Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

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Look at me, back in action and keeping up with my blog posting! Well now that I have somewhat of a schedule and a working computer be prepared for some OUT OF THIS WORLD recipes. Haha not really, but still quite tasty and down right Pinterest worthy right?!

This recipe is one I came up with yesterday morning. I had bought some blueberries and they were extremely plain and almost flavorless. I get it, its a tad too early for blueberries, but I could eat buckets of blueberries so whenever they are sold I can't resist and buy them knowing they are not going to be nearly as delicious and ripe as they should be. If I just wait a few more weeks I can have an endless selection of blueberries at my finger tips, being that I literally live in the blueberry capital of the world.

However, I bought the pint of blueberries. Since I did not want to eat them plain I figured I'd bake something with them. I decided to go with a good old blueberry bar. Its nice and sweet thanks to making a sauce with the blueberries and honey, but also toasty and crunch because of the oatmeal and walnuts.

Mmm mmm. I could eat the whole batch, but I won't. At least I hope I won't.

If you went out and bought blueberries a bit too early don't eat them its not worth it. Make these bars, they are well worth it!

Blueberry Oatmeal Bars

Makes 12-16 bars

Ingredients

For the bars

• 1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, dark or light
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 a teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

For the Filling

• 1 2/3 cups blueberries
• 3 tablespoons honey, or sugar but I prefer honey
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• A pinch of nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line an 8 in square baking dish with parchment paper, or foil with non stick spray.
3. In a large bowl, mix the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together.
4. Add the melted butter and mix with a fork until combined and a light crumb forms.
5. Press half of the mixture into the prepared dish and bake for 12 minutes.
6. While baking the crust; Prepare filling by adding the blueberries, honey, cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon and lemon juice to a medium sauce pan.
7. Stir ingredients and continue to cook over medium heat until sauce thickens, about 7 minutes.
8. Pour over crust and top with remaining mixture.
9. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of nuts over the top, and bake for about 30 minutes.
10. Let cook in pan on a wire cooling rack.
11. Once cool cut into bars and enjoy!

Here Comes the Sun

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Summer Time Pasta Salad

with homemade dressing

  

Hey hey! We are quickly creeping up on summer and that brings on more bbq's and other outdoor gatherings which usually involve quite a bit of great summer time grub. It's the time of year for burgers and dogs, bbq chicken, and anything else you can throw on the grill.

Well, to go along with all the delicious bbq food I have an equally delicious pasta salad that is full of fresh veggies and a simple light dressing. I also used whole pasta to make it even healthier, but feel free to use whichever pasta you like best.

The recipe for this dressing is simply delicious and great for a garden salad as well. It's also great to make your own dressing at home because you control the ingredients and avoid added sugars, salts, and preservatives. This will last you up to 90 days in the refrigerator so make a big batch and enjoy! (This recipe is more than enough for one batch of pasta salad)

Happy Almost Summer!!

Summer Time Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1 box of whole wheat penne
• 2 bell peppers, which ever colors you prefer
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 cucumber
• 4-5 oz extra sharp white cheddar,
• 1 batch of homemade Italian dressing, recipe follows

Italian Dressing

• 1 cup red wine vinegar (or whichever you prefer)
• 1 1/3 cup olive or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• salt and pepper to taste
• Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

To make the dressing

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and which until fully combined.
OR
Pour ingredients into large bottle and shake until combined.

Directions

1. Prepare penne as box instructs.
2. While pasta is cooking, chop the vegetables and cheese into small like size pieces.
3. Once pasta is cooked, drain and toss with vegetables and cheese, in a large bowl.
4. Pour about 1/2 of the dressing and stir.
5. Taste and add enough to your liking.
6. Enjoy!

Back From The Dead With an Easy Baked Egg Breakfast!

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Baked Eggs with Feta

Over Roasted Tomatoes

HOLA MI AMIGO'S!!!! I am back and Peace Love & Yumminess is up and running with lots of recipes to share!!!

