recommendation: matt's fruit bars

I think we've already established that I am NOT really an apple person. When my husband put a box of Matt's Apple Fruit Bars in the grocery cart, I didn't think much of it - no temptation for me, so not a problem to buy and have in the house. So I thought. These little things have turned out to be quite a problem for me! They are delicious! They are like a fig newton but the filling is smooth inside and they are so tasty! They are not thaaaaat bad for you (when compared to a slice of cake. not that i eat slices of cakes as a snack. but they really aren't that bad for you). Can you tell I've had a sweet tooth lately!!!

I think they are worth trying... maybe get them if you are planning on having other people in the house, so you don't eat the whole box by yourself. Because its possible.

p.s. I thought of finding a picture on the internet so that you can't tell that we devoured half a box already but honestly, I don't care. They are yummy.

p.p.s. Matt's is the same company that makes those awesome chocolate chip cookies in the striped box. I've seen Matt's in Illinois and Michigan grocery stores.

recommendation: funfetti cookie bars

Saturday night in, need a treat, check the cupboard and on the top the shelf, screaming, "Pick Me! I will save your night! Pick me!" is a box of funfetti mix. I remember at a family reunion I had a funfetti cookie, and it was amazing. So I decided to look up and see if I could find any other options than just funfetti cake... and here is what we found to choose from:

cookies:

cupcakes:

cookie cake:

sandwich:

all delicious, right? we went with the cake, partially because it seemed easiest. it was in the oven within 5 minutes, cooked for 30, cooled for 20 and goodness! it was delicious! warning though - SUPER SUPER SUPER sweet. if you can't handle the sweet, leave out the white chocolate chips. well... once it had cooled, I also added rainbow chip frosting, so that just added up to a whole lotta sugar. but it was amazing. my hubby and I agreed they are denser than cake, fluffier than a cookie, a little bit like a dessert bread - the name cakebread stuck for a few minutes - until we realized that they are a cookie bar! duh. the original recipe called for yellow cake, so here is my revision:

ingredients:
1 box funfetti cake mix
1/4 cup canola oil
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup white chocolate chips (optional)

directions: preheat oven to 350 degrees. combine the cake mix, oil and the beaten egg. add the milk slowly just until the batter is combined. place better in a greased 8×8 pan. bake for 25-30 minutes or just until the edges turn golden. cool for 20 minutes before cutting because the gooey center needs to set. YUM!

recommendation: two crockpot recipes to try

All of this snow means one thing... its crockpot weather! We've been trying a bunch of new recipes this winter and we came across two keepers that are make-again recipes. I feel kind of guilty posting them on a Lenten Friday seeing as though they are both chicken recipes but buy today, make tomorrow.

what i like about both of these recipes is that they appear delightfully creamy and gluttonous therefore satisfying, but are actually fairly healthy, disguised! they are both adaptable too, add or take out things that you think would taste good.

first up is: Bacon Ranch Chicken from Healthified Kitchen
4 Servings

2 butterball turkey bacon strips, cooked and shredded
1 tsp minced garlic
3/4 package ranch dressing mix
1 10.75 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
1 cup fat-free sour cream
16 oz. chicken breasts, frozen or defrosted/raw
8 oz. pasta, cooked

Combine the first five ingredients. Place frozen or defrosted/raw chicken in slowcooker sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and pour sauce over the top (do NOT include water like the can mentions). Cook on high for 3.5 hours. Shred chicken with two forks. Cook pasta per package instructions on stove. Serve chicken over pasta.

Nutritional Information: 456 calories, 61 carbs, 5 fat grams and 36 protein grams.

the original recipe calls for a full ranch packet but Healthified Kitchen received feedback that the recipe works better with only 3/4 package so its not too overwhelming, so I changed it above. You can use any pasta - we had egg noodles in the house and it tasted great, the recipe reminds me of chicken paprikash. my grandma thinks that mushrooms and artichokes would taste good in this too, and I agree! I also don't use turkey bacon so that probably adds a little more fat in.

Side Recommendation: My new favorite way to cook bacon is to roast it in the oven! its splatter free and you don't have to constantly keep your eye on it. a lot of methods tell you to put it directly on a baking sheet or parchment paper, both work fine. if you have a Nonstick Cooling Rack, put the bacon on that, stick it on top of a jelly roll pan and then the bacon fat drips off and you don't have to use a paper towel after its done in the oven!

recipe #2: From Chef Mommy, Salsa Chicken

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup (I used the cream of chicken)
1 cup your favorite salsa
1 package taco seasoning
1 cup low-fat sour cream
cilantro, for serving (optional) (also option - a little shredded cheddar-jack, black beans and scallion on top)

Directions:
Put chicken, soup, and salsa in slow cooker. Sprinkle taco seasoning over everything. Cook on low for 6 hours. If shredding the chicken, pull the breasts out and shred; return back to slow cooker. Stir in sour cream and heat just until everything is combined.

