Sprinkle Cookies

New cookie recipe! It's got a few weird ingredients (powdered sugar, mayo, rum flavoring) and they taste like the grocery store loft house ones!

Sprinkle Cookies
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup softened butter
4 oz. softened cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp rum extract (use this in recipes instead of the over powering the "almond" extract flavoring)
1 jar sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350.
Blend dry ingredients.
Cream butter, cream cheese, sugar for 2 minutes.
Add in mayo and flavoring.
Mix in dry ingredients, scrape bowl, combine just until mixed.
Form balls with cookie scoop and coat in sprinkles.
Place on prepared cookie sheet or silpat mats two inches apart. Flatten to 1/2 inch with bottom of a glass.
Bake 10 minutes. Let cool completely on the tray. makes about 24 with my 2oz. cookie scoop.

Buckeye Krispies

Buckeye Krispies
1 cup butter
2 cups natural peanut butter
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Pinch salt
5 cups Rice Krispies, measure then crush
1 big Bar almond bark

Combine everything except almond bark in mixing bowl. I use my hands. Scoop with 1 oz. scoop, roll into balls, freeze 30 minutes. Melt almond bark in double boiler. Coat buckeyes completely by dipping with fork, tap off excess,  then use a skewer and push ball off of fork into wax paper to cool & harden shell. Makes 60(ish).

Macaroons

2 eggs, separated
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 cups sliced almonds
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Sprinkles

Preheat oven to 350. While egg whites until still. Place in separate bowl. Combine yolks and honey. Add vanilla and almond extract. Mix in the coconut, almonds, and chips.
Scoop uniformly onto parchment lined tray sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Gently press them to hold a better shape as they with be very loose and just make little piles as you scoop them. They will need a little coaxing to be pretty. Add sprinkles.
Bake around 10 minutes. Watch closely. You know they're done when the are toasty! Cool and peel off of sheet gently. You can freeze these for later too. Makes around 30 with a 2oz cookie scoop,

Low(er) Carb Biscuits

Classic Biscuits with half the amount of wheat flour. 

1 cup almond flour

1/4 cup coconut flour

1 1/4 cup ap flour

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

1/4 cup very cold butter cut into small cubes

1 egg

Milk to combine (1/2 cup?)

Preheat oven to 400. Cut butter into dry ingredients until like wet sand. Add egg and milk until it forms a loose dough. It should look thin enough that it wouldn't hold a drop biscuit shape. Stir in milk quickly. Do not over mix. The batter will be lumpy and loose. Let it sit while you prep a baking sheet with parchment. Now the dough will be the right texture for drop biscuits. Drop onto sheet. It should make around 15. Sprinkle with garlic powder or Italian seasoning if you'd like. Bake for 12-16 minutes. Biscuits are done when they are browned and springy when you push into the center. 

No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie (Cane Sugar FREE!)

Cane sugar free! The coconut sugar in the crust gives it a light graham cracker flavor. The filling is very rich and creamy. No baking required! Takes about 10 minutes to make! 

Crust:

1 cup almond flour

1/2 cup flax meal

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup coconut sugar

Generous 1/4 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup coconut oil

Pie:

1 cup creamy natural peanut butter

1 cup date purée

8 oz. cream cheese

1/4 cup sour cream

1/3 cup honey

1/2 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp vanilla extract

For crust-

Combine dry ingredients with whisk. Stir in melted butter and oil. Press into deep dish 9 inch pie pan. Freeze.

For filling-

Combine all the ingredients in stand mixer with whisk attachment. Whisk on high for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape sides twice. 

Remove pan from freezer and spread filling inside. Top with salted peanuts and mini chocolate chips. I used Enjoy Life brand. Use another brand if you want to completely avoid cane sugar. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Serve chilled with whipped cream.

Substitutions-
I believe another nut butter would work well too. Sun butter gives a pretty good "peanut butter" flavor as well. You could use all coconut oil. Also, you could use agave in place of honey. 

