Pretzel Bites

So, it's been quite some time since we've posted anything.  Our families have kept us so busy the last little while.  Hopefully we'll be able to get back on track.  I just made these awesome pretzel bites that I came across on pinterest.  They are so yummy and easy.  This website is full of many wonderful recipes.  Check it out sometime.  Here's a link with pictures of these yummy balls of goodness! http://www.justgetoffyourbuttandbake.com/?p=932

 

PRETZEL BITES

Texas size Rhodes Frozen roll dough
*as many as you like – each roll makes four bites
I think you could get six small ones from each roll

Take a thawed roll. Cut it in four(or 6) equal sections. Place dough bites on greased sheets. Cover with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, and let dough rise until double in size. (about 35-45 minutes) Bring a large pot of water to a gentle boil. When dough has risen, plop about 10 pieces into the boiling water, tossing gently for about 45 seconds. Remove with slotted spoon, and place bites on paper towels to drain slightly. Move bites to greased baking sheets, and bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes or until done and golden brown.

Brush bites with melted butter, sprinkle with Kosher or Sea Salt, garlic and toss in Parmesan cheese. You can also make Cinnamon and Sugar bites. Make a mixture of Cinnamon and sugar: About 1 cup sugar and 1 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon, and mix together well. After you butter the pretzel bites, toss in cinnamon and sugar mixture.

 

There are a couple dipping sauces that you can find also on the website.

3 Grain Muffins

We're still here! I take pictures of my food all the time with great intention to post, but I seem to get caught up in the many other things on my list. I wonder if there will ever be a day when I have my whole house organized, in place, and clean all at the same time. Is it actually possible? Anyways... enough of that. Here I am actually posting, so we will make it quick! We love muffins for breakfast. These healthy muffins have a little crunch from the cornmeal and oats, and are perfect with jam! They are delicious! We gobble them up in one morning. My kids love them, and they are healthy! Double bonus!!! I got the recipe from a book called 1 Mix, 100 Muffins by Susanna Tee. It's one of those books with one basic recipe used for 100 different muffins. I have had a good time experimenting, and have enjoyed all the muffins I have made. When I saw these muffins, they were calling my name. We eat a lot of whole wheat at my house, and I love cornmeal in breakfast baking, so I knew these wouldn't disappoint! They are quick to throw together, and are perfect with a side of eggs and fresh fruit!

Three-Grain Muffins

Susanna Tee

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup white flour (I use all wheat)

1 Tbsp baking powder

heaping 1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

heaping 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal

scant 1 cup rolled oats

2 large eggs

1 cup buttermilk

6 Tbsp oil

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Greas 12 cup muffin pan or line with paper liners. Sift together flour and baking powder into a large bowl, adding any bran left in the sifter. Stir in the sugar, cornmeal, and oats.

Lightly beat the eggs in a large pitcher or bowl, then beat in the buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry and pour in the beaten wet ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan. Bake for about 20 minutes, until well risen, golden brown, and firm to the touch. Mine took 15 minutes.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Enjoy!!!

Jumbo "Whatever" Breakfast Cookies

These breakfast cookies are amazing! I'm sure glad "breakfast" is in the title of the cookies, because then I don't feel guilty for eating a cookie for breakfast! My sister made me some of these beauties just after I had my first child. I loved them so much that I had to have the recipe and I have been making them ever since. They are so tasty. Almost like a granola bar, but in cookie form. They are breakfast cookies because they have Bran Flakes Cereal in them. We love to store them in the freezer and eat them frozen. I usually double my batch so I have plenty to store. Because they are JUMBO, one batch makes 12. I usally do 6 jumbo and do the rest mini for the kids. The dough is super tough and crumbly, so don't be alarmed. You have to really compact your dough balls. What's great about this recipe is the "whatever" part! You can throw in just about "whatever" you want. I always put in oats and craisins. Raisins are wonderful as well. You could throw in some coconut, or even nuts. The possibilities are endless, and delicious! So give em' a try and make it your own "whatever"! They will not disapoint!

Jumbo "Whatever" Breakfast Cookies

1 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 Tbsp vanilla

*Stir together*

Add:

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

4 cups bran flakes cereal

1/2 cup soft butter

1/4 cup water

1 egg, beaten

1 cup chocolate chips (milk, semi-sweet, peanut butter, vanilla, butterscotch)

"Whatever" mix-ins:

1 cup oats

1 cup craisins or raisins

1 cup coconut

1 cup nuts

***Mix very well! (Your hand will get tired!) Drop by rounded 1/2 cups or giant spoonful. Round into about a 2-inch ball and flatten on cookie sheet to 1/2 inch thick. Bake at 375 degrees for 13-15 minutes on ungreased cookie sheet.

Enjoy!

Amazing, Soft, Chewy Flat Bread

I saw this recipe for Soft Wrap Bread a while ago at Real Mom Kitchen and My Kitchen Cafe. I tried it, loved it, and have been making them ever since. I crave this wrap bread! We use it for Chicken Gyros, Tacos, Fajitas, and pretty much anything that calls for a tortilla to stuff with good food! The original recipe calls for white flour, but I use my whole wheat flour with great results. I am always trying to work in the wheat wherever I can. If you are not used to the wheat, you can use white, or do half and half. I grind my wheat in small portions so that it doesn't go bad before I use it. We usually go through it pretty quick for it to go bad. The wheat berries will keep for a very long time, but once it is ground, it needs to be used. If you do grind a lot at a time, make sure you store it in a cool place. You can even store it in your fridge or freezer. This wrap bread is delicious! It is so soft and chewy from the potato flakes. It is also very simple to make. It is dry-fried, which is even better! This would be perfect to eat with your tacos, or fajitas on Cinco de Mayo!

