Oatmeal Bars

Sorry I've been MIA we went through a period of everyone in the house being sick and seeing that kids seem to be fine during the day and then the minute the sun goes down they start their coughing and sneezing and all around feeling awful we spent many a night walking little kids in the cold air trying to help their coughing. But I'm back and will try to get to posting again.
I wanted to share this recipe that I recently found thanks to a friend testing a Pinterest recipe. What I love about this recipe is that it's a functional recipe similar to my scone recipe that I love so much.
Here's the basic recipe and then I'll give you some "alterations to it"

Oatmeal Bars
1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup shredded coconut (I use unsweetened)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
5 tbsp melted butter or 7 tbsp coconut oil
1 lg egg
1/2 tsp vanilla

Stir together oats, flour, brown sugar, coconut, baking powder and salt.
Add egg and vanilla to melted butter and combine with dry ingredients.
Cook @350 for 20-25 minutes
***Can use mini muffin pan and then cook for 18-20 minutes.

Ok so that is the basic recipe, but what I really love about this is all the additions you can add.
I've really been into coconut oil so yesterday I made this same recipe but substituted the butter for 7 tbsp coconut oil (needed a little additional to keep the bars moist enough).
*****I also use whatever I have in the house to change up the flavor. I add 1/2 cup of whatever item it is I want to add.
Here's some ideas:
Chocolate chips, flax seeds, frozen blueberries, dried cranberries, walnuts, white chocolate chips, the options are endless and that's what I love about this recipe. It'll taste different every time so no one is tired of the "same old thing."
Try it out, change it up, and enjoy it!!!

Homemade Play Doh

Seeing that I'm a mom to 3 young kids I don't always cook just food, sometimes I also cook crafts. In this case I have found a perfect play doh recipe. What I love is I can make it fresh anytime we want it and in any color, it also has a good shelf life (ours lasts about a month or so). Yesterday we made yellow and purple (it was supposed to be purple mind you it definitely looks more gray) and seeing it's winter and we don't get "snow" here we decided to make play doh snowmen. Which is good seeing that I would never let me kids build a snowman with yellow and gray snow.

Enjoy!!!!


Homemade Play Doh
1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
2 tbsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp oil
1 cup water
food coloring

Mix first 4 ingredients in pot and add water.
Cook over medium heat stirring constantly 3-5 minutes
Dough will become difficult to stir and clump together at that point it's done.
Turn out onto flat surface and knead for 5 minutes adding food coloring of your choice

Farro with sausage, apple & fennel

Farro with Sausage, Apple & Fennel
Farro (I used quick cooking Farro from Trader Joes)
2 cups Chicken broth
3-4 Italian sausages (casings removed)
1 diced shallot
1 large apple, chopped (I used granny smith)
1 head of Fennel, chopped

In large skillet over high heat crumble sausage and stir until browned, about 5 minutes
Add farro (not cooked), shallot, garlic, apple & fennel
Add wine to reduce
Add broth, bring to boil
Reduce heat to low, until chicken stock reduces (about 20 minutes), stir regularly.
If farro is not tender add additional water until tender.
*For a quicker recipe
Boil farro per instructions on package
In separate pan cook sausage until brown
Add shallot, garlic, apple & fennel
Add wine and reduce
Add farro and broth
Cook on low until reduced, stirring regularly
Enjoy!

Crock Pot Beef Barley Stew

Crock Pot Beef Barley Stew
4 cups beef broth
1 lb stew meat
2 tsp garlic chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
Carrots chopped
Celery chopped
1 bell pepper chopped
Onion chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup red wine
3/4 quick cook barley


Dredge beef in flour and brown in skillet
Add to crock pot
Deglaze pan with red wine and dump in crock pot
Add all ingredients to crock pot (****except barley if using quick cook barley****)
*****If using regular barley I would add now as to make sure it's fully cooked
Cook on low 6-8 hours
45 minutes before ready to eat increase temperature to high and add quick cook barley

Crock Pot Beef Stew

This is a recipe I switch out the vegetables based on seasonal options. I'll replace potatoes for sweet potaotes or butternut squash as they add a completely different flavor.


