I love granola bars; all kinds of granola bars! To me they are like a “healthy” cookie. If you think about it, granola bars are essentially cookies, but since they have oats, and perhaps dried fruit, you get to call them “granola” bars.
Here’s a super simple “granola bar” recipe that I like to call Oatmeal Jam Cookie bars. Yes, I used the word “cookie” because they have a whole stick of butter and taste too delicious and buttery to be called a granola bar.
My mom and her friend Janice would make these for my friend Andy and me when we were toddlers.
They are great because even though they contain butter and brown sugar, they also have a whole cup of rolled oats. We used cherry preserves for the jam, but feel free to use strawberry, grape, blueberry or whatever your favorite flavor is.
When Janice would make these, she would add a layer of peanut butter and call it “Andy Casserole”. Her method involved spreading 3/4 cup peanut butter onto the oatmeal mixture, then spreading the jam on top of the peanut butter. Then she would finish by sprinkling the remaining crumb mixture on top and baking them as usual per the recipe below.
Harper loved these, just like I did when I was a kid.
Happy baking and enjoy!
Harper in my almost 30 year old sweatshirt.So silly!
Oatmeal Jam Bar Cookies
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 24
Ingredients
1/2 cup room-temperature butter
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup fruit-only jam or preserves
Instructions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8″ square pan, line it with aluminum foil and then butter the foil.
Mix all the ingredients together except the jam.
Press 2 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the prepared pan. Spread the jam to within 1/4″ of the edge. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over the top and lightly press it into the jam.
Bake 35 to 40 minutes and allow to cool on a wire rack before cutting.
Serving size: 1 Calories: 103 Fat: 4 g Carbohydrates: 16 g Sodium: 60 mg Protein: 1 g
Notes
For “pb&j” bars: spread 3/4 cup peanut butter onto the oatmeal mixture, and then spread jam on top of the peanut butter. Finish by sprinkling the remaining crumb mixture and then bake as usual.
Fresh, savory, crunchy, and crispy. Isn’t that just what you want in a salad?
I discovered this easy, no-cook brussels sprouts salad via Iowa Girl Eats and just had to try it. It took me 26 years before I took my first bite of brussels sprouts and since then I have been addicted ever since. My first time to try them was at the A&M vs. Arkansas game at Jerry World (The Dallas Cowboy’s AT&T Stadium in Arlington) last October 2014. The food at Jerry World was amazing, but so was the stadium, so I guess I shouldn’t be shocked. 🙂
Since then, I usually roast my brussels sprouts in a 400 degree F oven drizzled with garlic olive oil, salt and pepper for about 30 minutes.
So when I saw a salad where you didn’t have to cook the brussels sprouts, I was intrigued!
I typically HATE with a capital “H” raw vegetables. Carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, you name it… I don’t like it raw. You take those same veggies and pop them in the oven and give them a little roast, or sauté them in a little olive oil, and you’d think they turned into candy. I love them!
I guess we all have our quirks, but this salad is the exception. The brussels sprouts are uncooked, washed, and shredded, and tossed together with feta, pecans, olive oil, shallots, craisins, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, and a little bit of dijon mustard. The combination is just perfect.
I actually made this salad the day after Thanksgiving. Had I known it was this easy to make, I would have made it for everyone else to try. Well, there’s always Christmas dinner!
Cousin love at their great grandparent’s house for Thanksgiving.Aren’t they just the cutest?
Enjoy!
Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-6
Source: Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
12 oz brussels sprouts, tough outer leaves pulled away
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 pear, chopped
2 jumbo shallots, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
FOR THE MAPLE-BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. maple syrup (not pancake syrup)
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
salt and pepper
Instructions
Using a very sharp knife, thinly shred brussels sprouts while holding onto the core end then discarded cores and add shredded sprouts to a large bowl with dried cranberries, pecans, feta, and chopped pears. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the shallots then fry until light golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Scoop onto a paper towel-lined plate to drain then repeat with remaining shallots. Sprinkle with salt and let cool slightly.
