Nutella Yule Log

Nutella Filling and Whipped-Cream Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from a 1/4-ounce envelope)
• 1/4 cup Nutella
• 2 1/4 cups heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

1. Place 2 tablespoons cold water in a small saucepan; sprinkle with gelatin, and set aside to soften, about 5 minutes
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk Nutella with 1/4 cup cream; set aside.
3. Heat gelatin mixture very gently over low, stirring just until dissolved; set aside.
4. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat remaining 2 cups cream with sugar until soft peaks form. While still beating, pour dissolved gelatin mixture over cream all at once (gently reheat gelatin mixture if it has stiffened).
5. Fold half of whipped cream into Nutella mixture to finish the Nutella Filling; the remaining whipped cream is the Whipped-Cream Frosting.

Nutella Yule Log:

Ingredients:

• Nonstick cooking spray, for pan
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting
• Nutella Filling and Whipped-Cream Frosting
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 10-by-15-inch jelly-roll pan with nonstick cooking spray; line bottom with parchment paper. Coat paper with cooking spray; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1/2 cup granulated sugar until pale yellow. Whisk in almond extract and flour just until combined (do not overmix); set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form. While beating, slowly add remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 tablespoon at a time) and beat until stiff and glossy. Whisk one third of beaten egg whites into yolk mixture; gently fold in remaining whites with a rubber spatula. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan; bake until center of cake springs back when lightly pressed, 15 to 17 minutes.
4. Immediately after removing cake from oven, run a knife around edge of pan. Dust top of cake with confectioners' sugar; invert cake onto clean parchment paper, and gently peel off the lining paper that's now on top of cake. Starting from a short side of cake, gently roll cake, along with clean paper, into a log; let cool, seam side down, 30 minutes.
5. Once cake has cooled, prepare filling and frosting. Gently unroll cake, and spread with filling, leaving a 1/2-inch border; starting from a short side, carefully re-roll (do not roll paper in cake), and place, seam side down, on a baking sheet or serving platter. Spread log with frosting; sprinkle with almonds. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.
6. To serve, use a serrated knife to slice off the ends of the log neatly, revealing interior. Dust with confectioners' sugar, and, if desired, garnish with Marzipan Mushrooms.

Source:

marthastewart.com

Blackberry Goat Cheese Pizza

I think at this point it's obvious: I love me some pizza. There's just no way around it. I love it all. But these days I especially love unique pizzas that stray from the typical red sauce and mozzarella. This pizza is one of those. Not one of these toppings are what you'd typically see on a pizza but the combination is perfection. This one is not exactly on the budget-friendly side so you might want to save it for a more special occasion.

(Picture from here. Sorry, I never remember to take pictures of my food. I eat it too fast.)

Ingredients:

1 pizza crust- As mentioned before, I don't have a brilliant pizza crust recipe that I'd necessarily recommend. For this pizza, though, make sure your crust is thin. If you need ideas, I cut this recipe in half and it was just what I needed. 

1 1/2 cups blackberries- I used fresh, but I'm sure frozen would work also work if that's all you have

1/4 cup fresh basil and mint, thinly sliced- I used a bit of each and it probably totaled 1/4 cup. Use your judgment and spice preferences.

2 Tbsp. fresh thyme

4-5 oz crumbled goat cheese

1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts

salt and pepper

2 Tbsp. honey, divided

olive oil

Directions: 

1. Preheat your oven to 350ish. I suppose this depends on what kind of crust you use. For my crust, 350 worked well for me.

2. Lightly drizzle the dough with olive oil and 1 Tbsp. honey, just enough to lightly cover the dough.

3. Top the pizza with blackberries, spices, and goat cheese, then sprinkle the hazelnuts over the top.

4. Bake until the crust is crispy and the cheese is melted, about 8-12 minutes. 

5. Drizzle with the rest of the honey. Let stand for a few minutes before slicing. Serve while still hot. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted from here

Black Bean Veggie Burgers

We've tried a few variations of homemade veggie burgers and these are our favorites. I can't promise you the flavor of ground beef (it does taste good, though!) but this recipe does promise the FEEL of eating a genuine burger.

