Simple Dinner Exception....Oh-So-Good Granola Bars

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
1 c. quick-cooking rolled oats
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. whole-wheat flour
2 T. ground flaxseeds
1/2 c. Grape Nuts cereal
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 beaten egg
1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 T. canola oil
1 16 oz. package mixed dried fruit bits
2 T. sunflower seeds
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/4 c. dark chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325. Line an 8 x 8 pan with foil and coat with cooking spray. Set pan aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine oats, both flours, ground flaxseeds, Grape Nuts, and ginger. Add egg, applesauce, honey, brown sugar, and oil. Mix well.
3. Stir in fruit bits, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and chocolate chips.
4. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Cool completely on a wire rack. Use edges of foil to lift cooked granola from pan, and cut into bars.
   
5. Makes 24. These are really good, and really good FOR you.
   

*Fitness Magazine

Caramel Toffee Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

1 8-oz. package cream cheese (you can use light cream cheese)

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp vanilla (you can add more to taste)

Toffee bits

Directions:

1. Allow cream cheese to reach room temperature.
2. With an electric mixer, combine cream cheese, brown sugar, and vanilla.
3. When ready to serve, stir in about 1/2 a bag of toffee bits and then sprinkle on top.
4. Serve with fruit.

*Recipe from www.ourbestbites.com

Cheesy Roasted Red Pepper Dip

12 oz. jar roasted red peppers (about 1c. diced)

4 c. grated pepper jack cheese (3/4 lb)
8oz cream cheese (I use low-fat)
3/4 c. mayonnaise
2 T minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 T Dijon mustard

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Remove peppers from jar and blot excess water with paper towels. You want to make sure they are dry so they don't add moisture to the dip. Then dice 'em up.
3. In a bowl, soften cream cheese in microwave so it will be easier to stir. Add in mayo, onion, garlic, and dijon. Stir to combine and then add in grated cheese and the diced peppers.
4. Place in an 8x8-ish dish or pie pan.
5. Place in the oven and cook for 30-45 minutes. Baking time depends on the dish. It will start to bubble and brown on the outside edge, and you want it to be bubbly all the way through to the center. It will be nice and golden brown on top, especially around the edges.
6. Serve with chips, veggies, or sliced warm sourdough bread.

*Recipe from www.ourbestbites.com

Grilled Taco Chicken

1 lb. chicken breasts
2-3 juicy limes
1-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

1. Juice the limes and combine with the red wine vinegar. Add garlic. Pour over chicken. This will not completely cover the chicken; just turn it occasionally as needed. Marinate for at least 4-8 hours.
2. Heat grill to medium-high heat (400 degrees).
3. Combine salt, chili powder, cumin, and black pepper in a small bowl.
4. Remove chicken from bag and discard marinade. Rub the spices onto the chicken.
5. Grill chicken about 7 minutes per side.
6. Remove from heat and allow to stand a few minutes so it doesn't lose its juiciness.

*Recipe from www.ourbestbites.com
I sliced the chicken and served it in a romaine lettuce salad, combined with tomatoes, shredded cheese, avocados, smashed cheese Doritos, and Green Goddess salad dressing. Yum!

Ina Garten's Roasted Carrots

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 12 carrots
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill or parsley

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

If the carrots are thick, cut them in half lengthwise; if not, leave whole. Slice the carrots diagonally in 1 1/2-inch-thick slices. (The carrots will shrink while cooking so make the slices big.) Toss them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan in 1 layer and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, until browned and tender.

Toss the carrots with minced dill or parsley, season to taste, and serve.

Cherry Cake Pudding

*www.pioneerwoman.com

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 cup Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Butter, Softened
• 1 whole Egg
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ⅛ teaspoons Salt
• ½ cups Whole Milk
• 1 can (15 Ounces) Cherries In Syrup (NOT Cherry Pie Filling) Drained, Juice Reserved
• ½ cups Pecans, Finely Chopped

Sauce:

• 1 cup Juice From Cherries (add Water To Make 1 Cup If Necessary)
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• Unsweetened Freshly Whipped Cream

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously butter a square 9 x 9-inch baking dish.

Cream sugar and butter. Add egg and mix well. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt then add to mixing bowl alternatively with milk. Add cherries and chopped nuts and mix gently. Pour batter into buttered pan and smooth out the surface. Bake for 40 minutes, or until golden brown on the surface and no longer jiggly.

While cake is baking, make the sauce by combining cherry juice, sugar, and flour in a small saucepan. Boil for 8 to 10 minutes, or until thick. Turn off heat and stir in 1 tablespoon butter and vanilla extract.

Drizzle 1/3 of the sauce on the cake as soon as you remove it from the oven. Spread to distribute over the surface and wait ten minutes before serving so the sauce will seep into the top of the cake a bit.

Spoon out pieces of warm, sticky cake, and top with unsweetened whipped cream.

Peanut Butter and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter-flavored shortening
1/2 c. real butter
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1 c. white sugar
2 eggs
1.5 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2.5 c. flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled with a knife
6 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 c. peanut butter chips
1 c. white chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Cream together softened butter, shortening, brown sugar, and white sugar for 1-2 minutes on medium-high speed or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla. Meanwhile, combine the baking powder, soda, salt, flour, and cocoa powder. Add to the butter/sugar mixture and mix well until combined. Mix in the peanut butter and white chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until the centers are set but still soft. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes and then transfer to cooling rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

*Recipe from www.ourbestbites.com