Applesauce Energy Bars

I couldn't resist making another recipe using applesauce this week.  K-man loves oatmeal stuff and I am on a "healthy' bender with my 7th grade classes.
I kept getting compliments all day when I baked these in school twice today.  So the 'smells' I was putting out in the halls was driving kids and teachers insane.
It was driving me insane.
Look to my notes after the recipe for my slight tweak that I did after making this two times in a row.  You know, I had to make a batch before class to ensure that "TV magic" of pulling out the ready bars after I slipped the ones I demonstrated into the oven!!! LOL
  
Applesauce Energy Bars
Allrecipes.com sponsored by Mott's®

1 cup Mott's Natural Applesauce

3 cups quick oats

1 c. all purpose flour

1 c. sweetened coconut flakes

1 c. dried fruit bits

2/3 c. brown sugar

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 c (1 stick) melted butter, cooled

1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine oats, flour, coconut, fruit bits, cinnamon and baking soda in large mixing bowl.

 

2. In separate bowl, mix together, melted butter, brown sugar, applesauce, and egg. Stir applesauce mixture into dry ingredients until just combined. Spread mixture into lightly greased 9X13 pan.

 

3. Bake 20-25 minutes, until lightly browned.  Remove from oven and cool before cutting into squares or bars.

#AllstarsMotts

Baker's Notes:
1.  When I did the first batch, the cookie baker in me did not like how the brown sugar was NOT incorporated with the butter.  I mashed and mashed and stirred the flour mixture and those brown sugar lumps were impossible to break up.  I think those unincorporated sugar blobs encouraged the bars to break apart easier because they were not able to melt and 'glue' itself to the grains in the bar.
2.  I happened to have some pumpkin spice caramel dip left over and did a little drizzle on them to 'jazz' them up.  The kids love any additional sugar!  HA!  I didn't do it for that!  lol
3.  Compared to the tasty Apple Squares I did last time, these were not overly moist or "wet" as the squares were. The whole grain oats really helped absorb the 1 c. applesauce. 
4.  Next time I would add some nuts (almonds are my fave).  The coconut was not overwhelming however I wanted some crunchy bit like from a whole almond.

Golden Apple Raisin Squares

Halloween is over. Sniff sniff. We are now enduring the "otherwise known as sugar high or sugar crash time." It's a roller coaster ride for the next week. 

As a teacher, the day after Halloween is the WORST, luckily we had the weekend to buffer  all the candy intake however they were still 'hummin' on today.  So the kids are buzzing on sugar and crashing....up and down, up and down- all week.  I am finding candy wrappers everywhere. 

Here is some 'eye candy for you' of our All Hallow's Eve.... Above, is one picture from our yard, we are leaning to a skeleton/graveyard theme more and more it seems.
We love Halloween here not for the candy....but the added bonus it brings....

We are cool cuz we pass out the regular sized candy, I hot glued some roaches on each one.  All 60 of them. We like to think that somewhere in our town, teens are screaming thinking they have a roach in their bag.  Mwhahahahahahha. We give less terror inducing fruit snacks to the little ones....in case you think we are absolutely horrible.  Hey, we notice the kids who pass on by our house, no biggie. 

Witchy-poo, was what they saw first when I opened the door.  So I don't jump and scream at the kids.  I let the visuals do the work.  We also can't understand what she says other than "beware"....

Breakfast anyone? It was time for some spider eggs (doughnut holes) when I served my TA on Halloween morning.  I can't believe those 8th graders really asked if they were spider eggs.  REALLY? Is gullible still NOT in the dictionary?

Mr Skelton and his hot Skelly wife.  Yes, we are crazy like this....

Next up, is a little video Mr Skelly took of our new bay window dressing....

Ok, now that you are up to date on things....

Let's get down to business...I had an assignment to make something from Mott's the month of November. The Allrecipes Allstar Ambassadors teamed up with Mott's to use their applesauce in some of their suggested recipes.

 

I had K-man choose the recipe since he would be eating it (JennyMac being on Nutri System can only have a bite). Look to the bottom of the recipe for my little tweaks! 

 

Golden Apple Raisin Squares

from Allrecipes.com, sponsored by Mott's

Ingredients:
1 (3.9 ounce) container Mott's® Healthy Harvest Blueberry Delight Applesauce
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
1 Golden Delicious apple, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/3 cup golden raisins
 
Directions:

1.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil or coat an 8x8-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a large bowl.

2.

