Cordon Bleu pockets

I was meal prepping this week. I don't always meal prep, but my weeks definitely go better when I do. One of the things I prepped was some sandwich pockets. These can be used as quick easy lunches, grab and go dinners on the run or a great after school snack. 

I love making sandwich pockets! So versatile and easy to make.

Ingredients:

1 lb deli ham

.5 lb Swiss cheese

4 cups Shredded or cubed chicken

3 grands flaky biscuit cans

2 eggs (used for egg wash)

Seasoning of choice (used for tops)

Follow pictures for easy assembly

Cut cheese and ham into 4ths

 Break biscuits apart in half

 Spread half of dough flat.

 Place a slice of cheese on bottom of stretched dough.

 Place a few ham slices on top of cheese.

 Place another cheese slices on top of ham.

 Place a spoonful of chicken on top of the cheese.

Top with another slice of cheese.

 Place top half of dough on meat and cheese layers and pinch sides to close it up.

 Repeat process until all the dough is used. (makes about 24) brush tops of dough with egg wash and sprinkle with seasoning of choice. I used Ms. dash.

 Bake 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 min.

 You can cool and freeze or place in container in the fridge.

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Apple Strawberry Snack Bars

This recipe uses a lot of food storage items. Freeze dried strawberries, dehydrated apple slices/pieces, Whole wheat, sweetened coconut flakes, oats and granola. These are all items I try to keep in my food storage, as my children love the dried fruits. I had the kids help me add ingredients and asked them if they like the items I put in it. They all said "yes". So I'm hoping that there will be more kids eating these than just me. Last time I made snack bars the boys had one bite and then didn't really want anymore. This time I added more chocolate and chocolate chips to hopefully have them eat them.

Preheat oven 350F

First add Dry Ingredients:
4 cups oats
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups brown sugar
2 cups apple slices/dices
2 cups wheat germ
2 cups freeze dried strawberries
1 cup cocoa powder
2 cups sweetened coconut flakes
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips

Stir to incorporate all dry ingredients. Then add all wet ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pint apple sauce (homemade)
1 cup honey
3 eggs
6 tsp vanilla

Stir to mix all wet ingredients with the dry ingredients.

Spoon or dump all mixture on to a large jelly roll pan. Flatten out and evenly distribute. This should fill the whole pan with mixture all the way to the top of the sides of the jelly roll pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes at 350F and edges are golden brown. Remove from oven let cool slightly and cut in the pan. Makes anywhere from 42-84 snack bars depending on how you slice it.

I loved the last snack bars I made. I'm hoping the kids love these.

Carmel Cinnamon Bread Pudding

Carmel Cinnamon Bread Pudding

This was going to be an afternoon snack for my kids, but I'm thinking of making it dessert instead. I had made some homemade bread last week, and the boys haven't been eating it as fast as they used to. So the bread was a little stale. Which is perfect for bread pudding. I should have done two loaves for a fuller bread pudding, but this works. This bread pudding mix was also originally supposed to be placed in the slow cooker, but I want to use that for the lasagna tonight. So adjusted the recipe for baking. 

Ingredients:

1-2 loaves of bread, stale, and cubed

5 eggs

3/4 cup milk

2 tsp vanilla

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 cup cinnamon chips

1 bag caramel chips (melted) or caramel sauce - to drizzle on top of finished bread pudding.

Directions:

Preheat oven 350F.

Place the cubed bread in a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, milk, vanilla, brown sugar, sweetened condensed milk and cinnamon chips. Pour on top of the cubed bread, toss to coat the bread. Let sit for 1-2 min, then toss again and let sit for another 1-2 minutes, so that the bread soaks up the egg mixture. *The cinnamon chips will not melt completely, but are so yummy.  While the bread is soaking, spray a 13X9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Once the bread has soaked up the majority of the egg mixture, pour into the prepared 13X9 baking dish. Place in a water bath and bake for 1 hour. Then remove and drizzle caramel on top of the baked bread pudding. Enjoy with whipped topping or plain. 

***If you want to prepare in a slow cooker follow the directions above, except cook on high heat setting for 2 1/2 - 3 hours, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. ***

Layered Dip

This dish is similar to a 7 layer dip. It has a few extra layers. But should be delicious. I am bringing it for a Relief Society PotLuck.

Layered Dip

1 -16-ounce can of refried beans

1 - envelope of taco seasoning

1 – 16 oz can of black beans drained

2 c. shredded cheese, like cheddar or Monterey Jack

2 c. guacamole

1 - 16-ounce container of sour cream

1 - 16-ounce jar of chunky salsa

2 cups shredded cheese, like cheddar or Monterey jack

1/3 c. green chili’s

1/2 head of shredded iceberg lettuce

Optional: olives and jalapeno’s

Tortilla chips

         A 13- x 9-inch microwave-safe glass baking dish or deep pie pan

Directions:

In a microwave safe 13X9 baking dish, mix together the refried beans, and taco seasoning mix. Then sprinkle with the rinsed black beans. Heat in the microwave 2-3 minutes stirring every 45 seconds. Then top with cheese. Spread the guacamole on top, then the sour cream on top of the guacamole. Once that is spread spoon the chunky salsa on top and lightly spread around. Then sprinkle with more cheese. Lightly spread the green chili’s on top of the cheese layer, then sprinkle the lettuce on top. The lettuce should be cut small enough to be on a chip. Then sprinkle with additional cheese. Top as desired with olives and jalapeno’s if desired. Serve with Tortilla chips or corn chips.

Banana Chocolate Chip Bars

I have started a part-time job, so I haven't had much time for cooking from scratch lately, trying to juggle work, school, kids, family you know all the stuff that makes us busy, busy, busy! I have taken advantage of a few extra hours today, since it's stake conference at church. I have made some yumminess to add to my boys lunches this week. I doubled the original recipe, so we could have a few as a snack today and still have some for lunches. I also had 6 bananas that I needed to use.

These bars are moist and delicious. My kids have been begging for more. I guess that's a sign of success! :)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (4-6 medium)
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 pkg (2 cups) chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
1 1/2 cup walnuts (optional - I didn't use any nuts)

Directions:

1. Grease 2 large jelly roll pans 15X10X1 baking pans. set aside. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the grandulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt, beat til combined. Beat in the eggs, bananas, and vanilla til combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in the chocolate pieces and if desired nuts.
2. Spread the prepared baking pan with the mixture. Bake in a 350F oven about 25 minutes or til golden brown. Cool on wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes a bunch, depending on how big you cut the bars.

This recipe comes from my 1930-2000 Limited Edition Better Homes and Gardens New CookBook. This recipe is already doubled. If you want to make a smaller batch, just cut the ingredient amount in half. This is great for those bruised/ultra soft bananas.

These are nice and moist, so tasty! :)

Cran-raisin, Strawberry, Oat Chocolate Snack Bars

As part of our Cub Scout Pack meeting tonight, we were asked to bring a healthy snack to share with the cub scouts and their families. I know the typical carrots, apples, celery and all that... but I wanted to do something a little different. I wanted a healthy snack bar. I am not purchasing any as I have all the ingredients to make a yummy one at home. I googled a healthy homemade snack bar online and I found this one. It was a great starting point, as I have never made one before in my whole life. I was grateful for the basic needs of a snack bar. This one is packed with loads of stuff, I guess my only hope is that it tastes good and my kids will eat it. I will bring some to the church and some will stay home. This makes a LARGE batch, a jelly roll pan full.  The original batch called for a 13X9 pan.

Ingredients:
Combine...
4 cups of oats
2 cup whole wheat flour
2 cups brown sugar (that’s the only bad part)
1 cup raisins
1 cup craisins (dried cranberries)
1 cup wheat germ or ground flax seed (we did the flax)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 cups freeze dried strawberries
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 cup sweetened coconut shredded
2 cups cinnamon almond granola



Stir in...
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pint apple sauce (homemade, unsweetened)
1 cup honey
3 eggs
6 tsp vanilla

Blend well, incorporating all aspects of the mix. Spray a large jelly roll pan and pat mixture with a spatula. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees until the edges are golden brown.

Snack bars cut

Pan of 42 snack bars

 close up of the snack bar

Verdict - 

Delicious, filling, and nutritious. Not too sweet, but sweet enough. I am not a big fan of raisins, but this is very delicious. I will be cutting some of the snack bars in half and bringing those to the Cub Scout Pack meeting, the other's are staying here, and if the kids don't eat them, I'm going to, because they are very good! Enjoy

Beef Egg Rolls

I decided to try my hand at homemade egg rolls. I have never made egg rolls before... Nor have I ever seen them made. So I really had no idea what I was doing. But I had a recipe that I used from the back of the egg roll wrapper bag, they were Nasoya egg roll wrappers. I figured it would be a good recipe. So here is my trial into homemade beef egg rolls.

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef, pork, chicken or firm tofu, drained and crumbled

1 tsp minced ginger

2 cups finely chopped cabbage

1/4 lb been sprouts

1/2 cup shredded carrot

3 green onions, finely chopped

2 tbsp oyster sauce

1 pkg egg roll wrappers

vegetable oil for deep frying

mustard and catsup or sweet and sour sauce

Directions

Stir-fry meat or tofu and ginger in wide skillet over high heat until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes.

Add cabbage, bean sprouts, carrot and green onion; cook 2 min.

Stir in oyster sauce. :t mixture cool.

Use 2 tbsp filling for each egg roll.

Follow folding directions.

Deep Fry at 350F, a few at a time, turning occasionally, until golden, 2-3 min. Drain on paper towels.

Serve warm with mustard and catsup, or serve with sweet and sour sauce.

makes approx 20 rolls.

Verdict... I think i either added too much oyster sauce, or should omit that all together. I am not a fan of oyster sauce, so I am not sure what to do with all these egg rolls. I ate one and I'm hoping my kids like them when they get home. :) I also think that I will add more cabbage next time, I didn't taste much of it, and that is one of my favorite parts. I hope you try it and let me know what you think. Thanks, Enjoy!