Now, I know all of you were anxiously checking everyday if I had a new post, sorry for all the nail biting but you need not worry anymore! I am back from trekking the Amazon Forest and sailing through the Caribbean.

Hahaha if only both those statements were true :). I have been M.I.A for several reasons, mainly being out of a computer. I have however been cooking and baking quite a bit and have lots of recipes to catch you guys up on. So why not start with a recipe for the most important meal of the day, breakfast!

This was a pinterest recipe I literally made the morning I found it. It is super easy and quite healthy. I thought it was a great change than the normal morning egg, with layers of delicious flavor.

You will need ramekins for this recipe, although I'm sure you could just make this in casserole form as well. But, that just not as fun as having your own little dish.

When I made this, it was only me eating however I made two dishes. Not sure why, but I did. I enjoyed this dish so much I almost went right back for the second. I stepped back and regained my self control and saved it for lunch with a side salad. To reheat it, I just popped it right back in the oven to warm it up. The egg did cook a little more but still tasted amazing.

The recipe is also in single serving portions, just apply the recipe per ramekin.

Enjoy<3!

& Glad to be back!

Oven Bakes Eggs with Feta

over roasted tomatoes

adapted from For the Love of Cooking

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• Handful of grape tomatoes sliced
• 1/4 tsp basil, dried
• Dash of crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 eggs (I used one because my ramekins are quite small)
• 1 tsp milk
• 1 tsp feta cheese ( I used tomato basil feta to amp up the flavor!)
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray  a small ramekin with cooking spray.
2. Toss the sliced tomatoes with the olive oil, basil, crushed red pepper, garlic, salt, and pepper.
3. Pour into each ramekin then place the dishes on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
4. Remove from the oven then crack the eggs into the dish, then add the milk, feta cheese, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Return to the oven and cook for 13-15 minutes or until the whites set but the yolks are still soft. Remove from the oven and serve with some whole grain toast.

A Tropical Twist on Cupcakes

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Coconut Mango Cupcakes

coconut cupcake with a mango filling and mango frosting

Hello Hello! So, I'm pretty sure I made the WORLD'S BEST  CUPCAKE......EVER!

Haha, most likely not. But for the time being I am pretty much crazy about this cupcake. I had a request for a mango cupcake. They didn't care what else as long as there was mango in it. I got to pondering and it took me a few days and some research but I came up with this recipe the day these cupcakes were needed.

I didn't want to do just a white or vanilla cake with a mango frosting, I  wanted something more complex. I also knew I didn't want the cupcake itself to be mango.  So I did some research on mango cupcake recipes and found quite a bit of coconut and mango in many varieties and was instantly sold. Mango and coconut, the perfect tropical combination.

I decided on a coconut base with a mango curd fillings and fresh mango frosting. That way the coconut was not over powering the mango flavor, instead just blended sweetly.

I kept debating on how to  make the cupcake. Do I use shredded coconut? Coconut milk? Both? Well I went with the shredded coconut, which was folded into the batter at the end. The cake it self had a great flavor however I am not a huge fan of all the shredded coconut and want to experiment using coconut milk to see what kind of flavor and texture I get with that. Regardless these came out phenomenal!

I highly recommend making these. Not only are they crazy delicious, but everyone will be so impressed by your cupcaking skills!  Just a warning, these do take some time. You need to puree the mango for both the filling and frosting. The filling also needs to be cooked and chilled for at least 2 hours, so be prepared for some extra steps.

If you feel like tackling these babies they will make perfect Easter treats this weekend :)!

Cupcakes

Makes 12-15

• 3/4 cups (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3.5 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

Mango Curd (this makes A LOT, I used the left over to make ice cream)

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 cup fresh mango puree
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 stick unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

Frosting:

• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature
• 1/4 c. mango puree
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3-4 c. powdered sugar

To make the filling

1. In a large saucepan, whisk together the cornstarch and sugar.
2. Add the mango puree, followed by the egg yolks.
3. Continure to cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens (6-7 minutes), stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter one tablespoon at a time.
5. Pour the mixture into a bowl and top with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap into the top of the filling.
6. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours.

