Peanut Clusters

These remind me of my childhood, our sweet neighbor would make them every year for Christmas and bring us a bag of them. They are so so so simple, even the non-baker can whip these up--- and let your kids join in, they are error proof!

Ingredients

1 lb. white chocolate

2 cups rice crispy cereal

2 cups Spanish Peanuts (they have red skins on them and are salted in the snack isle)

Directions

I like to buy the chocolate in chips (Trader Joe's sells white chocolate chips) because they melt faster and more evenly verses a bar, so put your chocolate in a glass bowl (if you are using your microwave) or your double boiler (if you are using your stove) to melt them. Melt them to a smooth consistency (if you are using your microwave, do in increments of 30 seconds and stir in between, should take around 1 minute 30 seconds to melt them). Next add your nuts and cereal, stir lots until everything is evenly mixed and then get out your cookie sheets lined in parchment paper. Using a spoon scoop them in dollops onto the sheet, you will probably need 2 cookie sheets. Stick them in the fridge for about 1 hour to firm up. Package them in cute cellophane bags, Chinese take out boxes, or something of the like and share them with those you love!

** Side notes: I have tried them with milk chocolate and dark chocolate, and I have to be honest, white chocolate turns out the best.... but the others are good too so feel free to mix it up if you want to!

Chocolate & Carmel Turtles

Here the are before going in the oven, all laid out on the cookie sheet...

Close up

Finished Product!!!

Here's something quick and easy, great for a last minute gift- fill up a tin or a jar with these for the holidays- or use them as favors for a shower--- or heck, just eat 'em, they are SOOO good and literally take minutes!

Ingredients:

pretzels, the twisted kind

rolos

pecan halves (you can use different nuts, but pecans turn out the best!)

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 200. Place twisted pretzels on the cookie sheet, unwrap your rolos and place them on top of the pretzel. Fill up the cookie sheet. Pop them in the oven for 4-5 minutes, pull them out and push a pecan half into the center of the rolo. Let them chill in the fridge for about 1 hour, pop them off with a spatula and package them up to share with others!

The last time I made these, my sister-in-law and I packaged them up like this for a baby shower!

Asparagus Dipping Sauce...

I had complete forgot about this little treat until visiting my mom this weekend, she makes this everyone once in awhile as a dipping sauce for steamed asparagus. It's really simple and you will already have the ingredients on hand.

Ingredients:

1 tsp. mustard

1 1/2 TBSP. Soy sauce

Directions:

These measurements make enough for one, so multiple it times as many people as you are serving. Then, measure, pour, and mix. Serve it with steamed or boiled asparagus.

Apple Crisp....

Here's an awesome EASY dessert passed on from my sister's recipe stash perfect for the upcoming holidays... it is so yummy, be sure you make enough!

Ingredients

8 apples (4 sweet, 4 sour)

salt

cinnamon

Topping

1 cup sugar

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 butter, soften

3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup oats

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Take out a 9 x 13 pyrex dish. Wash, peel and slice your apples (the most time consuming part) making sure your apple slices are the same so they bake the same. Put them in your pyrex as you go, once you have enough apples to fill your dish to the top, generously sprinkle your cinnamon and give a shake of salt evenly over the dish. Mix it all up, add more cinnamon if needed, then start on the topping. Mix all those ingredients together, spoon it over the apples evenly and bake it for 45 minutes until it's golden brown on top. Let it cool for 5 minutes before cutting. Serve it solo or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Hot Apple Cider

This is a staple for a holiday party, or anytime you see fit after fall begins. I remember as a kid my mom would make this on Halloween and it would be wafting through the door when we came home all chilly from Trick-or-Treating. It's the perfect thing to warm up your insides! Welcome fall!

Ingredients

3 qt. apple juice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. cloves

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

slices of orange *** optional

Directions:

Pour everything into a big pot, warm over medium heat (don't bring to a boil) but heat it enough to let all the ingredients combine. Then turn it to low and serve with a laddle straight from the pot. You can reheat and reserve this if you have left overs.

Kreativ Blog Award...

Here's a little something funny, my wee little recipe blog got itself nominated for a wee little award.... Here's what I was to do since being nominated...

1. Thank the person who nominated you for this award. ---A big Thank you to my sister, Danika, for her encouragement and swapping recipe ideas with me, it's always fun to cook with someone even if it's over many miles!!!

