CHOCOLATE OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER BLUEBERRY BARS

We just completed the oatmeal challenge here at OUR KrAzY kitchen and I had made these bars for a baking challenge over at Tuesdays with Dorie during January. They turned out really scrumptious.
CHOCOLATE OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER BLUEBERRY BARS






CHOCOLATE OATMEAL PEANUT BUTTER BLUEBERRY BARS
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking flour
1 teaspoon salt + pinch salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups packed dark brown sugar
2 JUMBO eggs
3 cups old fashion oats
1 1/2 + 3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 + 1/2 cup honey roasted peanuts
1 /2 cup golden raisins
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup dried blueberries
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons peanut butter
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Sift together the flour, soda, teaspoon of salt and cinnamon.
  • In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter.
  • Add the brown sugar and blend well.
  • Add eggs, one at a time, blending well after each one.
  • Add vanilla and blend until light & fluffy.
  • Add flour mixture and blend until smooth.
  • Gently mix in oatmeal and 2/3 cup peanuts.
  • Set aside 2 cups of mixture.
  • Press the remaining mixture into the bottom of a 9×13 well greased baking dish.
  • Scatter the blueberries randomly over the top of the oatmeal mixture.
  • In a double boiler mix together the sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter and chocolate chips until melted and well blended.
  • Stir in vanilla, raisins and remaining peanuts.
  • Spread over the oatmeal layer.
  • Working in small amounts flatten oat oatmeal dough and top chocolate mixture.
  • With well greased fingers press gently on the top oatmeal dough to spread it out evenly over the chocolate layer.
  • Bake 30 minutes.
  • Cool completely before cutting.

I’m also offering these recipes for the oatmeal theme:

On a personal note I would like to point out SnoWhite from Finding Joy in My Kitchen. She has 32 different and yummy oatmeal recipes for you to choose from. Head on over and check out her impressive list of oatmeal recipes. I made the oatmeal waffles this morning myself and was very surprised by them. They were really yummy!
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Tamy @ 3 Sides of Crazy Menu Plans

Menu Plan Monday hosted by Laura at I’m an Organizing Junkie

 DATE
 BREAKFAST
 DINNER
 DESSERTS

MON2/1

Carrot & Ham Soup

TUE 2/2

Linguine with Fresh Tomato Sauce

& Garlic Basil Toast

WED2/3

Melon Salad with

Sweet Sesame Dressing

THU2/4

Garlic Soup with

Tomato Garlic Toast

FRI 2/5

Sausage Rolls

SAT 2/6
Cinnamon Banana French Toast

Chicken Cordon Bleu Crisps

& Hot Wilted Greens

SUN 2/7
Oven Pancake

Mexican Dip, Cheesy BLT bites

& Mini Reubens

 Chocolate Pistachio Hearts

Martha@Menagerie Menu Plans

I’m using a little bit different style of menu planning for the next few weeks giving each night a sort of theme to make things simple and super easy. Each week I can just copy the plan, change a few of the dishes and viola, done! This might be a good way to go for those of you who don’t plan menus but have wanted to start.

Mmmm, fresh from the oven!


Saturday – Homemade soup and bread baking day – Kids cook night

Sunday – Grillin’ and chillin’ – Steaks, baked potatoes and veggies

Monday – Sandwich night – Steak fajitas (using Sunday’s leftovers)

Tuesday – Pasta night (using homemade sauce and meatballs from freezer), salad, garlic bread

Wednesday – Pizza night ($4.99 large pizzas – can’t beat the price!), Greek salad

Thursday – Breakfast for dinner – Biscuits and sausage gravy

Friday – Try a new recipe night!

Caprese Salad – Simple Saturday

Caprese Salad is a very simple but amazingly delicious Italian dish, a must try if you’ve never had it!

Start with Fresh Mozzarella cheese (I used mozzarella rolled with prosciutto for a little extra pizazz), slice cheese and tomatoes alternating, add some fresh basil leaves, drizzle with olive oil, add a little salt and pepper to taste. Serve with at room temperature with some fresh, preferably warm Italian bread – Delizioso!

Speaking of Italian delights, I have a surprise for all of you. We have a new once a month recipe day beginning next week …

“Cooking the Italian Way” will be hosted by the multi-talented Joanne of Eats Well With Others! Joanne will be posting “Cooking The Italian Way” the first Saturday of every month right here at Our Krazy Kitchen! What a special treat!

OATMEAL ROUNDUP!!

By strange coincidence, January is National Oatmeal month. Cross my heart, I didn’t know when I chose oatmeal as our mystery ingredient challenge. It just seemed like a good thing for the cold Januaries that many of us are experiencing.
I have an Oatmeal Sandwich Bread over at my blog today. For here, I thought I’d post a mock pecan pie made with no nuts and lots of oatmeal. It’s frugal, easy peasy and for anyone allergic to nuts, they can appreciate an almost pecan pie.
Oatmeal Pie (mock pecan):
2/3 c. uncooked oatmeal (quick)

2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. dark Karo syrup
1 stick butter (melted)
2 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 pie shell
Mix all ingredients and pour into uncooked pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

For all of your information, this Friday feature is changing its name and will be henceforth known as “Lovin’ from the Oven.”

Now for the important part, what wonderful oatmeal dishes do you have to share?

Roasted Root Vegetables for Color Carnival


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I needed a fresh new recipe for a dinner this weekend. This is what I had in the fridge and what I came up with. Sorry Dave no Brussels sprouts this week.
ROASTED ROOT VEGETABLES
2 large shallots, peeled and split
2 cups baby carrots, split lengthwise
1 large turnip, washed, peeled & sectioned
2 parsnips, cleaned & sliced into long pieces
1 bunch beets, washed, peeled & sectioned
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  • Toss vegetables with olive oil.
  • Roast on a jelly roll pan for 15 minutes.
  • Whisk together molasses and vinegar.
  • Toss with vegetables.
  • Return to oven for 15 more minutes or until vegetables are tender.
  • Salt and pepper to taste. Toss again and serve hot.

next time I’ll use onions instead of shallots.

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Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

CHICKEN SAUSAGE GUMBO
6-8 cups chicken broth
2 stalks celery, diced
2 large carrots, diced
1 large bunch green onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with chipotle peppers
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoons hot shot black & red pepper blend by McCormick
2 teaspoons Frank’s Red Hot Pepper Sauce
8 ounces smoked sausage, diced
3 chicken tenders, diced
½ cup long grain rice
½ cup medium pasta shells
Combine all ingredients except for the pasta and rice. Cook on high 1 hour. Add pasta and rice. Cook 1 additional hour. Serve with cornbread or biscuits.

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Are you Ready for some football? Football munchies that is…

I can’t believe Superbowl is less than 2 weeks away! We’re having a SUPERBOWL party over at Our KrAzY kitchen and I thought I would whet your appetites with a few of our favorite appetizers and dips.

CHEESY BLT BITES

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 cloves garlic, minced

juice of 1 lemon

20 slices cocktail bread, flavor of choice

8 slices bacon, browned and crumbled

2 leaves roamine, washed and chopped small

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

4 ounces sliced white cheddar cheese

Heat broiler. Combine mayonnaise, garlic and lemon juice. Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place under broiler for 1 minute to toast bread slices. Turn bread slices over and spread with mayonaise mixture. Top with cheese. Broil 1 minute until cheese begins to melt. Top with torn romaine, crumbled bacon and tomato pieces.

MINI RUEBENS

20 slices rye cocktail bread

1 cup cole slaw

1 teaspoon creamy horseradish

1/2 pound corned beef

1/2 pound grated swiss cheese

1/4 cup 1000 Island dressing

Arrange bread slices in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Place under broiler for 1 minute to toast bread slices. Turn bread slices over and spread 1000 Island dressing over each slice. Mix coleslaw and horseradish together. Top with coleslaw, corned beef and cheese. Broil 1 minute until cheese begins to melt. Drizzle with remaining 1000 Island dressing.

CREAMY BACON DIP

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

16 ounces sour cream

2 cups grated cheddar or Mexican mix

4 strips bacon, crisp and crumbled

1 large bunch green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. Fold in cheese, bacon and green onions. Bake 25-30 minutes. Serve with sourdough bread pieces.

TORTILLA ROLL-UPS

8 ouonces sour cream

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 bunch green onions, sliced thin and minced

1/3 pound ham, chopped fine

7 ounce can roasted ortega chiles, drained well

4-5 flour tortillas

Mix everything together well. Spread about 3-4 tablespoons of mixture onto each tortilla leaving a 1/2 inch on one edge. Roll up ending on the edge without mixture spread on it. Lay sides by side, cover loosely with plastic and chill overnight. Cut into 1/2″-3/4″ rounds just before serving.

My niece also adds 2 ounces chopped black olives to the mixture.

BUFFALO CHICKEN CHEESE DIP

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 1/2-2 cups small shredded chicken pieces (I use rotisserie chicken pieces)

1/2 cup bleu cheese dressing (I use homemade, but BOB’s is great too)

1/3 cup Frank’s Red hot Pepper sauce

In a small mixing bowl beat cream cheese smooth. Add bleu cheese until smooth. Add hot sauce. Fold in chicken pieces. Microwave until heated through (about 2 minutes).

Serve with celery sticks and white corn tortilla chips.

CHEESY BEER DIP

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup Cheez Whiz

1/2 cup beer (I use plain old BUD)

1 package Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

In a small mixing bowl beat cream cheese smooth. Add in Cheez Whiz, ranch dressing mix, garlic powder and pepper until smooth. Fold in beer. Serve with carrots, celery, broccoli and white corn tortilla chips.

ROASTED PEPPER CHEDDAR SPREAD

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

2 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers, drained well

1 teaspoon Frank’s Red hot Pepper sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

Puree the cream cheese, mayonnaise and cheddar cheese. Add garlic, red pepper sauce and 1/2 red peppers. Puree again. Fold in remaining red peppers.* Serve with carrots, celery sticks, snap peas and white corn tortilla chips.

*If you prefer a smoother dip, puree all the red peppers.

FRENCH ONION ARTICHOKE DIP

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

16 ounces sour cream

1 package French onion dip mix

2 cups artichoke hearts, drained & chopped

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 small bunch green onions, chopped

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon sweet Hungarian Paprika

In a small mixing bowl beat the cream cheese smooth. Add the sour cream, dip mix, garlic powder and paprika. Fold in Parmesan cheese, green onions and artichoke hearts. Chill for several hours or overnight. Serve with assorted vegetables and chips.

SALSA DIP

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 can traditional refired beans

1 cup Ortega chunky salsa

1/4 cup pureed roasted red peppers

1 tablespoon taco seasoning

In a small mixing bowl beat the cream cheese smooth, add the refried beans and beat until smooth. Add the salsa, taco seasoning and red pepper puree. Heat in microwave 2-3 minutes. Serve with white corn tortilla chips.

BROCCOLI WHITE BEAN DIPmy original recipe

4 ounces cream cheese, softened

4 ounces ricotta cheese, softened

1 package frozen broccoli pieces, thawed & drained well

1 can cannellini beans

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Frank’s hot red Pepper sauce

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small mixing bowl beat the cream cheese smooth. Add the ricotta cheese and blend until smooth. In a small food processor pulse broccoli pieces, lemon juice and cannelini beans until smooth. Add to the cheese mixture and blend well. Transfer to a 1 quart baking dish. Bake 30 minutes until bubbling. Serve with various vegetables and chips or crackers.

I’m seeing an ad for PHILADELPHIA CREAM CHEESE here! I use PHILLY cream cheese exclusively.

BEEF & BEAN DIPanother original

1/2 pound ground beef

2 tablespoons Classico sun-dried tomato pesto

1 can traditional refried beans

1/4 cup sour cream

3/4 cup Mexican blend grated cheese

1 can RO-TEL original diced tomatoes with green chiles

1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin

Brown beef and onions until browned. Drain well. Return meat mixture to pan. Stir refried beans and sour cream together until smooth. I find that heating the beans in the microwave for a minute or so softens them enough to stir well. Add bean mixture, tomato pesto and RO-TEL tomatoes to the meat mixture and simmer until thick. Add 1/2 cheese and stir until melted. Top with remaining cheese. Serve warm with tortilla chips.

MEXICAN DIP

1 1/2 pound ground beef

1 pound Italian sausage

1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped

1 can RO-TEL tomatoes, drained well

1 can traditional refried beans

1 can medium enchilada red sauce

1 pound Velveeta, cut into small cubes

Brown ground beef, sausage and onion together. Drain off fat. In a slow cooker combine all the ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 2 hours. Blend cheese in well. Serve with tortilla chips.

Better than paper towels and a lot less expensive…

My niece sent me an email with this in it and it was so great I thought I’d share.

Coffee filters…..Who knew!

You can buy 1,000 at the Dollar Store for almost nothing – even the large ones.

1. Cover bowls or dishes when cooking in the microwave. Coffee filters make excellent covers.

2. Clean windows, mirrors, and chrome… Coffee filters are lint-free so they’ll leave windows sparkling.

3. Protect China by separating your good dishes with a coffee filter between each dish.

4. Filter broken cork from wine. If you break the cork when opening a wine bottle, filter the wine through a coffee filter.

5. Protect a cast-iron skillet. Place a coffee filter in the skillet to absorb moisture and prevent rust.

6. Apply shoe polish. Ball up a lint-free coffee filter.

7. Recycle frying oil. After frying, strain oil through a sieve lined with a coffee filter.

8. Weigh chopped foods. Place chopped ingredients in a coffee filter on a kitchen scale.

9. Hold tacos. Coffee filters make convenient wrappers for messy foods.

10. Stop the soil from leaking out of a plant pot. Line a plant pot with a coffee filter to prevent the soil from going through the drainage holes.

11. Prevent a Popsicle from dripping. Poke one or two holes as needed in a coffee filter..

12. Do you think we used expensive strips to wax eyebrows? Use strips of coffee filters..

13. Put a few in a plate and put your fried bacon, French fries, chicken fingers, etc on them. It soaks out all the grease.

14. Keep in the bathroom. They make great “razor nick fixers.”

15. As a sewing backing. Use a filter as an easy-to-tear backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

16. Put baking soda into a coffee filter and insert into shoes or a closet to absorb or prevent odors.

17. Use them to strain soup stock and to tie fresh herbs in to put in soups and stews.

18. Use a coffee filter to prevent spilling when you add fluids to your car.

19. Use them as a spoon rest while cooking and clean up small counter spills.

20. Can use to hold dry ingredients when baking or when cutting a piece of fruit or veggies. Saves on having extra bowls to wash.

21. Use them to wrap Christmas ornaments for storage.

22. Use them to remove fingernail polish when out of cotton balls.

23. Use them to sprout seeds. Simply dampen the coffee filter, place seeds inside, fold it and place it into a plastic baggie until they sprout.

24. Use coffee filters as blotting paper for pressed flowers. Place the flowers between two coffee filters and put the coffee filters in phone book..

25. Use as a disposable “snack bowl” for popcorn, chips, etc.

OH YEAH THEY ARE GREAT TO USE IN YOUR COFFEE MAKERS TOO.
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ROMANCE ala Year on the Grill

Ladies, you will think I am kidding… But I am as serious as could be. First, let me tell you about “romantic”. Romantic has NOTHING to do with what you think is romantic. Being romantic has to do with what your partner thinks is romantic. The whole hearts, flowers, teddy bears and candlelit dinners is what you (or possibly Madison Avenue) think is romantic. We get it, Valentine’s Day is your special day, and you have expectations. Flowers at a minimum and diamonds as a goal.


For guys, we are wired a bit different.

But the good news for you ladies is that the Superbowl is coming up in just 10 days. For many guys, that is our special day. You get a chance to establish your love and devotion to your personal knuckle dragging neanderthal by doing something he thinks is romantic prior to Valentines Day. There is nothing you could do (foodwise) that would be more likely to get you that diamond pendant on YOUR special day than making something uniquely romantic (to guys) for OUR special day.


So, I am going to deviate from my normal I CAN COOK THAT posting. Instead, I want to post a… YOU CAN COOK THAT recipe for the single most romantic menu item you can make for that man of yours and his special day…

MOINK BALLS

Moink Balls are legendary among BBQ aficionados. So legendary that they have their own listing on WikQUEpedia! Click on that link to learn the history and suggested options for making the Moink. Originated on the BBQ GRAIL website, and adored Internationally, it is the perfect appetizer.


Now, Technically, Moink Balls need to be grilled or smoked. I understand that most of you do not cook outdoors, and that is a shame. So, I will show you the many that I grilled in the snow and cold. But also, I have an easy way to make them in the oven…


Here we go…

Mise en Place the ingredients

1 pound of bacon (cut in half)
1 bag of frozen all beef meatballs
BBQ sauce
toothpicks or skewers

Now ladies, you read right, the man who makes his own puff pastry is telling you to go out and buy a bag of meatballs. They come precooked, all you have to do is heat and serve.

