South Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce

Original Recipe HERE

This is my go-to recipe for serving with ham on holidays.  It might be too strong to use alone on pulled pork or something similar - maybe tone it down with a little BBQ sauce mixed in?  I keep meaning to try it out with shredded chicken in the slow cooker, but I have it in my head that this is a Holiday Recipe and therefore it doesn't cross my mind for approximately 363 days per year.

This makes about 1.5 cups of sauce.

Ingredients

4 Tablespoons butter

½ onion, grated

½ cup yellow mustard

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon dry mustard

½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne [I only use a pinch]

1 bay leaf

Salt to taste [I usually leave it out]

Directions

(1) Grate the onion over a cutting board.

(2) In a saucepan over medium heat, warm the butter until frothy.

(3) Add onion.  Salute for 3-4 minutes.  Don't let the onion brown.

(4) Add all other ingredients.  Stir well.  Simmer 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.

(5) Remove bay leaf.  Serve warm or store in refrigerator.

Kid Participation: None.

Spicy, Smoky, & Sweet Chili

Original Recipe HERE

This chili was a success all around, with even picky *J* asking me to make it again sometime.  His vote counts twice because I get it less frequently than anyone else's. 

This recipe is easy to tinker with.  I added a can of navy beans that weren't called for in the original recipe because the chili was looking too saucy during cooking.  I'm sure the meat could be eliminated and more beans could take its place.  Also, I made it stovetop because I ran out of time to put it in the crockpot.  I didn't have enough tomato sauce, so I used one 15-ounce and one 8-ounce can.  This actually made it too tomato-y for my taste.  Next time I'll just use the 15 ounces and add a cup or so of water or broth.  Also, I put in the full three tablespoons of chili powder, and future makings will see that decreased.  The overall taste was definitely good, but it bordered on too intense.  I prefer my chili a little milder.

Ingredients

1lb ground beef or turkey
1 large shallot or 1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper
15 to 28 ounces tomato sauce
15oz can Bush’s Vegetarian Baked Beans
15oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 can (15 oz) navy beans
2 to 3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 to 2 heaping Tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more or less)
Toppings: shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, tortilla chips, sour cream

Directions
(1) In a large pot over medium heat, brown beef, shallot/onion, and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper.
(2) Add remaining ingredients.  Simmer 30 minutes; stir several times.

* To make in slow cooker: transfer beef mixture to 6-qt pot, add other ingredients, & stir.  Cook on low 4-6 hours.

Kid Participation: None.

Pumpkin Pancakes

Original Recipe HERE

Pumpkin pancakes often are gummy in the middle because of the moisture content of the pumpkin.  These weren't as gooey as previous recipes I've tried, and they puffed up nicely instead of stayed flat.  The batter was very thick and didn't spread much in the pan, which I'm not used to, but it meant I could make smaller pancakes (yay for faster cooking) and fit more in each round in the skillet (yay for efficient cooking).  I got about 22 pancakes out of this, and I wish I'd doubled the recipe because the superhuman appetites of my kids weren't satisfied with 4 pancakes each.  Leftovers for the next day would've been nice, especially since the kids asked that I make them again.

Ingredients

1 egg

1 & 3/4 cups buttermilk

1 cup pumpkin puree

2 Tablespoons applesauce

2 cups whole wheat flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice

Directions

(1) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, pumpkin puree, and applesauce.

(2) Into a separate bowl, sift together flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.

(3) Combine dry ingredients into wet.  Stir until just mixed but still lumpy.

(4) Cook pancakes on a griddle or in a skillet over medium-low heat until a few bubbles appear in the batter.  Flip and cook until done.

Kid Participation:

* Whisk wet ingredients

* Measure dry ingredients

* Sift dry ingredients

* Spoon batter into skillet (because it's thick and there's less chance of it turning into a mess in the skillet)

Pina Colada Baked Oatmeal

Original Recipe HERE

The kids loved this, maybe because they didn't expect the combination of pineapple and oatmeal.  Even *J*, who normally doesn't like coconut, gobbled it up.  Most of it was eaten for dinner, but the leftovers reheated well the next day for breakfast.

