Pumpkin Oat Pancakes

1/4 cup oats
1/4 cup egg whites
1/4 cup pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix together. Pour into hot skillet. Treat like any other pancake.

French Bread

2 TB. yeast
1/2 cup warm water
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tb. salt
5 Tb. oil
6 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in 1/2 cup warm water. Pour water into a bowl. Add sugar, salt, oil, and 3 cups flour. Add yeast mixture and remaining flour. Rest dough 10 min. Stir 5 times more resting 10 minutes between. Divide dough in half. Roll out into a rectangle and roll up tightly. Do the same with other half. Put side by side on a cookie sheet. With a knife, slash the top a few times. Brush with egg white. Bake at 400 degrees for 25-40 minutes or until desired brownness.

Easy Grilled Chicken

1/2 cup Italian dressing
1/2 teriyaki sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

In a bowl, add the Italian dressing, teriyaki sauce and garlic; stir to combine.
Add the chicken breast halves; cover and marinate in the fridge overnight.
Grill over until chicken is done. Discard marinade.

NOTE: most times we don't take time to marinate and its still awesome, maybe even better.
we use Kraft dressing and Mr. Yoshidas sauce.

Chicken Parmesan

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
salt & pepper
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 egg, beaten
4 tsp butter
2 cups spaghetti sauce
4 slices mozzarella cheese
1 tsp parmesan cheese, grated

Pound chicken to flatten. Salt & pepper to taste. Dip chicken in egg; then in breadcrumbs.
Fry in butter in hot skillet, turning and browning until chicken is done. Remove from skillet.
To skillet add spaghetti sauce. Heat throughly. Add chicken. Place cheese on top of chicken.
Sprinkle with parmesan. Cover and cook until cheese is melted. Serve with wheat spaghetti
noodles.

Honey Ham

1/2 cup honey
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup orange juice

Combine all & pour over ham. Cook ham as directed.

Alton Brown's Baked Brown Rice

1 1/2 cups brown rice, medium or short grain
2 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp kosher salt

Preheat oven to 375*F
Place the rice into an 8 inch square dish
Bring water, butter & salt just to a boil. Once water boils, pour it over the rice. Stir to combine.
Cover the dish tightly with foil. Bake on the middle rack for 1 hour.
After 1 hour, remove cover and fluff the rice with fork & serve.

Oven Fried Chicken Chimichangas

2/3 cup your favorite salsa
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
1 cup shredded cheese
2 green onions, chopped
6 tortillas
2 Tbsp melted margarine
Toppings of your choice

Mix chicken, salsa, cumin, oregano, cheese and onions.
Place about 1/4 cup of the chicken mixture in the center of each tortilla.
Roll tortilla up & lay seam side down on baking sheet.
Brush with melted butter. Bake at 400F for 25 minutes or until golden.
Garnish with your choice of toppings.

Salsa Chicken & Black Bean Soup

1 pound chicken
1 cup dried black beans or 2 cans drained & rinsed
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn
1 (16oz)jar prepared salsa
1 1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup sour cream
Shredded cheese, avocado, cilantro or chips if desired

Place first 6 ingredients into crockpot. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Scoop out two cups of soup into blenger and blend until smooth. Pour back into crockpot. Stir in sour cream before serving and garnish with your choice of toppings. Serve with tortilla chips if desired

buffalo wild wings sauce

HONEY BBQ SAUCE

2 c. ketchup
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients together. Let stand at room temperature for several hours allowing flavors to blend. Use your favorite BB meats: ribs, steaks, poultry, etc.; basting frequently.

OR

SWEET HEAT BUFFALO WING SAUCE

1/2 cup of Louisiana hot sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
5-8 chicken wings


Before mixing the chicken, stir the sugar and Louisiana hot sauce together and pour over the chicken

BUFFALO WILD WINGS

FOR THE WINGS:
20 chicken wing pieces
6 to 12 cups vegetable shortening
1/4 cup to 1/3 cup choice of sauce (recipes follow)
Celery sticks (for serving)

Heat shortening in your fryer to 350 degrees F.

