Oatmeal Coconut-Lime Chewies

Do you ever dance around your kitchen while you gobble up cookies that you are baking? No?!?! Well then you haven't tried these babies! Seriously delicious.

You'll dance as you are juicing and zesting the fresh lime - because it smells so fresh and good. Then when they are baked to a golden-chewy-crisp and you taste them you'll do another dance cause they are so mouthwatering delicious. And then you'll do an extra little jig because you made them with whole wheat flour - and you feel validated for eating more! Oh yeah!


Oatmeal Coconut-Lime Chewies

1 C. granulated sugar
1 C. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 C. butter, softened to room temperature
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 lime zested and juiced
2 1/2+ C. whole wheat flour
(if it seems to sticky from the lime juice (some limes are juicier than others) add a few Tbsp - 1/4 C. flour)
1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1 cup quick oats

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream together the sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a greased or lined (silpat or parchment) baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are set but not overly browned. If you want them crispier bake a few minutes longer.

Recipe Source: www.melskitchencafe.com with adaptations by Alycia R.

Creamy Chicken & Spinach Alfredo

Creamy, Yummy, Savory Goodness! I love pasta and especially white cheesy sauce. This concoction is mouthwatering and worth every calorie!


Creamy Chicken & Spinach Alfredo
By: LuLu - lulusrecipebox.blogspot.com

1 lb cooked chicken breast/tenderloins, cut into bite size chunks
½ bag + spinach (as much as you like - it shrinks down a lot)

Sauce:
2 C. heavy cream
1 C. milk
2/3 stick of butter (you can probably get away with ½ a stick)
1 C. freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic powder or 2 small cloves of fresh garlic, minced
2 oz cream cheese or 1/3 less fat cream cheese

In a sauce pan saute garlic in a few tablespoons of the butter, when it's cooked and fragrant, melt the rest of the butter in with it on low heat. Add the heavy cream and milk, bring to a light simmer, slowly add freshly grated Parmesan cheese - stirring constantly. Add garlic powder if you didn't use real garlic. Bring back to a light simmer and simmer 20 minutes on low (this helps the cheese roast and get really yummy). Add cream cheese and simmer 5 more minutes - the cream cheese helps to thicken it up a little bit more. You can season with a little salt and pepper to taste. Add ½ bag of spinach and 1 lb cooked chicken breast/tenderloins, cut into bite size chunks. Simmer until spinach is shrunk up and cooked.

Serve over cooked linguine or other favorite pasta. Or for a gluten-free variety serve over cooked rice or gluten-free pasta (make sure your Parmesan cheese is also gluten-free).

Note:
You can make this with several variations.
1-Creamy Chicken Alfredo, make the sauce with cooked chicken added - served over pasta
2-Creamy Italian Herb Alfredo, just the plain sauce with your favorite Italian herbs (parsley, basil, oregano, etc.) added and served over pasta.
3- Combine the above two variations.....the possibilities are endless, play around and have fun!

Tuna Cheesewiches

I debated on whether I should post this or not, because it's so simple. However, the whole reason I am doing this blog is to share our family favorites and also to have them preserved for myself. So here it is. Let me know how you like it. We LOVE these for lunch. It's kind of our Saturday/Sunday lunch when we are both home.


Tuna Cheesewiches
Bruce G.

1 can tuna, drained
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp mayo
Sliced cheese (pepper-jack and cheddar are our favorites)
4 slices bread

Set oven temp to broil. In a small bowl mix tuna and mayo. Evenly distribute tuna mixture on top of bread slices. Top with cheese. Place on a broiler pan or cookie sheet and broil until cheese is melted and starting to bubble - don't go far, they are done pretty quick .

Fresh Salsa

I LOVE fresh salsa. It's sooooooooooooo good for you (besides the fact that you usually eat it with chips) and it's pretty addicting. I like it with a bit of a kick and once I start I just can't stop. I think the spicy factor is what keeps me at it. This recipe is great, you can make it as mild or hot as you like. My uncle Bruce is the creator of this recipe, and he taught us how to section a lime for making it! The lime is brilliant in this! Hope you love it as much as I do.


Fresh Salsa
Bruce & Jen B.

8-10 Roma tomatoes
1 onion (we use 1/2 red and 1/2 medium yellow) OR 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
1 whole lime, peeled and sectioned
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch of cilantro (leaves only)
1 jalapeno (with no seeds, 1/2 the seeds, or all seeds, depending on how spicy you want it)
Salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste

Wash all ingredients and remove any stems or bad spots. Cut tomatoes in quarters, set aside. Cut onion into small sections, set aside. Add half tomatoes to food processor and pulse til they are as chunky as you like them in salsa, and pour into mixing bowl. Next pulse onion til it's finely chopped and pour into the same bowl. Then with the last half of tomatoes I like to pulse them til they are pretty thin and add everything else, puree it pretty good. You can do this as pureed or chunky as you like. When everything is done being processed in the food processor mix it together in the mixing bowl and add salt and pepper til it reaches your liking.

