RECIPES

Most of these recipes are courtesy of the Internet. One of my favorite sites is weelicious. Before I post it on here, I will have my kids approve it first! 

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Spinach-Ricotta Bites from weelicious

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 small yellow onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup ricotta cheese (low or full fat ricotta will work)
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 10 oz pkg frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained well (i use my hands to squeeze as much liquid out of the spinach as possible)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Melt the butter in a sauté pan over medium heat and cook the onions for 4 minutes until tender.
3. Add the garlic and cook an additional minute then set aside to cool
4. Whisk eggs in a bowl and stir in ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses
5. Once combined, stir in spinach, salt and cooled onion and garlic mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into lightly greased mini muffin cups.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the filling is set and golden on top.
8. Serve. I actually put them in a gallon size baggie and keep in the fridge. In the mornings when I am fixing lunches I put a few on a plate and zap them in the microwave. They stay warm in the planet box lunch boxes.



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Sweet Potato Muffins from weelicious

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 large eggs, whisked
• 1 cup sweet potato puree, cooked*
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. Place the first 7 ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
3. In a separate bowl whisk the remaining ingredients.
4. Slowly combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients just until they are combined (be careful not to over mix the batter).
5. Place 1 tbsp of batter in each cup of greased mini muffin tins and bake for 15 minutes.
6. Serve. (I do the same thing with these as I do with the spinach ricotta bites)

* To make sweet potato puree, bake sweet potatoes (or yams) in a 400 degree oven for one hour, allow to cool, slice in half lengthwise and mash flesh with a fork until smooth.
 

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Tasty Smoothies from 100 days of real food (or something like that)

 

Ingredients:

• 

  Bought these cool things from
  Amazon. They came in a pack
  of 5!!

  1.5 cups plain organic yogurt (I use greek yogurt)
• 1 cup berries, fresh or frozen (I use strawberries most of the time)
• 2 T honey or agave nectar (I usually use agave)
• 2 T milk
• 1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves (added it a few times, didn't add it a few times and the kids loved it either way)

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender.
2. If using fresh fruit and you want to have it right away add ice. If you are freezing then it doesn't matter if you add ice or not.
3. Enjoy!

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Fruit and Oat Bars from weelicous 

 

Ingredients:

• Cooking spray
• 2 cups old-fashioned oats (not instant or steel cut)
• 1 cup all purpose flour (I used whole wheat)
• 2 T wheat germ
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 stick plus 2 T butter
• 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (I've used both and there is NO big difference)
• Fruit preserves (I use organic strawberry spread from Costco.)
  

  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and coat pan with cooking spray.
   

   

   My favorite!!

    
2. Place all ingredients, except fruit preserves, into a food processor. (I used my ninja!) Pulse until all ingredients are combined and the oats are in small pieces.
3. Reserve 1 cup.
4. Press down remaining mixture onto bottom of pan.
5.  Spread fruit preserves over the oat mixture.
6. Crumble the remaining 1 cup over the preserves.
7. Bake for 30 min. or until golden.
8. Cool, cut and serve. (I put them in a Tupperware container in the fridge so they are easy to grab for lunches or afterschool snacks.)

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Chocolate Chip Granola Bars from weelicious

Ingredients:

• 4 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup honey

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. (I just made it in a 9 x 13 pan not a baking sheet)
2. Combine the oats, flour, brown sugar and chocolate chips in a large bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, vanilla and honey.
4. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and stir to combine.
5. Spread the mixture on a baking sheet and shape into a rectangle (Not needed if using a rectangle pan! heehee)
6. Bake for 40 min, or until golden and dry to the touch.
7. Cool for 10 min then cut into bars. (I store these the same way I store the fruit & oat bars.)

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Graham Crackers from weelicious

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1  1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick butter, cubed and chilled
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine flours, brown sugar, cinnamon and baking soda in a food processor (Ninja!)
3. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Add the honey and water and continue to mix until well blended.
5. Remove the dough, shape it into a flat disk and place it on a pastry mat. Cover it with a piece of parchment paper. (If you don't have a pastry mat then put the dough between 2 pieces of parchment)
6. Roll out the dough until 1/4 inch thick.
7. Cut into shapes.
8. Place the crackers on a silpat (love mine!) or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 min. (They are a little soft when the come out but they firm up nice.)
9. Cool and serve.*

*This recipe makes a lot of crackers. I usually put them in a gallon size baggie for storage.  
 