It was definitely sweet.  Next time I will decrease the brown sugar amount.  Using unsweetened coconut, like the original recipe asks for, would help - but I can only find the standard stuff in the blue bag at our grocery store.

Ingredients

3 cups quick-cooking oats

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 & 1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup oil [I used melted coconut oil]

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 can (15 oz) crushed pineapple, drained

1/2 cup shredded coconut [I used sweetened]

milk, coconut milk, cream, or yogurt for serving

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13" baking dish.

(2) Sift together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.

(3) In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, pineapple, and coconut.

(4) Combine dry ingredients, oats, sugar, and wet ingredients.  Stir until well mixed.

(5) Pour batter into baking dish.  Bake 25-30 minutes, or until oatmeal is set in the middle.

Kid Participation:

* Measure dry ingredients

* Sift dry ingredients

* Combine wet ingredients

* Stir everything together

Sloppy Joe Bites

Original Recipe HERE

This is a rare recipe that got rave reviews from *J*.  He ate two of them and asked for a third, and the following night he was even excited about leftovers.  The others liked them, too, but I barely paid attention to their reactions because I was busy picking my jaw up off the floor.

I made the from-scratch sloppy joe mixture since cracking open a can of the stuff would resurrect childhood memories better left in the past.  I used Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits, and the ratio of biscuit to joe wasn't balanced.  Next time I'll use smaller biscuits or maybe the flaky kind.

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon minced onion

1 Tablespoon paprika [I did 1/2 smoked and 1/2 regular]

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground beef

1 can (15 oz) tomato sauce

6 to 8 ounces water

1 Tablespoon mustard

2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

2 canisters (8 or 10 count each) canned biscuits

1 to 2 cups shredded cheese [I used cheddar]

Directions

(1) Mix together brown sugar, minced onion, cumin, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

(2) In a large skillet, brown the beef.

(3) Add tomato sauce, 6-8 ounces of water, mustard, cider vinegar, and spice mixture.  Stir to combine; simmer 5-10 minutes. 

(4) Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease muffin tins.

(5) Flatten or roll out biscuits.  Press each into a muffin well.

(6) Fill biscuits with sloppy joe mixture; sprinkle with cheese.

(7) Bake 10-12 minutes.

Kid Participation: 

* Flatten biscuits

* Put biscuits into muffin wells

* Scoop in sloppy joe mixture

* Sprinkle cheese

Baked Peanut Butter & Apple Oatmeal

Original Recipe HERE

 

Yet another oatmeal dish to add to the ever-growing list of easy oatmeal dinners.  I wasn't sure how well this would go over, since *J* isn't a peanut butter fan.  But he asked for seconds.

 

I doubled this recipe because there was no way an 8x8" portion would feed all of us.  The new amounts are shown below.

 

I could've added some chia seeds, ground flax seeds, or wheat germ...but I forgot.  There was a strong peanut butter taste, which might been due to my spontaneous addition of PB2.  I didn't mind it, since I love me some peanut butter.  But next time I'll leave out the powder or decrease the amount of peanut butter.  And how many more times can I say "peanut butter" in one post?  Peanut butter, peanut butter, peanut butter.

 

Ingredients

4 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 & 3/4 cups milk

1 & 3/4 cups water
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup creamy peanut butter, warmed

2 to 3 Tablespoons PB2 [optional]
3 large apples, diced [I peeled them]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13" baking dish.

(2) In a large bowl, mix together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.

(3) In a medium bowl, whisk eggs.  Add milk, applesauce, and vanilla extract; whisk thoroughly.

(5) Pour the liquid mixture over the oat mixture; stir to combine.

(6) Add peanut butter; mix.

(7) Add apples; stir. Pour mixture into prepared dish.

(8) Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until oatmeal is set.

