Divine S'more Bars

Holy S'mores these are amazing! These bars are absolutely die for. I could hardly keep myself from eating the whole pan...yes, they are that good. It totally reminds me of camping. Everyone MUST try these!

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s) or 4 regular sized bars

1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined .Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread the marshmallow layer across the chocolate. This part can get fairly messy J Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Found this recipe from Here

Lemon Meringue Pie

We had a lot of extra lemons in the house, so my mom decided to make a Lemon Meringue Pie! It's such a refreshing pie and a nice change from the traditional berry pie. I really enjoy the different texture of it! Not to mention, it's really beautiful!
The crust! This crust is from my great grandma and it is truly one of a kind. I have NEVER had a pie crust that is as good as this one. We use this pie crust for every type of pie. It is definitely a family recipe that has and will be in our family for ever!

Pie Crust:
4 cups flour
1 3/4 cups vegetable shortening (Crisco)
1 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg
1 tablespoon vinegar
Ice water

Sift dry ingredients. Cut in crisco(using fork)- very slowly. Then combine in clear a pyrex 2 cup measuring cup: 1 egg- beaten plus 1 tablespoon vinegar. Fill with ice cold water till it reaches 1/2 cup in liquid. Then mix this into the flour and crisco, again, very slowly, stirring with a fork.
This dough is hard to work with, so roll out immediately. I pat it out a bit, then roll it out on a floured piece of wax paper. (This makes it easy to transfer, or cover with another piece of wax paper, and freeze in a zip lock bag.)
This recipe makes 2 pies, or 4 single pie crusts. Freeze the dough that is not used.

For this recipe, bake just 1 crust at 350* for about 15 minutes. Makes sure and fork the pie crust so air can escape the bottom of the dough.
_________________________________________________________________________________


The Pie
Place in saucepan on low heat:
6 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups water
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons lemon juice

Meringue:
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 egg whites
1/3 cup sugar

Directions:
Mix, and put first 4 ingredients in a saucepan. Start to cook, stir constantly on low heat. After this mixture cooks for about 3-4 minutes. Add: 3 egg yolks mixed with 1/3 cup sugar. Keep stirring and keep on medium to low heat. When it reaches a boil, let it boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons butter, and 5-6 tablespoon lemon juice. Beat and let cool. Pour into already cooked pie shell.

Beat cream of tartar, egg whites, and sugar (1/4 cup to 1/3 cup). Beat till stiff. Pour over lemon pie-outside edges touching crust first. Put in 350* oven and brown for approx. 10-15 minutes. Keep refrigerated.

Chicken Taco Casserole

Tonight was a "Pinterest" meal night. One night a week my mom tries out a new recipe and this one is a keeper! This casserole is so yummy and easy! Everyone in the family loved it and the best part is...leftovers for tomorrow! We found this recipe on Pinterest and its from Six Sisters. This recipe is great for a family.

Ingredients:
1 (10 oz) bag tortilla chips
2 (10.75 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes and green chilis (Ro-tel)
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (1 oz) packet taco seasoning
3 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
2 cups cheddar cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350* degrees. Lightly grease 9x13-inch pan. In a large bowl, combine the chicken soup, sour cream, Ro-tel, black beans, taco seasoning and chicken. Set aside.
Crush chips with hands (don't crush too small though) and spread half of them on the bottom of the pan. Spread half of the chicken mixture over the tortillas. Top with 1 cup of cheese. Repeat layers. Bake for 30 minutes, until bubbly and cheese is starting to brown.

I topped my casserole with salsa, green sauce and tapatio.
**When we made this, we made homemade chips instead. So good!**

Artisan Free-Form Loaf

This is seriously the BEST bread ever! It makes 4 loaves and you can store the dough in the fridge for up to 14 days until you need it. The way it's cooked makes a chewy outside and a soft inside. It is amazing! The bread hardly last a minute in the house, it is gone before the rest of the meal is even ready. It's really good with any kind of pasta dish.
We got this recipe off a site, so Here is the recipe! You won't be disappointed!

