S'Mores Bars

The Imaginative One is very laid back.  Hakuna Matata could almost be his theme song.  He's been like that since he was in utero.  The boys are allowed to pick what they want to do for their birthday.  The Wee One had a list a mile long of things he wanted to do for his birthday.  He also had a list a mile long of what he wanted for presents.  Okay maybe not that long but he knew what he wanted.  The Imaginative One is the exact opposite.  He doesn't know what he want to do for his birthday and people are having a hard time figuring out what to get him for his birthday. 

Last month, I found a recipe for these S'Mores Bar and decided to try them out.  The Imaginative One loved them so much that he decided that he wanted these instead of a cake or cupcakes for his birthday.  Yeah!  He made a decision.

Since my sister-in-law, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew were in town, we decided to celebrate his birthday four days early.  We ate a delicious brunch and then sang to him.  Everyone enjoyed these bars. 

S'Mores Bars

via Recipe Shoebox

Stars of the recipe:

Crust:

• 1/2 c. of butter, softened (1 stick of butter)


• 1/2 c. sugar


• 1 egg


• 1 tsp. vanilla


• 1 & 1/2 c. all purpose flour


• 1 c. ground up graham crackers (I use honey graham crackers.  Use a food processor to ground them up.)


• 1 tsp. baking powder


• 1/4 tsp. salt

Topping:

• 8 oz. container of marshmallow fluff


• 12 graham crackers broken up into pieces, do not ground them up


• 6 Hershey bars broken up into pieces or 1 c. milk chocolate chips.


• 2 - 3 c. mini marshmallows

Steps:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.


2. Cream together the butter and sugar until well mixed and yellow.


3. Add the eggs and vanilla.  Beat until incorporated.


4. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and ground up graham crackers.  Mix until incorporated.


5. Grease a 9 by 13 baking pan.  Press the dough into the pan evenly.


6. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.


7. While the crust is baking, get the topping ingredients ready.


8. When you take the crust out of the oven, turn the oven up to 450 degrees.


9. After the crust is finished baking, spread the marshmallow fluff over the warm crust using a greased spoon or spatula.


10. Sprinkle the top with first the chocolate, then the graham crack pieces, and then the marshmallows.


11. Place back in the oven and bake for 5 to 10 minutes until the marshmallows are melted and toasted.  DO NOT walk away from the oven.  (Mine took only 5 minutes.)


12. While it's still warm, cut it into pieces.


13. Enjoy!!!

Meal planning week of June 25

This week is busy!  We are going to 2 vacation Bible schools.  One is in the morning and the other is in the evening.  I also have a meeting at work on Wednesday afternoon, the Wee One has an activity at the local library on Thursday afternoon, and the Imaginative One has an activity at the local library on Friday afternoon. 

Monday - chicken tenderloins marinated in soy and Italian dressing, rice, and veggie

Tuesday - smoked sausage, roasted potatoes, and veggie

Wednesday - spaghetti, garlic bread, salad

Thursday - quesidillas and veggies

Friday - breakfast for dinner

Saturday - homemade pizza, salad

French Toast Mini Muffins

This weekend we went on a weekend getaway. The hotel we were going to be staying at didn't provide a complimentary breakfast. We could have gone to a restaurant for breakfast but I decided it would be better if I made something for us to eat. I had made these before but had lost the recipe. As I was going through things in my house, I found the recipe and decided these would be perfect.

When the Imaginative One tasted them, he fell in love with them. He kept complimenting the on how good they tasted. He also told me not to lose the recipe again.

French Toast Muffins

Stars of the recipe:
Muffins:

• 1 and 1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. flour


• 3/4 c. sugar


• 2 tsp. baking powder


• 1/4 tsp. salt


• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg


• 1/2 c. milk


• 1 egg beaten


• 1/3 c. butter melted

Topping:

• 1/2 c. sugar


• 1 tsp. cinnamon (or more to taste)


• 1/2 tsp. vanilla


• 1/3 c. butter melted

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.


3. Add milk, egg, and melted butter.


4. Mix thoroughly.


5. Grease and flour small (mini) muffin tins.


6. Fill 1/2 full and bake at 400 degrees fir 15 minutes or until lightly brown.


7. Remove from the pan immediately.


8. While the muffins are baking, melt the butter. Mix the vanilla into the butter. Combine the sugar and cinnamon.


9. After the muffins are baked, dip in butter and then roll in the sugar-cinnamon mixture.

(This recipe made 30 mini muffins.)

Menu Planning ~ Week of June 18

I haven't made a meal plan for a while.  I had meal plans but they were more fluid and subject to change so I didn't post them.  This week I have a definite plan in mind.

Monday - crockpot enchiladas, black bean salad

Tuesday - chicken lemon pasta, salad, garlic bread

Wednesday - pork chops, baked rice, corn on the cob

Thursday - date night, boys are having chicken nuggets and French fries

Friday - Wee One's 7th birthday - bacon wrapped hot dogs, potato salad

Saturday - out to eat - mini vacation

Sunday - out to eat - mini vacation

Menu Planning - Week of May 21

Monday - bbq ribs, sour cream and chives pasta, mixed veggie

Tuesday - chicken nuggets and french fries, veggies (I'm staying late at work and I'm letting the Wee One choose dinner.  This is his choice and a rarity at the house.)

Wednesday - Asian chicken legs, rice, veggies

Thursday - hamburgers, roasted potatoes, veggies

Friday - chicken quesadillas, Spanish rice, corn

Saturday - green beans, ham, and potatoes

(I don't list the veggies because I have different ones in the freezer.  I ask the boys which one they want while I'm getting dinner ready.)

Bacon Cheddar Ranch Smashed Potatoes

Say that 5 times fast.  Such a tongue twister of a name for a recipe. 

I got a whole chicken from my favorite meat places and decided to cook it up in the crockpot.  Then it was time for the task of trying to figure out what to serve with the chicken.  The other day I had bacon cheddar smashed potatoes at O'Charley's restaurant.  They were so delicious!  I decided to make my own version of that side dish. 

It was so yummy!!!  In fact, hubby had two helpings of the smashed potatoes.  He couldn't stop raving about how good the potatoes were.  Score!!!

Stars of the recipe:

• 4 red potatoes, washed and cut into smaller pieces


• 3 Tbsp. butter


• between 3 Tbsp. to 1/4 c. bacon bits (either cook up bacon and then cut into pieces or get already cooked bacon pieces)


• 1/4 c. shredded cheese


• 2 Tbsp. milk


• 2 Tbsp. ranch dressing

Steps:

1. Cut up potatoes into smaller pieces and then cover with cold water (about an inch above the cut up potatoes).


2. Cook on high heat for about 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender.


3. Drain the potatoes but don't rinse.  Put potatoes back in the pot.


4. Add the butter and milk.  Smash the potatoes.


5. Add the ranch dressing, bacon, and cheddar cheese.  Fold into the potatoes.


6. Serve and enjoy!

Menu planning week of April 22

Sunday - dinner at in laws

Monday - pepperoni penne pasta, garlic bread, green beans, salad

Tuesday - BBQ chicken sandwich, oven fries, veggie

Wednesday - lasagna, garlic bread or rolls, salad

Thursday - fish, veggies, baked potato

Friday - Chick Fil A

Saturday - honey Dijon pork chops, broccoli slaw, veggies