I adapted this recipe a little to make it healthier, the original doesn't call for FF/LF anything. I don't like cilantro so I left that off. I also added pinto instead of black beans - I put those in the crockpot to cook with everything, they didn't get too soft. And I added about a half cup of diced white onion. You could really add all kinds of things to this - more beans and corn would be good. I also skipped the shredded cheddar on top but had scallions, olives and tomatoes to add. I served with Skinny Taste's Cilantro Lime Rice (minus the cilantro).

Happy Crockpotting and Stay Warm!

recommendation: caprese dip

i made this pinterest recipe last week when I needed a snack. we had leftover mozzarella, basil and tomatoes from caprese sandwiches the night before. i was so excited to have just found this recipe, perfect timing!

please please visit How Sweet Eats blog for the original recipe, the pictures there are so beautiful and make this recipe a bit more appetizing! And don't forget to read the whole way through the recipe! I basically just cut everything up and put it in a dish into the oven... I didn't even read the NOTE section which is the reason mine turned out only OK - I should have let the tomatoes sit on a paper towel with a little salt to let them sweat - they were too juicy and so the dip was a bit watery. I can't wait to try this recipe again, the right way. I also think it needed to cook a few minutes more because the cheese wasn't quite melted enough, i almost had to cut the dip apart to eat it. nonetheless, it was caprese dip.... so obviously enjoyable to consume. try it out and let me know what you think if any edits need to be made! and my note: if you use a dish with a handle - do not grab the hot handle! ha! i don't know why but any time i have a skillet or dish in the oven, my mind goes dumb and i just grab it and always burn my hand. be careful!

Hot Caprese Dip

serves 2-4
10 ounces fresh mozzarella, chopped into cubes
2 roma tomatoes, seeded and juiced
3 tablespoons freshly chopped basil (or about 1 tablespoon dried) + more for garnish
Preheat oven to 375.

Make sure tomatoes have as much juiced squeezed out

of them as possible – this will prevent the dip from becoming soupy. In a small baking dish, combine chopped cheese, tomatoes and basil and mix. Bake for 15 minutes, then broil for 2 minutes so cheese becomes bubbly and golden. Serve immediately with crackers or melba toasts.

Note: dip may appear “watery” which is why it is VERY important to get as much moisture out of the tomatoes as possible. Also make sure dip is consumed immediately, as the longer it sits, the more juice that develops. Don’t worry if there is a little bit of juice – it is still delicious!

recommendation: cinnamon butter must-buy

Love is in the air. And in my tummy, in the form of a butter! On Friday we were doing a quick grocery shop at Meijer, stocking up on basics for our 'Cousins Ski-Weekend' in Grand Haven, Michigan. I was trying to focus but I was hungry so I kept adding things that looked good to the cart (basically the opposite of what I said I need to NOT do!). Thank goodness I slipped in Land O Lakes Cinnamon Sugar Butter Spread. I love it!

My first bite of it on an English muffin brought me immediately back to my childhood - my mother always used to make us toast with butter and cinnamon sugar (that she mixed together) sprinkled on the top. This tastes just like that and is less messy because you don't have the cinnamon sugar flying off each bite.

The spread gets quite soft when it reaches room temperature because there is canola oil in it - which is also why its kinda awesome, canola oil is one of 7 total ingredients (cream, sugar, canola oil, water, cinnamon, salt, citric acid).

If you decide to impulse buy ANY item next time you go to the grocery store, put this in your cart. I might be slightly obsessed with it. Put it on anything breakfast-y: toast, bagel, English muffin, pancake, waffle, muffin, etc. OR, put it on a vegetable! I made baked sweet potatoes on Monday and put a little dollop (OK fine, BIG dollop) on it and it was awesome!

Keep spreading the love! (the cinnamon-y kind that comes in the form of butter).

recommendation: risotto love

OK risotto seems completely intimidating. And rightfully so, its a time consuming dish. But most basic risotto recipes while timely, are not difficult! So if you have the time you should go for it since its completely worth trying. And with Valentines day coming up tomorrow, its the perfect dish to impress someone with - to tell them, I made a special (satisfying, comforting, creamy, carb-y) meal for you. Putting love & time into this dish shows them they are worth putting a little extra time in for!