MOINK Balls are made by taking a 1/2 ounce beef meatball, wrapped in 1/2 strip of bacon secured with a toothpick. The bacon wrapped meatball is then seasoned with a rub of your choice and smoked low and slow for about 90 minutes or until the bacon just gets crisp. The decision to sauce or glaze the MOINK Balls is up to the chef. The original MOINK Ball was served with a Raspberry Balsamic Glaze.

It is best if you grill them.

Even in the cold.

Even in the snow.

Authenticity counts.

Man up ladies and start the grill, your diamond pendant is at stake here. Slap on a coat and hat and be happy in your work.

But just in case you prefer not to grill, I have an option for baking in a standard oven (my apologies to the International MOINK Ball Appreciation Society).

Set your oven at 350 degrees.

Add a bit of sauce and bake away. It should take about 30 minutes for em to cook.

Everyone LOVES Moink Balls


Make em for the big game… Your men folk will be grateful, and …

YOU CAN COOK THAT!!!


Come take a look at my site today. I will have plenty to post about all the different Cajun food options you might consider ONCE YOU AGREE TO MAKE MOINK BALLS… See you all next Thursday!

Dave here from MY YEAR ON THE GRILL.

Look out Magazine Monday, here I come…

Magazine Mondays are hosted by Ivonne at Cream Puffs in Venice and I just love spending time creating posts for her and seeing what everyone else is sharing.
With no fence and 2 big dogs, circumstances have demanded more walking which I am loving! Living remotely in the country has posed a few problems especially with the adverse weather systems this past few weeks and I will finally get DSL later today. That will help with not having to make daily trips into the Library to use the internet. At the worst of the storms even the library’s internet wasn’t working. On an up note the library sells old magazines 3 for a $1 which I loaded up on a bunch of cooking magazines. I just love a good deal too. I saved over $55 off the face value of these magazines.

With all the time I would have been spending on the internet and wasn’t I was able to make the next 6 months of menu plans (sorry Martha M). Fortunately hubby doesn’t mind being my guinea pig. I planned the next 6 months using recipes I have had cut out for years or dug out of grams old pile so I could justify all the new tear outs. So look for new recipes to start appearing here at 3 Sides of Crazy AND over at OUR KrAzY kitchen too.
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Get ready for Valentine’s Day with classic Mousse au Chocolat recipe

Today, I’m sharing another recipe from my Joy of Desserts archives. It’s Julia Child’s Mousse au Chocolat or Chocolate Mousse. It’s all over the Internet, including on well-respected sites, likely a recipe used by the publisher for press releases and other promotions, so I’m saving you the Google search. 😉

Even David Lebovitz who lives that sweet life in Paris says “her recipe is a classic….”

Chocolate mousse is a perfect dessert for anytime of the year, and it can be so easily adapted to any occasion such as adding heart sprinkles on top, or serving in heart shaped ramekins for Valentine’s Day. When Spring comes along, switch the decoration to sugar daisies or pastel sugar glitter. It’s just that easy.

Share your own delicious dessert recipes below. It’s time to Save Room for DESSERT!

Bon appetit,

Joy of Desserts


Julia Child’s Classic Chocolate Mousse

8 oz sweet or semi sweet baking chocolate, melted with
1/4 cup strong coffee
3 oz unsalted butter (6 Tb)
3 egg yolks
1 cup heavy cream (make sure it’s the heavy variety)
3 egg whites
1/4 cup instant (finely ground) sugar
whipped cream (not so optional)

Beat the soft butter into the smoothly melted chocolate. One by one, beat in the egg yolks.
Beat the cream over ice until it leaves light traces on the surface.
Beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks. While beating, sprinkle in the sugar by spoonfuls and continue beating until stiff shining peaks are formed.
Scrape the chocolate mixture down the side of the egg-white bowl, and delicately fold in the whipped cream.
Turn the mousse into attractive serving bowls. Cover and chill several hours. You may wish to decorate the mousse with swirls of whipped cream, or to pass whipped cream separately.

From: The Way to Cook by Julia Child
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc.
ISBN: 0-394-53264-3

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