Pecan and Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread is one of my all time favorite cookies.  It is so wonderfully buttery, crisp and I love how it melts in your mouth.  My sweet friend Gloria brought me a couple of these shortbread cookies with pecans and chocolate and I thought I had died and gone to heaven!  Seriously!  Thankfully she kindly shared her recipe and I promptly made a batch.  They were perfect for watching Downton Abbey:) and  to bring to the ladies I visit teach.  I love that Gloria’s recipe is slice and bake.  They couldn’t be easier.  I baked half the batch and wrapped the other half in plastic and tinfoil and put in the freezer for later.

Just so you know I the dough and cookies freeze beautifully!  These cookies a winner!  YUM!

Print

Pecan and Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies

Author: submitted by Melanie ~thesisterscafe.com

Ingredients

• 1 pound butter (softened to room temperature)
• 1½ cups powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 5 cups flour
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips ( I use mini chips)

Instructions

1. Combine butter, sugar, salt and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. Blend in flour, nuts and chocolate chips, mixing just until blended and clings together. Form into 12”x3”x2” logs. Wrap in plastic and chill for 6 hours or overnight. Cut into ¼- 3/8” slices. Bake on greased cookie sheets 1” apart @ 350° for 9-11 minutes, or until slightly brown. Cool on wire rack. May dust with powdered sugar, I like them plain.

Recipe Source: My friend Gloria:)

Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year friends!  Are you enjoying the holidays so far?  I hope so!  I am sorry we have not posted as much as usual....we have all been so busy this last month.  You know how it is, I am sure!  Busy or not, I just couldn't wait another minute to share these nuts with you!  You really need to try them before the holidays are over.  They are very easy to make and would be a perfect treat to add to your table for New Years!  My sweet friend Wendy introduced me to these amazing roasted nuts and I am hooked!  They have such incredible flavors that are quite intriguing!  The first time I had them, I kept going back for more, trying to figure out all the wonderful flavors I was tasting!  Sweet and spicy, these unique nuts are  the perfect holiday treat to share!  And gluten free!  YUM!

Chipotle and Rosemary Spiced Nuts

Author: Melanie

Recipe Source: I got this recipe from my friend Wendy--after a little research, it looks like it is originally an Ina Garten Recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 c whole roasted unsalted cashews


• 2 c whole walnut halves


• 2 c whole pecan halves


• 1/2 c whole almonds


• 1/3 c pure maple syrup


• 1/4 c light brown sugar, lightly packed


• 3 T freshly squeezed orange juice


• 2 t ground chipotle powder


• 4T minced fresh rosemary leaves, divided


• vegetable oil


• Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350


2. Brush sheet pan generously with vegetable oil.


3. In a large bowl combine all nuts, 2 T vegetable oil, maple syrup, brown sugar, orange juice and chipotle powder.


4. Toss nuts so they are evenly coated.


5. Add 2 tablespoons rosemary and some salt and continue to toss.


6. Spread nuts on an 11x17 cookie sheet.


7. Roast for 25 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times with a metal spatula.


8. Remove and add 2 T rosemary, 2 tsp salt and toss again.


9. Stir occasionally until cooled.

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Pumpkin Granola

I made this wonderful granola the other day and posted a picture of it fresh out of the oven on Instagram.  Sometimes I think food is beautiful, what can I say?!  I know I am a little crazy:)  I made this with gluten free oats so my boys with Celiac disease could enjoy it too!  They loved it and so did I!  I had several requests for the recipe, so here you go my friends!

Are you ready for Thanksgiving?  I love that holiday and I am trying to get prepared.   I posted some beautiful Thanksgiving table inspiration and some free Thanksgving printables here on Melandboys.

Pumpkin Granola

Author: Melanie

*Makes about 7 cups of granola

Ingredients

• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats


• 1 cup pumpkin seeds


• 1 cup pecans (sometimes I add sunflower seeds for part of the nuts)


• 3/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut


• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar


• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup


• 1/4 cup vegetable oil


• 3/4 teaspoon salt


• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, if desired (sometimes I leave it out)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.