Soft Wrap Bread

3 cups flour (wheat, or white flour, or half and half)

1 1/4 cups boiling water

1/4 cup potato flour or 1/2 cup potato buds or flakes

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon instant yeast

1) To make the bread: Place 2 cups of the flour into a bowl or the bucket of a dough mixer. Pour the boiling water over the flour, and stir till smooth. Cover the bowl or bucket and set the mixture aside for 30 minutes.

2) In a seperate bowl, whisk together the potato flour (or flakes or buds) and the remaining 1 cup of flour with the salt, oil and yeast.

3) Add this to the cooled flour/water mixture, stir, then knead for several minutes (by hand, or mixer) to form a soft dough. Continue mixing for 5 minutes. The dough should form a ball, but will remain somewhat sticky. Add additional flour only if necessary; if kneading by hand, keep your hands and work surface lightly oiled.

4)Let the dough rise, covered, for 1 hour.

5) Divide the dough into 8 pieces (each about the size of a handball, cover, and let rest for 15-30 minutes.

6) Roll each piece into a 7"-8"-circle, and dry-fry them (fry without oil) over medium heat for about 1 minute per side, until they're puffed and flecked with brown spots. Adjust the heat if they seem to be cooking either too quickly, or too slowly; cooking too quickly means they may be raw in the center, while too slowly will dry them out.

7) Transfer the cooked breads to a wire rack, stacking them to keep them soft. Serve immediately, or cool slightly before storing in a plastic bag.

Enjoy!

Pudding Paint for the kids and those rainy-indoor days!

This was a perfect afternoon activity for my kids. They loved it. I made my pudding paint with Vanilla Instant Jell-O Pudding. I split it into 4 dishes and added different food colors to each. I gave my kids each a cookie sheet for their pudding art. We used some giant paint brushes to color with. We threw in some graham crackers and marshmallows for decorating and snacking.

They loved painting pictures. The fun ended... or should I say began... when one little boy accidentally painted on his older brothers' hand. It was so much fun, he just kept on going and going. They were laughing so hard. That was their favorite part. The little boy who started it started painting on himself. When they were finished, or I was finished with it all over the floor, it was bathtime! (It's best to just do this in the diapers and underwear.)

They had a great time with the pudding paint, and I had a great time watching them and taking pictures. So if you need a fun activity for the kiddos, and you are patient enough to clean up a little mess, you won't regret it. We love making memories, and my boys will always remember this one!

Happy Spring!!!

What are you going to do with all those hard boiled eggs?

Introducing... Eggs Golden Rod!!!

This is a post from last year, but is worthy for reposting, and I figured that we all are overloaded with dyed Easter eggs and don't know what to do with them. This recipe comes from my Dad's side. It is delicious! My husband doesn't dare try it, but I love it, and I will raise my family on it. Cut up egg white's in a creamy white sauce over toast, and topped with grated egg yolk and fresh ground pepper! Sounds, and maybe even looks a little weird, but until you have tried it, you can't say whether you like it or not. I think we will serve it for dinner this week so that my husband has to try it. Oh...it's so evil! Go here for the recipe!

Happy Spring weather to you all!

Irish Dinner & St. Patrick's Day Ideas

We really enjoy celebrating the holiday's at our house and try to make them special for our kids. For me holiday's are exciting, mostly because I enjoy planning and preparing food. Last year for St. Patrick's day my sister and her kids joined us for our St. Patrick's day dinner, and this is what we came up with. We made Corned Beef Grilled Cheese on Rye, Curried Split Pea Soup, and Pistachio pudding served in lime bowls. It was a delicious St. Patty's day feast, and we ate it right up. I got the idea at Prudence Pennywise. Click here for the recipe. I did Pastrami instead of the Corned Beef, which was delicious. It was a little more peppy, and we loved it. This year I am going to make my own Irish Soda Bread, also found at Prudence Pennywise. Go here for the recipe. The bread looks delicious, and I want to make my meal as Irish as possible! The Curried Split Pea Soup isn't so much Irish, but it is green!!! This recipe was found at the Food Network from Alton Brown. Get the recipe here. This soup was delicious. I had never had Split Peas before, and had a great experience with this soup. We added carrots just to throw in more veggies. It was perfect, and the curry is so perfect in this soup. This was a perfect meal, and definitely filled us up.


Next, we made a Pistachio Pudding Salad. I love this salad. The pistachio taste is so perfect, and I love the crunch. It's all in a pudding box, and fantastic. This is one of those "throw-it-together" salads, that never dissapoints. If you have never had Pistachio Pudding Salad, and you are thinking "Yuck", just try it. Those thoughts will change! We served it in a hollowed Lime. More green!

Pistachio Pudding Salad

1 small box Pistachio Instant Pudding
1 small can mandarin oranges drained
1 can fruit cocktail drained
1 8 oz. Cool Whip

Combine all ingredients and stir to combine. Allow a few hours to sit and set up in the fridge before serving. Yumm!

More green!!! Break out the food coloring!

What would St. Patrick's Day be without a green breakfast!?! We made our favorite Wheat blender pancakes and threw in drops of food coloring to get a good St. Patty's Day green. Because I am not talented in making Shamrock shaped pancakes, we made our own shamrocks with the round pancakes put together, and added a piece for the stem. We added food coloring to the eggs too. I know that you may not think this looks very appetizing, but do it for the kids!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!