Copycat Whole Foods Granola Bars

If you live near a Whole Foods you know about the yummy temptations at the register when you check out. 

For a while I was hooked and would grab one EVERY time we were there. So good and good for you, but they were also almost $3 per small square bar. 

I found a great copycat recipe from A Spicy Perspective blog and she nailed it. The taste is perfect, and it makes a ton of bars. 

 

I throw one in my bag almost every week day morning when we leave. It keeps me full for a while along with a yogurt and piece of fruit. 

Make them !!!!

Vanilla Cake Truffles {No Bake}

I needed something sweet and chocolate. Bad.

Good ole Pinterest helped me out with this one.

 

Vanilla Cake Batter No Bake Truffles

Heaven.... I felt much better after I made these.

 

I found the recipe HERE.

 

5 Ingredients:

1 cup vanilla cake mix

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk + 1 tbsp.

1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 - 2 cups semi sweet choc chips - or wafers or almond bark

 

Mix all but chocolate in bowl and combine

 



It will be kinda pasty - maybe a little dry.  - that's okay.

Make sure its the correct consistency to roll into balls.. either add more sc milk or cake mix ...

then pop into the freezer to firm ( @ 10 min) so you can roll into balls



I lined a 9x9 baking pan with parchment and rolled the pasty batter into dough balls about 1/2 inch

Then put them back in the freezer for a good 15 min.

 

Melt your chocolate of choice, and dip.

They turned out really good.

Thanks averie cooks for this super easy and amazing indulgence!



Since I made these I have pinned a few other variations, one being Cake Batter flavored - rolled in sprinkles. That may be my next trial.

This was the perfect pick-me-up-chocolate-sweet-tooth-attack yet.

Made by Moi

So Im trying to log some of the yummy things I've made lately, so I can dip into my recipe vault, see what I paired it with, and share it with my readers, family, etc. 

First ... Kale.. where have you been my whole life?

I never ever ever tried it until last week.

I bought a huge bag, and pinned a ton of Kale recipes.. dips, etc...

The first thing I did was make Kale chips, (not pictured.)

I just sprinkled some washed kale with olive oil - it was already pre-chopped in the bag...

Baked at 275 for about 30 minutes. It sat on the stove and as it cooled & dried it became crunchy and wonderful.. I ate the whole pan, and I am not exaggerating. Its Kale? How bad can it be if I eat it all.. was what I was thinking as I shoveled it in my face.. Yum..

On to more Kale.

Kale/Artichoke Dip
(recipe adapted from tablespoon.com)

1 14oz can artichokes, drained and chopped
4 oz cream cheese softened
6oz greek yogurt plain
1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup shredded parmesan
1 teaspoon garlic salt
6 oz kale - chopped (8-10 cups)

combine all ingredients and only a 1/4 cup of the mozzarella.
bake at 375 for 20 min or until slightly browning at the top
Add remaining mozzarella & cook until melted.

So good.

It was my lunch re-heated the next day too.

Good "Mom Meal" that I can eat in small portions for days at a time...

Pioneer Woman's Black Beans.

These beans are a meal in itself.. it needs no meats or sides.

I used it to make taco pizza the next day.

Along with my dip and beans... I made another dip which I aquired after a girls night last weekend, and my friend turned me on to Carrot Chips! I immediately went to the grocery store the next day... 

They are great. Never noticed them before.

Better way to cut out eating a while bag of tortillas too..

Another creation made this past week were cupcakes.

I took a cupcake order for my friend's son who was turning 6

Ninja Turtles were the request. 

I do find baking and cooking relaxing.

I had my coffee, my candle & my buttercream... 

I finished the order just in  time to deliver them for the party.

They were so cute.. and delicious.. (I always taste my baking.. especially my orders!)

SO ... In order to log all my newest recipes, crafts, dinners, and other things I hope to make "Made by Moi" a new weekly entry for me.. we will see.. 

Re-energized Energy Bites {Recipe}

Re-Energized NEW Energy Bite Recipe.

We love energy bites.. well, everyone but my son..

I've made them so so many times, and tweaked a few things every time... due to shortage of ingredients, or swapping out different ones.. like pecan or almond meal for flax seed meal, because I was all out and needed energy bites ASAP! And I've also changed the way I followed the traditional Pinterest recipe way. I didn't refrigerate them before I rolled them as suggested by all the energy bite recipes out there. I love the way this batch turned out, so I wanted to post about it so I never forget how I did it.

I always have a lot of bulk dry goods on hand.

For this recipe .. I added dry milk .. During my childhood, my Mom and I used to make peanut butter balls. The ingredients for those were pb, dry milk, honey and oats, equally yum. Even better in the energy bites.

