Those new recipes...

Life has been very busy lately, so we've eaten leftovers, fended for ourselves, or eaten out a bit more than normal...and it took me 2 weeks to cook the recipes I included on my last meal post. All of the new recipes turned out great! Here are my tidbits...

Chicken Teriyaki and Brown Rice

This was delicious and made the perfect amount for me, Josh and Lucy. To save some time, I used Uncle Ben's Ready Rice that you cook for 90 seconds in the microwave. I was not paying attention and accidentally used soy sauce instead of teriyaki sauce, but it tasted great with the soy sauce. Next time I'll use teriyaki sauce for a different flavor. But soy sauce is definitely a great substitute. Quick and easy weeknight meal for sure (I prepped chicken during nap time)!

Chicken and Cream Cheese Taquitos

Yummy!! I followed the recipe to a tee. The recipe made 15 taquitos instead of 9-10, so it's a great recipe for a crowd. I went ahead and fried them instead of baking and they were nice and crisp! Quick and easy weeknight meal, especially if you use a rotisserie chicken!

Asian Spaghetti

This was awesome! We just had a little bit left over (probably not enough for someone to make a meal of it). I left out the mushrooms and snow peas and added chicken and asparagus instead. I cooked the chicken first in the pan, then added the other ingredients. You can use any veggie you'd like for this dish. Since I used about a pound of diced chicken, I double the amount of soy sauce, sugar and cayenne pepper. It does have a little bit of a kick (not too bad), so limit the amount of cayenne pepper you use if you prefer a milder version. Quick and easy weeknight meal (I prepped the chicken during nap time)!

Oven-roasted Sausage, Potatoes and Peppers

This was delicious and made the house smell incredible! I used uncooked chicken sausage and all of the spices that are optional in the recipe. Definitely use the spices and don't leave out the banana peppers...so yummy! I served it over Uncle Ben's Wild Rice. There's some chopping required for this recipe, but it didn't take too long. I prepped everything while the girls were napping, so all I had to do was pop it in the oven when we were ready for dinner.

Skinny Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili

Awesome recipe! I followed the recipe to a tee, expect I left out the jalapeño pepper. I also chopped the onion really, really fine. This soup had great flavors and it made enough for both Josh and I to eat it for lunch the next day! I prepped this the night before in the crockpot, so all I had to do was turn on the crockpot the next day. Super easy and really delicious!

What's for dinner?

Lucy has started asking me "what's for dinner, mommy?" It cracks me up every time...love that girl!  I picked our 7 meals for this week in less than 10 minutes...a new record for me!  Most are new recipes too, so I'll let you know how they turn out.

Chicken Teriyaki and Brown Rice

with veggie side

*New recipe

Chicken and Cream Cheese Taquitos

with black beans and fruit salad

*New recipe

Asian Spaghetti

with crispy edamame

*New recipe - I'm going to leave out the mushrooms (we're not big fans) and add diced chicken.  I've made the crispy edamame before - it's delicious - and great for an afternoon snack too!

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

with salad

*I'm going to double the recipe this time.  Josh actually requested this again!

Oven-roasted Sausage, Potatoes and Peppers

with rice and fruit salad

*New recipe

Skinny Slow Cooker White Bean Chicken Chili

with tortilla chips

*New recipe

Eat Out!

Also, the 2 new recipes I tried last week were amazing!  

Crockpot Cornbread Chicken Enchiladas

I was skeptical about this one, but it turned out great...really delicious and SUPER easy!

Slightly Sweet Sloppy Joes

I would recommend using a bit more meat, as they were a little runny...I used a slotted spoon when serving. Ground turkey would work well too.

Sunday Afternoon Meal Planning...

This whole menu planning thing is slowly starting to get a little easier for me!  Here's what's cooking at our house this week...

Papa Murphy's Pizza

with Salad

We love Papa Murphy's...especially when you can get a large pepperoni pizza for 5 bucks!

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts

with Garlic Bread

This will be my 2nd time to make this dish...definitely a new favorite!

No Peek Beef Tips

with Egg Noodles and Veggie Side

I use 1lb of beef (instead of 2) and it's the perfect amount of meat for Josh and I.

Slightly Sweet Sloppy Joes

with Sweet Potato Fries and Roasted Corn

I don't know why, but I'm a sucker for Sloppy Joes!  This is a new recipe I found from The Mix and Match Mama (Shay), Sean Lowe's sister!  Shay's blog is darling and I love that she cooks simple (and easy) meals...just what I need!

