Still Whole30 with Paleo Parts

Seems so long ago when I was starting Whole30 and it was such a struggle....Really? Maybe the first few shopping trips and all that reading of labels....

Eating "Whole30 with Paleo Parts" so let me explain what THAT means. If you are STRICTLY Whole30, you are not allowed to do things like make pancakes (the Paleo egg and banana ones) or make pizza crust (out of cauliflower and cheese) and slicing potatoes and frying them in oil (fries or chips). Taking Whole30 compliant foods and putting them together to make processed foods we are addicted to or should be avoiding are NOT Whole30 compliant (this being your first initial undertaking of it). Keeping with eating Whole30 all day is not difficult or a struggle anymore. But my Paleo parts consist of....making Paleo Banana Bread and eating that for breakfast. Making my favorite Chebe/Cheenies Bread and adding NO cheese. (It worked and I can't wait to post about THAT soon!) Made some Paleo Cookies and ate a small sliver of Against All Grain Pesto Pizza.
No sugars at all, ate a few GMO, GF tortilla chips...Very doable....very happy. Here's a chocolate bar I made:

Coconut Chocolate Bar

1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup ghee
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/4 cup honey
1/4 tsp. vanilla (I make my own)
pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup unsweetened organic shredded coconut.

Line pan with foil. Stir all of the above together, pour in lined pan and chill in fridge until set.  YUM!

Did some more research on Dairy....so I have been following the many FB live posts of Civilized Caveman and he talks a lot and eats only RAW dairy.  Now, "Paleo-purists" do not use dairy at all, other "Paleo-ists" do only raw dairy, and "dairy-don't-care  Paleos"....eat all dairy (that is what I used to do). As I did my research many states allow for the sale of raw dairy and many states like mine (dang you Virginia) do not allow the sale of raw dairy or milk. I can get raw cheese but not raw milk, cream or butter in VA. Some states sell raw dairy for "pet consumption only" and the people drink it.

The theory is when milk is pasteurized for the fear of bacteria, it kills about 90% of the nutrients like iron, calcium, and vitamin C from the milk leaving it relatively as good source of water and over 80% people who suffer from lactose intolerance do not have the symptoms anymore when they switch. Lastly raw dairy, boosts the immune system and protects again allergies. I ate some raw cheese on my burger and none of my allergies were triggered.

Here are some good sites to read about raw dairy:
http://www.drdeborahmd.com/health-benefits-raw-milk
http://draxe.com/raw-milk-benefits/
https://chriskresser.com/raw-milk-reality-benefits-of-raw-milk/ 

Of course, the CDC doesn't agree....lol-- but they don't want their butts in litigation if they said it was totally safe....there is a risk to everything...I could fall off my chair during this post and sue the furniture company who sold it to me....but somethings aren't worth it.


I am so very excited about my next products I am trying....
Again, Civilized Caveman George, made some cookies and spoke about this company Primal Bake Shop who makes a line of products called "Pread." Now, I am no newbie to baking Paleo products but sometimes you just don't want to bother making it from scratch, you want some convenience of less measuring, quicker but STILL WHOLESOME! and it's P-A-L-E-O!!!!!

When I went to buy the cookie mixes online, I VERY hesitantly purchased some pumpernickel bread. I ordered Paleo bread online from Julian's Bakery twice....hated it.  So dry. Used to make my own....meh....it was okay but it never rises very high for me. Got the pumpernickel because that was new...never seen it anywhere....risky Jenny....

Got my box today....Toasted a slice with my baked chicken and mixed green salad dinner and OMG...with some ghee on it....this is when you start singing a little song as you chew (inaudible) and wiggle in you chair as you eat it...nom, nom, nom...Winner!  So getting this again....Even K-man liked it. He was jealous that I had bread with dinner and he didn't....Bah....eat your potstickers K-man....you got your wheat in there somewheres...lol. Primal Bake Shop Sliced breads $13.00








Here is the ingredient list to the bread if you don't believe me....
















Me want....COOKIEEEEEEEEE!!!!
From left to right: Chocolate chip, Chocolate Brownie and Salted Caramel.  I have made plenty Paleo CCC and this I am excited about.  Then, when I make the salted caramel....I am gonna add BACON.  Just you watch. This was the Cookie Monster Mix $34 Order it online, fast delivery. Quality product!!

