Oatmeal Peanut Butter Energy Bars

Recipe courtesy Dana Angelo White

Prep Time:

10 min

Inactive Prep Time:

1 hr 0 min

Cook Time:

5 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

14 bars

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/2 cup natural creamy peanut butter
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or molasses
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2 cups crisp brown rice cereal
• 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ (I didn't have this so I used ground flax seed, worked great!)
• 1/2 cup chopped roasted peanuts
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped dried figs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions

Spray a 9 by 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine honey, peanut butter, maple syrup, canola oil, brown sugar, cinnamon. Stir and cook until mixture just begins to bubble, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.

In a large bowl, combine oats, rice cereal, wheat germ, peanuts, apricots, figs and salt.

Pour peanut butter mixture over oatmeal mixture and stir gently with a spatula until well combined. Transfer to baking dish, cover with parchment paper and press firmly into dish. Allow to cool completely (will cool faster in the refrigerator). Cut into squares or bars.

Nutrition analysis per serving:

Calories: 240

Total fat: 10g

Saturated fat: 1.5g

Carbohydrate: 30g

Protein: 6g

Sodium: 70mg

posted by: Tracy Lytle

Lytle Thanksgiving Dinner

We are celebrating Thanksgiving a bit early this year.  I LOVE Thanksgiving - it is my favorite Holiday.  Maybe because I love food so much :)  I could go crazy with cooking so many yummy dishes, but I have to limit myself.  Here is our menu this year: 

click each dish and it will take you to the recipe :)

Pumpkin baked ziti 

Roasted turkey

Apple and onion stuffin' muffins

Roasted asparagus wrapped in bacon

Honey glazed carrots

Smashed sweet potatoes

Apple pie with vanilla ice cream (coming soon....)

Apple Pie (reg. & sugar-free)

6-8 good size Jonathon or a good baking apples
1/2 c. water
2 T. butter
1 c. sugar (if sugar-free use 1 c. Splenda)
2 T. flour (heaping!)
2 t. cinnamon (or more or less to your tasting)

Slice apples into a large sauce pan. Add the water to the pan and cook over medium heat until the apples are tender but not too soft. (they will bake the rest of the way in the oven)
Add butter.
In a bowl mix sugar, flour and cinnamon together then add it to the apples and stir.

Pour your filling into an unbaked pie shell then top with a second pie dough crust on top. I then use an egg/milk wash over the entire pie.

Bake at 350 until your pie dough is golden brown.

Pumpkin Baked Ziti

Okay, I know this sounds gross.  But my husband said this is possibly the best thing I've ever made.  Which says a lot if you know my husband :)  I did use fresh homemade pasta, but I am sure it would taste wonderful with whatever pasta you used.  I also used the full fat version!  :)  Enjoy this fabulous fall dish.

Pumpkin Baked Ziti

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen, 2008

Prep Time:

20 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

1 hr 0 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

8 servings

Ingredients

• Butter, for greasing
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage (1 pound turkey sausage, for Richard Simons' version)
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 (15-ounces) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage leaves
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup heavy cream (omit ingredient for Richard Simons' version)
• 1 pound ziti pasta, cooked (1 pound whole wheat ziti, for Richard Simmons' version)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan (1/4 cup Parmesan, for Richard Simmons' version)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Butter (8) 8-ounce ramekins.

Cook sausage in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until fat is rendered about 8 minutes. Remove from skillet with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towels and set aside. Discard any fat from the skillet in excess of 2 tablespoons.

Add onion, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes and oil to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally until soft; about 3 minutes. Stir in pumpkin puree, chicken stock and sage. Mix together and add salt. Bring to a boil then lower the heat and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cream and sausage. Simmer until the sauce comes together and is thickened slightly.

Add cooked pasta and parsley to the skillet and gently toss all the ingredients together to coat. Divide the rigatoni mixture between the 8 prepared ramekins. Sprinkle the tops of each ramekin with Parmesan cheese and bake for 35 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

15 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 dozen Iced Pumpkin Cookies

**These were insanely delicious and moist.  I made a few modifications shown in italics.  Enjoy these fall treats!**

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup cooked, pureed pumpkin (fresh or canned)
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups unbleached allpurpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon (heaping)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch all spice
• Pinch cloves
• 1 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped (omit)
• 1 cup raisins (omit)

Icing:

• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (omit)
• 1 teaspoon triple sec 
• 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
• 4 oz cream cheese
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream, fresh orange juice or rum

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla and mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir into butter mixture until well blended. Add nuts and raisins. Drop by teaspoonful onto parchment covered baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake about 15 minutes, or until golden. Cool.  **Mine took 17 minutes and turned out perfect!**

Icing: Cream confectioners' sugar and butter. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. (If icing is too thin, add more confectioners' sugar; if too thick, add more cream, orange juice or rum.) Drizzle over cookies.

Recipe courtesy of Beth Setrakian (FoodNetwork)

Modifications by Tracy Lytle

Chicken with Apple, Onion and Cider Sauce

• 
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Cook Time:

  18 min

• Level:

  Easy

• Yield:

  4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dredging
• 2 to 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large red onion, cut into large pieces
• 1 sweet cooking apple, cored and cut into large pieces
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and dredge in the flour, shaking off the excess. Add 2 tablespoons oil to the pan. Place the chicken in the skillet smooth-side down and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking dish and bake until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, add the onion and apple to the skillet, along with 1 tablespoon oil, if the pan is dry, and increase the heat to high. Cook, tossing, until the onion has wilted slightly and the apple is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the vinegar and use a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the pan. Let the mixture boil until the vinegar becomes syrupy, about 1 minute. Add the chicken broth and return to a boil. Cook until the broth reduces by half. Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper and whisk in the butter.

Remove the chicken from the oven; add any collected juices to the sauce. Divide the chicken among four plates and spoon the apple, onion and pan sauce over each piece. Sprinkle with the parsley.

Recipe by: Food Network

Easy Homemade Playdough

I know this isn't a yummy fall recipe, but I just had to share this fun recipe we tried today that actually worked. We had to throw all of our play dough out because it was left out in the rain and I have been keeping an eye out and it hasn't been on sale so I googled and found this recipe that really works!

Super Easy Play Dough (adapted from www.createkidcrafts.com )

• 1 cup flour

• 1 cup water

• ½ cup salt

• 1 T. cream of tartar (on sale at Publix right now :) )

• 1 package Kool-Aid mix (I used a packet of Cherry, unsweetened)

• 1 Tbsp cooking oil

Mix the dry ingredients together in a medium saucepan. Slowly add the water mixed with oil and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens to dough. Let cool a few minutes and then knead until smooth.

Notes: This came out perfectly, the same consistency as play dough from the store, but it smells so much better because of the Kool-Aid. If you didn't want to use Kool-Aid you could just add food coloring and a few drops of Vanilla, but this was actually way less messy because you could just stir the powder in. The recipe says you can store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to six months. The kids are having a blast!!!

Apples To Apples

Ever wonder which are the best apples to bake with? Here is a helpful list:

Best Apples for Baking

The following table lists the best baking and cooking apples in North America, as well as the era of introduction.

NAME INTRODUCED DESCRIPTION
Fuji 1962 Sweet and juicy, firm, red skin
Granny Smith 1868 Moderately sweet, crisp flesh, green skin
Jonathan 1820s Tart flesh, crisp, juicy, bright red on yellow skin
McIntosh 1870 Juicy, sweet, pinkish-white flesh, red skin
Newton Pippin 1700s Sweet-tart flesh, crisp, greenish-yellow skin
Rhode Island
Greening 1600s Very tart, distinctively flavored, green skin
Rome Beauty 1820s Mildly tart, crisp, greenish-white flesh, thick skin
Winesap late 1700s Firm, very juicy, sweet-sour flavor, red skin

1 pound of apples = 2 large, 3 medium, or 4 to 5 small apples
1 pound of apples = 3 cups peeled and sliced apples

An average apple contains:

* 80 calories
* 18 g carbohydrates
* 5 g fiber
* 170 mg potassium
* 1/2 g fat
* 0 cholesterol
* 0 sodium

Source: The Farmer's Almanac

Easy Week Night Turkey

Prep: 20 minutes 

Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours

Level: Easy

Serves: 4

2 Turkey legs 2 Turkey thighs or breast

1 T. olive oil

4 baking potatoes, cut in chunks

1 med. onion, sliced

5 garlic cloves, sliced

salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 C. water

Preheat oven to 350.  Place 13x9 pan in oven as it preheats so it gets hot. In a frying pan heat the olive oil.  Generously sprinkle turkey pieces with salt and pepper.  Fry in pan until both sides are a nice golden brown.  Take out the 13x9 pan from oven and put in water, onions, potatoes, lay the turkey pieces on top and sprinkle with garlic.  Put in oven uncovered for 1 1/2 hours..  Turkey needs to reach 165 on a meat thermometer.

Recipe by: Tracy Lytle

Apple Coffee Cake with Crumble Topping and Brown Sugar Glaze

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

45 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

12 servings

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 stick plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish with 2 teaspoons of the butter.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

Recipe by: Emeril Lagasse