Strawberry Sauce

The ladies and I went strawberry picking today along with my mother-in-law and we came home with a big ol' bucket of strawberries that were just screaming to be made into something delicious. I adore strawberry sauce on pancakes and ice cream so I just knew I had to whip up a batch. I've never had homemade sauce before and I couldn't believe how delicious this was. Addison helped me make this and we both had giant smiles on our faces after we gave it a taste test. If you love strawberry sauce as much as I do, you must make this as soon as possible.

Katie's Homemade Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients: 
1/2 Cup white granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 cups of sliced strawberries

Directions:
1.) In a medium saucepan over medium high heat add sugar, vanilla, and strawberries.

2.) Bring to a boil and allow to boil for about ten minutes. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for another five to ten minutes.

3.) Allow mixture to slightly cool and then blend about 2/3 of the mixture. Add blended mixture back to saucepan and allow to completely cool. Store in an air tight jar and keep refrigerated.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars

During the day when I'm not being forced to watch the Disney Junior channel, I immediately turn on the Food Network. I love watching others cook and I really love getting inspiration to try my own creating. One afternoon while watching the Barefoot Contessa make a batch of these, I just knew I had to give them a try. I made them for a family dinner at our house and everyone enjoyed them. Daniel proclaimed that they weren't really peanut butter and jelly because I made it with raspberry jam instead of grape but what can you do.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars
Source: Ina Garten

Ingredients:
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
2 cups (18 ounces) creamy peanut butter (She suggests Skippy, but I used a store brand and they were fine)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups (18 ounces) raspberry jam or other jam
2/3 cups salted peanuts, coarsely chopped (I left these out)

Sorry for the poor quality of the photo.

Directions:

 1.) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2.) Grease a 9 by 13 by 2-inch cake pan. Line it with parchment paper, then grease and flour the pan.

3.)In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light yellow, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the vanilla, eggs, and peanut butter and mix until all ingredients are combined.

4.) In a small bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture. Mix just until combined.

5.) Spread 2/3 of the dough into the prepared cake pan and spread over the bottom with a knife or offset spatula. Spread the jam evenly over the dough. Drop small globs of the remaining dough evenly over the jam. Don't worry if all the jam isn't covered; it will spread in the oven. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and bake for 45 minutes, until golden brown.

6.) Cool and cut into squares.

Turkey Bacon Crescents

I've been a real cooking slump these past couple of weeks. I just don't have the motivation to find new recipes, write grocery lists, and then spend time cooking elaborate meals in the evenings. I'm not sure what the problem is but I hope I get out of this slump soon.

Not only am I in a cooking slump but I'm having some complications with my ileostomy. One of the complications pretty much keeps me from lifting or bending over so the easier the meal the better for me. When I saw this one I just knew I had to give it a try. It was delicious and we all loved it. It's most definitely another keeper here in our house!

Turkey Bacon Crescents
Source: Plain Chicken

Ingredients:
1 can refrigerated crescent rolls
2 Tbsp honey mustard dressing
8 oz thinly sliced cooked turkey (from deli)
4 slices provolone cheese
8 slices precooked bacon

Directions:

1.) Heat oven to 375.

2.) Separate dough into triangles.  Spread each triangle with 3/4 teaspoon honey mustard. Top each with turkey, 1/2 slice of cheese and 1 piece of bacon. Roll up loosely.

3.) Place on cookie sheet.  Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and cheese is melted.

Yes my friends, it was that simple! If you have young children this is a must try recipe.

Tater Chips

Daniel has been after me for the past week to make some homemade potato chips. I've been putting it off for two reasons. The first one being that the thought of standing there and frying potato chips was a little overwhelming. The second being that I have never made them before.

I finally overcame my two issues tonight and I'm so glad that I did. They were so good that Addison and Cadence were eating them quicker than I could fry them. What is even better is how easy they were to make. I seasoned them with sea salt as I was taking them out and I can't wait to make them again and try different seasonings.

I sliced them by hand, but I would highly suggest using your food processor or a mandolin as they will be thinner that way. I got them as thin as I could without slicing my fingers so they weren't as crispy as I would like.

Sorry for the lousy phone picture, we ate these to quickly to grab a good photo.

Homemade potato chips

Ingredients:
4 Idaho potatoes, thinly sliced
Vegetable oil
Sea salt or favorite seasonings

Directions:
1.) In a medium sauce pan, bring two inches of vegetable oil to around 350-375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2.) Add thinly sliced potatoes one at a time to hot oil, stirring around every so often. Fry until they are a golden brown color.
3.) Take them out and place them into a large bowl lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt and allow to cool.

Serve right away or store them for up to a day or so. Four potatoes served the four of us so I would use one potato per person. Also, I don't have a thermometer, so I just tested the oil temp with a very small and thin potato to check the oil to see if it was hot enough. Remember, you want the oil to be ready because if you put the potatoes in before the oil is hot enough, the potato will start to absorb the oil instead of frying in it.

