Healthier Kitchen Sink Cookies

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Healthier Kitchen Sink Cookies

I adapted this recipe from crunchyrocks.com to be a healthier version!

2 cups Quaker oats

2 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup coconut oil

1 cup brown sugar

4 tbsp Stevia

8 tbsp egg whites

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (I used a mix of sugar-free and regular milk chocolate chips)

1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1 cup Rice Krispies cereal

Preheat oven to 350 and prep a baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine first 6 ingredients and set aside.

In a stand mixer, combine coconut oil, applesauce, brown sugar and Stevia. Let mix 2 minutes, then add egg whites 1 tbsp at a time. Mix another 2 minutes. 

With a wooden spoon, add in dry ingredients (the ones you combined and set aside earlier), followed by the chocolate chips, shredded coconut, and Rice Krispies. 

Spoon onto baking sheet and bake 10 minutes, then allow to set up for 5 minutes on baking sheet. Remove to cooling rack and MAKE SOME MORE!!

Parmesan Crusted Zucchini

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Parmesan Crusted Zucchini

I found this recipe on lilluna.com

3-4 medium zucchinis

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

olive oil

salt + pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Cut the zucchinis in quarters, length-wise. Set aside. Line a baking sheet with foil. Place zucchinis on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle on the grated cheese, and top with some salt and pepper. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Broil for the last 2 minutes until the cheese is more browned. 

THE VERDICT: These were really good! Jake and I have never been big zucchini fans, but we both really liked these. Made a great side dish with our dinner!

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Brownies

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Brownies

This recipe can also be found here, at the original source.

Brownie mix
6 oz. softened cream cheese
1/2 cup pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 tbsp. flour

Preheat your oven and make brownie mix according to directions on package.

In a second bowl blend cream cheese and pumpkin until very smooth. Then add vanilla, egg, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour.

In an oil-sprayed glass pan, pour about 3/4 of the brownie batter and spread evenly. Top with the pumpkin mixture, and then finish off with little spoonfuls of the rest of your brownie batter scattered over the top. Swirl with a knife to create a marbled look. Bake according to directions, or until a toothpick comes out cleanly. Let cool and enjoy!

THE VERDICT: Jake is NOT a pumpkin fan, so he didn't even attempt to eat these little guys. And I only like pumpkin when there's also chocolate involved, so these guys were a little too pumpkin-y for me: if I make them again, I'll use a bit less pumpkin. However, I used a lot of them on treat plates for neighbors and friends, and got lots of compliments on them so they were a success overall!

Garlic-Tomato Pasta with Peas

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Garlic-Tomato Pasta with Peas

I found this recipe in Food Network Magazine

kosher salt

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

3 tbsp. tomato paste

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

10 oz. angel hair pasta

1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped, plus more for topping

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the edges start to turn golden, about 1 min. Add the tomato paste to the skillet and cook, stirring, 1 min. Add the red pepper flakes, then add 1 1/2 cups of the boiling water, stir to dissolve the tomato paste. Simmer until reduced by half, about 5 min, adding the peas halfway through. Season with salt.

Meanwhile, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until softened but not cooked through, 2-4 min. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain. Add the pasta to the skillet along with the basil; toss over medium heat, adding more of the reserved cooking water if needed, until the pasta is al dente. Remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup parmesan. Top each serving with basil and the remaining parmesan.

THE VERDICT: This stuff was AMAZING. Next time I think we're going to skip the red pepper flakes since it was a bit too spicy for my taste, and Jake wasn't a huge fan of how many peas were in the pasta so we might cut back on those a bit as well. It didn't last us very long, so if you have a household of more than 2 people I highly recommend doubling the recipe!

Peanut Butter Brownie Bites

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Peanut Butter Brownie Bites

Brownies:

3/4 cup chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)

1/2 cup butter

1 cup granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

In a medium microwave-safe bowl, heat chocolate chips and butter for 1-2 min until melted. Stir until smooth. Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9x9" pan with nonstick spray. Whisk sugar, eggs and vanilla into melted chocolate mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add them to the chocolate mixture, stirring until combined. Spread the batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

Peanut Butter Layer:

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Drop spoonfuls of the peanut butter mixture over the partially cooked brownies. Bake for 25-30 more min. or until the top is light brown and mixture appears to be set. Let it cool in the pan.

Topping:

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 cup chocolate chips

In a medium, microwave-safe bowl heat the chocolate chips until they are melted and mixture is smooth. Stir in the peanut butter and again mix until smooth. Pour the mixture over the top of the brownies and spread until even. Let stand until set (or refrigerate). Cut into 24 chunks and serve.

THE VERDICT: Jake was in LOVE with these things. They're very rich so a small square is plenty; don't try to eat them in a regular brownie size or you'll get sick (not that Jake did that, of course...)

Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Baked Cheesy Chicken Penne

3 tbsp butter
kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 pound penne rigate
1/2 tsp olive oil
1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp flour
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups milk
5-8 oz. white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained
3/4 cup shredded provolone/Italian cheese mixture
3/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400. Spray/butter shallow 2-quart baking dish. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta 3 minutes short of al dente; drain pasta and set aside. While pasta is boiling, heat oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper; cook until opaque throughout, 3-5 minutes per side. Halve each piece lengthwise; then thinly slice crosswise. While chicken pan is still hot, toss the mushrooms in and saute until golden brown (3-4 minutes). Use a little extra olive oil if needed. In a 5-quart DUtch oven or heavy pot, melt butter over medium. Add flour and garlic; cook, whisking 1 minute. While whisking constantly, gradually add milk; bring to a simmer. Keep whisking frequently as sauce thickens about 1 minute more. Add mushrooms and tomatoes; cook 1 minute. Take the pan off the heat and gradually stir in provolone and 1/4 cup Parmesan. Add chicken and pasta to pot; season with salt and pepper to taste and pour into baking dish. Sprinkle top with the rest of the parmesan cheese and bake, uncovered, until top is golden and bubbling; about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

THE VERDICT: we made this without the tomatoes since Jake isn't a huge fan of them, and it turned out AWESOME! We are definitely going to be making this again.

Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Copycat Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls

I found this recipe on jocooks.com

Dough
1 1/2 teaspoons yeast
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup margarine/butter
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 cups flour

Filling
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine/butter, softened

Cream Cheese Icing
6 tablespoons butter/margarine
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk and mix together. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, mix sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and flour and mix well. Pour the yeast/milk mixture into the bowl as well, and using the dough hook, mix well.

Place dough in into an oiled bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Roll the dough onto a lightly floured surface, until it is approximately 16" long by 12" wide. It should be about 1/4" thick. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make filling, mix ingredients together and spread over dough. OR you can spread the butter on the dough first, and then sprinkle the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture over the butter. I wish I had done it this way, since spreading the gooey mixture was REALLY difficult.

Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge. Cut the dough into 1 1/2" sections (this might be easier using a piece of floss instead of a knife), and place into a lightly greased baking pan. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise another half hour or until they double in size.

Bake for 20 minutes or until light golden brown. Cooking time can vary greatly, so start with 15 minutes and check every 5 minutes after that.

While the rolls are baking, make the icing. Mix all ingredients together and beat well with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. When the rolls are done, spread with the icing and THEN allow to cool.

THE VERDICT: These were SO good! A+ for sure. Next time, if I make them just for Jake and I, I'll cut the recipe in half since this made quite a few rolls. However, this would be a good size for any group of 4-8 people!

Cauliflower Chowder

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Cauliflower Chowder

4 slices bacon, diced

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

2 carrots, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth

1 cup 2% milk

1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley leaves

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until brown and crispy, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

 Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic, onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in cauliflower and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3-4 minutes.

 Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth and milk, and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

 Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer until cauliflower are tender, about 12-15 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste. If the chowder is too thick, add more milk as needed until desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately, garnished with bacon and parsley, if desired.

THE VERDICT: It was nearly impossible to make the rue with all those veggies in the pot, so next time I'm going to do it in a separate pot and then add to veggie pot. But this turned out AMAZING! Jake's not a cauliflower fan, and even he loved it. It was surprisingly more filling than we were expecting. And tastes even more delicious with some cheddar cheese sprinkled on top!

Panera Bread Copycat Cheddar Broccoli Soup

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Panera Bread Copycat Cheddar Broccoli Soup

1 tbsp. butter
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 cups water
3 tsp. beef bouillon (or 3 beef bouillon cubes) OR veggie broth for vegetarian version
1/4 cup butter (4 tbsp)
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups fat free half + half
3 cups chopped broccoli florets
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white pepper
2 cups mild cheddar cheese

In a small pan saute 1 tbsp. butter and onions over medium heat until onions are translucent. Remove from heat and set aside. In a small sauce pan bring water to a boil, add beef bouillon and whisk until combined. Remove from heat and set aside. In a deep pan or soup pot melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat. Slowly whisk in flour until mixture clumps up or forms a "ball." Add beef bouillon/water mixture and stir to combine. Slowly whisk in half + half and continue to stir until smooth. (If large lumps remain, mash them out with a rubber spatula.) 

Add broccoli florets and onions and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer 15-20 minutes or until broccoli is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Stir in salt, white pepper, and cheddar cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. Serve hot and top with additional cheese if desired.

THE VERDICT: This soup was SO SO good. I've never had the Panera Bread broccoli soup, so I can't say if it's truly a copycat of their recipe, but it was great!! Jake, who claims he's "not a fan of soup," even loved it.

BBQ Chicken Roll-Ups

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

BBQ Chicken Roll-Ups

This is a recipe that I originally found on the Pillsbury website, but took and modified so it was a little bit cheaper and less messy!

YOU NEED:
1 batch prepared Bisquick biscuits
Frozen fully cooked chicken breast strips (like Tyson Grilled + Ready)
Cheddar cheese, you decide the amount
BBQ sauce for dipping

Preheat your oven to 375 F and prepare the biscuits according to the Bisquick packaging. Take each biscuit and roll it flat with a rolling pin or with your hands, and fill with one piece of chicken (or several very small ones) and cheddar cheese. Roll up like a burrito, and place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat with rest of biscuits, and bake 14-16 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes, and serve with BBQ sauce for dipping.

Crockpot Pesto Ravioli

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Crockpot Pesto Ravioli

24 oz. jar pasta sauce
25 oz. frozen ravioli
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup pesto
1 cup shredded mozzarella, divided
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, pesto, and 1/2 cup parmesan. Spread 1 cup spaghetti sauce on bottom of crockpot. Place 1/2 of the frozen ravioli on top of the sauce. Spread 1/2 of the ricotta mixture on the ravioli. Top with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat layers again. Spread rest of sauce over the top and cook on low for 3 hours. Remove lid and add sprinkle of 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, then replace lid and cook an additional 30 minutes. 

THE VERDICT: This recipe was amazing!! The only thing I'd change is that next time, I'm going to try to find a meat-filled ravioli instead of a cheese-filled, since it was just a tad bit TOO cheesy. It made a nice amount of leftovers; not too many but not a pitiful amount either, so it would probably feed a family of 5-6 very nicely.

One-Pot Mexican Skillet Pasta

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

One-Pot Mexican Skillet Pasta

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 pound ground turkey
2 cups elbows pasta
2 cups salsa
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup corn kernels
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add ground turkey and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the beef as it cooks; drain excess fat. Stir in pasta, salsa, chicken broth and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer until pasta is cooked through, about 13-16 minutes. Stir in corn and black beans, and gently toss to combine. Stir in cheese until melted through, about 1-2 minutes.

THE VERDICT: This recipe...wow. It was SO good! Who would have thought something that sounds so simple would taste so amazing? It was a lot like a chili, but the noodles added a nice flavor and kind of mixed things up. I'm sure you could use beef for this recipe, but turkey was a little bit healthier and you might not get the same exact "taste" as the original recipe. This made a LOT more food than I'd anticipated, but either Jake or I (or both of us) had it for at least one meal a day, until it was completely gone.

Crockpot Applesauce

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Crockpot Applesauce

4 apples (you choose the kind)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Juice from 1 lemon
1/4 cup water

Peel, core and slice apples. Put them in crockpot with all other ingredients and stir thoroughly, then cook on high for 4-5 hours stirring occasionally. Let cool for 15-20 minutes before storing in a container and refrigerating, or eating warm.

THE VERDICT: Jake isn't a big applesauce fan, but I'm OBSESSED with this recipe. I'm probably never going to buy applesauce from the store ever again, that's how good this is!

Romano Cheese Mashed Potatoes

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the creation of these recipes! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Romano Cheese Mashed Potatoes

2 lb. or 3 large potatoes, scrubbed peeled and diced large

1 tsp. salt (for boiling water)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup grated Romano/Parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. chopped chives or onion

6 cups water (for boiling potatoes)

4 cloves garlic, ends snipped and peeled

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1 tsp. fresh cracked black pepper

Salt (optional and according to taste)

In a medium size saucepan, put diced potatoes, peeled garlic cloves and water and bring to a boil. Once the water boils, add the salt and cook potatoes until tender. Drain the water from the saucepan of cooked potatoes and garlic. While still piping hot, mash the potatoes and garlic, either leave some bits unmashed (for texture) or mash until smooth. Add the extra virgin olive oil and evaporated milk and continue to mash/mix. Mix in the grated Romano cheese and season with pepper and salt, if desired. Fold in the chopped chives/onions. Serve hot or warm, with or without gravy.

THE VERDICT: These potatoes were a BIG hit!

Chicken Fried Chicken

**Unless otherwise stated, I take NO credit for the recipes I post! I can cook, but I'm not usually inclined to experiment on my own!**

Chicken Fried Chicken

Chicken Fried Chicken
4 skinned and boned chicken breasts
2 tsp. black pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
Oil
1 tsp. salt
1 sleeve saltine (or Ritz) crackers, crushed
1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 large eggs

Place chicken breasts between 2 sheets plastic wrap and flatten to 1/4" thickness using meat mallet/rolling pin. Sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper. Set aside.

Combine cracker crumbs, flour, baking powder, remaining salt and pepper in one bowl. Whisk together milk and eggs in another. Dredge chicken in cracker crumb mixture, dip in milk mixture, and then back into the cracker mixture. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2" in a 12" skillet (don't use a non-stick skillet). Over medium high heat (a little more hot than medium) fry chicken, in batches, 10 minutes, adding oil as needed. Turn and fry 4-5 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack/cookie sheet. Keep chicken warm in a 225 degree oven.

THE VERDICT: Jake was OBSESSED with this chicken. I honestly think he would have married it, if he didn't already have me. He ate his first piece before I was even halfway through mine, and gobbled up his second one almost as fast.