Strawberry Rhubarb Jam Bars

I used homemade Strawberry Rhubarb Jam I made  last year 2020

That was my filling cut a corner. 

CRUST

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

3/4 cup butter  softened

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

FILLING

1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen unsweetened rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

DRIZZLE

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

1. STEP 1

   Combine rhubarb, strawberries and lemon juice in 2-quart saucepan. Cover; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, 8-12 minutes or until fruit is tender.

1. STEP 2

   Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in bowl. Stir into fruit mixture. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, 1 minute or until mixture comes to a boil. Continue boiling 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat. Set aside.

2. STEP 3

   Heat oven to 350°F.

3. STEP 4

   Combine all crust ingredients in bowl. Beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

4. STEP 5

   Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture. Press remaining crumb mixture onto bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Spread filling over crust. Sprinkle with reserved crumb mixture. Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

5. STEP 6

   Combine all drizzle ingredients in bowl. Drizzle over cooled bars. Cut into bars.

** USED my homemade jam dump and pour for your filling this recipe will be good with other fillings also..

Chocolate Peanut Butter Monkey Bread

I decided to make a peanut butter ,chocolate chip monkey bread,, yum so good..

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Monkey Bread

Ingredients

1/2       cup granulated sugar

1          teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 (16.3 oz) cans Pillsbury™ Grands!™ Homestyle refrigerated buttermilk biscuits                                                                                                                                             

2/3    cup creamy peanut butter (divided into 32 teaspoons)

8       ounces semi sweet chocolate chips

1        cup brown sugar

3/4     cup butter, melted

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 12-cup fluted tube or Bundt pan with butter or cooking spray. In large gallon-size storage food bag, mix granulated sugar and cinnamon.

2.Separate the biscuit dough into 16 biscuits (8 biscuits per can); cut each biscuit into quarters, making 64 pieces.

3.Working with one biscuit quarter at a time, flatten the quarter into a circle shape. Place one teaspoon of the peanut and a few chocolate chips in the center of the dough. Bring edges of the dough up and over the filling, stretching the dough as necessary to encase the fillings in the middle of the dough ball. Repeat with remaining dough circles.

4.Add filled dough balls a few at a time to the bag of cinnamon sugar. Shake in bag to coat dough. Arrange coated dough balls in the prepared pan.

5.In small bowl, mix brown sugar and melted butter; pour mixture over biscuit pieces.

6.Place the pan on a baking sheet. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and no longer doughy in center.

7.Remove from the oven and carefully invert the pan onto a serving plate. Allow the bread to cool inverted in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove the pan and pull apart to serve. Serve warm.

Shower Bombs

I decided to go back when things are handmade, And mean a lot because, Its that thought that counts. These items I made was all homemade.

First I made some Shower Bombs you may ask what are they ,well they are little disks that are made with Eucalyptus Essential Oil and the scent helps you breath like Vicks Vapor Rub but its a shower bomb style.

Shower Bombs

1 c. Baking Soda
1/2 c. Cornstarch
1/3-1/2 c. Water +add more or less
15 drops of Eucalyptus Essential Oil 
2 Ice cube trays

Mix using enough water to make a thick paste. You can pour into muffin tins lined with papers, make small balls and set on a plate or put into a silicone ice cube tray or muffin tray. Let them set for at least 12 hours or overnight to dry. You can bake them in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 minutes to dry them more quickly. Remove from papers or silicone trays and store in an airtight container.
I didn't put them into the oven, I left them out for 2-3days till they where non wet, and they was dry.
I made 2 batches to fit in 2 ice cube trays.
*When ready to use, place a disc on the floor of your shower and let the water run on it while showering

Chicken Parmesan or Italian Style Meatball Casserole

This is a recipe from a cold day in Maine one year 
For dinner tonight since Its freezing here in Maine 17 degrees, I decided to make a casserole. I cut a corner because of costs of the ingredients. I used Rotini pasta and a package of frozen Italian style mini meatballs. It’s full of melty cheese, and the tomato sauce totally counts as a veggie.

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:


1 pound lean ground chicken
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup milk


For the casserole:


1 pound campanelle pasta (any small shape is fine, such as ziti)
1 jar (24 ounces) marinara sauce (Barilla)
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the pasta. Cook for 1 minute less than package directions state.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
While the pasta is cooking, prepare the meatballs. Add all of the ingredients to a large bowl and use your hands to mix them together well. Form into small balls, about 1 inch in diameter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink. Remove from the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
Add the pasta sauce to a large bowl and stir in the cooked pasta and meatballs. Stir gently to coat everything in sauce.
Spread half of the pasta and meatballs into a 9x13 baking dish. Top with half of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with Italian seasoning.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Serve immediately.
*To freeze this dish, stop just short of baking the casserole, cover tightly with foil, and freeze until ready to bake. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.*

Iced Tea

  Refrigerator iced tea is smooth without bitterness, and it's easy to make. It's safer to drink than sun tea and you get all of the cancer fighting health benefits found in tea.                                                                                           

4 Tea bags or 4 teaspoons loose leaf tea                                                    

   Liquids                            

4 cups Tap or room temperature water

Use a 1-quart Mason jar or pitcher.

--If using tea bags: hang tea bags inside pitcher or jar with strings hanging over the rim (for easy removal later). Add water making sure that tea is immersed, cover, and put in fridge for 6-12 hours. Remove tea bags and serve.

--If using loose leaf tea: add 4 teaspoons tea leaves to a tea basket, tea ball or tea filter bag. Rest over top of jar or pitcher so the tea will be exposed to the water, but it can easily be removed after the tea has steeped. Place in the refrigerator for 6-12 hours. Remove tea leaves, and it's ready to serve.

ADJUST RECIPE FOR ANY QUANTITY.  Use 1 teabag or 1 teaspoon of loose leaf tea per cup of water. 

Serves 4 

Coconut Milk Coffee Creamer

Total Time: 2 minutes

Serves: 4-8

Ingredients:

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1-2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• Honey or vanilla stevia to taste
• Sea salt to taste, optional

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a blender and mix until well combined. Use in coffee as desired.

Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken Tater Tot Casserole

Ingredients:1 (32 oz.) bag frozen tater tots
1 (3 oz.) bag bacon pieces
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, diced
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup milk
salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Spray slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Layer half of the frozen tater tots on the bottom of the slow cooker.
3. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the bacon pieces.
4. Now top with 1/3 of the shredded cheese.
5. Add diced chicken on top.
6. Season with salt & pepper.
7. Now add 1/3 of the bacon pieces and another 1/3 of shredded cheese.
8. Put the rest of the frozen tater tots on top.
9. Finish with the remaining 1/3 cheddar cheese and remaining 1/3 of bacon pieces.
10. Pour 3/4 cup milk all over the top.
11. Cover and cook on low about 4-6 hours.

Pumpkin Muffins – TWO ingredients!

 Pumpkin Muffins – TWO ingredients!

Serves	12
Prep time	5 minutes
Cook time	15 minutes
Total time	20 minutes
Meal type	Breakfast, Dessert

Ingredients

• 1 box Cake mix - Spice (Plain works too if you don't have the spice one.)
• 1 can Pumpkin (15 or 16 oz - not pumpkin filling)

Directions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 F

Step 2

Assemble your tools - pan for 12 medium cupcakes, spoon to mix, Pam.

Step 3

Pour cake mix into your favorite red bowl.

Step 4

Add canned pumpkin to bowl

Step 5

Stir the two ingredients together.

Step 6

Keep stirring! It really starts looking like batter.

Step 7

Put batter into 12 medium muffin tin.

Step 8

Bake for 18 - 20 minutes. Test for doneness with toothpick (or a skewer stick!).

Maple and Brown Sugar Overnight Oatmeal

Well I decided to make some maple and brown sugar oatmeal in the crock pot today.. It came out good. I ended up having a nice bowl of it, there wasn't any need to add any sugar.. Just a different taste because I never had Steel oats before today. But its a lot more health for you..