And a variety of chips I've played with 

Below I have dark choc chips, white, mini, semi- sweet and peanut butter 

I added 1/2 the amount of suggested chips and divided them into peanut butter and mini semi-sweet.

I wrote everything down that I was doing.. so here goes.

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/4 cup pecan meal

1/4 cup flax seed meal

1/4 cup pb chips

1/4 cup mini semi sweet chips

a little under 1/4 cup red mini m&ms

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup toasted coconut flakes

1/3 cup honey *plus more at end

1/4 cup dry milk

mix all ingredients in large bowl, drizzle more honey over mixture after about 1/2 way mixed. Mix again. Immediately roll into small 1/2 inch balls - I love all things mini.. so I made the bites extra cute and small. 

I stored them between wax paper sheets in an airtight container.

They are so yummy and crunchy.

Some batches of my previous energy bites had been more on the dry side. These are moist and crunchy and so so good. 

Recipes, Eating, Cooking, Freezing Temps...

Well, 2015.. 

I started with cookies, what could be wrong with that?

I always make these pistachio cookies. 

They're my and my husband's favorites

 usually gone in a few days.

I am organizing and throwing things out like crazy.

This pic is so blurry, but I made a little coffee station last weekend, and re-organized and wiped down a few cabinets, 

We tried a new spin on pizza last weekend. 

The Pioneer Woman's Taco Pizza.

It is so easy and yummy.. and Meat-LESS which was even better. 

If you follow me via Pinterest @jlmmomma.. I have it under my "pizza" board.

Sister went back to school, and I really missed and enjoyed my one on one time with my little mister.

He is totally hysterical lately... the way his little toddler voice asks me questions, and how he plays independently A LOT and I just watch and thank the Lord that he is such a sweet blessing. We have our days, our tantrums, our battles of breaking his love of NOT sleeping and ridiculous baby bottles.. but all in all he is pretty easy going and good most of the time.

Since its been FREEEEEEZING

Im trying to eat healthier, but it certainly doesnt help when its 0 degrees out and all I am doing is baking and cooking non-stop. I love it though... 

My new breakfast favorite is Plain Greek Yogurt, a few scoops of Strawberry Jam - so so good. Sometimes I throw in a little homemade granola, sometimes not. 

Then when I eat 15 cookies.. I can say, "well, at least I ate a healthy breakfast?!" -- yea sure.

They really missed each other this week.

She came home and was so sweet to her brother.

He was excited every day to wait for the bus, and was getting used to her being gone all day all over again.

Im trying to get back into the swing of things with lunches... 

I keep asking her if she'd like to buy, but she really really loves how I make her lunches every day. 

And if that makes her happy, then I am happy to do it. 

I feel like it is last year all over again. These temps are not only freezing, but its been windy, so blowing AND freezing snow.

Which brings me to more comfort cooking again...

My Italian Grandmother's Sauce

It truly turns out different every time.

And its all about tasting and eye balling as you add spices

Sauce

2-3 cans puree

4-5 big cloves of garlic

1 can tomato paste

1/2 large onion chopped 

basil

fresh parsley

oregano

salt and pepper 

1-2 green peppers (take out seeds and try to keep the pepper WHOLE)

1. sautee garlic and onions in olive oil

2. add paste and cook while mixing

3. add cans of puree

4. add spices and pepper and simmer.

5. Add meatballs 

6. cover and simmer on low for 2-3 hours or until meatballs are done.

7. take green peppers out and 1 cup of sauce. Blend.

Return the mixture to the sauce. Cook for an additional 1/2 hour. 

taste and add sugar if needed to balance out the acidity.

Meatballs 

1-2 lbs ground beef

1-2 eggs

1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley

1/4 -1/3 cup of the cooked sauce 

salt and pepper 

Mix all ingredients gently. Do not overmix.

They should be gummy... 

form meatballs and drop into the simmering sauce.

I break my meatballs up, but you can have them just like this (below)

This sauce is an art. Like I said I dont always make an amazing batch.. We froze a bunch which I love to use for other recipes, stuffed shells, lasagna, 

And every batch turns out a little different every time. 

This one was extra yummy.

Yummy and complete meal.

Plus plenty of leftovers.. bonus

Moving on to more cooking....and eating

Earl Grey and Cardamom Pancakes 

pancake mix - whole wheat, buttermilk, anything works

almond extract 

early grey tea 

cardamom

butter 

coconut oil

Mix all ingredients, fry them in coconut oil, butter them and I added my Aunt's yummy strawberry jam. 

Homemade Marshmallows

I was a little intimidated by this recipe.. but seriously it is EASY!

My two little helpers were running around while I was making it, so if that's any indication. 

