S'mores Cookie Bar

A friend of mine brought Emerson these for his bday. I haven't made them yet but the whole family kept BEEEEGGGGGGING Emerson for a bite. So so good. The next-day-eating Emerson said it's better when you microwave it a little.

1 stick butter softened
3/4 c sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla
1 1/3 cups flour
3/4 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 t baking powder
5 Hershey milk chocolate bars (the 1.55 oz ones)
1 jar (7oz) marshmallow cream

Heat oven to 350. Spray a 9" square pan or use parchment paper with it hanging over the sides (easier to cut this way after since you can just lift it out)
Large bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy. About 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour, cracker crumbs, powder and dash of salt. Beat together on low speed just until combined. The dough will be crumbly and that's okay. Set aside 1 cup of cookie dough for topping.
Press the remaining dough in pan. Arrange chocolate bars over the graham cracker crust. You may have to break them to make sure the whole thing gets covered.
Drop spoonfulls of marshmallow cream over and try to spread it the best you can. Sprinkle the reserved cookie dough on top and gently press down.
Cook 23-25 minutes. Edges will be golden brown Let it cool in pan for at least 30 minutes or longer.
(If you want them gooey serve before that time)


Note: you can double it and stick it in a bigger pan. And the lady who brought it said she has ALSO used mini marshmallows instead of fluff and she says its easier and tastes fine too.

Crispy Southwest Chicken Wraps

All my kids like this recipe. I usually mix the rice with the spices, onion, cilantro and lime juice and keep things like chicken, beans, peppers and jalapeños separate, so the kids can build them how they want. It’s a super easy, fast dinner. It’s another one from Mel. 

INGREDIENTS

•  1 cup cooked rice, warm or at room temperature
•  1/2 tablespoon chili powder
•  1 teaspoon ground cumin
•  1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or garlic powder
•  1-2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (or other leftover meat, like shredded pork or beef)
•  1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
•  1 green onion, finely sliced (white and green parts)
•  1/2 red or green bell pepper, diced
•  1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
•  Juice of 1 lime (about a tablespoon)
•  2 cups shredded cheese (I use a combination of Monterey jack and sharp cheddar)
•  Sour cream (optional)
•  6 burrito-sized flour tortillas
•  Nonstick cooking spray
•  Toppings (optional): sour cream, salsa, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large bowl, add the rice, chili powder, cumin and garlic salt (or garlic powder). Stir to combine.
2. To the bowl, add the chicken, black beans, green onions, bell peppers, cilantro, and lime juice. Mix. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.
3. Sprinkle cheese over tortillas, leaving 1/2-inch border around edges, then arrange chicken and rice mixture down the center of each tortilla.
4. Optional: I like to dollop little spoonfuls of sour cream over the cheese before arranging chicken and rice mixture down the center – it makes the wraps delightfully creamy.
5. Fold one side of the tortilla over the filling, followed by the other side. Press lightly to flatten.
6. Heat a large non-stick skillet (or griddle) over medium heat for 1 minute (about 350 degrees on my electric griddle).
7. Spray seam side of wraps with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange wraps, seam-side down (cooking this side first will help them not fall apart), in the pan or griddle and cook until golden brown and crisp, about 2-4 minutes.
8. Spray the top with nonstick cooking spray and flip. Cook for another 2-4 minutes until golden and the filling is hot.
9. Serve with sour cream, salsa, or other toppings of your choice!

NOTES

Variations: this is one of the most adaptable recipes on here (reading through the comments will prove that – your variations sound amazing!). Feel free to up the cilantro, add in a different meat of your choice, eliminate the pepper, add green chilies – seriously, the options are endless. You can easily use smaller tortillas to maximize the number of wraps you make. 

Add-Ins: often, I add salsa verde, and I also love subbing in chopped roasted red peppers for the diced bell pepper. 

Doubling the Recipe: I almost always double this recipe when making so I can freeze the cooled crispy wraps and freeze individually wrapped in plastic wrap (and tossed in a freezer ziploc bag with the other wraps) for quick, easily reheatable lunches!

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/crispy-southwest-chicken-wraps/

Blender Muffins

Mel's Kitchen Cafe has really been hitting the mark during quarantine for healthy, delicious, easy snacks! These are super simple muffins that you blend everything up and pour it in the muffin tins. I love that she uses such basic ingredients too. We gobbled these right up!! The kids ALL loved them and so did Bronson and I. The recipes make 12.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BANANA BLENDER MUFFINS {GLUTEN-FREE}

INGREDIENTS

•  2 ripe medium-size bananas (about 10 ounces)
•  1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream or Greek yogurt
•  2 large eggs **Conserving my eggs, I used 1 cup applesauce instead
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract **I ran out of vanilla, so I used almond extract
•  1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) honey (or granulated sugar) **I used 1/2 cup of honey
•  1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) natural, unsweetened cocoa powder (see note)
•  2 cups (7.5 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats **I only had quick oats, worked great
•  1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 to 1 cup (3 to 6 ounces) chocolate chips + more for sprinkling **These are so chocolatey, I just sprinkled some chocolate chips on top, but didn't mix any in

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners and lightly coat the liners with nonstick cooking spray (or omit the liners and grease the muffin tin).
2. Add the bananas, sour cream or yogurt, eggs, vanilla, honey, cocoa powder, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a blender. Process until well-blended, scraping down the sides of the blender if needed.
3. Add the chocolate chips to the blender and stir with a spoon or spatula.
4. Portion the batter evenly into the muffin cups, about 2/3 to 3/4 full. Sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top of each muffin (optional).
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the muffins spring back to the touch and are baked through (don't over bake or they might be dry!).

NOTES

Keep in mind you need certified GF oats to make these muffins 100% gluten-free (not all oats are gluten-free).

The full amount (1/2 cup) cocoa powder makes for a very chocolatey muffin. If you want to dial that down just a bit, use 1/3 cup cocoa powder instead.

Also, these muffins are just very lightly sweet (the ripeness of your bananas will help the sweetness factor along, too) which is how I like them for breakfast fare but if you like your quick breads a tad sweeter, increase the sugar/honey as needed.

QUICK BLENDER BANANA CHOCOLATE CHIP MUFFINS {GLUTEN-FREE}

INGREDIENTS

•  2 ripe medium-size bananas, lightly mashed (about 1 cup/10 ounces)
•  1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream or Greek yogurt
•  2 large eggs **Used 1 cup applesauce
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract **Used 1/2tsp maple extract
•  1/3 cup (2.5 ounces) granulated sugar (can substitute honey) **Used 1/2 cup honey
•  2 1/4 cups (8 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats **Only had quick oats, worked great
•  1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
•  1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•  1/4 teaspoon salt
• **I added 1 tsp cinnamon to give it more flavor and it was so tasty!!
•  1/2 cup (3 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips + more for sprinkling

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners and lightly coat the liners with nonstick cooking spray (or omit the liners and grease the muffin tin).
2. Add the bananas, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, sugar, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a blender or food processor (a blender will get the mixture slightly smoother). Process until well-blended.
3. Stir in the 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the batter with a spoon or spatula.
4. Pour the batter evenly into the muffin cups; the tins will be fairly full. If you want a pop of chocolate on top, sprinkle a few chocolate chips on each muffin.
5. Bake for 15-18 minutes until the muffins spring back to the touch and are baked through.

NOTES

Keep in mind if you are wanting to make these officially gluten-free, make sure the oats you are using are certified gluten-free (not all oats are). If you don't have a blender or food processor, check out Nicole's post for details about using oat flour in place of the old-fashioned oats.

Also, these muffins are just very lightly sweet (the ripeness of your bananas will help the sweetness factor along, too) which is how I like them for breakfast fare but if you like your quick breads a tad sweeter, increase the sugar/honey as needed.

I have not subbed quick oats in this recipe but you could certainly experiment.

Energy Bites

Kid Friendly Protein Balls
From Oh So Deliciouso

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1 1/2 cups coconut
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1 tbsp vanilla protein powder for kids, can use other flavors too! (I didn't have this, so I just added a bit of vanilla!)
• other mix-ins! 

Instructions

1. In blender or food processor blend oats, then coconut to a more fine texture. You dont want them to be too fine- like flour.

2. In food processor or stand mixer using paddle attachment- add all ingredients into bowl. Mix until all ingredients are all incorporated and evenly distributed. You wan the texture to be a little sticky and not too dry. If adding in extra mix-ins like nuts, dried fruit or other powders add a little more honey and peanut butter. 

3. Roll into a ball the size of your preference. I like a 1 inch ball equals about 2 bites. Place on parchment lined cookie sheet. Place in freezer for two hours. Remove and place into an air tight container. Store in fridge for 1-2 weeks. Freezer for 3 months. To thaw- separate balls and let sit at room temp for about 15 minutes. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Granola Bites

From Mel's Kitchen Cafe

INGREDIENTS

GRANOLA MIXTURE:

•  2 cups (7 ounces) quick oats (or old-fashioned oats pulsed in a blender)
•  1 cup (4 ounces) finely chopped almonds (see note)
•  3/4 cup (1.5 ounces) sweetened or unsweetened shredded coconut
•  1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) natural, unsweeteened or Dutch-process cocoa powder (see note)
•  1/2 cup (2 ounces) almond flour (see note)
•  1 cup (6 ounces) mini chocolate chips

SYRUP:

•  1 1/4 cup (11.25 ounces) creamy peanut butter
•  1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
•  1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
•  1/4 cup melted coconut oil (optional; see note on why I like to use it)
•  1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line half sheet pans with parchment paper; set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, almonds, coconut, cocoa, almond flour, and chocolate chips.
3. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together the peanut butter, applesauce, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Microwave or heat on low until pourable (don't overheat). Let it cool if it's too warm or the chocolate chips will melt.
4. Pour the syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until evenly combined.
5. Scoop the batter into 2-tablespoon sized spoonfuls (I use a medium #40 cookie scoop) and roll into balls. Lightly grease your hands with cooking spray if the granola mixture is too sticky.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes just until the outside of the granola bites are set. Don't over bake or the middles might be dry.

NOTES

Almonds: for finely chopped almonds, I think it's easier to use sliced or slivered almonds (I finely chop them in my Vitamix blender) - whole almonds work, too, just keep an eye on them so they don't turn to almond flour or almond butter.

Cocoa Powder: Dutch-process will give a richer, dark chocolate vibe to the granola bites, but either type of cocoa powder works quite well.

Almond Flour: you can sub in all-purpose or oat flour (easy to make at home: just process oats in a blender until finely ground) for the almond flour.

Peanut Butter: I haven't tried these with natural peanut butter; I think it would work fine if the variety of natural peanut butter you use is fairly creamy (and not super thick).

Coconut Oil: I always use the 1/4 cup coconut oil. It's not a lot, but it gives a slight fudgy texture to the bites. Without it, they tend to be just a little tiny bit gummy in texture (however, my sister loves them without the coconut oil so I think it's just a personal preference).

Peanut Butter Blossums

One more delicious new cookie recipe I found that was addicting! I probably ate these in 3's after every meal...breakfast included!!

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
• ½ cup smooth peanut butter (I used crunchy!!)
• ½ cup granulated sugar, more for rolling
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Nonstick spray or vegetable oil for cookie sheet, optional
• 5 dozen (one 11-ounce package) Hershey’s Kisses, foil removed

Preparation

1. Sift together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Using an electric mixer, cream together butter, peanut butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat until well blended. Gradually add flour mixture, mixing thoroughly. If the dough is very soft, refrigerate for about 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray, oil or line a cookie sheet with nonstick liner and set aside. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. (For a precise number of cookies, divide the dough into 5 pieces, and shape each piece into 12 balls.)
3. Roll cookies in sugar and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake until very light brown and puffed, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and lightly press a candy kiss into center of each cookie, allowing it to crack slightly. Return to oven until light golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oven, cool completely and store in an airtight container.  

**I kept these in the fridge to keep the chocolate from melting in the humidity and they kept great!

Link:Peanut Butter Blossoms 

Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love pumpkin cookies, but haven't found a cookie recipe I love, until now! These are not a super sweet cookie and NEED a frosting with them. I'm not a big frosting person, but found a yummy cream cheese frosting to pair with this recipe and love it. Normally, I put chocolate chips with everything, but I think this needs the frosting to add the sweetness. I put the link to the website where I pulled the recipe from at the bottom. However, the recipe I posted has a few changes based on some of the reviews I read. Also, it called for a brown butter frosting if you like that instead of the cream cheese.

Pumpkin Cookies 

2/3 cup granulated sugar  
2/3 cup packed brown sugar   
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla  
3/4 cup pumpkin   
2 eggs
2 1/4 flour  
1 teaspoon baking soda  
1 "heaping" teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt 

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, beat granulated sugar, brown sugar, 3/4 cup butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until well blended. Beat in pumpkin and eggs until well mixed. On low speed, beat in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.  

2. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls.  

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Link: Betty Crocker Pumpkin Cookies 

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 8-oz. packages cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Whip together the cream cheese, butter, and extract until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and whip until smooth and fully incorporated.
**This made enough frosting for a double batch of cookies.

I pulled the cream cheese frosting recipe out of a Best Bites book, but the recipe on their website is different so I didn't post the link.

I stored these in the fridge and they have been delicious everyday!!

 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

Hi Lins! This is the chicken cordon bleu recipe I made. No big surprise, it's from Mel's Kitchen Cafe!! It's Livie's favorite.

Ingredients:

• 25 Ritz crackers, regular or whole wheat
• 4 slices hearty sandwich bread, white or whole wheat
• 6 tablespoons butter, melted
• 8 thin slices deli ham (about 8 ounces)
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
• 4 thick boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds total), see note
• Salt and pepper
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Directions: 

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Pulse the crackers and bread in a food processor until they are coarsely ground. Drizzle in the melted butter and pulse until the ingredients are incorporated. Transfer the crumbs to a rimmed baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the crumbs are lightly browned. Transfer the crumbs to a shallow baking dish (a pie plate works great!) or leave them on the pan and scoop them together into a low mound. Reduce the oven temp to 400 degrees F.
2. Top each ham slice with about 1/4 cup shredded cheese. If your ham slices are too small, shingle two ham slices on top of each other to create a larger slice and roll the cheese up in that. Roll tightly and set aside. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Following the pictures below, cut a pocket in the thickest part of the chicken breast and stuff each pocket with 2 ham/cheese rolls. Pull the top flap of chicken over the rolls and press to seal (you can use a toothpick to gently secure the pocket edge, if you like). Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Refrigerate the stuffed chicken, covered, for at least 20 minutes.
3. In another shallow dish or pie plate, beat the eggs and mustard. Place the flour in a final shallow dish. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator. Working with one stuffed chicken breast at a time, coat the chicken lightly with flour and then dip in the egg mixture, covering both sides. Dredge the chicken in the toasted bread crumbs, pressing lightly to help the crumbs stick to the chicken. (The breaded chicken can be refrigerated covered for up to 1 day.)
4. Transfer the chicken to a lightly greased rimmed baking sheet. Make sure an oven rack is in the center of the oven. Bake the chicken until golden brown and cooked through (160 degrees on an thermometer inserted into the chicken, not the filling), about 25-30 minutes. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes before serving.

http://www.melskitchencafe.com/chicken-cordon-bleu/