Makes 4 large patties.

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) can black beans, drained, rinsed and patted dry
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 onion
3 cloves of garlic
2 eggs
1/2 T cayenne pepper
1 T cumin
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2-1 cup bread crumbs
4 slices of preferred cheese (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (or you could grill them but I like how they hold when baked) and lightly oil a baking sheet.
2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
3.The original recipe calls to do the cutting of the veggies in a food processor, but the last time I cooked this I didn't have mine accessible so I just chopped them with a knife as small as I could and then I sautéed them for a few minutes to get the raw crunch out of them. I liked it better than the processed way. ANYWAY- after you prepare the veggies, stir them into the mashed beans.
4. In a small bowl, stir together the eggs, cayenne, cumin, and hot sauce.
5. Stir the egg mixture into the beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is a sticky consistency and holds together.
6. Divide mixture into 4 patties (aim for round and flat, not ball shaped) and place on baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes then flip, then 10 more minutes on other side. If you want cheese, put in on when you have about 5 minutes of cooking left.
7. Put it on a bun with your favorite veggies and condiments and enjoy!

Strawberry Basil Goat Cheese Pizza

If you know anything about me and Tom, you know that we love making pizzas. I can confidently say that it's one of our top 5 past-times. This is the newest addition to our pizza family and we welcome it with open mouths. Though it's probably most delightful in the summer or spring time, we tried it first in the cold winter and not only enjoyed it, but it brought us nostalgia and hopes of warmer, brighter days. Definitely not your typical pizza but absolutely worth going against the grain for.

Ingredients:

• 1 pizza crust, prepared (use your own favorite recipe. I have yet to be solely converted on one particular dough recipe so I don't feel right recommending one as of now. Suggestions welcome.)
• corn meal, for the pan
• 1 T balsamic vinegar
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, julienned
• 1 cup sliced strawberries
• 3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled
• shredded parmesan + black pepper, for topping

Directions:

1. Toss the basil and mozzarella together, set aside.
2. Sprinkle pizza pan with corn meal and place dough/crust on it. Brush with balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with mozzarella and basil mixture. Scatter strawberry slices over the cheese. Crumble goat cheese over the berries.
3. Place in the oven for 8-10 minutes at 400 degrees or so. Remove from the oven and slide onto a cutting board. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Serve with parmesan cheese and black pepper. Enjoy!

Source: Take a Megabite

Cranberry Bars

We had the pleasure of going to my cousin's house for Thanksgiving. She is a great cook and I always love her food (not to mention that you can always count on it being not only good but healthy, too). Alongside the various typical Thanksgiving pies, she served these cranberry bars for dessert. They are light, delicious, and fairly healthy for a dessert. The one hard part about these bars is finding graham flour. The only place I have seen it sold is Whole Foods, and it's not even then every time. I googled substitutes and people suggested using part graham crackers part flour. I tried it and it worked fine but I'd suggest using graham flour if you can find it.


Makes 25 bars

Ingredient List

FILLING
• 1 lb. fresh or frozen cranberries
• 7 oz. fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 egg yolks
• 
  
CRUST
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup graham flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 6 Tbs. butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. To make Filling: Bring cranberries and 1/2 cup water to a simmer in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 10 minutes, or until berries have burst and are tender. Cool. Blend in blender or food processor until smooth, and strain mixture through sieve. (You should have about 1 cup purée.)

2. Transfer purée to bowl, and whisk in condensed milk and lemon juice. Whisk in egg yolks.

3. To make Crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8-inch square baking pan with foil, and coat with cooking spray.

