Crazy delicious MnM Cookies

So, I haven’t posted to this blog in a few light years. After making some life-changing cookies, I decided it was time to jump back in. It may sound strange, but I don’t typically eat my own baked goods. Don’t get me wrong, they are good….I taste to ensure their goodness and move on. I bake for the pure joy of it.  Serious.

So these cookies have changed my life, in that I have eaten three of them since they came out of the oven…and there are more in my future.

Here’s the scoop on how to change your life via a cookie.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of room temp to soft unsalted butter (3 sticks)

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

2 small boxes of vanilla instant pudding (3.4 oz box)

Mix (I use my 6qt Kitchen Aid, she’s a beaute!)

1.5 tsp baking soda

2 tsp salt

4 cups flour

1.5 cups of mini MnM’s, chocolate chips, or whatever floats your boat

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees
2. In mixer bowl combine butter, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, and pudding mix
3. Add eggs, one at a time
4. Add vanilla
5. Cream until smooth
6. Mix in the vanilla pudding, baking soda, and salt
7. Mix flour one cup at a time to avoid chaos
8. Hand mix in MnM’s to avoid crushing (mix will be THICK)
9. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, scoop dough onto parchment lined cookie sheets
10. Bake 9-10 minutes
11. Allow to cool for a few minutes before devouring or transferring to a cooling rack

 

 

Candied Pecans

This recipe is super easy! And used only a few ingredients!

Ingredients
1 pound pecan halves
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 egg white
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp water

Recipe
Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Spray a cookie sheet (with sides) with non-stick spray.
Place sugar, salt and cinnamon in gallon size Baggie and mix.
Place egg white, water, vanilla in a large bowl and whip until light foam appears.
Dump pecan halves in bowl and coat pecans in egg white mixture.
Pour coated pecans into gallon Baggie of sugar mixture.
Shake contents.
Pour contents onto single layer on cookie sheet.
Place in oven for 60 minutes.
In 20 minute intervals remove cookie sheet remove from oven and stir pecans, then place back into oven.

Try to allow pecan to cool slightly prior to eating, you tongue will thank you!

Enjoy!

Amish Style Baked Oatmeal

Last summer we went to our church’s Family Camp. All of the meals were provided, Ahhhhhh yes zen!! In the mornings they has several options including a baked oatmeal. Day 1, did not try, too scared of it. Day 2, convinced by the cook to give it a try. I scooped it up, just like he told me to, and poured a little milk over it. Oh man, so delicious! It’s like desert for breakfast. Here’s my tweeked version:

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 T oil
1 – 3/4 cups quick cook oats

In medium mixing bowl whisk egg. Add on remaining ingredients, except oats. One fully mixed, add oats.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8×8 cooking dish with non stick spray.

Pour mixture into pan and cook for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven after about 35 minutes when edges turn golden brown, let cool slightly. Eat eat while still warm. Scoop out a large portion into bowl. Add cinnamon, raisins or whatever you enjoy on regular oatmeal…..including a splash it milk.

Enjoy!

Grilled and stuffed flank steak

This is a pretty quick and easy meal to prepare. I made it and my wonderful husband grilled it.

Ingredients

1 – 2 lb flank steak
2 minced garlic cloves
1 small shallot
3 T olive oil
2 T fresh parsley (I used the Gourmet Garden parsley in the tube)
1 T dry sage
4 slices prosciutto
4 slices aged provolone

Recipe

First, beat the hell out of that steak! Get it at least 1/2″ thick if not thinner. Mix shallots, garlic, parsley, sage and oil in a small bowl. Spread that mixture over the steak evenly.

Layer prosciutto over herb mix then layer provolone. Tightly roll the steak away from you securing the “innards”. Secure with butchers twine every 2″. (I asked for the twine at the meat counter of Hy-Vee and he cut me what I needed…..free of charge.)

Grill on medium high until desired doneness is achieved.

Serve with garlic mashed potatoes and vegetable.

Sweet ‘n’ Spicy baked beans

This is just another new-fangled way to make baked beans for a group or large family. I made them for our church small group and received several nods of approval.

Ingredients
1 large can Bush’s homestyle beans
1 large can Bush’s chili beans
1 large can Bush’s Great Northern beans
1 medium sweet onion (vidalia if available)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup molasses
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
2 Tbsp dry mustard
2 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 bottle of root beer
1 pound cooked and diced bacon

In large crock pot add all above ingredients except bacon. Stir to combine. Set slow cooker on low for 8 hours. Check for thickness, if necessary, add a slurry of cornstarch and water to thicken. Before serving, add bacon.

