Banana, Coconut Steel Cut Oatmeal

I am not an oatmeal fan. There! I said it!!! Now that we got that out of the way I can say this, this is the most tolerable oatmeal I have ever had. I dare even say I may have enjoyed it. It made my house smell incredible as it cooked overnight, and waking up to a hot breakfast without having to lift a finger is really something. This is creamy and flavorful and my favorite are the cooked banana pieces...I may add more bananas next time...they are sooo good! I have reading about the steel oats craze and I thought I would try it out...I think I am glad I did, and now you can too!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
2 c. coconut milk
1 1/2 c. skim milk
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
2 Tbsp. butter (cut into small pieces)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. Steel Cut oats
2 Tbsp flax seed (optional)
4 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
3-4 ripe bananas (sliced)
1/2 c. Shredded coconut (optional)

1. Take all ingredients and mix them in your crock pot (for easy clean up spray crock pot first!) right before you go to sleep and set crock pot on LOW.

2. Sleep for at least 7 hours (without opening crock pot) and wake up to a delicious smelling house. Once ready to eat, open crock pot.

3. Stir up oatmeal.

4. Enjoy oatmeal for breakfast with some added brown sugar.

5. Freeze the rest to enjoy for the rest of the week. To freeze in right-size portions. Take out your muffin tin.

6. Spray your muffin tin.

7. Scoop oatmeal into each tin.

8. Freeze for a few hours, take out and turn upside down. Wait for the cups to fall out and put in zip-block baggie in the freezer. You can grab the right amount for each morning. (this method is perfect for soups and chili's as well)

Adapted from: http://www.theyummylife.com/blog/2012/01/271/Overnight%2C+Slow+Cooker%2C+Banana+%26+Coconut+Milk+Steel-Cut+Oatmeal

Creamy Shrimp Po' Boy's

In the middle of winter, it is nice to have a light meal on occasion. This definitely fits the bill. It is so good and filling but not in the least bit heavy. I will definitely have these again, especially in the summer! They are so creamy, light and flavorful! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

Ingredients:
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1 lb cooked, peeled and tail-removed shrimp
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper or Louisiana Cajun seasoning (optional)
2 carrots
2 green onions
Spinach or lettuce
Bread rolls (hot dog buns or whatever bread you like- I used whole wheat bread from Sam's)
Avocado, sliced

1. Peel and chop carrots and chop green onion.

2. Prepare the po'boy "bed" aka split open the bread and lay down a blanket of spinach or lettuce (whichever you prefer.

4. Combine 1/4 c. mayonnaise and 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.

5. Mix in to the mayonnaise, salt,  pepper and cayenne pepper or Louisiana Cajun seasoning to taste.

6. Cut each shrimp into about 3 pieces each.

7. Add shrimp, chopped carrots and chopped green onions to the mayonnaise mixture and stir to combine.

8. Put your shrimp mixture on the po'boy "bed" you assembled earlier and finish with avocado slices.

9. Enjoy!

Inspired By: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/creamy-shrimp-rolls-00000000000684/index.html

BBQ Meatloaf...Get your domestic on!

Ummmm....Yummmmm!!!!! Meatloaf with only beef and tons of absolutely delicious vegetables. Plus some unexpected add-in's of bread crumbs and quick oatmeal (who'd of thunk it?!?!?!) I do love meatloaf but this meatloaf takes the cake! I cannot describe to you how GOOD this is...so hopefully I can show you a little better!

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp butter
1 onion
4 carrots
1 yellow bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1 c. diced tomato's
1.5 c. mushrooms
5 cloves garlic
1 c. quick oats
1 c. plain breadcrumbs
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 eggs
2 lbs ground beef
BBQ sauce

Directions:
1. Dice carrots, mushrooms, onion, tomatoes, peppers and garlic.

2. Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in pan and saute diced vegetables (carrots, mushrooms, onion, peppers and garlic) until they are cooked down and wilted.

