PUMPKIN PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL BARS

One bowl + One spoon + Oven = Bars in about a half hour 
The pumpkin flavor really shines through. Between the pumpkin puree and the pumpkin pie spice, pumpkin lovers can rejoice. The peanut butter is nicely balanced with the pumpkin and the flavors complement each other, but these are definitely pumpkin-peanut butter bars, not peanut butter-pumpkin bars. 

Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars are also Vegan, Gluten-Free.
• 1/2 c peanut butter 
• 1 c pumpkin puree (i.e. Libby’s in a can and if you don’t have pumpkin puree in your market, use sweet potato puree either canned or sweet potatoes that you boil/puree yourself) 
• 2 c oats (whole rolled, not quick cook) 
• 1 c brown sugar, packed 
• 1/2 c white sugar 
• 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice (reduce/increase to taste) 
• 1 tsp cinnamon (reduce/increase to taste) 
• 1 tbsp vanilla extract 
Optional: Add raisins, nuts, chocolate/white/peanut butter chips to the mixture. I’d suggest starting with 1/3 to 1/2 c and going from there based on taste preference. 
Directions: Combine all ingredients into a mixing bowl and stir by hand. Spread batter (it will be pretty moist) into a foil-lined and spayed 8 x 8 or 9 x 9 pan. Bake at 350F for 22-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. The bars may still look underdone, but that’s ok because they will continue to set up as they cool. Allow to cool very well before slicing. Store extras on the counter top, refrigerator, or in the freezer for long term storage. 
Notes: All measurements are approximate and if you love peanut butter or pumpkin puree, add a bit more of either. 
Reduce the sugar amounts if you wish or even attempt a sugar-free version by making with Stevia. 

spinach & cheese stuffed manicotti

Yield: 6 servings (2 manicotti per serving)

Prep Time: 45 min

Cook Time: 60 min

This recipe for Spinach & Cheese Stuffed Manicotti was inspired by my Mom, who used to make this for all special family occasions before she had to say goodbye to manicotti noodles and go gluten-free.

Ingredients:

1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed completely & squeezed dry
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
15 ounces ricotta cheese
4 ounces cream cheese
1/2 cup shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 box (12 to 14 shells) manicotti noodles
3 to 4 cups marinara sauce (1 jar + a little more)
1/2 cup shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese, for topping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, mix spinach, cheeses, eggs, salt and pepper. Stir together until well blended.

3. Place about 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce in a 9x13-inch pan. Spread it around to cover the bottom.

4. Place the mixed filling into a plastic bag. You can use either a frosting piping bag or a gallon zip bag. Snip the corner, gather the top and squeeze the filling into the corner. Hold an uncooked manicotti shell in your hand and squeeze the filling inside the shell. Let it overflow on both sides. Place the filled shell into the sauce-lined pan. Repeat with remaining manicotti and fill the pan with the stuffed shells, until you run out of shells and filling. You should be able to fill 12 to 14 shells- if you run out of room in your pan, use a separate smaller pan to accommodate the extra.

5. Cover the pasta with marinara sauce, using about 2 1/2 cups of sauce. Sprinkle 1/2 cup Romano/Parmesan on top. At this point, you can cover with foil and refrigerate until you're ready to bake, or you can cover with foil and place it in the oven immediately.

6. Bake, covered with foil, 50 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.

Tips:

*It's perfectly okay to use low fat ricotta and low fat cream cheese.
*If you don't wish to use the spinach, it's ok to leave it out and just turn this into a cheese-stuffed manicotti.
*If you don't wish to use the plastic bag method of squeezing the filling into the shells, you can use a very small spoon or fork to stuff the filling-- it will just take a bit longer and might be a little messy.

Recipe By: www.recipegirl.com

Pop Cones

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more, softened, for bowl
• 8 cups popped popcorn
• 3/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted
• 40 large marshmallows
• 6 sugar cones

Directions:

1. Butter a large bowl; add popcorn and nuts. 

2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. 

