on a greased 10x15x1" jelly roll pan or baking dish (you'll use 2)

• Mix brown sugar and butter in saucepan and bring to boil; cook 2 minutes (do not overcook!)



• Pour mix over grahams and sprinkle with nuts

• Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes until bubbly (be very careful at this stage- especially if your jelly roll pan is dark. I would start checking at 7 minutes or so). Cool

• Separate bars
• Melt chocolate & shortening. Drizzle over bars and cool. I put the chocolate into a ziploc baggie and snipped off the very tip of one corner. I then put the whole tray into the fridge for a few minutes to help the chocolate set so I could handle them. They freeze very well!

I especially like them with a little whipped cream on top!

Kung Pao Chicken

Everytime I go to PF Changs I always end up getting the Kung Pao Chicken, so I was pumped when I found a relatively easy recipe for it.  I will warn you that it IS spicy... not quite like Changs, but still tasty!

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless-skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1" pieces)
1 tablespoon cornstarch (or enough to coat chicken)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 tablespoons green onions (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
2 tablespoons rice win vinegar (I couldn't find this, so I used 1 T rice vinegar and 1 T white wine vinegar)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
1/3 cup peanuts


Directions:

Combine chicken and cornstarch in a small bowl and toss to coat.

Heat sesame oil in work (or large skillet if you don't own a wok, like me...) add chicken and stir fry 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink inside. Remove chicken from wok.

Add green onions, garlic, red pepper flakes and powdered ginger to the wok and stir fry for 15 seconds.

Combine vinegar, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and add the sauce to the wok.
Return chicken to the wok and coat with sauce. Stir in roasted peanuts. Heat thoroughly. Top with additional green onions if desired and serve over rice.

Kung POW!

Quick Soft Pretzels

I LOVE soft pretzels!You know, I'm one of those crazy people waiting in the ridiculously long lines at Auntie Anne's in the mall... And then I get to the other end of the mall and realize that maybe I want another one, but I really shouldn't.....
Anyways, I remember making soft pretzels with my mom and siblings when I was younger. I haven't made them in a while, but had a craving the other night, so I dug out a recipe and wondered why I didn't make these more often since they are so easy...

Ingredients:
1 package dry yeast
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten

Directions:

1. Mix water and yeast together in a large bowl until the yeast dissolves.
2. Add salt, sugar and flour to the yeast mix

3. Mix and knead the dough until it is smooth (I had to add more flour so the dough wasn't so sticky)

4.  Roll and twist the dough into desired shapes. Here's how to make a traditional pretzel shape.

• break off a piece of dough about the size of a lime and roll in into a 'snake' about 12-14 inches long (this doesn't need to be precise)

• Make your 'snake' into the shape of one of those 'cause' ribbons... you know

• The twist the bottom end again

• Now flip the top loose ends down over the open loop and press the ends down (you may have to stretch the loop open a bit)

5.  Lay the pretzels on a greased cookie sheet, brush with the beaten egg, then lightly sprinkle with desired toppings. You can be as traditional as coarse salt,

 or go the more radical route and try an 'everything' pretzel with salt, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, dry onion flakes, garlic powder, etc. Whatever your heart desires ;)

6.  Bake at 425 degrees for 12-15 minutes

Then proceed to eat as may as you want without waiting in stupid lines;)

Blonde Rocky Road

So what do you do when you have ridiculously large amounts of mini-marshmallows left over from a lesson that you did with your middle-schoolers and you've now been told that you are not allowed to keep them in your classroom due to the health inspector blah blah blah.....?
You bring them home and search for ways to use them. You think I'm kidding?

Well, you could make millions of mini s'mores perfectly sized for gnomes or elves or any number of other tiny woodland creatures...

OR you can be a little more effective and make one of my new favorite desserts, Blonde Rocky Road that I found here (during my extensive search for 'what can you make with lots of mini-marshmallows...)

Ingredients:

1 12oz bag butterscotch chips

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter, cut into pieces

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups mini-marshmallows, divided

3/4 cup salted peanuts, divided

Directions:
1) Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with foil (make sure you get it into the corners)
2) In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butterscotch chips, peanut butter and butter and microwave until melted (It took me about 3 minutes on 50%) Stir.

3) Stir in vanilla and salt. Add 2 cups marshmallows and 1/2 cup nuts and stir
4) Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining marshmallows and nuts and press.

5) Chill until set (about 15 minutes in the freezer or an hour in the fridge.
6) Pull out of the pan using the foil as handles. Peel back the foil and cut into desired-size pieces. I store it in the fridge. Don't think it'll last long enough to put it in the freezer;)

Then try not to eat the entire pan in one sitting....

Baked Tilapia with Mango-Avocado Salsa

I've been in a chicken-rut for quite a while now, so I made an effort to make something fishy this week.  I happened to have one of those frozen Tilapia fillets that you can just bake in the oven without defrosting, so I went with that.

All I did was brush some melted butter on the fish and then I sprinkled it with some chili powder. I baked it according to the directions on the package (about 25 minutes at 400 degrees)

While this was baking I whipped up some mango-avocado salsa to go on top.

For about 2-3 servings, this is what I used:

Mango-Avocado Salsa
1/2 of an avocado, cut into small cubes
about 1/2 cup mango, cut into small cubes
about 1 Tablespoon finely chopped red onion.
1 Tablespoon  lime juice
1/2 Tablespoon chopped, fresh cilantro

*Just mix all ingredients together

Then just put as much as you want on top of the baked fish and enjoy!

Chocolate Nutella Mug Cake

I love chocolate.... like REALLY love it. So when I saw this recipe for a quick chocolate cake that you make in the microwave in a mug, I was so excited to try it! PLUS, this recipe had Nutella in it, which I also love.

Ingredients:
4 Tablespoons flour
4 Tablespoons white sugar
1 egg
3 Tablespoons cocoa powder
3 Tablespoons Nutella
3 Tablespoons milk
3 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a LARGE mug & whisk until smooth (I just used a fork)

Microwave for about 1 to 3 minutes (depending on the wattage of your microwave)- you should see the cake start to rise to the top of the mug, almost doubling in size.

Top with chocolate sauce and whipped cream if you want.

*Note, this makes a huge serving of cake:) So it is perfect to share, or not;)