Thanks George for enlightening me about Primal Bake Shop!

Thanks Dana if that pumpernickel is that good...can't wait for these cookies to make me fall off my chair!

Paleo it's Good!

Three Cheese Tortellini with Chicken Broth

Oh, what a busy, busy December huh? Between the shopping, cooking, wrapping presents, going to or hosting parties, visiting families....Is that why I am down with a cold?  Pushed my myself too much I guess.  I've been so occupied that I didn't even have the time to post my own personal fun things I made this month outside of my Allrecipes.com Allstar Ambassadors Sponsored recipes....so without further ado....
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah or Happy Festivus! LOL. So, This month I choose two recipes from:

Personally, I felt the choices were a bit "out of the ordinary" for boxed pasta campaign.  There was duck, buffalo, pork ribs and carrot puree in a mac and cheese...I guess these poor companies can't make the home cooks happy.  Too boring or too weird for recipe choices, right?  I have to pick recipes that is going to be eaten and hopefully enjoyed!  No worries, I found some, we had a lot to choose from, I just thought some of the recipe ingredients were "out there"....I am sure some creative cooks were lovin' it.  For my first recipe I selected:

Three Cheese Tortellini with Chicken Broth
 Recipe on Allrecipes.com sponsored and by Barilla

• 1 (12 ounce) package Barilla® Three Cheese Tortellini
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano cheese
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley

1.

Bring broth to boil. Add tortellini and simmer for 10 minutes.

2.

Serve in individual bowls topped with Parmigiano cheese; garnish with parsley.

Easy Peasy!
Before I did this recipe I did read the reviews.  Many commented on how bland it was.  You cooked the tortellini in chicken broth. Threw in some parsley and parm.  How jazzy can it taste with four ingredients?  Here's what I did to bump it up...

Cook's Notes:
1. I used the spinach and ricotta filled tortellini instead of the 3 cheese.
2.  I used Chicken Stock instead of broth.
3.  I tasted the finished product....ugh, bland.
3.  I added 1/4 tsp garlic powder and 1/4 tsp. onion powder.  Definitely better!
4. Add chopped BASIL instead of parsley.  BANG. Delicious!
5.  Shredded fresh parmesan cheese instead of the green canned parmesan......oooey gooey, melty cheese.
6. Served to K-man, he raved.  He is normally making his own lunch from a canned soup when I am not around but when he ate this that I left behind, he was really impressed and wanted to know what new canned soup I discovered.  Of course this wasn't canned...I made it, that is why it tasted so good.
7.  If you follow this recipe as Barilla listed, please tweak it as I did.....who wants to go through the effort of making a soup for it to be bland? Always taste as you cook!

 #AllstarsBarilla

Tune in tomorrow for Gluten-Free Elbows with Mixed Mushrooms and Sausage Soup!

Enjoy!

Easy Fudgy Blossoms

Hey! Search no more...

I know you are looking for a quick and easy, last minute Halloween treat to whip up before Friday.

*SCREECH* Stop looking it's HERE!

Here is a very quick, insanely easy and intensely fudgy treat.  Suitable for Halloween or any holiday depending how you top it
PROMISE!

Easy Fudgy Blossoms
or Evil Witch's Hats
created by JennyMac's Lipsmack
published on Allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 box of chocolate cake mix (I used a dark chocolate variety-use what you prefer)
1-15 oz can pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie mix)
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
Dark Chocolate Hershey Kisses or any variety you prefer or nuts or BOTH


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Place chocolate cake mix in a bowl. Add pumpkin puree and mini chips. 

3. Mix well. Rubbing the mixture on the sides of the bowl to ensure there are no 'pockets' of dry mix. 

4. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

5. Using a small cookie scooper put 12 scoops on parchment. You will fill two sheets and can still fit a couple of extra in between each scoop, they won't spread much. 

6. Bake for 15 minutes. 

7. Place sheets on cooling rack and place either a kiss or nut of choice on center and gently push. When cool, the cookie will hold the centered treat just fine.

Baker's Notes:

1.  I call these Evil Witch's Hat, because they are so moist and fudgy, you will think that they gotta be bad for you.  Nope, no oil, no egg.  They are dark so let everyone else think they are evil so that leaves more for you.