From Wikipedia, here is the general preparation of risotto. Its important to understand this basic procedure because unlike other rice and pastas - it seems odd that you can't just dump the rice in a pot of boiling broth and let it do its thing, instead you have to slowly add liquid until the Arborio rice absorbs it, which is the whole reason it takes a while to prepare!

The rice is first cooked briefly in a soffritto of onion or garlic and butter or olive oil to coat each grain in a film of fat, this is called tostatura; white or red wine is added and has to be absorbed by the grains. When it has evaporated, the heat is raised to medium high and very hot stock is gradually added in small amounts while stirring gently, almost constantly: stirring loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains into the surrounding liquid, creating a smooth creamy-textured liquid. At that point it is taken off the heat for the mantecatura when diced cold butter and finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese are vigorously stirred in to make the texture as creamy and smooth as possible. It may be removed from the heat a few minutes earlier, and left to cook with its residual heat.

Here are two of our favorite recipes. The first time we made them, wait, let me rephrase. The first time my husband made them (he had the day off and I asked him to make this second recipe, how mean and cruel but how amazing the result!), we didn't realize how much time they would each take, so plan ahead! Don't start when hungry!

Note:
- Many risotto recipes will call for Parmigiano-Reggiano. This is NOT the same thing as your normal shredded or grated Parmesan. The flavor is stronger, different. I'm sure you can substitute Parm because Parmigiano-Reggiano is actually quite expensive, but if you can find a small block, the flavor is worth it!

- Shiitake Sweet Pea Risotto Recipe (pic on left). I love to use Trader Joes Frozen petite peas. I know its weird to have a favorite frozen veggie brand but ever since my dad introduced me to them, we've been hooked. They are bright green and perfect looking!

- Barley Butternut Squash Shiitake Risotto Recipe (pic on right). Barley is substituted for Arborio rice in this recipe because it doesn't contain as much starch as the rice so this "risotto" isn't really risotto since its not quite as creamy as traditional recipes... but is healthier!

- Crockpot Risotto. This risotto will offend true risotto lovers, advanced at-home chefs, and any Italians, so I apologize in advance. But I'm including it because one day I was craving risotto so bad, absolutely had to have it but was not willing to put in the time or effort. The consistency is a bit mushier and it was not as great reheated in the microwave - and it makes a huge batch, so you'll have leftovers. BUT - it was pretty delicious the night of and the first round of re-heats and the basil oil was not THAT difficult to make! I used a combination of two recipes - here and here to make it. Worth making if you really want easy risotto.

- Last but not least, I thought I would include my favorite restaurant for risotto in case you are local to Chicago. Coco Pazzo Cafe (don't be confused with Coco Pazzo on Hubbard, same company but this one is the cafe) is over on St. Clair off Michigan Ave, and they have risotto of the day. This was my choice for my birthday lunch one year and it is filling but delicious. I also got a plate of risotto go to from here as my last Chicago lunch-while-working. Its expensive (I think a bowl was $15) but it lasted two meals!

Happy Valentines Day! Hope you can win someone's heart with this amazing dish - it would certainly make my knees weak :)

recommendation: friday obsessions

I've been slow on posting again lately, and not because I don't have anything to talk about but again, pure laziness. I promise, more to look forward to next week - I've been trying out some pinterest crafts and have upcoming reviews of make your own mercury-glass vases, paper peonies, and a few pinterest recipes that I tested! For now, here are my top 5 things I've been thinking about this past week.

1. Hot Caprese Dip - this is the next recipe I MUST TRY from pinterest. 3 ingredients - how easy? And why have I never thought to put them into the oven like this?!?

2. Cheese obsessed. Mini Brie Bites - you can get these at Trader Joes, 5 mini cups for $3.99. They are an awesome snack - spread one onto a few crackers (my fav are Multigrain & Flaxseed Water Crackers from TJ's) with a little apricot jam spread on top. MMM! Brie is awesome and has been on my mind - I'm also wanting to try this recipe of individual Brie Bites from Joy The Baker!

3. I Dig You - found this idea online and made them for a few little kiddos I know. Found the shovels at Michaels (my mom and I bought a grab box for $2 which had about 50+ adult & kid shovels in them! bargain queens!!), candy hearts 0.99 for a bag at CVS.

