Muddy Buddy Bars

I've been craving something chocolately lately. I'd like to blame it on being pregnant, but let's be honest, I always want something chocolate. These are rich and tasty! I couldn't help but eat two. Even my husband indulged in a few.

Muddy Buddy Bars

4 c rice Chex cereal
2/3 c mini marshmallows
1 1/2 c chocolate chips
3/4 c peanut butter
powdered sugar

In a large pot, combine marshmallows, chocolate chips, and peanut butter. Melt over medium high heat until completely mixed. Stir in Chex. Lightly spray the bottom of a 8 x 8 baking pan and dust with powdered sugar. Press chocolate mixture into pan. Dust the top with sugar and let cool.

Yields: 9 - 12 bars

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

The original version of this recipe is one my mom makes. It's so tempting, I must admit, I've indulged in the non gluten free version a few times before I converted it. And the new, gluten free version is just as good as the original.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread

 

Filling

1 8 oz cream cheese (softened)

½ c sugar

1 large egg

1 T grated orange peel

Bread

1 2/3 c flour

1 ½ c sugar

1 t baking soda

1 t baking powder

½ t xanthan gum

½ t salt

½ t cloves

½ t cinnamon

¼ t ginger

¼ t nutmeg

1 c pumpkin puree

½ c oil

3 large eggs

1 c chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325. Combine filling ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

In a larger bowl, mix all dry ingredients together. Add all wet ingredients together until combined. Scrape bottom of the bowl, and mix until just combined. Fold in nuts.

Pour half of the pumpkin mix into each loaf pan. Spoon the cream cheese mix on top. Fill with remaining pumpkin mix. Bake at 325 for 60 – 70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Move to rack to cool completely.

Stuffed Zucchini

We have had a plethora of zucchini in our house lately. Too bad you can't grow half of a zucchini plant, it would be exactly what we need. So I've been searching for things to make that requires a lot of zucchini.

Stuffed Zucchini

2 large or 3 medium zucchinis
1/2 lb ground lean turkey
1/2 lb ground italian sausage
1/2 c onion (chopped)
3/4 c spaghetti sauce
1/4 c GF bread crumbs
1 garlic clove (minced)
1/2 c parmesan cheese
1/2 mozzarella (grated)

Brown turkey, sausage, onion and garlic in a frying pan. Drain out fat and blot with paper towel. In a bowl, combine meat, sauce, bread crumbs and parmesan. Slice the zucchini in half skinny way. Scoop out the seeds and stuff with meat mixture.

Oven Top with mozzarella. Bake in a 9 x 13 at 350 for 45 minutes (until cheese is melted).

Microwave Cook for 10 - 15 minutes on high. Top with mozzarella and melt for an additional 15 minutes.

Yields: 5 - 6 servings

Steel Cut Oatmeal

I've never been a big oatmeal fan. Lately I've been trying to eat more of it because I know it's good for you, but it's never been something I would choose to eat. A few months ago work brought in some oatmeal from Jamba Juice. It was the best stuff I've ever tasted, and I've been thinking about the recipe since. I'm not willing to pay $3 for a little bowl of oatmeal, and I figured if I could find a recipe, I would give it a whirl.

This weekend I found Steel Cut oats at Sunflower Market (a kinda hippy-farmer's market local grocery store), so I bought a pound, and found a recipe I could tweak online. The results were just fabulous! Best oatmeal I've ever had. 

Steel Cut Oats

1 T butter

1 c steel cut oats*

3 c boiling water

1 c milk (I used low fat)

1 T vanilla

fruit, nuts and brown sugar to taste

In a large sauce pot, melt the butter and add the oats. Toast the oats for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the boiling water and reduce heat to a summer. Simmer on low for 25 minutes, stirring 5 minutes before the time is up.

Pour the milk into the oatmeal, stir in, and cook for an additional 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into a bowl and top with brown sugar, fruit and nuts. 

Yields: 4 servings

* If you're strongly adverse to gluten, make sure your oats are certified gluten free

It took about an hour to cook all together, but it was well worth the time. Also, we refrigerated the leftovers (we didn't know it would make 4 servings), and it reheated fabulously! I added a little more milk to it when microwaving it, but it tasted just as good as the first day. 

I just love how this oatmeal feels like it has more substance to it. It's thicker and more hearty. I added strawberries and nuts to mine, and it just gave it a little crunch and zest that I've never found in an oatmeal before! This recipe is definitely a keeper. I also love bananas and walnuts or peaches mixed in.