hey you! yeah you!

this week we're trying a few new things on the menu, but I'm running outta ideas. Some of those things on Pinterest I just don't wanna touch :)

I need some suggestions! What are some things y'all wanna see up in here? *here said in my best dirty st louey accent)

Protein Bars

So, having a soy allergy is such a nasty issue when you're looking at MRE's or any kind of protein drink/bar. This gal and soy don't party well. Don't party with lactose well either! :) Kind of limits the protein choices.  Before I left the fascinating world of accounting, one of the CPA's wives gave me a recipe for homemade protein bars. I, of course, added my own twist and want to share :) :)

What you need:

2 cups quick oats 

1/2 C almond butter or PB2 :)

2 TB chia seeds (COSTCO!!)

2 scoops of protein powder ( i use Gold Standard 100% Whey)

1/4-1/2 cup agave nectar

What you do:

Mix WELL and press into and 8*8 pan. Let set for roughly 1 hour and then cut into bars. I wrapped mine in wax paper and then stored them in an airtight container.

NOW! That's the basis of it. If you want it to take like a peanut butter cup, use the PB2 and Double Chocolate protein. It seriously is A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! You can mix and match the protein powders and try different nut butters :) I tried Vanilla Ice Cream powder with the almond butter and then added a little cinnamon. Loved the combination :)

Peach Cobbler revisited

So, for the life of me, I could not find the cookbook I had been working on anywhere on my backup drive. To say I was a little cranky would be an understatement.  My favorite couple came over for dinner Sunday and I wanted to make peach cobbler. Alas-the recipe was with the missing cookbook. So, I did some searching and found a few I was willing to tweak. Then my fave Jenny found one that was much better, so I tweaked that one :)

What you need:

1/2 cup Butter-NOT margarine

1 cup All-purpose flour

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1 TB baking powder

1 cup milk

2 quarts of peaches ( or 2 large cans if you're not lucky enough to have your own canned ones )

3 tsp of ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup white sugar(optional)

What you do:

Preheat oven to 350. Put the butter in a 9*13 baking dish and place it in the oven. You want the butter to melt into the pan while the oven is preheating. In a medium size bowl, combine the sugar, flour and baking powder. Mix well. Pour in milk and mix until all is combined. (i HATE lumpy batter, but if you're okay with it, it doesn't have to be perfect lol) Drain peaches of most of the "syrup" Save roughly 1/4 of the bottle. Pour the flour mixture into the pan with the melted butter. DO NOT MIX TOGETHER. Just pour it on top of the melted butter. Place the peaches on top of the flour mixture. Sprinkle the cinnamon and nutmeg on the peaches and if desired (for sweeter cobbler) sprinkle the white sugar on the peaches as well. Pop it back in the oven and bake for 35-40 mins, depending on your oven. You want your cobbler to be a happy color but still have the juices from the peaches. A dry cobbler is a sad cobbler. You can either wait for it to thicken up after you take it out of the oven, or you can just dive it (like us lol) Taste HEAVENLY with vanilla ice cream.

Changes with the Mrs B

So, I started this blog because I LOVE baking and cooking for my family. Unfortunately, life got in the way and I've taken a BIG break. Between work, family, and everything else, I had NO time for blogging. Recently, the Mr was offered an amazing job. This job has made it possible for me to be a stay at home momma. Guess who's coming back to the blogging world?!? :) :)

After Aug 3rd, you're going to be seeing a lot of me, so HA!

Apple Cake take 1

I had a request for Apple Cake. I've used this recipe a few times. I'm currently trying to find a way to add some pizazz.

What you need:

1/4 C granulated sugar

2 C flour

2 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

2 medium eggs

1/2 C veggie oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 c chopped walnuts 

5 1/2 C chopped apples ( i like to mix it up with Fuji, Gala, Red Delicious & at least Granny Smith)

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9*13 pan with Pam. In mixing bowl, combine all dry ingredients, (sugar, flour, cinnamon, soda) Add wet ingredients and mix well. Fold in your apples and nuts. Make sure that all the apples are evenly coated. The mix may seem a little dry. Don't worry! Once the baking gets going. those apples will let their juices flow. Pour mix into pan and bake for 45-50 minutes. If you're like me and don't wanna wait, gobble it up warm :)

I hope my reader can use this and it's like the one she remembers. If there's something missing, please let me know!!!!

Easy Tasty Peach Cobbler

I apologize first off, for no pictures. We ate it all before I could :) But!! If you need a testimonial of the tastiness, please ask my sister-in-law :)

What you need:

1/2 C butter (1 stick)

1 c flour plus 1 tsp baking powder or just 1 C self-rising flour (if you're cool enuf to have it)

1 C white sugar

1 C milk

1 1/2 - 2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 16 oz can of peaches (i used a 21 oz can and drained half of the syrup. you can also used 1 qrt of your own canned peaches)

Whatcha do:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and flour. Add sugar. Slowly mix in the milk and vanilla. Pour into 8*8 baking dish. Mix cinnamon, nutmeg and peaches together. Pour over batter. Bake for 1 hour. It's HEAVEN eaten just out of the oven with vanilla ice cream. My mouth is watering just thinking about it :)

I know, I know. You're asking yourselves, "Where the hannah has she been?"  :) I've been here. Just lazy. But now that I'm moving into my 5th month of pregnancy and it's getting cooler, you will hopefully see more of me :)

Today, I logged onto Pinterest and was bombarded with fall happiness!! Autumn is my FAVORITE season and not just because things get to be orange :) As I've said before-i love the smells, the crispness in the air. Heck! I love everything!

So I decided that I needed to make something pumpkin-y to get me in the mood. So, here is my fave reason for Pumpkin Streusel Top Muffins

 

What you need:

2 1/2 C flour (i do half wheat/half white when i wanna feel healthier)

1/2 C quick oats

4 heaping tsp pumpkin spice*

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

 1 1/2 C pumpkin puree

1 C light brown sugar

1 C granulated sugar

2/3 c veg oil

1/2 C applesauce (unsweetened)

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

STREUSEL TOPPING

1/4 C packed brown sugar

2 TB softened butter

2 TB quick oats

2 TB flour

*if you don't have pumpkin spice, I'll post at the end how to make your own

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in their spots on your pan :)

In mixing bowl, combine: pumpkin, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs, & vanilla. Mix well. In separate bowl combine flour, oats, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, & salt. Slowly add dry to wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.

 Scoop into cupcake liner and fill almost to the top. In a small bowl, combine streusel topping until it's crumbly. I use a fork :) Put a little streusel topping on the muffin mixture.

Bake for 25-30 mins. When the muffins spring back when touched, they're done. 

PUMPKIN SPICE

Combine 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/2 tsp ginger & 1/4 tsp cloves. Mix and store in airtight container. I always double it at least!