Buttermilk Chocolate Bread

This is seriously the best chocolate bread ever. I feel like anything that has buttermilk in it is just amazing! The buttermilk makes it so moist and delicious. You know the amazing chocolate muffins that Costco makes? Well this taste exactly like them! Put some butter on it while its warm and this bread will knock your socks off, one of my favorite breads of all time!

 Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350*. Grease the bottom of a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the buttermilk  Combine the flour, 1/2 cup cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt: stir into the buttermilk mixture until moistened. Mix in 1 cup of chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes in the preheated oven, until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing t a wire rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin Spice Pancakes

This is one of my favorite meals in the entire world! My mom and I discovered these pancakes in the fall of last year and we are hooked on these! It is probably one of the best pancakes I have ever had in my life! The flavor is out of this world, it's downright amazing! Homemade Buttermilk Caramel Syrup, homemade whip cream and walnuts on top...nothing is better than that! We've made these pancakes for countless people and they all LOVE them! They are such a treat in the morning. Warning!!! You will crave these ALL the time! Also I think it is important that you know...you will not have any manners when you eat these, you may lick the plate. I do! 

Ingredients for pancakes:
2 1/2 cups flour
4 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 cups milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
4 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs

Directions:
Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. In a separate bowl, stir together milk, pumpkin puree, melted butter, and egg; fold mixture into dry ingredients. Set griddle to 350* and use non-stick spray on a griddle. Pour the desired size of the pancake. Cook pancakes about 2-3 minutes per side. Serve with Buttermilk Caramel Syrup, homemade whip cream, and walnuts on top (instructions listed below). Enjoy!



Caramel Buttermilk Syrup:
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring buttermilk, sugars, and butter to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in soda and vanilla. It will bubble a lot. Use a large enough saucepan to prevent syrup from boiling over. As it cools, the bubbles will go away. Keep the left overs in a dish and store in the refrigerator. After it is stored in the refrigerator, you will have to warm the syrup before serving again. We place the bottle in warm water before serving so it becomes liquid again. Or you could microwave it.




Homemade Whip Cream:
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons of powdered sugar

Directions:
Make sure whipping cream is cold and place in mixer. Add the sugar. Using the whisk attachment, beat the cream on high until peaks are formed. Takes about 2 minutes. Enjoy!

Banana & Peanut Butter Sushi

I made this yummy treat for my breakfast this morning. Makes a great snack or lunch and it was super easy and delicious! Kids would love it for a snack too!

Here's what you need:
1 flour tortilla
2 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter
1 medium banana
Cinnamon & Sugar

Place peanut butter all over the tortilla. Place the whole banana on the peanut butter then sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top! Slice up into bite sizes and place tooth picks on top :) You have just made yummy protein filled sushi!

The Greek Sandwich

Here is another panini sandwich, I just love them! However, this Greek one is my absolute favorite! This is the best sandwich on this earth! Definitely my favorite lunch or dinner to have! There is no other restaurant that makes a panini this good. It's down right amazing and mouth watering! No joke... Must try!

Ingredients:
2 slices of Sourdough Bread
1 1/2 tablespoons Brianas Asiago Caesar Dressing (Must have)
2-3 slices of Ham, Turkey or 2.5 ounces of Chicken (whatever is on hand)
2 Artichoke Hearts sliced
8-9 Pieces of Sun-dried Tomatoes
Spinach
Red Onion
1 tablespoon or more of Feta cheese
Pepperoncinis
1 slice of Pepper-Jack Cheese (if desired)
Italian Seasoning sprinkles

Directions:
Spread dressing evenly on the bread. The next part is simple...add all the ingredients above to the sandwich,  then place it in the panini grill for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. I never really measure out all the ingredients, I just put what looks right to me on the sandwich. These measurements are just guidelines :)