Combine the eggs, applesauce, sugar, oil, and apple in a separate bowl, and whisk until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just moistened. Stir in the raisins. Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Smooth with a rubber scraper.

3.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

#AllstarsMotts

Baker's Notes :

1. The store I went to didn't have the Harvest Blueberry, I used a kid's Mott's Mixed Berry instead.
2.  I don't understand the use of oil, when I have other recipes that use no oil and only applesauce as an oil replacement.  Is that why this recipe is overly wet?
3.  I double the recipe and cooked it in a 9X13 pan with no problem.  I checked it at 25 minutes and the toothpick test came out clean.
4.  I used Honeycrisp apple (my fave), I think Golden apples can get mushy.  Would a tart Granny Smith do well here, I think it could!
5. These were extremely moist, maybe too moist, almost wet and they tasted heavenly.  An apple spice cake thing but they put raisins in the title and it uses golden raisins hence why you can't see them.  These squares will serve well for K-man for dessert and breakfast this week because I doubled the batch!

 Bring on the Fall Harvest!

Southwestern Egg Rolls with Cilantro Dipping Sauce

This month the Allrecipes Allstars Ambassadors received Herdez® Cooking Sauces.  I got the Classic Chipotle and Roasted Pasilla Chile. The Chipotle one has definitely got some ZING.  I felt it was best suited for the recipe I came up with.  I have had a few versions of different restaurants Southwestern Egg Rolls and I used the corn and black bean salad from my Grocery deli as a shortcut so I wouldn't have to do all the chopping. AND these are BAKED not FRIED!!!  Double Score.  I created a Cilantro sauce to help cool the sting from the Chipotle or to just add another layer of flavor.

Southwestern Egg Rolls with Cilantro Dipping Sauce
by JennyMac's LipSmack

1 lb ground beef
1 jar Herdez® Classic Chipotle Mexican Cooking Sauce
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup corn and black bean salad (or see note to make own)
1 pkg. egg roll wrappers
1 egg, beaten with 1 tsp. water
oil for coating
Cilantro Sauce:
1/2 c. chopped cilantro
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2.  Brown ground beef with green onion.
3.  Add Herdez® Classic Chipotle Mexican Cooking Sauce and cook until reduced. Set aside to cool.
4.  Add Corn and Black Bean Salad (a mixture of yellow corn, black beans, chopped red pepper, green pepper, onions and lime juice.
5.  Put one egg roll wrapper on cutting board. Turn, so it's a DIAMOND not SQUARE. Coat edges with beaten egg with basting brush.  Place 1-2 Tbsp of mixture on bottom of Diamond.  Fold up bottom point to just cover the mixture. Fold over each side (should resemble an open envelope).  Now roll up fold to the top tip of that "envelope/diamond"  Use fingers to press edges so egg can start the wrapper edges to stick to itself.
6.  Brush each egg roll with oil of choice.
7.  Bake for 10-15 until golden.
8.  While baking put cilantro, sour cream, onions, mayo in a food processor.  Blend until smooth.
9.  Serve cilantro dipping sauce with egg rolls for cool finish to with the ZIP of the Herdez® Chipotle Cooking Sauce.

Cook's Notes:
To make your own Corn Salad: 
Corn and Black Bean Salad can be found in your in your grocery store's Deli, perhaps near the potato salad?  If not, don't worry.  You can use canned or frozen corn.  Drain a can of black beans.  Chop up one red, one green pepper and one onion.  Squeeze one lime on chopped stuff. Mix it all up.  Reserve 1 to 1-1/2 cups of salad to put in your beef with Herdez®.  Eat the remainder of your salad another time or as a side.

These were a keeper!  I was shocked K-man loved the cilantro sauce.  No everyone is a FAN of cilantro.  I know it took me awhile to develop a taste for it.  I swore K-man was gonna ask for Ranch instead.  I believe the word he used was "Killer".  I'll take it.

Caliente!

Fried Rice Fake Out

 Oh my little friend cauliflower who fakes mashed potatoes, you about to become 'fried rice'.  Thankfully K-man loves cauliflower so this offering was pretty easy for him to accept...PLUS he can't stand plain rice.  "Come here my pretty..." (rubbing hands)

This does NOT need to be a labor-intensive recipe.  You can use leftover chicken, the packaged chicken strips (near the deli sliced meats) or you can take your raw chicken marinate it Asian style and cook it yourself.  WHATEVER works for YOU! 

