Not Your Typical Bran Muffin

You can't go wrong with peanut butter and chocolate...

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bran Muffins

Recipe adapted from Kellogg's
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bran Muffins

• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 cup All Bran cereal
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 egg
• 1 medium banana, mashed (1/3 cup)
• 1/3 cup peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips
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Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 375 F.  Lightly spray your 12 muffin muffin pan with cooking spray.
2. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
3. MIX milk, cereal, and oats in a large bowl.  Let stand for two minutes.
4. ADD egg, banana, peanut butter, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Beat well until fully combined.
5. ADD flour mixture to large bowl, mixing well.  
6. STIR in chocolate chips until combined.
7. SPOON the batter into the muffin pan so each muffin cup is evenly filled.
8. BAKE for 16-18 minutes, checking at 16 minutes with the "toothpick test".  The "toothpick test" - stick a toothpick in the middle of a muffin and see if it comes out clean.  If it does, the muffins are done!  If not, let them bake a little longer.
9. LET stand for 5 minutes, then remove from the muffin pan.  Enjoy!

Get Your Cheese On

A must try for any of you cheeseheads.  Need meat?  Add bacon or turkey.

3 Cheese, Avocado, and Tomato Sandwiches
Recipe from Bake Yourself Happy
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


3 Cheese, Avocado, and Tomato Sandwiches

• Sliced cheddar cheese
• Sliced provolone cheese
• Sliced mozzarella cheese
• Butter
• Tomato
• Avocado
• Sliced bread (we recommend sourdough)

Directions

1. Slice tomato and avocado.  Set aside.
2. Melt a little butter in a skillet and place two slices of bread on the melted butter.  Add all cheeses on one slice of bread - we typically use two slices of each cheese.
3. Let cheese begin to melt.
4. When bread is toasted and cheese is melted to your liking, remove from skillet.
5. Add tomato and avocado slices, and put the sandwich together.  You can put the completed sandwich back on the skillet if you want to melt the bread slices together - just be careful not to burn it!
6. Enjoy!

*Note - Andrew enjoys it served with mustard.  If you want to add bacon or turkey, we suggest adding the meat once the cheese has begun to melt.  The bacon should be cooked before you put it on the cheese.

Lasagna in a Bowl

This is a "souper" way to enjoy lasagna!

Lasagna Soup

Recipe adapted from afarmgirlsdabbles.com 
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


Lasagna Soup

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 lb ground turkey
• 2 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 28 oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
• 2 bay leaves
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 8 oz fusilli pasta
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 8 oz ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Dash black pepper
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Directions

1. HEAT 1 teaspoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
2. ADD ground turkey, breaking up into pieces and brown.
3. HEAT 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large pot over medium heat while turkey is browning.
4. ADD onions and cook to soften.  Add turkey.
5. ADD garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes.  Cook for about one minute.
6. ADD tomato paste and stir well.  Cook for 4 minutes, or until the tomato paste begins to turn rusty in color.
7. ADD diced tomatoes, bay leaves, and chicken stock.  Stir and bring to a boil.
8. REDUCE heat and simmer for roughly 30 minutes.
9. ADD uncooked pasta and cook until al dente.
10. ONCE pasta is al dente, stir in basil and a pinch of black pepper.
11. IN a separate small bowl, combine the ricotta, parmesan, salt, and pepper.
12. PLACE a dollop of cheese mixture in each bowl, then top with the soup.  
13. SPRINKLE with mozzarella cheese, and enjoy!

Snap, Crackle, Scotcheroo!

These are a step up from your traditional Rice Krispie Treat - and way easy to make.

Scotcheroos
Recipe adapted from ricekrispies.com
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


Scotcheroos

• 1 cup Karo syrup
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/4 cups butterscotch chips
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Directions

1. Place Karo syrup and sugar in a saucepan.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until sugar dissolves.  Let mixture begin to boil (but immediately remove from heat - you don't want it to caramelize!)
2. Stir in peanut butter.  Mix well.
3. Pour Rice Krispies into a large mixing bowl.  Add peanut butter mixture and stir until all Rice Krispies are coated.
4. Spray a 13x9x2-inch pan with cooking spray and place Rice Krispie mixture in.  DO NOT press/pound the mixture into the pan, or you will end up with Scotcharocks...
5. Combine chocolate and butterscotch chips in a microwaveable glass bowl.  Microwave in 30 second intervals, removing to stir after each session.  Continue until chips are smooth and blended.
6. Spread chocolate-butterscotch mixture on top of Rice Krispies.  Let stand until firm and enjoy!

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Tasty Turkey Meatballs

On top of spaghetti, all covered in cheese...

Turkey and Quinoa Meatballs

Recipe adapted from Whole Foods
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy

                                       Turkey and Quinoa Meatballs

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 3/4 cup cooked quinoa (we used garden veggie)
• 1/4 cup grated carrots
• 1/4 cup grated yellow squash
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1/2-1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon thyme
• 1 egg
• Dash dried parsley

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Directions

1. PREPARE the quinoa according to package instructions.  Typically, this will involve bringing water to a boil and adding the quinoa.  Then reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer for roughly 15 minutes, until almost all water has disappeared.
2. PREHEAT oven to 500F.
3. PLACE foil on a baking sheet, then lightly spray the foil with cooking oil.
4. COMBINE ground turkey, quinoa, carrots, squash, ketchup, minced garlic, soy sauce, salt, pepper, dried oregano, thyme, egg, and parsley.  Mix well with a metal spoon.
5. USE your hands to form 18 balls, placing each on the baking sheet.  Make sure there is at least one inch between each ball.
6. BAKE the meatballs for 12-18 minutes.  The meatballs should be slightly golden browned and cooked all the way through.  If you're nervous, cut one open to check it!  *Note - if you cut one open, you'll have to sample it...
7. PLACE on top of spaghetti and marinara sauce (we used vodka sauce) or combine with BBQ sauce on a sandwich and enjoy!

Is there another way you've chosen to enjoy these turkey meatballs?  Share your explorations by leaving a comment below!