Tropical Granola

I have been having such a craving for tropical dried fruit lately. Maybe it is the warmer weather or something...who knows. I don't like to snack on just dried fruit though because it does have quite a bit of sugar. I was trying to think of a way to get my tropical fruit craving filled and came up with Tropical Granola! I am a little obsessed with homemade granola lately. It is so delicious and you can customize it to your craving of the week. I found this recipe on Annie's Eats, but modified it slightly. The original recipe calls for 1/3 cup brown sugar; to be honest, I forgot to put it in, but it still tastes great! The original recipe also uses pineapple puree instead of honey. Since I didn't have any pineapple available I used honey. It also calls for coconut extract, but I left it out.

Tropical Granola

5 and 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/3 cup honey
1 ripe banana mashed
1/3 cup applesauce (I used the unsweetened type)
1/2 tsp salt
Dash of cinnamon
1 cup shredded coconut
2 cups dried tropical fruit
1/2 cup nut of your choice (optional- I left this out this time)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Measure oats into a large bowl and add in nuts if you are using them. In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, mashed banana, applesauce, salt, cinnamon until well combined and smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the oats and stir until evenly coated. Spread mixture evenly on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake at 352F for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn the granola. Bake for 15 more minutes. Cool for about 15 minutes and then add in fruit and chocolate chips. Stir or toss to combine.

Yummy Easy Side Dish

This recipe is so easy and quick and so delicious! It seems like such a fancy dish, but it literally took me less than 2 minutes to put together. I used canned veggies, but you could use fresh.

Green Beans with Sundried Tomatoes and Garlic
Makes 1 serving of sundried tomato topping (because the hubby won't even try it)

1 can of green beans (I used the sodium free canned green beans)
2 sundried tomatoes
1 small garlic clove
1 tsp water (or oil)

1. In a food processor or blender (I used a small one), blend water, garlic clove and sundried tomatoes. I like mine a little chunky, but you can make it any consistency you like.
2. Heat (or cook) green beans.
3. Spoon sundried tomato topping over green beans and ENJOY!

This would be a great low fat, low salt, low carb, quick and easy side dish!

Freschetta and a Giveaway!!

I recently signed up to be part of the Freschetta Fresh Connection bloggers. They contacted me and asked me to be part of a blog review and giveaway. They sent me some coupons to try their By the Slice and their Simply...Inspired.
I got the Bruschetta Simply...Inspired variety and had a tasting with some family. I decided to try the Bruschetta variety because I am a huge fan of tomatoes and this pizza looked like it was covered from the picture on the package. My husband is a picky eater, and in order for him to enjoy a slice, I decided this was probably the safest of the choices as most of the other choices had veggies that he would not even try. On exam of the pizza when removing it from the package, I discovered that I was right about the great number of tomatoes. If you like tomatoes, this could be your pizza. We popped it in the oven, sliced it up and took a taste. The crust is thin, just like the hubby likes. The cheese is very tasty when you compare to other brands of frozen pizza. I could have honestly used a little more Italian spice flavoring to punch up the bruschetta flavor. It was mostly very tomatoe-y, but I still very much enjoyed it. The family all agreed that this was a very delicious frozen pizza and will be one try another of again.
I also had a coupon for a By the Slice pizza. I decided to try Vegetable Medley because I am a huge fan of veggie pizza. Again, did not dissapoint.
Prior to trying these pizzas, I had never before tried Freschetta variety, but I plan on trying some of their other varities (especially the natural rising and for the hubby the California style).
Freschetta has generously offered to allow their bloggers to have a giveaway for Freschetta coupons and a storage container set.
Here is how to enter: Visit http://www.freschetta.com/ and leave a comment below telling me which variety you would be excited to try. In order to receive your coupon, please leave me a way to contact you in order to get your address so they can mail you your prize.
Winner will be randomly selected on 5/5! Good luck

Disclaimer- Freschetta did provide me with free coupons to try their product as well as a storage container set in order to do a blog review on their products.


Winner Is...

True Random Number Generator

Min: 1
Max: 3
Result:
1

From Random.org- Congrats!!

Root Beer Baked Beans

This weekend, Sams club was giving out free cookbook for giving them your email address. So many good recipes in this cookbook and this was one! We decided to make a pulled pork for dinner, so my mom wanted to try the Root Beer Baked Beans to go along with it. We plan on saving some for Easter too (we will have to make Easter easy this year, because the hubby and I are moving Easter weekend!!). These are so tasty! My recipe is slightly different from the cookbook, so I will post what I made. Root Beer Baked Beans 1 medium onion diced 5 strips of bacon diced (I used cooked peppered bacon pieces- I think Hormel is the brand) 2 cans baked beans (28 oz each)- I used Bush's Honey baked beans and Maple Cured Bacon baked beans 3/4 cup root beer 1/3 cup barbeque sauce 1/2 tsp mustard powder 1. In large deep skillet, saute onion (if using raw bacon cook with onion until bacon is crisp). If using cooked bacon pieces, add after onion has softened and cook until bacon is fragrant and heated through. 2. Add cans of baked beans, root beer, barbeque sauce and mustard powder. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until slightly thicekend. You can serve at this point or put in an oven proof dish and continue heating in the oven. I served after heating on the stove.