2.  ADDED BONUS!!! Kids can eat these and they will be getting some squash or veggies into their little tummies. *rubbing hands*  BWAHAHAHAHAHA! So now YOU are Evil but in a good way.

3.  You can store these in a tin because they have so much moisture you won't worry about them drying out. You can use the orange candy corn kisses to amp up the Halloween factor if you want. Or one of those new MEGA M&M's in the center....maybe for Christmas?

4. Published on Allrecipes.com!!!

 

Enjoy! I did!

Sriracha Deviled Eggs

Happy Super Bowl Weekend Kids!I have a fun and easy recipe for you.  If you'd like to change up a familiar recipe for your Super Bowl food tomorrow here's a nice recipe I created.

Sriracha Deviled Eggs
created by JennyMac's Lipsmack

12 hard boiled eggs
2-3 Tbsp of mayonnaisse
2-3 Tbsp of Sriracha
1/8 tsp of dry mustard
salt to taste
cayenne to taste
smoked paprika

Split your hard boiled eggs and remove the yolks.  Here's a fun tip if you choose to try it....place all your yolks in a ziploc bag.  Arrange your whites on a pretty plate.  Close the ziploc and smush all your yolks in the bag until no more chunks.  Add the mayo and sriracha, salt and cayenne (I left the measurements for you to taste and add more or less to your liking).  Taste and make adjustments.  Squeeze out air from bag and close again.  Cut hole on bottom bag about 3/4 inch.  Squeeze most of yolks to bottom of bag.  Squeeze out yolks into eggs.  Use a little pulsing squeeze to get the 'rippled' affect on your yolks as seen on mine.  Top with smoked paprika.  Serve to hungry guests.  Stand Back!

Cooks Notes:
1.  How picky are you?  Some days I am picky about my food some days I could care less.  The boiling and hoping of are they cooked enough or are they over cooked I am tired of the stress of that.  The peeling of the eggs...ugh.  Fresh eggs are NOT to be used for hard-boiled eggs.  The membrane takes out chunks and it makes your eggs look awful.  Hard to believe the older the eggs the better.  I guess fresh is out since you need air between the white and membrane to easily peel eggs.  ANYWAY- my point....do you realize they have already hard boiled eggs in your local grocery?  Yes, they do!  However....they are little more rubbery for my taste.  You own boiled ones are much more soft and delicate.  But if you have a husband who is crazy for deviled eggs....his craziness just may over rule his taste in soft vs. rubbery eggs.  LOL.
Just thought I'd share that with you.

Since my Redskins couldn't make it this year.  I will put a Shout out to our neighbors the RAVENS!  We'll be rooting for you this year!


Enjoy!

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Mint Crackles

If you want a sweet treat before the holidays that is easy to make.  Here is your recipe!!  These are soft, moist and taste just like a Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie.  Not Paleo....but these can be your 'cheat' or think of the kids or visitors who would enjoy them.

Ooey Gooey Chocolate Mint Crackle Cookies
by JennyMac's Lipsmack

1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 stick butter, softened
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 cup andes candies (I used the bag of them already chopped in the pink and white candy cane-you can use the green one and chop yourself)
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract.
Beat in the cake mix and cocoa.
Add in the chopped Andes Candies.
Roll the into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake 12 minutes.
The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.

Cook's Notes:
I came across one last cookie forgotten in the Holiday tins.  It was STILL soft.  SNARF.  Gone.   No one died eating a week old cookie.  LOL



Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Vomit Piles

HHAHAHAHA!  Why not?  Halloween is coming!!!  What I absolutely ADORE about Halloween is that it is my opportunity to take a simple no bake treat with chocolate and oatmeal and rename it and it totally works!

I have this recipe elsewhere called a Raggedy Robin or Cow Patties.  I made this on Friday for my students, they loved it.  It worked nicely for our abbreviated periods (we had early release) for I was able to make it, chill it and they ATE.  Please tune in for more recipes to come or go to my link to ALL my Halloween recipes on my school web page.

Vomit Piles
by JennyMac Lipsmack

 1/2-cup milk
1 stick margarine
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 c. sugar
1/2-cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla

3 c. oatmeal

 

Combine first four ingredients.  Cook on medium heat until boiling.  Rolling boil for 1 - 1 & 1/2 min.  Remove from heat and mix vanilla and peanut butter.  Mix well.  Pour over oatmeal in a large bowl.  Mix quickly in a large bowl.   Spoon out onto wax paper*.  Let cool for 10 minutes.