**** Aren't all those vegetables beautiful?? I love how colorful they are!!!***
3. Remove vegetables from heat and refrigerate for 1 hour.

4. Combine 1c. oats, 1 c. breadcrumbs, cumin, salt and pepper and cayenne pepper.

5. Once the vegetables have been refrigerated for 1 hour, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

6. Combine the dry oat and breadcrumb mix, refrigerated/cooled vegetables, 3 eggs and 2 lbs. ground beef.

7. Form mixture into loaf's (this recipe made 2 for us) and place on a greased cookie sheet.

8. Cover top of loaves with your favorite BBQ sauce and smear around to cover all sides.

9. Cook on 350 degrees F for 60 minutes.

10. Remove meatloaf from oven and let rest for 20 minutes.

11. Enjoy.

Recipe inspired by: http://www.foodjimoto.com/2012/01/meatloaf-with-barbecue-sauce.html

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

The recipe I tweaked to come up with this one said that these cookies are based off of Potbelly's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies (I don't know what that means all I know is deliciousness). I switched up the recipe a bit and what I came up with...I LOVE!!!! My new FAVORITE chocolate chip cookie. I have had to force myself to start giving them away. I do not doubt that if I kept them at home I would eat every last one...which is a lot because I made a double batch (I do not recommend a double batch...it will make about 8-10 dozen...too many cookies!!!)

Ingredients:
1 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups quick oats
2 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a medium mixing bowl  combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream margarine and sugars. 

4.Add in egg, one at a time, beating after every addition. 

5. Mix in vanilla.

6. Add about a cup of the dry mix to the margarine and sugar mix, then add another cup. Do this until it is all blended together.

7. Mix in chocolate chips

8. Form dough into medium size balls, place on cookie sheet covered with a silicone mat or just put Pam on it!

9. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes.

10. Enjoy!!!

I made these cookies for a Superbowl party...sadly that was the day Brutis passed. I did however get this picture of him.

And of coarse I got a picture of my cooking buddy Rollie Bear, sitting in his spot "outside the kitchen".

Recipe inspired by:  http://www.pardonthedoghair.com/2012/01/potbelly-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

Buffalo Chicken Soup

I am not a creamy soup person. However, I really like spicy food so I took the recipe and kicked it up a notch and WOW! It is awesome! All the flavors of a chicken wing (chicken, hot sauce, celery, carrot, blue cheese, ranch) in one delicious bite!


Ingredients:

2-3 chicken breasts
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 celery stalks, diced
1 large white onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or half and half- I used a little of both!)
3 tablespoons hot sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese 
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1/3 cup flour
1 tablespoons of dried parsley


Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Dice chicken and season with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Use olive oil to grease a baking sheet and bake chicken for about 20 min.

2. While chicken is baking, dice 1 onion, 4 stalks celery, 3 carrots, and mince 3 garlic cloves.

3. In a large stockpot or dutch oven, melt 2 T. of butter.

4. Add chopped onion, celery and carrots and cook till the onion is transparent (about 5-9 minutes). Add minced garlic for last minute of cooking time.

5. Remove chicken from oven, when ready, set aside to cool and either shred or chop to get ready to add to soup.

6. Stir in to pot 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or half and half), 3 tablespoons hot sauce and shredded or diced chicken.

7. In a separate bowl combine 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey jack cheese, 1 cup crumbled blue cheese, 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan, and 1/3 cup flour. Mix the cheeses and flour together well and slowly add the mixture into the pot while stirring.

8. As the cheese melts the soup warms (10-15min) and thickens. Once soup is warm and at desired consistency, add 1 T. parsley and stir to combine.

9. Serve up with hot sauce and enjoy!

**** Disclaimer: The pictures may depict a large amount of ingredients (I was making a double batch) however the amounts depicted in writing throughout the recipe are accurate.****

Recipe adapted from: http://www.mrsregueiro.com/2012/01/dailybuzz-moms-9x9-buffalo-chicken-soup.html