Mom, What's for Dinner?

Delicious dinners my family has enjoyed:

  Sweet and Spicy Shredded Chicken • Mel's Kitchen Cafe

My husband said "This is good!" more than once and he was even eating it wrapped in a 100% whole wheat tortilla (he prefers white flour anything)! 

Ham and Cheese Pockets • Amy's Finer Things

 It's great to have some of these in the freezer!  Don't skimp on the cheese.  I like making them with pizza sauce for more flavor.  My husband's favorite filling is garlic and ranch sauce with chicken, green peppers, and mozzarella.

Cheddar Chicken and Rice Soup • Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Warm and yummy!  Make a batch of brown rice and freeze in 2 cup portions.  Makes this soup easier to throw together.

Foil-Pack Chicken and Broccoli Dinner • BigOven

Put chicken on bottom.  Cook chicken before making the foil-pack if you want oven time to go quicker (see notes at bottom of recipe).

RECIPE: Awesome Oat Bars (with wheat germ)

In early spring I bought a 50 lb. bag of rolled oats.  Whoa (says my husband), that's a lot of oats!  I had been thinking about making granola bars because when I actually buy them they're gone in a flash.  I went on a recipe search for a healthier granola bar with a similar texture to Quaker.  I tried two other recipes before I found a practically perfect recipe on Lauren's Latest that is no-bake and was adapted from Rachael Ray.  After making them once I made some changes because I wanted less sugar and more nutrition so the bar was a great snack choice this summer.  My version makes a 9x13 pan and has wheat germ (nutrition in wheat germ) and peanut butter or almond butter.  I make them most often with fresh peanut butter.  I hope you think they're awesome too!

• printer friendly Awesome Oat Bars recipe •

Awesome Oat Bars

4 cups *quick cooking oats

2 cups crispy rice cereal

1/3 cup wheat germ

Mix in large bowl, set aside.

1/3 cup peanut butter (any kind) or almond butter

6 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

Combine in small saucepan. Heat on medium until bubbling-- turn to low and stir frequently for two minutes.  Take off heat.  Optional: add 1 tsp. salt and 1 tsp. vanilla. 

Add saucepan ingredients to bowl and stir, stir, stir. Press mixture into 9x13 pan really, really good.  Let sit for a bit (quicker-- fridge for 30 min. or freezer for 15 min.) and then cut into 20 (or more) awesome oat bars! Store at room temperature in airtight container and eat often!

Download the printer friendly Awesome Oat Bars recipe with variations!  The almond variation is my favorite and my friend shared a cinnamon raisin variation she goes crazy for!

--recipe adapted from Lauren's Latest

• The sweetness and saltiness of the oat bars will depend on type of peanut butter (regular, crunchy, natural, fresh) and if you add salt.

*Make your own quick oats by placing a cup at a time in a regular blender and pulsing 3 or 4 times.  I take blender off base after each pulse and shake it up and down once.  Measure again for recipe.

linked to:
-  GCC Recipe Swap
-  Show Off Your Stuff Party
-  Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
-  Tasty Tuesdays

Mom, What's for Dinner?

 Our Best Bites • Tuna Noodle Casserole 

I didn't have any celery, mushrooms or dill and it was still delicious!  I mixed in peas for our veggie nutrition!

Real Mom Kitchen • Pineapple-Glazed Meatballs

I served this without rice and had sides of The Pioneer Woman's Mac and Cheese and tossed salad.

RECIPE: Nut Germ Crunch

This is my kids' favorite after-school snack.

NUT Germ Crunch

• a recipe from me •

Ingredients:

graham crackers

Nutella

whipped creamy peanut butter

toasted wheat germ

Directions:

Spread a layer of nutella on cracker.  Spread a layer of whipped p.b. on cracker.  Sprinkle wheat germ on top.  Nutty, crunchy and so yummy!  Betcha can't eat just one! ☺

I put wheat germ in a spice bottle so it's easier to sprinkle.  I whip the peanut butter in large amounts and store it in a Nutella container.

We also like Nutella/p.b./wheat germ on bananas, apples and popcorn.

Read articles about wheat germ on Livestrong.com including toasted vs. untoasted wheat germ.

Mom, What's for Dinner?

These three delicious main dishes are in my recipe file for life!

This past Friday and Sunday I made Hawaiian Haystacks from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  That tells you how easy and delicious I think this recipe is.  NO cream of chicken or mushroom soup as an ingredient-- hooray!  I'm showing my own picture because I actually took a picture (the next day as I was enjoying leftovers).

My daughter ate two bowls of this Ultimate Beef Stroganoff {Slow Cooker} from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.  NO cream of chicken or mushroom soup as an ingredient-- another hooray!

One afternoon I made my husband and I Skillet Turkey Tetrazzini from Real Mom Kitchen.  I think the kids would have liked it but there was only enough leftover for my husband's lunch the next day.  We were hungry and it was yummy!!

Mom, What's for Dinner?

These two main dishes are yummy and were eaten at my dinner table without complaints!

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

 Grilled Pizza Pockets from Real Mom Kitchen

Mom, What's for Dinner??