 

*Grosser addition: add some 'chunks' like raisins, dried apricots bits, nuts for more gross out value!!

My recipes to come that I am making at school are:

• Spider Web Breadsticks
• Hairy armpits
• Spider Cake (made with a Zebra Cake base)
• Used Tampons (don't worry, it's for a ALL girl class- only they could appreciate)
• Ghost Cake 
• Maybe a picture of my classroom kitchen decorated for Halloween (a FIRST!)

Enjoy!

Gearing up for Halloween

Let's start out healthy on our treats for Halloween and slowly get evil?  Nah, Halloween food is all about deception and FUN.
I was just telling some colleagues about how I used to do the food for my school's Halloween dances.  My funny observance?  When it comes to FREE food and teenagers....watch out, you may lose a hand.  Chips, cookies, candies for free.....WHOOSH!  It's gone in a few minutes.  When I did the food and gave it gross names and formed it to resemble things like POOP....SCREECH!  For some reason taking raisins stirred melted chocolate forming it into little logs and calling them "Fruit Poops"....I had to talk them INTO coming BACK to the table and eating it.  That was hilarious!  Anyhow, more of those recipes to come. 

Today I'd like to share with you what I made for my fellow FACS teachers at our meeting.
My little Veggie Skeleton.  Isn't he CUTE?  It was just us Middle School teachers the high school teachers were a no show so they missed out.  The four of us 'killed' him easily.  Hahaha.

So if you are planning a Halloween party with a lot of junk....make this little guy and you'll be surprised that he may disappear before the high calorie stuff.  Make sure you hit my cook's notes at the end for the SHORTCUTS!!!

Veggie Skeleton

2 cups of ranch dip
2 celery stalks cut into 3 parts
1 red pepper cut into strips (see picture)
6-8 mushrooms, sliced
2 cauliflower flowerets, halved
8 baby carrots
1 black olive, pitted and cut in half
10 spinach leaves
10 cucumber slices

This really has no directions other than save the picture and arrange it on your platter as shown.  However...

Cook's Notes:
1.  Most of these items I took from the salad bar at my grocery.
2.  Grabbed a tub of ranch dip and placed in white bowl, stuck in spinach leaf hair and two eyes.  Didn't feel the need for a mouth.
3.  I only bought a whole red pepper because the salad bar was LOW on the red ones.
4.  I purchased a container of the celery stalks because the salad bar always chops up their celery for salads.  Same goes for baby carrots.  And you are going to need extras to use up all the dip. 
5.  Very easy to put together and cute as a button!

Paleo Brownies

Whether you are on a diet or experiencing a new lifestyle of eating....sweets are always recommended to be in moderation.  I am a confessed 'chocoholic' and when I choose to go "Paleo" and found it was not on the 'forbidden' list like grains, sugar, legumes, etc; I was a happy camper.

I've trolled around the web a bit to find a good recipe as well as used a recommended one from a fellow Paleo co-worker who turned me onto this new way eating (forever in your gratitude Ginny!).  Alas, my first attempt was not a good one.  I blame it on the second type of coconut oil I was using; it was a highly scented and flavored of coconut.  I did not want my brownies to taste like Almond Joy (yet).

Since I think I've got a pretty good starting grasp on my use of Almond flour and baking in general....I made my own.  It's thin, yet fudgy.  I am happy with it....perhaps you will enjoy it too.  Let me know.

Yummo-Paleo Brownies
-created by Jenny Mac's Lipsmack

1/2 cup honey
3 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate (or 1/2 cup cocoa powder and increase oil to 5 T)
2 T coconut oil, organic butter or favorite oil of choice
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup almond flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt oil and chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute intervals, until melted.  Thoroughly stir in honey.  Blend in eggs one at a time.  Mix well.  Add vanilla.  Stir in flour.

Spread in a 8X8 baking pan (a disposable aluminum one works awesome without greasing).  Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.  Cool and cut into 16 squares.


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!

French Toast Casserole

My present to you is something simple to pop in the oven on Christmas Morning.  This casserole is soft, buttery and so yummy. Oh did I mention it's easy to make?

