Slower Cooker Carne Asada Steak Tacos with Chipotle Aioli Sauce

Source: Six Sisters' Stuff

Maybe it's the cooler temperatures (finally!), but I have been on a serious slow cooker kick. I love being able to put a few simple ingredients in my slow cooker before I leave in the morning and have the hard part of dinner already over with when I come home. Plus, I'm a sucker for Mexican food and sometimes I can't stomach the almost $10 a pound  they're charging for carne asada at our local Mexican grocery store. 

I have to admit I was a bit skeptical going into this. I was worried that the flank steak would come out chewy or tough, but it was completely the opposite. I cooked mine on low for about 7 hours and it was tender as could be. The meat had great flavor, even without the sauce,  and I ended up using the leftovers for burritos.  I love, love, loved, the sauce, but mine  turned  out a tad spicy (a little went a long way).  If you're worried about the spice level, start out with 1 tsp. of the  chipotle peppers. 

Slow Cooker Carne Asada Steak Tacos with Chipotle Aioli Sauce

Ingredients:
Steak Tacos:
2 lbs flank steak or London Broil steak, thinly sliced
1 cup salsa
1 (10 oz) can diced tomatoes with green chilis (I used Rotel)
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
flour or corn tortillas
favorite taco toppings (tomatoes, avocados, cheese, salsa, sour cream, lettuce, etc.)

Chipotle Aioli:
6 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons chopped chipotle chiles in adobo (found in the Mexican food aisle at the grocery store)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon cumin
4 teaspoons fresh lime juice
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:
Spray slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place sliced steak in the bottom. Pour salsa, diced tomatoes, cumin, and chili powder on top. Stir, until all seasonings are thoroughly mixed in. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
While the meat is cooking, put all ingredients for the aioli in a blender and blend until smooth.
When meat is done, scoop meat onto tortillas, top with your favorite taco toppings, and drizzle with chipotle aioli.
Makes about 6 servings (depending on the size of your tortillas and how much meat you put on each one).

Recipe Source: Six Sisters' Stuff

Posted by: Sallie

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

 Source: http://damndelicious.net/2014/05/30/pf-changs-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

Whenever we go to PF Changs, the lettuce wraps are a must order. Unfortunately, it isn't very often considering the nearest location is over 2 hours away and I won't even tell you how much our bill was last time we took the whole fam!  Thank goodness for copy cat recipes and friends who text  you said recipes. 

Obviously I wasn't doing a side by side comparison, but these lettuce wraps were every bit as good as the original. I easily found all of the ingredients in my local grocery store, except the ground chicken. It was late at night and I didn't want to go to another store so I settled for ground turkey. It was so good I honestly don't know if I will even try the ground chicken next time. 

I served it with some steamed edamame and fresh pineapple. I also made a big pot of jasmine rice to go with it because I can't do no carb. For a quick weeknight meal that's delicious and healthy, this meal is hard to beat. 

Cook's note:  Make sure you get butter lettuce. Sorry people, ice burg just won't cut it here. 

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil 
• 1 pound ground chicken (I used ground turkey)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 
• 1 onion, diced 
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce 
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce 
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar 
• 1 tablespoons freshly grated ginger 
• 1 teaspoon Sriracha, or more, to taste 
• 1 (8-ounce) can whole water chestnuts, drained and diced 
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced 
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 
• 1 head butter lettuce

 

INSTRUCTIONS

• Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground chicken and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the chicken as it cooks; drain excess fat. 
• Stir in garlic, onion, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ginger and Sriracha until onions have become translucent, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in chestnuts and green onions until tender, about 1-2 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. 
• To serve, spoon several tablespoons of the chicken mixture into the center of a lettuce leaf, taco-style

Original recipe found here: http://damndelicious.net/2014/05/30/pf-changs-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

Posted by: Sallie

French Toast Roll Ups

                                            (Source)

Because weekday mornings tend to be pretty crazy with kids and adults heading in a million different directions, we usually keep breakfast pretty simple. Most mornings consist of quick and easy to prepare items like smoothies, oatmeal, or cold cereal with fruit. If my kids are really lucky, I'll whip up a quick batch of scrambled eggs and some toast.