Notes:
In case you have never sectioned a lime....here is how it goes. With a sharp knife cut the peel (including the white layer under the peel off). You'll have a nice juicy looking lime, then cut on both sides of each lime section until they can fall out. You'll be left with the outsides of each section, I like to squeeze any extra juice out of that as I can, and discard the rest.

Also, this is best served the day you make it. Onions have a tendency to be more potent the next day. Use within 2 days.

Taco Salad

This taco salad is one meal that my husband and I never tire from. It appears on the dinner table at least once every two weeks, sometimes weekly. I love how fresh it is, and how scrumptious and comforting it is to eat. I try to resist licking my plate. I should stop doing this before my kids pick up on mom's bad habits.

Taco Salad
By: Steven & Lindsay

1 lb lean ground beef
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz) can black or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
1/2 sweet or white onion, chopped (optional)
1/8-1/3 cup water
2-3 Tbsp Taco Seasoning (add to taste)

In 12 inch skillet brown and scramble beef with onion and garlic over medium-low to medium heat (I like cooking it on a lower heat setting because the meat is more tender this way). Cook until no longer pink and cooked through. Drain meat in colander and return to skillet. Add diced tomatoes, beans (drained and rinsed), taco seasoning, and water (Add as much water as you like, it will thicken a little bit). Mix together well and heat through.

Serve with:
-Fresh green salad (green leaf or romaine lettuce is best)
-Cilantro leaves
-Green onions
-Olives
-Shredded cheddar cheese
-Tortilla chips
-Sour cream
-Salsa
-Ranch or Cilantro Lime Dressing (will be posting in the future)

Build it in whatever order you please. Enjoy!

Gluten-Free Option: Use my taco seasoning recipe (linked above), and make sure your tortilla chips are gluten-free

Homemade Maple Syrup

Since I was a child I've never really had a love for syrup. My mom says it's because the stickiness would climb my fork and get all over my hands. I was a clean freak as a child, just as I am now, and couldn't handle the sticky mess. Makes me laugh.

Now that I am older and can eat without making a sticky mess I do like syrup. I really only care for it on french toast though. The reason for that is: french toast doesn't soak up the syrup since it's kind of sealed with the egg mixture. Pancakes and waffles soak up all the syrup and make it a little to soggy for my liking.

Since I've been married my husband has always made his own syrup from scratch. Until recently I haven't had it on anything but french toast. But I have decided that I do like it, just not too much of it so I can still have a crispy waffle.

Anyhow, I think it's fun that he makes syrup and it's really tasty! Hope you'll enjoy his yummy recipe too!

Homemade Maple Syrup
By: Steven

1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup water

Combine above ingredients in small saucepan. Stir frequently, bring to a boil, remove from heat, add 1/2 tsp maple flavoring and a pat of butter. Stir. Enjoy it!

This stores well in the fridge in a dressing bottle or a pint jar. Makes a little more than 2 cups.

Goes great on Potato Puffers and Whole Wheat Pancakes or any other syrup needed dish.

Whole Wheat Pancakes

Growing up in my mother's house we had hot breakfast pretty frequently. Call me spoiled? Yes, I think I was and I want to do the same to my kids when they are old enough to feed more than just milk. I am a firm believer in eating a healthy breakfast to start off your day.

My mother-in-law told us a story once that illustrates why it's important to eat a good breakfast. I hope I have all the details right. Her friend was in charge of a scout group and they went for a hike one day. Some of them charged right up the mountain and others were just too tired and weak to keep up the pace. She asked a few of them what they had for breakfast. I forget what the one who ate healthy had exactly. All I remember was that he had some protein and carbs and was full of vigor as he hiked. While one particular boy who was struggling had had a doughnut for breakfast - carbs and sugar. I just want to pat parents on the back when they send their kids off to school or activities with a healthy start in their little tummies.

Enough of my rambling.

This pancake recipe is something that we make pretty often around our house. It is also pretty much the same as the one my mom made, I just always use whole wheat flour and have added a little baking soda to make them fluffier.

Hope you enjoy a healthy start to your morning!

Whole Wheat Pancakes
from Mom
Makes 4-6 medium size pancakes - serves 2-3

1 cup whole wheat flour (I use fresh ground whole white wheat)
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 Tbsp oil
3/4 cup milk (you can add a little extra if you like thinner pancakes)

Combine all the dry ingredient in spouted bowl, mix well. Add oil, egg, and milk and whisk together until smooth. Cook on a greased griddle on medium-low to medium heat. Flip when bubbles start to appear but haven't popped yet.

Serve with butter, syrup, jam, peanut butter or anything else you like on pancakes.