 

Kid Participation:

* Measure & mix dry ingredients

* Measure & whisk wet ingredients

* Chop apple slices with a very dull knife

Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip, & Coconut "Lactation" Cookies

Original Recipe HERE

 

This recipe got good reviews from its original baker, and it had plenty of oats involved.  So I figured why not see if it could be converted into a lactation cookie by added the old standbys of flaxseed meal and brewer's yeast.  I'm happy to report that it, indeed, can.  Actually, I can't report on the lactation function yet (you'd think eating six cookies in one sitting would produce immediate results...), but they taste great and are the chewy consistency that I like.  Sometimes the brewer's yeast flavor can be detected in cookies, but not here.

 

I cut the original brown sugar amount by 1/4 cup because I didn't have enough.  With the chocolate chips and coconut, there's already plenty of sweetness being added, so I would try decreasing the white sugar to 3/4 cup, also - maybe even one sugar to 1/2 cup.

 

I got about 36 cookies using approximately 2 tablespoons of dough for each.  Next time I will use my smaller 1-tablespoon scoop and get more.  Also, because of a crying baby who didn't want to sleep, half of the dough sat on the counter longer than expected.  The last batch of cookies spread a lot.  I got the best results with the fresher (colder) dough on the silpat, so refrigerating it before scooping is suggested.

 

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons flaxseed meal

3 Tablespoons water

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons brewer's yeast

3 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup chocolate chips [I used mini-morsels]

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut

 

Directions

(1) In a small bowl, combine flaxseed meal and water.  Set aside to soak.

(2) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.

(3) In a small bowl, sift together flours, baking powder, salt, and brewer's yeast.

(4) In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

(5) Add eggs and vanilla to butter mixture; mix thoroughly.

(6) Add flaxseed meal to butter mixture; mix thoroughly.

(7) Add flour mixture to wet ingredients; mix until just combined.

(8) Add oats, chocolate chips, and coconut; mix until evenly distributed.

(9) Using 1-2 tablespoons each, roll dough into balls.  Space balls at least 2" apart on baking sheets.

(10) Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown but middles are still pale.

(11) Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes.  Remove to cooling racks.

 

Kid Participation:

* Mix flaxseed and water

* Measure dry ingredients

* Sift dry ingredients

* Measure wet ingredients

* Operate mixer

* Make dough balls (but not if you care about uniformity in size and whether your kid gets dough all over themselves from the elbows down)

BBQ Turkey Meatballs

Original Recipe HERE

 

These meatballs were awesome, especially served with the corn salad that is suggested.  Like, I could've eaten it every night for a week.  *N* ate both, *J* ate the meatballs, and *P* ate the corn.  Hope they get used to it, because I want to make it again ASAP.  It is even worth me using my bare hands to form the meatballs, which is a task I abhor.  Like, it's enough to make me seriously consider going full vegetarian.  Except then I couldn't eat the resulting meatballs, which would be a shame.

 

I doubted how tasty these could be because they seemed sort of plain and didn't have a sauce pairing, but they exceeded expectations.  I realized too late that I didn't have any panko, so regular Italian breadcrumbs were used this time.  It was somewhat tricky to make sure that the ingredients were combined well, without any clumps of the breadcrumb mixture scattered throughout.  I probably need to find a better order in which to incorporate the ingredients.

 

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey [my package was 1.3 lbs]

1/4 cup panko

1 or 2 scallions, minced

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dry mustard

3/4 teaspoon salt

pinch of cayenne

2 teaspoons brown sugar

5 Tablespoons barbecue sauce, divided

 

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper, and spray lightly with cooking spray (I used parchment and didn't spray it).

2) In a large bowl, whisk together panko, paprika, garlic powder, dry mustard, salt, cayenne, and brown sugar.

3) Add scallions and 2 tablespoons of barbecue sauce.  Mix thoroughly.

4) Add turkey; mix with hands until evenly combined.