Crockpot Cornbread Chicken Enchiladas 

with Chips and Salsa

Another new recipe I'm trying from The Mix and Match Mama...I'll admit, I'm a little skeptical about this one, so we'll see how it turns out!

Crockpot Meatballs

with Rice and Veggie Side

I LOVE these things...and why not turn an appetizer into a meal?!  I use frozen turkey meatballs.

Eat Out!!

Now, off to the grocery store...blah.

March 2013 :: Insta-Dump

DQ ice cream date with dad...

June's thoughts on peas...

Bedhead at it's finest...

Play date with Berkley...

and Jett...

Pioneer Woman's Cinnamon Toast...a new Saturday morning tradition!

Girl talk...

Circle of friends...

Chloe turned 6...Lucy gave her a fake Pringle to celebrate.  Poor dog.

June's new favorite game is to see how many diapers she can pull out of the basket while I change her diaper.  That hiney...

Lucy at 5 months // June at 7 months...

June's first time in a restaurant highchair...

Park fun...

Playing with dad...

First time back in the pool since last summer...

All smiles...

First time to fly a kite...

Angel baby...

Cauliflower Crust Pizza...

A few of you asked me to follow-up on how the Cauliflower Crust Pizza turned out.  I followed this recipe that I found on Pinterest and I was pleasantly surprised at the end result.  The pizza was delicious and my picky-veggie-eater-of-a-husband actually liked it and said he would gladly eat it again!  Lucy is still recovering from the stomach bug so she doesn't have much of an appetite, but I think she'll love it once her appetite returns.  Next time I will double the recipe because the pizza came out too small to feed both Josh and I (it was a little larger than a personal pizza size).  Doubling the recipe will easily feed me, Josh and Lucy. Josh and I both like crispy, thin crust pizza....this pizza is thin, but didn't turn out quite as crispy as I would have liked.  It took about 30 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.  Overall, a success.  Now, I obviously would choose to eat i Fratelli pizza over cauliflower crust pizza, but I will definitely be making this healthier version again...Lucy will never know the difference (for now, at least).

Let's Eat...

On the menu for the next 7 days...

Market Street Quiche

with veggie side and fruit salad

Market Street has an awesome pre-made quiche that we eat quite often - it's located in the "foods to go" section of the store.

Rotisserie Chicken Pesto Pasta Salad

with fruit salad and garlic bread

This is a recipe I came up with a couple of years ago when I was craving pasta salad.  In a large bowl, mix together cooked cheese tortellini, cooked asparagus tips, cheery tomatoes (cut in half), chopped rotisserie chicken (I just use white meat), pesto (I use pre-made pesto), season with salt/pepper and top with grated Parmesan cheese.  Great served hot, warm, room temp or cold.

Crockpot Chicken Tacos

with refried black beans and mexican rice

New recipe I found on Pinterest

Turkey & Spinach Spaghetti

with garlic bread

This is a recipe that I adapted from a friend (secret family recipe) - I add ground turkey and a TON of chopped, fresh spinach.  It makes a lot, so I freeze half of it for another night or take to a friend. 

5 Can Soup

with tortilla chips

This is a Weight Watchers recipe that is super easy, cheap and low-calorie.  Heat 1 can of corn, 1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained), 1 can of mixed vegetables, 1 can of Rotel and 1 can of Minestrone soup.  I usually add 1/2 lb of cooked ground turkey too - but this week I will add the left over crockpot chicken from above.  Top with grated cheddar or mozzarella cheese.

Cauliflower Crust Pizza

with salad

I've seen this all over Pinterest lately so I can't wait to finally try it!  Hopefully Josh will approve!  For the pizza sauce, I will save some of the sauce from spaghetti night (before I add the ground turkey to it).

Eat Out

My favorite meal of the week - no cooking or dishes required!

This Week's Meals (a wee bit late)...

In a perfect world, I'd meal plan on Sunday and grocery shop on Sunday evening or Monday morning.  This week was not so perfect. Lucy girl has been sick with a virus (coughing and fever), so we've been homebound all week and this mamma has not been in the mood to meal plan. After we finished last week's dinners, we were able to manage for several days on random meals I pulled together and eating take-out once.  I forced myself sit down and meal plan yesterday while the girls were napping...so here are the next 7 days of dinners at our house...

Shredded BBQ Chicken Sliders

with veggie side

Turkey Taco Soup

with warm tortillas

(Recipe adapted from a friend - will probably eat this for 2 meals since it makes a ton)

Chicken, Spinach & Artichoke Sandwich Melts

with french fries and fruit salad

(New recipe I found on Pinterest)

Taco Bake

with refried black beans and chips/salsa

(New recipe I found on Pinterest - not healthy, but sounds yummy and easy!)

