Candied Nuts

This made a lot.  I was going to try to halve the recipe but didn't.  I did reduce the sugar as suggested and there was plenty.  I used a mixture of cashews, almonds, pecans, and walnuts.  We had them over salad with strawberries.

Candied Nuts
http://therecipecritic.com/2012/10/slow-cooker-cinnamon-almonds/
Ingredients:

1 1/2 C. Sugar
1 1/2 C. Brown Sugar
3 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Salt
1 Egg White
2 tsp. vanilla
3 Cups Almonds
1/4 C. Water

1. Mix together in a large bowl sugars, cinnamon, and salt.
2. In another bowl with a whisk, mix together the egg white and vanilla until it is frothy. Add the almonds and coat thoroughly. This will help the mixture stick to the almonds during the cooking process.
3. Prepare your slow cooker by spraying it with cooking spray. I used a 4 quart. Add the cinnamon almond mixture to the almonds and turn it to low. Stir until the cinnamon sugar mixture is coated well on the almondsBe prepared for your house to smell amazing!
4. You want to cook for about 3-4 hours. Mine took about 3. Stirring every 20 minutes. In the very last hour, add 1/4 cup water and stir well. This will ensure a crunchy coating and help the mixture to harden.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the almonds onto the sheet to cool. The almonds should be pretty sticky so be sure to seperate them the best that you can and let them cool!

*Update: There is a lot of sugar left over in this. You can reduce the sugar to probably about 1 cup of each and only putting about an 1/8 cup of water. I am going to be testing it out this week. Also your almonds will be very dark and clump together. Just spread them out and try to unclump them as best as possible and let them cool.

Peach Cobbler Bars

I didn't actually have any of these but they seemed to turn out good.  It was killing me not to try them.  I halved the recipe and used 2 apples and 1 peach.

Peach Cobbler Bars
http://therecipecritic.com/2013/07/peach-cobbler-bars/

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp almond extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 (21 ounce) peach pie filling*
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 2 Tbs milk

Instructions

1. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and beat well. Beat in extracts.
2. In a separate bowl combine flour and salt. Add to the creamed mixture. Mix until combined.
3. In a seperate bowl, combine peach pie filling, brown sugar and cinnamon.
4. Grease a 15x10x1 pan or 9×13, whichever one you decide to use. (I used a 15×10 pan). Spread 3 cups batter in a 15x10x1 (Also works with 9×13- baking time will at least be 35 minutes) Spread with pie filling. Drop remaining batter on top of pie filling.
5. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes clean. Cool on wire rack. Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over the bars.

 

Notes

*can also be made with 6-8 fresh peaches

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

I made these cookies last night because I've been wanting to try this recipe and I had to bake for a picnic we are going to tonight. They are supposed to taste like Mother's Iced Oatmeal cookies that you get from the grocery store. These were good. The only changes I made was to eliminate the nutmeg and I used 1/2 butter flavor crisco instead of the butter. They didn't spread real well, so perhaps I should have used the all butter, but I worried that they would spread too much with the all butter. I compared the recipe to the oatmeal cookie recipe I usually make and these had a little more flour and baking powder. I also make them into approx. 48 smaller cookies and used parchment paper to bake.

Frosted Oatmeal Cookies
http://www.thenovicechefblog.com/2012/09/old-fashioned-iced-oatmeal-cookies/

Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies

Yield: 18 large cookies

Recipe Note: Butter your cookie sheet to encourage spreading.

Ingredients:

Cookies:
2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
5 tablespoons milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F and butter two cookie sheets. Set aside.
In a food processor, pulse oats until partly ground. You don't want a fine powder, you want a coarse meal. Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the melted butter, sugar and brown sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix in the dry oat mixture, stirring until thoroughly combined.
Drop dough by (heaping) rounded tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 14-16 minutes, rotating halfway through, until browned. Let cookies rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cookies are completely cooled, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Generously frost each cookie and allow the glaze to harden completely before storing. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Taco Bubble Pizza

I made this last night. It was good and went together fairly well. I'm not sure its on my "make again right away" list, but it was good.

Taco Bubble Pizza
(from Simple and Delicious Magazine)

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 pounds lean ground beef (90% lean)
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed tomato soup, undiluted
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 envelope taco seasoning
• 1 can (12 ounces) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• TOPPINGS:
• 2 cups torn leaf lettuce
• 2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
• 1 can (2-1/4 ounces) sliced ripe olives, drained
• Green onions, optional

Directions

• Cook beef in a large skillet over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the soup, water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut each biscuit into 8 pieces; set aside. Remove beef mixture from heat and gently stir in biscuits. Transfer to an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
• Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 8-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Serve with toppings. Yield: 8 servings.

