Bacon Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

Your lunch will never be the same.

My local grocery store has recently run two separate sales on macaroni and cheese.  I simply couldn't resist stocking up!  But with eight boxes of it in my cabinet, I decided it was time to use some of it.  Bacon was also on sale recently, and I love broccoli.  This idea was kind of obvious, and I wish I'd thought if it before.  ☺

Bacon Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

1 box macaroni and cheese
1 cup chopped broccoli
2 slices bacon, fully cooked and crumbled

Water, milk, and butter according to Mac-n-cheese box directions

Cook macaroni noodles according to package directions, and cook broccoli with noodles.  Drain.  Add butter, milk, and cheese sauce mixture.  Mix thoroughly; stir in bacon.  Add a dash of garlic powder if desired.

Serve immediately. 

No More Feedjit

For your security and my own, I have removed the Feedjit widget from the left side of this blog.  Although it was interesting seeing where my viewers are, it no longer seems safe in our day to reveal to the internet where I am.  Thank you for understanding.  You can now view my blog without fear that I will know where you are.  ☺

Because of Christ,
H for Morsels of Chocolate

Banana Fudge Pops

These handy popsicle molds are not necessary--some people make popsicles with paper cups and popsicle sticks.  However, if you happen upon any at a garage sale or second-hand store, they are handy to have around.

Basically all you do is thoroughly mash bananas, peanut butter, cocoa powder, vanilla, and milk together; spoon into popsicle molds; and freeze.

Begging pardon--my amounts are approximated.  I didn't measure anything; and I ended up with too much filling.  The leftover filling I froze in an ordinary container for spoon eating.  For six pops, three bananas probably would have been enough.

Banana Fudge Pops

3-4 ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 to 1/3 c. Peanut butter
3-4 T. Cocoa powder
1 splash vanilla extract
Milk, to thin

Beat all ingredients together until smooth.  Taste for correct amounts of cocoa and peanut butter.  Add frozen blueberries or strawberries, if desired.  Spoon into popsicle molds.  Cover with lids, add sticks, and freeze.  Makes 6-8

Savor on a summer day!

Post-Workout Smoothie (Milkshake?)

Pure deliciousness

At what point does a smoothie cross the line and become a milkshake?  Is it when it tastes too good to be true?  Is it when chocolate is added?  Is it when it ceases to be healthy?  Whatever the case, this beverage is so delicious that it probably crosses that line.

I've recently taken up running.  And being the perfectionist that I am, I haven't started it without doing some research.  My sources tell me that it's best to eat something--especially protein--within 30 minutes after working out.  This helps rebuild the muscles you've damaged exercising. 

Other sources have told me particular things that are good to eat after running--yummy things like dark chocolate, bananas, and peanut butter.  Considering everything I've read, this smoothie seems to be the perfect food to eat/drink after running: it cools you off, it re-hydrates you, it's full of protein, and it's delicious.  Regardless of how many calories it contains, you've probably just burned them off, and you deserve the reward!

*You don't have to work out before drinking this; but if you do, there will be no guilt in savoring every delightful sip.

Just five lovely ingredients

Here are the ingredients: cocoa powder, banana, peanut butter, almond milk, and frozen yogurt.  (There is enough sugar in everything else to sweeten the cocoa.)  I use frozen ingredients in my smoothies so that they won't be diluted with ice cubes.  If you like it thicker, go ahead--but I'm warning you, it would be better to freeze the banana.

Place it all in the blender and blend until smooth.  Vary amounts according to taste.

Tip: an easy way to clean your blender is to fill it with water and add a drop of dish soap.  Blend on low (some blenders have an "easy clean" setting) until clean.  Rinse thoroughly.

Chocolate Protein Smoothie

1 medium banana
Peanut butter to taste
Cocoa powder to taste
Vanilla frozen yogurt to taste
Almond (or regular) milk to thin

Blend until smooth.  Savor every sip.

Quick & Easy Alfredo Sauce

Alfredo, mi amore

This sauce is easy and delicious, and it cooks in about the same amount of time as pasta.  These factors--but mostly the taste--have caused me to no longer purchase Alfredo sauce.  Why buy it, when homemade tastes so much better?

Quick & Easy Alfredo Sauce

½ c. Butter
8 oz. Cream Cheese
2 t. Garlic Powder
2 c. Milk
¾ c. Parmesan Cheese
⅛ t. Black Pepper

Melt butter.  Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with a wire whisk until smooth.  Add milk gradually, whisking to smooth lumps.  Stir in Parmesan cheese and black pepper.

Serve over your favorite pasta, or use on homemade pizza.

*Adding spinach is optional.

Trail Mix

Trail mix could be called the ideal snack: that perfect blend of salty and sweet, crunchy and soft, protein and carbs.  It's not only for the trail!  I'm planning to take some on an upcoming road trip; but I also like to snack on it during the week at work. 