Pesto Pasta with Chicken Sausage & Roasted Brussels Sprouts

with garlic bread

(New recipe I found on Pinterest)

Garlic Chicken

with wild rice and oven roasted asparagus
(One of my favorite new chicken marinades - I added a few tablespoons of soy sauce)

Eat Out!

This Week's Meals...

Thin Crust Pizza

with Salad 

(my favorite store bought brand is Newman's Own Thin & Crispy)

Chicken Pot Pies

pre-made from Market Street

Crockpot Balsamic Chicken

with angel hair pasta and garlic bread

(looking forward to trying this recipe - thanks for the recommendation CeCe!)

Pioneer Woman Sour Cream Noodle Bake

with oven roasted asparagus 

Southwestern Egg Rolls

with Mexican rice and chips/salsa

Spinach & Black Bean Lasagna

with garlic bread

(frozen from last week - see recipe here)

Eat Out! 

If you have some easy, weeknight meals...please share!  I'd love to know your go-to recipes.  I still dread sitting down to meal plan...surely it gets easier, right?  It's like working out to me...dread it, but always feels good once it's done! :)

Meal Planning...

As I mentioned in a recent post, I'm working on becoming a better meal planner to help save time and money at the grocery store.  So, here's what's cooking at our house this week (click on recipe name to go to recipe)...

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

with white rice

Spinach & Black Bean Lasagna

with garlic bread

(recipe below)

No Peek Beef Tips

with egg noodles and a veggie side

Easy Garlic Chicken

with seasoned rice and a veggie side

CiCi's Pizza 

with our small group on Tuesday

Blue Ocean Take Out

probably chicken fried rice and California Rolls

I don't assign a day of the week to each meal (unless I know it has to happen on a particular day), because I need a little flexibility in my life with all this planning! :)  What's cooking at your house this week?

Spinach & Black Bean Lasagna 

Thank you Dot Gross for sharing this recipe with me - it's a staple in our house!

A

2 Large Eggs

1 (15oz) Ricotta Cheese

1 (10oz) package frozen chopped spinach (cooked)

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

B

2 (16oz) cans black beans (rinse, drained and mashed)

1 Large can Hunt's Tomato Sauce

1/2 tsp cumin

1 package NO bake lasagna noodles (no need to cook them before you use them)

2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese

2 cups Shredded Mexican Style Cheese

Mix A in a medium bowl.  Mix B in a large bowl.  In a 13X9 baking pan (sprayed with cooking spray) layer the following....

1/3 B

Noodles

1/2 A

1 Cup Mexican Cheese

Noodles

1/3 B

1/2 A

1 Cup Monterrey Jack Cheese

Noodles 

1/3 B

Cook for 1 hour covered with foil at 350.  After 1 hour, remove foil and sprinkle 1 cup of Mexican Cheese on top. Bake for 5 more minutes until cheese is melted.  Serves 8-10 people.  If it's just going to be me, Josh and Lucy eating it, I make this recipe in 2 smaller pans and freeze one of them for another night...it makes a ton!

Grocery Problems + New Recipes

One of my goals for 2013 is to meal plan better, cook more, use coupons...and thus SAVE MONEY at the grocery store.  First of all...I HATE THE GROCERY STORE and I know this is part of my problem of spending way too much money there...I tend to blow through the store throwing anything into my basket (not paying attention to prices/sales) so I can get the heck out of there!  And I'm horrible about taking weekly trips to the grocery store, spending $125-150 and coming home with no real meals to show for it.  What?!  So, January came and went...and we spent a ridiculous amount of money (again) on groceries...so much for new year resolutions!  But I started fresh in February and so far things are (slowly) improving.  I'm carving time out of my schedule each week to browse Pinterest for new and easy recipes, making my shopping list (in order of the store), writing down our meals for the week (so I don't forget what I bought/have to cook), clipping coupons when convenient (I wish I was better at this)....AND...wait for it...wait for it...USING CASH ONLY at the grocery store.  This has helped tremendously, because it makes me actually pay attention to what is on sale and compare prices on things before I just throw it into my basket.  It's like a game now (that I'm playing with myself)...and I always love a good dose of competition in my life.  And the more money I save, the quicker we can buy a new car...so this is motivating me as well!  I love my Tahoe...but I've been driving her for almost 11 years...so she's getting tired.  Josh and I would love to have the cash to buy a new (well, gently used...but new to us!) car early next year, so it's CASH ONLY at the grocery store, for eating out and for any household/toiletry items purchased at places like Target/Walmart/Sams, etc. for at least a year.  Using cash really makes me more conscious of what I'm buying and how much I'm actually spending...it sure does add up quick...and quicker when I use a credit card for everything!  So, here goes nothing!  New car...you better be worth it.

