Category Archives: After School Snacks

April 17, 2011 · 5:10 pm

Yummy Biscuits

Yes, I named these myself. It may not be a very creative name, but it certainly describes them. This recipe is actually just the topping to the pot pie recipe I posted about a week or so ago. I was eating the leftovers that didn’t make it onto the pot pie and realized these would make super yummy biscuits just by themselves.

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
6 Tbsp unsalted butter , cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese
1 c. heavy cream

Instructions:
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cayenne in large bowl.

Sprinkle butter pieces over top of flour. Using fingers, rub butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in Parmesan.

Add cream and stir until just combined.

Using a tablespoon, drop biscuit mixture onto baking sheet, making sure biscuits are spaced about an inch or two apart so they don’t run together.

Bake at 450-degrees until fragrant and starting to brown (8-10 minutes).

What did the family think? They were ticked that I ate all the leftovers before they got a chance to eat some, too.

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Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Vegetarian

April 12, 2011 · 8:44 am

Chocolate Glazed Pound Cake

Very little effort and you get a dessert that everyone loves and it looks like you’ve been in the kitchen all afternoon preparing it. (It only takes about three minutes.)

Ingredients:
6 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
1 stick butter, cut up
1 T honey
1 pound cake (we found one already made in our grocer’s bakery)

Instructions:
Microwave chopped bittersweet chocolate with butter and honey on 75 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Place a loaf of pound cake on a rack and drizzle with the glaze.

What did the family think? I am not sure which they enjoyed more…the finished product or the pool of chocolatey goodness that collected underneath the cake…lots of little fingers scooping up the extra chocolate.

from Food Network

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Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

March 28, 2011 · 1:15 pm

Guacamole

I had never, ever, ever made guacamole until last night, but I had everything I needed to make it so I thought I would give it a try. It turned out great and there were zero leftovers. (By the way, my brother makes the best guacamole I have ever eaten, but I don’t have his recipe. Actually, I don’t think there is a recipe…he just wings it.)

Ingredients:
3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced

We had this with Chips and Salsa Chicken.

Instructions:
In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated.

Using a potato masher or fork add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve.

Did I change anything? I only had one avocado, so I just reduced the amounts of the other ingredients. I wish my avocado would have been a little bit softer, too. I didn’t have time to let it sit four an hour. I just made it and then we ate it.

What did the family think? The boys wouldn’t touch it, but hubby and I gobbled it up.

from Food Network

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Mexican, Salad, Side Dish, Vegetarian

March 21, 2011 · 12:04 am

Pepita and Cranberry Rice Krispy Treats

I haven’t made these in forever, but they are SOOOO good! They’re like Rice Krispy treats for grown-ups.

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1/2 cup raw green pumpkinseeds
1/4 cup butter
1 (8-ounce) package miniature marshmallows (about 5 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 cups oven-toasted rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
1 cup dried cranberries

Instructions:
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add pumpkinseeds; cook 4 minutes or until seeds begin to pop and lightly brown, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool.

Lightly coat a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in marshmallows; cook 2 minutes or until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla and salt. Stir in reserved seeds, cereal, and cranberries. Scrape mixture into prepared dish using a rubber spatula.

Lightly coat hands with cooking spray; press cereal mixture evenly into prepared dish. Cool completely.

Did I change anything? I threw a little wheat germ in there for good measure… about 2T.

What did the family think? Thumbs up from everyone!

from Cooking Light

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Filed under After School Snacks, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Vegetarian

March 16, 2011 · 9:08 am

Nutella Waffle Bits

A smaller version of a recipe that’s in Food Network’s magazine this week….bite-sized yumminess.

Ingredients:
Mini-waffles
Nutella
Strawberries, thinly sliced (optional)
Cocoa powder (optional)

Instructions:
Toast waffles and let cool.

Spread Nutella on one waffle and place a strawberry slice on top. Top with a second waffle to make a sandwich. Dust with cocoa powder. Enjoy!

What did the family think? We tried these both with and without strawberries and they are both great!

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

March 15, 2011 · 9:36 am

Itty Bitty Pies

Several, several years ago I made these with my nieces at Christmas. I hadn’t made them since and I have no idea why because they are ridiculously easy and crazy good.

Ingredients:
Cooking Spray
Your choice of pie filling (apple and cherry are what we’ve tried)
Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts…the kind you roll out

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Spray cookie sheet with cooking oil.

Let pie crust sit out for about five minutes before unrolling. You will use both crusts that are in the package.

Unroll pie crusts and use a wide-mouth glass to cut circles out. I use the Pampered Chef circle cutter, so you use that if you have one of those.

You should have about 12 circles when you are done depending on how big your circles are and how close together you cut them out.

Lay out one circle and put a dollop of pie filling in the center and cover with another circle. Use a fork to press edges together. Continue until you have used all your circles. If you have one circle left over you can put a little filling in it and just fold it in half.

Place pies on the cookie sheet and bake for 5-7 minutes or until they start to get golden brown.

What did the family think? These are so spectacularly awesome.