 Because of various sports and activities, we're often rushing out the door on Saturdays sometimes as early as 7 a.m., so on Sundays I insist on having a hot, delicious breakfast. Nine times out of ten it's these yummy waffles, but I like to change it up every once in awhile with pancakes, muffins, monkey bread or french toast.

Enter the french toast roll up-- A fun twist on traditional french toast and not much harder to make either. My kids had fun flattening out the bread with the rolling pin while I  experimented with the fillings. We tried pb & j, strawberry jam and cream cheese, and Nutella with the overall favorites being the latter two. My personal favorite was plain cream cheese. Think churro with a cream cheese center. With the  delicious fillings and even better cinnamon and sugar coating, these are fabulous on their own, but equally delicious dunked in warm, maple syrup. 

French Toast Roll Ups

Makes 8 roll ups (I doubled the recipe for our family of 6 with a few leftovers)

8 slices white sandwich bread (the soft, fluffy type)

peanut butter, jelly, cream cheese, dulce de leche, cajeta or nutella

2 eggs

3 tablespoons milk

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 heaping teaspoon ground cinnamon

butter, for greasing the pan

maple syrup, for serving

Instructions

1. Trim the crust from the bread and flatten it out with a rolling pin.
2. Place about a teaspoon or 2 of your chosen filling an inch from one end of the bread spread out in a strip. Roll the bread up and repeat until they're all filled. (Be sure not to overfill).
3. In a shallow bowl whisk the eggs and milk until well combined.
4. In a separate bowl mix the sugar with the cinnamon.
5. In a skillet set over medium heat melt a tablespoon of butter.
6. Add the rolls to the egg turning to coat on all sides then place them in the pan seam side down. Cook in batches until golden brown, turning them to cook and brown on all sides. Add butter to the pan as needed.
7. Add the hot rolls from the pan to the cinnamon sugar and roll until completely covered in sugar.
8. Serve with maple syrup for dunking.

Recipe source: Cinnamonspiceandandeverythingnice.com

Posted by: Sallie

Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Fleur de Sel and Resolutions

           I hate to admit it, but while my friends and neighbors are starting off the new year resolving to eat healthier and exercise more, I actually quit the gym and made a resolution to make MORE cookies. To be completely honest, I run a few times a week  and started doing these awesome body pump videos, but  I just couldn't fit the 15 minute drive to the gym in my schedule anymore. As I'm writing this I realize how ridiculous that sounds, but with the crazy life I've got going on right now that 30 minutes is like gold.

         I love baking, however, when I started school  last year  it was one of the first things to go. This year I've adjusted a little bit and realized I need to do things for myself and not just study 24/7. I got back into my running regime, starting baking and cooking more, and trying to squeeze in as much time as I can with my family.

          I also made an extremely tough decision and changed my major from Physical Therapy to English.  Just in the first semester it has been so rewarding. I have always loved reading and now I get to curl up every night with some amazing literature and call it homework! Of course having a few cookies while I read just sweetens the deal. Hence the resolution to make more cookies.

          Not only do I love baking and eating cookies, I love sharing them. Having a plate ready when the kids get home from school, taking them to neighbors, or just sharing with someone who's having a bad day makes me happy too. ( I don't know many people who can frown while eating a cookie.) Ultimately, that's what  my resolution is all about--enjoying my life and helping others to enjoy life too. Let's face it. Cookies make life better.

          Reminiscent of these chocolate cookies, these salted truffle cookies are everything their names implies. Rich, intensely chocolate, and just a smidge salty. And while the centers are slightly soft and deliciously fudgy, the outsides are firm and slightly crackly. Pure heaven with a cold glass of milk and a good book.

Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Fleur de Sel

slightly adapted from Ghiradelli and found on Pinterest

**Plan ahead. These cookies require 15 minutes of chilling time**

INGREDIENTS:

¹/₄ cup all purpose flour
¹/₄ teaspoon baking powder
¹/₄ teaspoon salt
1 ¹/₂ cups  60 % cacao bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli brand)
2 tablespoon  butter
2 eggs
¹/₂ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¹/₃ cup mini chocolate chips, for mixing into the prepared cookie dough
 fleur de sel sprinkled on to taste ( I probably used a tsp. or less.)

