Lemon Pie Energy Bites

                                     

-1 cup chopped pitted dates

-1 1/3 cup old fashioned oats

-1 teaspoon vanilla

-4 tablespoons lemon juice 

Add all ingredients in food processor

Pulse until well combined

 Form into balls

 Eat right away or throw them in the fridge for later

Ollie ate 4 of these right away when I made these. Kid approved.

 You can't beat a tasty and healthy snack with 4 ingredients. Cheers!

                                                      

Spaghetti and Meatbowls

Meatbowls:

- 1 pound ground beef

- 1/4 pound ground pork

- 1 egg

- 1/3 cup bread crumbs

- salt, pepper, garlic powder, Italian seasoning to taste

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl.

Spray a muffin tin with non stick spray. 

Form meat into "bowls" in muffin tin. 

Bake at 350 for about 25- 30 minutes until edges start getting brown and crispy.

Remove meatbowls from tin and place upside down on a paper towel lined plate to drain the grease. Blot with paper towels on the inside if necessary. 

Cook spaghetti, drain and add your favorite sauce. Toss to coat pasta. 

Take a fork full of spaghetti, twirl and place on top of each meatbowl.

Top with more sauce and cheese if desired!

This is a fun meal to make with the kiddos. They really loved the idea of "meatbowls".

 Of course they're on the small side, so it might not be a bad idea to make a bigger batch

 of meatballs for the adults. Cheers!

Strawberry Jello Poke Cake

- 1 box white cake mix

- 1 3oz box strawberry jello 

- 1 cup boiling water 

- 8oz Cool Whip 

- fresh sliced strawberries 

Prepare a 9x13 baking dish

Make cake according to box directions

Allow cake to cool, then take the end of a wooden spoon and poke holes all over the cake 

Mix jello powder with 1 cup boiling water (allow to dissolve)

Evenly pour jello mix all over the cake

Allow cake to cool in the fridge for a few hours

Top with Cool Whip and fresh strawberries before serving

Seriously the easiest and most yummy cake you can make with 4 ingredients. 

Great to bring to parties or serve at holidays! Cheers!

Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes

Dry ingredients-

- 3/4 cup flour

- 1/4 cup whole wheat flour 

- 1/3 cup sugar

- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients- 

- 1 cup buttermilk 

- zest of 2 lemons 

- juice of 2 lemons

- 1 egg 

- 3 tablespoons melted butter

- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

- 1/4- 1/3 cup poppy seeds 

In a mixing bowl mix together dry ingredients

In a separate bowl whisk together wet ingredients then fold in poppy seeds 

Fold wet ingredients into the dry, mix until combined - do not over mix, lumps are fine 

Cook on lightly greased griddle until golden brown on both sides 

Serve with real maple syrup and butter 

These were the best pancakes I have ever made!! So good!! 

The fresh lemon juice and zest really makes it. Cheers!

BBQ Chicken Sliders

- 2 cups cooked chicken 

- BBQ sauce 

- sliced red onion

- pepper jack cheese 

- fresh cilantro 

- melted butter 

- 12 slider buns 

Preheat oven to 350

Arrange the bottoms of slider buns in 9x13 baking dish 

Spread cooked chicken evenly over slider bottoms

Drizzle BBQ sauce on chicken 

Top with sliced red onions

Place pepper jack cheese over chicken

Sprinkle fresh cilantro on top of cheese 

Place tops of buns back onto sliders 

Brush melted butter on the tops of sliders 

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Cut and serve

I can't say enough about these sliders. Easy. Scrumptious. Use cheddar if the pepper cheese is to spicy for the kiddos. You can make things even easier and use an already roasted chicken from the store! Cheers!

Mushroom and Spinach Tortellini

- 1 package frozen tortellini

- 1 1/2 cup baby Bella mushrooms 

- 1/2 cup diced onion 

- 1 cup baby spinach 

- 1/2 cup diced tomato 

- 2 tablespoons butter

- 1/3 cup anisette 

- 1/3 cup veggie stock

- salt and pepper to taste

- basil to taste 

- fresh parm cheese 

In a skillet over medium high heat melt butter

Add onions and mushrooms a little salt/ pepper and basil, sauté until soft about 5 minutes

Toss tortellini into boiling water and boil about 3 minutes then drain 

Add anisette to mushrooms and onions, cook 3 minutes 

Add veggie stock and bring to simmer

Toss partially cooked tortellini into sauce 

Add spinach, tomato, parm, salt and pepper

Cover and simmer 3-4 minutes until spinach is wilted and tortellini is cooked

Stir- salt and pepper to taste

Serve with more parm if desired

Apricot Chicken with Sesame Veggies

For Chicken:

- 3 cups cubed chicken breasts 

- 1/2 cup Russian dressing (red kind)

- 1/2 cup apricot preserves 

- 1 package Lipton onion soup mix 

For Veggies:

- 1/2 cup diced onion

- 1/2 cup diced zucchini

-1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 

- 1 teaspoon minced garlic

- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds 

- 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil 

- 1 teaspoon olive oil 

- 1 teaspoon soy sauce 

- 1/3 cup diced tomatoes 

In a baking dish combine Russian dressing, apricot preserves and onion soup mix -stir with fork until smooth. 

Add chicken to apricot sauce and stir to coat.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes until chicken is cooked through. 

While chicken is cooking- add olive oil and half sesame oil in a skillet on medium high heat. 

Add in onion and zucchini and sauté for 2-3 minutes until softened. 

Add in garlic. Sauté a minute or two just until fragrant. Add sesame and sauté about a minute then Add in mushrooms. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add Soy sauce and remainder of sesame oil stir to combine. Remove from heat, add diced tomatoes and cover until chicken is done.

Serve chicken with sauce and veggies over rice. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

This Apricot Chicken recipe itself Ive been making for years! My friends mom taught us when we had our first apartment together and we just started cooking for ourselves  Its really the best. Im always trying new ways to use it though, and these rice bowls were awesome!