Smores Fudge

This recipe was extremely rich, decadent, and delicious.

If you have a sweet tooth this is definitely for you!

I think next time I'm going to cut down the sugar amount.

Adapted from here.

Ingredients:

7 oz. marshmallow creme
1 1/2 c. white sugar
2/3 c. evaporated milk
1/4. c. unsalted butter
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. milk chocolate chips
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 graham crackers, chopped plus some crushed for garnish
2 c. mini marshmallows, plus extra for garnish

Directions

1. Line an 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Set aside. Place the marshmallows in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze.

2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine marshmallow cream, sugar, evaporated milk, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil, let cook for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.

3. Remove from the heat and stir in chocolate chips. Stir until completely melted and incorporated. Stir in vanilla and chopped graham crackers. Add frozen marshmallows. Pour into prepared pan.

4. Top with reserved marshmallows and crushed graham crackers. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set.

Cranberry Orange Bread

This recipe is a great way to use up any leftover cranberries you might have in the freezer from Thanksgiving.

Did you know that you can freeze cranberries in the freezer for an entire year? It's a great idea to buy a ton of fresh cranberries since they are usually on sale. I bought mine at a "buy one get one free" sale.

The cranberries are beautiful in this bread! Oh and your house is going to smell amazing while you're baking this!

The bread also stayed moist and fresh for several days.

This recipe comes for allrecipes.com. I only changed a couple of things.

Ingredients:

2 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. grated orange zest
1 1/2 c. fresh cranberries (or frozen, don't defrost first)
1/2 c. pecans, coarsely chopped (optional)
1/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 large egg
3/4 c. orange juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour a loaf pan.

2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir in orange zest, cranberries, and pecans. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl cream butter, sugar, and egg until smooth.Stir in orange juice. Mix into flour mixture just until combined.

4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. Let sit in the pan for 10 minutes before removing. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool. Cool completely before cutting.

The Best GRAVY!

I made this recipe after I watched an episode of Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives. They featured Pine State Biscuits and their amazing biscuits and gravy recipe. They did not give the accurate measurements for the gravy recipe but they did give out the ingredients used.

I have made this recipe a couple of times now and I think this time it was truly perfect! Even though it seems like there are a lot of ingredients they are mostly pantry items and you probably already have them on hand.

The great thing about this recipe is that you can adjust it any way you want. Don't like the spice? Leave out the cayenne pepper and the red chili pepper flakes. OR you can add more! Whatever your taste buds desire.

Make biscuits and gravy with this BISCUIT RECIPE.

Ingredients:

1 Tbsp. oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground pork
1 1/2 tsp. vegeta
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (less if it's too spicy for you)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. sage
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. crushed fennel seeds
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
2 c. water
2 c. milk
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 tsp. maple syrup
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3 Tbsp. flour


Directions:

1. In a large saucepan on medium-high heat: add oil and onion. Saute 5 minutes.

2. Add ground pork and all of the seasonings. Brown pork on both sides, break up with wooden spoon. Cook for about 12 minutes.

3. Add water and cook on medium for 10 minutes. Keep breaking up the meat.

4. Add milk and heavy cream. Cook on medium for 5 minutes.

5. Make a roux in a small saucepan. Melt butter on medium-high. Stir in flour. After 2 minutes mix into the gravy mixture. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens. Stir in maple syrup.

ENJOY!

Eclairs

Eclairs are one of my favorite desserts but every time I've ever eaten them they were from a bakery. There is something scary about making your own... but there shouldn't be.

I found a recipe on allrecipes and decided to try this recipe out. It turned out awesome! I only changed a couple of things.

The eclairs themselves turned out flaky and light. They had a ton of little air pockets inside to hold the custard. The custard is a "cheat" custard since it starts with instant pudding but that's why it's great. It only took a couple of minutes to put together.

Yields 10 four inch eclairs

For the dough:

1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 c.)
1 c. water
1 c. flour
1/4 tsp. salt
4 large eggs

For the custard:

1 box instant vanilla pudding
1 1/2 c. cold milk
1 c. heavy cream
1/4 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

For the chocolate:

1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. shortening

Directions:

For the dough:

Preheat oven to 450.

In a medium saucepan bring water and butter to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add flour and salt. Stir vigorously  the mixture will begin to separate from the sides and will form into a ball.