French Toast Casserole
from JennyMac Lipsmack

1 loaf french bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (10 cups)
8 eggs
3 cups half and half (or cream if you want it silky rich)
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon salt
12 strips of bacon, cooked and broken into pieces. 
Topping:
2 tablespoons butter, cubed
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
maple syrup

Using a serrated knife cube your french bread into one inch pieces.  
In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, cream, sugar, vanilla and salt.  Add bread and mix with egg mixture to coat.  Add bacon pieces and mix again.

Grease a 13X9 baking dish (those non stick glass ones are awesome).  Pour all your eggy bready bacony mixture into the baking dish.  Cover and place in fridge overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Uncover and give the bread another stir.  Sprinkle cinnamon sugar all over the bread cubes and dot with butter.  Cover with non stick foil and bake for 45-50 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Serve with maple syrup.
So rich and creamy, I love the smokey bacon with the sweet maple and the not really sweet eggy bread. 

Cooks Notes:

1.  Do not cut off that fabulous crust.  This recipe is awesome even with a day old loaf.  I bought my bread on Tuesday and prepped this Friday afternoon.  Yes, it was 'sketchy' to cut however my fingers all remained intact.
2. If you have homemade vanilla sugar hanging around like I FORGOT to use, this would be the ideal time to use it.
3.  I am going to try this again with some toasted pecans on top....YUM!!!!




Post Script.....
I hope you all are healthy and WARM this holiday season!  We've had a tough few weeks with no heat.  Our house was built in 1959.  We bought it 5 years ago knowing that the 3 Horsemen of the Homeowner's Apocalypse (the furnace, A/C and hot water heater) were OLD.  We feel we were truly blessed from this whole ordeal.   The Carbon Monoxide detector has been going off since last year and we were being stubborn and complacent.  We thought the detector was probably old...took it down, replaced it.  It didn't go off again....few months later it went off...."oh the batteries probably need to be replaced" (um, there is a signal for THAT by the way on the detector).  All the while the detector was going off during the middle of the night waking us up @ 3 in the morning.  The one night K-man was working through the night on a water main break and I was home alone the detector went off one hour after I turned on the heat when I came home from work.  This was odd.  I called K-man....what do I do?  (WHAT, WHERE was my brain?- mmmm, fuzzy from fumes perhaps?)
I called the Fire Dept and waited with my neighbor outside for them to arrive.  I let them in the front door and watched them come in with their CO monitor in hand.  As soon as he stepped in it beeped and he said It's 148!  Pointed to me.  "YOU- Get out."  What you may or may not know, BELOW 35 ppm (parts per million) is okay but anything above that is considered toxic and potentially lethal.  I was sitting in a house where the million of the oxygen molecules were tainted with 148 carbon monoxide ones!....I had no headache, no nausea, no vomiting, wasn't sleepy....however my common sense and get up and go safety know-how was stagnant.  I remember just standing there with K-man on the phone, listening to him tell me what to do and thinking/pouting...."why can't he be here and do this?"  I NEVER THINK like THAT....Add the symptom of DELERIUM to list from CO exposure.  Alas, a cracked heater exchange on a circa 1988 furnace was the cause.
Anyway.....since major appliances like the furnace, A/C and hot water heater a big to-do, located near one another and connected (via gas) and were ALL old.  Bundle the price, work....replace them all at once.  Holy crap.  1988= furnace and HWH but the A/C was the original install!  None of the houses in our development had A/C originally and the original owner of our house finally broke down in the 60's to put it in.  The estimator said it was a miracle we've been having any A/C in the past summers because this model belonged in a museum.  LOL.  So there you have it....an $11,000 to our wallet during the holidays. LOVELY.  Bottom Line....YOU ALL NEED TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A CO DETECTOR IN YOUR HOUSE AND CALL 911 IF IT GOES OFF....we are so lucky to be alive.

Enjoying our warmth and feeling blessed, we wish the very same to you as 2011 comes to a close....

POST POST SCRIPT....thanks Anonymous commenter for your tip on correcting my error on the difference between carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2).  Clearly my brain was still not functioning right in writing this post since I DO know my chemical elements and their abbreviations usually.  But thanks for your CONCERN.

BAKED Salami and Mozzarella Egg Rolls

Did you know that you don't have to FRY an egg roll? I saw these beauties on Kaitlin in the Kitchen blog and she saw it on Guy's Big Bite. Fun twist on egg rolls, great appetizer....until I remember...you don't have to deep fat fry egg rolls I discovered last year. Very crunchy and doesn't get SOGGY! Here's how it works....