The dreaded question.  My family is bored with my dinnertime selections so it's time to try out some new recipes.  Whenever I get a thumbs up for a new recipe at my dinner table I'll let you know!  This delicious picture was dinner last Friday!

 Crockpot Barbeque Chicken and Oven Fries from Smashed Peas and Carrots

A Perfect Pair of Pizzas

Last night I made pizza in honor of National Pizza Week!  We had my husband's favorite BBQ Chicken Pizza and a version of Papa Murphy's Gourmet Chicken Garlic Pizza Copycat Recipe that Melissa from Wonder Mom Envy shared.  They're perfect together in my opinion!  Neither have a healthy sauce but they're so delicious I forget about that!

BBQ Chicken Pizza
sauce- KC Masterpiece Hickory Brown Sugar
shredded mozzarella (or mixture of moz and cheddar)
cooked shredded or cubed chicken
optional toppings: pineapple, olives, green peppers, cooked bacon pieces
add more shredded mozzarella
sprinkle with grated parmesan if desired

garlic and ranch pizza sauce (adapted from Wonder Mom Envy)
¾ cup Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
1 spoonful sour cream
1 tsp. garlic powder
¼ to ½ tsp. onion powder
• enough for 1 large pizza with some left or 2 medium pizzas

2 lb. bread machine pizza dough (1½ lb. recipe with directions HERE)
recipe source: my Breadman recipe booklet
1½ cups warm water
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
4¼ cups flour
2 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. yeast
• dough makes 2 large pizzas

RECIPE: Elephant Monkey Choco-Delight Shake

Now that you bought Nesquik to make a Spring Bubble Kit you need a yummy recipe that uses Nesquik powder!  I posted the original Elephant Monkey Choco-Delight Shake recipe on my Girlfriends' Recipe Collection blog.

The following recipe has been revised.  I use vanilla ice cream with Nesquik powder instead of chocolate ice cream and I make a larger amount.  My kids go 'bananas' when I make this for an afternoon snack.

ElePhAnt MoNkeY ChocO-DeliGHt ShAKe

recipe adapted from original

1½ to 2 bananas- sliced/frozen

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

¼ cup Nesquik powder

3 to 4 scoops vanilla ice cream

2 to 2½ cups milk

Blend all together.  Makes about 4 cups.

POM Wonderful- Sugar Cookie Frosting

.....continued from Fall in Love with POM Wonderful.  

 Isn't this sugar cookie frosting color just gorgeous?  It wasn't achieved with food coloring-- nope!  I used P♥M Wonderful 100% juice.  I added it mostly for the color but the SMALL hint of pomegranate taste is yummy too!  Share the love during February by giving heart cookies to neighbors or friends!

POM Wonderful Sugar Cookie Frosting

2 ¾ cups powdered sugar

4 Tbsp. softened butter

4 Tbsp. POM Wonderful juice

1 Tbsp. milk

Mix and heat a little in microwave if needed.  Frost some yummy sugar cookies!  Frosting will glaze over making the cookies easy to store in a container.  Keep unused frosting covered in fridge and warm up to soften when needed to frost cookies.

Print the recipe for the soft sugar cookies pictured.  It's the only recipe I use.

♥ See all POM Love ideas! ♥

POM Wonderful- Jello Jigglers

.....continued from Fall in Love with POM Wonderful.  
♥ This recipe is full of healthy juice and love for the kids.  And it tastes so yummy!
A fun activity and after-school snack for the month of February. ♥

POM-Strawberry Jello Jigglers  
adapted from Jigglin' Juicy Juice Snacks

♥ makes 6 thicker good-sized jello hearts ♥

1 cup P♥M Wonderful

½ cup water

2 (3 oz. each) packages or 1 (6 oz.) package strawberry gelatin

Boil POM and water.  Remove from heat and stir gelatin in completely.

Pour in 2 quart casserole dish.  Refrigerate for 2-3 hours until set.
Run bottom of pan under hot water for 10 or so seconds.  Cut jello with
heart shape cookie cutter. Remove hearts with flat spatula.  Eat!!

♥ You could also double the recipe, use a different flavor gelatin, and use a different pan size!

*Linked to The Grocery Cart Challenge Recipe Swap 2/18/10

RECIPE: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I know there's an 'easy' cake mix version of pumpkin cookies but I prefer these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.  They're a favorite at our house, especially at this time of year.  The link will take you to a recipe blog I have with my girlfriends. 

RECIPE: Warm Fall Punch

 This is a delicious drink for the season.  A change from cider and perfect for gatherings or drop-in visitors on Halloween night.  I received this recipe last year from a friend's sister.

Warm Fall Punch

2 cups sugar

2 cups water

2 cups orange juice

¾ cup lemon juice

1 tsp. almond extract

2 quarts water (64 ounces / 8 cups)

In a large saucepan combine 2 cups water and sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly with whisk.  Boil about 5 minutes.  Add o.j., lemon juice, and almond.  Stir, add 2 quarts water and heat through.  Store in a container in the fridge and enjoy a warm mug full whenever!
Makes about 3 ½ quarts (112 ounces / 14 cups).