Add ingredients for Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette together in a jar then shake to combine. Pour over salad then toss to coat. Add fried shallots then toss to combine, and then serve.
I guess what they say is true about picky toddlers. One day Harper will eat something, and the next day she won’t touch it. Her tastes and what she likes and doesn’t like changes on a daily basis.
One thing is for sure, and that is Harper LOVES sweets! Uh-oh!!!
I also feel like she loves processed foods, but who doesn’t? As a general rule, I try to give Harper fresh fruit, veggies, and home-cooked meals that Matt and I will eat. However, that’s not to say that she hasn’t been slipped a bite of donut or processed granola bar or cracker on occasion.
For snack time, I usually spoon-feed Harper some greek yogurt and give her fresh berries that she can pick up herself. While I was giving her a snack yesterday, I was eating a kids Clif Zbar (I know I’m not a kid, but they are good!) Harper pointed and grunted to the bar, saying “Give me some Mom!” (if she could talk). I ended up sharing some of my Zbar and Harper loved it.
Mix ingredients together with your hands.
With that said, I want to limit processed foods with her as much as possible, so that’s why I created these playground granola bars. It’s a recipe I came up with 100 percent on my own, and they are really tasty!
They are great because they are freshly made, and have 2 whole cups of rolled oats, 1/2 cup wheat germ, whole wheat flour, and unsweetened applesauce.
I may experiment with cutting out the brown sugar next time and substituting maple syrup. Or I might cut sugar completely and maybe use some cinnamon applesauce. The possibilities are endless!
Feel free to also add in raisins or chocolate chips. For a fall treat, add some pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice instead of cinnamon. Be creative!
Pat into an aluminum foil-lined 9×13-inch pan.Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool and cut into bars.
While Harper hasn’t shared any of these granola bars with her playground friends, we plan on doing so in the future!
Enjoy.
Playground Granola Bars
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup plain, unsweetened applesauce
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (If using convection oven, decrease the temperature to 325 degrees F.) Line a 9×13 in pan with aluminum foil and spray with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, flour, cinnamon and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the honey, applesauce, egg, oil, and vanilla. Mix well using your hands.
Pat the mixture evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes or until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges. Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars.
These cookies just remind me of fall and cuddling up next to a fire. Rolled oats, cinnamon, molasses, and toasted walnuts just shout warmth and sweetness.
These soft and chewy oatmeal raisin cookies are easy to make and are just like any other cookie recipe. The hardest part is waiting to chill the dough at least 30 minutes to prevent the cookies from spreading so much during baking.
The original recipe, from Sally’s Baking Addiction, calls for raisins (typical for an oatmeal raisin cookie), but we were out, so used chocolate chips instead. Chocolate chips can go in just about any cookie recipe, and these are no exception. Feel free to use your own substitutions and variations. Example: dried cranberries and white chocolate instead of raisins.
Harper has a sweet tooth and was quite fond of these. She can’t really “talk” yet, but instead grunts and points and something she wants. She did a lot of pointing and grunting with these cookies.
It’s to the point that if I want a cookie, I have to eat one when Harper goes to sleep, because otherwise she will beg me to share! Lol.
Cat toys are so much fun!
Enjoy!
Soft and Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2 dozen
Source: Sally’s Baking Addiction
Ingredients
1 cup (230g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (yes, Tablespoon!)
1 Tbsp. molasses
1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups (240g) old-fashioned rolled oats
*1 cup (140g) raisins (we substituted chocolate chips because we ran out of raisins)
1/2 cup (64g) chopped toasted walnuts (optional)
Instructions
Using stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and both sugars together on medium speed until smooth. Add the eggs and mix on high until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the vanilla and molasses and mix on high until combined. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, toss the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. Beat in the oats, raisins, and walnuts on low speed. Dough will be thick, yet very sticky. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator (do the full hour if you’re afraid of the cookies spreading too much). If chilling for longer (up to 2 days), allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling and baking.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats. Set aside.