Banana Zuchinni Bread

This was great.  This differs from the normal bread I make in that it has a little more banana.  I used 3 small-med. bananas and it worked great.  I make 1 8x4 loaf and made the rest into doughnuts rolled in sugar.  The loaf and doughnuts was gone in 1 day.  The original recipe called for walnuts but I didn't add them.  I also didn't add the banana extract.

Banana Zuchinni Bread
from: taste of home

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon banana extract
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup shredded zucchini

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the egg, bananas, oil and extracts. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in zucchini and walnuts.
• Transfer to three 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325° for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 3 mini loaves (6 slices each).

Firecracker Chicken

I made this last night and it was excellent. I will definetely be making this again. The chicken carmelized so nicely. I used 3 breasts and had just enough sauce. I wouldn't use 4 unless I made more sauce.

Firecracker Chicken

http://kitchenmeetsgirl.com/main-dishes/firecracker-chicken/

 

Ingredients

• 2-4 tablespoons canola oil
• 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 cup cornstarch
• 2 large eggs, beaten

For the sauce:

1/3 cup hot sauce (I used Frank's) 1 cup packed light brown sugar 1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cut your chicken into 1-inch pieces while the oil heats. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Place the cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziploc bag, and add the chicken and seal, tossing to coat.
3. Whisk the eggs together in a shallow bowl. Dip the coated chicken pieces into the whisked eggs, and place them in the hot skillet. Cook the chicken pieces for 1-2 minutes on each side, cooking until just browned. Place the chicken in a single layer in a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
4. Mix the hot sauce, brown sugar, water, vinegar and salt in a medium bowl and then pour over the chicken in the baking dish. Bake for one hour, turning the chicken once to coat with the sauce.
5. Serve over hot, white rice.

Chocolate Breakfast Cookies

I think these are delicious.  My kids weren't that impressed and Jeff thought they were too chocolately but I really enjoyed them.  The only change I made was to use chocolate chips instead of white.  They were VERY chocolately.

Chocolate Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 2/3 cup cocoa powder, preferably dark cocoa
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 cup of butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used vanilla flavor)
• 1 large ripe banana
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup White Chocolate Chips or other mix in of your choice

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine your white whole wheat flour, oats, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine your softened butter, Greek yogurt and banana. Mix with a mixer until smooth. Add in sugar and brown sugar and mix until well combined. Mixture may have a slightly curdled appearance due to the yogurt, don't worry, this is okay. Add in your eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Slowly add in dry ingredients to wet ingredients, stirring until combined, but not over mixing. Add in your chocolate chips or other mix ins.

Drop your cookies onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat (if you do not have these, make sure to lightly spray your pans with cooking spray and remove cookies immediately after taking out of the oven, to avoid sticking). Use approximately two tablespoons of cookie dough per cookie (a large cookie scoop). Leave 2" of space between cookies.

Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Enjoy!

Source: http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2013/05/25/chewy-chocolatey-breakfast-cookies/#ixzz2Z7Pfvd1Q

Stuffed Pretzel Rolls

These were delicious.  I stuffed three of them and left the other six plain.  I did them in my bread machine.  Will definetely be making these again!

Cheese and Jalapeno Stuffed Pretzel Rolls
http://www.brighteyedbaker.com/2013/06/25/cheese-and-jalapeno-stuffed-pretzel-rolls/

Ingredients

Pretzel Roll Dough
• 10 ounces (1 1/4 cups) water
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 15 7/8 ounces (3 3/4 cups, spoon and level) bread flour, divided
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Cheese and Jalapeño Filling
• 4 ounces (1 1/4 cups) shredded cheese (such as aged cheddar)
• 1 large and 1 medium jalapeño pepper*, minced
Poaching
• 64 ounces (8 cups) water
• 2 1/4 ounces (1/4 cup) baking soda
Glaze and Topping
• 1 egg white
• 1 tablespoon water
• coarse sea salt or pretzel salt, for sprinkling

Instructions

Preparing the dough:
1. In a microwave safe measuring glass or bowl with at least a 2-cup capacity, microwave the water for 30-40 seconds, until it reads 110-115ºF on an instant-read thermometer. Stir in sugar to dissolve. Sprinkle yeast on top, stir in, and let sit for 5-10 minutes, until foamy.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in the microwave, and let it cool to 110-115ºF. Your goal is to have it at this temperature when your yeast mixture is ready.
3. Transfer the yeast mixture to a large bowl and add the butter. Sprinkle 12 3/4 ounces (3 cups, spoon and level) bread flour on top. Add the salt. Mix everything together with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. It should be pretty wet/sticky.
4. Gradually add a bit of the remaining flour** to the dough as needed and mix in until you can work the dough with your hands without it getting stuck everywhere. Turn the dough out onto the counter and knead, incorporating more of the remaining flour as necessary, for about 10 minutes.*** When the dough is ready, it should be elastic and tacky, but no so sticky that it gets stuck to the counter or your hands. Shape dough into a smooth ball and place in a greased bowl that is twice its size. Turn once to coat the top of the dough with the cooking spray, and then cover with plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm spot until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
Preparing the filling:
5. Toss the shredded cheese with the minced jalapeño to evenly combine.
Shaping the rolls:
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down the risen dough and divide into 9 equal portions (if you have a kitchen scale, use it to make each portion equal in weight). Working with one portion at a time and leaving the rest of the dough covered with plastic wrap, flatten the piece into a round (make sure the center is smooth) and place a scoop of the cheese mixture in the center. Again, if you have a scale, use it to weigh the cheese and jalapeño filling so that you can place an equal amount in each roll. Wrap the filling up inside the dough by lifting the edges of the dough and bringing them together in the center, pinching closed. (Picture tying up a knapsack.) Make sure all of the filling gets sealed in. Turn the roll over and round out the edges with your palms, gently pulling dough towards the bottom of the roll if needed to help smooth out the top.**** Place roll pinch-side down on one of the prepared baking sheets. Cover and repeat with remaining rolls, leaving ample space between each roll on the baking sheet. Once all are shaped, cover and leave to rise for 30-40 minutes, until very puffy, like this. Before starting the poaching step, preheat oven to 400ºF with oven racks set in the bottom and top-third positions.
Poaching:
7. Combine water and baking soda in a large saucepan and bring to a simmer. One by one, gently dunk each roll into the simmering liquid, top-side up. Poach for about 20 seconds, and then carefully flip with a small strainer and poach for another 20 seconds. Lift up the roll with the strainer, let the excess water drain, and flip roll top-side up onto one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining rolls, dividing between the two baking sheets, leaving a couple inches of space between each roll. The rolls will look wrinkled once they come out of the poaching liquid, but they'll smooth out once they bake.
Glazing and Topping:
8. Whisk the egg white with the water for the glaze. Brush glaze all over the exposed areas of the rolls. Sprinkle the top of each roll with some sea salt or pretzel salt.
Baking:
9. Bake rolls for 18-20 minutes, flipping and rotating baking sheets halfway through the baking time. Tops should be golden when done, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the bottom center of one of the rolls should read about 210ºF. These are best served warm from the oven, but you can also allow them to cool completely on a wire rack and reheat before serving. Rolls can be wrapped in a light kitchen linen and reheated in the microwave, or you can stick the whole batch in a warm oven for a couple minutes to reheat. Any leftover rolls should be kept in a ziploc-type bag.*****

Buffalo Cauliflower

This was delicious.  I followed the recipe to a "T" and it came out well.  I definetely will make again.

Cauliflower Buffalo "Wings" - From Self Magazine

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Head Cauliflower
• 1 Cup 1% Milk
• 3/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Garlic Powder
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• 1/2 Cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 450 Degrees. Trim the head of cauliflower into appetizer sized bites and set aside. In a bowl stir together milk, flour and garlic powder. Dip each piece of cauliflower into the batter and allow the extra batter to drip off. Place on a greased baking sheet. Spray the tops of the florets with cooking oil. Bake for 18 minutes.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat and add the Frank's hot sauce and stir. Toss cooked cauliflower pieces with the sauce. Put back on cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 7 more minutes in the oven. Remove and serve with a side of Blue Cheese Dressing.

Homemade Hamburger Helper - Salisbury

I found this website through pinterest on how to make all different variations of hamburger helper.

http://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/homemade-hamburger-helper/

I tried this one last night - and it DID taste like hamburger helper. We really enjoyed it and the best part about it was I used healthier ingredients, 90% ground beef and whole grain noodles.

Type Made:
Salisbury: Using 1 pound ground beef, 1 cup hot water and 2 cups milk, 1 1/2 cups small egg noodles, prepare a sauce packet including 1 tablespoon corn starch, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and a dash of Worcestershire sauce.

Method:
Step One: Brown and drain one pound of ground beef.
Step Two: Add 3 cups of liquid (water and/or milk) along with your 1 1/2 cups of pasta, sliced potatoes*, or rice (use only 1 cup of rice), the sauce packet, and sometimes tomatoes. Simmer covered. The simmer time will be approximately 12-20 minutes for most varieties. If cheese is used, stir it in during the last few minutes of cook time and put the cover back on the pot.
Step Three: Turn off heat and uncover. (Some varieties have cheese tossed on as a topping at the end instead of or in addition to being mixed in.) Let stand to thicken at least 5 minutes before serving.

Mexican Chocolate Loaf

This bread was really fun to make however the chocolate flavor was a bit overpowering.  The bread came out good, but I'd prefer to have it a little sweeter.  I'm not sure I'd make this again.

Mexican Chocolate Loaf (from Food Network Magazine)

For the loaf:

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup sliced blanched almonds
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting [I used a mix of white whole wheat and all-purpose]
• Large pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 batch Basic Sweet-Roll Dough, without nutmeg [recipe follows]

For the topping:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Prepare the loaf: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the butter, almonds, sugar, cocoa powder, egg yolks, cinnamon, flour and cayenne in a food processor and pulse to make a paste.

On a floured surface, roll out the dough into a 10-by-18-inch rectangle. Spread the cocoa mixture over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on one of the long sides. Brush the clean border with water. Tightly roll the dough into an 18-inch log, rolling toward the clean border; pinch the seam to seal. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet; refrigerate until firm, 30 minutes.

Slide the parchment off the baking sheet and cut the log in half lengthwise with a chef's knife. Slide back onto the baking sheet and pinch one end together with the cut sides facing in. Twist the two halves together, crossing one over the other a few times. Pinch the end together, then tuck both pinched ends under the loaf slightly. Cover the loaf loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until plump, 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Uncover the loaf and bake, rotating the baking sheet halfway through, until golden brown (a thermometer inserted into the middle should register 170 degrees F to 175 degrees F), 30 to 35 minutes.

Make the topping: Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Brush the warm loaf with the melted butter and sprinkle with some of the cinnamon sugar. Let cool, then sprinkle with more cinnamon sugar.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 1/4-ounce packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled, plus more for brushing
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)

Directions

Warm 1/2 cup water and the milk in a saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 degrees F to 110 degrees F. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the yeast on top, then sprinkle with a pinch of the sugar; set aside, undisturbed, until foamy, about 5 minutes.
Whisk the melted butter, egg yolk and vanilla into the yeast mixture until combined. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, the remaining sugar, the salt and nutmeg. Make a well in the center, then add the yeast mixture and stir with a wooden spoon to make a thick and slightly sticky dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until soft and elastic, about 6 minutes. Shape into a ball.
Brush a large bowl with butter. Add the dough, turning to coat lightly with the butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature until the dough is doubled in size, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
Turn the dough out of the bowl and knead briefly to release excess air; re-form into a ball and return to the bowl. Lightly butter a large piece of plastic wrap and lay it directly on the surface of the dough. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Ice Cream Cone Cookies & Oreo Rice Krispie Treats

I made these this past weekend and although they were both good, I'm not sure I'd make the cookies again.  The sprinkles were a bit too much.  The Rice Krispie treats were good though and I liked the white chocolate on top.

Sugar Cone Chocolate Chip Cookies (from simple & delicious mag)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 2 cups coarsely crushed ice cream sugar cones (about 16)
• 1 cup sprinkles

Directions

• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars
• until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In another bowl,
• whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into creamed
• mixture. Stir in chocolate chips, crushed sugar cones and sprinkles.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake
• 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks
• to cool. Yield: 6 dozen.

 

Black and White Cereal Treats (from simple & delicious mag)

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 8 cups miniature marshmallows
• 6 cups Rice Krispies
• 2-1/2 cups chopped double-stuffed Oreo cookies (about 16), divided
• 1-1/3 cups white baking chips, melted

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add marshmallows; cook
• and stir until melted. Remove from heat. Stir in cereal and 2 cups
• Oreos. Press into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan.
• Spread melted baking chips over top; sprinkle with remaining Oreos,
• pressing gently to adhere. Cool to room temperature. Cut into bars.
• Yield: 2 dozen.

 

Pioneer Woman Salsa

This was really good.  I omitted the cumin and I didn't mix in the food processor.  I just used a potato masher to mash things up.  It was chunky but I liked it.
Salsa
(From Pioneer Woman)

Ingredients

• 1 can (28 Ounce) Whole Tomatoes With Juice
• 2 cans (10 Ounce) Rotel (diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies)
• 1/4 cup Chopped Onion
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Jalapeno, Quartered And Sliced Thin
• 1/4 teaspoon Sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/2 cup Cilantro (more To Taste!)
• 1/2 whole Lime Juice

Preparation Instructions

Note: this is a very large batch. Recommend using a 12-cup food processor, or you can process the ingredients in batches and then mix everything together in a large mixing bowl.
Combine whole tomatoes, Rotel, onion, jalapeno, garlic, sugar, salt, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Pulse until you get the salsa to the consistency you'd like---I do about 10 to 15 pulses. Test seasonings with a tortilla chip and adjust as needed.
Refrigerate salsa for at least an hour. Serve with tortilla chips or cheese nachos

Fruity Pebble Granola Bars

These are ok.  I'm not sure I would make them again however they are different.  A little crumbly.  Kids weren't really fans, but my husband enjoyed them.

No Bake Fruity Pebbles Granola Bars

http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/04/no-bake-fruity-pebbles-granola-bars/

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 24 squares

Homemade granola bars get a fun twist from the Fruity Pebbles cereal.

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup honey

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cups quick oats

2 1/2 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal

Instructions

1. In a sauce pan combine the butter, honey, and sugar. Cook on low heat until melted and it starts to bubble. Turn the heat down and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
2. Stir together the oats and cereal in a bowl. Pour the hot butter mixture over the top and stir until completely coated. Press the cereal tightly into an 8x8 pan that has been buttered. Let set before cutting into bars. Makes 24 cereal squares.

Read more at http://insidebrucrewlife.com/2013/04/no-bake-fruity-pebbles-granola-bars/#rskkZMD0FQ6KROIg.99

Hawaiin Rolls

When I was making these I thought they would be a fail.  But actually I really enjoyed them.  I served them with rootbeer pulled pork.  I probably will make them again.  I used 1/2 white whole wheat flour and added 1 tbsp vital gluten.

Hawaiian Sweet Rolls

http://recipesfoodandcooking.com/index.php/2013/05/21/hawaiian-sweet-rolls/

Yield: 18 rolls

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 18 - 20 minutes

Total Time: 4 hours

Sweet yeast rolls with pineapple bits

Ingredients:

1/3 cup milk
1 package instant dry yeast
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 - 8 oz. can crushed pineapple, NOT drained (about 2/3 cup)
4 cups bread flour (I used half bread flour and half regular flour)
1 teaspoon salt
For the tops:
1 egg
1/4 cup water
A few tablespoons melted butter

Directions:

Mix together the milk and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes. Add the oil, butter, sugar, eggs, and pineapple and mix to combine.
Add the salt and flour about 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. It should be sticky, but not gooey.
Knead for about 10 minutes by hand or in a stand mixer with a dough hook. Cover and let rise until doubled (about 60 minutes). Punch the dough down and divide into 18 equal balls. Place on a well buttered cookie sheet.
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Beat together the egg and water for the top and brush the tops of the risen rolls with the egg wash. Bake for about 25 minutes or until the tops are nicely browned. Brush the top with some melted butter and serve warm.

Chocolate Doughnuts

My kids loved these - and they are a TAD bit healthier.  I used 1/2 white whole wheat and 1/2 white flour.  I thought doing all whole wheat would be too much.

Chocolate Doughnuts

Ingredients

Donuts
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder, preferably dark
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, preferably vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, optional
Glaze
• 1/4 cup milk (I used 1%)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

To Make Your Donuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine your while whole wheat flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, combine vanilla, egg, Greek yogurt, milk and oil.

Combine wet and dry ingredients, as well as chocolate chips if using, and mix until just combined.

Transfer batter into a large freezer style bag (or piping bag). Batter will be thick.

Pipe your batter into a greased donut pan.

Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes until the tops of donuts spring back when touched.

To Make Your Glaze

Combine milk, vanilla and powdered sugar and whisk or stir well until combined. After donuts have cooled slightly, dip each donut into your glaze, then transfer to a wire rack with a baking sheet or wax paper underneath, as donuts will drip off excess glaze. Enjoy!

Source: http://www.lovefromtheoven.com/2013/06/13/delicious-donuts-made-with-whole-wheat-and-greek-yogurt/#ixzz2YAkn9ob4