Drop wings into shortening and fry for 10 to 12 minutes, or until wings are turning light brown. Remove wings to a rack or paper towels to drain for 1 minute.

Put wings into plastic container with a lid. Add 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup of your own sauce of to container, put lid on and give a good shake.

Pour wings onto plate and add celery on the side.

Serves 2 to 4 as an appetizer

SPICY GARLIC WING SAUCE:
1 cup Frank's cayenne pepper
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

MEDIUM WING SAUCE:
1 cup Frank's cayenne pepper sauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch

HOT WING SAUCE:
1 cup Frank's cayenne pepper sauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Combine all ingredients except egg yolk, water, and cornstarch for sauce of your choice in a small saucepan. Heat sauce over medium heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and allow it to cool, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

While sauce cools, vigorously whisk egg yolk with 2 teaspoons water in a medium bowl for about 2 minutes or color is pale yellow. Whisk in cornstarch until dissolved. Drizzle sauce mixture into egg yolk mixture in a steady stream while rapidly whisking. This will create a thick, creamy emulsion that will prevent oil from separating. Cover sauce and chill until needed.

Makes 1 1/2 cups

CARIBBEAN JERK SAUCE
Makes 2 cups

3 tablespoons margarine
2 tablespoons minced green onion (white and light green parts only)
1 cup water
3/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons Frank's cayenne pepper sauce
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon rubbed sage

Melt margarine over a medium-low heat. Add minced green onions and cook 5 minutes. You just want to sweat the onions to soften them up. You're not looking to brown them.

Remove pan from heat, and whisk in remaining ingredients. Put pan back on the stove and bring mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until sauce darkens and thickens. Cover sauce, then cool and chill until needed.

coconut pecan chocloate chip blondies

Ingredients:
1 Egg
3/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar, packed
1 Stick Butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
3/4 Cup + 2 Tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1/8 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Pecans, chopped
2/3 Cup Sweetened Flaked Coconut
3/4 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
-
Directions:
In a large bowl, beat egg and brown sugar until fluffy. Add butter and vanilla, mix well. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the brown sugar mixture, stir until just combined. Stir in coconut, chocolate chips and pecans. Spread into a greased 8x8 baking dish. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, there can be a small scrape of dough, just make sure not to overcook them, because they will continue cooking for a bit once you take them out of the oven. Cut into bars

penne bacon alfredo

Ingredients:
5 Slices Thick Cut Bacon, diced into medium size pieces
4 Tablespoons Butter
1 1/2 Cups Half & Half
8 oz. Penne
3/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Large Garlic Clove, minced
Salt & Pepper, to taste
-
Directions:
In a fry pan, cook your bacon until chewy (or longer if you like your bacon crunchy) and then drain on a paper towel lined plate; set aside. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil, then add a touch of olive oil and plenty of salt and then dump in your pasta. While your pasta is cooking, melt the butter and garlic in a deep fry pan until butter is melted all the way. Pour your half & half into the pan and whisk to combine it with the butter. Bring the mixture to a simmer and then sprinkle in your Parmesan cheese and whisk to melt it into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to your liking, and then stir in your bacon. Drain your pasta and add it to your sauce and mix everything until all of the pasta is coated evenly.

bacon mac n cheese

1 b.pasta (I used large macaroni)
8-10 slices bacon, diced
1 Tbs butter
3 Tbs flour
2 cups milk
onion powder
garlic powder
salt
pepper
cayenne pepper
½ lb. cheddar cheese, shredded
1 c.pepper-jack cheese, shredded
1 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
whatever other cheeses you need to use up in your fridge