2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut and brown sugar.


3. In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine maple syrup, oil and salt (and pumpkin pie spice, if using).


4. Combine both mixtures by slowly pouring the liquid over the oatmeal mixture and stirring well. Divide in half and pour onto two 11X17-inch rimmed baking sheets, spreading out into an even layer on each sheet.


5. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden.


6. Remove from the oven and transfer into a large bowl, slightly breaking up the clumps.

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Dark Chocolate No Bake Cookies (gluten free)

 



Happy Monday everyone! I hope you had a happy weekend. Here in Tennessee, Spring has come with flowers, sunshine and birds chirping. Just what I needed! I am sorry I have not posted any new recipes for awhile, I have had a lot going one! As I wrote about before my 10 year old had the worst stomach pain for months and we finally figured out, after many many Doctor visits, that he has Celiac disease. Since this is a genetic disease, our whole family was tested. It turns out that my 7 year old has it too. The same little guy that has been having such trouble with his heart the last few months. Poor guy! The good new is we are headed up to Vanderbilt later this week for a second try at a procedure that will fix his heart once and for all, we hope! When we get that behind us I plan to really jump into Gluten Free cooking and baking because, let me tell you the pre-made packaged GF items are very expensive!! We will be adding a new Gluten Free section to our recipe index and posting all our family favorites there. I have to admit, this has been overwhelming for me, since I love bread and baking, but luckily there are some great resources and products out there. This last week we tried our first homemade GF cookies. If you can't have gluten, just be sure to use gluten free certified oats--crazy but I learned that most oats test positive for gluten. Anyway, these cookies were yummy! I am usually not a fan of no bake cookies but my friend Gloria brought these to our choir practice a couple of weeks ago and I was impressed! These are not your average no bake cookies:) They are really taken up a notch with the Special Dark cocoa powder, toasted pecans and coconut! Yum! Whether you are gluten free or not, you are going to love these little treats! Also, if you eat gluten free, I would LOVE to get your favorite recipes, cookbooks, products etc. I am SO grateful for any advice right now!! Thank you so much:)

Dark Chocolate No Bake Cookies (gluten free)

Author: Melanie

Ingredients

• 3 cups old fashioned oats (or quick-cooking rolled oats, if you prefer)


• 1/3 cup tablespoons unsweetened Speical Dark or Dutch Process cocoa


• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I like toasted pecans)


• 1/2 cup shredded coconut


• 2 cups sugar


• 1/2 cup milk


• 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter

Instructions

1. In a bowl combine the oats, cocoa, nuts and coconut. In a pan, put sugar, milk, and butter. Bring just to a boil, stirring to combine. Pour over the rolled oats mixture. Mix lightly until blended.


2. Drop from a teaspoon onto waxed paper or foil. let stand until firm, about 10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies. I use a very small cookie scoop.

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Rosemary Roasted Cashews

These sweet and salty  cashews are down right addicting.  The rosemary blends wonderfully with the roasted flavor of the nuts and the cayenne pepper gives it a subtle kick.  This recipe is simply fantastic! My friend served them at a party while her guests mingled before dinner.  Ever since that first bite, I have been craving them!

Rosemary Roasted Cashews
submitted by Brittany ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 1/4 lb cashews (unsalted)
2 Tb coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp kosher salt
1 Tb melted unsalted butter

Spread  cashews on ungreased baking sheet and roast in 375 degree F preheated oven for 10 minutes.  Combine remaining ingredients in large bowl.  Toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture until the nuts are completely coated.  Serve warm.

*if your cashews are salted, cut back on the kosher salt to about 1 teaspoon then add more to taste.

Recipe source:  Ina Garten

Barefoot Contessa's Outrageous Brownies

These brownies are not your run of the mill, whip up in a jiffy and eat the whole pan kind of treat.  No these decedant squares should be cut small (they are so rich!) and saved for a special occasion!  I love to serve them with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.  Amazing:)  Anyone who is a chocolate lover will think they have died and gone to heaven with each bite!

