anything goes oatmeal.

I call this recipe "anything goes oatmeal" because I believe you can add almost anything to this simple oatmeal recipe and it will probably turn out delicious. This recipe makes an incredible breakfast, lunch (don't judge), snack, or dessert. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup milk of choice (you'll probably want more to add in at the end)
• 1/4 tsp salt (I left out)
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
• Sweetener to taste (I left out because the baking chips were sweet enough) 
• Add-ins of your choice**
• Baking chips- 
• chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, etc. etc.
• Walnuts, peanuts, almonds, etc.
• Peanut Butter
• Cinnamon
• Brown sugar
• Mashed or chopped banana

Directions:

1. Combine 1/2 cup oats with some milk. Cook for 1 minute.
2. Add salt (if desired) and your add-ins. (Tip: if adding the banana, add this ingredient right before consuming.)
3. Cook for intervals until the consistency is how you like it. I usually do 30 second intervals or so and add milk as needed. When you are getting close to your last interval of cooking, add in the vanilla. 
4. You can now stir in your mashed or chopped banana & sweetener.
5. Enjoy!!

My favorite combos** 

• chocolate chips, peanut butter, & chopped banana. 
• white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, & peanut butter.

Source: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2009/03/11/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-oatmeal/

peanut butter cup rocky road brownies.

Ready to make your mouth water?

And aren't those chopped up peanut butter cups just beautiful?

I go crazy for Reese's cups! I just love the peanut butter chocolate combination. So obviously I was so excited to find this recipe. These brownies disappeared too quickly but  I was thrilled they turned out so well.

This recipe starts by baking a basic brownie recipe and topping the brownies off with Reese's and marshmallows. I didn't have enough Reese's (sad, I know) so I added chocolate chips and broken up Hershey's milk chocolate. Although you can't beat Reese's, I would imagine using any chocolate candy (e.g. chopped up Snickers, Kit Kats, etc.) would work as excellent substitutes.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1-1/4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1-1/3 cups (8-oz. pkg.) REESE'S Peanut Butter Cups
• 1/2 cup peanuts, chopped [I left these out]
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 egg(s)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 8- or 9-inch square baking pan. 
2. Stir together marshmallows, mini peanut butter cups and peanuts; set aside. Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 1 to 1-1/2 minutes or until melted. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat with spoon until well blended. Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; stir until well blended. Spread batter in prepared pan.
3. Bake 22 minutes. Sprinkle peanut butter cup mixture over top. Continue baking 5 minutes or until marshmallows have softened and puffed slightly. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Using wet knife cut into squares. About 20 brownies.

Recipe Source: http://www.hersheys.com/reeses/recipes/detail.aspx?id=8929&name=Peanut-Butter-Cup-Rocky-Road-Brownies&category=brownies

chicken & noodles.

Mmm...ultimate comfort food right here, people. 

This is an incredibly easy recipe I found for chicken and noodles. Grant and I ate it over mashed potatoes and it was seriously awesome.  Our grandma makes homemade noodles so we were spoiled and didn't have to use store bought noodles. Also, see my note about the cream of chicken soup. It yielded a lot so we enjoyed it over many lunches and dinners :)

INGREDIENTS:

1 (26 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup* 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup* 3 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth 2 cups diced, cooked chicken

2 teaspoons onion powder 1 teaspoon seasoning salt 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder 2 (9 ounce) packages egg noodles

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large pot, mix the cream of chicken soup, cream of mushroom soup, chicken broth, and chicken meat. 
2. Season with onion powder, seasoning salt, and garlic powder. 
3. Bring to a boil, and stir in the noodles. 
4. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
   
   
   *I made my own cream of chicken soup with Stacy Makes Cent's Recipe. It is delicious, easy, and much healthier than the canned stuff- triple bonus! :)

Recipe Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/incredibly-easy-chicken-and-noodles/

biscuits & sausage gravy.

Biscuits and gravy is often my go-to meal when I go to Cracker Barrel or other breakfast places. This is mostly because it was the only time I got to eat this deliciously, comforting food.  I always figured sausage gravy was a difficult meal to make but I was amazed at how easy and simple this recipe was to make. If you've ever felt this way too, give this recipe a shot!

Biscuits:

Ingredients

• 2 C. flour*
• 1 T. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 8 T. COLD butter 
• 1 C. buttermilk

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a blender (or food processor). Cut the butter into chunks and add it with the dry ingredients. Pulse a few times until the butter resembles crumbs.
3. Pour in the buttermilk and pulse until combined. Turn out onto a well floured surface. Use well floured hands to pat the dough into a 1 inch thick round. Fold on top of itself several times and press down to 1/2 inch thickness.
4. Using a round cookie cutter, or a glass cup, cut out your circles. Place onto a greased pan and bake 10 minutes. Make sure you watch them closely so they don’t over bake.

*I used 1 cup AP and 1 cup white whole wheat

_______________________________________________________

Sausage Gravy:

Ingredients

• 1 lb breakfast sausage 
• 2 C. milk**
• 1/4 C. flour

Instructions

1. Brown your sausage in a medium sized skillet.
2. Stir in the flour. Slowly mix in the milk. Cook on a low simmer until thickened.
3. Add pepper to taste.

**The recipe recommends whole milk but I either used skim or 1%; sorry I can't remember!

Enjoy, my friends!


Recipes Adapted from: 

http://onesweetappetite.com/ingredient-sausage-gravy/ 
& http://onesweetappetite.com/easy-homemade-biscuits/