Roll balls of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie) and place 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until very lightly browned on the sides. The centers will look very soft and undone. Remove from the oven and let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will continue to “set” on the baking sheet during this time.
MAKE AHEAD TIP: Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well – up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well – up to three months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw.
Notes
*Soak your raisins in warm water for 10 minutes before using (blot very well to dry them) – this makes them nice and plump for your cookies.
If you’ve never had gnocchi, you’ve got to try it! While it may look like pasta, it’s not. Gnocchi is actually soft, thick dumplings made out of potatoes. They don’t taste like potatoes, because trust me, if they did…. I wouldn’t eat them! I hate mashed potatoes. Lol.
Last week I saw a delicious recipe for gnocchi and meat sauce adapted from Taste and Tell blog and just had to try it!
My mom loves gnocchi just about as much as I do, and came over last night to babysit Harper while I went to a scarf exchange party. I thought I’d treat her to a home-cooked meal as a thank you.
The gnocchi was perfect and was so easy to whip up on the stovetop. Unless you’re really, really, really short on time, don’t cheat and buy a jar of spaghetti sauce. The homemade one in this recipe is EXTREMELY simple, is cheaper than the jar of sauce you would buy, AND only simmers for 15-20 minutes. Most sauces simmer for like an hour. Win-win!
Harper playing peek-a-boo after dinner.
Harper was a little unsure of the gnocchi and meat sauce at first. She’s getting to the point where if she’s never seen a food before, she isn’t too keen on trying it. I think the gnocchi and meat sauce sat on her plate for 20 minutes before she finally adventured into trying some.
We also discovered that Harper LOVES Parmesan cheese! While mom and I were getting seconds and sprinkling the gnocchi and meat sauce with Parmesan, I decided to add some cheese to Harper’s plate. I should have done so earlier!
At that very moment, she dug right in like she couldn’t get enough of the meat sauce. Note to self… sprinkle all of Harper’s food in Parmesan if I want her to eat it! Hahaha.
Harper then proceeded to play peek-a-boo with her bib after dinner. Too cute!
First-annual scarf party.
After dinner I was off to a first-annual scarf party with some church friends. It was like a white elephant party where you can steal a gift up to three times. So much fun!!
Lucky for mom, Harper was pretty good and was asleep within 25 minutes of mom putting her down. That’s saying a lot, because I NEVER go anywhere, so for Harper to fall asleep without me is great news!! Harper is growing up which means I’ll be less and less needed. 😦
Cook the beef, onion, zucchini and garlic until beef is browned and no longer pink.Add in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and seasoning. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.Add cooked gnocchi.Stir to combine.Serve immediately and garnish with Parmesan cheese and shredded basil, if desired.
TGIF and have a great weekend!
Gnocchi with Meat Sauce
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
Adapted from Taste and Tell Blog
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 1/2 cups diced onion
1 medium-size zucchini, diced
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cans (8 oz each) no salt added tomato sauce
1 can (14.5 oz) no salt added petite diced tomatoes
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 lb. gnocchi
freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
shredded basil, for serving
Instructions
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef, onion, zucchini and garlic and cook until beef is cooked through, breaking up the beef as it cooks. Add in the tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, sugar, oregano, basil, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and cook until the gnocchi rises to the surface of the water. Drain.
Add the cooked gnocchi to the meat sauce and stir to combine. Serve topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and shredded basil, if desired.
Happy Birthday Sarah!! Today Sarah celebrates and turns 11-years old! In honor of my cousin Sarah, I thought I’d share with you her delicious pumpkin muffins.
When we were in Houston last week, my Aunt Jolene had made a batch of Sarah’s pumpkin muffins for Harper and I. Jolene actually doubles the recipe so she can use the whole can of pumpkin rather than throwing half the can away in the trash. Quick breads and muffins freeze well, so I’d suggest doing the same and freezing the leftovers if you can’t eat them all.