A couple of notes on the recipe: I have halfed it with great results and I use 'Teeccino' a caffiene free herbal coffee substitute instead of the coffee granules called for. You can find it at health food stores.   I also, only use half of what is called for.  It is plenty flavor for me.  I think you could leave this out all together though if you don't like the coffee flavor.  Also they freeze beautifully!

Hope you enjoy!  Thank you Ms Ina Garten for another winning recipe!

Barefoot Contessa's Outrageous Brownies

submited by Melanie The Sisters Cafe (recipe source: Ina Garten Food Network)

Ingredients

• 1 pound unsalted butter


• 1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips


• 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate


• 6 extra-large eggs


• 3 tablespoons instant coffee granules (or use 1 1/2 Tb Teeccino caffiene free herbal blend)


• 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract


• 2 1/4 cups sugar


• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour


• 1 tablespoon baking powder


• 1 teaspoon salt


• 3 cups chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

Green Salad with Orange Dressing

Here's another one of my new go-to salads. I'm sure I'll make it a ton this summer.  This salad is tasty and really simple! Which is pretty much a requirement for me if it's being used as a side dish. I made it with some marinated chicken the other night, which was soo good too. I'll have to post the recipe soon. It went great!  As a side note, if you have a lot of navel oranges to use up, cut them into to chunks and replace the mandarin oranges with them.  I love it this way too!  Or add some shredded chicken and serve it as a main dish with hot rolls. Yum! Thanks to my sister Melissa for passing along another great recipe.

Green Salad with Orange Dressing

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe

Salad:
1 head lettuce, chopped
*The rest of these ingredients can be adjusted to your preferences
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced (sometimes I use a little less)
1 11oz can mandarin oranges, drained
6 oz sliced almonds (sometimes I use a little more)
4.5 T. sugar

Dressing:
1 t. grated orange peel
1/3 cup Orange juice
1 T. Good Seasons dry Italian mix
1 c. canola oil (I haven't tried it yet, but I think you could cut this down if you prefer less oil in your dressings)
2 T. sugar
2 T. red wine vinegar

Sugar almonds in a pan over medium heat, stirring until sugar melts and coats the almonds. Watch carefully so they don't burn. Cool. Set aside. Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl and chill. Combine salad dressing ingredients well and pour over salad immediately before serving.

Praline Baked French Toast

I just love recipes that can be made ahead of time. Especially if all you have to do when your ready to eat is pop it in the oven! This is one of those... baked french toast is the best when you want a fun and delicious breakfast on a busy morning. Whether it's a brunch with friends, company is visiting, or a holiday breakfast (like Easter morning), this recipe is sure to please! I love how the pecans get toasted in the oven and the topping thickens into a wonderful caramel sauce. This is definitely a winner recipe for a special (and hassle-free) breakfast!

Praline Baked French Toast
submitted by Brittany ~ The Sister's Cafe

Prepare the night before:

one loaf of French bread
6 eggs
1 cup milk (not skim)
1 cup half and half
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg

Slice the French bread and arrange in a 9x13 inch dish. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour over bread. Cover and let sit in refrigerator overnight.

Prepare the morning of:
1/2 cup butter
2 Tb corn syrup
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans

Melt the butter, corn syrup and brown sugar in saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves and mixture starts to boil. Sprinkle the pecans over the bread. Pour sauce over everything. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes uncovered.

German Chocolate Cake Frosting

Mom made German Chocolate cake all the time growing up. It was one of our Dad's favorites. The recipe she uses is one of her mothers'. It is so rich and flavorful - mmmm. Making German Chocolate cake frosting from scratch makes a world of difference! If all you have tasted is the canned stuff, then you have got to try this out. It is easy, too. (I have to add, I was in a hurry the night I made this cake. I didn't give the frosting time to thicken up as much as usual and everything was not completely cooled, hence the slightly runny frosting. Sorry guys! Not the best picture but it still tasted sublime!)

