Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Bars

Basically all of my favorite things rolled into an amazing and delicious treat! You have got to make these! I pretty much always have all of the ingredients on hand and it's easy to whip up in 10 minutes. Perfect as an after dinner snack or a sweet breakfast treat. (original recipe)

Ingredients

2.5 cups old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla 

1 large egg

2 large ripe bananas

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup chocolate chips (you can do 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup peanut butter chips but I was out of pb chips)

1. Mix together oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

2. Add in milk, vanilla, and eggs. Mix until fully combined.

3. Add mashed banana, peanut butter, and chocolate chips. Stir well

4. Pour batter into a greased 8x8 baking dish

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

6. Serve warm or cold, we love them both ways

Crockpot Cashew Chicken

All of the sudden I've been having cravings for Asian inspired dishes which makes my husband very very happy. I am also utilizing my crock pot a lot more because it's nice outside and we've been spending the afternoons in the backyard or at the park and the last thing I want to do is come home and stand over a hot stove for an hour making dinner. I know in the coming months we'll be at the pool in the afternoons as well so I want to add more recipes to my recipe box for the summer. This cashew chicken caught my eye because I love cashews and was excited to try it. It took a little prep in the morning which is fine because I always try to do chores or meal prep during Lucy's morning nap while I let Ford watch a show or play on the iPad. It was pretty darn easy and so delicious!

Ingredients
2lbs boneless skinless chicken, raw
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp canola oil
Sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsbp ketcup
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes (more if you want spicier)
3/4 cup lightly salted cashews
Green onions
White rice

1. Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes. In a bowl coat chicken in flour and pepper.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet and pan sear chicken for 5 minutes (you do not have to fully cook the chicken)
3. Meanwhile, stir together soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
4. Place chicken in crock pot and top with mixed sauce
5. Cook on low for 3-4 hours
6. Stir in cashews right before serving
7. Serve with white rice and topped with chopped green onions

Mini chocolate cake donut muffins

For some reason every Saturday morning I crave donuts. I eat relatively healthy during the week and try to workout a little bit each day but all bets are off on Saturdays. Whoever wakes up with the kiddos usually makes a big fun breakfast or goes out to get donuts, Kolaches, or breakfast tacos. Jon and I both favor those chocolate cake donuts and when I found this recipe on Pinterest, I was up for the challenge of making them. They don't require frying so they're automatically healthy right? Hehe. They were out of this world delicious and made such a fun little treat in the morning and after dinner for dessert.

Ingredients
*Muffins
2 tbsp butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

*Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla

1. Stir butter and sugar in a bowl until combined.
2. Add egg, buttermilk, and vanilla until mixed
3. Add dry ingredients and stir until completely smooth
4. Scoop batter into a greased mini muffin tin and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes
5. Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from muffin tin
6. Meanwhile, stir glaze ingredients until smooth
7. Dip each muffin into the glaze, covering completely
8. Let the glaze dry for 20 minutes or until it hardens.
9. Enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Fried Rice

I am on a recipe posting roll! I also am on a cooking roll. For some reason I am really enjoying being in my kitchen right now, cooking and baking, and I am not complaining about it. Sometimes cooking can be a chore and I get bored of what we're eating but so far 2016 has brought yummy new recipes and lots of good eats. Tuesday I signed up to bring not one but two baby meals to two of my good friends who live in our neighborhood. I try to think outside of the box for baby meals considering the new parents will probably get a lot of the same thing (casseroles and Italian), I knew my girlfriends liked Chinese food and I had made this sweet and sour chicken before so I thought it would be a unique meal to bring. Oh man it is good y'all. I served it with homemade fried rice (recipe here) and it was enjoyed by all! I prepped a few things in advance so it wasn't a ton of work all in one setting.