Boil pasta until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, cook your bacon. When the bacon is done, transfer to a paper towl and let drain. Save about 2 Tbsp of the grease and add the butter. When the butter is melted, whisk in flour until smooth. Whisk in milk in a thin stream. Add your seasonings. Bring to boil and let thicken. In large bowl, toss together all the cheeses. When the milk mixture is thickened (not too thick, think a chowder consistency) remove from heat, and add about 1½ c. of the cheese. Toss the bacon with remaining cheese. Combine cooked pasta and cheese sauce. Pour half into a 9x13 greased pan. Sprinkle w/ a generous cup of bacon-cheese mixture. Repeat. Bake at 350degs for about 20-25 minutes. Turn the broiler on for the last few minutes until the top is browned.

bbq pepper jack chicken

boneless chicken breasts
seasoned salt
Sweet Baby Ray’s or another BBQ sauce
pepper jack cheese slices

If the chicken breasts are frozen, go ahead and put them on the hot grill. Let them thaw a bit and then sprinkle them with seasoned salt. If they’re already thawed you can add the seasoned salt before you put them on the grill. Cook them until they are nearly done, then baste with barbecue sauce. Top each chicken breast with a slice of cheese, letting it melt before removing the chicken from the grill.

cinnamon honey syrup

The amounts for this are only determined by how much you want to make. I used a bit more than a half stick of butter, a big glob of honey and several shakes of cinnamon. Melt them all together over low heat and drizzle over hot waffles. Yum! You’ll be the most popular person in your house on Saturday morning.

spicy garlic pizza

■12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts or tenders
■1/4 cup green onions, chopped
■2 cloves garlic, minced
■2 Tbs. vinegar
■2 Tbs. soy sauce
■2 Tbs. vegetable oil + 1 Tbs. for cooking chicken
■1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
■1/2 tsp. black pepper
■1 Tbs. water
■1 Tbs. cornstarch
■1 pizza crust
■1/2 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
■1/2 cup grated Mozzarella cheese
Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. In a bowl, combine the onions, garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, 2 Tbs. of the oil, and the cayenne and black peppers. Add the chicken, stirring to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the remaining Tbs. of oil in a skillet. Drain the chicken and reserve the marinade. Add the chicken to the skillet and cook until done, stirring often. Add the cornstarch and Tbs. of water to the marinade. Pour the marinade mixture into the skillet with the chicken. Cook until thickened and bubbly. Cool and then freeze in a ziploc bag.

Combine the cheeses in another ziploc bag and store in the fridge. Label with these instructions, “Thaw chicken mixture in the fridge. Spread chicken mixture on the pizza crust. Cover with the cheeses. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-14 minutes.”

I doubled this recipe and we had enough for lunch the next day. Good stuff!

monkey bars

Makes 1 dozen.

Cooking spray
5 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup sweet-potato baby food (stage 1 or 2)
1/4 cup carrot baby food (stage 1 or 2)
2 large bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
1 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup white-chocolate chips (optional)
Note: Carrot and sweet-potato baby food can be used interchangeably; use one or the other, or both, as long as it totals 1/2 cup.

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Spray the bottom, not the sides, of an 11 by 7-inch or a 9-inch-square pan.

2. In a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter, sugar, and salt. Remove from heat, and allow mixture to cool about 5 minutes.

3. Whisk in the baby food, bananas, vanilla, and egg yolks. Add the oats and flour, and mix until just combined. Pour the entire mixture into the prepared baking pan, and bake for 40 to 43 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

4. Allow to cool completely in pan before cutting. If desired, melt the white-chocolate chips in the microwave (on high for 15-second intervals), then drizzle across the bars.

bonbons

Makes 2 dozen.

1/4 cup sweet-potato baby food (stage 1 or 2)
1/4 cup carrot baby food (stage 1 or 2)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick- cooking)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, optional
Topping options: 3 Tbsp sugar, cinnamon sugar, sprinkles
Note: Carrot and sweet-potato baby food can be used interchangeably; use one or the other, or both, as long as it totals 1/2 cup.

