Grilled Chicken with Lemon Basil Pasta

Photo courtesy of thepioneerwoman.com

This is my new go-to recipe for having company over for dinner. I got it from The Pioneer Woman and it is phenomenal. I've tried a few of her recipes now and they all have been amazing. Basically nothing she makes is low calorie/low fat/low sugar but I believe splurges are completely justified every now and then. I've made this dish a few times now and it has always been a hit. I like to serve it for company because A) It serves a lot of people, B) It is pretty easy to make and C) Makes for a good presentation and is family style so I don't have to plate up everyone's meal.

Marinating the chicken makes it SO tender and delicious so I highly recommend NOT skipping this step. Also, the original recipe calls for the juice of 4 lemons in the sauce but that is WAY too much. Makes it so sour it is almost unbearable, especially if you use a citrus reamer like me and 4 lemons gives you a whole cup of juice! So I only use 2 lemons. But please oh please make this sometime soon. It is amazing!

Ingredients:
- 4 whole Grilled Chicken Breasts, Sliced (marinade instructions below)
- 1 pound Penne Pasta, cooked until Al Dente
- ½ stick of Butter
- 2 whole Lemons, juiced (I go for 1/2 cup of juice so if you have small lemons, you may need more lemons)
- ½ cups Heavy Cream
- ½ cups Half-and-half
- 1-½ cup Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Romano) (fresh grated is better than store bought grated, just use your food processor)
- Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- 20 whole fresh Basil Leaves, chopped

Preparation:

1. They day before, marinate chicken for 24 hours (I forgot to marinate them early one time so only did it for 10 hours and they were still good ... but 24 hours is better). Ree (The Pioneer Woman) didn't give exact amounts at all for each of the marinade ingredients so I'm estimating how much I used. Pour all the ingredients into a gallon sized ziplock bag then add chicken.

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1/4 c. Olive oil

Juice of four lemons

1-2 tablespoons Dijon

1 tablespoon honey

A dash of salt

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2. When you are ready to actually make the meal, cook pasta in a large pot, reserving 1 cup of hot pasta water when you drain. Set pasta aside in a colander. Mean while, grill marinated chicken, set aside and keep warm.

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3. In the same pot, melt butter over medium heat. Squeeze in the juice of 2-3 lemons. Whisk together. Pour in cream and half-and-half. Whisk until nice and hot. Dump in cheese and whisk until melted. Add salt and pepper.

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4. Add pasta to sauce and stir until pasta is totally covered. Check consistency, adding some of the hot pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed. (You probably won't have to use the whole cup of water, I use maybe 1/4 cup max). Add half of the chopped basil and stir to combine.

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5. Pour pasta and sauce into a large, pre-warmed serving bowl/dish. Sprinkle remaining basil all over the top, then add sliced chicken breasts on top. Serve immediately!

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If you want to see step by step pictures and instructions, you can look at the original post of this recipe here. Sometimes those pictures are very helpful!

Jerk Chicken with Cilantro Mango Salsa

While on our honeymoon, our boat was re-routed after a hurricane hit St. Maarten and we ended up going to Jamaica for half a day. While there, we ate at a tasty little local place called the Pork Pit. They had some of the best tasting Jamaican Jerk Pork/Chicken that either of us ever tasted.

In attempts to re-created the tasty memory of what we shared together, and, to complete my goal of making 3 gluten free receipes this month, I made this yummy Jerk Chicken recipe last night. It has a nice blend of the spices/brown sugar and enough punch to satisfy Chas' desire for fire hot food. The mango salsa was a nice touch because, for wimps like me, it tamed down the hotness of the jerk spices.



Enjoy!

Recipe from www.glutenfreegirl.blogspot.com

JERK CHICKEN WITH CILANTRO MANGO SALSA (from Karen Robertson's always-great Cooking Gluten-free!, p. 59):


2 whole chicken breasts
1/ 2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/4 cup brown sugar, tightly packed


Combine all the spices. Coat the chicken breasts in the spices. Ideally, you should grill them. But since I don't have a barbeque, or a place to keep it, I sauteed them in the pan with good olive oil. Damned juicy. Especially good if you top it with the cilantro/mango salsa:


2 cups peeled, chopped mango
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
juice from 1 lime.


BLACK BEAN SALAD (ALSO FROM COOKING GLUTEN-FREE!, p. 130)


2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
4 scallions, finely chopped (those are green onions, in case you are confused)
1 cup red and green peppers, finely chopped
1 cup of corn kernels
4 tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro
2 jalapeno peppers, finely minced
juice of 2 limes
2 avocadoes, chopped
Mix it all together. Salt and pepper to taste. That's it.


Note: I ended up mixing both the ingredients from the black bean salad and the mango salsa together, and it wad delicious! I also used a vegetable mix since I didn't have just corn, and I think it still worked just fine.

Shrimp Salad

A friend of mine who is a personal trainer introduced me to http://www.skinnytaste.com/ and so far I have loved all the recipes I have tried from her blog. She even has a gluten free section, which makes it nice for people like me.

I found this tasty little appetizer and tried it a few weeks ago. I had to share since it really was so tasty. You can have it in a sandwich too, if you want.