Ingredients
2-3lbs raw boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed (think of the size of pieces when you're ordering Chinese food)
Salt and pepper
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Sweet and Sour Sauce Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp garlic salt

1. Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper
2. Pour cornstarch into large bowl and coat raw chicken in it
3. Dip coated chicken pieces into the beaten egg
4. Heat 1/4 cup oil in large skillet and pan sear chicken pieces until they are lightly browned, NOT cooked through (about 5 minutes, stirring and flipping the whole time)
5. Mix together sweet and sour sauce ingredients
6. Place chicken into greased 9x13 in baking dish
7. Top with sweet and sour sauce and mix evenly
8. Bake in 325 degree oven for 1 hour, turning, stirring, and coating the chicken every 15 minutes
9. Serve with fried rice and enjoy!

original recipe

Mini BBQ Cheddar Meatloaves

Okay so I know I start out every meatloaf post with this same thought... call me old fashioned but I love meatloaf! It is delicious, so stinking easy, and fun to add different ingredients to mix it up. Now please don't judge the recipe by the pictures below because they look more like weird brown meat lumps but Jon and I couldn't have shoveled these in fast enough. Chunks of real cheddar cheese melted inside the meatloaf and hints of sweet BBQ sauce. Come on y'all. Make these mini BBQ cheddar meatloaves asap. Even Lucy gobbled these up, now that's saying something!

Ingredients
1 onion, chopped
1 olive oil
Salt
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
1 egg, whisked
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp BBQ sauce, divided
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 oz cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes

1. Saute onion in oil and season with salt
2. Meanwhile, mix ground meat, egg, Worcestershire sauce, 2 tbsp BBQ sauce and bread crumbs.
3. Fold in the cheddar cheese cubes
4. Form 4 small loaves with meat and place onto a foil lined jelly roll pan
5. Coat each loaf with remaining BBQ sauce (I used a BBQ sauce brush)
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

It's *kind of* cold here in Texas which means it's soup season y'all. It's also new baby season around here. I can name at least 10 of my friends who have had babies in the past 6 weeks which means I've been making a lot of meals for new parents. I love taking soup for baby meals because I can make it healthy and hearty. I made this chicken noodle soup this week, a double batch, one for me and one for a baby meal, and I never want it to end. I used Reames noodles that my grandma makes at Thanksgiving dinner and I'm kicking myself for not using them in a soup sooner. They are delicious and to die for. I made this soup up as I went and boy is it good. 

Ingredients

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

6 cups chicken broth, divided

1 onion, chopped

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

1 bag Reames noodles (see below)

Parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Reames Noodles can be found in your freezer section, by the potatoes and frozen veggies at my store. Here is a picture for reference. 

1. Pour 2 cups chicken broth, onions, carrots, and celery into a pot and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 10 minutes until the veggies are soft. 

2. Add additional 4 cups of broth, chicken, and noodles and simmer another 10 minutes or until noodles are tender.

3. Season with parsley, salt, and pepper.

Sour Cream & Cheese Noodle Bake

If the Pioneer Woman makes it, it is bound to be absolutely delicious! I was skimming her website for new dinner ideas and came across this recipe. It caught my eye because I love casserole-type dinners and the fact that it is made with cottage cheese just makes my protein loving husband happy! I have to say that the leftovers were even better then the first day we ate it and I was sad when I ate the last serving!
Ingredients 1lb ground beef or turkey 1 15oz can tomato sauce 1/2 tsp salt Black pepper 10 oz noodles of your choice (I chose Rotini) 1/2 cup sour cream 1 1/5 cup small curd cotttage chese 1/4-1/2 cup sliced green onions 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1. Brown meat in a large pan. Drain excess fat and stir in the tomato sauce. Stir in salt and pepper to taste. 2. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package. 3. In a medium bowl, mix together the sour cream, cottage cheese, and plenty of black pepper. Add in noodles and green onions. 4. Cover the bottom of a full sized baking dish with tomato sauce juice (not meat) or spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking. 5. Pour half of the noodle mixture into the pan. Top with half of the meat mixture and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Repeat with second half of ingredients. 6. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. 7. Enjoy!

