Chewy Granola Bars

Boy I'm getting a late start today.....sorry!

So I have this granola bar tagged as "healthy".  Here's what makes it healthy, it's got whole grains (oats) and no preservatives or corn syrup.  Is it diet food? Not really.  It does have sugar and of course chocolate but if your kids are eating store bought granola bars anyway then this is a MUCH butter alternative.

I let my daughter and her friend help me out by pressing the mini chocolate chips into the top of the granola.  I love this age where they are so anxious to help and so proud of themselves when they see how it turns out.  Very gratifying.

I loved the taste and texture of these granola bars.  They are soft and sort of fell apart a little bit but I think that's because I used rolled oats (I chopped them up a bit) because I didn't have any quick oats.  I will be trying this one again with quick oats to see if they hold together a little better.  Honestly, if my daughter could have just eaten them with a spoon she would have been just as happy.  Big hit with the kids!  The honey flavor is a nice background and whatever you do don't leave out the rice cereal because it adds the perfect crunch!  Love these!

Chewy Granola Bars

Recipe from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ingredients

• 2 cups quick oats
• 1 cup rice cereal
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl, mix the oats and the rice cereal together.
2. Spray a 9x12 inch pan with non-stick spray.
3. Use a small sauce pan to melt the butter, brown sugar and honey together. Simmer for 2 minutes at a low boil.
4. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla extract, mix well.
5. Pour the hot liquid into the bowl with the oats and cereal and mix well.
6. Use a spatula to press the mix into the prepared dish. Press down firmly.
7. Top with the mini chocolate chips and press into the mixture (or you don't have to).
8. Cut into squares. Store at room temperature in a sealed container for 2-3 days.

Game Day Favorites

Here are some favorite game time appetizers and dishes that your crown will love!  I hope whichever team you're rooting for wins!  My team is out but I think I'll root for the 49ers even though It doesn't really matter to me which team wins, it's all about the food anyway.

Bacon Wrapped Little Smokies

Baked Buffalo Wings

Buffalo Chicken Bites

Baked Crab Rangoon

Marshmallow Caramel Corn

Crab Rangoon Dip

Kristi's Dip

Pepperoncini Shrimp

Caramel Chocolate Shortbread Bars

Salt and Vinegar Roasted Chickpeas

Basic Deviled Eggs

Have a great weekend!

PW's Zannie's Black-Eyed Pea Dip

I know, I know, this is usually a New Years Eve dip but I obviously didn't make it in time to post for that occasion.  It is a Pioneer Woman dip so you know it's good.  I have made it twice since the New Year and I think it might be a great addition to your game day table if you're looking for a vegetarian option, or a healthier option.  It's certainly not health food, don't get me wrong but if it's lined up next to some of the other typical game day food choices it might be considered healthy-er.

I love how some of the black-eyed peas are left whole so you know what you're eating, and the texture is right on for me. You can make it as spicy or mild as you want.

I think this is a great dip for anytime!

Zannie's Black-Eyed Pea Dip
Recipe from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 1 can (14 oz) black eyed peas
• 1/4 whole onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 8 slices jarred jalapenos
• 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
• 3 Tbsp salsa
• hot sauce to taste
• salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Drain the black eyed peas of their liquid and then mash most with a fork, but leave some whole.
3. Add all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl and mix well.
4. Spread the mixture into a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish and bake for 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

This week is a strange one around here, weather wise.  I'm honestly so confused I don't know whether to break out the margarita's or stick to comfort food mode.  Since it's January I think I'll just stick to comfort food for a little while longer.

This meal was a nice little retreat from my recent attempts at eating healthy.  I had seconds, I'm not gonna lie.

This was part of the recent dinner club that I hosted at my house. I'll be posting about that soon but I thought you might want to give this a try this weekend, maybe for game day?

The base of this dish is basically a chicken pot pie without the top crust, biscuits are used instead. 

I think that sometimes people don't make a chicken pot pie because of that top crust and they might think it's a bit to complicated.  This simple biscuit recipe is easy and came together very quickly for me. I have to be honest here, I'm not the best biscuit maker in the world and yet these turned out just perfectly. 

The stew was very flavorful and creamy.  The parsley gives a pop of color in both the stew and the biscuits. My carrots were a little too crunchy for my liking so next time I make this I will parboil them for a little longer, or cut them smaller. I also used boneless skinless chicken breasts but cooked them exactly like the instructions below and they turned out just fine. 

Chicken Stew with Biscuits
Recipe from Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa)

Ingredients

• 3 whole (6 split) Chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 5 cups chicken stock
• 2 chicken bouillon
• 12 Tbsp ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped yellow onions (about 2 onions)
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups (4 carrots) medium-diced carrots, blanched for 2 minutes.
• 10oz package frozen peas, about 2 cups
• 1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 stick cold unsalted butter, diced
• 3/4 cup half and half
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 1 egg mixed with 1 Tbsp water for egg wash.

