Oatmeal Pancakes

(Whoa, 3 days/recipes in a row, I am on a roll!!! :))


Again, we had brinner!! Ya know, breakfast for dinner?!?! ;)

I found this recipe in my Amish cookbook that I just got a few weeks ago at the Amish Farmer's Market! I just added a few things to it! I put cinnamon and apples in one batch and then added cinnamon and chocolate chips in another, and then had some regular ones with a bit of cinnamon. The last time I made pancakes that had apples in them, my littlest man decided to pick out all the apples! :) Crazy, silly boy!! SOOOO, I made some regular ones for him! ;)

This is one is really easy to make! You could also omit the while flour and add wheat instead!

Pour the milk over the uncooked oats

I put the flour, cinnamon, baking powder and sugar in a bowl


Mix it all together



Beat the eggs and coconut oil in a separate cup, then added it to the milk and oats

Stirring it...

All mixed up, ready for the flour...


Now it's ready! You can either start cooking them, or start adding more yummy stuff to this!


Yummy, they smelled soooooo good!!!!!!!!!


Oh yummo!! Look at those pancakes! nice and brown and perfect!!! :oP


Here's the chocolate chip ones...


These were a bit more runny, I may not have had enough flour, or oats, I dunno...


But they were still REALLY good!!!!!!! :D


Here are all 3 of them! The plain with just a bit of cinnamon, cinnamon/apples, and then the cinnamon chocolate chips... Notice a pattern here? I am not fully ready for cooler weather or fall, but maybe if I start cooking with the yummy things from fall, I will be ready? ;)


My little one trying to stuff HALF of a pancake in his mouth


This one LOVED the chocolate chips one! It was a bit worse!


It looks like it's really hard to cut, but he was sooo into cutting his pancake, determined he was gonna do it by HIMSELF!!! ;)


Yummy mom, thank you! :)




Oatmeal Pancakes

2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups uncooked oats
1 cup flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 cup coconut oil (or olive oil, vegetable oil...)

Pour milk over the uncooked oats and let sit while you get the other ingredients together. In another bowl mix together the flour, baking powder and sugar. (I also added 2 teaspoons cinnamon too)
Beat the eggs and add the oil, mix then add that mixture to the milk and oats. Stir. Add the flour mixture and stir until combined. (if you want other things in your pancakes, add them now.)
Bake on lightly oil/greased griddle or electric skillet until golden brown on both sides.

*I added cinnamon to one batch, apples and cinnamon to another, then yet one more I added cinnamon and chocolate chips.
I put in about 2 teaspoons cinnamon, made about 4, then added 1 whole chopped, peeled Granny Smith apple to the batter. Cooked the rest. Then I made half a batch for the chocolate chip ones. I put in about 1 teaspoon cinnamon and added a couple handfuls of chocolate chips.
These are really good and super easy to make!
You could easily use whole wheat flour instead of the white flour...
Let me know what you think! :)

I was thinking you could even add some raisin and cinnamon... yummy....

Easy Mac and Cheese Dinner

Yes, I am on a mac and cheese kick! It's easy and fast... Ok, maybe not the most healthy, but I got the whole wheat noodles, so that makes it somewhat healthy, right? And again, I'm gonna say it again, sometimes you need something fast and easy! ;)

For this, I just added a few extra things to make it more, um, filling I guess you could say! ;)

Most of these things you will have on hand... And if you don't have one of something, don't add it, it's ok! It will still turn out!


Ok, I kinda take that back, if you don't have the milk to make the mac and cheese, then that might be a fail! Know what I mean? ;)


(ok, maybe I stop thinking and just start writing out the recipe?)


Make the mac and cheese like it says on the box

Yummy, cheese fried onions!! :) LOVE Aldi's!!! :)

Then regular too!!! :)

No, I didn't open the can upside down! I should get some money from Del Monte!!! heeheee!!! I just added some Italian seasoning to the tomatoes. I am cheap, so I just add my own spices instead of buying the Italian kind! ;)

There is the mac and cheese ready to go....