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Homemade Fruit Roll-Ups

Ingredients:

• 3 cups any fresh fruit (Canned pineapple is delicious! Just drain it first)
• 2 T honey or agave nectar (not needed if using canned fruit)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 170.
2. Put fruit into a blender with honey or agave.
3. Pulse until completely blended.
4. Pour evenly onto a silpat lined sheet (I use a jelly roll pan. I think it is 11 x 17)
5. Bake for 6 - 7 hours or until dried throughout.
6. Remove fruit from silpat and place on a piece of parchment paper.
7. Cut into strips and roll up!
8. Enjoy!!

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Homemade Baby Wipes* Don't remember where the original recipe came from. The original one used baby oil also. I didn't like what was in baby oil so I omitted it. These wipes are so awesome!

Ingredients:

• 1-½ cups warm water
• 2 T baby bath
• Bounty Big Roll paper towels, cut in half
• Round Plastic Coffee Container (cleaned)

  
  

Directions:

1. With an electric knife, cut the paper towels in half. 
2. Remove and discard the cardboard core. 
3. In the coffee container, add the water and baby bath. 
4. Place the paper towels on top (the side that was cut on the bottom). 
5. Place the lid on top and flip over until the towels have absorbed all the liquid.

*These wipes are much softer and soapier than the expensive store bought wipes.

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Kim's Meat Loaf This is actually one I came up with. I took several "good" parts from different recipes and formed them into one. I have been making this for over 20 years. My kids frequently request meat loaf for dinner!

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2/3 cup Italian style bread crumbs (or finely crushed saltines)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• dash pepper
• dash salt
• 1-1/2 lb. ground beef (or turkey)
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs. 
3. Add milk, cracker crumbs, onion and seasonings. 
4. Add beef and mix well.
5. Shape into an 8-1/2 in. x 4-1/2 in. loaf. 
6. Combine remaining ingredients; spread 3/4 cup over meat loaf. 
7. Bake for 60-65 min.
8. Let stand 10 min. before slicing.
9. Serve with remaining sauce.

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Ruby's Beer Bread Ruby was my late grandmother's friend. This was a favorite of mine when I lived with my grandma my junior year of high school.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups sifted self-rising flour
• 3 T sugar
• 1 can of beer (room temp.)
• 1/8 cup butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. 
2. Mix well the flour, sugar and beer. 
3. Turn into greased bread pan. 
4. Pour melted butter over it. 
5. Let sit 40-45 min. 
6. Bake about 1 hour or until golden brown.

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Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Sauce This is another "Kim" creation. I came up with this when I lived by myself. I wanted some chicken fingers but I couldn't afford to go out to eat. My mom thinks these are some of the best chicken fingers EVER!

Ingredients for the Chicken:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup flour
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. pepper
• ¾ cup milk
• oil for frying

Honey Mustard:

• ½ cup honey
• ¼ cup Dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into ½ x 2-inch strips. 
2. For honey mustard sauce, blend honey and mustard in a small bowl and set aside. 
3. Mix flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. 
4. Dip chicken in milk. 
5. Roll in flour mixture to coat well. 
6. Place chicken on waxed paper. 
7. Pour ¼ inch of oil in a large heavy skillet. 
8. Heat over medium-high heat (or until a cub of white bread dropped in oil browns evenly in 1 minute.) 
9. Divide chicken into batches. 
10. Place chicken in an even layer in hot oil. 
11. Fry, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and crisp. 
12. Drain on paper towels. 
13. Serve with sauce.

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Tumbleweeds This was one of my grandma's recipes. She made these for as long as I can remember. When I was dating G, I made these for him. In fact these little things should be called "Hefinallyproposedafter4yearstreats" They are his absolute favorite dessert.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. (12 oz.) butterscotch chips
• 2 T peanut butter
• 1 can (12 oz.) peanuts
• 1 can (4 oz.) shoestring potatoes

Directions:

1. Melt chips and peanut butter in double broiler.
2. Combine peanuts & shoestring potatoes to butterscotch mixture.
3. Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper.
4. Cool.

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Homemade Cheez-its Recipe from BHG (found somewhere on Pinterest)

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 T unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 T ice water

Directions:

So YUMMY!!