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

March 14, 2011 · 9:03 am

Mini Waffle Ice Cream Sandwiches

I got this idea from this month’s Food Network magazine. They used the big waffles, but I thought that seemed like a little too much dessert and way too messy. Plus, if you use the little waffles you can have more than one and try a different ice cream flavor in each one.

Ingredients:
Mini waffles
Ice cream

Instructions:
Toast the waffles and let cool.

Scoop ice cream onto one waffle and top with another waffle. Voila! Dessert!

What did the family think? Yum!

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Filed under After School Snacks, Definitely Making it Again, Desserts, Easy, Everybody Ate It, Six Ingredients or Less, Super Easy to Make, Vegetarian

March 9, 2011 · 11:55 am

Jessica Seinfeld’s Yellow Cake

I don’t like cake and I could eat this cake all day long. It is SOOOOOO good…moist and yummy! The icing is to die for as well and I don’t like icing either.

Cake
Ingredients:
nonstick cooking spray
18 ounces yellow cake mix, any brand (I used vanilla.)
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 large eggs
6 ounces nonfat yogurt (lemon, banana, or vanilla flavored) *I used lemon.

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray your cakepan with non-stick spray and lightly flour.

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

Pour batter into the cake pan. Bake about 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Did I change anything? The original recipe called for one additional egg white which I left out.

What did the family think? Super duper thumbs up! SOOO good!

Icing
Ingredients:
8 ounces whipped cream cheese (Buy the kind that is already whipped.)
1/2 cup pureed carrot (use baby food)
2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate or the juice from 1/2 a medium orange
1-2 tsp powdered sugar (Do a taste test before you add it.)

Instructions:
Put the cream cheese in a microwaveable bowl. Put in the microwave for just a few seconds
(10-15 maybe?) just to soften it up a little bit.

Beat the carrots, cream cheese and orange juice until smooth in a medium bowl.

Spread on cake after cake has cooled.

Keeps at room temp for 2 days. This makes enough for a batch of 12 standard cupcakes.

Did I change anything? I left out the salt the recipe originally called for and I added about 1-2 tsp of powdered sugar. Taste yours before you add it, but I just thought it needed to be a little sweeter. I also used whipped cream cheese and I think it made the texture of the icing fantabulous.

What did the family think? Yummo!

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February 28, 2011 · 1:17 pm

Carrot Muffins

These would be great for breakfast or just for a snack.

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups unbleached flour
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 (6 ounce) jars pureed carrots (use baby food)
1/2 cup egg substitute (equal to 2 eggs)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine dry ingredients (flour, sugar, oat bran, baking soda, allspice, salt, and baking powder) in a medium bowl.

Combine wet ingredients (carrots, egg substitute, applesauce, raisins, and vanilla) in a large bowl.

Combine wet and dry mixtures just until flour is moistened.

Spoon batter into muffin tins, and bake for 25 minutes (or until muffins pass the”toothpick test”).

Did I change anything? I only used half as much oatmeal as the recipe calls for and I added 1/4 cup of wheat germ. My mom used to sneak wheat germ into everything from muffins to spaghetti sauce when we were growing up.

What did the family think? Hubby is at work and the boys are at school, but I ate one and I thought it was very good. The raisins are a definite must though. I don’t think I would like it without the raisins.

from food.com

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Filed under After School Snacks, Bread, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Easy, Vegetarian

February 24, 2011 · 4:54 pm

Egg (and Bacon) Cups

We had a snow day today, so we celebrated with some yummy egg cups for breakfast (which was actually more like brunch).

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
4 6-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 large egg
3 large egg whites
1/2 cup cauliflower puree
2 slices turkey bacon, chopped (optional)
4 tablespoons shredded lowfat cheddar cheese
Handful of chopped tomatoes and scallions (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a six-cup muffin tin, coat four of the cups with cooking spray.

Hold up a tortilla and make two pleats, folding it into a cup. Then gently press and fit it into one of the muffin cups. Repeat with the remaining tortillas. Some of the tortilla should still be sticking up out over the top of the muffin cup.

In a small bowl, whisk the egg, egg whites, and cauliflower puree until smooth. Distribute the egg mixture among the four tortillas.

Sprinkle with the bacon and cheddar cheese. Bake, uncovered, for about 15 to 20
minutes or until the egg is cooked through and the cheese is lightly
browned.

Serve topped with chopped tomatoes and scallions, if desired.

Did I change anything? I made these with just the eggs, tortillas, cheese and cauliflower. I left out the bacon, tomatoes and scallions. I bet you could probably leave out the cauliflower too if you didn’t have any or didn’t want to mess with it. These took more than 20 minutes to cook. I would set the time for 15 minutes and then keep checking on them. You will know they are starting to get done because the eggs will start to puff up. Also, these are HOT when they come out of the oven, so be careful.

What did the family think? SUPER yum!!! These were so great! We all loved the cheesy eggs, but I think my favorite part was the crunchy part of the tortilla.

from Jessica Seinfeld

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Filed under After School Snacks, Breakfast, Definitely Making it Again, Everybody Ate It, Vegetarian