Amy's Pimento Cheese

I have loved and craved pimento cheese, a Southern staple, since I was pregnant with Lucy, who is 9 1/2. Fortunately, in Charlotte it's not hard to find good pimento cheese in restaurants and grocery stores, not to mention at get-togethers with friends. I just can't believe it took me this long to make my own.

On crackers or pita chips, plain or in a sandwich, I really love pimento cheese. My girls like to take pimento cheese in their school lunches. Bless their little Southern hearts. If you have never had a grilled pimento cheese sandwich ... well, get on that.

You might also consider making pimento cheese a day or two ahead of when you want to serve it. I noticed mine tasted better after it sat for a few days in the fridge; it was less mayonnaise-y than the very first day. My N.C.-born and bred friend Ashley came over several days after I made my pimento and declared, "This is very good."

XOXO,
Amy

PS: Pimento cheese joins my other Southern dishes — collards, cornbread, deviled eggs and low country boil.

Amy's Pimento Cheese

16-ounce block of extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
8 ounces cream cheese softened
Scant 1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder — or extremely finely grated onion
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
4-ounce jar of diced pimento, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

First, make sure to buy a block of extra-sharp cheddar cheese and shred it yourself, using the side of the grater that make larger shreds. Pre-shredded cheese that you buy at the store has been dusted with cellulose to keep the shreds from sticking together, which doesn't make for good pimento. And now that I know this I may never buy pre-shredded cheese again.

Place cream cheese in large bowl of electric mixer and mix at medium speed until lighter and no big chunks remain. Add in remaining ingredients and mix on medium, occasionally stopping to use a spatula to turn the mixture by hand so that all is blended together.

Refrigerate in an air-tight container a couple hours before eating. Can last a week or more in the fridge.

Don't forget to make some grilled pimento cheese sandwiches!

Watermelon Pizza

We had friends over for dinner last week. The moms and four girls went to the pool first. Between pool time and it being nearly 100 degrees out, my goal was to keep it easy and to turn up the heat as little possible in the kitchen. So, Jeff smoked a beautiful salmon. I threw together a salad and pulled out the pasta salad I'd made the night before. For dessert, I thought it would be fun for Lucy and Penny and their friends Hannah and Sophie to make the watermelon pizza I'd seen in my latest Good Housekeeping magazine.

Aren't they all adorbs?

From left to right: Penny, Hannah, Lucy and Sophie hard at work making watermelon pizzas.

The girls loved making their "pizzas," but didn't love eating them so much. The "sauce" — made of cream cheese, ricotta and honey — was weird and I tended to agree. But they liked the berries and the watermelon itself, of course. In the future, I'd turn this into a fruit salad, cutting the watermelon into bite-sized chunks and mixing in the berries and a little mint. I bet they'd gobble it up.

Still, it was fun to watch and a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen.

XOXO,
Amy

Watermelon Pizza
Adapted from Good Housekeeping

1 seedless watermelon, cut into four rounds
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
16 ounces ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons honey
Couple handfuls of coconut, toasted
Variety of berries of your choosing -- blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
Kiwi, optional but could serve as your "pepperoni"
1 bunch of mint, roughly chopped

Mix cream cheese, ricotta and honey together. Spread this "sauce" on your watermelon rounds. Next, sprinkle toasted coconut and top with berries and fruit. Sprinkle chopped mint.

Cut each round into quarters. Enjoy!

Crockpot Queso

Until very recently, I'd never made my husband's beloved Ro-Tel cheese dip. But then our Carolina Panthers made it to the Super Bowl and, by the Sunday of the big game, resistance was futile. I bought a 16-ounce block of Velveeta cheese product and glanced at a few online recipes. There are literally (and I don't use that word lightly) a bazillion ways to make Ro-Tel cheese dip. Here is mine, which I call Crockpot Queso.

XOXO,
Amy

Crockpot Queso

1 pound lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon taco seasoning
16-ounce block of Velveeta, cubes
2 cans of Ro-Tel Tomatoes & Green Chilies, undrained (I recommend the No Salt Added variety as the Velveeta has plenty of sodium.)
1/2 to 1 tablespoon canned, diced jalapenos (I use 1/2 heaping tablepoon of the HOT variety)

Fry beef with onion, garlic and taco seasoning. Drain and place in crockpot.