4. Ann Arbor Tortilla Chips – Lime or Lime Chili Flavor. Per my hubby, they are the best tortilla chips around. I think the lime only flavor is a bit intense but can appreciate plain or the chili lime flavor. If you are from Ann Arbor, worth trying as they are locally made.

5. I love valentines day decorations that make me put the candy in the vase so that I can't eat it! Here is a cute idea for conversation hearts - I would stick a bundle of alstroemeria in the vase because you can find them at almost every grocery store and they are long lasting. Martha Stewart also has a good idea - she always knows what to do, especially at holiday time. I love her red hot candy & flower vase.

recommendation: super bowl must-haves

Who's ready for Superbowl Sunday? I love this football event because it normally means you get to wear a comfy sweatshirt, and eat a lot of yummy bad for you food and drink beer. I also love Superbowl Sunday because theme parties are my favorite. Here are a few great ideas if you are throwing or going to a party!

Reuben Dip
This dip is out of this world. I didn't even like corned beef or sauerkraut when I first tried it. We were at our friends Dan & Katie's house for a football game (Go BLUE!) and Katie put a hot cheesy dish of down in front of all of us and I stared in amazement. From first bite, I was hooked. This dip is why I started eating Reubens. Truth.

Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I use light)
1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing (light is hard to find, if you can find it, use it!)
16 ounces sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed dry
8 ounces shredded corned beef (I just ask butcher to shave so its falling apart)
16 ounces shredded Swiss cheese (again, i use light, get a block of light Lorraine at the deli counter - and 8oz is really enough...)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and dressing. Spread sauerkraut into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Layer corned beef, Swiss cheese, and the mayonnaise-dressing mixture on top of the sauerkraut. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

The MUST for this dish, is serve it with RYE triscuits. This dip is always the hit of a party!

Taco Dip in Cups
How great are these? Perfect for the double dippers and people who think that their fingers are serving utensils. Found the idea on The Girl Who Ate Everything.

Veggie Dip in Cups
Along with the individual taco dips are individual veggie dips, so everyone gets their own ranch and can double or even triple dip to their hearts content. We had these at our wedding during cocktail hour and they were a big hit!

Football Decorations
If you are looking for cute accessories, dollar tree has cute paper cups right now that look like footballs (they are brown with laces down the sides). The dollar tree and dollar general have a great selection of paper plates and decorations too - get green and brown paper plates and utensils for a $1 a pack!

Guacamole
this guac dip is soooo easy. sometimes i leave out onions if i don't have them in house and i don't really care for cilantro so i normally leave it out - basically you can play with the recipe a little if you want. and i also normally make a double batch. andddd.....its a weight watcher recipe!

Classic Guacamole
1 medium avocado
2 Tbsp red onion(s), chopped
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice (essential, do not skip this!)
1/4 tsp hot pepper sauce (tabasco)
1/4 tsp table salt, or more to taste
Put avocado in a medium bowl and mash with a fork until almost smooth. Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Cover surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 1 day. Yields about 1/4 cup dip per serving.

Keep an avocado pit in the bowl with the cutup avocado, it keeps it from browning. i've gotten mixed results, but always do it just in case!

Here are some other things I stumbled upon:
- Skinny Buffalo Chicken Dip
- Football Printables to decorate your table from my favorite party planner - Hostess with the Mostess here and here
- 25 Superbowl Appetizers & Desserts - love the cute chocolate dipped strawberries with football laces on them

Have fun!

recommendation: the best broccoli recipe

Do you ever plan your week's menu and stick a healthier meal in there, like marinated chicken and steamed veggies with a salad, and then when it comes around to making that meal, you are dreading it and then you push yourself and make this blah meal and it tastes blah and then you're like, now what because the meal was so unsatisfying?

Well last week I had broccoli in the house but before I went to steaming it, I decided to try a recently pinned recipe called "The Best Broccoli of your Life". I know, you are thinking - how good can broccoli be?!? I was skeptical when it said this recipe is better than steak (I wouldn't go that far) - but, the end result was pretty amazing broccoli. Definitely a recommended make again recipe. My friend even said her 2 year old loved it!

I didn't get a picture of the recipe which makes this post kind of boring but the broccoli is definitely NOT, so check it out!

A few notes:
- I eyeballed everything and used two small heads of broccoli so just adjusted the recipe a little
- I used minced, not sliced garlic
- I left out pine nuts too but did add the basil b/c I had it in the house
Enjoy!