As appetizer: Servings: 30 • Serving Size: 1 piece • Points: 0 pts
Calories: 15.7 • Fat: 0.4 g • Protein: 2.5 g • Carb: 0.5 g • Fiber: 0.1 g

As Lunch: Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4 lb salad plus 1/4 cucumber • Points: 2 pts
Calories: 117.5 • Fat: 2.8 g • Protein: 18.8 g • Carb: 3.7 g • Fiber: 1.0 g


3/4 lb cooked shrimp, peeled (weight after peeled)
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 tbsp red onion, chopped
2 tbsp light mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's)
1 tbsp fat free Greek yogurt
Goya Adobo
salt and fresh ground pepper
30 thin slices cucumber (about 1 large)
chopped chives for garnish
Combine shrimp, celery, onion, mayonnaise, yogurt, and season to taste with adobo and pepper. Arrange cucumbers on a platter, season with salt and top each slice with a heaping tablespoon of shrimp salad. Top with chopped chives for garnish.

Chicken Coq a Vin

I found this dish off Yahoo's Shine Food website, and thought that it was worth trying because it is different than any of the recipes I have been making lately. It was a tasty combination of flavors, my only suggestion would be to make the sauce just a little thinner than what my ended up looking like. And, as you can see, I made mine with rice instead of the pasta, because I didn't have any left. But there were no complaints about the rice in my house :)

Recipe source: Better Homes and Gardens

ingredients

• 2-1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper
• 12 to 18 pearl onions or shallots, peeled
• 1-1/4 cups Pinot Noir or Burgundy
• 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
• 1 cup whole fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup thinly sliced carrot (2 medium)
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
• 1-1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh marjoram or 1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
• 1-1/2 teaspoons snipped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 2 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled
• Snipped fresh parsley (optional)
• Hot cooked noodles (optional)

directions

1. Skin chicken. In a large skillet cook chicken in hot oil over medium heat about 15 minutes or until light brown, turning to brown evenly. Drain fat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Add onions, Pinot Noir, broth, mushrooms, carrots, the 1 tablespoon parsley, dried marjoram (if using), dried thyme (if using), bay leaf, and garlic. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 35 to 40 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (170 degrees F for breasts; 180 degrees F for thighs and drumsticks). Add fresh marjoram and thyme (if using). Discard bay leaf. Transfer chicken and vegetables to a serving platter; keep warm.
2. In a mixing bowl stir together flour and softened butter to make a smooth paste. Stir into wine mixture in skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
3. Pour sauce over chicken and vegetables. Sprinkle with bacon. If desired, top with additional parsley and serve with hot cooked noodles. Makes 6 servings.

French Pastry Puffs

A friend of mine blogged about these on her cooking website (www.triedandtasty.com ), and I thought they looked tasty and pretty easy to make. I was right. I even substituted gluten free flour for the real deal and they tasted light, fluffy and like a French pastry puff.
Source: The Cook Next Door

4 1/2 cups flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp salt

Mix all dry ingredients together and set aside.

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening
3 eggs

In your mixer cream shortening and add sugar and blend well and then add eggs (it is best if you use room temperature eggs, but it will work if you don’t) one at a time until blended.

Then alternate adding dry ingredients to creamed mixture with 1 1/2 cups milk (whole is best). Keep alternating between the wet and the dry…ending with milk until all is blended. Grease mini muffin tins well with shortening. Spoon batter into tins. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. These will not get really dark brown on top so use a toothpick to check if done.

Melt in a bowl 1 cup of salted butter. In another bowl mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and 3 tsp cinnamon. After muffins are out and cooled for a few minutes out of the pans, dip tops in butter and then roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture. This recipe makes 8 doz mini muffins

Warm Cranberry Wassail

This is my favorite cold weather drink. Well, I do love me some Bailey's Irish Cream and coffee but this wassail is appropriate for all ages so I guess it is a little more versatile. :o) I got the recipe from my friend, Jan Massie, so I must give all credit to her. Go make it for your next gathering or even make it in small batches just for yourself (I just did!).

Ingredients

- 1 64oz bottle Ocean Spray Cranberry juice cocktail

- 2 1/2 c. apple juice

- 1/4 c. sugar

- 3 cinnamon sticks

- 1 t. all spice

- 1/2 t. nutmeg-

- orange slices

-whole cloves

Preparation

Combine all ingredients except garnishes (oranges and cloves) in a large saucepan. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Strain wassail to remove spices (I use a really fine mesh strainer). Place in a heat proof punch bowl or crock pot (I use a crock pot and already have it heated before I pour the wassail in or the wassail will cool down). Garnish with orange slices studded with cloves.

Taco Pasta

I found this recipe on a blog I stumbled upon while searching for a different recipe, called Plain Chicken. I've made it twice now and love it. Glendon calls it "healthier, better tasting, less preservative, homemade Hamburger Helper" and I guess it kind of is. It is quick and easy to make and tastes great too. A very family friendly meal and heats up great as leftovers! Enjoy!

Ingredients

- 1 pound ground beef

- 8 ounce small dry pasta (I use shells)

- 1 small onion, chopped (or 1 Tbsp minced onion flakes)

- 1 clove garlic, minced

- 1 cup salsa

- 1 packet taco seasoning (I only use half a packet)

- 3 ounce cream cheese

- 1/2 cup sour cream

- Salt and pepper

- Shredded Cheese for topping (I use cheddar and mozzarella)

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Cook pasta according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the ground meat and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Once the meat is cooked through, drain off the excess fat and mix in the garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in the salsa and taco seasoning and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the cooked pasta, cream cheese, sour cream and reserved pasta water, and continue stirring until the cream cheese is melted and the sauce is well blended. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Top with shredded cheese and more sour cream and salsa if desired.

Yield: Between 5-6 servings

Smoky Black Bean Soup

If you are looking for a really easy soup recipe for a cold fall day, this is one of them. It took me a total of about ten minutes to put this soup together, and it has a great smoky chipotle flavor. Of course you can add a little of your own spices if you want to make it hotter, but for me and my tame taste buds, I just stuck to the recipe.

I found this one on Yahoo Shine but was from Cooking Light

(15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup water
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup chipotle salsa
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Avocado-Lime Salsa (see recipe below)
Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)

1. Place beans in a medium saucepan. Mash beans slightly with a potato masher. Stir in water and next 3 ingredients. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat, and simmer 8 minutes. Uncover, and cook 2 minutes or until soup is slightly thickened. Ladle soup evenly into each of 4 bowls; top evenly with Avocado-Lime Salsa, and, if desired, sour cream. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1/4 cup salsa).

CALORIES 172; FAT 5.7g (sat 0.9g, mono 3.4g, poly 0.8g); PROTEIN 7.4g; CARB 29.7g; FIBER 11g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 3.1mg; SODIUM 572mg; CALC 60mg

Avocado-Lime Salsa
Prep: 5 minutes

1 cup diced peeled avocado
1 lime
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
1/8 teaspoon salt

1. Place avocado in a small bowl. Grate rind from lime and squeeze juice to measure 1/2 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon, respectively; add to avocado. Add cilantro and salt. Toss gently. Yield: 1 cup (serving size: 1/4 cup).

CALORIES 55; FAT 5.2g (sat 0.8g, mono 3.2g, poly 0.7g); PROTEIN 0.7g; CARB 2.9g; FIBER 1.7g; CHOL 0mg; IRON 0.4mg; SODIUM 76mg; CALC 5mg

Sweet and Sour Chicken Drumsticks

I saw this recipe on Yahoo's Shine food blog and thought they sounded really good. And I was right, they are delicious. And they way that the sauce is made, you actually feel like you are eating something that is healthy but sounds like it could be bad :)

Anyway, the recipe is from EatingWell.com. I made white rice with the chicken and used the remainder of the sauce to pour over the rice....Taaaasty.

ingredients

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup water
3 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cider vinegar, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds), skin removed, trimmed
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
directions

Preheat grill to medium. (No grill? See Broiler Variation, below.)
To prepare dipping sauce, combine orange zest, orange juice, water, honey, 1 tablespoon vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and coriander in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Whisk cornstarch and the remaining 1 teaspoon vinegar in a small bowl until smooth. Add to the saucepan and return to a boil, whisking until thickened, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Stir in mint.
Sprinkle drumsticks with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the drumsticks until crispy on all sides and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 15 minutes total. Serve the drumsticks with the dipping sauce on the side. Broiler variation: Position oven rack in the upper third of the oven; preheat broiler to high. Prepare sauce (Step 2). Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle drumsticks with salt and pepper (Step 3), then broil, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 165°F, about 15 minutes total.
To oil the grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Don’t use cooking spray on a hot grill.)
I used the broiler method since we don't have a grill right now. Half way through broiling the chicken I basted a little of the sauce on the drumsticks, and it made them turn a nice golden brown with some additional flavor to the outside of the chicken.


Nutritional Information:
Per serving: 255 calories; 8 g fat (2 g saturated fat, 3 g mono unsaturated fat); 93 mg cholesterol; 16 g carbohydrates; 29 g protein; 1 g fiber; 389 mg sodium; 315 mg potassium Nutrition Bonus: Selenium (27% daily value), Vitamin C (15% dv).

Marmalade French Toast Casserole

(photo courtesy of Becky Luigart-Stayner; Leigh Ann Ross, CookingLight.com)

I made this when my in-laws were visiting and I think we all loved it (unless they were just humoring me ... but either way, I loved it)! Such a delcious and easy take on french toast. I got it from CookingLight.com. Please oh please serve it with orange syrup, it makes it SO much better (at least in my opinion).

To make the orange syrup you simply add one teaspoon orange rind and two tablespoons juice per 1/2 cup syrup then warm it in the mircrowave. So good!

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: 1 piece)

Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 (16-ounce) sourdough French bread loaf, cut into 24 (1/2-inch) slices
- Cooking spray
- 1 (12-ounce) jar orange marmalade
- 2 3/4 cups 1% low-fat milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (I added a little cinnamon too)
- 6 large eggs
- 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts (I used pecans instead)

Preparation
1. Spread softened butter on one side of each bread slice. Arrange 12 bread slices, buttered side down, slightly overlapping in a single layer in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread marmalade evenly over bread (I only used half the jar and it was enough); top with remaining 12 bread slices, buttered side up.