4. Whisk together flours, sugar, and salt in bowl. Stir in butter and vanilla extract. Press into bottom of prepared pan, and bake 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300°F, and pour Filling into hot Crust. Bake 23 to 28 minutes, or until custard is set. Cool, then chill until firm.

5. Use foil to lift baked dessert out of pan, then remove. Cut into 25 bars. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information

Per bar: Calories: 89, Protein: 2g, Total fat: 3g, Saturated fat: 2g, Carbs: 13g, Cholesterol: 31mg, Sodium: 80mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugars: 8g

Source: Vegetarian Times

Pasta with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Feta and Arugula

This is one of my new favorite recipes. I can't get enough of it. I had never cooked with leeks before this recipe so I had to do some research. Actually, my first attempt of the recipe was a bit of a flop because I had no idea what I was doing with the leeks. So just as a heads up: use the white and light green part of the leek and just discard the darker part (I did the opposite on attempt #1 and it tasted like we had sand in our food). Also, make sure to rinse the leeks really well after slicing them. There are lots of layers and it will be impossible to clean unless you cut first, separate the rings, and soak for a minute in water. 

What I love about this recipe is that the ingredients are so basic and simple. It doesn't take much to bring out the incredible flavors that are naturally present in the ingredients. Not to mention this is a super food! So many good, nutrient-dense ingredients with absolutely amazing flavor. 

Just as a heads up, this recipe makes a ton of food. It will feed a family plus lots of left overs. Count of it. 

adapted from Donna Hay via Sidewalk Shoes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
salt
4 leeks, chopped
1 Tbsp rosemary, chopped
1 lb whole wheat penne  pasta
6 oz crumbled feta cheese
8 oz arugula
cracked black pepper

Directions:
1. Toss the sweet potatoes with 1 tbsp oil, salt and pepper.  Spread on a baking sheet and roast at 400 for 30 minutes or until soft and browned.

2. Place 1 tbsp oil in a small skillet.  Add the leeks and rosemary and cook for 7 minutes, or until soft and golden.

3. Cook pasta in boiling, salted water.  Drain and place in a large bowl.  Toss with sweet potatoes, arugula, leeks and feta.

Rock-your-world Grilled Cheese

This sandwich will change the way you look at grilled cheeses forever. Now I know this sandwich can be notorious for the sky-high calorie count thanks to the usual over zealous amounts of butter and cheese. Hop on my bandwagon and that won't be the case. You're really only looking at about 300 calories for the whole sandwich. Not too bad, huh? How is it possible? Well for started I use mozzarella cheese. Did you know mozzarella has the least amount of calories per ounce of all the standard cheeses? Also, one of my grilled cheese secrets has always been to substitute italian dressing for the butter. It cuts calories and adds a great extra blend of flavors.
Curious yet? Well prepare to be amazed:

(Just for the record, this recipe only makes one sandwich because I often just makerth

Ingredients:
2 slices of whole wheat bread
1/4 cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 Roma tomato, sliced into about 1/4 inch slices
1/2 Tbsp. pesto
1 Tbsp. Italian dressing
Garlic salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Arrange the cheese on one of the bread slices. Microwave for about 25 seconds to kick-start the melting process (this let's you cook the grilled cheese on the skillet faster without burning the bread). While heating the first slice, spread pesto on the other slice.
2. Place tomato slices on top of melted cheese and sprinkle with garlic salt and ground pepper. Then place the pestoed (not really a word) bread slice on top.
3. Heat Italian dressing in skillet on medium heat. Once it starts to sizzle place your sandwich in the skillet. Turn immediately to ensure both sides get the Italian dressing on them.
4. Heat on each side until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Cinnamon Sugar Almonds

Looking for a friendly little offering to give your neighbors or parents' teachers for the holidays? These tasty little munchies are the perfect gift! Quick, delicious, easy, makes a large batch, and budget-friendly! My only complaint is the sticky pan left when you're done.

