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.

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

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

Cheesy Kale Chips

I came across these gems from one of my new friends here in Pittsburgh.She is extremely knowledgeable in the way of health foods and I have a feeling that I'll be posting many more recipes from her (as long as she keeps inviting me over to eat her food). Back to the kale chips: So tasty. From someone who absolutely loves salty, crunchy snack, this is definitely a great alternative to potato chips. 

Cheesy Kale Chips

Ingredients:
2 lbs kale (your average grocery store bunch of kale)
1 tablespoon lemon juice or lime juice
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup cashews, ground (you are trying to make a crumbly powder, not cashew flour or paste.)
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (This is what gives the cheesy taste even though it has no cheese. You can find it at Whole Foods)

1. Preheat oven to a temperature somewhere between 175 and 200. The lower the temperature, the longer it takes. The higher the temperature, the more you have to rotate and turn the trays.

2. Remove the tough stalks from the kale and rip into pieces. Remember that they will shrink considerably. Wash and dry the kale, and set aside.

3. In a very large mixing bowl mix the olive oil, lemon juice and salt. Toss the kale with the dressing. Sprinkle the cashews and nutritional yeast over the kale, tossing to coat each piece. You want each piece lightly coated, but you still want to be able to see the kale underneath. If you have too much cashew on a piece it won't dry properly.

4. Spread the coated kale on two or three large baking sheets in a single layer. Make sure the pieces are laying relatively flat and aren't folded over too much.

5. Check on the kale chips about every 30 minutes. Each time you check on the chips, rotate the baking sheets from top to bottom or front to back so the chips can dry evenly. You can also encourage even drying by turning the kale chips over on the baking sheets once during the drying process after the first hour. I do this with pieces that are having a hard time drying.

When they are crunchy they are all done (it takes me about 2 hours). Enjoy!


Source: Erin Starks-Teeter