Garlicky Flax Crackers (4 ingredients!)

4 cups flax meal
1 1/2 cups Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced garlic
Salt

Combine everything in a bowl and add enough water to make a stiff dough. Place it on a greased cookie sheet and roll it out thin directly on the sheet. Slice before baking. Bake at 425 for around 15 minutes. They're ready when the smell toasty and are brown on the edges. Slice again and store in an air tight container once cool.

Baked Spaghetti (Squash)

1 spaghetti squah
16oz cottage cheese
1 egg
Italian seasoning
Prepared meaty spaghetti sauce
Parmesan cheese

Bake one spaghetti squash whole at 375 for 45 minutes. Cool slightly, cut in half. Scoop put seeds and remove flesh. Chop it up slightly. Place in bottom of square baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.

Combine cottage cheese, egg, Italian seasoning and layer on top of squash.

Layer meat sauce on top and generously sprinkle Parmesan.

Bake at 350 for and hour. It will be a little watery on the edges. Just scoop it out and discard. Serve with salad and garlicky flax crackers.

Asian Grilled Chicken Thighs

1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs

2 tbsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp Hoisin sauce

1/2 tsp celery salt

2 tsp Schezuan seasoning blend (found in Asian food aisle, I use the store brand)

1 tsp Mrs. Dash

3 tbsp peanut oil OR 2 tbsp sesame oil

Combine everything and marinate for at least 4 hours.

Preheat grill on high. Place chicken on it and turn it down to medium high. Grill for 7-9 minutes on each side.

Rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Super Easy Banana Bread (dairy free, egg free) only 7 ingredients!

1/4 cup ground flax
1/2 cup warm water
3 bananas, mashed
scant 3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup white whole wheat flour or AP flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flax and water. Set aside. Mash bananas in a mixing bowl. Add sugar and combine. Add in flax mixture. Combine dry ingredients into wet by gently folding with spatula. Do not over mix. Add batter to greased and floured loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes until golden on edges. Turn out of pan after 5 minutes. Cool, slice, serve.

Chai Tea Oat Carrot Muffins

3 packets of Oregon Chai instant tea mix (The kind with sugar)
3 cups oats ground finely in food processor
3 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp ground flax
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 1/2 cups cooked carrot finely chopped
2 tbsp melted butter
pinch salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/3 cups milk (I used sweetened almond milk)
2 eggs

Combine dry ingredients. Combine wet ingredients. Gently fold both mixtures together. Line muffin tin with paper liners. Fill cups full. Bake at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes or until set. Makes about 15.

No Cook No Bake Samoas Bars (Chocolate, Coconut, Caramel Bars)

about 1 sleeve of saltine crackers, maybe a little more
1/2 bag of chocolate chips
1 jar caramel ice cream topping
1 bag of sweetened shredded coconut

Mix caramel sauce and the coconut in a bowl. Set aside. Lay out a sheet of waxed paper. Melt the chocolate chips and spread chocolate in a rectangle on the waxed paper. Lay the saltines face down in a grid on the chocolate. Let chocolate harden. Spread the coconut mixture on the saltines. Press it down pretty firmly to flatten it and make it stick to the crackers. This takes a little time a patience. The mixture is thick and very sticky. Drizzle with a little more melted chocolate if you'd like. Let the bars sit for about an hour before cutting. Cut the crackers apart. Store covered. Make about a couple of dozen.

Baked Chimichangas

1lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can refried beans

1 batch chili rice
cheese

10 8inch flour tortillas
1/2 stick butter, melted

Brown and cook beef and onion, add taco seasoning and beans. I do this in the crock pot on high. Refrigerate filling and the chili rice to make it firm enough to wrap tortillas tightly. Mix beef bean mixture and rice. Add about a 1/2 cup filling to tortilla with a little cheese. Wrap the burrito tightly. Brush melted butter on bottom and lay on a lined sheet pan. Brush the tops and sides of burritos generously with butter. Bake at 400 for 25 minutes. Serve with chopped lettuce, taco sauce, and sour cream on top. Can be frozen once baked and reheated. Makes 10.