German Chocolate Cake Frosting

submitted by Brittany ~ The Sister's Cafe

1 cup milk or cream (I like to use a combination of both)

1 cup sugar

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups coconut

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Combine cream, sugar, egg yolks, and butter in saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook until thickens, 3-5 minutes.

Add vanilla, coconut and chopped nuts. Let it cool completely before icing cake. Makes enough for middle and top of 2 layer, 9-inch round cake.

Fudgy Walnut Brownies

If you love nuts, you will love these moist, Fudgy Walnut Brownies! They originally caught my eye because my husband is usually of the opinion, "The more nuts the better". These were right up his ally...mine too actually. My husband even asked me to make a pan for a friend of his. Well 2 batches later and we still haven't delivered a pan to his friend, we just keep eating them! Ahh shucks, I guess I'll just have to make them again!

Fudgy Walnut Brownies

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Recipe Source: Taste of Home3/4 Cup butter, cubed

4 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 t. vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

WALNUT CRUNCH TOPPING:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cubed
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 T. all-purpose flour
1 t. vanilla extract
4 cups chopped walnuts

In a microwave, melt butter and chocolate. I like to use 50% power, stirring every 30-60 sec until completely melted. Stir until smooth. Cool slightly.

In a a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar; stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla. (If you need to wait for your chocolate to cool down a little more, you can get started on the topping, if you don't mind multi-tasking) Stir in flour until well blended. Pour into a greased 13 x 9 in. baking pan; set aside.

For topping, combine brown sugar and butter in a medium saucepan. Cook and stir over low-medium heat until butter is melted. Stir in the eggs, flour and vanilla until well blended. Stir in nuts.

Spread walnut crunch topping evenly over brownie batter. Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs. Do not over bake.

Cool completely on a wire rack.

Oatmeal Maple Pecan Scones

Mmmm... I loved these scones.  The oatmeal was such a great addition.  I had never had oatmeal in scones before, but when I looked it up on wikipedia I found that scones were originally made with oatmeal. So there you go... authentic! :)  Well, whether they are authentic or not, this recipe is definitely one that I will be making again and again.  I used real maple syrup, so the scones weren't too sweet.  It was perfect with the sweet glaze.  However, I think they would still be really good with breakfast maple syrup - just sweeter.  Hope you enjoy!

PS Don't get overwhelmed by the length of the directions.  These scones really  are not hard, the directions are just a little wordy but informative!

Oatmeal Maple Pecan Scones
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

1 1/2 cups steal cut Irish Oatmeal (I just used regular oatmeal)
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1/4 cup whole milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used real maple syrup, but breakfast syrup would be good, too... just sweeter)
1 large egg
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
10 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze:
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

Adjust oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 375 degrees.  Spread the oats and pecans evenly on a baking sheet and toast them until they are fragrant and lightly browned -- about 7-9 minutes; cool on a wire rack.  Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees.  Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper.  When the oats and pecans are cool, measure out 2 tablespoons (for dusting the work surface) and set aside.

Whisk the milk, cream, maple syrup and egg in a large measuring cup until incorporated; remove one tablespoon to a small bowl and reserve for glazing.

Place the flour, baking powder and salt in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade and process until combined, about four 1-second pulses.  Scatter the cold butter evenly over the dry ingredients and process until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, twelve to fourteen 1-second pulses. (You could also do this by hand with a pastry cutter or two knives).

Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl; stir in the cooled oats and pecans.  Using a rubber spatula, fold in the liquid ingredients until large clumps form.  Using your hands, gently knead the mixture in the bowl until the dough forms a cohesive mass.  Do not over-handle.

Dust work surface with half of the reserved oats, turn the dough out onto the work surface, and dust the top with remaining oats.  Gently pat the dough into a 7-inch circle about 1-inch thick.