Add all other ingredients to crockpot and cook on low for 2-3 hours or until cheese is melted. Serve with tortilla chips. Keep Crockpot Queso on low while serving.

Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated.

Brie Cranberry Pizza

I got this recipe more than 15 years ago from a coworker, Sally, at the Kentucky newspaper where I met my husband. The original recipe calls for canned whole berry cranberry sauce, but in recent years I have instead used my homemade Spiced Cranberry Sauce, leftover from Thanksgiving.

Brie Cranberry Pizza is the perfect holiday party or book club gathering nosh -- either as appetizer or dessert. I last made this on New Year's eve as a precursor to our main meal -- a twist on the French classic coq au vin, which you will read all about very soon.

XOXO,
Amy

Brie Cranberry Pizza

8 ounce tube of crescent rolls (I typically used the reduced fat kind.)
8 ounces of brie, rind removed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3/4 cup whole berry cranberry sauce, canned  or Amy's Spiced Cranberry Sauce
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly spray bottom of 12-inch pizza pan or 9" X 13" glass baking dish. Unroll dough and press into pan or dish by tips. Bake for 5-8 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle with cheese. Spoon cranberry sauce over dough and cheese. Top with pecans. Bake for 6-10 minutes, until cheese is melted. Cool for 5 minutes before cutting.

Chocolate Madeleines

A few years ago I splurged on a $30 baking pan at Sur La Table. Not just any baking pan: my Madeleine pan. Worth it. Every francophile and anyone who has read Marcel Proust needs a Madeleine pan, non?

I love that just as Marcel remembered a childhood in which his maman baked these mini pound cakes, so shall Lucy and Penny. My daughters adore Madeleines. They have proclaimed my Madeleines to be better than the packaged variety sold at Starbucks! Mais oui.

And while the girls appreciate the classic French treat, they have been begging me to try making chocolate Madeleines, so I did. Pour mes filles.

XOXO,
Amy

PS: Lucy helped.

Chocolate Madeleines
Adapted from Joyofbaking.com
Yields 18 Madeleines

3 eggs, at room temperature
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted -- plus additional non-melted butter for greasing Madeleine pan
1 ounce unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Put eggs and sugar in bowl of your blender and blend at medium high for five minutes. You want to blend until the mixture has tripled in volume  and a thick ribbon forms when you lift the beater. Again, about five minutes.

Meanwhile, place butter and chocolate in top of double boiler and melt over a medium boil.

Then, mix the remaining dry ingredients -- flour, baking powder and salt -- in a small bowl.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, fold in a bit of the flour mixture. Then fold in the rest of the flour mixture, bit by bit. Key word is "fold." Do not overstir or stir too vigorously as that will result in some flat Madeleines.

Your chocolate  and butter should be melted by now. Let it cool for a few minutes. Then fold some of the batter into the chocolate and butter. And  then fold the entire chocolate-butter mixture, which now contains some batter, into the mixing bowl with remaining batter. Combine gently. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Toward the end of that 30 minutes, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Then take a stick of butter and grease the Madeleine pan. There are a lot of grooves in these seashell-shaped cakes, so make sure to do a good job here or your Madeleines will stick and not look as pretty.

Remove batter from fridge and place a generous tablespoon of batter into the center of each mold in the Madeleine pan. This is how you get the classic "humped" appearance in your Madeleines.

Bake for 10-11 minutes or until edges are slightly browned and the center of the cakes spring back when lightly touched. Transfer Madeleines -- smooth side down -- to a plate and allow to cool.

When serving, sift confectioners sugar over the grooved side of the Madeleines.

Note that Madeleines are best eaten the same day. You can store leftover Madeleines (provided there are any) in an airtight container  and eat them the next day. If you want to store for longer, wrap well and freeze for up to one month.

Almond Granola Bars

These granola bars are a spin-off of a recipe that's been circulating among the moms in my Peoria neighborhood for years.  I was recently gifted the ingredient list — and of course started making my own variations.