1. Pour desired topping onto a plate or parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine baby food and peanut butter. Mix in wheat germ, oats, and chocolate chips, if using.

3. Scoop up heaping teaspoon-size amounts of batter, and roll into balls with your hands. Roll balls in topping to coat completely. Wrap individually in plastic wrap to refrigerate or freeze

Sneaky Chef cocoa chocolate chip pancakes

Ingredients
3/4 cups Flour Blend (equal parts white flour, whole-wheat flour, and wheat germ)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg
1/4 cup Purple Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe No. 1)
2 tablespoons honey or pure maple syrup
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Butter or cooking spray, for greasing skillet


Preparation
Mix together Flour Blend, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder. Set aside. (To store for instant cocoa pancake mix in the future, triple the dry ingredients and keep in a sealed, labeled plastic bag.) In another bowl, whisk together the vanilla, milk, egg, Purple Puree, honey (or maple syrup) and optional blueberries, if using. (If using frozen berries, don’t thaw them before adding; this will prevent bleeding.) Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones until just blended. (Don’t overmix.) Add a little milk if batter is too thick. Add the chocolate chips and mix lightly.

Butter or spray a large skillet over medium heat. Test the pan to see if it’s hot enough by tossing a few drops of water in — it should sizzle. The skillet will grow hotter over time, so turn it down if it starts to smoke. Drop tablespoons or small ladles of batter onto the skillet in batches. Try to get chocolate chips with each pancake. When bubbles begin to set around the edges of the pancake and the skillet-side of the pancake is golden (peek under), gently flip them over. Continue to cook 2 to 3 minutes or until pancakes are set.

Serve stacked high, dusted with powdered sugar, drizzled with warm maple syrup, or, for an extra boost of fruit, homemade berry syrup.

burgers

Burgers
1 large egg
1/4 cup Purple Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe No. 1)
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup fresh whole-wheat bread crumbs*
1 pound lean ground beef
8 to 10 American cheese slices (optional)
8 to 10 hamburger buns or English muffins (preferably whole-grain)
Pickle slices and ketchup to garnish

To make burgers:
In a large bowl, mix egg, Purple Puree, ketchup, salt and bread crumbs. Then add the ground beef, mixing with hands until well combined. If too sticky, add a few more bread crumbs.

Using damp hands, shape mixture into 8 to 10 patties that are fairly thin. At this point, the burgers may be prepared a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. If you are not freezing for future use, proceed to next steps.

Spray a large skillet or grill pan with nonstick cooking spray and set over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook the burgers for 3 minutes on each side, then flip and add cheese (optional) to melt over patties for another 3 minutes.

breakfast cookies

SNEAKY CHEF’S BREAKFAST COOKIES

Nutrition Highlights: whole grains, calcium, and protein. Rich in vitamins B and E, iron, potassium, folic acid, calcium, tryptophan protein, and fiber.

2 cups whole grain cereal flakes (such as Wheaties or Total)
3/4 cup Flour Blend (1/4 cup white flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat flour, and 1/4 cup wheat germ)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup low-fat ricotta cheese
Cinnamon sugar for dusting*
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or spray with oil).
Using a rolling pin, gently crush the cereal (in a sealed plastic bag) into coarsely crushed flakes. Alternatively, you can quickly pulse the cereal in a food processor.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together Flour Blend, crushed cereal, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, oil, vanilla, and ricotta cheese. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just enough to moisten dry ingredients. Drop single tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, leaving about an inch between cookies. Flatten cookies with the back of a fork and then sprinkle tops generously with cinnamon sugar (or just sugar if your kids don’t like the cinnamon flavor). Bake about 18 to 20 minutes, or until nicely browned and crispy around the edges.
Makes 16 to 18 large cookies.

*Cinnamon has been found to help stabilize blood-glucose levels, thereby preventing the usual “crash and burn” feeling we all get after eating sweets.