Neen's Chex Mix Recipe & Hibachi Birthday Dinner

Every year, my husband makes his grandmother's "Party Mix" for the holidays.  Fred is very particular with this specific tradition, so much, that he looked at me like I was crazy when I wanted to make it for the summer weekend at the cabin.  Tradition is very big in Fred's family.  For example, when he added the ingredients needed for the mix onto my grocery list, he was very specific.  This picture was on Twitter, but it related to this post so I thought I would put it on the blog.  Apparently, I was not allowed to deviate from his list.  No alterations were accepted.

So onward I went, buying the proper ingredients needed.  No substitutions. Period.

The recipe is quite simple, but certainly not healthy.  Check it out...

Neen's Party Mix

1 box of box of Rice Chex
1 box of Wheat Chex
1 box of Cheerios
1 pound {16 ounces} bag of pretzel sticks
1 pound of butter
2 tablespoons onion salt
2 tablespoons Accent salt
1 pound cashews, salted and roasted

Preheat oven to 225 - 250 degrees.  Melt butter in a large roaster in the oven.  Add all other ingredients and bake for two hours.  Stir every 15 minutes and let cool.  Store in an airtight container.  

Note:  This is the original recipe but next time I think that we could use less of the seasonings to reduce the sodium level.  Also...we use less pretzels too, since they are usually left at the end.  

On another note, my stepdaughter's 11th birthday is this coming Saturday, so we decided to celebrate a little early at our local hibachi restaurant...her choice!  We joined her mom, stepdad and stepsister for a night of fried rice, noodles, veggies and meat...cooked hibachi style, onion volcano and all!

Afterwards we took a short detour to drive by one of the most decorated houses in Bethlehem.  Move over, Clark Griswold...you can't hold a candle to this one! 

Crazy, right?

Enjoy your day!

Breakfast with Dad / No-Bake PB Granola Bars

Today is Breakfast with Dad at our daughters’ school and Fred will have the pleasure to start his day with two dates.  The school always requests members of the PTA to donate or bake goods to be served at this event and this year, I decided to make No-Bake Peanut Butter Granola Bars from Anne at fANNEtastic Food.  In the past, I assembled mini yogurt parfaits in clear plastic tumbler cups.  They were normally a hit but due to time, I decided to make these bars because they are quick, easy and delicious.  Plus, I think the dads will appreciate a healthy snack among the sea of bagels, donuts and pastries.    

This recipe includes simple ingredients such as oats, brown rice cereal, flaxseed, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and peanut butter. The best part?  There is no baking involved!  Just place them in the fridge for a few hours and they are all set, literally.  

Because this is a school event, I decided to individually wrap the bars in clear plastic bags and label them with these homemade labels.  Since they include peanut butter, I thought it was important to make sure everyone was aware of that particular ingredient.  

Once they were bagged, I placed them all in a cardboard tray and they were ready for Fred to take with him.  I hope my husband and the gals have a fun time together at their Breakfast with Dad!  And I wonder…what could possibly be served at Breakfast with Mom?? 

What is your favorite recipe to make for a school function or a bake sale? 

Cinnamon and Sugar Croutons

Hello and Happy Tuesday!


I have an impromptu recipe for you today.  The idea came to me last night as I was sitting outside with Fred and our good friend, Jim.  Coming back from the cabin, we had a ton of bagels leftover so on Monday, I made croutons from the pumpernickel and rye bagels.  As we were sitting around the table last night snacking on them, I thought that the leftover cinnamon raisin bagels would be good tossed with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.  So...today I went to work in the kitchen and this concoction all come together into one sweet, crunchy and buttery snack.  

Cinnamon and Sugar Croutons


4 {day or two old} cinnamon bagels, cut into cubes
1 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup brown sugar 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

1.  Cut bagels into cubes and place into a large bowl.

2.  Melt butter and pour over bagel pieces.  Mix.

3.  Combine brown sugar and spices in a small bowl.  Stir into the bagel mixture.

4.  Spread bagel pieces out onto a cookie sheet and bake 30 - 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Bake until they are golden brown.  

5.  Let cool and store in a bowl covered with foil.  Do not store in a plastic container because they could get soggy.  

These croutons remind me of "monkey bread," something my mom used to make with store-bought biscuit dough rolled into pieces.  You can make croutons with any type of bread or seasoning.  For the rye and pumpernickel croutons, I used olive oil rather than butter, and mixed in kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder and dried basil.  They were delicious as well! 


Enjoy!


Tracy

Microwaved Pumpkin Muffin in a Mug

Hello, friends!

I have been reading about these cakes and muffins that can be made in the microwave using a coffee mug.  Have you heard of them?  

Recently I stumbled across a simple recipe, but I knew right away that it needed several changes to suit my tastes.  With a little brown sugar and some cinnamon, this microwaved muffin came together quite nicely.  Here's the verdict:

Ingredients:
One medium-sized coffee mug sprayed with cooking spray
1 whole egg
1/2 cup pumpkin
2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons heavy cream, or milk
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar, plus some for the top

Mix all together in a small bowl.

Pour into sprayed mug and sprinkle a little brown sugar on the top.  