Sarah is Jolene’s 11-year old granddaughter and my cousin, and is sweet as can be. She loves playing with Harper and is the kind of person who would do anything for you. She is selfless and so giving, and at age 11, that is rare.
Sarah got this recipe from summer camp at Camp Ozark. They served these pumpkin muffins there and she loved them so much, that she sought out the recipe for them. The recipe happened to be in a cookbook they sold at the camp gift shop! Now Sarah makes these muffins all the time and we love them.
While Sarah doesn’t make these pumpkin muffins with a topping, you can add one if you wish. Jolene googled a cinnamon-sugar pecan streusel topping and added it to these muffins for a little extra sweetness. They are to die for!! If you want to go the healthy route, leave off the topping, but if you want them a little more decadent, feel free to add it!
Sarah smiling with Harper.Harper loves dogs, and enjoyed playing with both Sarah and Sophie, a King Charles spaniel.Harper loves walking. She even claps at herself while walking!
Enjoy!!
Sarah’s Pumpkin Muffins
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs at room temperature
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a standard muffin tin with nonstick spray.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, soda powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.
In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until blended. Add wet ingredients to flour mixture.
Pour batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
This past weekend Harper, my mom, and her friend Jenni and I took a trip to Houston. Mom and Jenni visited the Houston Quilt Show and pretty much shopped till they dropped!
While Mom and Jenni had a fun girls quilting trip, Harper and I decided to hang out with my Aunt Jolene and her daughter Robin, and Robin’s girls Sarah and Madeline. Even though we were in Houston for just one full day, we had a blast and ate LOTS OF FOOD!
A lot of the recipes on this blog are actually from Aunt Jolene. She is one of the best cooks, if not THE BEST cook I know. In addition to looking forward to catching up with Jolene, I look forward to the homemade food she has prepared. This trip we had:
Breakfast: Cream of wheat, chili cheese egg casserole, bacon, toast, and fruit
Lunch: Tuna salad sandwich, chips, fruit, and Guess Again Cookies (I’ll blog soon! They have Rice Krispies cereal, coconut and oats in them. Yum!)
Dinner: Chicken spaghetti, salad, french bread, and this toffee-pumpkin cheesecake
Snacks: Sarah’s pumpkin muffins (I’ll blog soon!)
Wednesday night was the Republican debate, Jolene had a neighbor named Jim over to watch the it since his television was broken.
It’s kind of a funny sight, looking back…. all four of us (Jim, Jolene, James – an uncle who was in Houston for work, and I) curled on the couch watching the Republican debate with big slices of cheesecake perched on our laps.
The cheesecake was amazing! I thought I would be good and not eat the whole slice, but my stomach trumped my brain and said I should finish it. I regretted that afterwards and had trouble falling asleep I was so stuffed, but it was definitely worth it!!
With cinnamon graham cracker crumbs, toffee bits, canned pumpkin and cream cheese, you can’t go wrong with this decadently delicious fall dessert. Don’t forget to garnish the cheesecake with whipped cream, toffee bits, and caramel topping for “icing on the cake”. It was almost too good to eat. ALMOST…. 🙂
The Houston trip was short-lived and we were back in Dallas by Friday evening and ready to trick-or-treat and watch A&M football that next day.
Halloween was a treat as the Aggies pulled out a win against the South Carolina Gamecocks, and Harper went trick-or-treating for the first time.
She was a bumble bee! Buzzzzzzzz!!!!!!
Where’s the candy?
At one year old, Harper is fearless. Not once did she cry, get scared or fuss. I actually nearly jumped out of my skin when we knocked on a neighbor’s house that had motion-sensored scary music and a fake black snake. Harper – nothing phased her!
She had a blast looking at all the other kids in their costumes, and enjoyed knocking on doors and picking out candy. When given the option of which candy she wanted, Harper choose a Reese’s Pieces and a Kit-Kat. I think she liked the bright redish/orange colors from the wrappers.
Even though we all love M&Ms, Snickers, and Hershey’s, why does the packaging have to be dark brown? Such an ugly color, and if you are trying to appeal to a one-year-old, they have their sights on the brightly packaged candies. FYI – to all the candy makers. 🙂
Trick or Treat!
Hope you all had a wonderful Halloween. Enjoy!
Toffee Pumpkin Cheesecake
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 16
Ingredients
2 cups cinnamon graham cracker crumbs (32 squares)
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
5 eggs, divided
8 oz. bag toffee baking bits, divided
15 oz. can pumpkin
3/4 cup whipping cream
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
8 oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
caramel topping, heated
Instructions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
Combine crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Press mixture in the bottom of a greased 9″ springform pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
Beat cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until smooth. Beat in 2 eggs. Stir in 1 cup toffee bits. Spread over crust.
Combine pumpkin, whipping cream, 2/3 cup sugar, cinnamon, salt and remaining 3 eggs in a large bowl until blended. Slowly and carefully spoon over cheesecake layer.
Bake 2 hours, or until edge of cheesecake is set at least 2 inches from edge of pan but center still jiggles slightly when moved. Turn off oven; open oven door at least 4 inches. Leave cheesecake in oven 30 minutes. Run spatula around edge of pan; remove side of pan.
Dollop servings with whipped topping. Drizzle with caramel topping; garnish with remaining toffee bits.
These aren’t your traditional pancakes like the ones you’d expect from an iHOP or somewhere similar. Instead they are healthy pancakes packed with 10g of protein. Even better, they serve one person and contain just three ingredients:
a banana
flour
an egg
Seriously, can a pancake recipe get any easier than this and NOT be from a box? Win-win for sure!
As I said, these are not your typical pancakes, so don’t expect them to taste like regular ones. With that said, they are still good. The texture and taste kind of remind me of the sweet, eggy-inside of french toast. They are denser, and not as fluffy or billowy like the boxed version.
Combine banana, flour and egg. Make sure the banana is completely mashed.Heat a griddle to medium-high with a little coconut oil (it’s a much healthier option than vegetable oil) and cook pancakes for about 2 minute on each side.Top with fresh blueberries, flaxseed, and pure maple syrup, if desired.
These three-ingredient pancakes also get the stamp of “kid-approved”. While they aren’t Harper’s favorite pancake recipe (these banana protein pancakes are her favorite), she still enjoyed them.
If desired, top your pancakes with a little little wheat germ, flaxseed, fresh berries and pure maple syrup. Or top with a pat of butter if you just don’t care. 🙂
Harper taking in the pretty fall weather.
Enjoy!
3 Ingredient Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 1
Source: Cooking Light
Ingredients
1 medium ripe banana
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. whole wheat flour
Instructions
Mash banana with a fork until smooth. Add flour and egg; stir well with a whisk.
Heat a few teaspoons of coconut oil in a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Spoon pancake batter onto skillet, using one third of batter for each pancake. Cook 2 minutes or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.
There’s just something wrong with the idea of it being 97 degrees outside in the middle of October! How the temperature can go from the 60s to the 90s in one day blows my mind, but then again we live in Texas!!
You’d never know it, but Halloween is almost here, which means Thanksgiving is just around the corner. October is a big month for our family as Harper is about to turn one year old!! It’s crazy how fast the time goes.
I saw this recipe a few weeks ago from Pinch of Yum for a super easy sweet potato casserole and thought I’d give it a try before the big turkey day. Turns out, it was super easy just as described, and Matt and I both enjoyed it. The pecan crumble topping is buttery, sweet and crumbly, and is a perfect addition to the sweet potatoes baked underneath.
