Sweet and Salty Bites

After an eventful Saturday, to include me ending up with a sprained ankle on crutches, we are relaxing at home today. My mother-in-law, Becky, is in town visiting for a few weeks and we've been so busy, that's its nice to relax on the couch. Owen starts preschool tomorrow and finally started potty training! We're on day 4 of no diapers (and it's such a relief)!

Becky decided to make us some sweet and salty bites. I'm pretty sure most of you have had these as a treat because they are popular around the holidays. Owen had so much fun making these. He even unwrapped a few chocolates (and he ate them too...). Take a pan full of pretzels, and top them with some chocolates. Bake them for about 5 minutes. When you remove them from the oven quickly press in your toppings! Could they be any easier? We used dark chocolate Kisses, Rolos, pecans and M&Ms.

Now I've got to get back to the Packer game! GO PACK GO! BEARS STILL SUCK!

Easy No Bake Cookies

Why have I never made a no bake cookie before? Seriously! I don't think it gets any easier than these and from start to finish it took me 15 minutes. I will admit, they are more like a candy or fudge than a cookie, but we still really enjoyed them. Adam was so kind to run to the store and grab quick cooking oats (they are imperative to this recipe) and I'm sure he's glad he did. There were lots of sneaky hands in the cookie jar today! 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup vanilla almond milk (sweetened)
5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cup quick cooking oats

Start by setting out a few pans lined with parchment paper. In a large pot, melt together the butter, milk, cocoa powder and sugar. Stirring frequently, bring the chocolate coating to a boil. Let the chocolate mixture boil rapidly for 1 minute and 30 seconds (okay okay, I know this seems silly but it's really important so your cookies set). Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the peanut butter until melted. Fold in the oatmeal until its all coated. Drop spoonfuls of the cookies onto the prepared pans and allow to cool completely. Enjoy!

Pretzel Bites

I love to take the kids to the mall, grab some pretzel bites and let them play on the indoor playground. Its like a little "me" time among the chaos. They are one of my favorite treats. I really wanted some today, but I surely wasn't making the forty-five minute drive to the mall. When I started looking up recipes I instantly became intimidated. I wasn't sure I was up for such a challenging recipe on a Monday afternoon. Let me assure you that once you the dough has risen and you have your station set up, it takes less than a half an hour to get these in the oven. They were soft and chewy with a little bite on the outside. Boiling them in baking soda helps to give them a nice fluff and beautiful color. I made simple salt covered ones and a batch of cinnamon sugar. The cinnamon sugar I served with a side of sweet glaze, and they were the perfect dessert after our cheesesteaks.

Ingredients:
(Adapted from Smells Like Home)

1 packet dry active yeast
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup melted butter
4 cups all purpose flour (I used white whole wheat)

You'll also need olive oil, 2/3 cup baking soda, sea salt, melted butter and cinnamon sugar (I used a mixture of 1/2 cup sugar to 1 1/2 tbsp cinnamon). For the glaze I used powdered sugar, milk and vanilla extract.

In the bottom of your stand mixer combine the warm water, active yeast and sugar. Let sit until the yeast proofs and begins to foam. Add in the salt, melted butter and flour. With the dough hook knead dough until it's smooth and pulled completely from the sides. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with tin foil and set to the side for it to rise one hour.

Once the dough rises set up your station. You'll need two baking sheets lined with parchment paper, a large pot of boiling water with 2/3 cup baking soda, an oiled surface, and melted butter. Preheat your oven to 450.

Start by pulling off a large ball of the dough. Roll it into a log on the oiled surface. Cut of 1 inch pieces. Cover them with a moist paper towel while you do the remaining logs. Drop 10 bites into the boiling baking soda water and allow them to float to the top, stirring around for about 30 seconds. With a slotted spoon remove them from the water and place on the lined baking sheets. Once you get all the pretzels on the sheets, coat them with the melted butter. If making salted pretzel bites, sprinkle them with salt. Place them in the oven to bake for about 12 minutes. They will turn a deep golden brown.

Brush them once more with melted butter. If you're making cinnamon sugar bites, throw them in the bowl of cinnamon sugar after you butter them out of the oven. Enjoy!

Inside Out Egg Roll Bowl

I, without a doubt, admit to having an obsession with one pot wonders. This meal may just be one of those new favorites meals. You can throw this meal together in less than 10 minutes. Its perfect for those nights when the kids have something going on, traffic was really bad, or you just don't feel like cooking. Since it's made with reduced fat sausage and a heaping pile of cabbage, it's a skinny form of take-out. Plus, who doesn't love Chinese food!?

Ingredients:
1 pound reduced fat bulk sausage
1 12 oz package dry shredded cole slaw mix
1/4 cup reduce sodium soy sauce
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
1 tbsp minced garlic
green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

In a deep skillet, brown the sausage until cooked through. Pour the cooked sausage onto a paper towel lined plate and set aside. In the same skillet, add the dry cole slaw mix, garlic, teriyaki and soy sauce. Sauté long enough for the cabbage to soften and cook down. Add the sausage back in and stir together heating the sausage back up. Serve over white or brown rice and top with onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Zucchini Bread

This zucchini bread is UNBELIEVABLE! Chocolate cake meets zucchini bread and it is certainly a match made in bakers heaven. I have multiple bags of fresh grated zucchini bread in the freezer and they worked perfect in this bread. And, for a bonus, most of the fat is replaced by unsweetened applesauce, so you won't have to worry about having a little bit bigger slice. The kids and I are hosting a big playdate tomorrow. Ten lovely ladies and their kiddos are coming to eat a late breakfast and play. It has taken me a long time to meet people here, but better late than never!

Ingredients:
3 tbsp light butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 heaping tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup shredded zucchini

1 3/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp semi-sweet chocolate chips

With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Blend in the eggs and applesauce until a smooth liquid has formed. Add the applesauce, cocoa powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and flour. Once it's all formed a thick batter, stir in the zucchini. Fold in the chocolate chips. Pour the mixture into a prepared loaf pan and sprinkle on the remaining chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until the middle is done. Let cool before serving. Enjoy!