Using a long sharp knife, cut the dough into 8 wedges and set out on parchment-lined (or silpat lined) baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.  Brush the surfaces with the reserved milk and egg mixture, then sprinkle scones with cinnamon.

Bake until golden brown, 12-14 minutes; cool scones on the baking sheet on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then remove scone to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.

When the scones are cool, whisk 3 tablespoons maple syrup and 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar in a small bowl until combined; drizzle the glaze over the scones.

 

Recipe source: www.enjoylifewithbreakfast.com

Cocoa Kiss Cookies

My friend, Jenny Whiting, won a Hershey's Holiday Cookie Exchange Party Kit last December, and so she hosted a fantastic Cookie Exchange Party for all of our friends.  It was very fun to sample everyone's favorite cookies and then sit and visit together. These Cocoa Kiss Cookies were my favorite, I think. They were so yummy! I love chocolate cookies, and I love pecans. Combine the two with a creamy milk chocolate center, and I'm sold. After they are baked, the cookie part is crumbly and nutty, and it melds perfectly with the soft center. Mmmm.....  But even the next day, they are still delish!

Cocoa Kiss Cookies

Submitted by Erin  ~  The Sisters Cafe
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1 c. (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened

2/3 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 2/3 c. gold medal all-purpose flour

¼ c. cocoa

1 c. finely chopped pecans

About 54 Hershey’s Kisses milk chocolates

powdered sugar

-

Beat butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. Stir together flour and cocoa; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended.  Add pecans; beat until well blended.  Refrigerate dough about 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Mold scant tablespoon of dough around each chocolate, covering completely. Shape into balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until set.  Cool about 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  Cool completely (it helps if you have any self control...). Roll in powdered sugar. Roll in powdered sugar again just before serving, if desired.

Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies.

Homemade Larabars

Have you ever tried a Larabar? They are fruit and nut snack/energy bars that are made from natural ingredients and gluten free. I think they are very tasty,but at $1-$1.50 a bar they are an expensive little snack in my opinion. So, I decided to try making them myself with GREAT results! The main ingredient is dates which can be pricey at the healthy food store, but I found them in a large container at my local Costco for much cheaper. These bars are super healthy and a great source of energy for me and my family. My boys actually love them and think they are a yummy treat. I told them that they are energy bars, so they now request them for a snack before basketball and wrestling practise. For me they are perfect for a mid afternoon 'pick-me-up" snack. So much better than a cookie or granola bar and much cheaper than the official Larabar.

I thought these were a perfect recipe to kick off my "Living Healthy and Strong Challenge". If you want to join me (and I hope you do--it always easier to stick to something when you have others doing it with you, you know?:) click here.

Here are my favorite Homemade Larabar recipes so far--but the possibilities are endless...

Homemade Larabars
submitted by Melanie
recipe source : Recipes are all over the internet! My recipes were from: the little red house, delightful delicacies, and vegetarlins

Each recipe makes 8-10" larabar" sized bars, but as you can see from the picture above, I prefer to cut the recipes into 16-20 bars each. You can always have two if needed, but one is usually good for me.

Peanut Butter Snack Bar
1 cup chopped dates (it's cheaper to buy them whole, plus they tend to dry out a bit if they are pre-chopped.)
1 1/2 cup chopped peanuts.
2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)
pinch of salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor.
When they come together into a paste, you're ready.
Line a loaf pan with parchment, and press the mixture into the pan.
Remove paper from pan, and slice into bars

Chocolate Almond Cherry Bars
1 cup whole almonds
2 Tablespoons cocoa
1 1/4 cup dates
1 cup dried bing cherries

Chop the almonds in a food processor until you have a mix of chunk sizes. Add cocoa and pulse once. Add dates and cherries and pulse until well combined. Line a loaf pan with wax or parchment paper, press fruit and nut mixture into the pan and press down firmly. Remove from the pan, cut into bars, and wrap individually in plastic wrap or wax paper, tie with string.

store in airtight container inside the refrigerator or freezer.