Enjoy!

Homemade Granola

I’ve been wanting to make this for some time, but never found or made the time. Thankful for a couple days off during the week, and time to make granola.

Ingredients
1/2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
4 cups old fashioned oats

Recipe
Preheat oven to 250 degrees
In small sauce pan combine brown sugar, honey and oil on medium heat until mixture dissolves.
In large bowl add oats, cinnamon and salt and any optional items e.g. Craisins, slivered almonds, raisins, assorted nuts, etc.
pour sugar mix over oats and fully combine.
Pour out evenly onto large jelly roll pan that has been coated in butter or Pam nonstick spray.
Place into oven for approx 30 minutes. It will be chewy while warm, then will harden up. Break into pieces or cut into bars.
Place into ziplock bag to keep fresh.
Enjoy.

Banana Oatmeal Muffins

I have been out of town all week in Minneapolis for work and I missed cooking. What?! Crazy. But it’s true. I decided to make some breakfast muffins, this one was experimental. A successful experiment.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
3 bananas
3/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup oats

Recipe
Mix bananas, brown sugar, egg, butter and vanilla in large bowl. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients; flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Slowly add dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture. When combined, add oats.
Fill muffin paper 3/4 full and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Enjoy your muffins!

Epic Buttermilk Pancakes

Hi, my name is Pattie, and I love pancakes. I rate breakfast establishments based on their pancakes……as everyone should. If they can’t make pancakes, they shouldn’t be selling breakfast……stepping off of soapbox.

There are no better pancakes than homemade, this can be said with 98% of food items.

This recipe is not low fat, but it’s low maintenance. It, as stated in the title, epic. I mean it. Melt in your mouth deliciousness. Make sure you read the entire recipe before you start.

Ingredients
3 cups AP flour
3 Tbsp sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup milk
3 eggs
1/3 cup melted butter

Recipe
Combine dry ingredients in large mixing bowl, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Combine wet ingredients, buttermilk, milk, eggs, melted butter.

Buttermilk, milk and eggs should be as close to room temperature when you begin to mix ingredients together. When adding melted butter make sure it has cooled. Add butter slowly while stirring as to avoid cooking the egg mixture.

Fold wet ingredients into the dry. Do not use whisk, lumps make it better.
Cook as soon as possible. I use bacon grease to cook pancakes in when I can, again……disclaimer……..not a low fat recipe.

Bruschetta Chicken

I met up with some old friends from high school and his parents. Going to school in Southern Oregon, you don’t meet up with high school friends very often in the Midwest. My 16 y.o. Daughter and I drove over to Omaha and had lunch with the old gang.
I had the most amazing lunch, which I decided to recreate for dinner.

Ingredients
2 large chicken breasts (butterflied)
Salt and pepper to taste
2-3 Roma tomatoes
Fresh basil
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Fresh mozzarella

Recipe
Cut butterflied chicken breasts in half, then in half again. Place in gallon size bag and seal. Bang the crap out of it with a rolling pin or the like.
Add 2T. Olive oil in grill pan and heat pan to medium heat. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken pieces, then place in heated pan.
Mince tomatoes into itsy bitsy pieces and cut basil into small pieces or tear to avoid browning. Add 1T. Olive oil and 1T. Balsamic vinegar. Mix.
Finish cooking chicken through, then place thick slice of fresh mozzarella on each chicken piece. If pan is able, place in oven quickly on broil until cheese softens, not completely melts. Remove pan from oven. Plate each piece and add tomato/basil mix.
Eating with focaccia is highly recommend and also easy to make.

Meatball Stroganoff

This is another easy one pan dinner that can easily be made after you get home from work. Not a lot of planning is necessary and it a super rich and savory meal.

Ingredients

One package frozen Italian meatballs
3 cups beef broth
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp basil
1 tsp oregano
1 cup sour cream
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
Wide egg noodles
Salt and paper to taste

Recipe

Put olive oil in large pan and heat on medium high, add meatballs. Add broth to deglaze pan. Add seasoning and noodles. Add whipping cream, stirring often, until boil begins then reduce to simmer, cover and wait for noodles to cook. After noodles cook, remove from heat and add sour cream and cheese. Enjoy!