We're lucky to have lots of kids in our 'hood, and one mom and I often trade baked goods (and favorite cook books) when our kindergarten boys get together. Julie B. introduced me to these light and crisp bars.

By way of pure coincidence, these granola snacks originated with Charity J., a mom in an adjacent subdivision — who was my neighbor when we first moved to town.

In my never-ending quest to provide filling nibbles to my boys, I decided to try making these snacks with almond flour. As I'm learning, almond flour is a gluten-free alternative with more flavor, protein and healthy fats compared to regular flour. I even used it to make triple almond chocolate pudding.

With Max and Sam in the house, a tray of these sweet and chewy morsels disappears pretty fast.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Almond Granola Bars
Inspired by the moms of Hawley Hills

2 eggs
4 tablespoons vegetable oil (coconut oil would be delicious)
2/3 cups honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup almond flour
4 cups rice krispie cereal
4 cups old fashioned oats
3/4 cups mini chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, oil and honey. Add brown sugar and mix until smooth. Add baking powder, almond flour, rice cereal and oats. Stir until everything is coated in the honey mixture.

Mix in chocolate chips and cherries.

Line a 13 x 9 inch pan with enough parchment paper so that some hangs over the edges. Pour mixture into pan. Using a spatula, firmly press granola into pan. Don't be gentle. You want to really press hard.

Bake for 15 to 25 minutes, depending on how hot your oven is. (Mine runs a little on the cool side, so these took almost 25 minutes.) When the top is golden brown, remove pan from oven.

Let cool completely. Holding the ends of the parchment paper, lift granola from pan and set on cutting board. Slice into bars. Good luck trying to eat just one!

Amy's Guacamole

When Andrea wrote of her family's love for tacos and her DIY Taco Seasoning, I got a craving for my guacamole. I make this guacamole a lot, especially in the summer. It is one thing that everyone in my family loves. I'd make it more, but none of us has any self control. We all basically stuff our faces. You have been warned.

XOXO,
Amy

PS: The garlic is what makes my guac different from others. Feel free to make this your own. Maybe add cilantro or raw onions. Maybe use homemade salsa if that's in your wheelhouse and you have the time.

Amy's Guacamole

Avocados
Garlic
Salsa (your favorite jarred variety)
Kosher salt
Lime (Lemon will do if you are out of limes)

NOTE: All quantities are approximate. How much you use of anything depends on your own taste and how many you are feeding.

Peel 3-4 avocados and place in bowl. Add 1-2 cloves of minced garlic. Add kosher salt and salsa to our liking. Add juice of one half or whole lime. Mash and  combine using a potato masher. Taste and adjust the seasonings -- namely salt and lime juice -- as needed.

When I made this guac last week, my older daughter Lucy was my helper. She insisted on taking what she called the "transition pictures," which show the various steps in the prep. Here they are.

Triple Almond Chocolate Banana Pudding

As you all know, I'm on the hunt for healthy snacks to feed my boys. We need tidbits packed with protein, energy that lasts — and just enough sweetness to make them appealing.

After I shared my popcorn marshmallow bars, the fine folks at Nuts.com invited me to try using almond flour. I love an excuse to get to work in the kitchen and boy, was I pleasantly surprised. I'm a newbie at using gluten-free flours. Almond flour works just like all-purpose white and whole wheat flours and is high in protein and vitamin E.

I'm trying to clean up our diets in general, so I'm thrilled that my kids liked this no-sugar chocolate dessert.  The sweetness comes from extremely ripe bananas. For even more fun, you can make the consistency closer to ice cream by using frozen bananas.

And I definitely suggest eating this power pudding for breakfast! Such a nutty way to start the day. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!)

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Triple Almond Chocolate Banana Pudding
Inspired by Williams Sonoma and The Sprouted Kitchen

2 overripe bananas (fresh or frozen or some of each)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cups almond butter
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup almond milk, divided
1/4 cup almond flour
Optional: for extra sweetness, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey

Place bananas, cocoa powder, almond butter, cinnamon and salt in a blender or food processor. Add about 1/8 cup almond milk. Blend until everything is mixed together but not yet smooth. Use a rubber spatula to scrap down the sides of blender or food processor.