3. Add marshmallows; cook, stirring, until melted. 

4. Pour over popcorn mixture; stir to coat evenly. 

5. Using buttered hands, fill cones with mixture, shaping top into a ball. 

6. Stand cones in a cardboard box with holes cut out of top; let cool.

Mexican Grilled Corn With Cilantro

I made this and forgot to take a picture. But this is honestly what it looked like and was delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 ears of corn, shucked and cut into 6 pieces
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4  cup Chopped fresh cilantro 
• 1  teaspoon fresh lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving

Directions:

1. Heat grill to medium. In a medium bowl, toss the corn with the oil and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. 

2. Grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes (reserve the bowl).

3. Transfer the cooked corn to the reserved bowl and toss with the cilantro and lime juice.  Serve with lime wedges.

       

Nutritional Information

1. • Per Serving
   • Calories 70
   • Fat 4g
   • Sat Fat 1g
   • Cholesterol 0mg
   • Sodium 127mg
   • Protein 1g
   • Carbohydrate 9g
   • Sugar 1g
   • Fiber 1g
   • Iron 0mg
   • Calcium 2mg

Chile Rellennos Jose

*For a Vegetarian switch cheese/milk for soy based products and egg substitute*

Ingredients:
2 (16-oz.) cans whole green chilies
1 (16-oz.) pkg. Monterrey Jack cheese, cut in strips
1(8oz-.) pkg. Cheddar Cheese, grated
5 large eggs
1/2 c. flour
1 and 1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp. salt
black pepper, to taste
paprika, to taste
crushed red pepper, to taste
Tabasco, to taste (optional)

Directions:
1. Carefully rinse seeds from chilies with cold water.

2. Spread chilies in single layer on paper towels. Carefully pat chilies with another towel until dry.

3. Slip a strip of Jack Cheese (cut into 1" wide by 3" long by 1/4" deep) into each chili.

4. Beat Eggs. Then gradually add flour beating until smooth.

5. Add milk, salt, pepper (also Tabasco and/or crushed red pepper, if desired). Beat thoroughly.

6. Arrange half the chilies in well greased 9*13" baking dish and sprinkle with 1/2 the Cheddar cheese and Paprika.

7. Repeat with another layer of chilies, Cheddar Cheese and Paprika.

8. Carefully pour egg mixture over all.

9. Bake uncovered, in 350 degree oven about 45 minutes or until knife inserted in middle of the custard (egg mix) comes out clean.

No-Bake Peanut Butter-Pretzel Cookies

Need a fast after-school snack? These salty-sweet nuggets are just the ticket.

Ingredients:
½ cup vanilla-flavored powdered soy beverage
1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup sugar
3 Tbs. brown rice syrup
2 cups crushed mini pretzels
⅓ cup sweetened flake
 coconut, chopped, optional

Directions:
1. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. 

2. Whisk together powdered soy beverage with 2 Tbs. water in bowl.

3. Stir in vanilla.

4. Warm peanut butter, sugar, and rice syrup in saucepan over medium heat 2 minutes, or until smooth.

5.  Stir in soy beverage mixture. 

6. Stir in crushed pretzels and coconut, if using, until evenly combined. 

7. Pinch off 1 Tbs.-size chunks of dough, and place on prepared baking sheet to cool.

8. Cool cookies 10 minutes before serving.

Hazelnut-Apricot Chocolate Bark

-Chocolate bark is a good way to try your hand at tempering, the technique of heating and cooling chocolate so that it solidifies quickly and remains firm and shiny. A simplified version of tempering involves melting two-thirds of the chocolate, then cooling it by adding the remaining one-third and stirring until smooth. For best results, use a candy or instant-read thermometer to check chocolate temperature.-

• Ingredients:
• 1 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1 lb. dark or bittersweet chocolate, chopped, divided
• 1 ½ cups toasted skinned whole hazelnuts

Directions:
1. Place apricots on double layer of paper towels. 

2. Top with double layer of paper towels, and press to remove moisture.

3. Set aside. Line rimmed baking sheet with silicone baking mat or wax paper, and have large spatula ready.

4. Heat 2/3 lb. chocolate in double boiler or heat-proof bowl set over saucepan of barely simmering water until chocolate has melted and is no warmer than 105°–110°F (41°–43°C). (Check with candy thermometer.) 

5. Remove top of double boiler from heat.

6. Stir remaining 1/3 lb. chocolate into melted chocolate, and continue stirring until chocolate cools to 88°–90°F (31°–32°C).