2. Copy the logo and place it on your blog.
3. Link to the person who nominated you for this award. (Is It Lupus)
4. Name 7 things about yourself that people may not know. (see below)
5. Nominate Kreativ Bloggers.
* I also herby nominate Little Birdie Secrets for their great ideas, they have some of everything on their blog, I don't know how those girls do it, but they are one crafty bunch and I love getting inspired by their blog! Thanks ladies, keep it up!!!
* I also herby nominate Jill at Home made by Jill for her creativity and serious sewing skills, there are oddles of things I would love to make on her blog... if I only had the time!!!
7. Leave a comment on each of the blogs letting them know they’ve been nominated.

Seven Things You May Not Know About Me:
1. I only blog on Tuesday's during my daughters nap, with the rare occasion that I forgot to post my meal plan, then I quickly post that on Sunday's if I remember. Love that "Post Option" feature so I can spread my posts out during the week!

2. I never cooked until I got to college... and even then I didn't even take up a love for it until the last few years!

3. I have never taken a sewing class and I have only ever used one pattern, but I would love to eventually do both!

4. I used to teach 1st grade and I miss that as my creative brain outlet.... but I don't miss the stress!

5. I love to create, and cooking has become that outlet for me ever since I made the decision to stay at home with my daughter! It gives me something new to try and keeps my routine from getting stale!

6. I wish my entire family could live within a few minutes drive, that would be sweet to my heart.

7. I heart Christmas ... and chocolate. :)

Meal Plan for Sept. Nov. 2- Nov. 7

OK, a few fall dishes for this week's meal plan- 2 soups (one new, one an old favorite) and a embellished stir fry from my sister's blog and a tried and true- Pear Salad... since this is pear season!

Monday- Chicken, Almond & Veggies Stir Fry

Tuesday- Pear Salad with grilled chicken & Harvest Grains

Wednesday- Black Bean Soup

Thursday- Chicken Tortilla Soup (Crock Pot)

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Candied Pecans

These are SO, SO, SO good- like, so good that you are supposed to add them to your salad, but you might eat them all before they make it there! Only one requirement to seeing this recipe through unto completion- DON'T STOP STIRRING!!!! And get excited, they are cheaper than buying them already candied in the store--- way to save yourself some grocery money!!!

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped pecans (you could use walnuts too)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

Directions:

First, chop your nuts. Then heat your pan to medium or medium high heat. I put a sliver of butter to prevent sticking and give them a quick stir. Then I added the rest of the ingredients and stirred.... and stirred, stirred, stirred. Don't stop stirring!!! If you do- you will have burnt nuts! You will see the sugar begin to melt, keep scraping it off your pan with a spatula and turn them over and over (I keep a butter knife near my spatula to scrape the melted sugar off the spatula back into the pan). Do this until all the sugar is melted and the nuts are evenly coated, then turn them out onto a piece of foil or wax paper. Let them cool in a single layer then add them to you salad!

Gadget PROMO!!! So, one of my favorite wedding gifts that I received was this awesome cutting board and rounded cutting blade. I am pretty sure it was from Costco, but if you do a lot of chopping, you would love this bad boy. It prevents your ingredients from flying all over the place- jot it down, Christmas is coming!!!

Meal Plan for Sept. 26th- 31st

So, I kinda got lazy with my meal plans, not knowing if anyone really gives a hoot about this part of the blog, but I did get an email asking where they went, so- here we go again.... if you DO give a hoot.

Monday- Santa Fe Salad with Chicken

Tuesday- Chicken, Marsala, & Tomato Sandwiches (crock pot) & Brussel Sprouts

Wednesday- Spaghetti & Crunchy Spinach Salad

Thursday- Spinach & Leek White Bean Soup

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Chicken, Marsala, & Tomatoes

So, this recipe doesn't really have an official name, because I kinda tweaked the original idea too much to still call it it's original name, so hence, "Chicken, Marsala & Tomatoes" was born. :) Let me be honest. Sometimes I wish my crock pot were more versatile (maybe even Jettson-like) and you know, would make salads and veggies (and Cocky Cookies) and stuff. If that were the case, I would use it multiple times a day!!! I mean honestly, how delightful is it to come home to a fragrant house, intoxicating smells wafting out the door THAT YOU DIDN'T SLAVE OVER!!!! It's really a beautiful thing. So, that being confessed- I love my crock pot, but I feel like I only have limited healthy recipes that all don't taste the same (mushy), so without further a-do, I am excited to welcome this newest recipe into the Haddon Crock Pot family. He's easy and tasty and a great change up to your typical crock pot meal.