Add 1 pound ground beef, 1 small onion

I can diced tomatoes with the Italian seasoning

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Stir it all up!

Add 1/2 cup french fried onions, I added the cheese ones first....

Put it in an 8x8 baking dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes


When done, sprinkle regular french fried onions over the top and serve! YUMMY!!!!!!! :)

Easy Mac and Cheese Dinner

2 boxes Mac and Cheese (and ingredients to make it)
1 pound ground beef (or turkey) browned and drained
1 small red onion
1 can diced tomatoes with Italian Seasoning (about 1-2 teaspoons)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
About 1 cup french fried onions (can be cheese or regular or both!), divided

Make mac and cheese according to the box. When done, add the ground beef, onion, diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese and 1/2 cup french fried onions. Mix all together, place into an 8x8 backing dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350degrees for 30 minutes, or until heated through. Sprinkle with the remaining french fried onions and serve!

*You don't have to add that much meat, or omit it if you want.
You don't need to use 1 cup shredded cheese, you can add half that, or add a different kind of cheese.
Also, I used cheddar friend onions inside the casserole and sprinkled regular ones over the top when done baking.
I served this with green beans. It was a HIT!!! We all loved it!! If you double this, you can place half of it in a freezer safe container and reheat when needed! :)

Pizza Crust

Ok, so I didn't think about taking pics as I was making this crust! I was on the phone and in a hurry to get it going, I needed to let it rise for an hour, and yeah, the phone call got me distracted. But let me tell you, this pizza crust was SUPER delish! I like it WAY better the other one I had posted before on here...




Yummy!! :)






This is the veggie one! :oP

It really is easy to make! You just need to make sure to let it sit an hour before you need it! I don't always remember that... ;)


Yummy Pizza Crust

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
1 teaspoon salt (I used garlic salt instead)
2 tablespoons olive oil (I use coconut oil)
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (I used WAY more, almost 4 cups)

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast and brown sugar in the water, and let sit for 10 minutes.
Stir the salt and oil into the yeast solution. Mix in 2 1/2 cups of the flour.
Turn dough out onto a clean, well floured surface, and knead in more flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Place the dough into a well oiled bowl, and cover with a cloth. Let the dough rise until double; this should take about 1 hour. Punch down the dough, and form a tight ball. Allow the dough to relax for a minute before rolling out.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. If you are baking the dough on a pizza stone, you may place your toppings on the dough, and bake immediately. If you are baking your pizza in a pan, lightly oil the pan, and let the dough rise for 15 or 20 minutes before topping and baking it.
Bake pizza in preheated oven, until the cheese and crust are golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

*Like I said in the ingredients part, I added garlic salt instead of the salt.
I also use coconut oil for EVERYTHING now! But if you don't have or don't use it, then use olive oil.
I also was in a hurry, so I used my good ole Kitchen Aide mixer with the bread hook to mix it all up. It's way better if you do it by hand, but sometimes I gotta cheat, and I did this time! :)
You can also take pieces of sting cheese and wrap it around the crust and have a cheese stuffed crust! :)
If you want, you can also mix up some butter and garlic salt, and then spread it on the crust.
For one of them I put olives, pepperoni, and mushrooms.
For the other one I put, sweet banana peppers, (oh my, boy do those add a VERY delish extra zing and taste! If you prefer a bit of added "hot", try using the hot banana peppers!), olives, red onion, and mushrooms.
I love making pizza, you can add whatever you have on hand! :)

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!! :D

opps

So I am behind again, go figure!! I go 2 days in a row and then nothing forever! I have a good excuse this time! ;)
One kiddo not feeling the greatest and making some cakes today! Am hoping during nap time I can get one up for today! So keep checking back, I am sorry, I am trying!!! :D

Chicken Stir Fry

I grew up on Stir Fry! Cabbage stir fry! :) I loved it when my mom would whip out the wok and I knew we'd be having some supper yummy stir fry!!! :) I loved helping her cook the meat. I thought (as a kid) that it was soo cool to stir that chicken around in the wok. Don't ask, I was weird...
Ok, I still am! ;)

Anywho...