Remove from heat. Add eggs in one at a time. Stir well after each addition. Spoon dough into a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. Pipe dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Make the eclairs about 4 inches long. (I used a ziploc bag with one of the corners cut off)

Bake 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325 and bake for an additional 25 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Split the eclairs with a serrated knife and fill with custard.

Dip the tops of the eclairs into the chocolate mixture. Allow to set before eating. You can place the eclairs uncovered into the freezer for 10 minutes.

For the custard:

In a medium bowl combine pudding mix and milk. Stir well, refrigerate 5 minutes or until set.

In a medium bowl beat heavy cream into stiff peaks. Slowly add powdered sugar and vanilla. Fold into prepared pudding.

For the chocolate:

In a microwave safe bowl combine chocolate and shortening. Microwave for 30 second increments until melted. Be careful not to burn.

Spinach & Artichoke Dip

I made this recipe for my daughter's first birthday party. It was gone in the first 30 minutes! It's a recipe I always turn to for parties or for fun football days.

This recipe can also be made ahead and refrigerated. Just pop it in the oven when you're ready for it.

Slightly adapted from Allrecipe.com.

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, minced
10 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
14 oz. canned artichoke hearts, drained, chopped
10 oz. Alfredo style pasta sauce
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/3 c. grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz. cream cheese, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine all ingredients together and mix well.

3. Spray an 8x8 pan. Add all ingredients and bake 40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Serve warm with bread, crackers, vegetables.

Shrimp Fajitas

We love this recipe so much that we actually made it two nights in a row.

I adapted this recipe from Finecooking.com.

Ingredients:

For the shrimp:
1 lb. cooked shrimp
1 Tbsp. oil (I used canola)
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. oregano

For the veggies:
1 Tbsp. oil
1 yellow onion
1 green bell pepper
5 roma tomatoes (mine were pretty small)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. cilantro
1 lime, juice of
2 tsp. vegeta
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. chili powder

tortillas
cheese-optional
sour cream-optional


Directions:

For the shrimp:

1. Place the shrimp in a medium bowl. Make sure it's completely cleaned and patted dry. Add in oil. Mix well.
2. Add in the rest of the spices and the brown sugar. Mix well and make sure all of the shrimp is coated evenly.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.

4. When the veggies are almost done preheat the oven to broil. Place the shrimp on a baking sheet and broil 3-4 minutes on each side. Be careful to watch the shrimp the entire time.

For the veggies:

1. Heat a large deep skillet on medium. Add the 1 Tbsp. of oil.
2. Slice the onions, green pepper, and tomatoes into thin slices. Add to the hot pan and stir well. Add the seasonings. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring often. Lower the heat if necessary.
3. Add garlic and saute an additional 5 minutes. Mix in cilantro. Saute 2 minutes.

To assemble:

1. Heat the tortillas in the microwave between paper towels. About 30 seconds.
2. Pile each tortilla with veggies and shrimp. Add any additional toppings such as salsa, cheese, and sour cream.

Enjoy!

Light Banana Muffins

These little muffins are great as breakfast or a snack. I think I might eat some before working out. 

The original recipe (I lost the link) has 12 teaspoons of sugar, I only used 3. The sweetness from the little bit of sugar, apples, and bananas was enough. I also left out any oil.

I didn't have applesauce and just used a cheese grater to grate my apple. You could also throw the apple slices into a blender or food processor, but why get them dirty for 1 apple?

Feel free to add other things as well...chocolate chips, raisins, oats, etc...

Yields 12 muffins

Ingredients:

cooking spray

3/4 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. mashed banana

1/4 c. applesauce (or 1 apple, grated)

1 large egg

3 tsp. sugar (or sweetener of your choice)

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl.

3. Combine wet ingredients in another bowl. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Mix gently just until combined.

4. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Spread batter evenly between muffins.