5) Form 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into a lightly packed meatball.  Put on baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining mixture (I got about 16 meatballs).

6) Bake meatballs 11-12 minutes.  Brush with reserved barbecue sauce.  Return to oven; bake an additional 3-4 minutes or until cooked through.

 

Kid Participation: The only thing *N* wanted to do was help form the meatballs - a job I was happy to turn over to her. 

Chocolate Lactation Cookies

Original Recipe HERE

I'm using baby #4 (henceforth referred to as *A*) as an excuse to gorge myself on cookies.  I love lactation cookies because they (1) help my supply a bit, (2) make large batches, (3) are filling, (4) are easy to grab as a snack - or breakfast if I'm desperate, and (5)  they are healthy enough that I don't feel bad engaging in said gorging.

I don't like to throw a bunch of chocolate chips in, like most recipes suggest, because I do gorge myself on them (have I mentioned that already?).  I read somewhere that you're supposed to have two small cookies for each feeding.  But I don't feel like a cookie is truly a cookie unless it has either frosting or chocolate elements.  The cocoa powder in these satisfies that need and, as far as my tiny bit of research says, is better for you than Nestle morsels.  Don't tell me if I'm wrong about that.

The first batch was good, but practice makes perfect and the second batch was better.  I made a few changes that time, but I'm posting the original amounts below.  The updates were: substituting 1/2 cup coconut oil for half of the butter, reducing both sugars to 1/3 cup, and replacing 1 cup of white flour with 1 cup of wheat.  I also tossed in about 1/3 cup mini-morsels that time...

The cookies come out of the oven very soft, cool and firm up quickly, and then are at their best after they've sat overnight.  They re-moisten themselves somewhat, as many cookies with large amounts of oats tend to do.  Using my mini-dough scoop (approximately one tablespoon size), I got four baking sheets worth of cookies, which was over 50 cookies.
 

Ingredients

1/2 cup flaxseed meal

1/2 cup water

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar 
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 Tablespoons molasses
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups oats
1 cup chocolate chips, raisins, etc. [I did not use]
4 Tablespoons brewers yeast

 

Directions
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2) Mix water and flaxseed meal until thoroughly wet.  Set aside.
3) In a large bowl, butter and sugars until fluffy.
4) Add eggs, vanilla, and molasses to butter.  Mix well.
5) Add flaxseed meal.  Mix well.
6) In a separate bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda, salt, and yeast.
7) Add dry ingredients to wet.  Mix well.
8) Add oats.  Mix well.
9) Fold in chocolate chips.
10) Drop spoonfuls of dough (1 to 2 tablespoons each) onto baking sheets.  If desired, flatten slightly.  Cookies will spread a bit.
11) Bake about 12 minutes.  Remove cookies from baking sheets immediately; cool on racks.

Kid Participation:
* Add wet ingredients
* Add dry ingredients
* Scoop dough
* Ask if eating the cookies will help them make milk

Apple Pie Baked Oatmeal

Original Recipe HERE

 

I'm realizing that I turn to "brinner" meals a lot more than I'd ever intended to, but they're so easy and kid-pleasing that it's hard not to make them a weekly staple.  And then I wonder...why do I feel like I shouldn't rely on them so often?  Food is food, and other than the amounts of sugar and eggs (which can often be modified or substituted), these things are usually pretty healthy.  Bring on another baked oatmeal recipe!

 

This did resemble apple pie in taste and, somewhat, in texture and presentation.  I squirted a little surprise whipped cream on each kid's serving, which solidified the likeness.

 

I used a mix of Granny Smith and Fuji apples, and I doubled the amount of the "filling" because I knew the original amounts wouldn't be enough (altered amounts are shown below).  Sure enough, the four of us (minus Husband) just about finished a 9x13" dish of this stuff.  A little - though not enough for my liking - was left for breakfast the next day.

UPDATE: I made this again, and it was drier than the first time.  I think I accidentally added too many oats, because the oatmeal mostly sat on top of the apples and cooked into a solid layer.  Next time I'll try stirring the apples and oatmeal mixture together and baking that way.