Baked Salami and Mozzarella Egg Rolls

2 Eggs
12 oz. jalapeno mozzarella cheese sticks (12 in a bag)
24 Slices Thin Salami
24 Egg Roll Wrappers
oil for coating

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl beat your eggs until combined. Unwrap your string cheese and cut each one in half. Lay a egg roll wrapper down on a flat surface and brush each side with the egg wash using a pastry brush. Place a piece of salami in the middle of the wrapper, and then 1 piece of the string cheese at the bottom of the piece of salami. Roll the wrapper up from the bottom until piece of cheese is covered, then stop and fold in each side, then continue rolling it and make sure it's sealed well. Repeat until you are done or run out of an ingredient (I had leftover salami but no extra cheese or wrappers- I think I may have eaten one stick?). Place each egg rolls on a baking sheet brush with vegetable oil. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Cook's Notes:
1. Don't overbake, they will start to bust open and ooze cheese. But I didn't mind the oozy cheese for those crusty puddles are an appetizer in itself!
2. These will be so crunchy that refrigerating the leftovers will NOT make them soggy, great for reheating the next day!
3. Suggested dipping sauce- marinara!
4. Did NOT miss the greasiness or calories!
5. Gonna try another version with ham or roast beef.....

Enjoy!

White Chicken Pizza with Caramelized Onions

Surprise!

Another Tweak with the garlic breadsticks dough recipe from a few days ago....

White Chicken Pizza with Caramelized Onions
adapted from Recipe Shoebox

2 Tbsp. butter
3 cups thinly sliced sweet onions
1 tsp. thyme
2 oz. garlic herb cream cheese (I used Boursin light)
1 pre-baked pizza crust (breadstick recipe just NOT cut before baking)
1/3 cup prepared Alfredo sauce
1 cup shredded rotisserie chicken
1 lb. grated FRESH mozzarella cheese

Directions: Prebake Crust from link above (press into jellyroll pan and bake for only 10 minutes)

Melt butter in a skillet and cook onions for 20-25 minutes, until deep golden brown and caramelized; stir in thyme leaves.

Stir cream cheese and Alfredo sauce together.

Spread over pizza crust.

Top with chicken, then onions, then cheese.

Bake at 450° for 10 minutes or until heated through. Enjoy!

Creamy, dreamy...HEAVENLY. I just love white pizzas. The original recipe used sugar with the onions...but it made it too sweet for my taste. Didn't need it.

I am not sure if a premade thin crust could handle this....the thick dough of the breadstick recipe held up with the moist Alfredo goodness. Not only is this easy recipe awesome for breadsticks as in this original recipe....it also holds up well for pizza too. Gonna have to play with this recipe for my classes since it's so quick!

Pizza-licious!

Easy Cinna Sticks!

TA- DAH!

I told ya I'd tweak those Garlic Breadsticks....stop getting them from Domino's....knowing your own ingredients is DEFINITELY better! Using the same recipe from the garlic ones...here's the tweaked way.

Easy Cinna-Sticks

1 1/2 C warm water
2 T sugar
1 T yeast
1/2 t salt
3 1/2- 4 C flour (amount will definitely depend on your weather)
1/4 C butter (and butter ONLY)
1/2 C cinnamon and sugar mix

1 cup powdered sugar
milk
vanilla
Tbsp of melted butter

1. Mix the water, sugar and yeast together in a measuring cup or in the bottom of your mixer. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt and the flour, one cup at a time, until it is well incorporated. Mix on high for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

3. Melt the butter and pour half of it into a jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet).

4. Place the dough in the center of the pan. Let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes. Letting the dough rest makes it MUCH easier to shape.

5. Spread the dough out flat onto the pan until it reaches all of the edges. Doing all of the spreading and cutting of these bread sticks, in the pan makes cleaning up your counter so much easier!

6. Pour the other half of the butter onto the dough. Spread it around with your hands. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mix all over the dough.

7. With a pizza cutter cut the dough into three rows lengthwise, and then into about 12 little height wise rows.

8. Put the pan into a 170 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes. The breadsticks should rise about 1-inch.
9. Turn you oven up to 350 and bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

10. When they come out of the oven let them sit and rest again for about 5 minutes. Then redefine your cutting lines with the pizza cutter. You may find using a pair of kitchen shears is easier to cut the edges where the cutter can't reach!