5. Bakes 15 minutes.

Ingredients	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sugar	Fiber
Gold Medal - All-Purpose Flour, 0.75 cup (30g)	330	66	0	9	0	3
Wheat Montana - Hi-Protein Whole Wheat Premium Bread Flour, 0.25 c.	100	21	1	5	1	3
Shur Fine - Baking Powder, 3 tsp	24	12	0	0	0	0
Baking soda, 0.5 tsp	0	0	0	0	0	0
Morton - Coarse Kosher Salt, 0.5 grams (1/4 tsp)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Bananas - Raw, 1 cup, mashed	200	51	1	2	28	6
Hyvee - Large Egg, 1 egg	80	1	5	7	0	0
Generic - Pure Vanilla Extract, 1 tsp	12	1	0	0	1	0
Fruit - Red Delicious Apple (Washington), 1 apple	130	34	0	1	16	5
Great Value - Pure Cane Sugar, 3 tsp	45	12	0	0	12	0
Add Ingredient

Calories-77

Total Fat-0.5g

      sat-0.1g

      poly-0g

      mono-0g

      trans-0g

Cholesterol-20g

Sodium-156mg

Potassium-96.3mg

Carbs-16.5g

Fiber-1.4g

Sugar-4.8g

Protein-2g

Light Chicken & Dumpling Soup

You might have read my post a few months ago about my favorite chicken soup recipe. I decided to remake the recipe and lighten it up a bit. 

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the chicken

1 Tbsp. oil

4 chicken drumsticks, skin removed

2 Tbsp. flour

2 tsp. vegeta

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

For the soup

1 c. onion, chopped

1 c. carrots, chopped

1 c. celery, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbsp. vegeta

1 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. sage

1/4 tsp. turmeric

1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

5 c. water

For the dumplings

1/2 c. flour

1/2 c. cornmeal

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. vegeta

1 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 c. fat free milk

1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped

1 large egg

Directions:

For the chicken

1.Heat a large saucepan on medium-high. Add oil. Remove the skin from the drumstick. Season. Roll in flour and shake off the excess. Brown chicken on all sides until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. When cooked set aside to cool. Don't wash or drain the pan. 

For the soup

1. In the same pan add vegetables and all seasonings. Saute until the veggies begin to soften, about 10 minutes. Add water, apple cider vinegar, and parsley. Bring to a boil.

For the dumplings

1. Combine all dry ingredients in a small bowl. Add in the rest and mix just until combined. Drop into the boiling soup by tablespoons. Reduce to simmer and cover. Let cook for 10-15 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked. Don't peek and release the steam.

Ingredients	Calories	Carbs	Fat	Protein	Sugar	Fiber
Schnucks - Pure Vegetable Oil, 1 Tbsp.	120	0	14	0	0	0
Generic - Kosher Salt, 0.5 tsp (1.4g)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Spices - Pepper, black, 1 tsp	5	1	0	0	0	1
Vegeta - All Purpose Seasoning , 2 tsp. (1 g)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Vegetable - Yellow Onion, 1 cup chopped (105g)	90	22	0	2	10	2
Carrots - Raw, 1 cup, chopped	52	12	0	1	6	4
Celery - Raw, 1 cup chopped	14	3	0	1	2	2
Garlic, 2 Cloves (I.E. 6 g) - Raw, 2 tsp (6g)	8	1	0	0	0	0
Vegeta - All Purpose Seasoning , 3 tsp. (1 g)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Spices - Pepper, black, 1 tsp	5	1	0	0	0	1
Spices - Sage, ground, 0.25 tsp	1	0	0	0	0	0
Spices - Turmeric, ground, 0.25 tsp	2	0	0	0	0	0
Heinz - Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 tbsp (15 ml)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Fresh - Flat Leaf Parsley, 4 tbsp	4	1	0	0	0	0
Water - Tap, 40 oz	0	0	0	0	0	0
Shur Fine - Baking Powder, 1.5 tsp	12	6	0	0	0	0
Gold Medal - All-Purpose Flour, 1/2 cup (30g)	220	44	0	6	0	2
Arrowhead Mills - Organic Yellow Corn Meal, 1/2 cup	240	54	2	6	0	6
Vegeta - All Purpose Seasoning , 2 tsp. (1 g)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Generic - Ground Black Pepper , 2 g, 1 tsp	0	1	0	0	0	0
Generic - Kosher Salt, 1/4 tsp (1.4g)	0	0	0	0	0	0
Milk - Nonfat (fat free or skim), 0.5 cup	43	6	0	4	0	0
Fresh - Flat Leaf Parsley, 4 tbsp	4	1	0	0	0	0
Hyvee - Grade A Large Eggs, 1 Egg (50g)	70	1	5	6	0	0
Generic - Chicken Drumstick- Medium, Baked No Skin, 4 medium drumstick	420	0	22	53	0	0
Add Ingredient

Total:	1310	154	43	79	18	18
Per Serving:	328	39	11	20	5	5