Ingredients:
3 cups of almonds
1 cup sugar
1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup water

Directions:
1. Combine sugar, cinnamon and water in large skillet. Add the almonds and stir constantly with a spoon over medium heat, coating the almonds with the syrupy mixture. Keep stirring until the sugar crystallizes.
2. Remove the pan from heat and scoop the almonds onto wax or parchment paper. Let the cinnamon almonds cool before serving. These can be made a few days ahead.

Quick Banana Dessert

Another Pinterest find. This literally takes less than 5 minutes to make. So easy. So good. And I can even pretend I'm being healthy because the main ingredients are banana and yogurt! If you wanted an extra pick-me-up in the morning, you could easily get away with having this for breakfast. I mean really, most cereals have more sugar in them than this does. Totally justifiable.

Ingredients:
3 ripe bananas
2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 Tbsp. butter
Greek yogurt

Directions:
1. Slice the bananas.
2. Melt the butter in a non-stick pan, add the bananas, sugar and cinnamon and saute for a few minutes until slightly caramelized.
3. Serve over yogurt while hot.

Source: Andie's Veggies

Roasted Green Beans

I got this recipe from a magazine that my cousin. Dana, handed down to me. The magazine is full of great recipes, including this gem. We recently made this as a side and I loved it. I'm normally not a huge fan of green beans but thanks to this recipe I am now converted.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb. green beans, trimmed (5 cups)

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 1/2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh rosemary

1 Tbs. olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

2. Toss all ingredients in bowl; season with salt and pepper (don't forget this step - I forgot the first time I made them and felt the difference). Spread on rimmed baking sheet. Roast 15-17 minutes, or until beans are tender and browned in spots, stirring occasionally. 

Makes 6  2/3-cup servings.

Source: Vegetarian Times

Per serving:

110 calories; 3g protein; 9g total fat (<1g saturated fat); 7g carbohydrates; 0gm cholesterol; 5mg sodium; 3g fiber; 3g sugars

Nutritional Information:

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider Cookies

My goodness. I saw these cookies on Pinterest and had to make them immediately. They were absolutely incredible. Talk about the warmth of winter in a cookie. I'm telling you, this creation is unlike anything you have ever eaten. You must eat most of them fresh out of the oven because he gooey caramel can't be beat. They're still good later but just a bit tough because the caramel has hardened.

Ingredients:
1 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink Mix-not sugar free- all 10 packets
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 cups all purpose flour
1 14 oz. bag Kraft Caramels

Directions:
1. In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
2. With your mixer cream together butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packets of apple cider powder until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla and mix well.
4. Gradually add flour mixture to butter/egg mixture. Mix until just combined.
5. Refrigerate for about an hour.
6. While waiting, preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
7. When you are ready to bake, unwrap your caramels.
8. Scoop out tablespoon-sized cookie dough balls. Flatten the dough slightly in the palm of your hand. Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of your dough and seal the dough around it, covering it completely. Place on parchment covered cookie sheets 2 inches apart.
9. Bake 12-14 minutes or until very lightly browned around the edges. Once the cookies are done, slide the parchment off the baking sheet right out onto the counter. Allow cookies to partially cool on the parchment. When cookies are cool enough to be firm but still slightly warm carefully twist off (or slide with spatula) of the parchment paper and allow to finish cooling upside down (on parchment paper or rack).
10. Store uneaten cookies in airtight container (if there are any left!).

Source: Scrambled Henfruit

Lentil soup

Looking for a nice, hearty soup that fills you up without making you feel like you gained 10 pounds? Look no further because this soup is so satisfying. Serve it with a thick bread and you'll feel warm and fuzzy from your head to your toes.

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
4 carrots, diced
3 celery stalks, diced
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. basil
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups of dry lentils
8 cups of broth (I use vegetable)

Directions:
1. Sauté vegetables in oil until translucent.
2. Add spices and cook for 2 more minutes.
3. Add lentils, tomatoes and broth. Cook until lentils are tender- about 1 hour.