Microwave on high for 3 minutes.  Check, and then microwave another 2 minutes until done. 

Note: Cut-up strawberries were delicious mixed in, or top with a dollop of peanut butter.  Caution- the muffin also gets extremely hot!  

I stored the rest of the pumpkin in an air-tight container for future use.

This was a quick, easy, and tasty treat and it can be made for breakfast, lunch, or dinner {like I did after my time trial}.  


Enjoy!


Tracy

A New "Food Find"

Morning!  It's finally Thursday, March 29th and today I will meet my food idol, Giada DeLaurentiis!  

After school I will be heading up to the Allentown Wegman's for her book signing and I will be sure to bring along my camera.  More details on that tomorrow. 


On to the post of the day...


Last weekend I picked up these Baked Lentil Chips in the organic section of my local grocery store.  As you can see, the bag is a little wrinkled and tattered because my husband got a hold of them.  He's not very delicate with food handling and he loved them!  :)

These chips are high in fiber, low in fat and gluten free...all good things in a snack.  I like to dip them in hummus, top them with a Laughing Cow spreadable cheese wedge, or just eat them plain.  They also have a wonderful crispy, airy texture. 

Take a look at all of the good ingredients...

These chips come in a variety of flavors including Rosemary, Roasted Pepper, Cucumber Dill, Parmesan Garlic, and Cracked Pepper.   They also have other available items such as crackers, multi-grain chips, veggie chips, and Wingers (which I think is like a chicken wing-flavor chip). 

The Mediterranean Snacks website includes recipes, snaking ideas, and their own blog.  

Mediterranean Snack Foods

I always like learning about new products that are not only delicious, but also healthy for my family so I thought I would pass this little snack on to you.  I hope you enjoy them!

Do you have any new "food finds" to share?  I would love to hear from you!


Have a great Thursday!


Tracy

Perfect Protein Bars.

I thought I would post about a few of my favorite types of protein bars.  Since my schedule is hectic and I am usually on the go, I always have some type of protein bar in my bag or in my desk drawer at school. 

My first choice is the Luna Protein bar.  It comes in a variety of flavors that are yummy for the tummy, but it is also nutritious for the body.

Both the Chocolate Peanut Butter and the Cookie Dough Luna Protein Bars are my favorite flavors with each having 12 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per bar.  They are high in calcium, vitamin D, iron and folic acid.  Plus, they are gluten free!  The caloric range is between 170 and 190 calories per serving and each has between 6 and 8 grams of fat per bar.  

The other type I eat on a daily basis is the thinkThin protein bar.  I tend to lean towards the creamy chocolate peanut butter version, but these bars also come in a variety of flavors.  This high protein snack is a little larger in size compared to the Luna Bar, and it has 230 calories per serving and 8 grams of fat.  Containing 20 grams of protein and 0 grams sugar, it is gluten free as well.  Kim Kardashian has been “spotted” eating thinkThin bars as a part of her high protein diet according to the link below. 

http://thinkproducts.com/hot-off-the-press-kim-kardashian-loves-thinkthin/

I love the bar concept because it is a quick and easy way to get an energy boost anytime, anywhere.  Both of these bars are available at my local Wegman's in the organic/sports bar isle. 

What are your favorite bar types and flavors?  Do you find one to be more nutritious than the others? I would love to hear your feedback!

Have a great Wednesday!!

Tracy

Healthy, Homemade Granola.

Morning, folks.  How are you?  I'm great because I have off today for Presidents Day!  You gotta love a long weekend...

So here's my day:

Hair appointment at 8 ~ Dog Training at 1 ~ PT at 5

Plus a run needs to be fit in there somewhere.  

So as promised, here are the results of the Friendship Bread.  To be honest, I am a little disappointed in the outcome.  The recipe called for the bread to be baked for one hour.  Since my oven tends to bake quicker than normal, I set the timer for 53 minutes to check.  By that time, it was already overdone.  So sad.  

As I cut into the bread, the middle pieces were quite tasty, but the ends were not up to par.  I'm thinking of keeping one of the starter bags to try it again, but I will make that decision in the next few days.

On the good side, I put together a recipe for granola.  This recipe is healthy, yet full of flavor.  The combination of the crunchy granola, along with the tartness of the fruit and the sweetness of the dark chocolate makes this recipe a delicious snack on its own or the perfect add-in to your favorite Greek yogurt.

Homemade Granola

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup slivered almonds

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup dried apricots, chopped

¼ cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Toss the oats and almonds together in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, whisk together honey, maple syrup, oil and salt.  Pour over oat mixture and combine very well.

Spread mixture onto a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for about 20 – 25 minutes, or until golden brown.  Mix granola occasionally throughout the baking process. 

Remove from oven when ready and cool completely.  Add the cranberries, apricots, and chocolate chips.   

Store in an airtight container or large plastic bag.  

Do not use olive oil for this recipe.  The reason?  Olive oil has flavor, and canola or vegetable oil is flavorless.  You don’t want the taste of the olive oil to interfere with the deliciousness of all the flavors in this granola. Yum!

Tomorrow I will have a special announcement to make so I hope that you'll join me.  Have a great day!

Tracy