Bran Muffins

I know this seems odd- but I do love Bran Muffins! They taste so good when heated up and served with a bit of butter. I am contemplating adding some bananas to the batter before baking. I ate one of these every morning of my first pregnancy. So tasty with the breakfast smoothie to accompany it!

The ingredients:
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbs baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups All Bran Cereal
1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil

The instructions:
In large mixing bowl combine Cereal and milk. Let stand until cereal is soft. In a smaller bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt (I add it all to the bowl and use a wire whisk to combine). Add eggs and oil to the cereal. Beat well. Add flour mixture stirring only until combined. Scoop into 12 paper lined muffin cups. Bake at 400ºF for 20 minutes. Store uneaten muffins in a ziplock bag for up to one week (room temperature). These freeze well.

Corn Bread

This recipe used to be one of my catch-all family favorites... then my husband was diagnosed with a condition that made it so that he could no longer enjoy corn. Since then I have been forced to shelf this recipe. But just because I can't enjoy it, doesn't mean you can't!

The ingredients:
1 can corn drained
1 can creamed corn
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
16-18 oz corn bread mix
1/4 cup melted butter


The instructions:
Mix all ingredients together and put in an ungreased 9X13-baking dish. Bake at 350ºF for 55 min.

It's as easy as that! Enjoy!

Crock Pot Honey BBQ Ribs

I think this may be one of my favorite meals of all time. Especially good in the winter. It gives you that smoky flavor as though you slaved over an outdoor grill to prepare this tasty dish. It is so tender that turning it into a BBQ pulled pork sandwich is a snap! The key to this fake barbecued flavor is the liquid smoke. IT adds the perfect touch or smoke.

The ingredients:
3 lbs. boneless pork ribs
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 c. ketchup
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. spicy brown mustard
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke

The instructions:
Place pork ribs in bottom of slow cooker. Cover and cook on High for 3 hours. Drain
and discard liquid. Reduce heat to Low. In a bowl, combine garlic salt, pepper,
ketchup, brown sugar, honey, spicy brown mustard, Worcestershire sauce and liquid
smoke. Mix well. Pour over ribs in slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 3 hours.
Serve with rice. Or shred and serve on rolls.

(This recipe freezes well. Double the batch, and freeze half for a future dinner.)

Chicken and Black Eyed Peas

It is that time of year when I find myself extra busy, with too much on my plate and not enough time in my day. So, of course, I have a very good relationship with my crock pot! There is nothing quite so nice as preparing your dinner early in the day and then not needing to worry about it anymore! This recipe is simple, and delicious! A true family favorite. My daughters especially love the "beans" (black eyed peas).

The ingredients:
1 (16-oz.) can diced tomatoes
2 tsp. salt
1 (16-oz.) can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
2 tsp. rosemary
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 (8-oz.) can tomato sauce
1 bone in chicken (whole or cut into pieces)
1/4 c. water

The instructions:
Mix everything together in crock pot and cook on high for 1 hour then on low for 6 more. OR- Cook in pressure cooker until rocking, turn down heat and allow to rock for 15-20 minutes. Serve over rice.

(It is pretty heavy on the rosemary- feel free to cut it back if you don't love rosemary as much as we do!)

Breakfast Smoothie

A few years ago when I was still working full time, my hubby and I had a hard time coming up with breakfast on the fly. Cereal never seemed to cut it for us, and we would find ourselves starving within a couple hours. So we created this recipe. Not only is it good, but you can change it up daily. What a great way to start the day!

The ingredients:
1 c. juice (any kind)
2 heaping T. yogurt (Vanilla, or any other flavor)
1 frozen banana (break into pieces before freezing, store in freezer bags)
1 handful frozen fruit (preaches, berries, melon, etc.)


The instructions:

Add everything to a blender...




...and blend away!



If smoothie is too thick, add more juice, if too thin, add yogurt or more fruit.

You may have to chase away some rascals who like to eat your ingredients...



This specific concotion was Cran-Grape juice, banana, peaches, and vanilla yogurt, and it was a smash hit with my littlest monkey...



(This really isn't so much a recipe as it is a concept. My favorite combos are: White cranberry peach juice, with peaches, and either vanilla or raspberry yogurt, Orange juice with strawberries and vanilla yogurt.)

Oatmeal Bread

I don't know about you, but I am not the best bread maker in the world. In fact, I have a hard time with bread in general. For years if it wasn't a bread machine recipe I wouldn't even attempt it. But recently I went on a domestic kick and decided to try my hand at homemade bread again. I was given a recipe from a lady in my neighborhood (Thanks Natalie) and I decided to give it a whirl. And guess what?! It was WONDERFUL! I now make bread every week (usually on Mondays) and this specific recipe is a family favorite.

The ingredients:
1 c. quick oats (must be quick- not regular)
2 c. boiled water
2/3 c. brown sugar
3 T. oil
2 tsp. salt
2 pkgs. yeast (or 2 Tbs. yeast)
1/3 c. warm water
5 c. white flour (must be white- wheat overpowers the oatmeal)

The instructions:
Pour 2 cups boiling water over the oats. Stir and add brown sugar, oil, and salt. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, dissolve yeast in 1/3 c warm water. When oatmeal is cooled down to lukewarm, add flour and yeast. Knead in the bowl until well combined. Dough should peel off hands when ready. Rise to double. Divide dough in half. Shape and put in well greased loaf pans. Rise until double. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes.

(This bread is AMAZING! And feel free if you want to, to add some dough enhancer or gluten, but it really doesn't need it...)