As for the veggies that goes into my little fried rice fake out...that depend on what I have on hand or what I like.  Who SAYS I have to follow some recipe or commonly do what the Chinese take out does???  Who's the boss here?  Me.  When you make this at home....YOU are the boss for veggie choice.  This recipe is for two, feel free to double it or use it more like a side dish for four if you like.

Chicken Faked Fried Rice
by JennyMacsLipsmack

2 cooked chicken breasts, cubed (suggested marinade below)
half head of cauliflower, grated (directions below)
1/2 cup chopped onion (red onion pictured)
2 jalapenos, seeded and deveined, minced (we likey spicy)
salt and pepper to taste
1 egg, beaten
1 green onion, sliced (set aside for garnish)
oil of choice (sesame- if you REALLY want an Asian fla-vah)

Whenever you do stir fry....get everything ready to go first.  Everything chopped, beaten and ready to go?  Proceed.

Heat skillet to medium high.  Add oil.  When a drop of water sizzles in the oil you are ready to stir fry, baby.

Add your onions and pepper and season with S/P to taste.  STIR....When the pepper and onion start to soften add the cauliflower.  SIZZLE. 

Add your meat now if it needs to heat through.  Stir constantly....that is why it's called STIR fry!!!  The next step will be fast one....It is critical to taste your cauliflower for you don't want it raw but you don't want it mushy either.  Just when it is over the raw stage (about 2 min) push all the stir fry to the edges and pour your beaten egg in the middle of the skillet.  Let set for a minute and push it around as though you would scrambled eggs.

Dish onto plates, top with green onion garnish.  OH YUM.  K-man told me this beats any fried rice he's eaten out.....YAY!

Cook's Notes:

1.  Chicken Marinade:  In a  ziploc bag put 2 chicken breasts, (butterflied if they are full sized), 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 tsp grated ginger,  1 Tbsp sesame oil,  1/4 cup soy or tamari sauce and 2 Tbsp vinegar.  Red pepper flakes for heat if you'd like.  Marinate in fridge for 2 hours or more.

2.  Do not use a box grater for the cauliflower!  So old school.  Get out that food processor, put in the grating blade.  Break the cauliflower into chunks that will fit into feeding tube and push away!  A whole head of cauliflower makes ALOT.  Enough for two meals.   I used half of the grated cauli and put the other half in the freezer.  Got me about 1/3 of a gallon ziploc bag.  Press out air, ZIP!  So easy and I saved your knuckle skin too!

3.  The veggies in your fried rice can be fresh or frozen (ack- not canned!).  If you want EASY, just toss in two handfuls of frozen mixed veg....It's summer and we have a plethora of fresh veg.  Use them!

4.  Don't think it's redundant or overkill to have chopped onion AND green onion in this.  AU contraire, mon FRERE!  The chopped onion whether white or red is essential to flavor the cauliflower and will soften in the process.  The green onion for garnish renders the typical 'oniony' zing plus with crunch.  Don't go thinking you will need a breath mint after this dish.

5.  I am all about herbs and cilantro would be FAB here.  We've had unfortunate heat wave of 11 days 90-103 degrees and most of my herbs became toast.  The sun just killed them.  Fill free to go 'herby' on this if you'd like.


BONG! Dinner's served,

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

YUM!
Great for breakfast, tasty snack and who says you can't eat a slice with dinner?
I was looking for something different from using my basic paleo bread recipe, so I tweaked it to make cinnamon raisin bread.  Yes, I know I haven't posted the basic bread first...but I like to live on the edge!  lol

Cinnamon Raisin Bread
adapted from Paleo Comfort Foods

3-1/2 cups almond flour or meal
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
5 large organic eggs
2 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1 cup organic raisins

1.  Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2.  Combine all dry ingredients.
3.  In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, honey and vinegar.  Add raisins.
4.  Combine wet with the dry.
5.  Grease the loaf pan and line with parchment paper.  This is VERY important!!!  I find that this bread as well as the basic loaf likes to STICK despite it being greased.  Consider yourself warned if you don't!!!!
6.  Pour the batter in lined loaf pan.
7.  Bake for 45-55 minutes until golden brown or until a skewer comes out clean when inserted.

LOVE it...hope you will too!


Enjoy!

Looks like Oatmeal but is it?