Ingredients:

1 pound chicken (I used 1.3 lbs. for 4 people with no left overs)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp pepper

4 TBSP tomato paste

1 cup Marsala wine

1 can diced tomatoes

1 red bell pepper, sliced thin

1/2 onion, sliced thin

handful of basil leaves, chopped

cibata rolls, toasted

** 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes if you want a kick to it

Directions:

OK, so, I actually prepped this meal the night before, I thought: 1) maybe it will be better because it will marinate in the wine and tomatoes overnight 2) one less thing to do in the morning! So, I washed my chicken breasts, put them in and poured the wine and tomatoes & tomato paste on top. Added my seasoning and put it in the fridge with the lid on. Next morning, I turned it on low for 8 hours and let it do it's thing. Now, it is really helpful if you can time this right- but about 2 hours before it finished (1 hours would probably work too) I shredded my chicken, sliced my pepper and onion and put it all in, giving it a good mix. (If you put your pepper and onion in too soon they get mushy) Then when dinner time rolled around, I toasted my rolls and chopped my basil. Scoop the shredded mixture on top of the roll, add your chopped basil and wah-la! You are done!

Beef Chili with Baked Potatoes

Here's another recipe for chili, this one is different than the turkey chili that I also make- it's got a totally different thing goin' on here. This has a little more kick to it, it's the kinda chili you pour over a baked potato and enjoy on a cool day. And best of all, I made it in the crock pot, so, it pretty much made itself!

Ingredients

2 lbs. ground beef

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

28 oz. diced tomatoes

1 cup water

1 can pinto beans, drained & rinsed

1 can kidney beans, drained & rinsed

8 oz. can tomato paste

2 TSBP chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp salt

Directions

Break up your beef into chunks, dump it in along with everything else. Stir it all up. Cook on low heat for 8 hours (if I am home, I stir it a few more times during the day). Serve as a soup with french bread or even better, over a warm Baked Potato!!!

Lettuce Wraps

These are awesome, super fast and really easy.... give them a whirl, they are a modification of a recipe from All Recipes... kinda like P.F. Changs Lettuce Wraps.. but better :)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey

3 cloves garlic

1 1/2 shittake mushroom

1 large carrot, shredded

2 TBSP fresh ginger, grated

2 TBSP brown sugar

5 TBSP soy sauce

1 TBSP rice vinegar

1 TBSP sesame seed oil

1 (8oz) can water chestnuts, chopped

1/2 cup green onions

Directions

Chop your mushrooms, water chestnuts, and shred your carrot. Then brown your ground turkey with your minced garlic until it's no longer pink. Dump in your chopped items and let them cook for 2-3 minutes. Add your ginger, soy sauce, brown sugar, sesame oil, and rice vinegar and stir it well letting cook for another 2-3 minutes. Last add your chopped green onions, give a final stir and let cook for 1 more minute. Wash and spin lettuce leaves, from Iceberg or Romaine Lettuce. Serve as an appetizer or main dish.

White Bean Salad

I am trying to use more beans in my cooking- good fiber, inexpensive, great protein, easy to cook with and travel with... and tasty little guys! So, here's a salad to leave in the fridge and munch on for lunch- perfect for road trips when you don't want to stop or for packing a lunch for work!

Ingredients:

2 can beans, drained but not rinsed

4 TBSP red onion

1 TBSP olive oil

3 tsp. wine vinegar, white or red

2 tsp. fresh chopped parsley

1/2 lemon, juiced

s & p

Directions:

Drain, but don't rinse 2 cans of white beans and add them to a bowl. Add the other ingredients. Stir, cover, refrigerate for at least an hour or over night. Enjoy. How easy was that?