2. Combine milk and next 4 ingredients (through eggs), stirring with a whisk. Pour egg mixture over bread. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.

3. Preheat oven to 350°.

4. Sprinkle casserole with walnuts (or pecans). Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Information
Calories:293 (28% from fat)
Fat:9g (sat 3.2g,mono 2.2g,poly 2.3g)
Protein:9.1g
Carbohydrate:46.4g
Fiber:1.6g
Cholesterol:116mg
Iron:2.2mg
Sodium:315mg
Calcium:132mg

Quinoa, mango, and black bean salad

This was the perfect combination of tangy and sweet, along with the texture of the quinoa. I decided to try it after thinking all day about what to make for dinner, and this ended up being a perfect side dish. Plus, I love mangos!

* 1/2 cup quinoa
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 cup orange juice
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
* 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
* Pinch of cayenne pepper
* 1 small mango, diced
* 1 small red bell pepper, diced
* 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
* 2 scallions, thinly sliced

1. Toast quinoa in a small dry saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it crackles and becomes aromatic, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a fine sieve and rinse thoroughly. Return the quinoa to the pot and add water. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cover and cook until the quinoa is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk orange juice, cilantro, vinegar, oil, ginger, salt and cayenne in a medium bowl. Add mango, bell pepper, beans and scallions; toss to coat.
3. When the quinoa is finished cooking, add to the mango mixture and toss to combine.

Bacon, Ranch, and Chicken Mac and Cheese

Photo courtesy of Romulo Yanes, Randy Mayor

I feel like there have been a lot of mac & cheese posts on here but I just had to do another one because it is so stinking delicious! Plus, it is definitely a different take on mac & cheese so it is unlike anything you've had before! We love this in our house and it has been my go-to meal to make for friends when they have babies, etc. You do need to like ranch to like this recipe though, just FYI. The combination of onion and garlic powders plus dill creates a flavor similar to ranch dressing. It is just so good! Yay for semi-healthy comfort food!

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 2 cups)

Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 slice bacon (this is not enough, I use 2 or 3)
- 8 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
- 1/3 cup condensed 45% reduced-sodium 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup, undiluted
- 3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded six-cheese Italian blend (I use the 5 cheese blend cuz I can't find 6 cheese)
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh dill (if you don't have fresh, use about 1/4 tsp dried)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Cooking spray
- 1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded colby-Jack cheese (cheddar works too)

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Preparation
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.
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2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Finely chop bacon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to drippings in pan; sauté 6 minutes or until done. (I don't always use the bacon drippings, seems super unhealthy but if I do, I only use half)

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3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155°. Add Italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and salt, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in pasta and chicken.
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4. Preheat broiler.

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5. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-Jack (or cheddar) cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts.

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Nutritional Information
Calories:497
Fat:17g (sat 9.2g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.4g)
Protein:33.3g
Carbohydrate:51.7g
Fiber:2g
Cholesterol:74mg
Iron:2.4mg
Sodium:767mg
Calcium:368mg

Cupcake bites

A few of you asked for the recipe for these when I posted about them on my other blog. So, to make it easy, I will post it here. My friend Yvonne taught me how to make these a couple of months ago. They are definitely a sweet treat and something you might want to consider sharing with others, as they are LOADED with sugar, sugar, sugar, lol.

Step 1: Make a cake, any cake. Whatever flavor you like
Step 2: Pick a can of frosting that will go well with the flavor of cake you baked
Step 3: Pick up 2 different kinds of Wilton candy melts (I used chocolate for the bottom on these ones and then red colored ones for the top shell)You can pick up white ones and add food coloring to make them the color you want if they don't have a color you are looking for.
Step 4: Take the can of frosting and the cake, put them in a bowl and mix them together until mashed and blended well. With a big baking pan/platter, roll the cake/frosting mix into golfball size balls (maybe even a little smaller) and place them on the sheet
Step 5: put the cupcake balls on the sheet in the fridge while you are making the base for the cupcake bite
which, you will need some of these for:

Step 6: Use a frosting bag or a plastic bag (with a tip you can cut off) to put in about 1/4 of the candy melts that you want to use for the base, and melt it in the microwave (or melt it in a ceramic bowl if you don't want to microwave plastic) Start with 20 seconds and add more time if needed
Step 7: pipe the melted candy base into the molds, take the cupcake balls and set them on top of the melted candy base. You want to make sure the mold is almost all the way full of the candy melt base, otherwise the cupcake cake part will not stick to the base when you refrigerate it
Step 8: Put the molds with the cupcake ball on top in the fridge to set, for about 5-10 minutes
Step 9: Take the candy melts that you want to use for the hard candy shell and put them in a microwave safe bowl, big enough for you to be able to dip into. Melt the shell candy until completely smooth
Step 10: Take the base with the cupcake bite out of the fridge, and carefully pop the bases out of the molds. Then, tip the cupcake bite upside down and dip the top into the shell of the candy melt.
Step 11: If desired, top with a garnish of your choice, nonpareils, sprinkles, M&M's (we used white sprinkles and M&M's) and place back onto the baking sheet/platter and let sit in the fridge for another 5-10 minutes
Step 12: Once the shell of the cupcake bite has hardened, you are now ready to enjoy your delicious cupcake bites

FYI: This entire process took us about an hour, not including the baking of the cake (this we did ahead of time), so it's a bit of a lengthy process, but the cupcake bites are worth every minute in the end.