To make the cupcakes

1. Prehead the oven to 325 degrees and line muffin tin with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, scrapping down the sides of the bowl as you go.
4. Add the vanilla and mix until combined. 
5. In a seperate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
6. In three parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk, begining and ending with the dry ingedients.
7. Mix just until combined, and fold in the coconut.
8. Fill each liner 2/3 full and bake 25-30 minutes, until the tops a re lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean.
9. Cool in pans for 10-15 minutes then remove to cool completely on a cooling rack.

To Make The Frosting

1. In a large bowl combin cream cheese and butter until combined.
2. Add in the mango puree and vanilla extract and beat until fully incorporated.
3. Add powdered sugar gradually until it is as sweet and thick as you prefer.

 To Assemble the Cupcakes:

1. When cupcakes have cooled, cut a cone out of the top using a paring knife. 
2. Spoon the mango filling into the cupcake until just reaching the top.
3. Remove the bottom of the cone you cut out of the cupcake, placing just the top back on the cupcake where you filled with the mango filling.
4. Frost cupcakes how prefer.
5. If wanted toast the left over coconut and sprinkle on top. 

Enjoy! 

And try to save some to share before you eat them all :) 

pop art cupcakes :)



A Dog Named Shaggy and A Tasty Dinner

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Spicy Panko Chicken Over Mixed Greens

with citrus vinaigrette and roasted red peppers

 

Hello Hello! How is everyone?! Yet again it has been a while since my last post. But so much has been coming up these past few months. Between settling into my new place, new job, new dog. Yes, I got a new dog!

 

I adopted a rescue dog who is just the sweetest. He so smart and handsome. I'm already a proud mama!

 

Anyways, I have been eating out very often lately and needed a break and really wanted to recreate this meal I had recently that I thought was amazing! It was a nice change to the normal menu options, light, fresh, and simple but full of flavor.

It was a panko crusted chicken breast over an arugula salad with roasted red peppers. It had a tangy citrus dressing which tied all the ingredients together just perfect. Of course it was a pretty good size portion and I had to stop myself from eating the whole thing, although I easily could have. But I saved a little and enjoyed it for lunch the next day :).

 

Since I was so impressed with the dish, I decided to have a go at trying this and made it at home last night. I used chicken tenders instead of chicken breasts. I also added some spice to the chicken and baked them in the oven, rather than frying. 

 

This was the "hardest" part. The salad can easily be tossed together once the chicken is done cooling. I say this because I prefer to top the salad with room temperature chicken instead of hot/warm chicken which will wilt the salad. 

 

I hope you are all enjoying the beginning of spring and the extra bit of daylight we have. 

 

Now, go make this for dinner, or even lunch, it's delish!

 

Spicy Panko Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• 1 cup milk
• 2 -3 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
• 1 cup plain panko bread crumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Combine milk and Tabasco sauce in large bowl, and add the chicken. Let sit for at least 15 minutes, allowing the chicken to marinate and tenderize.
3. Combine breadcrumbs and seasonings in another large bowl, or large shallow dish.
4. Coat chicken on both sides with breadcrumb mixture and place on a lightly greased  baking sheet.
5. Top with extra breadcrumbs, and bake 30-40 minutes, until the chicken is firm, lightly browned, and has an internal temp of 165 degrees.
6. Set aside while making salad.

Mixed Greens Salad

Ingredients

Salad

• 1 bag of spring mix, arugula, or lettuce of your liking.
• 1/2-3/4 cup chopped roasted red peppers (your preference)

Dressing

• 1/8 cup lemon juice
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ½ tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/8-tsp. fresh ground pepper

1. Combine the olive oil, garlic and lemon juice.
2. Slowly add the olive oil whisking vigorously.
3. Add the salt and pepper to suit your taste.
4. Toss the mixed greens with the vinaigrette, and the roasted red peppers.