Ingredients

6 servings

• ¼ cups Maple Syrup
• 2 cups Steel Cut Oats
• ⅓ cups Brown Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• 3 tablespoons Butter
• ¾ cups chop Pecans
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon

• 6 cups Water (serving day)

Directions

Coat inside of a 4-5 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients to slow cooker and stir. Cook for 7-8 hours on low. Stir before serving.

Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Broccoli Over Rice

I made this recipe twice, It's a keeper around here. YUM

Prep time: 5 min | Cook time: 3-6 hours | Total time: 6 hours

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 14 ounce can Cream of Chicken Soup
• 14 ounce can Cheddar Soup
• 14 ounces Chicken Broth
• 1/2 teaspoon Cajun Seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 6 cups steamed broccoli florets (Boiled in hot water for 3 minutes then drained)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Place soups, chicken broth, Cajun and garlic salt into a crockpot over low heat.  Whisk until smooth.  Add chicken, pressing to the bottom. Cover lid and cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
2. When chicken is cooked, use 2 forks to shred into bite size pieces.  Stir in sour cream and broccoli.
3. Serve over steamed rice and sprinkle with cheese if desired.

Makes 4-6 Servings

French Vanilla Creamer

I found its cheaper to buy the milk and the other ingredients to make the creamer unless you hit a good deal at your local grocery store for creamer that's on sale or a good savings with coupons..

1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk

14-oz. milk (whole, lowfat, or skim – it doesn’t matter)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Pour all of the ingredients into a jar. Screw the lid on tightly, and shake vigorously for a few minutes until well-combined.

DYI Dryer Sheets

I decided to give this a try why not sounds pretty simple that I can make without messing it up LOL.

What You'll Need:

• 1/2 cup of Vinegar
• 8 drops tea tree or other essential oil (I used 100% pure Lavender)
• Sealable container
• Cotton cloths ie: old towels, inexpensive dish towels from the dollar store or old tee shirts, linens.

Directions:

1. Start by cutting your towels, tee shirts, linens dish towels, into smaller sections. I used an old towel.
2. Mix together the vinegar and essential oil in a small bowl. Vinegar is a natural softener, and the essential oil gives your clothes a gentle, natural scent. Pour the mixture over the cloths until they are dampened but not soaked. Keep in a securely closed container.
3. To use, simply remove a sheet from the container, squeezing any excess liquid back into the jar, and toss into the dryer. To reduce static cling in clothes, reduce the heat temperature of your dryer. When clothes are dry, simply place the sheet back in the jar for use later.

My Spinach Ball Recipe

My Spinach Ball Recipe

2 pkg. Frozen Spinach, Drained
6 Well Beaten Eggs
1/2 c. Parmesan Cheese
3/4 c. Melted Butter
1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper
2 1/2 c. Seasoned Breadcrumbs

Cook spinach then drain and squeeze out moisture (Very important! Squeeze all the moisture out!)
Combine all ingredients and chill
Shape into balls (size of golf ball) and place on greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350F for 15-20mins

Note: You can add some finely diced onion or 1/2 tsp. thyme if you want.

Maple Granola Bars

1 c. rolled oats

1 c. quick oats

1 c. almond slices

1 c. shredded coconut

2/3 c. Dark Maple Syrup

3 Tbs. Butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. golden raisins

1/2 c. dried cranberries

combine oats, and almond slices and coconut on cookie sheet, bake for 350 for 10-12mins stirring once at 6mins. Meanwhile, in a small saucepot, bring maple syrup, butter, salt and cinnamon to a boil and boil 2 mins. Add vanilla and let cool slightly for easier handing. add dried fruit to the oats mixture and mix. Transfer the oats/fruit  mixture to a large bowl for easier mixing with syrup.  Once Syrup mixture is cool enough to handle, poor over the oats and mix well, coating everything evenly. press firmly greased or parchment lined 13x9 pan . Bake for 20-25 mins. The longer they bake them  the crunchier they will be. Cut into bars before they are completely set. At this point they can also be broken into chunks for trail mix.Cool completely and store in airtight container.