INSTRUCTIONS

In a heatproof bowl over a double boiler, melt bittersweet chocolate chips and butter until smooth. Turn off the stove and let chocolate sit over warm water. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and mix to combine. In another bowl, mix together sugar and eggs, combine thoroughly with a whisk and slowly add the warm chocolate mixture. Stir to combine. Add vanilla extract and mix. Stir in flour mixture. Cool for a few minutes (if batter is warm, chocolate chips will melt). Stir in mini chocolate chips. Chill for 10-15 minutes.
Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Scoop rounded tablespoons of batter and place on baking tray. Sprinkle each cookie lightly with a pinch of sea salt. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 7-8 minutes until the outside looks slightly cracked. Be very careful not to over bake cookies because they will continue to bake as they cool once removed from the oven. Cookies should be soft and gooey in the center.

Posted by: Sallie

Baked Taco Roll Ups

Photos: courtesy of A Bountiful Kitchen
      
Found on  a blog I visit regularly, these taco roll ups are the latest and greatest hit at our house.  As is often the case, I had made a double batch of this delicious taco meat and wanted to use it up. But as you well know, the same old thing week after week can get a little boring. These babies were just the ticket. I tweaked them to use up my leftover taco meat and save myself a little time. The reaction they got was shocking.          Similar to a taquito, these taco roll ups were simple and downright tasty. We served ours with traditional taco fillings on the side: lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and gasp....ketchup. (I know it's gross, but my kids love ketchup with Mexican food.) I used medium sized tortillas and ended up with close to 18 roll ups, which I  planned on freezing for another meal. By the next evening, there was only 1 left.   I can't wait to try the original version (found here) next time. 

Baked Taco Roll Ups

Adapted heavily from A Bountiful Kitchen

One recipe ground beef taco meat (this is the ONLY recipe I use anymore)
2 cups shredded Colby-jack  or cheddar cheese (or more to taste)
flour tortillas, small to medium size
Suggested Condiments- lettuce 
choppedtomatoes 
sliced olives
sour cream
salsa
guacamole

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.Prepare taco meat as directed. Spoon  about 3 tablespoons of the taco meat mixture onto a tortilla. Sprinkle with about a tablespoon of cheese. Roll up as you would a taquito, not filling the tortilla too full, but rolling fairly tight, so the tortilla will not come undone easily.  Place filled tortillas in a single layer onto a lightly greased baking sheet, seam side down. (I sprayed mine lightly with cooking spray to add some crunch and prevent over drying). Bake at 400 degrees for about 12-15 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the tacos are heated through. Remove from the oven and serve with optional condiments. Makes about 12-15 medium tacos.-Heat up leftovers wrapped in a paper towel for about 1 minute in microwave.

Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies

          A little gem I found on Pinterest, these cookies were to die for! We're die-hard peanut butter & chocolate fans around here and these cookies lived up to all of our expectations. The cookies themselves are perfectly moist and chewy, and I love the addition of peanut butter chips.The final touch of not one, but two layers of frosting  takes these cookies from so-so to irresistible. Just be sure to have plenty of butter on hand!

          Not only do these cookies taste amazing, mine turned out beautifully exactly like the picture.The small amount of time it takes to whip up two batches of frosting, is well worth the WOW factor it creates.

Peanut Butter Cookies
recipe from Cutler's Bakery found via Six Sister's Stuff

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

3 1/4 cups cake flour

1- 10 oz bag Reese's Peanut Butter chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and place rack in center of oven. Cream together butter, sugars, salt, baking soda and powder.  Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well. Add flour and peanut butter chips. Mix just until flour and chips are blended together. Scoop into 2 inch balls and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet about 4 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Peanut Butter Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
milk (to thin to proper consistency, I used about 3 Tablespoons)

Cream together room-temperature butter and powdered sugar. Add peanut butter and beat until smooth. Add milk a tablespoon at time, just until frosting is smooth and creamy. Set aside.

Chocolate Frosting
1 cup butter
5 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

Cream butter and 5 cups powdered sugar. Add cocoa and vanilla. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until frosting is smooth. If needed, add more powdered sugar.