 

Ingredients

* For the apple layer:

5 medium apples

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

3 to 4 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons corn starch

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves [can substitute nutmeg]

* For the oatmeal layer:

2 large eggs

1-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup brown sugar

1-1/2 cups milk

2-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a 9x13" baking dish.

(2) Peel apples if desired.  Cut apples into 1/2" to 1" cubes. 

(3) In a medium bowl, whisk lemon juice, corn starch, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.

(4) Add apples to spice mixture; toss until well-coated.  Spread in an even layer in the bottom of the baking dish.

(5) In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, apple sauce, vanilla, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, and cinnamon. 

(6) Add milk; whisk again.

(7) Add oats; stir until well-combined.

(8) Pour oat mixture evenly over apples.

(9) Bake oatmeal for 45 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and no longer wet in the center.

 

Kid Participation:

* Whisk spice mixture

* Toss (though not literally) apples with spice mixture

* Whisk oatmeal mixture

* Spoon oatmeal mixture over apples

Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Original Recipe HERE

My kids love baked oatmeal dishes (especially when I serve them it with baked pears), and I was looking to whip together something slightly easier and just for a change of pace.  The entire dish would've been eaten in one night if we didn't have to wolf down dinner and leave for gymnastics.

 

Because I needed this to cook faster, I put it in a 9x13" dish and baked covered for 20 minutes and uncovered for 10-15.  The texture was more oatmeal-y and less firm than my usual recipe, which was fine.  I also didn't have any eggs, so I substituted several tablespoons of egg whites - whether that made a difference, I'll test in future makings.  I suspect it was the greater amount of pumpkin instead.  Also, I'd probably increase the amount of pumpkin pie spice - or at least add cinnamon.

 

Ingredients

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin purée
1/2 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups milk
2-1/2 cups dry old-fashioned oats

 

Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease an 8x8" baking dish.
(2) In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, pie spice, salt, and baking powder until smooth.
(3) Whisk in milk.
(4) Add oats to pumpkin mixture; stir until well combined.  Pour into prepared pan.
(5)  Cover pan with foil.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil; bake an additional 10-15 minutes.

Kid Participation:
* Whisk together ingredients
* Measure oats

Apple & Oat Breakfast Cookies

Original Recipe HERE

I think this is a very functional recipe: it is easy to make, tasty and filling, and handy to take one on-the-go.  That said, I wasn't completely sold on the texture...it was overly moist, bordering on soggy (yet no doubt fully baked).  Maybe it was because I used a different type of flour?  Maybe it was all the apple sauce?  Maybe that's just the way it's supposed to be?  I baked some with parchment and some with a silpat, and the parchment ones were a little drier (in a good way).  The recipe yielded about 20 cookies that I stored uncovered for three days, and they never got stale.

I will definitely make them again because everyone in the family liked them - maybe try pears?  However, I might slightly decrease the amount of applesauce and will try substitutes for the oil.  Also, I made them gigantic like the original recipe says, and smaller cookies would be more practical.
 

Ingredients

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour or white wheat flour [I used half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour]

3 cups old fashioned oats

1 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1-1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 tsp baking soda

1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped [I did not use]

2-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup canola oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten

3 apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped

 

Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
(2) In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and walnuts.
(3) In a separate bowl, whisk together applesauce, oil, and eggs.
(4) Add wet ingredients to dry; stir until thoroughly combined.
(5) Fold in apples.
(6) Scoop 1/4 to 1/2 cups of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.  Slightly flatten each cookie and shape into a roughly uniform circle shape.
(7) Bake 20-25 minutes (mine took 25), or until tops are firm.  Let cookies set on baking sheet for several minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Kid Participation:
* Whisk dry ingredients
* Whisk wet ingredients
* Stir batter
* Scoop batter onto baking sheets (if you don't care about precision)

Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

Original Recipe HERE

This is a great recipe to have on hand for when your kids want to make cookies - but YOU don't want to get involved in an hours-long process that involves a lot of mess and probablyyour kids losing interest and leaving the boring part of putting baking sheet after baking sheet in the oven and monitoring the time.  Upside: they're tasty!