Hazelnut & Dried Cherry Biscotti

Ever since I started this blog, I have wanted to post this recipe. It's one of my all time favorites (do I say that a lot??? I think I love food!). But now that it's cold, and a hot beverage sounds favorable, what goes better with it than some fresh, homemade biscotti??? It's easier than it looks, a little time consuming, but it makes a TON- great for gifts with the holidays coming up... or just to eat by yourself as you cuddle up on the couch with a good movie and a warm mug!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, at ROOM TEMP

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 3/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted & skinned

1/2 cup tart dried cherries

1 tsp grated orange zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325. On a cookie sheet, pour 1 cup hazelnuts (I buy mine with the brown little skins on them, this will peel that skin off and toast them) and stick them in the oven. You want to stir them occasionally so they don't burn on one side, bake them for 10-20 minutes until the skin starts to crack, then remove them and put them on a cool plate, otherwise they will continue to cook on the cookie sheet. After cooling, toss them onto a clean kitchen towel, fold it in half, and roll them back and forth to get the skins to peel off, this is really easy! Now chop them up (and the cherries too) so that you are ready for them. While you are at it, bump your oven up to 350 for the biscotti and prep your cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the butter (it must be room temp, it makes a big difference compared to melting it in the micro). Add the sugar and beat until well blended. Add the eggs and beat on low speed, then add vanilla and continue on low speed until all blended. In a separate bowl, add the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon- then slowly add that to the egg mixture, beating it on low until it's all incorporated. Add the cherries, hazelnuts, and orange zest. The mixture will be really soft, so put some flour on your hands and divide your dough into two, making a log out of each one, they should be 4 inches apart, they don't spread much. Shape them into a log/loaf (you will be able to make 2 with this recipe) and put them side by side on a lined cookie sheet to bake for 25-30 minutes until they are golden. Take them out and transfer the PANS to a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then cut them on a diagonal using a serrated knife. Lay them on their sides and put them back in the oven for 10 more minutes to harden up. When they come out they will be golden brown and delicious! Let them cool and enjoy or store in an air tight container!

*Recipe taken from the Williams & Sonoma Cookies Cookbook

Fresh Ginger Tip!

A "nugget" of ginger, usually they are larger and look like a piece of coral...

The "nugget" without his skin, a yellowish color inside

Ok, I use ginger in a TON of recipes, here's a way to save some cash and use fresh ginger at the same time. I buy a peice of ginger root, peel it with the carrot peeler, then pop it in a zip lock bag and stick it in the freezer DOOR (so I can find it quickly!). Then when ever my recipe calls for ginger, I use a grater (which works great of frozen hard ginger!) and it's fresh to boot! Hope that helps!

Hawaiian Pizza

So, let me just start by saying, I know it doesn't take a genius to figure out the ingredients that go into this recipe, but sometimes I (and my husband for that matter) use this blog as a recipe box that we look through when we don't know what we feel like for dinner that week. That being said, this is kinda the archive of things I make, so I thought I should add this guy to the repertoire. It's Super Simple and less expensive than ordering one!

Ingredients:

Wheat Dough (make it or buy it, mine's from TJ's)

marinara sauce (same deal as above)

mozzarella cheese, shredded

Canadian bacon

pineapple (mine was fresh, but you can used can)

Directions:

Take your dough out and let it rise while you prepare the ingredients. First, I brown the Canadian bacon on the stove in my frying pan. Next, I shred the cheese and slice the ham and pineapple. By that time, it's ready to roll out the dough, add your sauce and cover it in toppings. Pop it in the oven for 13-15 minutes (or per dough instructions) until it is golden and bubbly on top. I serve mine with a side of greens like Sauteed Swiss Chard or Spinach salad. Enjoy!

Crispy Quesadilla

Now, I have to admit, I am not the biggest quesadilla fan in the world.... well, maybe that is until now! I found a great way to incorporate some different ingredients and get a really crispy crunch to it, and now, I think I am in love! I would have to say this is one of the easiest recipes you can chose when you are in a time crunch and you need a quick bite to eat- perfect for someone on the go!

Ingredients:

tortillas

cheese (I used Monterey Jack)

roma tomatoes

4-5 leaves of basil

grapeseed oil

pepper or other seasoning

Directions:

Heat about 1/2 tsp. grapeseed oil in a frying pan, lay your first tortilla just long enough for air bubbles to form underneath, then flip it (it should start to get lightly toasted) repeat this 3-4 times. Then do the same thing with the second tortilla (if you are making a whole). Then place one of the tortillas in the pan, add some shredded cheese (or mine was thinly sliced), some chopped tomatoes, finely chopped basil (you could use spinach too) and sprinkle with pepper. I also added some left over chicken slices to mine. Then I placed the top tortilla on, over medium heat and let it cook for just a bit. Then with a big flipper-thing (and my fingers) I carefully flipped it over. You could also opt to only cover half the tortilla with toppings and then just fold it in half. That would be much easier than flipping, you decide!

