The perfect blend of tart and sweet!

 Oh my goodness...

can you say YUMMY for your tummy!
Yep, that's what these Blueberry Lemon Crumb Bars are! 

I have a freezer full of berries and so I'm always thrilled to find recipes that are delicious to put them to use!

These are the perfect blend of sweet and tart
and have a slightly crunchy crumb crust.
If you ever need something delicious to take to a brunch or breakfast party these are a really fun alternative to muffins! 

 I had ten 12-year olds over to my house for breakfast a month ago and these were the biggest HIT!
I also made these for our yearly Easter Brunch party
and once again they were a hit as well! 

Blueberry Lemon Crumb Bars

1 cup white granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups unbleached flour
1 cup butter
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
Zest of two lemons
4 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I use frozen)
1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F 
Spray 9x13 GLASS baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  
(NOTE: You can use a metal baking pan, but, the bars won’t have a crunchy crust.  They will taste good, but are a moist bar, rather than cookie/pie like).

In a medium bowl, stir together 1 cup sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and lemon zest.
In a small bowl, whisk the egg and vanilla together until combined.
Use pastry cutter to blend the flour mixture with the butter.
Then add in egg/vanilla mixture. 
Dough will be crumbly. 
Pat half of dough into the glass baking dish.
In another bowl, stir together 1/2 sugar and cornstarch. Gently mix in the frozen blueberries. 
Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.
Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. 
Cool completely before cutting into squares.    
Best to keep chilled until serving. 

 Enjoy!

Delicious Oranges...so many yummy uses and a recipe!

 I am sad that this morning we enjoyed our last orange from the case of oranges I bought 2 weeks ago.  
It's one of the things I love most about this time of the year, is the GREAT prices on oranges...
it's such a frugal way to enjoy produce 
this time of the year!

 Since Christmas we have bought 4 cases of oranges and enjoyed every single one. 
You may ask how a family of four can go through so many oranges, but they all get eaten up in one way or another and here is how that happens: 

Cut up and eaten for daily snacks 
and daily lunch box additions...

Cut in half and JUICED...

 and served with weekend 
pancake and egg breakfasts...

 Kids just LOVE 
fresh squeezed orange juice...

Topped on MANY winter salads...

Added to many smoothies...

Used to make up some absolutely 
delicious family favorite recipes....

Poppy Seed Bread (here)

Carrot Cookies (here)

And one of our all time favorites

Orange Rolls...
and below is the recipe for that! 

Orange Rolls

2 Tbsp. SAF yeast

1 Tbsp. sugar

½ cup warm water

Mix together and let stand while getting other ingredients ready.

1 cup scalded milk

1/3 cup butter

1/3 cup sugar

2 tsp salt

2 eggs, well beaten

4 ½ to 5 heaping cups flour

Add butter and sugar to hot milk.  

Cool and add eggs, salt, and yeast mixture.

Add flour, knead well. Dough will be sticky.

Put in large bowl with a small amount of oil and coat well.

Let rise, punch down and let rise again.

Roll dough out like a jelly roll and spread with a mixture of:

6 Tbsp. softened butter

1 Tbsp. orange juice

1/3 cup sugar

grated rind of 1 orange

Roll up and cut and put on greased cookie sheet or in muffin tins.

Let rise until double and bake for 10-15 minutes in 400 degree oven.

Frost with cream cheese frosting while still warm.

(I cut mine apart after frosting and let them cool on wire racks so they aren't too doughy!

Enjoy!

Cream Cheese Frosting

(4oz) 1/2 package light cream cheese

1/4 cup REAL butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups powdered sugar

Cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla together until smooth. Add in powdered sugar and blend until creamy.

Oranges...whether eaten plain as a snack, 

or  juiced, topped on a salad, 

made into a smoothie, or added to recipes...

it's one truly one of the favorite winter time fruits in our family!!

I hope you and your family enjoy the 

WONDERFUL yummyness 

of citrus and oranges as well!

Spinach... Smoothies, Eggs & Soup!

 Spinach...

I'm always amazed when I read that it is
difficult to overestimate the  
nutritional powerhouse that is in spinach!

This is a wonderful article of the amazing things that are in spinach...

 it is one of those foods that is 

at the TOP of most Super Food lists!

We are definitely a spinach loving family,

we enjoy it freshly steamed and served with salmon,

 it is a staple in our salads, we enjoy it in soups, 

 we love topping homemade tortillas  

with cream cheese, veggies and SPINACH leaves for a great lunch...

 our favorite way is blending it up into a GREEN Smoothie  

a few times a week. 

I LOVE that spinach is so easy to grow 

in the spring/summer time.   

We usually have more spinach than we know what to do with and so I will wash the Spinach and freeze it in 2 cup bags in our freezer to pull out in the winter months.

 During the winter months 
(when we have run out of our garden spinach)
 when we go on our weekly dates, 
we purchase a large one pound container of spinach from Sam's Club for $3.97

so that we can still make up our weekly GREEN Smoothies and have it to add to soups, salads and sandwiches.  

I also purchase one or two FRESH pineapples 

each week to cut up and add to our smoothies as well.

While we are a frugal family, 

we do believe in buying quality appliances  

and so each week whether it be grinding wheat, making bread or homemade treats, or blending up smoothies, making almond milk or bean puree, they all get used LOTS!  
  

If you don't have a good quality blender, 

I strongly suggest you save your pennies to invest in one...

 it is worth the money spent and makes it EASY to get your family eating more fruits and veggies in SMOOTHIE form.

There are SO many ways to get your kids and family eating more of this wonderful SUPER food of Spinach 

and I'm going to share with you our favorites that are tried, true, delicious and 

ALWAYS a hit each time they are served!

 GREEN SMOOTHIE

Here is the basic recipe...(it varies depending upon the season)

but it ALWAYS has the same ingredients

fresh pineapple (1-2 cups)

one stalk of celery

one slice of lime (with rind)

2-3 cups spinach

water/ice

the variable is this...

in winter time we add in one or two oranges

in the summer time we add in one or two large handfuls of grapes
(here for other smoothie options) 

In the summertime when the kids are out of school,  
we make some variation of a green smoothie almost every day for lunch.  

During the school year, we enjoy our green smoothies on the weekends and also once or twice during the week for either breakfast or to add to a light dinner.

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EGGS

(when I'm in charge of breakfast and the kids are asking for eggs) 

I always make up a yummy batch of eggs that has LOTS of veggies in them. 

I recently read about a lady that adds in spinach with her eggs in the blender and WOW is it ever good.  We are hooked and I'm going to add spinach to my veggie eggs from here on out.

Veggies and Eggs

2-3 large slices of onion finely chopped

1/2 bell pepper finely chopped

2 carrots finely chopped

1-2 Tbsp butter

(diced ham if you like)

Melt butter in frying pan and add in veggies (ham if you have it) and saute together until tender/crisp

(eggs)

8 eggs

2 Tbsp milk

1 large slice of onion

1 packed cup of fresh spinach

(mix altogether in the blender until spinach is finely chopped)

Pour egg mixture over sauteed veggies and let cook 2-3 minutes before you start stirring the eggs.    

Stir together and cook until eggs are done.  

Top with freshly grated cheese and tomatoes!   

Perfect served with homemade pancakes for a hearty, 

get you going weekend breakfast! 

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Minestrone Soup

SOUPS...truly one of our family's staples.

I love this Minestrone Soup because it seriously 

tastes like something you would get at a really nice restaurant 

AND I love all of the yummy veggies it has in it. 

Toasted Artisan Bread is the perfect accompaniment for this soup!

 It is a GREAT way to use  

cabbage and spinach/kale 

and is something that actually tastes better the next day.  

(great to take for lunches)

 Minestrone Soup
(pretty much a "vegetarian meal")
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 large diced onions
4 cloves minced garlic
1 cup sliced carrots
1 tsp basil
1 can Italian tomatoes (undrained)
3 beef bouillon cubes with 8 cups water (OR, pull a bag of leftover "roast drippings" from the freezer and add in enough water to make 8 cups)
2 cups finely chopped cabbage
1 can Great Northern Beans (undrained)
1-2 cups Spinach, OR, Kale (OR add in 1 cup chopped zucchini instead)

Cook onions, carrots, garlic and basil in olive oil for 5 minutes.
Add tomatoes, beef bouillon and cabbage.
Bring soup to boil and cook for 1 hour.
Add beans with liquid and spinach and cook another 20 minutes. 
Garnish bowls with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, OR, serve with a dollop of cottage cheese.  This tastes even better the 2nd day.

This is soup is definitely 
a favorite with my kids!

and it’s SO easy and healthy!!
Great served with homemade bread, breadsticks, 

or our favorite... (Artisan Bread)

I hope you enjoy the wonderful health benefits 

of Spinach in your family as well!
Yummy, delicious and most of all

economic and nutritious!

Adding Fun to Dinner with Winter Veggies!

Winter Veggies like

Butternut Squash and Sweet potatoes...

truly some of my favorite veggies to eat!  

I can honestly say I could eat them everyday 

and never tire of them.

If you do have Butternut Squash  
or Sweet potatoes on hand 

and want a yummy way to fix them up, 

I have two wonderful recipes that are perfect for them.

 Roasted Chicken and Veggies 

uses chicken thighs, garlic, rosemary, 

sweet potatoes, red potatoes, apples and pecans.
(this is perfect to feed a large crowd, OR, if you are a small family, 
use the leftovers to take for lunch to work/school the next day)

 Butternut Squash Casserole 

is full of  sauteed onions, squash, apples, ham, cheese and thyme,
and they truly blend together to make the most delicious casserole ever.
This would also be a perfect thing
to make for a breakfast casserole!