Pepperoni PIzza Mac & Cheese

Looking for something carby and delicious? Insert pepperoni pizza mac and cheese! I find myself wanting to make lots of pasta/Italian dishes lately (which is unlike me) and what's better than a pizza like pasta? Y'all. This meal is amazing. I can't say much more. It was incredibly easy and probably one of the best things I've made this year!
Ingredients 1 lb box small dry pasta (I used rigatoni) 3 tbsp olive oil 1.5 cups chopped white onion 1.5 cups chopped red bell pepper 2 tbsp minced garlic 2 cups chopped pepperoni slices (I cut mine into halves or thirds with kitchen shears) 1 cup sliced olives...optional 1 stick unsalted butter 1/2 cup white flour 1 tsp salt 1/2 tsp black pepper 1/4 tsp garlic salt 3 cups milk 1.5 cups pasta sauce 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1. Cook pasta according to package, drain and set aside 2. Heat oil into large pan over medium heat. Add onions and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes until softened 3. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute 4. Stir in pepperoni and olives 5. In a separate large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, salt, pepper, and garlic salt until thick. 6. Slowly whisk in milk. 7. Stir in 3 cups of cheese until a sauce is formed. 8. Stir in cooked pasta and pepperoni mixture to the cheese pot. Add splashes of milk if you need to thin out the sauce. 9. Pour half of the mac and cheese to greased 9x13 inch baking dish and top with the 1.5 cups of pasta sauce. 10. Top with remaining mac and cheese and then remaining 1 cup cheddar cheese. 11. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes until cheese is melted 12. Serve hot and enjoy!

Pumpkin Dump Cake

Because it's the first day of October, you will now experience my obsession with all things pumpkin. And today I present to you the most delicious thing you will put in your mouth this fall. We've coined it 'pump dump'....not to be confused with pumping and dumping (nursing mom humor). When my girlfriend Jen posted the recipe, I knew I was a goner. I immediately grabbed the ingredients from the store and made this cake for missional community and it was a hit. I can't even begin to tell you how good it is... pumpkin, sugar, chocolate, pretty much anything else you want. Each bite is so different and so delicious! I will warn you, you should probably make it for a group rather than just your family because you'll want to eat the whole thing.

Ingredients

1 15oz can of pumpkin 

1 can of evaporated milk

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

2 dashes cinnamon

1 box yellow cake mix

1 stick butter

Topping: 1 cup chocolate chips, 1 sleeve crushed cinnamon graham crackers (other options- cinnamon chips, toffee bits, peanut butter chips, almonds)

1. Mix pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, and cinnamon in a large bowl

2. Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 in baking dish

3. Sprinkle the cake mix on top (don't stir it in)

4. Top with your toppings of choice

5. Melt butter and pour on top

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

7. Devour!

Original recipe

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

A banana with peanut butter is one of my favorite (and most frequent) snacks so I jumped all over this recipe! I love having homemade bread on hand for quick snacks or even as a treat after dinner. This bread didn't need much of a topping and was quite delicious served warm with butter.
Ingredients 1 cup brown sugar 2/3 cup smooth peanut butter 2 egg whites 1.5 cups mashed banana 1/3 cup non fat yogurt (I used vanilla) 1 2/3 cup whole wheat flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp baking powder 1/4 tsp salt *Optional- 1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice
1. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir until fully combined and a smooth batter is formed 2. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan (I used 2 mini loaf pans) and bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes.  3. Enjoy!

Blackberry Muffins

I somehow ended up with a ton of frozen blackberries in my freezer and stumped as to how to use them. I stocked up on fresh berries when I was trying to raise my blood platelets before I had Lucy (and that royally failed) and I finally got around to using them. I made a blackberry pie for my sister's baby shower (so good) and found this recipe for blackberry muffins and y'all. They taste like cupcakes. I feel healthy when I eat muffins but these taste like dessert. Jon and Ford both love them which is a plus. I think they will be a staple in our house and I may try to mix it up and add other fruits next time.