 

Downside: they're greasy!  So you may reget letting your kids handle the dough unless you're hovering over them with a paper towel and orders to scrub their hands before they run through the house.

 

The recipe says it makes 20 cookies, and that was about what I got.  They spread more than I thought they would, so be sure to leave enough spacing on the baking sheet.

 

Ingredients

1 cup peanut butter [I used creamy]
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 large or extra large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt

1/2 cup mini chocolate chips [optional; I used it]

sugar for rolling [optional; I did not do]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silpat (I used a silpat).

(2) In a medium bowl, beat peanut butter and brown sugar until smooth.

(3) Add egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt to peanut butter mixture.  Beat until incorporated. fold in chocolate chips, if using.
(4) Shape into balls approximately 1" diameter.  Roll in white sugar if desired.

(5) Slightly flatten with a fork into a criss-cross pattern or the bottom of a glass.

(6) Bake for 8-9 minutes (I did 9).  Let cookies sit on baking sheet for several minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

 

Kid Participation:

* Beat all ingredients with a stand mixer

* Roll out balls of dough (if you don't care much about uniformity of size)

* Flatten cookies (if you can trust them to use a light touch)

Creamy Tomato Soup

Original Recipe HERE

 

I took a chance on this recipe, skeptical that my kids would like it - just because most kids don't like tomato soup (despite what Campbell's may try to tell you).  While it was cooking, I told myself that I was going to have a lot of soup to eat for lunches.  However, upon first taste, all three kids declared it delicious and had two or three servings (do I count the one that *J* accidentally dumped over and splattered all over the floor, chair legs, chair pad, cat food, door mat, and himself?).  There was barely enough left over for a meal the next day.

 

The taste reminded me of pasta sauce, so it wasn't the weak tomato soup that I was expecting.  The potent flavor was probably what made the kids like it so much.

 

This soup was a home run tonight...which probably means that when I make it again, they're going to say they don't like it.

 

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
3 cans (15 oz each) diced or crushed tomatoes
2 cups broth [I used vegetable]
1/2 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 to 2 Tablespoons dried basil
Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or light sour cream [I used sour cream]

 

Directions

(1) In a 4-quart pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion; cook until tender, 3 to 5 minutes.

(2) Add garlic; cook another minute until very lightly browned.

(3) Add bay leaves, tomatoes, broth, brown sugar, and basil.  Stir well.

(4) Season with red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste.

(5) Simmer on low heat approximately 15 minutes.

(6) Remove bay leaves.  Use immersion blender (or standing blender) to puree soup.

(7) Add yogurt or sour cream; stir until well combined.

 

Kid Participation: Shock me with an insatiable appetite for it.

Slow Cooker Saucy Baked Beans with Sausage

Original Recipe: Better Homes & Gardens Simple Slow Cooker Recipes.

 

This recipe was a hit with every family member, so there was only one serving left over for lunch the next day.  The great thing about it is how easy it would be to increase its volume: another can of beans, some extra sausage, another squirt of ketchup, chopped red or green pepper and onion, and so on.  I'm sure it could be prepared on the stovetop, but I needed a fix-it-and-forget-it meal that day, so the slow cooker was my method of choice.

 

I served it with barley I cooked on the side.  It was too saucy to eat as-is; I think it needs something like rice or barley to bulk it up.

 

Ingredients

2 cans (15 oz each) Great Northern beans, drained & rinsed

2 cans (15 oz each) pinto beans or small red beans, drained & rinsed

12 oz cooked smoked sausage, cut into 1/4" slices

3/4 cup ketchup

1/2 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

2 Tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 Tablespoons prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 medium red onion, finely chopped

 

Directions

(1) In a 3.5-, 4-, or 5.5-quart slow cooker, combine all ingredients.