Add almond flour and another 1/8 cup almond milk. Blend until smooth, adding more splashes of almond milk as needed to smooth out texture. (Adding the almond flour at the end prevents clumping in the bottom of the blender.)

Transfer to four small bowls. Enjoy immediately, especially if you used frozen bananas.

If you used fresh bananas, this pudding tastes great chilled. Cover bowls with plastic wrap and pop in the fridge for an hour or more. You can make this pudding ahead. It holds up well in the refrigerator for about three days.

Sprinkle with banana slices and nuts, like sliced toasted almonds or chopped pecans. My Sam says it's even better with whipped cream on top.

Popcorn Marshmallow Bars

Lately it seems my boys never stop eating.

They are hungriest right after school. I've been struggling to find semi-healthy snacks they want to eat — that also make them feel full.

They love rice krispie treats these days, so I started thinking about ways to bulk up the current snack du jour. If you can mix cereal with melted marshmallows, why not popcorn?

The salty-sweet results are pretty delicious. Drizzle a little chocolate on top and the kids will think it's extra-special. In fact, my 9-year-old asked for some in his lunch box and told me, "Mom, if you make these every week, you'll never have to buy snacks again!"

Score one for Mom.

Mangia! Mangia!

Andrea

Popcorn Marshmallow Bars

20 ounces mini marshmallows

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

20 cups air-popped popcorn 

1/4 to 1/2 cup chocolate chips 

**A note on the popcorn. If you don't want to pop your own corn, grab a bag of air popped popcorn at the grocery store. If it's lightly salted, omit the kosher salt.

Line a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with enough parchment paper so that paper hangs over edges of pan. Lightly coat parchment with cooking spray.

In a large Dutch oven or pot, combine marshmallows, butter and salt. Melt over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth.

Remove from heat. Stir in popcorn and combine until all of the popcorn is coated in marshmallow mixture. (Depending on the size of your pot, it may be easier to mix popcorn and melted marshmallow in a giant bowl.)

Transfer popcorn mixture to pan. Press down using spatula or parchment paper coated in cooking spray.

Microwave chocolate chips for 30 seconds. Stir. Microwave for another 30 seconds and stir. Repeat as needed until chocolate is completely melted and smooth. Drizzle over popcorn in pan. Refrigerate until chocolate hardens, between 10 and 20 minutes.

Remove pan from refrigerator. Holding edges of parchment paper, lift popcorn mixture from pan and place on cutting board. Cut into bars. 

No Sugar Banana Bread

I recently had dates on hand for a cookie recipe that I never made. I lost track of the recipe, so I thought I'd experiment with my sister-in-law's tried-and-true banana bread. Note that I decided to try this while the kids were out at the park with their dad, so they wouldn't see me chopping dates and skipping the white sugar. Genius, I know.

I was afraid the bread wouldn't be sweet enough with  just the dates, so I did add in a little honey. I also decided to use butter instead of Crisco, because that seems healthier. I used up some whole wheat flour. I tossed in some chocolate chips as a little treat since we we're being good by using dates. I would have added chopped walnuts, but I didn't have any on hand. I had pecans in the pantry, but Penny -- who had returned from the park, never the wiser about the dates -- vetoed the pecans.

Guess what? Lucy and Penny gobbled up this bread and begged for seconds. Lucy commented on liking the texture better. This bread is indeed more moist than the original we'd been making for years. (Ssssh, don't tell Aunt Jennie.) Penny commented on the chocolate chips, which was not at all surprising. Thing is this bread would be super yummy -- and truly no sugar -- without the chips and that's how I plan to make it next time.


XOXO,
Amy

No Sugar Banana Bread
2 cups flour (I used up the remaining 1 1/2 cup white whole wheat flour I had; the rest was all purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup packed dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup butter, melted
Honey, just shy of 1/4 cup
2 eggs
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 or 3)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup (or less) chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350.

Stir together the first four dry ingredients and set aside.

In large bowl, mix dates and melted butter on medium to medium high speed. Add the honey, eggs, bananas and lemon juice--mix until combined and the dates are no longer lumpy. Sift in dry ingredients, little by little.