Mexican Chocolate Snack Bars
1 1/4 c chopped dates
1 c toasted almonds
1/2 c toasted walnuts (toast nuts in a pan on medium high heat for a few minutes)
3 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt

*same directions as above

Blueberry Snack Bar
1 cup pitted dates rough chopped
1 cup dried blueberries (or other dried fruit such as cherries, apricots, cranberries)
1 cup nuts such as walnuts or pecans
Zest of 1/2 a lemon (optional depending on type of fruit used)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

*Same Directions as above

Fresh Apple Cake

 

This cake is perfectly wonderful. Melanie gave the recipe to me ages ago, and I've made it many times. It is always a big hit. I even served it on Christmas Eve a few years ago, which should tell you how delicious it is. Being served on Christmas Eve is like receiving the Gold Medal. This cake is so proud. :)

With all the snow we've been getting lately, it seemed perfect to serve this warm caramelly cake the other night when we had guests over. I hope you enjoy it too!

**Note from Melanie: I got this recipe from my sweet friend Karen Pflueger and she liked to "take it up a notch" with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream on top! Seriously YUM! Thanks Karen:) for sharing this recipe!

Fresh Apple Cake

Submitted by Erin ~ The Sisters Cafe

4 cups peeled, diced apples

2 cups sugar

2 cups flour

1 ½ tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

2 eggs

¾ cup canola oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, stir together apples and sugar. Add dry ingredients and stir well. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir egg mixture into apple mixture, blending until thoroughly moistened. Stir in pecans. Pour into greased 9x13 pan. Bake for 50 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly pressed. Serve with warm Cream Sauce.

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Cream Sauce

1 cup sugar

½ cup evaporated milk

½ cup butter

1 tsp vanilla

Place all ingredients in saucepan; stir. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook for 3 minutes. Serve warm, and drizzle over piece of apple cake.

Pesto Baked Chicken

Here's a yummy recipe for all you basil growers out there. Wowza...this Pesto Baked Chicken is good!! I'm sure some of you have a bag or two of this green goodness sitting in your freezer too, right? And hello, the instructions consist of 6 sentences! So easy. Pine nuts would be awesome on this chicken, but I didn't have any. I usually use walnuts instead anyway, much cheaper, and we think it tastes de-lish!

Pesto Baked Chicken

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Recipe Source: Natalie Jenson from SAA Cookbook

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 c. + 1 T. prepared pesto
1 1/2 t. sour cream
1 1/2 t. mayonnaise
2 T. shredded Parmesan cheese
2 T. pine nuts or walnuts

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange chicken in a single layer in a shallow baking dish. Combine pesto, sour cream, and mayonnaise in a small bowl. Brush over chicken. Sprinkle with cheese and nuts. Bake 15-25 min or until chicken is cooked through.

Spinach, Apple and Pecan Salad

This QUICK and EASY salad is a great companion to almost any meal, especially when you don't have a lot of time to spare. So pretty much every night:) I love the toasted pecans in it. Yum! Try and eat it immediately as the dressing wilts the spinach overnight. Enjoy this tasty way to get in those veggies:)

Spinach, Apple and Pecan Salad

Submitted by Amy ~ The Sisters Cafe
Recipe Source: adapted from a Boskovich Farms recipe
Printable Recipe here

SALAD:
1 bag torn spinach leaves-abt. 10 oz
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
2 large red apples, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup toasted pecans

DRESSING:
2 T. olive oil
1 1/2 T. apple cider vinegar
1 T. prepared mustard
1 T. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. ground black pepper

Toast pecans*. Whisk dressing ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Just before serving, chop apples and add to a large serving bowl. Next add spinach, red onions, and toasted pecans. Toss with desired amount of dressing until well coasted and serve immediately.

*To toast pecans, measure out pecans. Pour into a skillet over medium heat. Toast, stirring occasionally, until pecans are fragrant and turn a darker brown. Set aside.