Blackberry Cobbler

Ingredients:
1/2 cup white sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
6 cups fresh blackberries
1/4 cup melted butter

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
2 cups milk
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish. Whisk 1/2 cup sugar with cornstarch in small bowl; set aside.
2. Place the blackberries in a mixing bowl and drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter. Sprinkle with the cornstarch mixture and toss to evenly coat. Spread the berries into the prepared baking dish. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt until evenly blended. Stir in the milk, vanilla extract, and butter until combined but slightly lumpy. Pour batter over the berries.
3. Bake until the berries are tender and the batter is golden brown; about 1 hour.

Source: AllRecipes.com

Creamy Split Pea Soup

If there is a recipe I have searched high and low for, it is a good split pea soup recipe. I must have gone through a dozen recipes in search of a good one. I don't know why I just didn't give up. I must have known that someday I wound find THIS. And let me tell you: it was WELL worth the wait and the many failed attempts. Oh my goodness. This soup is truly for the soul. Even Joey likes it (that speaks volumes). Just thinking about this soup makes me get all warm and fuzzy inside.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound sliced bacon, diced
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, sliced
• 1 pound dried green split peas
• 2 quarts water
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 cups diced fully cooked ham
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven or soup kettle, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to paper towels; drain, reserving drippings. Add onion and celery to drippings. Saute until vegetables are tender; drain. Add the peas, water, potatoes, ham, salt, bay leaf and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until peas are very tender, stirring occasionally. Discard bay leaf.
2. Cool slightly. Process in small batches in a blender until smooth. (I reserve about half of the soup to NOT be blended. This just makes it a little more hearty and chunky. Merely preference.) Return to Dutch oven; stir in cream. Heat through (do not boil). Garnish with reserved bacon.

Source: AllRecipes.com

Spaghetti Squash with Super-Thick Bolognese Sauce

My sister-in-law introduced me to this recipe and now it's one of my favorites. Such a clever idea to substitute spaghetti squash for pasta. I love it. And really, if you want to be boring, you can just use normal spaghetti sauce on the squash, but I'd highly recommend this recipe. Now, Rachel Ray, the creator of this recipe, uses a lot more fancy ingredients than fit into my budget, so I've adapted it to make it more realistic for my household. If you want to see her ingredients, just click here for the original.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 large spaghetti squash, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), divided
• Salt and ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping, if desired
• 1/4 pound bacon, chopped
• 1-1 1/2 pounds ground beef or turkey
• 1 carrot, peeled and cut into small dice or shredded
• 1 medium onion, cut into small dice
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/2 cup grape juice
• 1/2 cup beef stock
• 1/2 cup fresh basil (about a handful), chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley (about a handful), chopped

PREPARATION

Pre-heat the oven to 400ºF.

Place the spaghetti squash halves, cut-side up, onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of EVOO, salt and pepper. Turn the squash over so they're cut-side down and roast until the flesh is tender, about 45 minutes to an hour. Once cooked, use a fork to loosen the squash strands up. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons EVOO, ground black pepper, and a sprinkle of cheese. Reserve squash in the shells.

While the squash is roasting, place a large skillet over medium-high heat with two turns of the pan of EVOO, about 2 tablespoons. Add the bacon to the pan and cook until crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the beef to the pan and cook until golden brown, 6-7 minutes. Add the carrots, onion and garlic to the pan and cook until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes.

Season everything with salt and pepper, then add the tomato paste, cooking it until golden brown and aromatic, about 1 minute. Add the grape juice and beef stock, scraping the bottom for any bits that may be stuck, and cook the sauce until thickened and slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

To serve, ladle the meat sauce on top of each squash half and garnish each with fresh basil, parsley and additional Pecorino Romano cheese.

