Mom's Protein Balls

Here's a yummy, healthy treat for school lunches or an anytime snack. My mom has been making these protein balls for years.  It's a great way to use up the cereal at the bottom of the bag or whatever dried fruit you have in your pantry.  That's exactly what I did yesterday with the frosted mini-wheats and golden raisins. 

For the protein balls you'll need:
1/2 cup peanut butter (plain or crunchy)
3/4 cup dry milk
1/2 cup flax seed meal
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup crushed cereal (rice cereal, corn flakes, shredded wheat, whatever you like)

In a mixing bowl, combine the above ingredients.

Then add:
1/3 cup raisins or dried cranberries (I used a little bit of both.)
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Mix together and roll into teaspoon-size balls.  Keep refrigerated until ready to eat so the balls stay together. 

Makes 16 protein balls.

Grilled Salmon Tacos with Fresh Pico de Gallo

Last night M made delicious grilled salmon tacos with homemade pico de gallo.  He made the pico in the afternoon so the flavors could merry. 

Pico de gallo:
1 to 1 1/2 cups diced tomatoes  
1/4 cup diced onion
1 clove minced garlic
salt and pepper
freshly squeezed lime juice
handful of chopped cilantro

On the flat-top grill pan he warmed the wheat-corn tortillas.  Then he sprayed the hot flat-top grill with cooking spray and simply grilled the salmon with salt, pepper, and some lime juice.  The fish cooked in a few minutes. 

Here's another shot of the tacos with homemade cole slaw, 

which was leftover from earlier in the week.  A yummy addition to this Mexican meal!

Loaded Football Fries

It's the first Sunday of the football season, which means all-day football watching, drinks, and of course FOOD.  During the season we like to indulge on some not-so-healthy football foods.  Now we could order take-out, but I thought why not make our gluttonous treats at home and maybe even make them a bit healthier. 

For loaded football fries you'll need:

1/2 bag of crinkle or waffle fries
1/2 medium onion, diced 
few tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil 
1/2 can of chili, vegetarian chili, or beans
few tablespoons of cheese sauce
few dollops of sour cream or non-fat plain Greek yogurt
salt and pepper to taste 
chopped green onions/scallions

Directions:
1. Bake the fries in the oven until crispy.  About 25 minutes. 
2. While the fries are cooking, get a sauce pan and add oil and diced onions.  Cook until translucent.  Then add chili or beans of your choice.  Cook until hot. 
3. Warm a few tablespoons of cheese sauce in a separate pan or in a microwave-safe dish in the microwave.
4. When the fries are crispy, transfer them to a plate.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Then layer your other ingredients: chili/beans, cheese sauce, sour cream or Greek yogurt, and top with green onions.

May the best team win!

Yum-Yum Cake

Growing up my Aunt Doris made Robert Redford cake; it was delicious and very similar to this Yum-Yum recipe, but with a nutty pecan bottom and shaved chocolate on top.   Aunt Doris was an amazing baker, but I was afraid that her recipes, like this one, were lost.  I spoke to my Mom and it turns out she has Aunt Doris' family recipes and old cookbooks -YAY; this one is similar the one my Mom shared over the phone.

On the other side of the family, we have some nut allergies.  M's cousin started making Yum-Yum Cake for family gatherings.  This nut-free, layered dessert is always a huge hit. Yesterday I made it for our Labor Day cookout.

For Yum-Yum Cake you'll need a 9x9 pan.

Layer 1:
1 cup of graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup of melted butter

Combine the graham cracker crumbs and melted butter in a bowl.  Spray the 9x9 inch pan with cooking spray and press into the dish.  Bake for 15 minutes @ 350°F.  Set aside to cool. 

Layer 2:
4 ounces cream cheese (I have used regular, light, and free-fat and they all work.)
4 ounces Cool Whip
1/2 cup powered sugar

With an electric mixer, blend these ingredients together and spread onto of the cooled graham cracker crust.  Place in the refrigerator to set.

Layer 3:
Make a small box of instant chocolate pudding according to the directions.  Pour on top of layer 2.  Again, place in the refrigerator to set.

Layer 4:
Spread the remainder of the Cool Whip (4 more ounces) on top and add sprinkles.  Keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Cooking Notes:
We make this recipe in a 9x9 pan because if you don't eat it within a few days it gets soggy.  This is the perfect size for our friends and us.  You could always double the recipe for a 13x9 pan. 

Baby Bibs

 Look at these cute baby bibs! 

 

I purchased the cross-stitching bibs from Jo-Ann Fabrics, but added scrap fabric to them instead.   

 

Elephants, hippos, monkeys, strawberries...oh my!

Perfect Pumpkin Muffins - And Vegan Too

These pumpkin muffins are scrumptious.  They're moist, light, and vegan too. 

The original recipe (which I changed a bit) is for pumpkin bread.  The bread makes a mess in our house and we don't always eat it.  The MUFFINS on the other hand go quickly.  Just unwrap the paper lining and pop them in your mouth for a quick little snack. 


 Makes 12 Perfect Pumpkin Muffins:

1/2 cup chopped walnuts, peanuts, or whatever nuts you have on hand
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon all-spice 
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup coconut milk
1/3 cup flaked coconut
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F and place 12 paper liners in your muffin tins. 
  
2. If using walnuts, toast them for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly toasted, on an ungreased baking sheet.  Place aside to cool. 

3. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, brown sugar, white sugar, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, all spice, and cinnamon. Add the pumpkin puree, oil, and coconut milk.  Mix all the ingredients. Gently fold in the flaked coconut, mini chocolate chips, and toasted walnuts. 

4. Place the batter into the 12 paper liners. 

5. Bake for about 25 minutes.  Let cool and enjoy!

Cooking Notes:

I have made this recipe several times.  Yesterday I did not have any walnuts, so I used some peanut pieces and it worked.  I didn't toast the peanuts because they were already roasted (so I skipped Step #2). You can even see the peanuts in the above photo.

Also I reduced the amount of oil from the original recipe because they were too greasy; in fact, you could see the excess oil on the liners and in the muffin tins. 

Nine Little Elephants: A Baby Quilt

Nine Little Elephants 

My newest baby quilt creation -  nine little elephants from nine different fabrics. I used the same nine fabrics for the ear and border. I saw a pattern here, but created my own. This finished quilt is about 45"x48".

Using Wonder-Under and a high iron, I attached each pachyderm onto a 7"x8" white rectangle.  Then I top-stitched each one with a zig-zag stitch, and added the border (again the border and ear are the same material).  The finished squares were 12" each.  Next I joined each square and row with a white border (the same fabric the elephants were mounted on).

I sent the quilt top to Bayberry Quilts for the finishing touches. They quilted and bound it with the blue fabric I used for the upper right elephant and the border in the opposite corner.

Finally I included a handmade elephant card and gave this quilt for a baby shower gift.