Get creative- try mushrooms, spinach, beans and olives or different cheeses to mix it up!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Thanks to a fabulous family vacation, I took some time off from recipes, but we are refreshed and ready to get back in the saddle with some yummy fall meals!

Roasted Brussel Sprouts drizzled with Balsamic Vinegar...

So up until a few minutes ago, if you were to ask me if I liked Brussel Sprouts, I would have answered without hesitation, without a doubt- NO WAY!!! But things have changed around these parts, I can now (thanks to Natalie's recipe) answer, Yes I do!!!! Check out Natalie's blog for the original recipe and some other tasty ones I can't wait to try!!!

Here's what I did to roast them....

Ingredients:

3 large handfuls of small brussel sprouts (from Costco) for 2 people

a generous amount of Grape Seed Oil (or Olive Oil if you prefer)

1 clove garlic, minced

sea salt

pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 425. Wash and trim the bottoms of your brussel sprouts (discard any damaged outer leaves) and cut them in half. Throw them in a bowl, generously drizzle Grape Seed Oil on top (or Olive Oil) then mince garlic and add s & p. Mix well and pour on to a roasting pan or a cookie sheet lined in parchment paper. Quickly with clean fingers, flip them over so the flat side is on touching the cookie sheet. Pop them in the oven for 8-10 minutes (for small sprouts, 10-12 for larger ones). They will be browned on the underside when done. I served them with a sprinkle of balsamic vinegar on top, because, well, everything is better with balsamic :) Enjoy, you are now officially an adult- you ate brussel sprouts!

Brussel Sprouts tossed with ingredients...

Laying flat on the parchment-lined cookie sheet...

Served up with some Teriyaki Chicken Thighs...

Here's where we are at this week, keep checking in for some new fall recipes.... welcome autumn!!!

Monday- Steak Cobb Salad (left overs for lunch this week)

Tuesday- Spanish Potato Omelet & green veggie salad

Wednesday- Maple Salmon, Asparagus, & Sweet Potato Fries (yellow)

Thursday- Spaghetti & left over asparagus

Friday- left overs

Saturday- out

Spanish Potato Omelet

So here's my grandma's recipe for her Spanish Potato Omelet (it's also posted on my sister's blog). I love this recipe, it brings back so many fond memories and it fills the belly as a meal or tantalizes your taste buds as an appetizer. I made it tonight with the Simple Spinach Salad for dinner and it was DE-LICIOUS!

First, you will scrub, peel, cut in half, then slice your potatoes in 1/4 inch pieces (pretty thin). By the way, can you see my little scrubber brush in this picture?? I love that thing! I scrub my potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, and more with that thing! It's great!!!!

After you cut your potatoes, you will chop your onion, green onion, and ham and add it to an OVEN SAFE frying pan that has 2 TBSP butter and 1 TBSP oil in it. Once they saute for 10 minutes and start to brown, you are going to beat 12 eggs, yes I said 12!!!!

Then add 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp salt to your eggs, as well as 1 TBSP chopped parsley, and pour it over your potato mixture, making sure it's evenly covered.
Next, put it in your oven that has been preheated to 400 degrees for 20 -25 minutes until it is golden brown around the edges and on top. Pull it out with a pot holder (and I recommend leaving the potholder on the handle, even if you have to attach it with a rubber band because I have burned my hand many a'times forgetting that it's hot once it's out of the oven and sitting on the stove).
To get it out of the pan, simply slide a spatula around the edge and slide it (or flip it upside down) onto a plate. Then, you can either slice it in squares for an appetizer or pizza wedges for a meal. You could technically make this for dinner or breakfast, or heck, eat it for lunch for all I care!
Ingredients:

4 medium potatoes, peeled

12 eggs

1 small onion, chopped

4 green onions, chopped

1 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped

12 pieces canadian bacon or ham, diced

1/4 tsp pepper

2 TBSP butter

1 TBSP oil

1/2 tsp salt

Bake for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees.