Cowgirl/horse Rag blanket

This blanket was just a simple square ragged blanket that I made for my cousin Stacey who is expecting a little girl. She and her husband live on a ranch and he ropes. I didn't want to do all pink and brown so I threw in the black as an accent color. I thought it turned out super cute.

Peanut Butter Honey Granola

I am a sucker for granola.  I am a sucker for ANYTHING that has to do with peanut butter and honey together.  This granola was a perfect match. :)

Here is what you need.

1/4 Cup creamy peanut butter

1/4 Cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Cups oats

 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1) Combine peanut butter and honey in a bowl.  Then microwave it 20 seconds.  Stir and then add cinnamon and vanilla.  Add in the coats.  Stir/toss until the oats are coated with the peanut butter and honey mixture.

2) Bake 10 minutes.

 

Enjoy!

 

Note: I personally will add a bit more vanilla and cinnamon to this...It goes back to me being a spice loving person.  However, I took this with me on my relay race, and all my team mates liked it as it was.  Go with your taste buds :)

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Say what?!?!? Yummy!!!!!

I have had pumpkin cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter/oatmeal/chocolate chip cookies, BUT I had never even thought of adding oatmeal to a pumpkin cookie!  Maybe I am just a bit slow on the uptake on this one.  I am stoked I came across this recipe.  New favorite for me :)

Here is what you need.

1 Cup wheat flour

1/2 Cup white flour

3/4 Cup sugar

1/4 Cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1/2 Cup butter, softened

1 Egg

1 Cup canned pumpkin

1 3/4 Cup rolled oats

1 1/4 Cup chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven 375 degrees.

1) Stir together the flours, sugars, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

2) Add in the butter until the mixture is crumbly.

3) Stir in egg and pumpkin. Then add the oats and chocolate chips.

4) Drop by spoons onto a sprayed or lined cookie sheet.

5) Bake 10-12 minutes.

 

Notes: I LOVE these as they are, but next time I am definitely going to mess with the spices some more...I am a spice-type-of-person.  I also think that you could either use all wheat flour or all white flour--I am not sure as I didn't do either of those options. Also, my first pan did not really spread out, so on my next 2 pans, I smashed the cookie balls just a little. :)



Zucchini Brownies

YES!!!! Another way to use up some surplus of zucchini.  The added bonus is that the main brownie is eggless and milk-less making it perfect for those with allergies.  The frosting recipe that is also attached does have dairy products.

One very important note though....The recipe says to use a 9x13 pan.  I used the next size smaller without even thinking.  The brownies ended up being like over 2 inches thick and took forever to bake.  SOOOO...I will definitely be using a 9x13 pan from here on out.

Here is what you need for the brownies.
1/2 Cup oil
1 1/2 Cups Sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 Cups Flour
1/2 Cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 Cups grated/shredded zucchini
1/2 Cup walnuts, optional

1) Preheat oven to 350.  Mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla. 
2) Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and mix well.  The batter may appear lumpy or dry.
3) Fold in the zucchini and walnuts.
4) Pour into a greased or lined 9x13 pan and bake 25-30 minutes.
5) Cool and then frost with chocolate frosting.

Optional Frosting:
6 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/4 Cup Margarine
2 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 Cup milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

1) Melt the cocoa powder and margarine in a small saucepan over low heat.  After it melts, set it aside and let it cool. 
2) Blend together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Stir in the cooled cocoa and butter.  Mix well.  Spread over the cooled brownies.

****Note****I did frost mine with chocolate frosting, but I did NOT use this recipe.  I can not vouch for whether this one tastes good or turns out.

Monterrey Chicken

Again, this post has no pictures.  I am just simply trying to get some of our favorite recipes from the past couple months typed up and recorded.  I am SO far behind.

This chicken dish is so easy and simple.  You will see in the steps that you are supposed to bake it for a few minutes to melt the cheese.  I simply did this all outside on the BBQ grill.  I am one of those people that has no problem throwing cake pans or cookie sheets onto the grill if it means that I do not have to turn my oven on in the summer.  THAT being said, this meal was AWESOME for us!

Here is what you need:
Chicken Breasts (I did three...one for each of us)
1/4 Cup BBQ Sauce
1/4 Cup Real Bacon Bits
1 Cup Shredded Cheese
1-14 oz Can of Rotel tomatoes with Green Chilies

1) Preheat oven to 400.
2) Grill chicken until no pink.  Place on a cookie sheet.  Top each chicken breast with BBQ sauce, cheese, tomatoes, and bacon bits.
3) Bake about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Enjoy! Simple as that! :D

Girl Giraffe Rag Blanket

I made this cute little blanket for a friend and neighbor expecting her first baby girl. She was going with the pink and green jungle theme, and this is what I finally decided on. I LOVE it.

Front and Back together

Front of the blanket

Close-up of the front

Pizza Casserole

This casserole was quite a yummy twist on pizza.  I like the fact that it had all the pizza flavor with without the usual "pizza."  It is hard to describe, but the important thing is that we all LOVED it.

Here is what you need:
1 Bag Egg Noodles, cooked
1 large can/bottle Spaghetti Sauce (maybe slightly more
3 Cups Mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 lb sausage or hamburger
1 package pepperoni

1) Preheat oven to 350 and grease/spray 2 qt casserole or 9x13 pan.
2) Layer 1: Just enough sauce to cover the bottom.  Layer 2: 1/2 of cooked noodles.  Layer 3: 1/2 of ground meat.  Layer 4: 1/2 of remaining sauce.  Layer 5: 1/2 of cheese.  Layer 6: Rest of ground meat. Layer 7: Rest of sauce.  Layer 8: Rest of cheese.  Layer 9: Top with pepperoni.
3) Cover and bake for 30.  Remove the cover and back for 15 additional minutes.
4) Let sit for 10 minutes and serve and enjoy!