7. Spread melted chocolate in 1/4-inch layer on prepared baking sheet. 

8. Sprinkle with hazelnuts and apricots. 

9.Cool until firm and shiny. Break into pieces.

Sesame-Ginger Steamed Broccoli

No steamer basket required for this recipe. A modest amount of liquid in a standard skillet steams the broccoli to perfection.

Ingredients:
1 lb. broccoli, cut into medium florets (6 cups loosely packed)
2 Tbs. mirin or sake
1 Tbs. tamari
1 Tbs. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 pinch salt
1 tsp. sesame seeds

Directions:
1. Place broccoli, mirin, tamari, ginger, oil, and 1/4 cup water in large (2- to 3-qt.) skillet. 

2. Cover, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. 

3. Steam 4 minutes, or until broccoli is bright green and crisp-tender. 

5. Sprinkle with salt and sesame seeds.

Mac-and-Cheese-Style Cauliflower

Get all the creamy, cheesy goodness of mac and cheese—without the high starch content of macaroni. To make your own breadcrumbs, tear firm, fresh bread into pieces and whirl in a food processor or blender until crumbs form.

• Ingredients:
• 1 large head cauliflower (1 ½ lb.), cut into medium florets (8 cups)
• 2 Tbs. butter or margarine
• 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
• 2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
• ½ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 ½ cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 
  

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 

2. Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. 

3. Add cauliflower florets, and boil 5 to 7 minutes, or until just tender. 

4. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid, and set aside.

5.  Melt butter in same pot over medium heat. 

6. Whisk in flour, and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. 

7. Whisk in milk, garlic, and reserved cooking liquid, and cook 7 to 10 minutes, or until sauce is thickened, whisking constantly. 

8. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, nutritional yeast, cayenne pepper, and egg yolks until cheese is melted. 

9. Fold in cauliflower.

10. Coat 13- x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray. 

11. Spread cauliflower mixture in baking dish, and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. 

12. Spray breadcrumbs with cooking spray. 

13. Bake 30 minutes, or until casserole is hot and bubbly and breadcrumbs are crisp and brown.



Nutritional Information

Per 1-cup serving:

• Calories: 273
• Protein: 16 g
• Total Fat: 16 g
• Saturated Fat: 9 g
• Carbohydrates: 18 g
• Cholesterol: 94 mg
• Sodium: 314 mg
• Fiber: 4 g
• Sugar: 6 g

Blackberry Vinaigrette

Ingredients:
3 Tbsp fresh blackberry puree
fresh lemon juice (to taste)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (to taste)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions:
1. If your blackberries are very ripe, sweet, and potent, you can get away using just two tablespoons of puree and add some lemon juice for tartness. My blackberries were not picked at their absolute ripest so they were still on the slightly tart side and I didn't need to add any lemon juice at all. Don't add any acid in the the beginning and just taste as you go.

2. Whisk the blackberry puree and Dijon together to mix, slowly whisk in some extra virgin olive oil until you get the consistency you like. 

3. Add lemon juice for additional tartness. 

4. Season with some salt and pepper.

Any Fruit Smoothies

                                  

                          Ingredients:

                 1 c. fresh fruit of your choice

                     1/2 blender full of milk

                        1 c. vanilla yogurt

                                   Directions:

               Blend until well blended, enjoy!

Sweetheart Party Punch

            















 Ingredients:
1 gallon cranberry juice cocktail drink
1  - 2 liter bottle of ginger-ale or other clear fizzy soda
slices of lemon and lime
frozen strawberries, broken apart but still frozen


Directions:
1. Pour the cranberry juice and soda together in a large punch bowl.

2. Add the frozen strawberries and the slices of lemons and limes.

3. Add ice.

4. Serve immediately.

Herbed Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients:
3 large potatoes
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sage
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
2 Tablespoons oil
celery salt, to taste
garlic salt, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

2. Cut the unpeeled potatoes into 1/4 inch slices.

3. Place the potato slices on well greased shallow baking pans.

4. Combine pepper, oregano, thyme, sage, and rosemary in a small bowl.

5. Brush the potato slices with oil and a sprinkle with the herb mixture.

6. Bake the potato slices for about 20 minutes or until they are well-browned and crisp.

7. Sprinkle with combined salts and serve. 

*Serves 4*