(BTW...I try and keep a few packages of Canadian Bacon in my freezer to have on hand for making Pizza, Calzones and this Casserole)

Definitely a delicious way to add 

some FUN to your dinner that nutritious as well!

(my sweet hubby's recipe card as he is the one that makes this up for us)

Rosemary Roasted Chicken and Veggies 

3 teaspoons paprika

2 heaping teaspoons crushed rosemary leaves 

3-4 cloves garlic minced

1/2 teaspoon coarse pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt 

3 Tbsp. olive oil

8-10 bone in chicken thighs  OR, 4-5 chicken leg quarters (skins removed)

3 sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes

3 large potatoes peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes (or you can use 5-6 small red potatoes)

3 apples peeled and thinly sliced

handful of pecan halves 

Mix first 6 ingredients together in a bowl.

Put chicken, potatoes, apples and pecans in a large metal bowl and pour spice mixture over it and TOSS well to coat.  (using your hands is the best way to do this).

Arrange chicken/veggies in a large casserole dish that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

(HINT...I actually had to use 2 casserole dishes...so I just divided it between 2 pans as I didn't have one large enough)

Roast uncovered in 425 degree oven for 45-60 minutes until the veggies are tender and chicken has reached 165 degrees.

Absolutely delicious!   

If there are any leftovers,  

I just pull the chicken off the bones and mix with the veggies

and this makes DELICIOUS leftovers to take for lunch the next day.

This would also be the PERFECT meal to serve company... 

serve with a green salad and slice of Artisan bread and you could really feed a crowd!

Butternut Squash Casserole

1 large (or 2 small) butternut squash peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
2 large onions thinly sliced/then sauteed until very tender
2 small apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 teaspoons thyme
3 Tbsp flour
4 oz. shredded Swiss cheese

(6oz) package Canadian Bacon
1-1/2 cups chicken stock
2 pieces wheat bread toasted and crumbled

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a shallow baking dish layer 1/3 of the squash, then ½ of the sauteed onions and then ½ of the apple slices. Season with a sprinkle of thyme, ¼ tsp pepper and a scatter of flour and 1/3 of the cheese. 

Layer half the meat.

For the second layer repeat the process topping with squash.

Add chicken stock.
Cover and bake for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven, uncover and sprinkle with bread crumbs and remaining cheese.
Return to oven uncovered and bake 30-45 minutes until veggies are tender
Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes before serving.

You will find after enjoying these yummy dishes 

that winter veggies never tasted SO good!

Enjoy and have fun!

Cinnamon rolls...perfect for the weekend!

 YAY for the weekend!  

Truly my favorite time of the week, where there are two days in a row that we get LOTS of family time together.  

While most weekends are usually busy and running here and there,  

or, Tracy and the boys are doing a scout campout,

there are those weekends that come around once in a blue moon,

where it's relaxing and we enjoy each and every bit of the morning time together...

Such was the case over the holidays!

I got up and made a batch of these 

cinnamon rolls that come together SO quickly...

the aroma of the baking yummyness awakened my family 

and we enjoyed a morning brunch of 

Cinnamon Rolls, boiled eggs, fresh fruit and milk/juice.  

It was truly a picture PERFECT morning! 

(I originally got this recipe 16 years ago 

from my sweet friend Marie that I used to work with)

The yummy thing about these Cinnamon Rolls is they taste like 

"Maple Bars" 

that you get at the bakery, because I add in Maple flavoring to the frosting.

Cinnamon Rolls      
1-1/2 cups warm water
3 Tablespoons yeast
1/3 cup oil (I use canola oil)
1/3 cup sugar
Mix these ingredients and let stand for 15 minutes

Add the following ingredients to the above mixture
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
5-1/4 cups flour
2 beaten eggs

Roll dough ½ inch thick (on floured surface) and 
spread with butter and sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon. 
(You can also put raisins and nuts if you want...the raisins make them SO good!)   
Roll up like a jelly roll and cut into slices.   
Place on a greased cookie sheet and  
let rise until doubled (about 1 hour)
Bake in 400 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. (until lightly browned)  

Frost with maple/cream cheese frosting. 
After frosting, I then pull my cinnamon rolls out of the pan and let them cool on wire racks so they aren't too "doughy"

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup REAL butter
4 (oz) cream cheese
1-2 capfuls Mapleine Extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Beat together butter, cream cheese and maple extract until light and fluffy.
Gradually add in powdered sugar, beating until smooth.  

Enjoy adding a little bit of FUN 

to weekend breakfasts with your family!

Family...good food...time spent together...

truly life's precious treasures!