11. In a ziploc bag (pushed in a glass with edges draped over rim to make it 'hands-free') place the powdered sugar in the bag and add milk by TEASPOONS until still thick. Add a few drops of vanilla. Pull bag out of glass, seal and mix with hands. Open and add Tbsp of melted butter. If icing looks to thick to squeeze out add just DROPS of milk at a time.

12. Snip corner of bag and squiggle on warm (not hot or icing will melt off) sticks. Let drip off a cooling rack. ENJOY, immediately!

Did my TWEAK satisfy? Oh yeah....they will~ PROMISE!

In Cinna-Heaven,

Easy Garlic BreadSticks

Oh yum!

One of my favorite Bloggers Rachelle from Mommy I'm Hungry (she got it from Jamie Cooks it up!) posted about this and it caught my eye....I'm all about easy and in true Jenny Mac fashion- had to tweak it. First let me share the original recipe:

Easy Garlic Breadsticks

1 1/2 C warm water
2 T sugar
1 T yeast
1/2 t salt
3 1/2- 4 C flour (amount will definitely depend on your weather)
1/4 C butter (and butter ONLY)
3/4 C grated Parmesan
Garlic Seasoning/Italian Seasoning

1. Mix the water, sugar and yeast together in a measuring cup or in the bottom of your mixer. Let it sit for 5 minutes.

2. Add the salt and the flour, one cup at a time, until it is well incorporated. Mix on high for 5 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

3. Melt the butter and pour half of it into a jelly roll pan (large cookie sheet).

4. Place the dough in the center of the pan. Let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes. Letting the dough rest makes it MUCH easier to shape.

5. Spread the dough out flat onto the pan until it reaches all of the edges. Doing all of the spreading and cutting of these bread sticks, in the pan makes cleaning up your counter so much easier!

6. Pour the other half of the butter onto the dough. Spread it around with your hands. Sprinkle the seasoning of your choice all over the dough, and then the Parmesan cheese.

7. With a pizza cutter cut the dough into three rows lengthwise, and then into about 12 little height wise rows.

8. Put the pan into a 170 degree oven for about 7-10 minutes. The breadsticks should rise about 1 inch.
9. Turn you oven up to 350 and bake for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

10. When they come out of the oven let them sit and rest again for about 5 minutes. Then redefine your cutting lines with the pizza cutter. You may find using a pair of kitchen shears is easier to cut the edges where the cutter can't reach!

Break out the lasagna, spaghetti, marinara sauce or tomato soup. This stuff rawks! These definitely taste best the first day. If you eat them past the first day a little warming in the oven is better. If you are "cooking process challenged" then go directly to Jamie for pictorial directions.

OKAY, this was the unaltered recipe....I did it like a good foodie.....BUT tune in next time for my TWEAK...here's a peek. Not tellin' ya what it is yet....you gotta come check it out. Just as easy and the kids will FALL OUT!

Munch Out!

Easy Apple Strudel

This was K-man's request for a dessert. I asked him what he wanted for dessert...."something crunchy, appley, cinnamony, and raisiny"....I went 'trolling around' allrecipes.com to see what I could find under EASY. Always trolling for 'easy'. lol

I took a few ideas from this recipe, and from that recipe.

1. Puff pastry a must....very easy and flaky just like a strudel.
2. Recipes using panko crumbs....hmm good idea...helps absorb the juices so it's not all runny.
3. Plain apple filling or apple cinnamon...K-man likes apples and cinnamon so it won't be authentic strudel....who cares?

So my taking a bit of this and that....this is what I came up with.....

Easy-Peasey Apple Strudel
JennyMac Lipsmack Creation

1 Granny Smith apple - peeled, cored and coarsely shredded
3 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
sugar for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place apples in a large bowl. Stir in cinnamon, brown sugar, raisins and bread crumbs; set aside. Place puff pastry on baking sheet. Roll lightly with a rolling pin. Arrange apple filling down the middle of the pastry lengthwise (taking up 1/3) . Snip with kitchen shears, one inch strips on either side of filling. Fold the pastry lengthwise around the mixture, alternating strips. Left, then right. Repeat. Whisk egg and milk together, and brush onto top of pastry. Sprinkle with sugar.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until golden brown.