Looking for something new to cook??  I found these recipes on Pinterest that are new favorites in our house...

Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls

*I did not use jalapenos...and after the chicken/onions cooked, I dumped the mixture on a cutting board and chopped it up real fine before adding the other ingredients.  I did not make the cilantro cream sauce...dipping in ranch and salsa is delicious.  These are fabulous!

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

*I freeze half of the recipe (it makes 8 big enchiladas) for another night.  Yummy!

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

*I followed Sandra's directions to the tee...the soup is amazing for a cold day or when you're feeling crummy.

And 2 new cooking tips I've learned recently...

1.  For shredding chicken after it's cooked in the crockpot, use your KitchenAid mixer!!  Wow, it works perfectly and it's so quick!

2.  For cutting brownies, use a plastic knife in a sawing motion...works like a charm.  No more messy looking brownies!

October Supper Club...

Alisa hosted supper club this month at her house (for just the girls). Alisa is quite the gourmet cook and she whipped up one fine, fall themed meal! It was absolutely delicious! On the menu was (click on the title to go to recipe and I've also included Alisa's notes)....

Fall Salad
Notes: Instead of the endive and frisee I used organic spring mix (salad) and added 1 small head of radicchio. Also, do NOT use Shallot in the dressing recipe. This is a mistake on the website version of the recipe.

Thyme-Scented Roasted Vegetables
Notes: I did NOT measure anything out when I made this yesterday; the recipe just gave me ideas to go off of. I just chopped up the vegetables I knew I wanted to use, and tossed them with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh thyme.

Sunday Night Roast Chicken
Notes: I didn’t make the sauce for this recipe to go with the chicken. I figured it would have enough flavor on its own, and honestly I didn’t want to mess with having to make it!

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice BarsNotes: I followed the recipe for the bars, but used my own custom-blend gluten-free baking mix of ½ C brown rice flour, ½ C sorghum flour, ½ C arrowroot flour, and ¼ C sweet rice flour (and add the 1 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. baking soda, ¾ tsp. salt, and ¾ tsp. guar gum as the recipe calls for when using your own gluten-free flour blend). I didn’t follow the recipe for the frosting at all, I just threw it together last night!

Maple Marshmallow Filled Whoopie Pies
Notes: I used another custom-blend gluten-free baking mix of 1 ¼ C brown rice flour, 1 ¼ cups sorghum flour, 1 C tapioca flour, 1 C sweet rice flour, and 2 tsp. guar gum. Blend together well in a large bowl with a whisk and measure out what you need for the recipe. Also, when the recipe calls for vinegar, use apple cider vinegar. Again, I didn’t follow the recipe for the frosting, I just made my own from memory.
Seriously, everything was UNBELIEVABLY DELICIOUS!!! Here's to good friends and good food!

2 New Recipes...

This weekend, I tried 2 new recipes that I found on Pinterest. They both were easy, quick and delicious...perfect for weeknight meals. I'll definitely add them to my recipe repertoire!

Crockpot BBQ Chicken

It was just Josh and I, so I only used 2 chicken breasts (frozen) and halved the sauce recipe. I let it cook for 4.5 hours on low. It was so ridiculously tender that I ended up shredding it and turned it into BBQ chicken slider burgers. SO delicious!! And, Sweet Baby Ray's bbq sauce is amazing.

The Pioneer Woman's Sour Cream Noodle Bake

The recipe calls for beef, but ground turkey would be delicious too if you are looking for a lighter version. I used reduced fat sour cream and cottage cheese and it still tasted really good (some casseroles don't work well with reduced fat options). The recipe calls for 1.25 lbs of meat...but I think you need more. I ran out of meat once I started assembling the casserole. Next time, I'll use 1.5-2 lbs of meat. Delicious, delicious!!!!

Our Best Bites Cookbook...

I've been a follower of Our Best Bites for a couple of years now. I love their recipes...they are extremely delicious, crowd pleasers, and practical for the want-a-be-cook like me. I was so excited to receive their new cookbook as a hostess gift a couple of weeks ago (thanks Liz)! Every single recipe sounds and looks incredible....even if it takes me 5 years, I'm determined to cook my way through this book! One thing I love about the book is that they included beautiful pictures of each recipe, so you know what your end product should look like! I love that!