We love cookies here and although K-man can eat whatever he wants, I am on the fun adventure of trying Paleo recipes.  Back in the day when I was using tons of splenda and other lowfat options....K-man always could tell.  He'd crinkle his nose after a bite and I'd end up having to all that I created or give it away.  With my new passion for finding tasty Paleo treats.  K-man is the standard...if he eats it and likes it then....WINNER!  I found these in my Primal Palate Cookbook. Tweaked a bit...they are awesome.

N'Oatmeal Cookies 

adapted from Food Lover's Kitchen (their new site)

2 cups almond flour (they used almond meal-makes the dough browner)

1/2 c. flax seed meal

1/2 unsweetened, shredded coconut (I toasted mine)

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1/2 cup coconut oil (I used grapeseed oil)

1/2 honey or pure maple syrup (I did 50/50 ratio)

2 eggs

1 cup raisins

1 tsp cinnamon (they suggest 1 Tbsp.)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2.  In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients.

3.  In a smaller bowl combine the eggs, honey, vanilla, extract, and oil with a hand mixer.

4.  Stir wet into dry ingredients

5.  Stir in raisins and seeds.

6.  On a parchment paper lined cookie sheet drop 1 Tbsp sized amount.  12 on a sheet will do. Slightly press each mound.

7.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Cool.

Cook's Notes:

-Remember the Paleolithic way of eating has NO GRAINS.  This is a fake out oatmeal cookie.  You are getting your fiber from the seeds and raisins.

-Parchment really works better here for they were harder to get off the silpat sheets.

-I would have used coconut oil but the current one I have in my cabinet smells and tastes of coconut.  I prefer the brand I used prior that was taste and coconut aroma free.  Sometimes I am in the mood for coconut flavor, sometimes not.  I didn't today.

-The difference between almond flour and meal is that the meal is brownish/beige and the brown almond skins are incorporated in it.  Almond flour uses blanched almonds where the skins are removed rendering a yellow/whitish flour.  No difference in taste or texture....

Enjoy!

Organic Sausage Patties

Lately, we have been consciously removing the processed foods from our diet.  Since I do so much reading about farming practices, food processing and food additives, quite honestly it's SCARY.  In conjunction with getting rid of eating 'convenience' I've been also buying organic meats (as well as other products).  I've been shopping at Trader Joe's since our decision and the grocery bill each week has NOT been more from buying only organic.  Actually it's been less!!!  Go figure.
It's going to take some time to get rid of the stuff we have in the cabinets but we feel this would be good to 'ease' our way into this lifestyle without cleaning out the pantry and having a WHOPPING first shopping bill.  Anyhow, here's a simple and tasty recipe I'd like to share with you:

Homemade Breakfast Sausage
adapted from Paleo Comfort Foods

1 lb ground pork
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
2 tsp. fresh sage, finely chopped
1 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped (if you use dried, use half the amount)
1/4 tsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped (if you use dried, use half the amount)
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg (I grated mine fresh)
1/2 tsp. cayenne

Take ground pork and mix with all the ingredients.  Form 2 inch patties.

Heat skillet over medium heat.  Place patties in skillet and cook until browned, the flip over and continue to cook until fully cooked through.


Cook's Notes:

1.   These absolutely rendered so little fat from cooking.  Those 'tubes' of sausage we used to get were mostly WHITE in color for the meat instead of red/pink.

2.  The fresh sage was KEY in giving it a breakfast sausage taste.

3.  These can be made and frozen to pop out for breakfast makings any morning or weekend.  Other than the size of these puppies, it was no more complex than making hamburger patties.

4.  These were so less SALTY as well.


K-man loved these, he was surprised that I made these instead of old stuff we used to get.

Enjoy!

All-Bran® Bran Buds® Brownies

Yes, I know, hard to believe there is BRAN in here!

I promised some Brownies made with bran from the cereal I got from my Tastemaker samples and here they are....YUMMMMMMMMMMMM. So moist. If you think BRAN makes things DRY and all 'fibery' tasting....you are WRONG!

All-Bran® Bran Buds® Brownies
from all-bran.com

Ingredients
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Dark)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup All-Bran® Bran Buds®
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup margarine or butter, melted, cooled
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions
1. Stir together flour, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.

2. In large mixing bowl, beat eggs until light. Add sugar gradually, beating until fluffy. Fold in KELLOGG'S ALL-BRAN cereal, vanilla and margarine. Fold in flour mixture and walnuts. Spread evenly in 8 x 8-inch pan coated with cooking spray.

3. Bake at 350° F about 30 minutes or until wooden pick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan.

Definitely being made AGAIN,