1. Mix together the cheese and butter.
2. Add in the flour and mix until the dough looks like little fluffy clumps.
3. Add the ice water and mix until a soft dough forms.
4. Form the dough into a ball.
5. Wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate for 30 min.
6. Preheat oven to 375.
7. Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
8. Using a fluted pastry cutter, cut the dough into about 1 inch squares.
9. Transfer your little cheez-its onto a silpat or parchment paper.
10. Make a hole in the center of each one with a toothpick.
11. Sprinkle with the salt.
12. Bake for about 10 min., or until they have puffed up and the edges begin to brown.
13. Let cool before eating.
14. Store in an airtight container.

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Kim's  Cheez-its! I decided to try something else... OMG! These are so freakin' good!
I might even be declared a genius!

Ingredients:

• 1/2  cup mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup parmesean cheese (NO green can)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 4 T unsalted butter, softened
• 4 T ice water
• 2 tsp. garlic salt

Directions:

OMG! These should come with
a warning because you just
might eat the entire batch!

1. Mix together the cheese and butter.
2. Add in the flour and 1 tsp of garlic salt. 
3. Mix until the dough looks like little fluffy clumps.
4. Add the ice water and mix until a soft dough forms.
5. Form the dough into a ball.
6. Wrap in plastic wrap & refrigerate for 30 min.
7. Preheat oven to 375.
8. Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
9. Using a fluted pastry cutter, cut the dough into about 1 inch squares.
10. Transfer your little cheez-its onto a silpat or parchment paper.
11. Make a hole in the center of each one with a toothpick.
12. Sprinkle with the remaining garlic salt.
13. Bake for about 10 min., or until they have puffed up and the edges begin to brown.
14. Let cool before eating.
15. Store in an airtight container (if you have some leftover)

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Chocolate Graham Crackers from weelicious

Ingredients:

You thought the other ones were
good? Wait until you try these!

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1  cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 stick butter, cubed and chilled
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine flours, cocoa powder, brown sugar, cinnamon and baking soda in a food processor (Ninja!)
3. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.
4. Add the honey and water and continue to mix until well blended.
5. Remove the dough, shape it into a flat disk and place it on a pastry mat. Cover it with a piece of parchment paper. (If you don't have a pastry mat then put the dough between 2 pieces of parchment)
6. Roll out the dough until 1/4 inch thick.
7. Cut into shapes. (I used a fluted edge pastry cutter.)
8. Place the crackers on a silpat (love mine!) or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 15 min. (They are a little soft when the come out but they firm up nice.)
9. Cool and serve.*

*This recipe makes a lot of crackers. I usually put them in a gallon size baggie for storage.
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Apple-Cinnamon Sticks from weelicious

Ingredients:

Haven't heard all kids opinions YET
but I sure liked them with my coffee
this morning. :)

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 T packed brown sugar
• 2 T wheat germ
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup peeled and grated apple
• 2 T canola oil

 
Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Place the flour, baking powder, brown sugar, wheat germ and cinnamon in a bowl.
3. Stir to combine.
4. Add the apple to the flour mixture.
5. Using your hands, toss and coat the apple.
6. Add the oil and continue to mix with your hands until a dough comes together.
7. Remove the dough, shape it into a flat rectangle and place it on a pastry mat. Cover it with a piece of parchment paper. (If you don't have a pastry mat then put the dough between 2 pieces of parchment)
8. Roll out the dough until 1/2 inch thick.
9. Cut into strips or shapes.
10. Place the crackers on a silpat (love mine!) or parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 min. or until golden brown.
11. Cool and serve.*

*Store covered. (I put mine in a baggie.)
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 CORN WHEELS from weelicious

This is what the wheels looked like after I set
it on the table. My kids ate them so fast,
this was the best picture I could get. 2 of my
kids HATE corn and they loved this!

Ingredients:

• corn
• grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Shuck the corn cobs.
2. Place cobs in a pot of boiling water.
3. Boil for 5-6 minutes.
4. Remove cobs, one at a time, and cut into 1 inch pieces.
5. Roll wheels into parmesan cheese.
6. Serve & Enjoy!!

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CORN DOG MUFFINS from weelicious

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HOMEMADE VANILLA WAFERS from weelicous

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