Homemade Chocolate Almond Butter

My cute sister Brittany just left after visiting for Christmas.  It was heavenly to have her here!  On her last afternoon in town, we sneaked in a game of Scrabble over Nutella and homemade strawberry jam sandwiches.  I haven't had Nutella in forever, and it was sooooo good.  So when I stumbled on a recipe for homemade chocolate almond butter, I had to try it!  And WOW!  It is fabulous!  Silky, chocolaty bliss.  The original recipe called for dark chocolate, but since I'm a milk chocolate kind of girl... I changed it to suite. :)  The key to this almond butter is patience.  It's super easy, but it still took about 20 minutes for me to make it.  Lots of scraping down the food processor.  But SO SO SO worth it!  I've been eating this almond butter on bread with and without jam, on apples, with bananas, and I'm already looking forward to having it on waffles and oatmeal for breakfast this week.

Homemade Chocolate Almond Butter
Submitted by Mindy ~ The Sisters Cafe

2 cups raw almonds
1/2 cup chocolate (I used guittard milk chocolate chips)
1 tsp coconut oil
1/8th-1/4 tsp kosher salt, to taste (optional)

Place 2 cups of raw, whole almonds into a food processor. Process for about 15 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl every minute or as necessary. It is a long process, but you don’t want to stop until you have released all the oils in the almonds and the mixture is very smooth and buttery! This took me a good 20 minutes (although the original recipe says 15).

Just before your almond butter is ready, melt the chocolate with the coconut oil.  I do this in the microwave.  Microwave chocolate and oil in bowl for 2 minutes on 50% power.  Stir mixture until the bowl is no longer warm.  Then microwave at 30 second intervals on 50% power, stirring after each interval, until fully melted.*

Add the melted chocolate to the almond butter (still in the processor) and process for a couple minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add your kosher salt to taste and process more. Scoop into a container and store in the fridge. Makes 1 & 1/4 cups, 20 one-tbsp servings, or enough to fill a 250 ml jar.

*To melt chocolate on the stove top: Add the 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1 tsp of coconut oil to a small pot. Melt on low. You want to remove the pot from heat when there are still some chocolate chip clumps remaining. Don’t worry they will melt as you stir the mixture. Take it off the heat a bit early to avoid burning the chocolate.

Adapted from: Oh She Glows (Angela has lots of pictures of the process on her site if you need them)

Easy Pretzel Turtles

In our home, Monday night is reserved for Family Home Evening (FHE). We gather in our family room for an opening song and prayer, followed by a scripture and short gospel related lesson and some "talents" (aka a time to be the center of attention and show off). But the BEST part of the night for my children is the treats. FHE just wouldn't be complete without treats at the end. We switch off who is in charge of each of the components of FHE and getting to pick and make the treats is a favorite responsibility. These little pretzel turtles get chosen quite often. My boys LOVE these little guys. They taste great, come together in minutes and don't mess up the kitchen! "Easy peasy" as my 5 year old likes to say. :) My boys are not big fans of nuts, but let me tell you, pecans in place of the M&Ms taste amazing!! With only 3 ingredients, they are simple, fun and delicious! Perfect for a family home evening, after school snacks, treats for the neighbors, a party ...and the excuses to make them goes on and on!

Weekly Menu ideas here

Also, recently I taught a class on the importance of family dinner. Tomorrow I will post my class notes--full of ideas and tips that have worked for me, for stress-free family dinners here.