I had some left over sour cream that was about to expire, so I decided to begin my cooking quest on page 42 with the Sour Cream Pound Cake. Josh and I really like pound cake and this one did not disappoint! I wish I had some whip cream to put on top of it, but it was still tasty without it. Great for breakfast too! This recipe is not on their blog, so here you go...

Sour Cream Pound Cake
{From The Our Best Bites Cookbook}

1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
*to quickly bring the eggs to room temperature, place them in lukewarm water for 10-15 minutes
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F.

2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about one minute. Continue beating and add eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla and sour cream. Slowly add the flour mixture while beating, and beat just until combined.

3. Pour the batter into a greased 8-inch or 9-inch loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pan.

Enjoy!

*Next time, I think I will double the recipe and bake it in a bundt pan.
**I wish I had time to blog about all of the recipes I make from this cookbook (you know, kind-of like Julie Powell from Julie & Julia)...but that will NEVER happen. I don't have that kind-of time anymore! :) Sorry folks. But, when I come across a really good one, I'll be sure to share it!

I really can't describe in words....

How absolutely delicious this ice cream is...

{1/2 cup = 180 calories}

How incredibly yummy this cinnamon sugar kettle corn is...

{2 1/2 cups = 130 calories}

And how amazingly ridiculous these cookies are...

{I don't even want to know how many calories are in one of these babies!}

I've been on a diet for the past 2 months...and I've finally reached my goal! Can you tell I'm ready to EAT??!! All in moderation, right? Treat yourself!

Valentine's Treats...

When I think of Valentine's treats, I automatically think of chocolate. But, this year I decided to do something a little different. Instead of the typical chocolates and heart shaped goodies that I usually give, our family will be receiving homemade bread! This is the Kindergarten Bread recipe that I posted last month...it's so good, it's like you're eating dessert! Josh and I have to pace ourselves when I make it. Hopefully our family will enjoy it as well! After all, homemade treats are best....especially when they're made with L♥VE!

Enjoy the weekend!!

X♥X♥,
Mindy

Shrimp and Grits Casserole...

OK, so I promise that this is not becoming a food blog....I've just been cooking a lot lately and when I find something good, I must share! I made this shrimp and grits casserole last night for dinner and it was so good...actually, insanely good! I found the recipe on Cooking Light....my favorite new website to browse! This casserole is a must try...especially on a chilly night! I followed the directions to a tee. Super easy, so tasty and just 340 calories per serving! I promise this recipe will not disappoint....it will definitely become a staple in the Rives household! The grits (minus the shrimp and probably the lemon juice) would be a great side dish with steak or chicken too!

I also want to wish my brother and sister-in-law a very happy 10 year anniversary today!! Happy Anniversary Jimmy and Jill!! We love you!!!

S'more Brownies...

I've been on a big time cooking spree lately. And to be honest, I'm loving it!! I'm having so much fun diving into this new hobby of mine! I'm really enjoying learning how to "cook lighter" and figuring out how to make my normal "go to" recipes healthier. But every once in a while, I like to splurge on something sweet and not-so-healthy! Everything in moderation, right?! My friend and co-worker, Alison, introduced me to s'more brownies. She made them for our Super Bowl party on Sunday and everyone went wild over them. Now, Alison is a fabulous cook and baker (actually her new last name is Baker!) and I would never want to compete against her in the kitchen, but I just knew I could make these! So, I came home and did a little research on the Internet...and found this recipe for s'more brownies on Food Network. I read a lot of the comments that others had left and figured out how I would "tweak" the recipe to my liking. So, here is my version of the recipe....

Ingredients...

Crust
6 tablespoons butter melted
1 1/2 cups crushed graham cracker crumbs (I used the pre-crushed kind you can buy in the box)
2 tablespoons sugar
Pinch of salt

Brownie
Your favorite brownie mix...I used Ghirardelli's Brownie Mix
{Food Network's recipe says to make the brownies from scratch...but I'm all about semi-homemade!}

Topping

2-3 cups small marshmallows
{Food Network's recipe says to use large marshmallows, but that doesn't make sense to me.}

Directions...

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line an 8x8 inch square baking pan with foil so it hangs over the edges by about 1 inch.

Lightly butter the foil with some of the melted butter. Stir the rest of the butter together with the crumbs, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Press the crumb mixture evenly in the bottom of the pan. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.