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
2 cups white flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 cups of blackberries, the more the merrier
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp sugar
*this makes 12 big muffins or 24 mini muffins

1. Mix together all the ingredients listed above the blackberries to make the better. I used my stand mixer which makes it super easy but you can mix by hand or with a hand mixer.
2. Soak the blackberries in the lemon juice and 2 tbsp sugar for a few minutes. Stir to make sure all of the berries are coated
3. Fill lined muffin tins half full with batter
4. Scoop a few blackberries in each tin, over the batter. I used a fork so there was little juice that made it into the muffin tins (you don't want to add more liquid to the batter)
5. Top with remaining half of batter to cover the blackberries
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-16 minutes
7. Let cool and try not to eat 10!

Parmesan Meatloaf

I know I've said it before but I am a sucker for an old fashioned meatloaf (and so is my protein loving husband). I love finding twists on a traditional meatloaf recipe and this Parmesan meatloaf is one of my favorite finds! I almost want to serve it with a side of yummy spaghetti because of it's delicious Italian taste. The recipe uses 2lbs of meat so it is hearty and feeds a crowd!

Ingredients
1lb ground turkey
1lb ground beef (I like using a mixture of meats but you can use all turkey or all beef)
2 eggs
1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
2 cloves minced garlic
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (I used the shaker kind)
1/2-3/4 cup pasta sauce of your choice
1/2-3/4 cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
Parsley for garnish

1. Mix together all ingredients except pasta sauce, mozzarella cheese, and parsley
2. Form in a greased loaf pan and top with pasta sauce
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour
4. Remove from oven, top with shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake an additional 5 minutes
5. Let meatloaf set for 5 minutes before serving

Strawberry muffins

Earlier this week my sister texted me a recipe for strawberry muffins and I took one look and was sold. Strawberries are oddly cheap right now and because of my low blood platelets, I am stuffing myself full of berries. Unfortunately Ford has a pretty bad allergy to raw berries but since the strawberries are cooked, he absolutely loved these muffins! I had all the ingredients on hand and whipped them up yesterday and sad to say, they are half gone! I love having muffins and breads on hand for quick and easy snacks. These will definitely be making a regular appearance in our house, I may even add some dark chocolate chips in my next batch.

Ingredients (12 muffins)
2 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups diced strawberries
Extra sugar

1. Mix all ingredients except strawberries until batter is formed
2. Fold in strawberries
3. Scoop batter evenly into lined muffin tins
4. Sprinkle with sugar
5. Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees
6. Serve warm and enjoy!

Sweet Corn and Chicken Enchiladas

I can't rave about these sweet corn and chicken enchiladas enough. They have got to be one of the easiest meals in my recipe box and most delicious! It is my go to meal for families with new babies and usually keep some frozen in my freezer just in case. The pictures don't do them justice but hey, I am 9 months pregnant with a toddler so give me slack... and trust me! Make these enchiladas and you'll be stuffed and happy.

Ingredients

2 cups cooked and shredded chicken (I like using a rotisserie chicken or putting a few breasts in the crockpot with chicken broth)

1 bag Green Giant frozen honey sweet corn 

2 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese (or Colby Jack)

