Serving Up {Snack}: No Bake Energy Balls

We are only two weeks into school and I am already dreading the 3:05 pm question....."what's for snack?".  I think that by the time I have answered four children ask me "what's for breakfast?", "what's in my lunch?" and "what's for dinner?" I really should get an option to pass on the snack question - or at the very least they could organize themselves to come to me in a group so that I only had to hear/answer the question once, but they just aren't that organized yet.

The result is that I have snack on the brain a lot.  So when I saw this recipe on pinterest last week (with the eye catching tag of "my favorite snack ever!") I thought to myself, "that is what we are having for snack today".  And while I cannot claim that it is my favorite snack ever, or even in my top 10 because brownie variations probably occupy all 10 of those spots, I will say that these were a tasty little snack without near the guilt of my truly favorite snack ever.  My kids readily agreed!

One Year Ago: 10 Pumpkin Recipes for Fall

Two Years Ago: Creamy White Chili

NO-BAKE ENERGY BALLS     
(recipe via pinterest)
printable version

1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until well combined.
Using a cookie scoop, make individual balls and store in an airtight container (I store them in the fridge).

Serving Up {Cookies}: Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

Do the school cafeteria's in other parts of the country still serve Peanut Butter Fingers as part of school lunch?  I went to school in Utah and they were a staple when I was a kid!  But my own children's school only has dessert once a week, and never Peanut Butter Fingers, so my kids were totally unfamiliar with them when I introduced them.

To me, this dessert totally defines school lunches.  In fact, in high school you could buy Peanut Butter Fingers in the "a la carte" line which means that sometimes lunch consisted of nothing more than a Peanut Butter Finger and a milk if you were lucky (not me mom, other people!).

As school begins again in the next few weeks, this is a worthy treat to make as you take a little trip down memory lane and introduce your own family to school lunches in the "olden days".

One Year Ago: Frozen Peaches

Two Years Ago: Pesto Pea Salad

LUNCH LADY PEANUT BUTTER BARS     

printable version

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
additional peanut butter
chocolate frosting***(recipe to follow)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray large cookie sheet with non-stick spray.

Cream butter and sugars together in a large mixing bowl.  Add eggs, vanilla and peanut butter; continue to mix until well combined.  In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, salt, flour and oatmeal.  Gradually add dry ingredients to mixing bowl.  Spread batter onto prepared baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes (the center will be soft but you do NOT want to overbake).  Allow to cool slightly.

While the bars are still slightly warm, spread with peanut butter.  You want a thin, even layer but can use more and make a thicker layer if you prefer.
Allow the bars to cool completely and then frost with favorite chocolate frosting.
Cut, serve & enjoy.

MY FAVORITE CHOCOLATE FROSTING
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch salt
3 1/2 - 4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup milk

Combine butter and cocoa in a medium saucepan and allow butter to melt completely over med-low heat.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt.  Add milk and powdered sugar alternately until you reach desirable spreadable consistency.

Serving Up {Sandwich}: Ty's Ultimate Grilled Sandwich

My 5 year old has a sandwich that he only refers to as "my favorite sandwich in the whole wide world!".  And while I am not opposed to occasionally trekking to downtown Portland to PBJ's to pick it up (it's called the Cynthia), mainly because it gives me reason to pick up my own favorite - the Spicy Thai - there are times that it is just easier to have the option of making the said sandwich at home.

Like this morning.  When I awoke at 6:12 a.m. and found my 5 year old in the kitchen with the bread, nutella, peanut butter and jelly all laid out on the counter.  He was simply waiting for an adult to happen by and grill up his all-time favorite sandwich.  By 6:20 he was covered in the sticky remains and happy as could be!

Or like two nights ago when the request for the sandwich came in at bedtime.  After eating the first, he ate a second.  Yeah, it's definitely good to have the option of making it at home.  So get yourself some nutella, peanut butter and raspberry jam and join in the grilled sandwich revolution...and if you ever find yourself in Portland, call me and we'll meet at PBJ's.

One Year Ago: Reuben Pizza Calzone
Two Years Ago: Garlic Chicken Farfalle

TY'S FAVORITE SANDWICH IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD     
(recipe adapted from PBJ's Cynthia sandwich)
printable version

two slices of hearty bread
butter, softened
nutella
peanut butter
raspberry jam

Preheat stove-top or counter-top griddle.
Butter one slice of bread, place butter side down on griddle.
Spread remaining slice of bread with peanut butter, then nutella, then raspberry jam.
Place on top of bread already on the griddle and butter the top of the slice.
Grill until golden brown; flip and grill the other side.
Enjoy!

Serving Up {Cookies}: No-bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal

I mentioned that my oven has been out of commission recently.  Which means my craving for a treat just kept growing and growing until it was monstrous in size.  I didn't have the patience to make something that required refrigeration (pudding) or required freezing (ice cream) so I had to come up with something I could make without an oven that would still be able to tackle my craving.