This casserole kind of tastes like a sweet potato pie without the crust. Perfect for Matt since he doesn’t eat the crust of a pie. He is weird. 🙂
Combine mashed sweet potatoes, milk, butter, sugar, vanilla, eggs and salt, and pour into a cast iron skillet.Combine butter, brown sugar, flour, and pecan pieces to form a crumble.Sprinkle pecan crumble over sweet potato mixture.Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-35 minutes.
Easy recipes are everyones favorite. Whether you’re working, taking care of kids, or just don’t want to be in the kitchen all day, this recipe is for you. I prepped this casserole during Harper’s nap time, then took her to the park where she played until 5 pm, and then had dinner (including this sweet potato casserole) served promptly at 6 pm.
Now that’s what I call efficient!
Harper’s first trip to the playground. The wood chips were the best part!
Enjoy!
Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecan Crumble
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Source: Pinch of Yum
Ingredients
FOR THE SWEET POTATOES
3 cups (1 29-oz can) sweet potatoes, drained
1/2 cup melted butter
1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 beaten eggs
salt to taste
FOR THE TOPPING
5 Tbsp. melted butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup flour
1 cup pecan pieces
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mash the sweet potatoes and add the melted butter, milk, sugar, vanilla, beaten eggs, and pinch of salt. Stir until incorporated. Pour into a shallow baking dish or cast iron skillet.
Combine the butter, brown sugar, flour, and pecan pieces in a small bowl, using your fingers to create moist crumbs. Sprinkle generously over the casserole.
Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until the edges pull away from the sides of the pan and the top is golden brown. Let stand and allow the mixture to cool and solidify a bit before serving.
My mom’s “Bring Me Flowers” quilt won first place!!! She is super talented and her quilts are absolutely gorgeous. Maybe someday I’ll win a blue ribbon in a quilt show.
In the meantime, I’ll just practice-practice-practice. I am a novice and just started sewing when Harper was born. So far I’ve made collegiate pillowcases (Texas A&M, Arkansas, and Oklahoma State), a baby quilt, and a Texas A&M pillowcase dress and Dallas Cowboys pillowcase dress for Harper.
Harper’s baby quilt.Harper loves her quilt!Gig ‘Em Aggies! Harper in her Texas A&M pillowcase dress. Go Cowboys!
After returning from the quilt show, I tried one of these bran muffins that my mom made and wow are they delicious!
They aren’t your typical boring bran muffin recipe. Instead they’re made with shredded zucchini, pumpkin puree, flaxseed, whole wheat pastry flour, and coconut oil… all healthy ingredients for an actually ‘good-for-you’ bran muffin!
Credit goes to Jessica Merchant of “Seriously Delish: 150 Recipes for People Who Totally Love Food.” I’m not much on buying cookbooks since the Internet has so many of them listed, but Merchant’s cookbook is an exception. She has tasty, innovative recipes that are “lightened up”, but actually taste good.
I’ll be making these again soon since they were soooo good! Since it’s pumpkin season, grab a jar of Muirhead Pecan Pumpkin Butter from Williams-Sonoma to smear on these, and you’re good to go!
Enjoy!
Pumpkin Zucchini Bran Muffins
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Source: Seriously Delish: 150 Recipes for People Who Totally Love Food by Jessica Merchant
Ingredients
1 cup oat bran
1 cup milk
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup loosely packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup freshly grated zucchini
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with liners and set aside.
Place the wheat bran on a baking sheet in a thin layer. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes to toast the bran, shaking the pan once or twice during baking. Remove the pan from the oven and add the bran to a bowl. Pour the milk over the top of it and let it sit for 5 minutes.
In large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, flaxseed, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and salt, In another bowl, stir together the zucchini, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, egg and vanilla extract. Add the wet wheat bran to the pumpkin mixture and stir to combine.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Do not over-mix. Fill each muffin liner almost full. Bake the muffins until the tops are set, 20 to 22 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and let cool slightly.
I guess what they say is true about picky toddlers. One day Harper will eat something, and the next day she won’t touch it. Her tastes and what she likes and doesn’t like changes on a daily basis.
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