*Notes*
-If you don't have sourdough bread, that's totally fine! You can use french bread, white bread, brown bread, or anything you have on hand. I've just found that sourdough is the best!
-For the meat, I usually do whatever my mom has in the fridge, sometimes it's just ham and sometimes chicken. Any meat is good in this!
-Toppings. You don't have to have all these toppings just to make the sandwich. If you don't have one ingredient, that's totally fine, still make it! You can also add black olives or any topping you think would be good on it :)

Turkey Bacon Ranch Panini

I love Paninis and this is a good one I made for my dad today, he LOVED it! It's loaded with yummy meats and has tons of flavor!

Ingredients:
2 slices of sourdough bread or French Bread
1 1/2 tablespoons ranch
2 slices of ham
2 slices of Turkey
2 Tablespoons Bacon Crumbles
1 slice of Swiss Cheese
Feta Cheese
Italian Seasoning

Directions:
Spread the ranch dressing on the 2 slices of bread. Place all the meat of the bread. Sprinkle as much feta as desired (I like about 1-1 1/2 TBLS) over meat. Then place Swiss cheese over feta and sprinkle Italian seasoning on top. Place in a panini grill for about 2 mins or until bread is golden brown and cheese has melted. Enjoy!

Marbled Chocolate Bars

Found these on a blog tonight and decided to try 'em out. They are really yummy and I love the hint of almond flavor in them. Super easy to make and I felt like a pro since they turn out so pretty! Here is the recipe.
*When you make them, I would not do a whole teaspoon of almond though, go easy on it!

My mom's famous potato rolls

My mom makes these fantastic rolls for every holiday! They are the perfect rolls with the perfect sweetness! These are so yummy and easy!

Ingredients:

¾ cup butter                                                                       

4 tablespoons sugar                                               

2 teaspoons salt      

1 cup mashed potatoes                                               

2 eggs, well beaten at room temperature

1 ½ cups potato water (saved from boiling potatoes)

1 heaping tablespoon yeast

7 cups flour

Directions:

Important! Save the water you boil the potatoes in!

Cream butter, sugar, and salt in mixer. Blend in mashed potatoes until smooth. Dissolve the yeast in the potato water after water is cooled for 5 minutes. Combine 2 eggs to the dissolved water mixture. Add flour mixture to the liquid and make dough in mixer using a dough hook. Knead till silky, not tough. (Take out dough when it’s not quite done and finish with hand kneading.) Rise in warm place for 1 ½ hours. Punch dough down. Divide into rolls (a little bigger than the size of a golf ball), place in greased 9x13 pan, and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake 375* for 20 minutes. Makes 26 rolls.

My alternative to ice cream is Greek Yogurt!

My yummy dessert of the night!

When everyone in my family is having ice cream, I have Greek yogurt! I made my own version of a banana split tonight and it was super good! This makes a great snack or breakfast too!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
3-4 frozen strawberries (defrost in microwave)
half of a banana
1/8 cup pineapple tidbits
homemade whip cream (if desired)
walnuts sprinkled on top
stevia to sweeten yogurt

I put my yogurt in the freezer for about 2o mins so it got kind of slushy, then I put all my toppings on top!

Soft Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip cookies are probably the most famous cookie ever and this is one of the best recipes for it! This cookie is so soft and chewy and downright delicious! Guaranteed to satisfy.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter softened 

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 package instant vanilla pudding mix

2 eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 -1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips 

Directions:

Cream butter, sugars, and pudding in mixing bowl.  Add eggs, beat well after each one is added. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda and add to creamed mixture. Stir chocolate chips into mixture. Bake at 350* on a ungreased baking sheet for 8-10 minutes. Bake until lightly brown, not too much though!  Makes 41 cookies and one cookie is 129 calories each. 