Here's what you need ... and you wont be sorry

Marshmallows in a bag.. yuch.. I'll be making these from now on.. well, when I can..

1 cup water

3 envelopes unflavored gelatin

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1/2 teaspoon of salt

2 tbsp pure vanilla

generous amount of icing sugar (powdered) to coat the marshmallows, about 2 cups

You will need a 9x9 baking pan, buttered or sprayed

STEP 1:

Attach the whisk 

pour in 1/2 cup of the water, and sprinkle the gelatin over the water.

Let it soak in

STEP 2:

In a medium saucepan over high heat, add the sugar, corn syrup, salt and remaining 1/2 cup water. Bring to a rolling boil and continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.

STEP 3:

Turn the mixer on low and mix the gelatin around once or twice to make sure it is combined. Slowly pour the hot sugar mixture down the side of the bowl, (you can see the mark left on the mixing bowl in the picture below... NO pics were taken before, because I was skeptical that I could make this recipe work!)

Slowly slowly pour, with the mixer on low... it will be hot and steamy! Good way to give your mixer a good facial.

STEP 4:

(finally a pic.. below)

Turn the mixer on high, and continue to whip for 10-12 minutes

Until the mixture doubles in size and becomes very very thick.

Scrape sides down to avoid overflowing..

Stop the mixer and add the vanilla, and then whip briefly to combine.

STEP 5:

Transfer mixture to the parchment sprayed/lined pan.

Spread with a spatula to make even.

STEP 6:

spray a piece of plastic wrap, flip it over butter side down, and seal the marshmallow in smoothly and tightly against the mixture. Let sit for at least 3 hours or overnight.

STEP 7:

Sprinkle a work surface, I used a deeper sheet tray I had., lined it with foil and dumped a bunch of powdered sugar. Run a knife along the side of the marshmallow to loosen it from the sides. 

Carefully flip it onto the sugar covered pan/work surface.

VOILA!

Scoop handfuls of the sugar and coat the whole top and sides really well

At this point I realized it was pretty much like a huge block of white jello.

It smelled pretty good too...

I cut them in 1 inch cubes

And they are appearing in our teacher gifts this year.

And in our hot cocoa

And just because they are so delicious by themselves too.. 

Next time I think I'll try coconut or another flavor.

After this, I was feeling confident as a marshmallow maker!

Two Recipes & Gifting Ideas

I love when I have these two yummies in my house.

All year I suppose

Homemade Hot Cocoa & Homemade Granola

Every year I forget someone.... or a few people.
I wrap these two yummies up in little bags, and tie a plaid ribbon around them.. done.

Granola:

5 cups old fashioned oats 

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

2/3 cup canola oil

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt ( I add about 1 tsp) - we like it salty!

1 cup pecans or walnuts (finely chopped) almond slices, - A mix of all, just one or two or just one of these.. however you like it.

Mix all in a bowl

Pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper 

Bake for @25 minutes at 325 degrees.

Break up the granola with a spatula when it comes out of the oven, turning a few times, then let sit and cool. 

Store in airtight container/canister

I eat it just like it is, with milk, over granola, so good. and healthy.

Homemade Hot Cocoa

4 cups powdered milk 

21.8 oz box of nesquick 

16 oz instant powdered coffee creamer 

1 cup powdered sugar

**** I did not add all the nesquick. Instead I added about 1/3 of the amount, and then added some sipping chocolate (see below)... mmmmm

a few heaping tablespoons (3-4 okay) ... of Trader Joe's sipping chocolate... so so good

Mix all in a bowl...

5 tbsp per cup of cocoa...

Coming soon... to go with hot cocoa, you have to have MARSHMALLOWS! 

I bought all the ingredients today and will be trying a batch of homemade marshmallows soon with pics and post. 

xoxo

Easiest Cheesecake Ever

Easiest Cheesecake Ever...

Thats what I call this. 

I got the recipe from Mathew's grandma Julie when we were dating.

Every single time we would visit Ohio while living in the south, she would bring this cheesecake over his parents house for any event, dinner, cookout, and my husband devoured it.

What is in it? I quickly asked...

Ingredients:

1 tub cool whip 

8oz cream cheese softened 

1/3 cup sugar 

pie crust (she used a regular size graham crust)

First - 

You whip the cream cheese and sugar until creamy soft and yummy.

Second-

You fold in the tub of cool whip, blending everything all together.

Third-

Put it in the pie crust, or crusts, and chill for at least 3 hours or more

That.is.it

If you want to get fancy, I bought mini pie crusts and after mixing everything, I scraped it into a piping bag, and filled the pie dishes this way.

So pretty and cute

Perfect little individual cheesecakes 

(Carl kitty photobomb)