Cook's Notes:
1. These had to be made on two separate cookie sheets. Make sure you alternate the sheets midway through cooking time. Clearly I got a bit distracted and one was a lil darker than the other.
2. The panko was SPOT ON.....it absorbs the juices so it was not wet and drippy in the least....very moist, held together.
3. Used the large decorator's sugar for the "sparkly effect." Very pretty. K-man gave "three thumbs up" he said. LOL
4. Use whatever apple you prefer....we like the tart to offset the sweetness. Just recommend a firm apple so it doesn't go 'mushy' on you.

Yumminess!

Coconut Balls

If you like those little Mexican Wedding Cakes or Russian Tea Cakes, (why they have so many names is beyond me) here is a variation I found on MarthaStewart.com

I love a buttery shortbread and any variation of that. So if you love shortbread and coconut, this little sweet treat is for you. Pardon my fingerprints.

Coconut Balls
MarthaStewart.com
Makes about 36

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for dusting
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Mix in flour and salt until they're just combined. Stir in coconut.
Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake until just starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Roll the warm cookies in confectioners' sugar; let cool completely.

Very easy, whether you want ground nuts or coconut, they are awesome. For a fancy party or even something like a "quick pop in your mouth" Super Bowl treat, it fills the bill.

Try it, you'll like it

There is always time for brownies!

Especially before the BIG Game!

Aren't these little footballs just adorable?

I too, am busy making my little treats for the Super Bowl. Sorry I am not one of those bloggers who can be timely and post all my recipes BEFORE the big game for you to shop and make beforehand. Unfortunately, I don't cook like that or perhaps I am not the best blogger in the world. However, I want my goodies FOR the game, not one/two weeks before the game just for a blogging post. I am not a millionaire, you know.....LOL. I look at it this way, if you just LOVE what I post in the next few days for Super Bowl treats....then print it out for next year. This way you will be WAY ahead for next year's game!

After all the prep, and chopping for the food for the main event....you kinda want sometime easy for the sweet. I know you already have a box of brownies in the cabinet for emergencies....go ahead take it out.

Orange Brownie Football Bites
by JennyMac's Lipsmack
Makes 12-14 Footballs

1 box of your favorite brownie mix (and whatever else it calls for: water, oil and eggs)
1 small can mandarin oranges, drained
zest of one orange
6oz of chocolate chips
1 tsp. oil
prepared white frosting in a tube or powdered sugar

Preheat the oven according to your brownie mix directions.

Place brownie mix in bowl. Drain oranges and chop into pieces.

Place oil in measuring cup and add oranges into the oil in the cup. Add water to the oil and oranges to make up to the total amount of liquid. For example: My box called for 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup oil. I put 1/4 cup oil and added oranges and filled water until it reached 3/4 cup. Wasn't much water to add for there is plenty of orange juice in those oranges.

Pour orange/oil/water mixture onto brownie mix, add orange zest and mix.

Pour into 9X13 baking pan. I always line mine with foil for easy "lift-out". Bake according to box.

Cool brownies and cut into ovals. If you have a football shaped cookie cutter GREAT. But I didn't so I used a biscuit cutter. Cut one side of circle into brownie and lifted it out and cut the other side into the other half circle making a 'somewhat oval'. You will have alot of scraps but if you have kids...I am sure they won't mind eating THESE!

Melt chocolate chips and tsp of oil in microwave until smooth. Dip ovals into chocolate and put on parchment paper either a tray or cookie sheet will do. Place in

Draw lines on your footballs when chocolate has set.

This can be done with just a plain brownie mix if you like. K-man loves the chocolate and orange combo....so I created this for him. It's all about the football tomorrow right? Not what flavor it is. LOL

Cook's Notes:
1. If you do not have prepared white frosting on hand. Place powdered sugar in a ziploc bag and add just mere DROPS of milk until you get the right consistency. Cut the corner of the bag and draw your white lines. I used the convenience Betty Crocker stuff in a bag with a tip on it....and I was NOT happy the way the lines turned out....those little tails wouldn't stop. My white lines look a hot mess. I really am not THAT sloppy, HONEST!

Good Luck to whatever team you are rooting for. If it ain't the Skins playin'...I am there for the commercials! LOL

Snack Well!