Chili Rice

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 onion, chopped
1 tbsp butter

Add all ingredients to a baking dish. Bake at 425 for about an hour checking after 45 minutes to see if liquid is absorbed. Serve as a side or add to burrito or chimichanga filling

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

1 15oz. can pumpkin
2 eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tbsp molasses
2 packet stevia
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
3/4 cup whole milk plain yogurt
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup ap gluten free flour (any flour would work I think, even oat)
2 tbsp flax seed meal

Combine in a big mixing bowl. Pour into greased deep dish pie dish. Bake at 375 for about 55 minutes until center is set. Cool completely before eating.

Wheat Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

11/2 cups oat flour

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

1/4 cup corn starch

1/4 cup flax seed meal

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

3/4 cup maple syrup

2 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tsp butter flavor

1 cup melted coconut oil

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine dry ingredients. Add wet ingredients. Combine into thick dough. Add 1 cup chocolate chips. Drop by big tbsp onto parchment lined cookie sheets. Bake for 15 minutes rotating half way through if using regular oven. No rotaing necessary if using a convection oven. Makes about 18 cookies. Freeze baked cookies for later if you prefer. 

Super Easy Inside Out Chicken Cordon Bleu

1 package (8 pieces) breaded chicken cutlets (I used frozen Perdue ones)
8oz. deli ham sliced and cut into thin strips
8oz. swiss cheese, shredded
1 bunch Green onion, chopped
Honey mustard

Cook chicken cutlets according to package directions. Once chicken is done, sprinkle ham evenly over cutlets, cover with cheese. Bake for another 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve sprinkled with green onion and honey mustard on the side.

Slow Cooker Korean Beef

1 onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground beef
1/2 tsp Chinese five spice
1/2 bottle Kikkoman Katsu sauce
1/4 cup water

Add to slow cooker, break up meat. Cook on high for 3 hours stirring once to break up ground beef more.

1 head broccoli cut into pieces

Add broccoli on top of meat mixture. steam for 1 more hour.

2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Combine cornstarch and water. Add everything to slow cooker and stir until sauce thickens and broccoli is incorporated.

Serve over rice. Top with chopped green onions.

Hawaiian Slow Cooker Chicken

6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1 bottle Hawaiian barbecue sauce (from Target, Archer Farms brand)
1 small onion, chopped small
1 small green pepper chopped into 1inch pieces
1/2 cup baby carrots
1 can pineapple chunks

Add everything to slow cooker. I put the chicken in frozen. Cook on high about 3 hours. Shred chicken with 2 forks.

Serve with brown rice.

1 1/2 cups brown rice
3 cups water
1 tablespoon minced onion flakes
3 tablespoons soy sauce

Bring water to boil with onion and soy sauce. Add rice. Cook on low about 45-60 minutes until liquid is absorbed.

Red Lentil Sloppy Joes

1 cup red lentils
2 cups stock
1 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
3 tbsp ketchup
1 cup homemade barbecue sauce

Bring stock to a boil. Add lentils and simmer on low until the liquid is absorbed and lentils are tender.

Saute' onion & pepper in olive oil until tender. Add to cooked lentils. Then, add ketchup and bbq sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Serve on buns. Makes 4.

Pumpkin Ginger Waffles

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs (or substitute)
1/2 cup buttermilk (or any kind of milk + 1tsp lemon juice or white vinegar)
1 cup pureed pumpkin
3/4 cup raw sugar
2 tsp vanilla
6 tbsp melted butter

Combine dry ingredients with a whisk. Combine wet ingredients with a whisk until well combined. Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients with a spatula until dry mix is just incorporated.

Cook on preheated waffle iron per machine's directions. Keep warm on a cookie sheet in a 200 degree oven. Serve with real maple syrup.

Or- Let cool completely and freeze. When ready to serve, toast and eat!