1 can green enchilada sauce

12 tortillas

1. Cook sweet corn according to packaging

2. Mix corn, chicken, 1 cup of cheese, and 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce in a large bowl

3. Scoop mixture evenly into tortillas, roll up, and place into a greased baking dish

4. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

6. Our favorite way to serve is topped with guacamole and salsa!

Make ahead meals to prep for baby

A month from today our little Lucy will be born meaning our lives will be turned upside down. I kind of doubt I'll have the time (at least for a few months) to leisurely make dinner every night while Ford plays quietly with puzzles or magnets. Knowing how much work having a newborn was before, I am prepping myself for total chaos when we have a newborn and a toddler. One thing that Jon and I love to do is eat.. duh. You'll find a gaggle of delicious and easy recipes posted on my blog along with carefully organized Pinterest boards of meals I plan on making. Meal planning is my MO. I get a rush from sitting down and making my grocery list, looking through what we have stocked in our pantry and thumbing through the grocery store flyer to see what meat is on sale. I love trying new recipes too. We have a few staple meals that I'll make more than once but trying new ones is thrilling for me. A few times a week my sister and I text each other new recipes to try... yep we are old ladies. So where is this post going? We are a month out from baby day and meal prep has begun. I stocked my freezer with about 10 homemade frozen meals before Ford was born and between those and friends bringing meas, I remember not having to make dinner until he was 2 months old! What a relief. As much as I love cooking, it is kind of the last thing on your mind as a new mom. You grab a protein bar for breakfast and maybe manage to eat a sandwich standing up in the kitchen while bouncing your fussy baby in the Ergo so one solid meal a day is vital for sanity and survival. I went to the grocery store yesterday and carefully planned my menu for the next week and will be doubling a few recipes to store in our freezer. Last week was operation "clean out the freezer" so Jon was so sweet to not make a complaint about the random sausage, salmon burger, frozen veggie, pasta meals I threw together with what we had.

How did I come up with the meals I plan on making and freezing? I carefully combed through Pinterest and the recipes I've already made to find things that would stay good in the freezer. Soups and pasta freeze and thaw really well and so do Mexican dishes (tortillas, meat, cheese, etc). I also wanted to make sure that the meals were hearty and full of protein, knowing that nursing gives me the appetite of a college linebacker. Here are a few of the meals on my "to make to freeze" list:

1. Slow cooker chili
2. One pan cheesy chicken, broccoli, and rice
3. Parmesan meatloaf
4. Green chili, sweet corn and chicken enchiladas
5. Sweet potato and black bean chili
6. Crock pot shredded beef enchiladas
7. Crock pot quinoa, sweet potato, and chicken fajitas
8. Turkey and veggie meatloaf
9. Crock pot beef and broccoli
10. BBQ meatloaf

I may not get around to all of them but this is the plan over the next few weeks! My sister gave me the wise advice to have breads and muffins on hand for a quick breakfast or pick me up so I will probably make some pumpkin and banana bread and pop in the freezer. I love knowing that a little extra preparation now will allow me to relax and focus on my family and healing when Lucy comes. Do you have any recipe recommendations that freeze well?

Cream Cheese Banana Bread

I love keeping bananas in the house not only to snack on but for banana bread and muffins when they get a little soft. After I've given Ford eggs and yogurt in the morning, I let him munch on bread (and it makes the perfect afternoon snack for me!). Even though I am a major supporter of this banana bread recipe, I love trying new ones. I mean, when there is cream cheese involved, we know it's gonna be good! Jon and I could have easily eaten an entire loaf in one sitting. There was something different about this bread, the crust tasted like it was baked or dusted with sugar, like bakery muffins usually are. Wow!
Ingredients- makes 2 loafs 3/4 cup melted butter 1 8oz package cream cheese, softened 2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 3 cups all purpose flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 4 medium bananas, mashed 1/2 tsp vanilla extract *Optional, 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1. Mix together all ingredients and stir thoroughly until fully combined (a hand mixer comes in handy) 2. Pour batter into 2 greased loaf pans 3. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour 4. Enjoy! Original Recipe

Southwest Chicken Chili Pasta

Funny story about this recipe. I made it for dinner with some friends and I taste tested and came to the conclusion it needed a little garlic. I ran to the cabinet since our guests were arriving in 5 minutes, grabbed what I thought was the garlic salt and shook it over the hot pot. Turns out, I was POURING chili powder into our dinner. I mean thank goodness this recipe already called for chili powder but I poured a good 1/4 cup in there. Thankfully, I was able to scoop most of it out but the added chili powder made this recipe even more delicious!!