Salted Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark

It's no secret that someone in this house has a serious sweet tooth. Part of being married to Daniel means always having ice-cream readily available. I think it was part of my vows to him...lol. His sweet tooth goes beyond just ice-cream. In order to quench his need for ice-cream it also means that you must have either chocolate or caramel sauce on stand by, as well as having sprinkles or having some sort of chip available. Chocolate chips, mint chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, he has no preference, as long as he has some chips to sprinkle on top. Personally, I can make a half a gallon of ice-cream last for weeks. He's lucky if he can make his last a week and then my ice-creams safety becomes jeopardized. It's quite entertaining really. He'll eat all of his, then for a couple of days you can tell he's dying to start on my ice-cream but he isn't brave enough to ask. Then after the first couple of days I give in and let him dig into mine. It's my wifely duty to make sure he and his tummy are happy!

Now, I would be lying if I said I didn't have a sweet tooth as well. I couldn't turn down a chocolate chip cookie or a piece of cake, preferably store bought, to save myself. When we don't have this kind of stuff at home I'm fine as I don't typically crave them. Sadly though, when they are in this house, I have a real problem staying away from them. I have an even bigger problem staying away from the sweet recipes I find on-line on a daily basis.

This bark is a little gem that I once again found on Pinterest. That site is doing horrible things to my waist line I tell ya! I just made the Southwest Chicken that I discovered on there the other night, and I'm already anxious to make it again. This bark will be no different. I just made it this morning and I won't admit to how many pieces I have already had. What is great is that I pretty much always have these ingredients on hand. I think the hubby was kind of impressed when I told him I made the caramel sauce from scratch!

The recipe originated over at The Legume Loyalist, but I pinned it from the mama say what blog. 

I will take this stuff over a bowl of ice-cream any day of the week!


Salted Chocolate Caramel Pretzel Bark

Ingredients:
2 stick of butter
1 cup of brown sugar
1/2 a bag of pretzel twists, I used pretzel sticks as that is what I had on hand.
1 bag of chocolate chips
Sea salt

Directions:
1.) Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2.) Then line a large jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and lay a single layer of pretzels down.

3.) In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and the brown sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Let it boil gently just until it starts to stick to the bottom and it forms a nice smooth caramel. You’ll want to let it bubble a little and get really thick.

4.) Remove from heat and pour evenly over the top of the pretzels (don’t worry if every single pretzel isn’t covered). Put in the oven at 350 degrees for five minutes.

5.) Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Place it back in the oven for a minute or two to allow the chips to melt.

6.) Spread the chocolate chips around with a spatula.

7.) Sprinkle generously with sea salt.

8.) Let cool on the counter top for a few minutes and then pop in the freezer for at least two to three hours.
 * My lack of patience allowed it to freeze up for about two hours. Three hours was out of the question!

9.) When it comes out of the freezer, break it up into uneven chunks with your hands and serve. Or if you skip the aluminum foil step like I did, cut it into pieces and then scrape it out with a spatula. If you don't use the foil, make sure you lightly spray your pan.

How can you say no to something so gorgeous and enticing?

I've linked up this week with The Purple Pumkin blog where I've feature my peanut butter chocolate chips brownies. Be sure to go check it out!

Peanut Butter Delights

Yes people I came up with my very own cookie recipe and if you enjoy peanut butter than this will more than likely become a favorite for you. The addition of peanut butter and milk chocolate chips adds to the peanut buttery goodness.

Peanut Butter Delights~

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1-11 oz bag Tollhouse peanut butter and milk chocolate chips

Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

2.) Cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well. Mix in the peanut butter and vanilla extract.

3.) Combine the flour 1/4 of a cup at a time. Add the baking soda and the salt. Mix until everything is incorporated.

4.) Gently fold in the peanut butter and milk chocolate chips.

5.) Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to sit on baking sheet for a few minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Banana Banana Bread

I had four very ripe bananas that I needed to use up quick or risk losing to the trash can. Of course whenever someone has bananas that need to be used ASAP what better to make with them than banana bread. I found this recipe off of allrecipes and it has thousands of reviews. I made it according to the directions and boy was it good with a nice cold glass of milk.

Banana Banana Bread~
Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. Stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. Let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Hope everyone enjoys. I think next time I am going to add a touch of cinnamon and a touch of vanilla extract.

I am off to make Daniel his chocolate chocolate chip cookies that got derailed yesterday due to the fact I have a one year old Great Dane that likes to eat sticks of butter at room temperature. He paid dearly for it last night...someone had a bad tummy ache!

Trail Mix Cookies

Trail Mix Cookies~

Ingredients:
1/2 cup applesauce

1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 egg whites
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup dried cranberries (I omitted these)

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 baking sheets.

2.) Beat applesauce, white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl.

3.) In another bowl, use an electric mixer to beat egg whites until they are frothy and begin to firm up. Fold egg whites into applesauce mixture.

4.) Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold into the egg mixture. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, walnuts, and cranberries.

5.) Drop by heaping teaspoons on prepared baking sheets.

6.) Bake cookies in preheated oven until set and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove immediately to wire racks to cool.

These turned out so yummy. Crunchy on the outside, chewy on the inside. I hope Daniel and his buddies enjoy them. We both had one last night to try them out and we both agreed...they are keepers. To make them extra healthy I used whole wheat flour instead of white flour. I couldn't tell a difference.