I pulled out this recipe, which is actually a favorite of my kids to make because it is so easy, and within 10 minutes I was dropping little balls of chocolate goodness onto wax paper to cool.  Shortly afterwards my husband arrived home and saw the treats on the counter and said, "you read my mine!  I've been needing a treat!".  I guess the broken oven was having the same effect on him :)  I thought that he was just in need of a treat but he informed me later that he LOVES these little chocolate balls.   Whether it's for the simplicity or for the taste - these really do hit the spot!

One Year Ago: Thai Coconut Ginger Broth

NO-BAKE CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER OATMEAL COOKIES     
printable version

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
4 T. cocoa
2-1/2 cups oats
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter

In a large, heavy saucepan, combine sugar, milk, butter, and cocoa over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Allow to boil for 1 minute.
Remove from heat and add the oats, vanilla, and peanut butter. Mix until well blended. Spoon onto waxed paper and allow to cool.

Serving Up {Snacks}: Peanut Butter Fritos

Thanksgiving is just a couple of days away.  I have posted my recipes for stuffing, yams, potatoes, beans, rolls and two pies (here and here).  I hope that your Thanksgiving is a delicious success!  I got out of hosting and cooking this Thanksgiving with a doctor's release, so I will be a guest this year and enjoy the delicious traditions of others.

Not to jump ship from Thanksgiving too quickly, but at our home there is as much talk about the "Civil War" game this weekend as there is about turkey day.  Here in Portland, the big game is Oregon State vs U of O.  I don't know if all civil war rivalry games fall on this weekend, but should your big game be this weekend, like ours is, I have the perfect football game snack...Peanut Butter Fritos.  The combination of sweet and salty and crunchy is nearly perfect - this is truly a dangerous combination.  Dangerous but delicious!  And oh so easy!  Give it a try....you will be glad that you did!

PEANUT BUTTER FRITOS     Pin It
(recipe from Skip to My Lou)
printable version

1 package Frito corn chips
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter

Spread corn chips onto a greased baking sheet.
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil, stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter until smooth. Pour the sauce over the corn chips and lightly toss to coat.
Cool and break into pieces.

Serving Up {Fun}: Edible Peanut Butter Playdough

What a gruesome photo!  Maybe some recipes really shouldn't be photographed...

Are your kids out of school yet?
Have you heard those dreaded two words yet?
You know the ones..."I'M BORED!".

If you are like me, those words result in an extra chore (or two).  If you are not like me and you actually help your children cure their boredom with something fun to do, this recipe is a great find.  It only requires four ingredients and so it's easy enough for many kids to make completely on their own.  Once the ingredients are combined, the kids have a ball making all kinds of creations and then eating them.  Actually, I guess that solves the problem of the other two dreaded words, "I'M HUNGRY".

(EDIBLE) PEANUT BUTTER PLAYDOUGH     
printable version

¾ cup Peanut Butter
¾ cup Dry Milk
½ cup Honey
1 tsp. Vanilla

Mix all the ingredients together until well combined. Store in the refrigerator.

Serving Up {Breakfast}: Chunky Monkey Pancakes

I admit that we eat breakfast foods at our house frequently for dinner.  I love breakfast foods, but at times it's hard to find time in the hectic morning routine to try out new (often complicated) breakfast recipes. That and, well let's admit it, kids like breakfast foods. Try out a new dinner entree and everyone complains! Try out a new pancake variation and they line up with plates in hand.

This recipe was truly stumbled upon in error. I had made a menu list for three weeks out and bought all the ingredients. In my hurry to prepare dinner one night I glanced at my list and saw "Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Waffles" written.  But somehow between reading the menu and getting to my computer to find the recipe it had become "Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes". I didn't even realize my mistake until halfway through making the pancakes when I couldn't figure out why I had bought chunky peanut butter when the recipe I was making didn't even call for chunky peanut butter. (The waffles do call for for chunky peanut butter and can be found here).  It turned out to be a lucky error for us because these were really good. Make that REEAALLYY good!

CHUNKY MONKEY PANCAKES     Pin It

{Banana Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Peanut Butter Syrup}
(Recipe from Our Best Bites)
printable version

1 1/2 cup flour
3 Tbs. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup buttermilk (buy the real stuff - SO much better)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbs. canola oil
1 egg
2 small-med ripe bananas
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips (or regular chips roughly chopped)
Cooking Spray or butter for pan

1 C maple syrup
1/2 C peanut butter

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together. In a separate bowl combine buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla and whisk well. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and mix just until moistened and combined. Place bananas in a bowl and roughly mash with a fork. Fold into batter. Add the chocolate chips and stir.

For syrup, heat peanut butter in the microwave for 30 seconds. Add maple syrup and gently whisk to combine. Heat in the microwave for another 30 seconds, whisk, and then set aside.

Heat a nonstick griddle or skillet to medium heat. Coat pan with little butter and then pour on pancake batter. Wait until bubbles form and edges are set and then flip.

Reheat syrup if necessary and pour over warm pancakes.