(2) Cover; cook on low 5-6 hours or high 2.5-3 hours.

 

Kid Participation:

* dump all ingredients into slow cooker

* push slow cooker buttons (yay, allowed to play with appliances for once!)

Baked Ham with Spiced Cherry Glaze

Original Recipe HERE

* This is one of the menu items Husband researched, planned, shopped for, and executed for Easter 2013. It was the best meal he's ever made. *

 

Ingredients

Nonstick spray

1 (5-pound) boneless ready-to-eat ham

1/2 cup water or white wine [he used water]

1 cup cherry preserves

1 tablespoon creamy prepared horseradish [he used regular]

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 lemon, zested and juiced

 

Directions

(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a roasting pan with foil and spray it with nonstick spray.

(2) Score the top and sides of the ham with a small sharp knife in a crisscross pattern.

(3) Put the ham in the pan, pour 1/2 cup water or white wine into the bottom of the pan and bake, covered loosely with a tent of foil, 45 to 60 minutes.

(4) To make the glaze, combine the preserves, horseradish, brown sugar, cinnamon, cumin, cardamom, salt, and lemon juice in a medium bowl.

(5) Transfer the cherry mixture to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil until the glaze is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the lemon zest.

(6) Remove the ham from the oven and brush the top with 1/4 cup of the glaze.

(7) Bake, uncovered, until the ham is hot and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 140 degrees F, about 20 minutes longer.

(8) Remove the ham from the oven to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Arrange the sliced ham on a serving platter and serve with the reserved glaze.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

Original Recipe HERE

 

I never ate fruit with dinner as a child, other than my mom's homemade applesauce.  It was her go-to side dish with pork chops and pot roast.  I never make either of those in my house, so eating fruit after 12:00pm never really crossed my mind.  Until I had kids.  Since mine love it, I don't have trouble getting (most) fruits into them every day.  But I understand if they get burned out on eating the same kinds, in the same forms, day after day.  Enter dip.

I always have the ingredients with this on hand, so when I'm stumped for a side dish, I can whip it up (literally) in the stand mixer in minutes.  I also send it with *N* for school lunches.  So far, we can attest that it's great with pears, apples, bananas, pineapples, cantaloupe, and red grapes.  It certainly takes the health benefits of the fruit down a notch, but variety is the spice of life, and I'm OK with it.

 

It works better if you plan more than 5 minutes ahead so (1) the cream cheese has time to soften enough, and (2) the brown sugar has time to dissolve (I recommend making a batch, letting it sit about 10 minutes, and giving it another quick blending to break up any remaining clumps of sugar).

 

Ingredients

1 block (8 oz) reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup brown sugar [more or less, to taste]

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon [more or less, to taste]

 

Directions

(1) With a mixer or by hand, blend cream cheese until easily spreadable.

(2) Add sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon.  Blend until well mixed.

 

Kid Participation:

* Mush up cream cheese

* Add other ingredients & stir

* Neglect other parts of dinner in favor of eating just fruit and dip

Sweet Fried Plantains

 

Original Recipe HERE

 

I grew to love plantains while living in South Florida.  There were several amazing Cuban restaurants in our town, and fried plantains were served with almost every meal.  No complaints here.

 

I've found recipes that talk about serving them with salt, or garlic, or other non-sweet accompaniments.  But I can't give up my sweet versions.  While they can just be fried in a little butter or oil and are wonderful as-is, I wanted more butter! more sugar! more flavor! more fat! 

 

I served these with dinner because they are fruit - which was a stretch because they really classified as dessert.  They would be awesome with some vanilla ice cream.  The melt-in-your-mouth plantains with the slightly crispy outside and sweet butter sauce were to die for.  I may or may not have literally licked my plate afterward.

 

Ingredients

3 ripe (almost black) plantains

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

 

Directions

(1) Peel plantains.  Slice in half lengthwise; slice in half widthwise (so you have four equal sized pieces).

(2) Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add plantain slices in an even layer

(3) Allow plantains to saute until dark golden.  Flip.  Repeat saute.

(4) When plantains have become golden and slightly crispy on each side, remove from heat.

(5) Add remaining tablespoon butter to pan along with cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar. Scrape bottom of pan to remove any plantain bits.  Stir sauce; remove from heat when sugar is dissolved.

(7) Serve plantains with sauce drizzled over top. 

 

Kid Participation: None, besides gobbling them up.

 

Creamy Tomato-Basil Soup

Original Recipe HERE

 

I'm not normally a fan of tomato soup.  I didn't grow up on it, either fresh or Campbell's, so I never developed an appreciation for it.  Most of the ones I've tried are too tomato-y, tasting either like fresh tomatoes were used (and they really need to have been cooked instead) or overly salted/seasoned to make up for a too-weak tomato flavor.  So I gave this one a shot with low expectations, especially since I wasn't sure how disintegrating bread into it could really turn out well.

But it really was tasty.  Everyone except *J* had seconds of it, though *P* grew more and more unsure with each passing bite (and since the kid is a Human Garbage Disposal, I thought that if for once he was rejecting a food, I'd respect it).  I made roasted garlic butter and served it with sourdough on the side.  Next time I'll go with the classic grilled cheese to ensure all members of the family eat a heartier meal.  And though I didn't add any additional salt, this was almost too salty for my taste.  I'm assuming that, by process of elimination, that's due to the type of tomato used.  Everyone raves about San Marzano, but I'll try some lowly Hunt's to compare.

 

I plan to freeze a small portion of this to see how well it can be saved.

 

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil [I used grape seed]
1 medium onion, diced small
3 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
2 (28 oz) cans whole tomatoes packed in juice, undrained [I used San Marzano]
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
3 large slices dense white bread [I used sourdough]
2 cups broth [I used vegetable]
¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil

 

Directions

(1) In large pot, heat olive oil medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent, about 3-5 minutes.

(2) Add tomatoes and their juice. Using a potato masher, break them down into smaller pieces.

(3) Stir in sugar and bread; bring soup to a boil.

(4) Reduce heat to medium.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until bread is completely saturated and starts to break down, about 5 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

(5) Turn off heat.  Add butter.  Once melted, puree soup with immersion blender or traditional blender.  Soup can be strained through fine-mesh strainer if perfectly smooth consistency is desired(6) Stir broth into soup; return soup to a boil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat. Stir in the basil before serving.

 

Kid Participation: None.

Baked Oatmeal with Craisins

Original Recipe HERE

 

This meal does not need to include craisins, but since I have several baked oatmeal recipes in rotation, so shall it be dubbed.

 

The only thing I would change for next time, besides the slight adjustments I already made, is to cut down the brown sugar.  It was too sweet to be served for breakfast or brinner; it actually would've been good along with some yogurt, whipped cream, or even vanilla ice cream.  The amount listed below is the (assumed) proper amount.  Cinnamon, nutmeg, etc., would surely work in the dish, too.

 

Also, I realized after the fact that I used baking soda instead of baking powder.  It turned out fine.

 

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked oats [I used old-fashioned]
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 to 1 cup craisins [or dried fruit of choice]
1 Tablespoon chopped nuts [optional]
1 teaspoon baking powder
1-½ cups milk [I used skim]
½ cup applesauce
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, beaten

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit.  Grease a 2-quart casserole dish or 8x8" baking dish.

(2) In large mixing bowl, combine oats, sugar, fruit, nuts, and baking powder.

(3) In separate bowl, whisk egg.  Add milk, applesauce, and butter.

(4) Add milk mixture to oat mixture; stir well.

(5) Pour batter into dish.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until center is set and edges are slightly browned. Serve warm.

 

Kid Participation:

* Mix dry ingredients

* Mix wet ingredients

* Spread batter in dish