Low Calorie Tropical Smoothie

I have been making this smoothie forever and I just love it! I use to count calories on myfitness pal and was always upset that this smoothie had a lot of calories in it, but I figured out how to make it low calorie and even tastier! First off, I use Almond Milk, which saves a lot of calories, but the trick is not using frozen fruits when you make it. I defrost my fruit in the microwave first...this means less liquid, which means less calories.

Ingredients: 
4-5 Large Strawberries
1/2 cup of peaches (about 4-5 slices from a can)
1/3 cup pineapple tidbits
1 Tablespoon stevia or sweetner of choice
1 cup ice
1/3 cup Almond Milk

Directions:
If you are using frozen fruits, first defrost them in the microwave about 40 seconds or until soft. Place all the ingredients in the blender and blend until it looks like a whirlpool in the blender, if you don't get that whirlpool add more liquid. You can top it with whip cream too! Makes 1 smoothie :)

Easy Homemade Hamburger Buns

Homemade Hamburger Buns-Super Easy!

These buns make that fresh burger that much better! These will seriously add so much flavor to your good ol' American Hamburger. My aunt said she makes these all the time, so we decide to add this to our recipe book of amazing breads! It's definitely a keeper. You won't be disappointed in these homemade buns! Enjoy :)

Ingredients:

1 cup milk

1 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons salt       

5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast

1 egg yolk

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

1. Combine the milk, 1 cup of water, butter, sugar and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil then remove from the heat and let stand until lukewarm. If the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast.

In a large bowl, stir together the flour and yeast. Pour in wet ingredients and stir until the dough starts to pull together. If you have a stand mixer, use the dough hook to mix for about 8 minutes. If not, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let stand until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

2. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 portions They should be a little larger than a golf ball. Make tight balls out of the dough by pulling the dough tightly around and pinching it at the bottom. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. After the rolls sit for a minute and relax, flatten each ball with the palm of your hand until it is 3 to 4 inches wide. You may want to oil your hand first. Set rolls aside until they double in size, about 20 minutes.

3. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Mix together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water in a cup or small bowl. Brush onto the tops of the rolls. Position 2 oven racks so they are not too close to the top or bottom of the oven.

4. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove the rolls from the oven and return them to different shelves so each one spends a little time on the top. Continue to bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until nicely browned on the top and bottom.

This recipe is from All Recipes Here

Then use that wonderful bun to make a delicious burger like this!

By the way...We have discovered the secret to making the best burger ever!!!! Instead of doing it on the BBQ,  we pull out the griddle and cook it on there. But here's the secret...place a saucepan lid over the top of the burger while cooking and right before the burger is almost done, put the cheese on the burger and keep the lid on (We also put bacon or ham on before the cheese sometimes and let the cheese melt over the extra meat). The cheese will melt into a ooey-gooey yummy amazingness! Yes that's right ooey & gooey! It's the best ever. 

Fresh Wrap- Perfect for school lunch

Fresh Wrap

Here’s an AMAZING lunch I pack for school almost every day, I just can’t get enough of it! It’s definitely one of my favorite lunches for school and outside of school!It's so full of flavor and the cucumbers make it so good and crunchy.

What you need:

Flour Tortilla

Laughing Cow Creamy Swiss Wedge

Cucumber

Spinach

Red Onion

Feta
Mushrooms

Pepperoncinis

Black Olives

Briannas Caesar Dressing

And whatever else you think would be yummy on it!

Instructions:

Spread Laughing Cow over tortilla. Put the cucumber and spinach on first, then everything else. If you are packing it for school or work, make sure and put about 1 Tablespoon or more of dressing in a small bag so you can drizzle it on top of the wrap before you eat it…we don’t want it getting soggy! If you aren't packing it, go ahead and pour the dressing on top right before you eat it. J The dressing makes it, so make sure you got it!

Quick Healthy Breakfast!

Extreme Toast!

I love this breakfast when I’m in a rush! My mom usually makes an amazing homemade breakfast every morning, but when she takes a break from the kitchen, this is what I make! I especially love it on Dave’s Killer Bread! Quick, easy and healthy!