Pour mixture into greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan.

Irish Soda Bread

When we were living in Milwaukee, our local grocery store made raisin-studded, sugar-crusted Irish Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day every year, and it blew my mind. It wasn't exactly authentic, but it was dang good.

Since I couldn't walk down the street to the store to pick up soda bread this year, I set out to duplicate it at home. Traditional buttermilk and all-purpose flour for simplicity. Baking soda and baking powder for a little rise, salt for flavor, and sugar because that's how I roll. (I said it wasn't authentic, okay?) Studded with raisins and sprinkled with coarse sugar crystals to guild the lily.

I was giddy with excitement when I pulled this baby out of the oven. The scent alone was absolutely tantalizing. The sugar glittered on the golden crust like treasure at the end of a rainbow.

So I ate a quarter of the loaf for dinner.

Tender and rich with just enough sweetness. Raisins in every bite. Crisp with sugar crystals. Holy cow. The luck of the Irish is with you today, folks, because this bread is good.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Irish Soda Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1 cup raisins
2 tablespoons milk (You might not need it all.)
1 tablespoon coarse sugar crystals (I used Sugar in the Raw.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir in melted butter until the mixture looks crumbly. Stir in buttermilk and raisins until the dough just comes together in a shaggy mixture.

Turn out the dough onto a lightly-floured counter. Knead just until the dough comes together in a smooth ball, about 10 times. Pat dough into an 8" circle and place on prepared baking sheet. Brush top of dough with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Use a knife to cut a large "X" on the top of the loaf.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Curry Spiced Pecans

Halloween is over, and Christmas has officially taken over Target. That's my signal to get ready for holiday fun.

Before the busyness overwhelms us, let's whip up a batch of Curry Spiced Pecans, and we'll be ready for whatever life brings. Appetizer for girls' night? Done. Crunchy snack for the football game? Done. Make-ahead hors d'oeuvre for Thanksgiving. Done. Thoughtful hostess gift? Oh, now you've outdone yourself.

Curry Spiced Pecans
Adapted from these Spiced Nuts

1 egg white
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound pecans (about 4 cups)
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon cumin

Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together egg white, water, and salt until frothy. Add pecans and stir until coated. Drain pecans in a colander for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine sugar, curry powder, paprika, and cumin. Toss spices with the drained pecans and evenly divide them between prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 50 minutes, until the pecans are dry and crisp. A couple times throughout baking, stir the pecans and rotate the baking sheets so they cook evenly. Allow pecans to cool completely on the baking sheets, about 30 minutes. Break up the nuts and serve. Pecans can be stored in an airtight container for several weeks.

P.S. Here's an idea for you. I didn't use cayenne in today's recipe, but I bet these pecans would be delicious with 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne added with the other spices. Let me know if you give it a try!

Bread & Butter Pickles

Do you have a favorite type of pickle? I don't think I could choose just one. I love dill pickles on a burger or Cuban sandwich. Gherkins chopped up in my mother-in-law's potato salad. But the zesty cucs I eat most often are bread and butter. I pile those babies sky high on every sandwich that crosses my lunch plate. Turkey, ham, tuna; I don't discriminate. As long as every.single.bite includes the sweet crunch of bread and butter pickles, I'm happy.

Since I consume my body weight in pickles, I thought it might be wise—or at least fun—to try my hand at making my own. I wasn't about to bust out my canning equipment for this project, so I started reading recipes for refrigerator pickles. Here's the gist: Salt the cucumbers, cover them with a hot vinegar-sugar brine, let them sit in the fridge. Boom.

I waited the requisite 24 hours before taking my first bite. And I must admit, I was nervous. Even though these pickles were easy (seriously...really easy), I felt invested. I waited 24 hours to eat my creation. That's a lot of delayed gratification!

But, you guys, these things are delicious. Crunchy, tangy, sweet...good gracious. It is absolutely worth the minimal effort and 24 hours of patience to make your own pickles. Give it a whirl and let me know what you think.