Crock Pot Beef Stew
1 lb stew meat
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 6oz can tomato paste
1/2 cup red wine
chopped onion
Potatoes/Sweet Potatoes/Butternut Squash
Carrots
Celery
bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tbsp garlic
2 cups beef broth

Chop all vegetables and add to crock pot
Add tomato paste, herbs & beef broth

Cut stew meat into bite size pieces, dredge in flour & cook on stove top in olive oil until browned. Add meat to slow cooker, use red wine to deglaze pan. Let red wine come to boil and scrap off any residual meat flour in pan, pour into crock pot.
Cook on low 6-8 hours

Brussels Sprouts w/Fried Capers

This is a recipe we tried Thanksgiving 2009 and since then has become a staple that we eat at least 3 or 4 times a month.

Brussels Sprouts w/Fried Capers
1 lb Brussels sprouts
1/4 cup capers (drained)
1/3 cup olive oil
2 garlic cloves chopped
3 oil packed anchovy fillet chopped (optional)
1/2 lemon
1/2-3/4 tsp red chili flakes

Heat oil on high, add capers, stir until crisp (about 5 minutes)
Add garlic & anchovies
Add Brussels sprouts & chili flakes, stir until coated and desired cook of Brussels sprouts
Transfer to plate, sprinkle with additional capers and squeeze on lemon.

**we typically substitute the anchovy fillet for anchovy paste as we have that on hand

Fennel (Finocchio) Salad

Have you seen this in the grocery store and thought to yourself, what the heck is Fennel (Finocchio in Italian), what on earth would I do with it?? Well this is a staple in our house, thanks to marrying an Italian I've been introduced to foods I'd never had before and this has to be one of my all time favorites. We use Finocchio in many different methods in our house, one of which is a salad, just this last week between my two toddlers and myself we finished off 8 bulbs of Finocchio. Oh so good. At Thanksgiving (and Christmas) we put a different spin  on our usual salad, we "fancy" it up a bit.

Finocchio Salad
2 bulbs of Finocchio sliced
3-4 tbsp olive oil
6 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/4-1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
A few pieces of shaved Parmesan

Mix all ingredients together
Chill
Enjoy

***Year around we use this same recipe just without the pomegranate seeds and Parmesan, and as a dressing simple balsamic vinegar and olive oil instead of the lemon juice.

***Finocchio is also a great addition to stuff inside the turkey and add some chopped to your stuffing recipe.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff
1 lb beef (I like to use stew meat)
2 tbsp butter
1 1/2 cup beef broth
1/4 cup red wine
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tsp garlic
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup onion
3 tbsp flour
1 cup sour cream
Pasta

Dredge beef in flour, salt & pepper. Melt butter in skillet and brown beef & onion. After browned pour into crock pot. Use red wine to deglaze the pan and pour in crock pot.
Place all other ingredients (except pasta and sour cream) in crock pot and stir
Cook on low for 5-6 hours
Add sour cream, cover and cook on low for 30-45 minutes (do not allow mix to boil)
Prior to eating cook pasta, serve beef stroganoff over pasta

Pumpkin Gingerbread

Pumpkin Gingerbread
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup chopped crystallized ginger
2 lg eggs
1 lg egg white
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 cup molasses
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup pumpkin

Combine flour, cinnamon, ground ginger, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda & salt.
Stir in crystallized ginger
Whisk eggs, egg white, oil, molasses & sugar.
Whisk in pumpkin
Fold into dry ingredients until just combined
Pour into pan

Cook @ 350 for 35-40 minutes

Peanut Butter Pie

This is a recipe I associate with my Grandmother, I always remember around the holidays hoping that Grandma was making her Peanut Butter Pie.  It wasn't until I was much older that I learned the recipe was actually from my Grandfather (he had passed away before I was born), I love reading the recipe and seeing his personality (you'll see what I mean towards the end of the recipe).

Peanut Butter Pie

Crust
1 1/4 cup chocolate cookie crumbs (about 20 we use Oreo cookies, scrape off filling)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter melted

Combine crust ingredients, press into pie pan
Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes
Let cool

Filling
8 oz cream cheese
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup heavy cream whipped

Mix cream cheese, PB, sugar, butter & vanilla until smooth.
Fold in whipped cream.
Gently spoon into crust
Lick spoon & bowl until clean, feel no guilt! (yes that is part of her recipe)
Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight and serve!