Almond Joy Cupcakes

Yum! Try these! I used a recipe for the topping and glaze from foodnetwork.com. You can find that recipe here Almond Joy Cupcakes CAKE 1 box coconut cake mix 1/3 cup applesauce (substitution for oil in cake mix) 3 eggs 1 1/3 cup water 1/3 cup minced almonds COCONUT TOPPING 14 oz shredded coconut 1 Tbsp powdered sugar 2 cups milk (original recipe calls for whole milk- I used 1/2 cup coffee creamer and 1 1/2 cup skim milk) 1/2 tsp vanilla extract Pinch of salt CHOCOLATE GLAZE AND GARNISH 6 oz bittersweet or semisweet chocolate 3 Tbps light corn syrup 1 Tbsp unsalted butter 3 Tbsp hot water (I forgot to put this in and it came out fine) Whole almonds for garnish 1. Preheat oven as directed on box of cake mix. Line cupcake pan with paper liners 2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, applesauce, water, minced almonds and mix with electric mixer as directed on box. Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full. 3. Bake cupcakes as directed on package. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Using a spoon, scoop out the center of the top of the cupcake to make room for coconut topping. 4. While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the coconut topping. In a medium saucepan, stir together milk, coconut, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Bring to a boil over medium high heat stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium or medium-low and allow to simmer until most of the milk has absorbed (approx 15 minutes) stirring occasionally. Allow to cool. 5. In a microwave safe dish, combine chocolate, corn syrup, butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Microwave at 50% power for 1 minute. If chocolate is completely melted, remove from microwave, stir and keep warm. If not completely melted, continue to microwave until melted. 6. Fill top of cupcakes with coconut topping and top with chocolate glaze. Top with whole almond for garnish.

Wonton Desserts

With some of my leftover wonton wrappers, I decided to make a dessert. Of course, there is chocolate...dessert is never complete without chocolate.

Wonton desserts

Banana wontons

1/2 package of wonton wrappers
1 banana
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Sugar and cinnamon for dusting

1. If frying, bring oil up to 350F. If baking, preheat oven to 350F and prepare baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Dice banana.
3. Put a small amount of banana and a few chocolate chips (do not overstuff) at the tip of the wonton closest to you. Fold in side tips and roll into tight roll.
4. If baking, place on baking sheet and bake until browned. If frying place in oil and cook until browned. Be sure not to overcrowd oil as this will drop the temperature.
5. When finished cooking, dust with sugar and cinnamon.

Raspberry wontons

1/2 pacakge wonton wrappers
1/4 cup raspberry preserves
1/4 cup chocolate chips
Sugar for dusting

1. If frying, bring oil to 350F. If baking, preheat oven to 350F and prepare baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Put a small amount of raspberry preserves close to end of wonton wrapper closest to you. Place a few chocolate chips over preserves. Fold in side tips and roll tip closest to you towards opposite ends to make a roll with edges tucked in.
3. If baking, place on baking sheet and bake until browned. If frying, place in oil and fry until browned. Be sure not to overcrowd oil as this drops the temperature and will lead to soggy rolls. Remove from oven or oil and dust with sugar.

Easy Veggie Egg Rolls

After making the baked crab rangoons I had over half a package of wonton wrappers left. I couldn't decide what to do with them. Well tonight, we decided to whip up some yummy football food to eat while watching the games today. Mom made chili and nachos, so I decided to make some mini egg rolls. I didn't want to add any meat since we already had beef in the chili and chicken on the nachos; so I decided to make them vegetables only. This recipe is so easy, but you do have to roll them which takes some time.

Veggie Egg Rolls

1/2 Package of wonton wrappers (I had the small square ones, so I made miniature egg rolls, but you could make regular sized ones if you get the larger wonton wrappers)
1 cup coleslaw mix (or you could use shredded cabbage)- DO NOT get coleslaw that has the sauce, the mix is a bag of shredded cabbage with carrot
1 carrot, shredded
3/4 tsp ginger, finely minced (we had the ginger paste in the tube, so that is what I used)
Oil for frying

1. If you decide to fry these, bring oil up to approx 350F, or preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine coleslaw mix, carrot, and ginger and stir to combine.
3. Put a small amount (make sure not to overstuff) of the mixture at the tip of the wonton wrapper that is closest to you. Roll tip over filling and then fold to side corners in. Continue to roll tightly. Seal the edge with water.
4. If baking, place on baking sheet that is sprayed with nonstick spray. Spray tops of rolls with spray. If frying, place a few in the oil at a time- be sure not to overcrowd as each roll you add will decrease the temperature of the oil. Cook until browned.

That's it! It is so easy, and they were so delicious!