The beauty of making my own is that I get to choose what goes into it.  As much as I like peanut butter, I'm not a huge fan of peanuts; some trail mix contains cranberries or sesame seeds; and the list could go on.  I simply leave these things out.  I also get to choose how much of each ingredient there is: I can guarantee that there is plenty of chocolate.  ☻    

That being said, this is how I make trail mix; but feel free to use whatever you like or have on hand.  These are my preferences, and do not necessarily represent the feelings, taste buds, or preferences of anyone else.  

I use almonds; cashews; raisins; and M&M's™ candies.

Measure 1 cup of each into a bowl and mix.

Store in an airtight container.  A quart jar holds four cups of mix.

Take some on your next adventure!

Trail Mix

1 c. unsalted, roasted almonds

1 c. cashew halves and pieces

1 c. raisins

1 c. M&M's™

Combine and store in an airtight container.  Adjust ingredients to your liking.

*Enlarged to show texture

Peanut Butter Pie (Π)

What better way to celebrate Pi Day (3.14), which falls in the middle of National Peanut Butter Month, than with a luscious Peanut Butter Pie?  It's so simple and so rich that you'll want it more than once a year; but it's a very fitting dessert for March 14th.

Peanut Butter Pie

Prepared Graham Cracker Crust
8 oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
1 c. peanut butter
1 8-oz. carton whipped topping, thawed

Cream the cream cheese.  Add powdered sugar and peanut butter and beat until smooth.  Fold in cool whip.
Place in crust.  Refrigerate or freeze.

For added delight, add chopped peanut butter cup candies or chocolate chips; or drizzle melted chocolate on top.

Serve on Π Day to your friends/family/coworkers.  
NOTE: If you have no friends, this pie may help you to obtain friends. 
DISCLAIMER: Having never loved math, I do not observe this day because of 3.14159....But I love pie, and I'll take any excuse to make one.

Double-Chocolate Pecan Scones

Double-Chocolate Pecan Scones

Their very name suggests sophistication.  These little pastries are not as sweet as cookies; but they are sublime with peanut butter spread on top.  You may notice that I did not cut them the traditional triangle shape; this is because in my research into scones I saw a comment from a Brit that traditional British scones are actually round like American biscuits.  If anyone knows better, please correct me.  ☺  And now, the recipe.

The first thing I do when baking with nuts is to toast them.  This brings out the flavor and makes them yummier.  Simply spread them on a baking sheet and pop them in your preheating oven.  Watch them carefully; they burn quickly.  Five minutes should do the trick.

Set them aside to cool while preparing the dough.  After they cool, chop them.

Yummy toasted pecans

Combine the dry ingredients.

Cut in the butter.

If you don't have buttermilk on hand, place ½ T. vinegar in a measuring cup and add milk to the ½ c. line.  Let it sit for 5 minutes or until the milk curdles.

Combine the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla. 

Add to the dry mixture.

Add pecans and chocolate.

Combine thoroughly.

Place on a floured surface and dust with flour.  (My dough was very wet, so I kneaded in more flour at this point.) 

My hands were floury at this point, so I didn't photograph the rolling/cutting/placing on the cookie sheet part.

Bake for 15-20 minutes....

...and enjoy!

Double-Chocolate Pecan Scones

2 c. flour

⅓ c. firmly-packed brown sugar

1½ t. baking powder

¼ t. baking soda

¼ t. salt

½ c. butter

½ c. buttermilk

1 egg

1½ t. vanilla extract

⅜ c. pecans, toasted and chopped

½ c. chocolate chips

¼ c. white chocolate chips

Flour for rolling

Preheat oven to 375°F.  In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  In a small bowl, combine buttermilk, egg, and vanilla.  Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir to combine.  Stir in pecans and chocolates.  

Place on a well-floured surface and roll to desired thickness (I think about 1 inch).  Cut with biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter and place on baking sheet.

Bake 15-20 minutes.  

Enjoy with a hot cup of tea, and imagine yourself in a London tea room....

(This is, in fact, a variation of Triple-Chocolate Chunk Scones.)

Whipping Cream Biscuits

The best biscuits you'll ever taste!

These are so easy and so delicious!  Don't tell me you haven't the time to make them....

2 c. flour
2 t. baking powder
1 t. salt
1 c. whipping cream

Combine dry ingredients (or use 2 c. self-rising flour).  Add whipping cream.

(Dough will be stiff.)

It's really yummy at this point; but it's better baked!

Shape into biscuits and bake at 450° F for 10-12 minutes.

They're so delicious, they don't even need butter!

Special thanks to my cousin D who gave the recipe to me.  ☺