Spinach Salad with Grilled Pork Tenderloin and Nectarines

(photo courtesy of Oxmoor House)

Feast your eyes on the easiest, tastiest salad ever! :o) This salad has become a favorite of mine this summer as it is super easy to make, tastes delicious, and almost has zero clean-up. I got it from CookingLight.com (don't I always post their recipes?)

One thing on the nutritional value. I make this salad as my main course and I'm a big eater so I eat more than their serving size for the nutritional info and if you have a healthy appetite like me and want to feel satisfied, yours will be more than the 169 calories too. Because, I mean really, I want more than 2oz of pork in my meal!

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Prep Time: 16 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

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Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 2/3 cups spinach salad, 1/2 nectarine, about 2 ounces pork, and 2 teaspoons cheese)
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Ingredients
1 (1-pound) peppercorn-flavored pork tenderloin, trimmed
3 nectarines, halved
Cooking spray
2 (6-ounce) packages fresh baby spinach
1/4 cup light balsamic vinaigrette (I use a white balsamic and LOVE it)
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta cheese
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)

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Preparation
1. Prepare grill.

2. Cut pork horizontally through center of meat, cutting to, but not through, other side using a sharp knife; open flat as you would a book. Place pork and nectarine halves, cut sides down, on grill rack coated with cooking spray. Grill pork 5 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 160°. Grill nectarine halves 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until thoroughly heated. Remove pork and nectarine halves from grill. Let pork rest 10 minutes.

3. Peel off nectarine skin (it will come off easily after being cooked). Cut nectarine halves into slices. Thinly slice pork. Combine spinach and vinaigrette in a large bowl; toss gently to coat.

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4. Divide spinach mixture evenly on each plate. Top each serving evenly with nectarine slices and pork slices. Sprinkle with cheese. Sprinkle evenly with pepper, if desired.
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Nutritional Information
Calories: 169 (31% from fat)
Fat: 6g (sat 2g,mono 1.5g,poly 0.9g)
Protein: 16g
Carbohydrate: 15.8g
Fiber: 3.9g
Cholesterol: 41mg
Iron: 2.9mg
Sodium: 766mg
Calcium: 86mg

Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo Salad with Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

(photo courtesy of Oxmoor House)

I made this for dinner last night and it was fantastic. Very easy to make, super light, refreshing, and filling too. If you love dill and lemon, you will love this dish! It is from the Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast cookbook. What is amazing about this dish is that when I made it, it seriously looked just like the picture! When does that ever happen?

This post has two recipes, one for the pasta salad and one for the vinaigrette.

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Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette

Yield: 1/3 cup (serving size: about 1 tablespoon)

Ingredients

- 1/3 cup (1.3 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill (I didn't have fresh so I used 1teaspoon on dried dill in a jar)

- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

- 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

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Preparation

1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring well with a whisk.

Salmon, Asparagus, and Orzo Salad

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 1/4 cups)

Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 3-inch pieces
- 1 cup uncooked orzo (rice-shaped pasta)
- 1 (1 1/4-pound) skinless salmon fillet
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Cooking spray
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion

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Preparation
1. Preheat broiler.
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2. Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add asparagus; cook 3 minutes or until crisp-tender. Remove asparagus from water with tongs or a slotted spoon, reserving water in pan. Plunge asparagus into ice water; drain and set aside.
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3. Return reserved water to a boil. Add orzo, and cook according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

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4. While orzo cooks, sprinkle fillet evenly with salt and pepper (I added lemon juice and dill too). Place fish on a foil-lined broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 5 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness (it took 15 minutes until my salmon was done). Using 2 forks, break fish into large chunks. Combine orzo, asparagus, onion, and Lemon-Dill Vinaigrette in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Add salmon and gently toss again. .
Nutritional Information
Calories: 310 (32% from fat)
Fat: 11g (sat 3.2g,mono 4.7g,poly 2g)
Protein: 26g
Carbohydrate: 24.6g
Fiber: 2.2g
Cholesterol: 56mg
Iron: 1.4mg
Sodium: 333mg
Calcium: 67mg

Macaroni and Four Cheeses

I got this recipe from Eat Smart with Ellie Krieger. It's a little cookbook magazine thing from Fine Cooking. Anyway, it's a healthier version of Mac and Cheese and it was super easy and pretty tasty. Since it's a healthier version it doesn't use as much cheese - next time I make it I might throw in a bit more.
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Cooking spray
One 16-oz box elbow macaroni
Two 10-oz packages frozen pureed winter squash (yep - that's right!)
2 cups low fat milk
1 1/3 cups grated extra sharp cheddar cheese
2/3 cup grated Monterrey jack cheese
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp plain dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp olive oil
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Preheat oven to 375. Coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

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Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Drain and transfer to the prepared baking dish.
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Meanwhile, place the frozen squash and milk in a large saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally and breaking up the squash with a spoon until it is defrosted. Turn the heat up to medium and cook until the mixture is almost simmering, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheddar, jack cheese, ricotta, salt, mustard and cayenne. Pour this mixture over the macaroni and stir to combine.
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Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, and oil in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the macaroni and cheese. Bake until the cheeses are bubbling around the edges, about 20 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes so the top is crisp and nicely browned.
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Serves 8, serving size 2 cups.
Per serving:
390 calories
11 grams fat: 1 mono, .5 poly, and 6 saturated
18 grams protein
56 grams carbs
3.5 grams fiber
35 mg cholesterol
547 mg sodium
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*** I could not find frozen squash for the life of me! So I bought two butternut squash, cut them in half, and baked them until they were soft (about an hour). Then I scraped the pulp out and mashed it up. This worked great.