Easy Pretzel Turtles

Submitted by Melanie ~ The Sisters Cafe

Small Pretzels

Rolo candies

M&Ms or pecans

Preheat the oven to 350. Place small pretzels on a cookie sheet (I like to line it with parchment paper for super easy clean up). Top each pretzel with a rolo candy. Place in the oven for 3-4 minutes. The rolos will look shiny but still holding their shape. Remove from oven and push a M&M or pecan on top of each one. Let firm up for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Holiday Dinner Menu for 35

This year I was asked to organize the dinner for our Relief Society Christmas service activity. The women were coming to sew Christmas stockings and baby blankets, make jewelry, and an assortment of other creative things to ensure that a group of people that were suffering during this holiday season would each have at least a stocking full of small gifts. Dinner was not the focus of the evening, but nevertheless, I wanted it to be special for all these wonderful women. We were on a very tight budget so it took me some time to figure out what to serve that was delicious yet fairly simple. In the end it came together beautifully and everyone loved the meal. Since I'm sure there are some of you out there that are in the same situation of needing to orchestrate a meal for a large group... I thought I would share the menu and save you some hassle! Have fun! ~Brittany

Christmas Dinner Menu ~ serving 35

Chicken a La King

*4 recipes (with a total of 100 bread crowns)

Mixed Green Salad with Cinnamon Roasted Pecans and chopped apples

*One container of Spring Mix from Costco (10 cups), 6 Romaine lettuce hearts, 4 Braeburn apples, 4 cups of cinnamon roasted nuts (one recipe-click on link)

served with dressing from Chicken Poppy Seed Salad
*one recipe of the dressing

Eggnog Bundt Cake with Caramel Sauce

*3 cakes cut into 12 pieces each (click on link for recipe). Double, don't triple, the sauce - it makes a lot!

The church gym was not the best place for photos...and I wasn't about to tell everyone to move aside for me to get a good angle either but here is my best shot! :)

This entire dinner cost only $70 and that included all the main or unusual ingredients for the recipes. If you have more money available to you, I would add cheese to the salad (gorgonzola or even mozzarella would be delicious) and vanilla bean icecream would complement the eggnog bundt cake wonderfully.

Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

The last few years I have made a huge effort to buy less processed foods for my family and feed them more real ,whole foods. Granola bars are one item that my boys really enjoy and miss when I don't buy them. Do you remember when I posted these granola bars? They are so yummy, but not as hearty as I wanted, more like a treat really. So, I have been on the lookout for a more hearty and healthful homemade granola recipe that my family will still get excited about. Well, thanks to Ms Summer Harms (and her Mother in law) my search is over! These granola bars are really good. My family loves them and I love that they are packed with healthy ingredients. I keep them in the freezer and pop them into snack size baggies for lunches or to grap for an on-the-go snack. Seriously sooo tasty! I hope you enjoy them as much as we do!

PS

Do you plan a weekly menu? I post mine each week on my other blog melandboys. If you do too, let me know! I am always looking for inspiration!

Summer's Healthy Homemade Granola Bars

submitted by Melanie

printable recipe here

2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. flax seed, milled
1/4 c. quinoa
3/4 c. shelled sunflower seeds
1 c. chopped nuts (any kind or combination)
1 c. shredded coconut
1/2 to 1 tsp. cinnamon (desired amount)
1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. brown sugar or organic agave nectar
1/2 c. honey
2 tsp. molasses
4 T. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
4 T. peanut butter
1 c. dried, chopped fruit (optional)

1. mix first 8 ingredients together and place on a rimmed baking sheet. toast in a 400 degree oven for 9-12 minutes. watch it so it doesn't burn! stir and let cool at least 15 minutes.
2. bring next 4 ingredients to a simmer, stirring continuously. stir in the vanilla and peanut butter and cool for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. put the toasted ingredients and dried fruit in a large bowl and pour the liquid ingredients over it. mix very well.
4. place parchment or wax paper in the rimmed baking sheet and butter the top side, then place the granola bar mixture in the pan. put another butter sheet of paper, buttered side down, on top of the mixture and press down. (i use silpats instead of parchment or wax paper and they work perfectly!)roll with a rolling pin to make it very tight, smooth, and even.
5. let set for 2-3 hours and cut into desired bar size. makes about 20-24 bars. package in snack size bags or an airtight container. if not using within next few days, store in freezer. they keep very well, and thaw quickly. (really yummy frozen, too!)