While the crust is in the oven, follow the directions on the brownie box to make the brownie batter. After crust is finished baking, pour batter over crust and bake for 45-50 minutes. I kept the oven on 325, so it took a little longer to bake....closer to 50 minutes.

I let the brownies cool for about 15 minutes, then I pulled the brownies out of the pan using the foil edges/flaps. I used a sharp chopping knife (sprayed with cooking spray) to cut the brownies so they wouldn't get messy. Then I put the cut brownies back in the baking pan. {A lot of the comments that I read mentioned that the marshmallow topping was difficult to cut and looked really messy...so cutting the brownies before adding the marshmallows was the way to go for a prettier looking finished product.}

Sprinkle marshmallows on top of the brownies and toast under the broiler (on low) until golden brown...about 2 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them because they will brown quickly! Let cool for about 20 minutes. Gently remove the brownies from the pan using the foil edges/flaps. Separate any marshmallows from the foil. Use the same knife (sprayed with cooking spray) to re-cut the brownies.

And this is how my first batch of s'more brownies turned out...

So, when they were ready to eat, I said to Josh, "Hey, Josh, you wanna s'more? He replied, "Some more of what?" I said, "No, do you wanna s'more?" He said, "I haven't had anything yet, so how can I have some more of nothing?" I said, "You're killing me Smalls!"

Easy Apple Pie Cake Recipe...

My cousin, Gail, introduced me to this super easy apple pie cake. I made it for the first time last night for our home group....and it was devoured! When I say it's easy, I mean easy! It has 3 ingredients....

1 Box of spice cake mix
1 Can of apple pie filling
3 Eggs

Mix together and bake on 350 for 40-45 minutes in a greased and floured bundt pan. You can sprinkle the cake with powder sugar after it cools if you'd like. I forgot to do this step last night, but the cake still looked pretty and tasted great. This cake is not too sweet, so it would be great served for breakfast or brunch.....or served with cinnamon ice cream for a yummy dessert.

Here is a similar recipe I found online that has a few more ingredients in it....this version may be a bit sweeter...and definitely heavy in calories! The version I made with 3 ingredients has approximately 155 calories per slice (18 slices). Thanks for sharing your recipe, Gail!

Happy Friday everyone!

Kindergarten Bread...

I've never made bread in my life....until tonight! My Aunt Shirley shared with me an amazing bread recipe that is so delicious....it's perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. It's called Kindergarten Bread because it's so easy to make even a kindergartner could make it. And, it's true! So easy...and so GOOD!

Ingredients
2 Cups Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Grandma's Molasses (this is the secret ingredient)
2 Tbsp. Shortening
4 Cups Water
1 Yeast Package
1 Tbsp. Salt
8 Cups Flour
Cooking Spray
2-3 Tbsp. Butter

Directions

Combine Oats, sugar, molasses and shortening in a large bowl. Add 3 1/2 cups of boiling water. Stir well and cool until luke warm. Add 1 package of yeast dissolved in 1/2 cup of luke warm water. Add 1 Tbsp. of salt and 8 cups of flour. Mix as well as you can (dough will be very stiff). I used my hands. Place the dough in a large bowl (with room for the dough to rise) sprayed well with cooking spray. Spray the top of the dough with cooking spray and cover with saran wrap. Refrigerate overnight. The next day, divide dough in half and place in 2 loaf pans sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise for 1 hour. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 350. If loaves start getting too brown on top, put foil over them until fully baked. When you take the bread out of the oven, rub the tops with butter. Cool on cooling rack. Enjoy!!!

Right before they went in the oven...

The finished product...

Thanks Aunt Shirley for introducing me to this terrific bread!! XOXO!

The Perfect Brownie...

Back in September, I blogged about the Perfect Brownie....and for Christmas, I got one!!! Last night I finally had the chance to use it. And....IT WORKED!!!! I love this thing and will never make brownies again without it. My results...

Right after I took the brownies out of the oven...

I let them cool for 5 or so minutes before removing the divider piece....it came out very easily...

Ready to serve! With the Perfect Brownie, you can literally serve the brownies right out of the oven...no need to let them cool before cutting!

Perfect edges...

I have the perfect brownies ready for home group tonight!

Clean-up was extremely easy too....all pieces are dishwasher safe! You have to get one!!

Note: The directions say to spray the pan and divider well with cooking spray....and to place the brownie pan on top of a cookie sheet while baking just in case there are any leaks (the bottom of the brownie pan comes out so they can be displayed on the serving piece after baking). I following both of these directions.