After cookies are cooled, frost with peanut butter frosting. Then frost on top of the peanut butter frosting with the chocolate frosting. When spreading the chocolate frosting on top of the peanut butter frosting, be very gentle and leave a small space between the edge of the peanut butter frosting and the chocolate frosting for a layered frosting look.

Posted by: Sallie

The Most Fabulous Fudge Frosting

Picture courtesy of  Sweetapolita

     This delicious chocolate cake has become a birthday staple at our house. The first time I made it, my family wholeheartedly agreed it was pretty much the best chocolate cake ever. The magical frosting is amazing too, but after a birthday request for chocolate cake with chocolate frosting, the chocolate/chocolate combo has become my most requested cake.

     I was first drawn to this recipe because of  minimal ingredients,  the use of a food processor, and mostly because you don't need to sift the powdered sugar. Powered sugar and me have a love-hate relationship. Why does it have to be so messy? (Maybe because I'm using a 20 year old sifter that shoots powdered sugar out the sides.)
     
     It's really simple to make and dare I say fool proof? All the ingredients are added to the food processor and after a few pulses you're done! The most important step is to make sure you let your melted chocolate cool, or else you'll end up with really runny frosting.

     The result is a rich, silky smooth, chocolate frosting. After serving it to my teenage son's friends, they were all begging me to send their Mom's the recipe. Really? Teenage boys asking for recipes? Yeah, it's that good.
      **I like to frost the entire cake and then stick it in the fridge or freezer for 20-30 minutes before putting on the remaining frosting. It goes on smoother and looks much prettier.**

Instant Fudge Frosting

• 6 oz. (180 g) quality unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 4-1/2 cups (563 g) confectioners' sugar (no need to sift)
• 1-1/2 cups (3 sticks)(340 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) half-and-half   (I've used milk in a pinch with good results)
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) pure vanilla extract

1. Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse to incorporate. Then process until the frosting is smooth.

Recipe Source: SkyHigh: Irresistible Triple-Layer Cakes

Posted by: Sallie

Southwestern Ranch Chicken Club Wraps

Wow! It's been so long, I've almost forgotten  how to post. This last year has thrown my family for a real loop. With my youngest starting first grade, I decided to take a part-time job at a local elementary school. As if that wasn't enough, a few weeks later I decided that I would go back to school myself.  After 13 years of staying at home with my kids, this was no easy task. I'm not in any way, shape, or form implying that staying at home with children is easy! (You stay-at-home Mom's know exactly what I'm talking about). It has been really hard, and I still question if I'm doing the right thing, but despite the struggles, I am enjoying being a student again. We've survived one year, only three more to go! On top of both of these developments, we are also building a new house. (I think I must be insane!) My sister Julia has added another adorable little daughter to her family, so this explains our lack of posting.

Although I still enjoy cooking, sadly I don't have the time to prepare (or post about) the kind of meals I used to prepare on a daily basis. We save our "fancy meals" for Sunday dinner, and the rest of the week is reserved for quick, whatever my husband and I can throw together meals. I've got 3 more years of school ahead of me, but I can't wait until I graduate and can get back in my kitchen.

These wraps are a great meal for summer I had photographed and forgotten all about. Originally a sandwich, I decided the ingredients would be delicious as a wrap. Boy was I right!

The base for these delicious wraps is a wonderfully flavored, Mexican seasoned chicken which is then layered with crisp bacon, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomato and avocado. What really adds to these wraps is the sauce. If you ask me, everything's better with sauce, and these wraps are no exception.  The sauce consists of a few simple ingredients: ranch dressing, sour cream, some chopped cilantro, and a few squeezes of lime. My whole family loved these  wraps which means they'll be making another appearance on the menu soon.

Southwestern Ranch Chicken Club Wraps

heavily adapted from here

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, pounded thin

1 packet ranch dressing mix

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

8 strips bacon, cooked to desired crispness and cut into bite sized pieces

approx. 1-2 cups shredded colby-jack cheese, to taste

1 tomato diced

1 avocado, pitted and sliced

1/2 cup prepared ranch dressing

1/4 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Juice of 1 lime, divided

lettuce, torn into  pieces (like you would put on a sandwich)

Flour tortillas (burrito or large taco size work best)

1. Coat the bottom of a large skillet with olive oil and heat over medium heat. Combine ranch mix, chili powder and cumin and sprinkle evenly over the chicken.

2. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook, turning once, until browned and cooked through. Remove to a plate and cover with foil while you prepare the other  components. (Note: Something in the ranch dressing mix makes the chicken get pretty brown, so if that bothers you, you can easily bake the chicken instead. I'd do 350 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cutlets.) Let chicken rest for about 5 minutes and then cut or shred into chunks with a fork.

3. To make the sauce, mix together the ranch dressing, sour cream, cilantro, and juice of half a lime. Use the remaining lime juice to dress the avocado to prevent browning.

4. To make a wrap, layer shredded chicken, grated cheese, chopped bacon, chopped tomato, and a few slices of avocado on a tortilla Top with lettuce. Drizzle with sauce and roll tortilla up tightly.

Posted by: Sallie
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Cheesy Sausage Penne

A quick, delicious dinner for those busy weeknights everybody has. It takes the  classic combo of pasta, red sauce, and sausage to a whole new level. I loved the tasty little pockets of cream cheese and sour cream, and the melted cheese  made it even better. Homemade marinara sauce would be a great addition, if you have time,but even without, my family gobbled it up and the leftovers were great. Pair with a big green salad and garlic bread for a great family dinner.

Cheesy Sausage Penne

1 pound bulk Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 26-ounce jar spaghetti sauce
1 16-ounce package uncooked penne pasta
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened * (Next time I'll use 4 oz. cream cheese and 1/2 cup sour cream)
1 cup sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large skillet, cook the sausage over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt, pepper, and spices to taste.

3. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and sour cream.

4. In a greased shallow 3-quart baking dish, layer half of the pasta and sausage mixture. Dollop with half the cream cheese mixture; sprinkle with half the cheddar cheese. Repeat layers.

5. Bake, uncovered, for 30 to 35 minutes or until bubbly. 

 *Cooks Note: Although I loved the cream cheese/sour cream combo, my kids weren't huge fans and it seemed like there was a lot of it. Next time I"ll half the cream cheese and sour cream to better suit our tastes.

Recipe Source: Cassie Craves

Posted by: Sallie

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

These cookies have been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager. (We won't bring up how long ago that was.) I whipped up a batch the other day to see if they would be as good as I remembered. Some chocolate cookies can turn out dry or chalky tasting, but these turned out super moist and disappeared in a hurry.

Reese's Chewy Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups (2-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Chips

Directions:

• 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.
• 2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in peanut butter chips. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
• 3. Bake 8 to 9 minutes. (Do not overbake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten while cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4-1/2 dozen cookies.
• PAN RECIPE: Spread batter in greased 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake at 350°F 20 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack; cut into bars. About 4 dozen bars.
• ICE CREAM SANDWICHES: Prepare CHEWY CHOCOLATE COOKIES as directed; cool. Press small scoop of vanilla ice cream between flat sides of cookies. Wrap and freeze.
• HIGH ALTITUDE DIRECTIONS:
• -- Increase flour to 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons.
• -- Decrease baking soda to 3/4 teaspoon.
• -- Decrease sugar to 1-2/3 cups.
• -- Add 2 teaspoons water with flour mixture.
• -- Bake at 350°F, 7 to 8 minutes. Yield increases to about 6 dozen.

Posted by: Sallie

My Two Favorite Granola Recipes-- Part 2

                         Pictures from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

   
     Originally made as a gift for my coconut loving brother in law, this granola was an instant hit with our family as well. The list of ingredients is fairly simple and besides baking time comes together in a snap. The recipe originates from Alton Brown on the Food Network. I haven't tried a recipe yet of his that isn't great.

Coconut Cashew Granola                                                                                                                     Alton Brown via Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Printable Version

Ingredients

• 3 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup cashews
• 3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup raisins

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color.

Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.
Can be stored for several weeks in an airtight container.