Finally top with chicken, or dip chicken in your favorite sauce.

  

 

Luck of the Irish

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White Chocolate Irish Potato Candy

Everyone getting ready for this weekend's extravaganza to celebrate the good ol' St.Patrick?! Well if not grab a big old cup of coffee, top it with some Bailey's and whip up a batch of these little nibblets of goodness. Yes I said nibblets.
Irish Potatoes are a almost like a coconut truffle and despite their
name they were not created in Ireland and they do not contain any potato. They are super sweet but not too sweet thanks to the cinnamon they are rolled in.

If you aren't a fan of coconut they defiantly have an acquired taste. However if you enjoy a good coconut treat then these are great.

I always try to doctor a recipe to make it my own or experiment to change the flavor in almost every recipe I try. I did just that with these. I had been following my Mom's recipe for years, which is exactly the same as every other recipe out there. I had a little bit of white chocolate left and decided to melt that into the mixture. I also added a dash of nutmeg to the cinnamon coating.

Well, I must say I am quite amazed at how wonderful they tasted with these additions. I was never a huge fan of these and could only just one, if that. Yet I found myself eating one after the other. The white chocolate, cream cheese, and coconut just blend beautifully together.

I even made them into a cupcake. You'll have to wait for that recipe. So for now I hope you enjoy these!

White Chocolate Irish Potato Candy

Ingredients

• 2-3 oz white chocolate, melted and slightly cooled
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 package cream cheese (4 oz)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 2 1/2 cups flaked coconut
• 1 small bowl filled with brown cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. In large mixing bowl beat together cream cheese and butter until combined.
2. Add melted white chocolate, mix until combined. Followed by the vanilla.
3. Using a sifter gradually add the powdered sugar.
4. Add the coconut and set in fridge for 10-15. This will make it easy to roll into balls.
5. Remove from the fridge and form small balls at the size of your liking and roll in the cinnamon and nutmeg mixture.

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Chocolate Pudding Pie

with Oreo cookie crust

Well hello strangers! I am super excited to be back in blogging action. Lots has been going on since my last post. New job, new hours, new tiredness. Regardless I am back with lots to share. Some great dinners and cupcakes coming up.

First I will share with you this SUPER easy dessert. I used boxed pudding which saved lots of time and steps. However if you are feeling a step above Betty Crocker than go ahead and try this pudding recipe.

You can also use a pre-made crust but they are extremely easy to make. All it takes is some cookie crumbs and melted butter and there ya go.

You can also make this slightly healthier by using the reduced sugar and calorie pudding packets with skim milk but be prepared for lack of flavor. I used a regular pudding mix with low fat chocolate milk. Really amps up the chocolate flavor while cutting the fat down a little.

The making of the pie took a little less than 15 minutes. If you don't have a food processor to crush the cookies it might take a tad longer. But beating a bag of cookies is very therapeutic.

It does have to set in the fridge for a few hours so go ahead and make this earlier in the day or the day before you want to enjoy it.

Chocolate Pudding Pie

Ingredients

• 1 packet of chocolate pudding mix
• 2 cups low fat chocolate milk, make your own by adding chocolate syrup to the low fat milk
• 24 Oreo cookies, crushed
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan stir together pudding packet and milk.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, while stirring constantly.
3. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. While pudding is cooling, crush Oreo cookies in a large zip top bag or in a food processor, until you have a fine crumb.
5. Empty crumbs into a bowl and pour in melted butter.
6. Mix until butter is absorbed and pour into pie dish, pressing down to form crust.
7. Pour the melted pudding over the crust.
8. Cover with plastic wrap and leave in refrigerator for 3 or more hours.
9. Serve chilled.