Sweet, Sticky, and Spicy Chicken

I found this recipe on allrecipes.com a few years ago when looking for chicken dishes. This was quite the diamond in the rough! I remember finding 5 or 6 recipes that looked appealing and this is the only one that was worth talking at all about. I love it. When cooked right, it is exactly how its name describes: sweet, sticky, and spicy. If overcooked though, it's more like dry, rough, and crispy. Not so good. So be careful! 

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh ginger root
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into 1/2 inch strips
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

1. Mix together brown sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger, garlic and hot sauce in a small bowl.
2. Lightly salt and pepper the chicken strips. (also-I'd dredge them in flour first. Helps with the sticky element)
3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken strips and brown on both sides, about 1 minute per side. Pour the sauce over the chicken. Simmer uncovered until the sauce thickens, 8 to 10 minutes.

Source: AllRecipes.com

Texas Trash

Don't be dissuaded by the name. You've got to try this. Best. Chex Mix. EVER. When I think of nostalgic, delicious foods of my childhood, I see Texas Trash. If you have even the smallest semblance of a salt tooth, you absolutely must try these. I promise. You will not regret it.

• 1/2 box corn chex
• 1/2 box rice or wheat chex
• 1 bag slim pretzels
• 1 can mixed nuts
• 1 cup pecans or cashews (or split and do a half cup of each)
• 1 stick of butter or margarine, melted
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 T. Tabasco sauce
• 2 T. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp. season salt
• 1 T. garlic salt

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
2. Mix chex, pretzels, and nuts. 
3. Mix butter with olive oil, Tabasco, and Worcestershire. Pour over dry ingredients and stir. 
4. Sprinkle with season salt and garlic salt. 
5. Spread on baking sheets. 
6. Toast in oven for 1-1.5 hours while stirring every 15-20 minutes. 

Source: my momma

Triple Cheese Fruit Dip

Such a good summer memory. This is the best fruit dip ever. Not exactly best fruit dip FOR you ever, but what it lacks in nutrition, it makes up for in flavor. Tastes like heaven. 

• 8 oz. cream cheese 
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 3 T. sugar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
• 1/2 cup grated chocolate

1. When cream cheese reaches room temperature blend with sour cream, sugar, and vanilla.
2. Whip heavy cream. Slowly fold into other cheese mixture. 
3. Stir in grated chocolate.
4. Chill.
5. Serve with fruit. Especially good with strawberries.

Source: my momma

Frozen Banana Bites

Again, another pinterest find. Simple. Simple. Simple. Great little treat to bring to a potluck or enjoy on a hot night. So refreshing. It makes me feel like I'm at a county fair. 

• 2 large bananas
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• coconut flakes

1. Set out a large plate or bowl with a piece of parchment or wax paper on it.
2. Cut up the bananas into good-sized chunks. Each banana should give you around 5 to 6 pieces.
3. Heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips in the microwave on high for about a minute (or on the stove until melted). Then stir until smooth.
4. Dip the banana pieces in the chocolate-peanut butter mixture. Lay them out leaving some space between them on the parchment/wax paper. Then when you've "covered" them all, use the remaining mixture to spoon over the tops.
5. Then sprinkle the unsweetened coconut flakes on top. Transfer to the freezer for about an hour until hardened.
6. You can enjoy them like this (but they really aren't frozen yet -- and when they're frozen, the banana tastes like vanilla ice cream) . . . I suggest then covering with some plastic wrap (or really you can do all of this in some kind of Rubbermaid container) and let freeze overnight.

Source: adapted from recipe by (never home)maker

Nutella Cookies

These cookies are surprisingly delicious despite the simplicity of the recipe. These are a pinterest find that I wasn't expecting much out of but because I had all the ingredients, I was willing to try them. SO glad I did. Great addition to our family collection of cookie recipes. 

• 1 cup nutella
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 egg

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Blend all ingedients together well. Form into 1″ balls. Place on a cookie sheet. Press down firmly with the bottom of a glass. Bake 7-8 minutes or until set. Cool.

Source: Tasty Kitchen