Posted by: Sallie

My Two Favorite Granola Recipes Part 1

                                                  Pictures from A Bountiful Kitchen Blog

   I've loved granola for as long as I can remember. I mean really, what's not to like? Rolled oats sweetened with honey and brown sugar, mixed with lots of goodies-- cashews, coconut, slivered almonds, then baked to golden, crunchy perfection. It's easily adapted too. You can add dried fruit like raisins or cranberries and sometimes I switch up the nuts for variety.
   
     Not only delicious, it's really quite simple to make. Toss a few ingredients together, give it a good stir, spread it on some cookie sheets and bake. It does require 1/1/2-2 hours baking time depending on how crunchy you like it, but that will give you plenty of time to clean your toilets, take a nap (in my dreams), or pick up that great book you've been dying to finish.

     Granola is a great multi-tasker. Served for breakfast with some milk, sprinkled in a fruit and yogurt parfait, or snatched by the handful for a quick-on-the go snack. Stored in an airtight container, it can last for several weeks.

I have two recipes that I LOVE and alternate between (and just spotted this one that I'll be trying next.) The first is Seven Wives Inn Granola. It originates from a historic bed and breakfast here in St. George, Utah  that's been here since 1891 called, you guessed it, The Seven Wives Inn. Spotted here and here on two of my favorite blogs, this granola is almost identical to the granola my Mom made us growing up.  If you can buy your ingredients in bulk from a health food or warehouse store, you'll save yourself some money too.

*Plan ahead. This recipe takes 1 1/2-2 hours to bake.**



Seven Wives Inn Granola
Printable Version

8 cups old fashioned oats

1 ½ cups brown sugar

1 ½ cups wheat germ

8 oz coconut

8 oz salted pecans or almonds (I like to use slivered)

8 oz cashews

8 oz sunflower seeds, shelled

1 cup raisins, optional (I left these out)

½ cup water

½ cup vegetable oil

½ cup honey

½ cup peanut butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Mix together first 8 ingredients in a large bowl or other container.

Put the rest of the ingredients in a saucepan and stir. Bring to a boil. Pour this over the dry ingredients and stir. Spread on 2 large cookie sheets, and bake for 1 ½ hours, stirring about every 20 minutes.

Cook until the granola is done to your desired (crunch) taste.

*I highly recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients.*
                                   
                              Stay tuned for another delicious granola recipe coming soon.

    Posted by: Sallie

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet Cake

With my in-laws as well as brother and sisters in laws close by, we frequently have get-to-gethers for birthdays, Mother's Day, etc. Of course I always volunteer to bring the dessert whenever possible (for selfish reasons.) Nine times out of ten it involves chocolate, but with the summer heat, lemon has been my go-to alternative. I love it's fresh, light, and tart taste.

I love cakes for feeding a crowd and not only was this lemon cake delicious, it was something a little different than your standard chocolate/vanilla frosted cake. I loved the look and taste of the glaze and lemon sugar topping. It was a major crowd pleaser and will be making frequent appearances from now on. 

Lemon Buttermilk Sheet CakeRecipe from America’s Test Kitchen Best Summer Desserts found via Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) cake flour (no substitutions)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons grated lemon zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup white sugar
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk

Glaze:

3 cups (12 ounces) powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons buttermilk

Instructions:

Make sure the oven rack is in the middle position (unless you’ve found that another position works better in your oven for baking) and heat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13″ baking dish and set aside.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a measuring cup, combine buttermilk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the white sugar and lemon zest on medium speed until moist and fragrant (about 1 minute). Remove 1/4 cup of the sugar mixture and place it in a small bowl. Cover and set aside.

Add the softened butter to the remaining sugar mixture and beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Beat in the eggs and yolk, one at a time, until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk mixture in 2 additions. Mix until smooth (about 30 seconds)

Scrape the batter into the reserved baking pan and smooth out the top. Bake until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (about 25-35 minutes). Be careful not to over bake. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and allow to cool for 10 minutes.

While the cake is cooling, whisk the glaze ingredients together until smooth. Gently spread the glaze over the cake and sprinkle evenly with the reserved sugar mixture. Allow to cool completely, at least 2 hours.

Posted by : Sallie