What I loved about this is I used ALL fresh produce from the Farmer's Market and used leftover rotisserie chicken I had bought. So with the chicken I got 2 meals in one! WHOO HOO!!!!!!!!!
Yes, little things excited me! ;) (especially when I got TWO chickens for 5 bucks!!!!)

Ok, getting back to the recipe...

You can use as much or as little as you want! It just depends on how much you need to feed your family, or you...

I used half a head of cabbage just because I had so many other things to add! And you can add more than what I did!

Place cabbage in cast iron skillet coated with a bit of coconut oil (you don't need a cast iron skillet or coconut oil... ;))


Cut up, green zucchini, yellow squash, patty pan squash, red and green pepper


Add the cut up veggies to cabbage in skillet


Mix it all together


Cut up cooked chicken


Add chicken to veggies


Stir it up


Serve over jasmine rice (or any other rice! Brown, white, etc...)



Stir Fry

(there really isn't an "special" recipe for this, you can add and change ANYTHING to this!!! This is what I used this time, it isn't always the same!)

Half a head of cabbage
1 green zucchini
1 yellow squash
half of a red pepper
half of a green pepper
1 patty pan squash
Cut up chicken (I honestly don't know how much! I don't measure, I dump! ;))

Cut up cabbage, as small as you want. I like it small bite size pieces
Dice up the rest of the veggies and place in med-high skillet with the cabbage. Cook until almost done and then add chicken until it is the desired tenderness that you want. I like my not firm, but cooked through, if that makes sense! :)
Serve with rice, or just by itself!

*I wanted to add some mushrooms to this, but didn't have any on hand.
You can always add onions.
I think I may have added some Adobo spice to this as well. Before I discovered this AWESOME spice, I would add some salt and pepper and garlic salt.
I also like to add chopped up garlic, about 3-4 cloves!
The possibilities are endless with stir fry! :)
You can make it vegetarian as well.
Post comments, let me know how you like to make yours!

Tuna Mac and Cheese

Ok, so I am all about healthy, but I am all about easy as well!



I don't normally have mac and cheese on hand, I used to have it all the time! It was a quick and easy lunch or dinner with a veggie. Then my one punk is allergic to milk, so I stopped getting all cheesy things, including mac and cheese.


I figured out she could have KRAFT mac and cheese and ONLY that brand.... So I would get it every so often. But I don't really like having "kits" on hand, I prefer to make things by scratch.


Please don't read this the wrong way! I am not gonna judge you if you give your kids mac and cheese and hot dogs. There are times I do that for my kids! I TRY to do healthy, but sometimes I need that fast not so healthy meal! ;)


This one is SUPER easy too!



Make the mac and cheese per box directions

add the cream of mushroom soup

add the tuna and the shredded cheese

Pour into a 8x8 dish, cover and bake for 30 minutes



I served this with green beans!

Tuna Mac and Cheese

1 box of mac and cheese (any brand would be fine-also make it the way it calls on the box)

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 can tuna, in water, drained (Maryland folk, please don't jump out and strangle me through the computer! If you want to use fresh, go for it!!! ;))

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Make the mac and cheese per box directions. Mix in cream of mushroom soup, drained tuna, cheddar cheese. Mix all together, place in 8x8 baking dish, cover and place in 350d oven for 30 minutes.

*You can use 2 boxes of mac and cheese, and you don't have to double the other ingredients. But if you want too, go for it!

Also, you can use fresh fish, just cook it and then add.

Feel free to add more fish if you prefer or more cheese! I just have to be careful with how much milk product I put in my recipes!

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!