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Salt and pepper the chicken and place it on a tin foil lined sheet pan and bake for 35-40 minutes or until fully cooked.
3. When it's cooled enough to touch, pull the meat from the bones and discard the bones and skin. Cube into medium sized pieces, you should have about 4 to 6 cups.
4. In a small saucepan, heat the chicken broth and the bouillon until hot.
5. In a large saucepan melt the butter and add the onions, cook for about 15 minutes until translucent over medium low heat.
6. Add the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until thick.
7. Add the hot chicken stock to the flour mixture and mix until smooth. Simmer on low heat for 1 minute.
8. Add the 2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp pepper and heavy cream.
9. Add the chicken, carrots, peas and parsley. Mix well.
10. Pour the chicken mixture into a 10 x 13 x 2 inch dish. Place the dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 15 minutes.
11. Meanwhile make the biscuits: Add the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer. Mix to combine.
12. Add the diced up cold butter and mix until the butter is about pea sized.
13. Add the half and half and chopped parsley and mix to combine.
14. Dump the dough onto a floured surface and roll out to 3/8 inch thick and cut twelve 2 1/2 inch circles.
15. Place the twelve biscuits onto the hot stew and coat with the egg wash.
16. Bake for 20 - 30 minutes or until the biscuits are golden brown and the stew is bubbly.
17. **If you are preparing ahead of time: Refrigerate the stew and the biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes then place the biscuits on top and bake for another 30 minutes. **

Thin and Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made these cookies for the Chocolate Mocha Icebox Cake that I made for my husbands birthday here.  I had about half the batch leftover and my husband and daughter polished them off pretty quickly.  I tend to be more of a chewy cookie person myself but I have to admit that these little babies were quite tasty.

They are exactly as the name says, thin and crisp.  They have a nice buttery flavor and are perfect dunked into a nice cold glass of milk.

Even though I used these to go inside another dessert I would absolutely make them again for a party or just to have around the house.  They are the perfect crispy chocolate chip cookie.

Look at how thin they are!

Thin and Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips

Cooking Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl combine the flour and baking soda.
3. In the bowl of your stand mixer combine the butter and both sugars and mix until light and fluffy on medium speed.
4. Add the salt, 1/4 cup of water, vanilla and eggs into the egg mixture. Combine on low speed.
5. Slowly add the flour mixture and combine well.
6. Add the chocolate chips and mix until combined.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and drop a heaping Tbsp sized ball about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
9. Let cool and then transfer to an airtight container and store up to a week.

Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork Shoulder

Happy Monday!  

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  Our weekend was pretty laid back and relaxed.  I didn't even bake anything!  That's shocking for me.  I am trying to gear up for the upcoming big game however and in doing so I found this recipe for Pork Shoulder that I hadn't published yet.  

I've been saving it for this week, just in case you are looking for some good game food. 

I have to tell you, I gobbled this up.  I'm a huge vinegar fan and this pork shoulder is marinated in vinegar overnight so it's infused with that wonderful flavor.  Serve it with or without your favorite barbecue sauce because it's so full of flavor that it isn't really necessary. 

Make sure to give yourself a day ahead of time for prepping since this does require an overnight soak in vinegar and water.  

I loved how the meat just fell apart, I didn't have to do much "pulling".  I also loved the vinegar flavor but if you would rather tone it down a bit you might want to do 50/50 water and vinegar. This pulled pork was the perfect flavor for a pulled pork sandwich in my opinion and the leftovers didn't last long in our house.  
 

Slow-Cooked Pulled Pork Shoulder

Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 3 lb pork shoulder
• 4 cups water, warm (110 degree's F)
• 8 cups white vinegar
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1 large onion, cut into 8 wedges
• 1 Tbsp cumin
• 1 Tbsp dry mustard
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 12 cup brown sugar, packed

Cooking Directions

1. In the ceramic bowl of your slow cooker, add the pork and the vinegar and water. Cover the pork completely. If these measurements don't cover your roast just keep adding water and vinegar in the 2 to 1 ratio until it is covered.
2. Place the lid on the dish and put it in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours.
3. Remove from the refrigerator and drain off enough liquid so that there is about 1/2 inch of meat uncovered.
4. Mix the seasonings and brown sugar together in a bowl and then pour it over the exposed meat.
5. Turn your slow cooker on high and cook for 8-10 hours.
6. Remove from the slow cooker, shred and throw away any obvious fat.
7. Serve with your favorite bbq sauce, or not.

January in Montana

My daughter and I just returned from a trip to Montana where I'm from and much of my family still lives.  Visiting Montana in January is not for the faint of heart, neither is living there full time.  But when you wake up to a beautiful morning like this, with no wind it's so worth it.

The views will take your breath away, and if the wind is blowing and it's -20 degrees that will take your breath away too. :)

It had snowed the day prior to our arrival but it never did turn into perfect "snowman" making snow.  Just stayed too powdery.

This was the first morning we were there.  Don't worry, we made sure there wasn't one bit of snow left untouched.

My daughter's first ever snow angel.  We don't get much snow where we live so this was a treat.  Actually everything we did in Montana was a treat.  She's at the age now where she remembers EVERYTHING so I know these memories will be with her forever. 

I grew up here.  This is my gramma's farm and it makes me happy to know she'll have some of the same memories I have. 

This is my dad (Papa) taking her on the four-wheeler.  She loved it and kept wanting to go faster.  Super fast as she called it.  

 Luckily my sister has a son who is older and could help take my daughter sledding.  If I had to walk up and down this hill with her each time I'd be....thinner actually.  Well thanks to her favorite cousin I didn't have to.  I'd hate to lose weight too quickly after all. She loved this (her first time sledding).

But alas, after a the week was over she was ready to get home and get back to her regular life.  She missed her dad, dog and friends.

It was great to see my family and friends again.  We hope to make another trip there this summer!