Cinnamon Valentine Caramels

** Recipe from  Tasty Kitchen **

* 2 c. white sugar 
* 1-½ c. light corn syrup 
* 1-½ c. heavy cream 
* 1 c. unsalted butter, plus 1/2 Tbl. for pan 
* 2 tsp. cinnamon oil 
* 1-½ tsp. red food color gel 

(Note: Cinnamon oil is very strong, but necessary for reaching a bold cinnamon flavor. Be careful to not get it on your skin, as it can cause irritation. For a more subtle cinnamon flavor, substitute 3 teaspoons cinnamon extract for the cinnamon oil.)

Butter a 9″ x 13″ pan and set aside.  Place all ingredients except cinnamon oil & red coloring in a heavy medium sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring quite constantly, until it reaches 240°F. This will take a while, but don’t wander too far away, as the temperature seems to rise quickly right at the end. Take off heat & stir in cinnamon oil and red coloring. Pour into buttered pan. Let cool to room temp, then refrigerate to set. Take out of refrigerator and let sit for about 10 min. before cutting.  If you want to give these caramels as a gift, simply cut them into your desired size and wrap in wax paper.

Microwave Chocolate Peanut Butter & Oat Snack Bars

** Recipe from love veggies and yoga **

* 2 Tbl. Chocolate Chips
* 2-3 Tbl. Peanut Butter (or other nut butter)
* 2 Tbl. Milk (any type - or coffee creamer!)

* 1/2 c. Oats
Optional:
* 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
* 1 Tbl. Sweetener (Brown/White Sugar, Agave, Maple Syrup or Stevia to Taste)
* 1 Tbl. Other Dry Ingredients (coconut flakes, chia seeds, sunflower seeds, nuts, more chocolate chips, raisins, scoop of protein powder, etc.)

Melt first three ingredients together in microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring and checking.
Add oats & any optional ingredients, stir to combine.  (You want this mixture to be fairly dry.  If it’s not dry enough, add more oats, 1 Tbl. at a time)  Press mixture into bars or balls.   Using a piece of plastic wrap on the inside of a square plastic container will save on dishes and cleanup.
Put in refrigerator or freezer for 10 min, or until bars have set up.   Slice or break apart.
Yields 3 Larabar-sized bars that are also vegan and gluten-free.

Slow Cooker Carnitas

** Recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking **

* 2 pounds pork shoulder (could use chuck roast)
* 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 large orange)
* 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (about 1 large lime)
* 7 cloves garlic (whole intact)
* 1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
* 1 tablespoon cumin
* 1/2 cup beef broth (GF if desired)
* corn tortillas
* desired toppings: i.e. sour cream, salsa, sliced avocado, etc.

Use a 6 quart slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine salt & cumin. Rub mixture all over  pork, then place into slow cooker. Add whole garlic cloves. Squeeze on citrus, and pour beef broth evenly over top.  Cook on low for 8-10 hrs, or until the pork shreds quite easily with a fork. If your meat is still fully intact after 8 hrs, remove and cut into chunks, then return to crock & flip to high for about an hour or two.  Shred meat fully and serve on warmed corn tortillas with desired toppings.

Peanut Butter-N-Oatmeal Bars

** Recipe adapted from cooks.com - pictures from ME! **

Bars:
* 4 c. quick oats (use GF if desired)
* 1 c. packed brown sugar
* 3/4 c. melted butter
* 1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 375.  Mix ingredients & evenly press into a greased jelly roll pan.  Bake 15-20 min.  Cool slightly.

Topping:  (If desired!!  Bars are quite good on their own!!)
* 6 oz. butterscotch chips (I used chocolate!)
* 3/4 c. peanut butter (I used chunky!)

Melt & spread on top of bars.  Place pan in fridge & allow topping to set.  Cut into bars. 
** NOTE: even though my topping "set", after it came back to room temp, it was messy. :(  So, I put 2 chocolate sides together & made "sandwiches"!!  :)

Pink Velvet Fruity Pebble Whoopie Pies

** Recipe from Cookies & Cups **

Whoopie Pies:
* 2 c. all purpose flour
* 2 Tbl. cocoa powder
* 1/4 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 c. room temp butter
* 1 c. light brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1/2 c. buttermilk
* food coloring (Chefmaster - "Deep Pink" used)

Fruity Pebble Buttercream:
* 1 c. finely crushed Fruity Pebbles (about 2 1/2 cups un-crushed)
* 1/2 c. butter, room temperature
* 1/2 c. vegetable shortening
* 2 c. powdered sugar
* 2 Tbl. milk

Heat oven to 375.  Line you baking sheets with parchment paper.  Cream butter and sugar together.  Add egg and vanilla, mix until combined.  Mix you dry ingredients together.  On low speed add 1/3 of your dry mix, then 1/3 of your buttermilk…continue adding in this order until all your dry ingredients and milk are mixed in and smooth.  Now add food coloring. It might not take much, but add until the color you like is reached.  Mix on low to combine the food coloring, scraping the sides until color is even.  Transfer batter into a piping bag or snipped off ziplock.  (Cookies can be piped into any shape desired!)  Bake for approx. 6 min, until they are set.  Let cool on baking sheet for 2 min, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

For Buttercream:  Cream your butter and shortening together until smooth.  On low speed, slowly add in your powdered sugar, when incorporated, add your milk and turn speed up to medium and beat until smooth and fluffy.  Turn back to low speed and add in your crushed Fruity Pebbles cereal and mix until incorporated.  Top the bottom of 1 cookie with buttercream, then add another cookie on top - making a "sandwich"!

Strawberry 2 Ingredient Fudge

** Recipe from Cookies & Cups**

* 1 can of strawberry frosting
* 1 (12 oz.) bag of white chocolate chips

Lightly spray a 9x9" pan with cooking spray.  Over a double boiler, or in the microwave, melt your white chocolate chips.  When chips are melted, remove from heat and stir in your strawberry frosting, evenly.  Spread in your prepared pan and place in fridge to set for 30 minutes.  Cut into squares to serve.  Store in an airtight container for up to a week.

Chicken Taco Cornbread w/ Ranchero Cilantro Drizzle

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

Dressing:
* 1/2 c. ranch dressing
* 1/2 c. salsa verde
* 1 c. tightly packed cilantro leaves
Filling:
* 2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil
* 1/2 c. finely chopped onion
*  1/4 c. finely chopped red bell pepper
* 1  Tbl. finely chopped jalapeno pepper
* 2 c. shredded rotisserie chicken
* 3 Tbl. finely chopped cilantro leaves
* 1/2  tsp. salt
* 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
* 1/4  tsp. black pepper
* 1 (14 1/2 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies
* 1  large egg
 Crust:
* 1 (7 oz.) package sweet yellow cornbread mix (use GF if desired)
* 1/2 c. milk
* 3/4 c. crushed corn tortilla chips
Toppings:
* 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1/2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
* 3 c. shredded romaine lettuce
* 1 c. chopped tomatoes

HEAT oven to 400. Combine ranch dressing, salsa & 1 c. cilantro leaves in a small food processor or blender. Process until well blended. Cover and refrigerate.  HEAT olive oil in 10" cast iron skillet over med. heat. Add onion, bell pepper & jalapeno; cook 3-5 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken, 3 Tbl. cilantro, salt, cumin, pepper & tomatoes with green chilies; cook 5 min. Remove from skillet. Wipe out skillet with paper towel; grease.  BEAT egg in large bowl. Add cornbread mix & milk; mix well. Place tortilla chips in greased skillet. Pour cornbread mixture over chips. Spoon chicken mixture over cornbread mixture; sprinkle with cheeses.  BAKE 16-20 min, or until golden brown. Cut into wedges. Top with romaine and tomatoes; drizzle with dressing.

Cheetos Chicken Fingers

** Recipe from Plain Chicken **

* 3 oz. Cheetos (you want about 1 c. of crumbs)
* 1/2 tsp. black pepper or 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
* 1 lb. raw chicken tenders
* 1/3 c. honey mustard dressing
* cooking spray

Put rack in lower third of oven; heat to 475. Line a baking pan with nonstick aluminum foil.  Pulse Cheetos in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl; stir in pepper.  Toss tenders in honey mustard dressing, then dredge in crumbs.  Arrange on pan. Spray tenders with cooking spray.  Bake, turning once, until golden brown, 15 min.

Blueberry Mochi Cake

** Recipe from Closet Cooking **

* 1 c. butter (melted)
* 2 c. sugar
* 1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 4 eggs
* 1 lb. Mochiko (1 box)
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 1 c. blueberries

Heat oven to 350.  Mix butter & sugar in a large bowl.  Mix in evaporated milk & vanilla extract.  Add in eggs.  Mix in the mochiko and baking powder.  Mix in blueberries.  Pour batter into a greased 9x13" baking pan. Bake until golden brown on top and a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean, about 1 hr.

Black Bean & Quinoa Chili

** Recipe from Closet Cooking **

* 1 c. quinoa, rinsed
* 2 c. water
* 1 Tbl. oil
* 1 onion, chopped
* 4 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
* 1 Tbl. chili powder
* 1 Tbl. cumin, toasted and ground
* 1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
* 2 (19 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
* 1 green bell pepper, cut into bit sized pieces
* 1 red bell pepper, cut into bit sized pieces
* 1 zucchini, cut into bit sized pieces, optional
* 1 Tbl. chipotle chili in adobo sauce, chopped
* 1 tsp. dried oregano
* salt & pepper to taste
* 1 c. corn, fresh, frozen or canned
* 1 handful cilantro, chopped

Simmer the quinoa in the water until absorbed, about 20 min.  Heat the oil in a pan.  Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5-7 min.  Add the garlic, chili powder and cumin and saute until fragrant, about 1 min.  Add the tomatoes, beans, peppers, zucchini, chipotle, oregano, salt and pepper & simmer for 20 min.  Add the quinoa and corn & simmer for 5 min.  Remove from the heat and stir in the cilantro.

Cinnamon M&M Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 2 sticks softened unsalted butter
* 3/4 c. granulated sugar
* 3/4 c. packed light brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 Tbl. pure vanilla extract
* 3 c. all purpose flour
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 3/4 tsp. kosher salt
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1 c. rolled oats
* 10 oz. bag chocolate chips
* 1 (9.90 oz.) bag Cinnamon M&M’s

Heat oven to 350. and line a large baking sheet with a silpat liner or parchment paper.
2. In a stand or electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla mixing until well combined.
3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl, mix to combine then add slowly to mixing bowl, mixing on low speed. Add cinnamon, rolled oats and chocolate chips. Mix until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Press cookies down about 1/2 inch to flaten slightly. Press 5 cinnamon M&M’s onto each cookie. Bake for 9-12 minutes, until baked to your liking. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack. Now…time to eat Enjoy!

Frozen Hot Chocolate

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 2 c. whole milk
* 5 (1.25 oz.) packets of Hot Chocolate mix
* 4 c. ice
* 1 c. heavy cream
* 2 Tbl. granulated sugar
* 1/4 c. mini chocolate chips or grated chocolate

Place milk into blender. Add hot chocolate packets and blend until combined. Add ice and blend until ice is blended into tiny chunks. Pour evenly into 4 glasses on top of plates to catch any dripping frozen hot chocolate.  Whip cream and sugar until whipped cream is formed. Top each glass with whipped cream and sprinkle with mini chocolate chips.

Fluffy (Baked) Cake Donuts

** Recipe from Mom Advice **

* 2 c. all-purpose flour
* 3/4 c. sugar
* 2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
* 1 tsp. salt
* 3/4 c. milk
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 2 Tbl. melted butter

For the glaze:
* 1 c. confectioners’ sugar
* 2 Tbl. hot water
* 1/2 tsp. vanilla, butter, or almond extract

Heat oven to 325. Lightly grease a doughnut pan. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon & salt. Stir in milk, eggs, your favorite extract,  and melted butter. Beat together until well blended.  Fill each doughnut cup approximately 3/4 full. Bake 8-10 min, until doughnuts spring back when touched. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan.
To make glaze, blend confectioners’ sugar, hot water & extract in a small bowl. Dip doughnuts in glaze & then in sprinkles.

White Chicken Enchiladas

** Recipe from Envy My Cooking **

* 8 soft taco size flour tortillas
* 2 c. shredded Monterrey jack cheese, divided
* 2 c. shredded cooked chicken
* 3 Tbl. butter
* 3 Tbl. flour
* 2 c. chicken broth
* 1 c. sour cream
* 1 (4 oz.) can diced green chilies
* Chopped, fresh cilantro for garnish

Heat oven to 425. Spray a 9x13" pan with cooking spray; set aside. Mix chicken together with 1 c. of cheese. Distribute chicken & cheese mixture evenly among tortillas. Roll up & place seam side down in pan. In a large saucepan, melt butter. Add flour; cook & stir for 1 min. Add chicken broth, whisking until smooth. Continue cooking over medium heat until sauce is thick & bubbly. Stir in sour cream & diced green chiles. Pour sauce in an even layer over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 20-25 min, or until golden & bubbly. Sprinkle with cilantro just before serving.

Healthified Mini Chocolate Cheesecakes

** Recipe from Better at Home **
Cheesecakes:
* 12 thin chocolate wafer cookies (from 9-oz package), crushed (2/3 c.)
* 12 oz. low-fat cream cheese, softened
* 2/3 c. sugar
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 1/4 c. unsweetened baking cocoa
* 1 whole egg
* 1 egg white
* 1 oz. bittersweet or semisweet baking chocolate, melted
Topping:
* 1/3 c. fat-free hot fudge topping
* Fresh raspberries, if desired

Heat oven to 325. Place foil baking cups in a regular-size muffin tin. With back of spoon, firmly press slightly less than 1 Tbl. cookie crumbs in bottom of each foil cup. In large bowl, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on med. speed until creamy. Beat in sugar & vanilla until fluffy. Beat in cocoa. Beat in whole egg and egg white until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate. Divide cheese mixture evenly among crumb-lined foil cups. Bake 28-32 min, or until set. Cool in pan on cooling rack 15 min. Remove cheesecakes from pan; cool 15 min. longer. Refrigerate about 1 hr. or until chilled. To serve, carefully remove foil baking cups. Spread fudge topping on cheesecakes. Garnish with raspberries. Store cheesecakes covered in refrigerator.

Recipe Tips:
We recommend using 1/3-less-fat cream cheese. When testing the recipe with fat-free cream cheese, we found the cheesecakes to have poor texture and a bland flavor. If you choose to try fat-free cream cheese, we suggest using 4 ounces fat-free cream cheese and 8 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese.

If fudge topping is too thick to spread, place in small microwavable bowl and microwave on High for 15 to 30 seconds or until spreadable. Stir before spreading.



Nutrition Information:
1 Serving (1 Serving)Calories 200(Calories from Fat 80);Total Fat 9g(Saturated Fat 5g,Trans Fat 0g);Cholesterol 40mg;Sodium 180mg;Total Carbohydrate 25g(Dietary Fiber 1g,Sugars 18g);Protein 4g;Percent Daily Value*:Vitamin A 6%;Vitamin C 0%;Calcium 4%;Iron 4%;Exchanges:1 Starch;0 Fruit;1/2 Other Carbohydrate;0 Skim Milk;0 Low-Fat Milk;0 Milk;0 Vegetable;0 Very Lean Meat;0 Lean Meat;0 High-Fat Meat;2 Fat;Carbohydrate Choices:1 1/2;

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Apple Pie Cookies

** Recipe from Annie's Eats **

* 2½ c. all-purpose flour
* 2 Tbl. sugar
* 1 tsp. salt
* 1 c. unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
* ½ c. very cold water
* 2-3 medium apples, whatever variety you prefer for baking
* Squeeze of lemon juice
* 1/3 c. sugar
* 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
* Dash of grated nutmeg
* Water
* 1 large egg lightly beaten with 1 tsp. of water
* Sugar, for sprinkling

(NOTE: of course you can use a frozen pie crust, but homemade is always recommended!! ;)
To make pie dough, combine flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl & stir with a fork to blend. Using a pastry cutter (or your preferred method), cut butter into flour mixture until mixture is coarse and largest pieces of butter are no bigger than small peas. Stir in water & mix gently just until dough has come together in a cohesive ball & all of dry ingredients have been moistened. Form dough into a disc and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Transfer to refrigerator and chill for at least 1 hr.  When ready to make cookies, preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Peel apples & cut off sides in four large chunks, removing and discarding cores. With each large piece of apple, further slice into thin slices (between 1/8- and ¼" thick). Use a small round cookie cutter (about 2" in diameter) & cut round discs out of apple slices. Place apple rounds in a bowl & toss with lemon juice. In another small bowl, combine sugar, cinnamon & nutmeg, and whisk to blend.   Assembly:  transfer half of chilled pie dough to a lightly floured work surface (keep remaining half chilled). Use a rolling pin to roll dough out very thin, about 1/8 to ¼" thick. Use a larger round cookie cutter (about 2½ to 2¾" in diameter) to cut out rounds of pie dough. Transfer half of rounds to prepared baking sheet. Brush rounds lightly with water (will help pies seal). Take a few apple slices at a time and coat them in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place each on top of a round of pie dough. Layer a second round of dough on top of each apple slice and gently press edges to help seal. Repeat this process with the remaining dough and apple slices. Crimp and seal edges of the mini pies with tines of a fork, dipping in flour if needed to prevent sticking. Lightly brush tops of cookies with egg wash. Use a small paring knife to cut tiny slits in top of each cookie. Sprinkle with additional sugar, if desired.  Bake 25-28 min. or until light golden brown.