Famous Buckeyes (Peanut Butter Balls)

If there is one sweet treat I am famous for, it is my buckeyes. I learned to make them years ago from a long-time friend, Katie. She had them at a Christmas party and shared the recipe with me. Over the years, they have become my signature holiday treat. Creamy peanut butter wrapped in a blanket of milk chocolate. Sounds simple, but they are truly a labor of love.

Ingredients:

Creamy Peanut Butter (disregard the cookie butter pictured below!)

melted butter

confectioner's sugar

Candiquik chocolate (secret weapon to not having the chocolate melt so quickly)

Step 1: Mix peanut butter, confectioner's sugar, and melted butter until you reach a non-sticky, but non-crumbly mixture (Notice I do not put measurement amounts, because I never measure!! For me, this is an 'eyeball it' kind of recipe - you may have to add a little conf. sugar if its too sticky or add a little butter if its too thick and crumbly)

Step 2: Pinch small amounts of peanut butter off the dough ball and make rounds by rolling between the palms of your hands. Place peanut butter balls on cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Step 3: Coat balls with melted chocolate. I use a product called Candiquik...I came across it years ago and it has changed my baking life! I first used chocolate morsels, but would run in to the chocolate melting too quickly. That's when I did my research and found this product. You can find it in most grocery stores on the baking aisle or around the holidays, in the holiday display. I will admit it can be tricky to find. 

To coat the balls, I use two spoons...this is what I have found the easiest for me. You may think of another way. When I was given the recipe, Katie said she would put the peanut ball on a toothpick and dip in the chocolate...didn't work so well for me. 

Step 4: Using the spoon on the left (I am left-handed...might be opposite for you), transfer the chocolate covered ball to the cookie sheet. Let them harden at ROOM TEMPERATURE. No need to stick them in the freezer or fridge to harden. I usually do store then in the fridge, but after they have sat out for a while. 

Edamame Yummy!

Surprisingly, edamame has become one of my husband's favorite foods! I say this because if you know Reece, he is actually picky - he will eat any type of meat - A-N-Y....this includes squirrel - but will turn his nose up at something healthy for him. 

We got hooked on Taquiera Tsunami's edamame and have tried to re-create it here. 

Ingredients:

Frozen Edamame (any grocery store should have it)

Soy sauce

Seasoning (Chili powder or I used my Chili 9000 which has several different spices in one)

Cook edamame per package directions. Once you remove from heat, immediately dash soy sauce over the beans (but don't saturate them too much); sprinkle your spices over, and toss. 

Simple, easy, healthy snack or appetizer. 

Easy Pot Roast (4 ingredients if you count water as one!)

Reece has been craving roast beef. I decided to pick up an eye of round piece of meat this weekend to give it a whirl. Found a really simple, quick crock pot recipe online and was impressed. Here goes....

Not the most appealing, okay, but I promise its delicious! I might be a little ketchup crazy with my taters :)

 Ingredients:
Eye of Round beef (~5 lbs....mine was actually 3 lbs)
2 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 package dry onion soup mix
2 cups water

Throw everything but the meat in crockpot and mix it up well. Then throw your piece of meat in and smother with the mixture.
Slow cook 8-9 hours.

After taking the meat out of the crockpot, the remaining mixture becomes your gravy!

I served with green beans, oven roasted taters, and a dinner roll.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

It's a rainy day in Georgia - soup is the perfect meal tonight!
(this can be made in to a freezer meal; it can also be doubled)

small white onion, cut in to small wedges
1 can corn
1 can rotel
1 can black beans
2 cans chicken broth
1-2 lbs. chicken breasts
minced garlic
cumin
taco seasoning (Penzey's)
cilantro
lime juice
3 Tbsp. Tequila! (optional - I have never tried it!)


Stovetop: Add cooked chicken to all of the above ingredients. Simmer 1.5 hrs!

Crockpot: Whether you have pulled the meal from the freezer or you are cutting everything up to immediately throw in the crockpot, dump all the ingredients in (raw chicken too). Simmer low 7-8 hours.
You will want to shred the chicken a bit once it has cooked.

Another easy-peasy meal!

Easy Peanut Butter Cookies (only 4 ingredients!)

Thank you Betty Crocker since I don't have a pic of my own!

This one is short and sweet, literally ;0) The best peanut butter cookies for 2 reasons: they really are delicious and you'll love them because they are quick!

Preheat oven 350 degrees

Mix together:
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Dough should not be sticky because you now want to take spoonfuls and make rounds using the palms of your hands. (If the dough is too sticky, add more sugar). Press lightly on to greased cookie sheet and make those criss-crosses that you normally find on peanut butter cookies...I use a fork.

Bake for about 10 minutes and let cool.

Spice up your night with homemade chili!

Chili - Easy, filling, tasty - enough said! Here is my take on making an American favorite. And you can make this in to a FREEZER MEAL!

1 lb lean ground beef
1 chopped white onion
1 chopped green bell pepper
2 1/2 Tbsp. chili powder
1 clove minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp cumin (but I add a lot more!)
4 tsp. finely chopped jalapeno pepper
29 oz. can diced canned tomatoes
small can of tomato sauce (the orig. recipe called for 15 oz. can but that was too much for me.)
16 oz. can kidney beans, un-drained
salt and pepper

**In lieu of all of the spices, I use a spice from Penzey's called Chili 9000 or Chili 3000 plus some extra cumin. ;0) (I know Penzey's exists in Atlanta and Bham).

'Chili on the spot' directions (if you are making and serving the same night):
1. Deep Cast Iron skillet, brown beef, onion, green bell pepper - sautee ~ 5 minutes, drain excess fat.
2. Add chili powder, garlic, bay leaf, cumin, jalapeno, tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, pepper. Bring to boil then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 1.5 hours. Stir occasionally.
3. Stir in kidney beans at last minute to heat thoroughly.

Freezer Chili
1. In cast iron skillet, brown beef and cool. Then throw in freezer bag and put in freezer.
2. Cut up all of your other ingredients and throw in a SEPARATE freezer bag including spices. Drain the kidney beans this time then throw in the bag. Freezer bag goes in the freezer!

When you are ready to cook, thaw chili and meat. Throw it all in crock pot and cook low 6-7 hours.

Lunchtime twist on Hummus Wrap

Being that I am not a morning person, I was rushing out the door this morning. I had not packed my lunch yet, so I just grabbed what I could: hummus, wheat tortillas, and sweet potato chips. My plan was the usual, hummus wrap with a side of chips...but I decided to branch out. I am eating my hummus, but with toasted tortilla crisps this time! What an easy twist on a healthier choice for lunch?!

I put two tortillas in the toaster oven at work on broil and 5 minutes later I had 'crisps'! I broke them up in to to smaller pieces and now I have chips to dip in my hummus! (wondering about those sweet potato chips I mentioned before?? - Well I might have eaten a few while I was toasting the other "crisps"!)

Toastin' Up!

Nice and Crispy!

Quick and easy twist on lunch