Sesame Orange Chicken

This is my new favorite dish. It is absolutely delicious and MUCH lower in calories and fat than most Chinese restaurant versions. I got the recipe from the Nov/Dec. '09 issue of Eating Well magazine. The recipe actually calls for shrimp but I rarely buy shrimp so I just substituted the shrimp for chicken, which probably changes the nutritional info below but probably not by much. Feel free to use shrimp if you want ... and eat up!

Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds (white, black or a mix)
- 2 large egg whites
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 2 chicken breast halves, cut into 1 inch chunks

- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar

Preparation
1. Whisk sesame seeds, egg whites, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a large bowl (I also add garlic powder too). Add chicken and toss to coat.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (if it isn't non-stick, the chicken will get stuck and it won't work). Add the chicken (one by one, don't dump the whole thing or there will be too much batter) and cook until golden, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

3. Add orange juice, sherry, soy sauce and sugar to the pan (I just use the cooking sherry from the grocery store, but beware, it adds more sodium. I also add some orange zest and fresh grated ginger for extra flavor). Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and reduced by half, 4 to 6 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan and stir to coat with the sauce. Serve immediately, over rice if you wish.

Nutrition:

232 calories

10 g fat (1 g sat, 5 g mono)

168 mg cholesterol

12 g carbohydrates

21 g protein

1 g fiber

488 mg sodium

Sort-Of-Thai Noodles

This recipe comes from Ruth Reichl's novel Garlic and Sapphires. Check it out, if you're a foodie that is. It is a story about a food critic and is peppered with recipes throughout. The two that we've tried have quickly become favorites in our house. Enjoy!


Yield: 4 servings

1/2 lb. rice noodles (rice sticks)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
2 TBSP peanut oil
1/2 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb. ground pork or turkey
4 scallions, sliced into 1/2-inch lengths (including about half of green parts)
2 eggs
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
1/2 cup salted peanuts, chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
Sriracha chili sauce
Fresh cilantro for garnish

1. Soak the noodles in hot water (I brought mine to a near boil) to cover for 20 minutes, until soft. Drain and set aside.
2. Mix the sugar, fish sauce and vinegar together and set aside.
3. Heat oil in wok till smoking. Saute the shrimp just until they start to change color, about 1 minute. Remove from the wok and set aside.
4. Add garlic, then the pork and half the scallions. Saute just until the pork loses its redness, then add the drained noodles and mix quickly. Add the reserved fish sauce mixture, reduce heat to medium and cook until the noodles have absorbed all the liquid, about 5-8 minutes.
5. Move the noodles to one side and crack one egg into the wok, breaking the yolk. Tilt the wok so you get as thin a sheet of egg as possible, and scramble just until set. Then mix the egg into the noodles. Repeat with the second egg.
6. Add the shrimp, remaining scallions and red pepper flakes and mix thoroughly. Add the lime juice and cook, stirring for another minute.
7. Transfer noodles to a serving plate or individual bowls, sprinkle with some of the peanuts. Serve with lime wedges, remaining peanuts and chili sauce and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Shrimp with Basil and Tomatoes

Ok, so you are getting a double whammy from me today, since I have a day off to catch up on things. This recipe was so easy to make, and it was very healthy as it does not call for a lot of oil or any butter at all (of course, you can add some if you like :) This was another great dish I found on Shine by Yahoo.

ingredients

* 12 ounces fresh or frozen peeled and deveined medium shrimp
* 1 tablespoon cooking oil
* 1 large onion, chopped (1 cup)
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 cups chopped, plum or common tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
* 1 tablespoon drained capers (optional)
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/8 teaspoon pepper
* 8 ounces spaghetti or other pasta, cooked and drained
* 1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
* Fresh basil leaves (optional)

directions

1. Thaw shrimp, if frozen. Set aside.
2. Pour cooking oil into a wok or large skillet. (Add more oil as necessary during cooking.) Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry onion and garlic in hot oil for 2 minutes or until onions are crisp-tender. Remove onion mixture from the wok.
3. Add shrimp to the hot wok. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until shrimp turn opaque.
4. Return onion mixture to the wok. Add tomatoes, basil, capers (if desired), salt, and pepper. Stir all ingredients together. Cook and stir for 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve immediately over hot cooked spaghetti or other pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh basil leaves, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Pork Marsala

I tried this for the first time last week and thought it was too awesome not to share, mostly because it is SO easy. I got the receipe off of Shine by Yahoo. They have a lot of great quick meal ideas on their website.

ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, quartered, halved, or sliced
• 1/4 cup sliced green onion
• 4 teaspoons margarine or butter
• 8 ounces medium slices pork tenderloins
  
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup dry Marsala or dry sherry
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley

directions

1. In a 12-inch skillet cook mushrooms and green onion in 2 teaspoons of the hot margarine or butter for 4 to 5 minutes or until tender. Remove from skillet; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, cut veal into 2 serving-size pieces. Place one piece of veal or one chicken breast between 2 sheets of clear plastic wrap. Working from center to edges, pound lightly with the flat side of a meat mallet to about 1/8-inch thickness. Remove plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining veal or chicken.
3. Sprinkle meat with salt and pepper. In the same skillet cook veal or chicken in the remaining hot margarine or butter over medium-high heat about 1 minute on each side or until light brown. Transfer to warm dinner plates; keep warm.
4. Add Marsala or sherry and chicken broth to drippings in skillet. Bring to boiling; boil gently, uncovered, about 1 minute, scraping up any browned bits. Return mushroom mixture to skillet; add parsley. Heat through.
5. To serve, spoon the mushroom mixture over meat. Serve immediately. Makes 2 servings

I also made sliced potatoes and cooked them over medium heat with a little bit of butter for about 15 minutes. I used a vegetable mix for the other side. It was super tasty!

No-Kneed Bread.

I suggest you make this at some point in the near future. This no-kneed bread is simple, satisfying, and lasts for several days. The penne with roasted vegetables and italian sausage is easy to adapt to what you have in your fridge, and the leftovers are great! If you're not interested in the bread, just skip down to the pasta recipe!

First, you'll want to take care of the bread since it takes 12-18 hours to do its thing. This take forethought, but very little effort. This recipe is taken directly from Jim Lahey's My Bread: The Revolutionary no-work, no-knead method. You'll need:

3 Cups Bread Flour (or, if you're being precise, 400 grams)
1 1/4 tsps table salt (not kosher. 8 grams)
1/4 tsp instant or other active dry yeast (1 g)
1 1/3 C cool water (55-65 degrees F. 300 g)
wheat bran, cornmeal, or additional flour for dusting (I've only used flour as of yet)

Combine flour, salt, and yeast in a bowl. Add water and using your hand or a wooden spoon, combine until you have a wet and sticky dough. If you've made other breads this will seem extremely wet for a dough. If your dough doesn't seem really wet, add a bit of water (by the Tablespoon). Cover that business with some plastic wrap or a tea cloth, and let 'er be at room temp for 12-18 hours. I've been leaving mine for at least 18 hours because we leave our house at 68 degrees which is a bit cool. If yours is warmer you could do less, but basically you want it to double in size. If your house is cooler, you might think about letting it sit for 24 hours. Bottom line: give it time!

You'll know it is ready when it is doubled in size, bubbly on top, and has a slightly darkened color to the top. You're letting the bread ferment over this time, and it gives a really nice flavor. The ingredients are simple, but that bit of yeast and the time you give it really make a difference!

When your bread is ready at this point, dump it out on a floured surface. You'll notice the dough clinging to your bowl with long threads of dough-- this is the gluten at work! Pull it out of the bowl with a spoon, bowl scraper, or hands (I use hands and a spatula), and do NOT add more flour. It is wet and sticky and you want it this way! Pull the edges under to form a round ball of dough.

Place a cloth napkin or tea towel on the workspace and generously dust it with flour (I put a layer of plastic wrap down because the last time I made it, though I dusted it thoroughly, it developed into the cloth). Lay the dough down and fold the wrap and cloth loosely over the dough. Let rise another 1-2 hours or until about doubled.

About a half hour before the second rise is done, preheat your oven to 450-475 (based on how your oven runs. I do 450) and place your 4.5-5.5 qt. heavy pot inside the oven. When the second rise is ready and your oven is too, pull out the pot (careful, that baby is HOT!). Dust the dough with flour or bran or your choice, and carefully move the dough into the hot pot, seam side up. Pop that sucker, covered, into the oven for 30 minutes. After 30, uncover and let cook another 15-30 until it is a "chestnut" color. I've been cooking mine about 10-15 more to get a slightly lighter crust. Pull it out when done and move to a cooling wrack (don't let cool in the pot or it'll continue to cook-- trust me). Let it cool at least an hour-- you'll hear it crackling, and according to Lahey, this is an important part of the cooking and if you cut it while it is hot you're destroying the loaf! So resist!

You'll have a pretty good looking loaf and can slice it how you wish. I found slicing it like this (below) is best because you get just the right amount of crust to bread. Lahey slices his like a pie, which is tasty too.

Sausage and Roasted Vegetable Penne.

Sausage and Roasted Vegetable Penne
Adapted from Melissa D'Abrabian's recipe of the same name

1 onion, cut into wedges
1 medium zucchini, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
1 red bell pepper quartered, cheeks and core removed
1/2 pound button mushrooms (or portobellos, etc)
1 head of garlic, top sliced off
2 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/2 pint grape tomatoes, washed and dried
2 sweet or hot Italian sausages, casings removed and thinly sliced (if you don't eat sausage you could try turkey kielbasa, tofu, etc. Whatever you like!)
1/4-1/3 Cup white wine
1 or 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
12 ounces whole-grain penne, cooked. *Reserve 1/2 pasta water!
Freshly grated Parmesan

*Note, you can skip the sausage! You can also dice the garlic and saute it, then add the wine (instead of roasting a whole head, you'd do about 2 cloves).

Heat your oven to 400 degrees.

Toss the vegetables together in a bowl (except the tomaties and garlic) with about a Tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper. You want to leave them in larger pieces to roast and then after they're roasted, you'll chop 'em up! Spread the onions, zucchini, red pepper, and mushrooms on a baking sheet (you may want to spray with cooking spray). Place the garlic on the sheet, sliced side up. Roast in over for 25-30 minutes, then add the tomatoes on and roast another 20-30 minutes. Keep an eye out to make sure they don't get too crispy! Take those babies out, let them cool a few minutes, and chop them up. Pull out the cloves of garlic and chop them too, or just smash them. If they get brown, don't add that part (it may be bitter). The whole clove may seem like a lot, but roasting it sweetens and lightens the flavor and it don't be overwhelming.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the sausage and saute until it is cooked through. Turn up the heat and deglaze your pan with the white wine. You can use a bit more or less than is called for. If you don't have white wine you could use chicken broth, but just keep in mind that you'll definitely lose some of the fantastic flavor that wine brings. Add 1-2 Tbsp. of tomato paste (I like the super concentrated Amore brand-- it keeps for quite a while in the fridge and comes in a hand tube) and stir in. (Note: If you've used sweet sausages or something other than hot sausages, you might want to add about a half tsp. or red chili flakes in-- it'll give it a nice subtle kick.)

Chop up the vegetables and add them to the pan. Let that all simmer together a bit and add some of the pasta water to loosen things up if you need to. Toss in some salt and pepper, and then add in your cooked pasta. If you are making this for two people (like I always am!) you can half the amount of pasta, but you may want to just make the sauce as is-- leftovers are delicious!

Now, serve and enjoy! Top with some salty parmesan cheese, and have at it! A slice of the no-kneed bread goes really well with it.

ENJOY! Let me know if you make it, how it turns out, and what you do to it to make it your own!

White Bean-Chicken Chili

(photo courtesy of Taste of Home)

I got a new cookbook for Christmas that I am loving so far. It is Cooking Light's Super Fast Suppers and they don't lie. All of the recipes are super fast and way easy. I feel like this will be a great cookbook for when we have kids someday and are busy but still want to eat well. Anyway, I made this chili tonight and it was delicious. Glendon liked it so much he requested I add it to the rotation. :o) The picture above isn't the exact recipe (I don't have a picture from the exact recipe) but you can get the idea from it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 (15.5 oz) cans cannellini beans, undrained
• 3 cups cubed chicken
• 1 (14.5 oz) can fat free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Mexican seasoning (I used taco seasoning that comes in a packet)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese, plus more for topping

Preparation:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until cooked through. Place chicken in a bowl and set aside. Heat remaining oil in dutch oven. Add onion and garlic; saute 2 minutes.
2. Add beans, chicken, chicken broth, Mexican seasoning, and salt to the pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes.
3. Add cheese; simmer 5 minutes, stirring constantly.
4. Top with additional pepper jack cheese and any of the following: low fat sour cream, chopped green onions, chopped fresh cilantro, salsa, or crumbled tortilla chips.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1.5 cups)

Nutritional Items:

Calories: 285

Fat: 8.3g

Protein: 28.3g

Fiber: 6.1g

Cholesterol: 58mg

Sodium: 920mg

Cheddar Chicken and Potatoes

I'm a sucker for fast, family friendly meals! I have come to love the Kraft Food and Family magazine because there are tons of easy recipes that my picky 3 year old will eat! I just tried this one tonight and it was delicious!

4 slices of bacon

4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves

4 cups (1 lb.) frozen diced potatoes with peppers and onions, thawed

4 oz. (1 c.) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet on medium heat for 5 min. or until crisp. Remove bacon from skillet and discard bacon grease. Add chicken to skillet; cook 5 min. on each side or until done.(mine took longer than 5 min.) Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm. Crumble bacon. Add to skillet with potatoes; cook and stir 5 minutes or until heated through. Place chicken over potatoes; top with cheese. Cover, cook 2 min. or until cheese is melted.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

I know that "pumpkin season" is kind of over but I don't care. These cookies are so good that I think you should be able to make them whenever you want! I got this recipe from my dear friend Kristi. She made them when I visited her in Pasadena once and I think I ate them every morning for breakfast ... nothing but these cookies. The recipe makes a lot of cookies so be prepared, or freeze some of the dough and make the rest later!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups oatmeal
• 2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg (this is my own addition)
• 1 teaspoon all spice (this is also my own addition)
• 1 1/2 cups canola oil
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 can pumpkin ( I'm 95% sure it is a large can, can't remember for sure)
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (add more or less if you like)

Preparation:

1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until well combined and moistened.
2. Using a cookie scoop, place cookies 1 inch apart on a greased baking sheet (or use a silacone pad).
3. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees. (Baking time will vary depending on the size of your cookies, don't over bake, cookies are going to be cake-like)

Nutritional Information:

I have no clue and I don't care! :o)