What you need:

Whole Grain Bread

1 TBS Adams Peanut Butter

Half a banana

Raisins

Chopped walnuts are super yummy on top too!  

The raisins are such a good go together with bananas and peanut butter! Must try!

Good is good

No matter the circumstances, hold fast to what is good. 

Cling to the Lord because He is good.

Download Here

Low Calorie No Crust Quiche

This is a yummy quiche recipe if you are looking for a low calorie breakfast that will fill you up! I don't miss the crust either...it saves extra calories! You can eat 1/4 of this quiche for only 204 calories & and refrigerate the rest for later :) 

7 eggs

2/3c. & a little more milk

Any veggies desired :) Spinach, broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, red onions, peppers, squash, feta, bacon bits….Whatever is on hand! (Ps...You can also add cheese if you want to splurge a bit) 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Oil a pie pan and chop veggies or meats into small pieces.  Spread veggies along the bottom and fill the pan. Combine eggs and milk in a bowl. Pour the mixture over the veggies & bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned.

 204 calories for a quarter of quiche . 16grams protei&13grams fat

Skinnier Chai Latte

Almond Milk is down right amazing! I use it instead of milk and I actually prefer it now. Mixing almond milk with chai is just perfect and a lot fewer calories too. I love it!

 What you need:

·      Chai Latte Concentrate (Oregon Chai)

·      Almond milk (Vanilla Almond milk is really good because of its sweetness!)

·      Nutmeg & Cinnamon

·      Homemade whip cream to top it off

Mix ½ cup Chai concentrate and ½ cup Almond Milk. Microwave for about 2 minutes and top with homemade whip cream and nutmeg & cinnamon if desired. J

Love on a Pita!

Presenting the BEST EVER Pita!
This is probably one of my favorite lunches/dinner EVER! Its soooooo delicious…it’s actually mouth watering! I love to make this on a flat bread or on sourdough bread as a panini! Here’s the secret to this amazing sandwich…it’s the dressing! It’s to die for. Go make this pita right away! Enjoy  

Here's what you need to make this: 

-Flat bread (I like the Greek Pita Flat Bread)

-Brianas Asiago Caesar Dressing (This is a MUST)

-Spinach

-Artichoke hearts

-Pepperoncinis 

-Sun dried tomatoes

-Black olives

-Chicken

-Feta cheese

-Red onion

-Pepper jack cheese

-Italian seasoning

Instructions:

Set oven on Broil at 450*. Place flat bread on a cooking sheet. Put about 1-2 TBL (depending on how much you like) of Caesar dressing on flat bread and add all the toppings! After toppings are added, sprinkle some Italian Seasoning on top. (FYI I always put spinach on after the dressing, then pile everything on top.) My flat bread is always different depending on the ingredients we have, but any variation of these ingredients is AMAZING! Broil for about 2 mins. or until cheese has melted and fold it up and enjoy!

Encouraging Verse of the Day:

I love these little print outs! I have them printed and hung throughout my room as little bits of encouragement J  

     Download here 

                                                                          

Perfect White Bread!

Amish White Bread

Here is a fantastic recipe for good 'ol white bread. It cuts great and works perfectly for sandwiches! Not to mention it is super easy to make and the results are so rewarding! Enjoy

 Ingredients :

· 2 cups warm water

· 2/3 cup white sugar

· 1 1/2 cup white sugar

· 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

· 1/4 cup vegetable oil

· 6 cups bread flour

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, dissolve the sugar in warm water, and then stir in yeast. Allow to proof until yeast resembles a creamy foam.

2. Mix salt and oil into the yeast. Mix in flour one cup at a time. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Place in a well oiled bowl, and turn dough to coat. Cover with a damp cloth. Allow to rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

3. Punch dough down. Knead for a few minutes, and divide in half. Shape into loaves, and place into two well oiled 9x5 inch loaf pans. Allow to rise for 30 minutes, or until dough has risen 1 inch above pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes