Oven Pancakes

 

 

Mornings around here get busy and the kids get tired of cereal every morning for breakfast. Other than Blaine he will only eat dry cereal no milk and only certain cereals.

Making things like pancakes and eggs always ends up with someone eating a cold breakfast, not everyone eating at the same time etc.

I started making my grilled cheese in the oven then decided hey let's try pancakes. I have a very large cookie sheet it takes up the entire oven so if you are making pancakes in the oven you will need to adjust your recipe to a smaller pan. I would say by half. You will need to adjust bake times if you are making a smaller batch I would start with 7-10 mins and go up as needed.

I used pancake mix for this that I got at dollar tree for $1.50.

What you need:

Cookie sheet
Pam
Oven
Whisk or fork
Big Bowl
3 cups Milk
8 Eggs
4 cups Pancake mix

Step One:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step Two:

Put all your wet ingredients into your bowl and whisk them together.

Step Three:

Add in pancake mix and whisk

Step Four:

Spray your cookie sheet with pam and pour your mix onto the cookie sheet. 

Step Five:

Bake 20 mins. Checking to make sure the bottom is golden brown.

Step 6:

Cut into desired piece sizes. I got about 10 large pancake squares from mine. We used 5 and put the rest in the freezer in a ziplock freezer bag to be eaten later.

The kids loved these and so did the adults. To warm them up I just toss them in the microwave but you can do them in the toaster if you would rather.

Enjoy!!!

 

 

 

Chocolate covered strawberry brownies

YUM is one word for it. Easy is another.

I found a bunch of pinterest recipes I wanted to try with the strawberries I got on the farm that were different than my normal go to recipes.

This one was the first one I tried and its quick, simple, the kids and men loved it. I didn't like it.

Here is the link to the full recipe!

What you need:

2 12oz bags of chocolate chips (I only used 1 bag)
1 box of brownie mix (this might be why I didn't like them, I like my homemade mix better)
1 egg (or whatever the mix tells you)
1/4 cup of oil or whatever the mix tells you
1/4 cup of water or whatever the mix tells you
1/3 cup milk (I don't measure this I just use a bit in with the chocolate to make it melt)

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350°

2) Grease and line your pan

3) Mix your brownie batter as per the instructions on the box

4) Bake as per the instructions on the box

While the brownies bake:

5) Quarter or half your strawberries

6)  Melt your chocolate and milk together in a double broiler or heavy sauce pan on the stove.

Once brownies are baked:

7) Put strawberries on top of brownies

8) Evenly pour melted chocolate on brownies

9) Place in freezer for about 20 mins. Frozen squares are easier to cut.

10) Remove from pan and cut into equal squares

Enjoy!!!

Now I am not sure why I didn't like them but the kids loved them and so did the men. It made enough for dessert last night and some to freeze for later.

Breakfast: Oven Eggs!

A hardy breakfast before school allow children to focus on school and not the hunger they are feeling. This is why breakfast programs are so very important. Every time a store asks me to donate to a food program for the schools I do! These programs help children who would other wise not get food in morning have their bellies filled so they can focus on what is important, Learning!

In the past I have made freezer breakfast burritos and they were a huge hit with the adults because they could just grab and go. This time I made breakfast sandwiches like you would get at Mcdonalds and egg cups like you similar to what you would find at Tim Hortons.

Save money, Time and calories by making breakfast for the whole week in one go!

My plan was also to do the hard boiled eggs this way too, however this didn't go as planned and I will have to play round with time in the oven in order to do them like that regularly.

I used my 24 cupcake pan so I could do them all at once and they would be done!

Egg Cups:

8 Eggs
1/4 Onion
1/4 Green Pepper
Handful of cheese
Pam or other non-stick spray
1/4 Milk- adjust as needed I just eye ball this
2 Mushrooms

You can add your own favourite flavours

How To:

1) Preheat oven to 350°
2) Spray your muffin tin with non-stick spray
3) Fill each spot over 1/2 full (I didn't fill mine full enough, I am going to fill my to almost full next time)
4) Bake in oven for 20 Minutes

***Check for gooyness and cook longer if needed***

Egg Sandwiches:

8 Eggs
Non-stick spray
8 English Muffins
8 Slices of Cheese

How To:

1) Preheat oven to 350°
2) Spray your muffin tin with non-spray
3) Fill 8 muffin spots with an 1 egg
4) Bake for 20 minutes

***Check for gooyness and cook longer if needed***
5) Cut English muffins
6) Toast English muffins
7) Put a slice of cheese on each English muffin
8) Put an egg on each English muffin.

Once everything has cooled its time to get them packaged for the freezer.

What you need: 

Freezer bags
Plastic wrap

How To:

1) Wrap each egg sandwich in plastic wrap
2) Place all egg sandwiches in the freezer bag
3) Label the freezer bag
4) I wrapped 2 egg cups together in the plastic wrap
5) Place egg cups in a freezer bag
6) Label the freezer bag


How to eat and enjoy!


1) Remove plastic wrap.
2) Heat in either microwave or toaster
3) Enjoy

***Egg sandwiches take longer to heat. I take them out while I am getting everyone ready and then defrost for 1min then toast.


Time saving break down:

 1.5 Hours on a Sunday and then its only 5 minutes in the morning on a weekday

Money saving break down:

 Egg sandwiches cost .54 cents each to make at home
 Egg sandwiches cost $3.99+tax (or more) to buy
Savings of: $3.97

The kids love the egg sandwiches as much as the adults! So good and so easy! Freezer meals to the rescue again.

What is your favourite breakfast meal? Can you make it on the weekend, freeze it and have it the rest of the week?


 I did try to do hard boiled eggs this way as well to use for egg salad sandwiches and for just hard boiled eggs, but I ended up with rubbery eggs so until I perfect this method I wont be using it for those.

I do make 8 hard boiled eggs on Sundays. I use 4 to make egg salad and 4 to just have for the kids lunch or for me to grab and go during the day!


 

Recipe: Cheeseburger Rounds

With the decline of my ability to even function properly until a few days ago, my cooking went out the window. I have wanted to try this recipe since the day I seen it on facebook. Its a video that came across my facebook news feed. My only issue was I had to keep pausing it to make sure I had the ingredients right so I am going to break it down for you but you should watch the video too.

Recipe:

1lbs hamburger
1tbs worecestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup onion
Shredded cheese
3 slices of bacon
1 cans of biscuit dough (I used Pillsbury, yes those weird hard like squares are supposed to be in I checked!)
Melt butter
Pickles (sliced from the round end)
Ketchup
Mustard

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2)  Cook bacon

3)  Cook hamburger in bacon grease,
    ---Add onion, salt, pepper, worecestershire sauce

4)  Separate your dough and squish it flat
    ---add a bit of bacon, hamburger mixture, cheese, pickle
    ---add a small amount of mustard and ketchup (too much will make it hard to close up)

5)  Close up bun and kind of roll it to make it round. Brush on butter

6)  Line baking sheet with parchment paper

7) Bake for 20 mins. Flip at 10 mins or they will burn!!!

These were good, next time I am going to do them as bacon, mushroom, swiss.
SO many ideas!!!

This is the video recipe

Pinterest try: Philly Cheese-steak Sliders

Trying new recipes is one of my favourite things to do, and when they turn out amazing it is even better and I just have to share with everyone so they can try too.

This week I tired out Philly Cheese-Steak Sliders. I have never tried a real Philly cheese-steak so I really have nothing to compare to but Connely said they were good and he likes Philly cheese-steaks.

This is a super simple recipe to so that is another big win. I think total time including cooking was 30 mins.

What you need:

1 pepper (I used red because that is what I had on hand)
1/2 med onion (I only used half because I am not a huge fan of overwhelming onion taste)
3/4lbs steak (I used the thin quick fry steaks)
Dinner rolls (I used what the superstore had on hand in their bakery section 12 buns)
Mayo
1 cup shredded I used Mozzarella but the recipe calls for provolone.
Garlic
Butter



Recipe:

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2) Cut up peppers, onions and steak. Shred the cheese

3) Cook in frying pan until everything is nicely browned

4) Cut your buns in half and lay the bottom halves in your baking dish

5) Put Mayo on both halves of your buns

6) Spread your mixture evenly over your buns. Spread the shredded cheese over the mixture.

7) Melt your butter and mix with garlic. Brush on top of your buns.

8) Cover with tin foil bake for 10 mins. Uncover. Bake for another 10mins

ENJOY!!!

Spicy Scalloped Potatoes

Not my best photo but they tasted amazing!!!

When Lake Front first opened in Sarnia we had dinner there one night. I was very unhappy with our meals other then these scalloped potatoes they were like heaven in my mouth.

They were made with a local company's hot sauce called Front Street Heat. I decided that I needed to make them at home!

Finally last night I made and they were not 100% the same but they were amazing!

I created my recipe from mixing a few recipes over the years including using parts of our family recipe. I don't make scallops often because Richard isn't a big fan of them, I think that is why they are such a treat to my taste buds when I do make them.

Recipe:

12 Potatoes (I use whatever is on sale that week they were smaller potatoes this time so I used 12)
1 Onion
Mushroom soup
Garlic Powder (or fresh garlic whatever you have on hand)
1 soup can of milk
1/4 flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/4 teaspoon Pepper
1/4 teaspoon Spicy Paprika
1 teaspoon Front Street heat
1 bag of shredded nacho cheese


Directions:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees

Thinly slice the potatoes

Chop the onion

Spray your baking dish with non-stick cooking spray

In a bowl add everything except the potatoes and cheese mix well

In your baking dish layer potato, a bit of sauce and hand full of cheese

Repeat the layers until your dish is full cover with remaining sauce, put a lit on and bake 1 hour

Take out and put cheese on the top let stand for about 10 mins

Enjoy!

Paired with homemade cabbage rolls and corn

New recipe chicken and gravy

A rut....when it comes to dinners I get stuck in the same rut month after month, I try not to make the same thing twice in a month but each monthly meal plan contains the same things over and over again. I always want to try new recipes and I “PIN” tons of them on Pinterest but normally I don't get around to trying them because they “look” hard or I am not sure they will turn out etc.

Well I have decided to try a new one at least each month, either from one of my many PINS or from one of my millions of cook books.

The first one of have tried so far was from Pinterest and I had been meaning to try it for months but I kept forgetting to get cream of chicken soup or I would worry about putting the chicken in frozen. I do not thaw my meat in the microwave EVER!

Well I decided the other day to give it a go I was stuck for a meal, it was a bad pain day and I didn't get it in until 10am and yes the chicken was frozen. Of course the instructions said 7 hours on low, well that just isn't going to work over here as we eat at about 430 so here we go I will cook it on med, and worse case it doesn't turn out and we have left overs from the freezer.

This is the full recipe HERE.

The recipe calls for:

2 packages of chicken gravy

1 can of cream of chicken soup

pepper

1 ¾ cup of water

Chicken breasts (I used thinner cuts of chicken so it cut my cook time)

Next time I will add a box of that stuffing mix I think it will help out the recipe a lot.

Mix everything expect the chicken together in a bowl until its semi not lumpy

Put chicken in crock pot

**put stuffing in at this point too**

cover in this mix

cook on low for 7 hours

***I cooked on Med for 4.5 hours***

I served with potatoes and mixed veggies.

I didn't get photos oops, it turned out pretty good but like I said next time I will add the box of stuffing to give it that little bit of extra. Everyone else approved except Blaine who didn't touch it.

I do have to say the blogger who posted this recipe has the best blog name EVER, "The salty Marshmallow"

Pinterest! Coconut Banana bread

I made a few changes when I made this which I will mention as we go along. This is a good recipe although not my favourite.

Blaine helped me out with making it, he loves to be in the kitchen cooking, baking and just being helpful, still can't get him to touch anything with his hands but thats okay. Everything in its own time.

Full recipe and directions found here!!


Ingredients:

1/2 vanilla yogurt
1 egg
3 over ripe banana's
3 tablespoons of vegetable oil. (I used canola oil and I only had 2.5 tablespoons left in the bottle lol)
1 1/3 cup of flour
1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon if salt (I forgot to add this oops)
1/2 chopped pecans (I used 1/4 cup)
1/2 coconut (I only had unsweetened and I used 1/4 cup)
(I added 1/4 cup of mini chocolate chips)

Preheat your oven to 350 (I do mine at 325 because my oven runs hot)
Grease a 9*5 loaf pan (I sprayed mine with pam)

In a bowl mash the banana's
Mix in the vanilla yogurt, egg, oil

In a separate bowl mix all your dry stuff.

Combine both bowls together until moist but don't over mix.

(I put all the wet stuff in my kitchen aid mixer, then I slowly added the dry stuff until it was all mixed)

Topping:
3 tablespoons of flour
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
3 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of coconut
3 tablespoons of chopped pecans

make into a crumble in a bowl

(This didn't work for me, it turned into a paste so I said screw it and added quick oats until it turned into a crumble)

Bake in the oven for 55-65 mins (Mine took 75 mins because I was doing it at lower temp so it wouldn't burn)

Pinterest!!! Jalapeño popper dip!

I have tired this recipe before and loved it, not sure why I didn't blog about it back them.

This is a must try recipe, let is cool a little bit before eating it. It is also super simple for those OMG I need to bring something for the pot luck moments. It takes about 30 minutes start to finish

Full recipe and directions can be found here
Recipe:

1 jar of jalapenos drained and rinsed and chopped.
1 brick of cream cheese soft
1 cup of sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
3/4 cup of shredded parm cheese (I didn't have this so I used mozzarella just as good!)

Topping:
4 table spoons butter (melted)
1 cup bread crumbs (I used seasoned because that is what I happened to have on hand)
1 cup shredded parm cheese (I didn't have this so I used the stuff in the can you put on pasta)

Simple directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix all 5 top ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Spread in a 9*13 casserole dish (I used my round one because it was what I had right there)

Mix the next 3 ingredients in a bowl and until crumbled. Spread over the top of the dip.

Place in oven for 15-20 mins

Let cool

Enjoy!!!

Pinterest: Sloppy Joe Sliders

I hate most things in a can, I hate most things I don't make from scratch because well when I make it from scratch I know what is going into it and it doesn't taste like the can. Connely has been requesting for WEEKS for sloppy joes because I have a can of it in the cupboard and I kept telling not unless I make it from scratch. Well I happened upon a cute recipe for MINI (Who doesn't love mini things) Sloppy Joes.

The recipe calls for:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup diced white onion
• 1/2 cup seeded and diced green bell pepper
• 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce (This is the only thing I use in a can because I do not can my own sauce anymore)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cumin (I couldn't find mine so I just left it out)
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper or to taste (optional)
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 12 slider buns I used King's Hawaiian Savory Butter Rolls (I used fresh bakery butter mini buns)
• 1-1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used marble because that is what I had on hand)
• 2 tablespoons butter melted
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds or as needed (I didn't use these because I didn't have any)
• 
  
  The full recipe can be found here.
  
  
  
  To say the buns I picked made this recipe is an understatement OMG the buttery taste mixed with the sloppy Joe taste was like heaven and this recipe is super simple and QUICK!!!
  
  This will be 100% added to my favorites list and it should be added to your must try list!
  
  
  
  
  
  

Lemon, Garlic, Herb Cod

I have been cooking healthy and I decided to try a new fish recipe instead of my normal go to.

There is a few things I changed because I forgot to buy them at the store and well I just wasn't going all the way back with a cranky 3 year old.

In the future there are a few things I would do differently.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs (regular panko or plain breadcrumbs will work in a pinch)
• 1/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 -3 garlic cloves, grated or finely minced
• 1 large lemon, juice and zest, divided
• 3⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt, more if needed (adjust according to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (8 ounce) Alaskan Cod fillets

Pre heat your oven to 350/400 depending on your oven I do mine at 350 because my oven runs hot.
Line your baking pans with tin foil. Saves huge on clean up and scrubbing.
So you put the first 2 ingredients in a small bowl mix them up well.
In a second bigger bowl add the next 9 ingredients mix them well
Spoon the yogurt mixture onto the fish then pat the crumbs on top.
Stick it in the oven for 15-20mins.
Then eat!

Full recipe and instructions http://bakerbynature.com/20-minute-lemon-garlic-and-herb-baked-cod/

Here is what I actually did.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs (regular panko or plain breadcrumbs will work in a pinch)
• 1/3 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
• 3teaspoons of Italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 large lemon, juice and zest, divided
• 3⁄4 teaspoon normal salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (8 ounce) white fish

Pre heat your oven to 350/400 depending on your oven I do mine at 350 because my oven runs hot.
Line your baking pans with tin foil. Saves huge on clean up and scrubbing.
So you put the first 2 ingredients in a small bowl mix them up well.
In a second bigger bowl add the next 9 ingredients mix them well
Spoon the yogurt mixture onto the fish then pat the crumbs on top.
Stick it in the oven for 15-20mins.
Then eat!

What I would change in the future it turns out no matter how many different ways I try Greek yogurt I just don't like it at all I will replace that with normal yogurt.

Pinterest! Mozzarella Sticks

Mine

Who doesn't love bar food? I know personally I love those platters you can get with all sorts of different things on it such as potato wedges and wings. Sigh such great tasting food, far too much deep fried crap.

I was craving amazing Mozzarella sticks like no other and I also had crescent rolls in the fridge that needed to be used before they expired. I have no idea why I buy them we have never eaten them before, but every time they go on for a dollar I "have" buy them. Most end up just getting tossed so this time I decided why not give the Mozzarella sticks a try that use the rolls to cover them.

This is a super simple recipe even can be done with the help from the wee ones.

This is my simplified version of the recipe, below it you will find the link to full recipe if you require lots of detailed instructions

What you need:

Tube of crescent rolls
Mozzarella cheese strings
Pizza Sauce
Butter
Italian seasoning

What to do:

Set your oven to 375. I set mine to 350 because it always runs hot and then everything burns
Put parchment on you cookie sheet, saves on a ton on scrubbing.
Cut your cheese strings, I got 4 pieces from each cheese string
Open your tube hopefully without scaring the crap out of yourself, thankfully mine didn't do that giant POP
Melt your butter and add your spices to the butter
Put a bit of pizza sauce on each triangle dough piece. Now here I cut my triangles in half because I am not a huge fan of a lot of dough.
Roll your cheese up in the dough
Put them on your cookie sheet, put a bit of the butter sauce on them
Toss them in the oven for about 13 mins.

This is the link to the actually recipe https://www.pinterest.com/pin/24347654218649965/

Now my review of this recipe. I didn't like it and I wont be making it again. I don't like the dough on them. Stay tuned for my other trials to find the perfect baked mozzarella stick!