Ingredients

2 cups uncooked pasta

2 tbsp EVOO

1 cup chopped white onion
1 cup chopped zucchini *my addition
1 cup chopped summer squash *my addition
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
1o ounce can Rotel diced tomatoes
1.5 cups chicken broth
1 can corn, drained
1 can white beans, drained
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Cook pasta according to the directions
2. Heat oil in a large pot and add onions, peppers, zucchini, and squash. Cook for about 5 minutes
3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute
Add chicken, tomatoes, broth, corn, beans,  pasta, chili powder, cumin,  and cilantro. Stir until well combined. 
4. Reduce heat to low and simmer until ready to serve.

Taco pizza

I love pizza. I love tacos. Why not mix the two? 

Y'all this recipe forever changed our lives. It is that good. And it is even good leftover! Score! Okay I need to hurry up and finish this post because I am craving a piece and funny enough (okay not funny)... I ate the last piece last night for dinner. Sigh. I will just have to make it again.

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef/turkey
1 package taco seasoning
1 10oz can refrigerated pizza dough
1 16oz can refried beans
2.5 cups shredded Colby Jack chese
1 cup diced tomatoes
Shredded lettuce
Salsa
*optional- mushrooms, olives, peppers

1. Brown the meat, drain grease, and prepare taco meat according to the seasoning packet
2. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 and unroll pizza dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
3. Spread beans on top of the cooked dough and top with taco meat, cheese, tomatoes, and any other toppings of your choice.
4. Return to the 375 degree oven and bake for 5-7 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.
5. Top with shredded lettuce and salsa and enjoy!

White chocolate Halloween snack mix

I had this recipe pinned for years (not even joking) and finally made it for our Halloween Hootenanny last weekend! I knew people would bring cookies and brownies and baked good sweets so I wanted to have something that was sweet and easy to snack on. I didn't follow the recipe too closely and that is my favorite type of recipe!

Ingredients- choose as much or little as you want, go through your cabinets and add what you already have! You want the bulk of your mix to be carby (cereal/pretzels) with hints of sweet.

Mini pretzels
Honey Chex cereal
Candy corn
Chocolate chips
Peanut butter chips
M&Ms
Dry roasted peanuts
White chocolate bark

1. Like I said above, get creative with what you use. I used 6 cups Honey Chex, 4 cups mini pretzels, 2 bags candy corn, 1 bag peanut butter chips, and 1 package of white chocolate bark. Use your best judgement.
2. Mix all ingredients, besides white chocolate, in a large bowl. Stir to completely combine.
3. Melt white chocolate in the microwave.
4. Pour over the snack mix and use a rubber spatula to make sure each piece is coated.
5. Spread snack mix over parchment paper and let harden for 1-2 hours.
6. Break into chunks and serve!

In a few weeks you can bust out the red and green M&Ms and make a Christmas snack mix!

Easy fruit cobbler

We had a similar cobbler dessert when we were up in Ohio last year and I've finally tweaked the original recipe to my liking! Nothing's more comforting than a hot piece of cobbler topped with vanilla ice cream, am I right? And because this dessert is full of fruit, I feel like I am eating healthy (muhaha). If you can open cans and slice butter then this recipe is for you. Easy. Quick. Yummy.
Ingredients 1 can pineapple chunks or tidbits (your choice, I use chunks), use the juice 2 cans sliced peaches, drain the juice 1 cup frozen berries (I used a raspberry, blueberry,blackberry, strawberry mix) 1 box yellow cake mix 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 stick butter
1. Mix together pineapple with juice, peaches without juice, and berries in a large bowl. 2. Pour into a non greased 9x13in baking pan 3. Sprinkle yellow cake mix over the berries 4. Sprinkle brown sugar over cake mix 5. Slice the butter into small slices (the smaller the better) and place evenly over cobbler 6. Bake at 375 for 45 minutes or until top is golden 7. Top with ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy!