Cake Batter Cheesecake Bars

** Recipe from The Teenage Taste ** 

* 1 ¾ c. vanilla cookie crumbs (i.e. Nilla wafers) 
* 6 Tbl. butter, melted 
* 16 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature 
* ¾ c. + 2 Tbl. granulated sugar, divided 
* ½ c. yellow cake mix 
* 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk 
* ½ c. + 2 Tbl. milk 
* 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract 
* ¼ tsp. salt 
* ¼ c. sprinkles 
* ~5 drops blue food coloring (optional) 
* ~3 drops green food coloring (optional)

Heat oven to 350. Grease a 9" square baking pan, then line with parchment paper; set aside.  Stir together cookie crumbs, 2 Tbl. sugar, and melted butter. Press into bottom of prepared pan. Bake until crust is just brown around edges, 8-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium, until fluffy, about 2 min. Add remaining sugar and beat for an additional couple of min, until smooth. Add eggs and yolk, milk, vanilla, salt and beat again until completely combined and smooth. Finally, stir in cake mix and sprinkles until smooth.  Pour filling over crust. Set pan in a larger pan (a 9×13" works for this), and add enough hot water to come halfway up sides of baking pan. Bake until just set, 40-45 min. Remove baking pan from water bath, and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool 30 min, then refrigerate for at least 3 hrs. or overnight.  Cut into bars. Store leftovers in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Chicken & Black Bean Green Enchilada Rice Bake

** Recipe from Picky Palate **

* 2 c. white long grain rice
* 2 1/2 c. cooked, shredded chicken breast
* 1 - 15 oz. can mild green enchilada sauce (GF if desired)
* 1 - 4 oz. can sliced black olives
* 1 - 15 oz. can diced tomatoes
* 1/2 c. sour cream
* 1 tsp. kosher salt
* 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
* 1 tsp. roasted ground cumin
* 1 - 15 oz. can black beans, drained & rinsed
* 2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Heat oven to 350 and spray a 9×13" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Cook rice according to package directions.  Place chicken, enchilada sauce, olives, tomatoes, sour cream, salt, pepper and cumin into a large bowl, mixing to combine. Pour cooked rice into prepared baking dish and layer beans on top of rice. Pour chicken mixture over rice and top evenly with cheddar cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cheese is melted & rice is hot.

Crock Pot Baja Pork Tacos

** Recipe from Chef in Training **

* 1 (3 lb.) boneless pork sirloin roast
* 5 (4 oz.) cans chopped green chilies
* 2 Tbl. reduced-sodium taco seasoning (GF if desired)
* 1 Tbl. ground cumin
* 24 corn tortillas
* 3 c. shredded lettuce
* 1 1/2 c. shredded cheese

Cut roast in half; place in a 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker. In a small bowl, combine chilies, taco seasoning, and cumin; pour over pork. Cover & cook on low for 8-10 hrs. or until meat is tender.

Remove pork; cool slightly. Skim fat from cooking juices. Shred meat with two forks; return to slow cooker & heat through. Spoon 1/4 c. onto each tortilla; top each with lettuce & cheese.

Clean Eating Coconut Lime Oat Bars

** Recipe from The Gracious Pantry **

* 2 c. quick oats, dry, roasted in oven w/o oil for 15-20 min. or until golden brown
* 1 c. peanut butter
* 1/2 c. honey
* 1/2 c. unsweetened apple sauce
* 1 c. unsweetened, dry coconut flakes
* Zest of 2 limes
* Juice of 1 lime

Heat oven to 350.  Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and knead with your hands.
Spread mixture into a 9x13" baking dish. This will take a little patience as the mixture is thick and needs a little “convincing” to smooth itself out. Just keep nudging it across the dish until you have a nice, even spread.  Bake 30-40 min. or until top is golden brown.  Cut into 24 squares and allow to cool before eating (they stay hot for a while!).

Crispy Black Bean Fritters w/ Creamy Cilantro Dipping Sauce

** Recipe from Mia's Domain **

Black Bean Fritters:

* 3 c. black beans, cooked

* 1 large yellow pepper, seeds removed; diced

* 1 small white onion, diced

* 2 garlic cloves, crushed

* 1 large tomato, diced

* 3 Tbl. chopped cilantro

* 3 Tbl. all purpose unbleached flour

* 2 eggs, room temperature

* Sea salt and black pepper

* Extra virgin olive oil (for frying)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, stir well to combine. Season with sea salt and black pepper. In a large skillet, add 3 Tbl. of oil to pan on medium heat. When hot, add Tbl. of bean mixture.  Fry on one side until golden brown & crispy (about 3 min.). Flip over for another 3 min. Remove & drain on a paper towel. Season with fresh black pepper & sea salt.  Serve with dipping sauce.

Cilantro Dipping Sauce:

* 1/2 c. sour cream or Greek yogurt

* 1/2 small green chili, seeded & diced

* 1 sm. garlic clove, crushed

* 2 Tbl. chopped cilantro

* 1 tsp. sugar

* Sea salt & black pepper

Blend all ingredients until smooth. Season with sea salt & black pepper.

Sesame Sunflower Seed Grain Free Crackers

** Recipe from Health, Home and Happiness **

* 1 c. unsalted sunflower seeds, hulled (could use pumpkin seeds!)
* 1 tsp. sea salt (the coarse kind is fine)
* 3 cloves of garlic, peeled
* 1 c. sesame seeds, hulled
* up to 1/4 c. water

Heat oven to 350.  In bowl of a food processor, using regular metal blade, combine sunflower seeds, salt, and garlic. Turn food processor on and let it whir for 2-3 min, until seeds have turned into a dense flour. Add in sesame seeds and pulse to mix (sesame seeds don’t need to mix all the way in). Slowly add in water, a couple Tbl. at a time, until seeds all clump together in a ball. Remove and knead to distribute sesame seeds through sunflower seed mixture. Mixture isn’t a very pretty color at this point, but it improves beautifully with baking.  Between parchment paper, roll dough out until very thin for crisper crackers, or up to 1/4" thick for more sturdy crackers, in as close to a rectangle shape as possible. Using parchment paper, flip the whole rectangle of dough onto a cookie sheet, keep crackers on a layer of parchment paper to bake for easy removal. Cut into rectangles with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. We’ll use cut lines to break crackers on after they’re cooked.  Bake 15-20 min, or until golden brown. Allow to cool while still on cookie sheet, then break along scored lines and serve.

Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

** Recipe from Smells Like Home **


* 2 c. plus 2 Tbl. all-purpose flour
* 1/2 tsp. baking soda
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 12 Tbl. unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm
* 1 c. light brown sugar, packed
* 1/2 c. granulated sugar
* 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
* 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 c. milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 3/4 c. Heath toffee bits

Adjust top rack of oven to center.  Heat oven to 325.  Line an 8×8" baking pan with aluminum foil so that edges of foil overhang two sides of pan; grease foil with butter or cooking spray.  Whisk first 3 ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.  In bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment or in a large bowl, mix butter and sugars together until thoroughly combined.  Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla until just combined.  Add in dry ingredients and beat at low speed until mix is just combined – do not overbeat.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Spread half of dough out in bottom of baking pan with slightly damp fingers to prevent sticking.  Sprinkle toffee bits over dough.  Crumble remaining dough over toffee bits – don’t worry about filling in all gaps; dough will bake together.  Bake 30-35 min, until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow pan to cool on a wire rack for 15 min. before carefully removing bars in foil from pan.  Allow bars to cool completely before slicing.