Bread & Butter Pickles

4 pickling cucumbers*, sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 sweet onion, very thinly sliced (optional)
1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 cup water
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
1/8 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Toss together sliced cucumbers, onion, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for an hour and a half. Rinse thoroughly and drain. Place cucumbers and onion into canning jars or a non-reactive bowl.

Combine water, white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, sugar, bay leaf, and spices in a medium-sized saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the sugar is dissolved. Pour hot liquid over cucumbers and onions. Let stand at room temperature for an hour. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours before serving. You can store the pickles in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

*Pickling cucumbers are also known as Kirby cucumbers. They're smaller than the standard cucs you slice up for salads, usually less than 6". If you can't find Kirby cucumbers, just use whatever kind you can track down at the grocery store.

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

Happy Halloween!

Where I grew up in Buffalo, trick-or-treating always took place after dark on Halloween night. Every year I dressed as either a princess or an old lady. The old lady costume was much more practical in the cold climes of my hometown; an ancient fur coat and hat plus a ratty grey wig meant I didn't have to cover my costume with my winter parka and beanie.

The best part of Halloween was obviously the candy. After hours ringing doorbells and scouring the neighborhood for the house handing out king-sized confections, our pillowcases were stuffed with hundreds of treats. My brother, sister, and I would dump our goodies on the floor at home, sort them out, and begin to barter. Johnny would gladly trade his chocolate for SweeTarts. Katy and I would do anything for a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup. And then we would eat candy until we passed out in a sugar-induced coma.

Today we're going to make something salty to balance all of that sweetness: Spiced Pumpkin Seeds. Save the seeds when you're carving your pumpkin tonight and you'll be halfway to this savory treat. Toss them together with some butter and a few spices, and bake until the seeds are toasted and crisp.

Spiced Pumpkin Seeds

1 cup pumpkin seeds*
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss seeds with butter, salt, chili powder, and cumin until they're evenly coated. Spread into a single layer on a rimmed baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes or until seeds are toasted and crisp, stirring halfway through.

*When you've collected the seeds from your pumpkin, rinse off all of the stringy stuff and pat the seeds dry.

Sponge Bobs (a.k.a. Yogurt-sicles)

The husband and I drove way down south to Illinois last weekend to meet up with some pals from college and their three beautiful children. While the men went golfing, the women-folk spent some time around the homestead. We ate a leisurely breakfast, took a walk, and chatted up a storm.

When hunger pangs struck around 12:30 and the husbands were still on the links, Sarah came to the rescue with a delicious snack to hold us over until lunchtime: Sponge Bobs.

I'll pause here because the name of this treat may be a bit confusing. You see, Sarah has a 2-year-old who loves a certain cartoon character who lives in a pineapple under the sea, and she named the snack after the illustration on the packaging. Sponge Bobs are actually yogurt-sicles. (And "yogurt-sicles" may not be any less confusing.)

Anyway, this is a little bit of a cheat in the recipe department, since you don't actually make Sponge Bobs, but they are so easy, refreshing, and wonderful that I had to share the "recipe" with you all. As you can see from the photo below, they are the perfect, portable treat to enjoy while you're working on your laptop. In fact, I might go get one right now...

Sponge Bobs (a.k.a. Yogurt-sicles)
From: Sarah

Buy a box of yogurt tubes (such as Go-Gurt*).

Put them in the freezer until they have frozen solid.

Cut off the top of the packaging, wrap it with a napkin so your fingers don't get too cold, and eat the frozen yogurt like a popsicle.

*Sarah had Go-Gurt at her house, but I bought Stonyfield Farms yogurt tubes when I tried this at home. I have to admit, I think the Go-Gurt ones are the best.

Ladybugs on a Log

It's a Wednesday snack attack!

Who wants boring old Ants on a Log when you can have Ladybugs on a Log? I know my answer.

Ladybugs on a Log
Serves: 2

8 celery sticks
2-3 tablespoons peanut butter
Handful of dried cranberries

Evenly divide peanut butter between celery sticks. Place 3-4 dried cranberries (ladybugs) on top of the peanut butter on each celery stick.

Smile because you're an adult, and you're still eating Ladybugs on a Log!

Nachos

Last night was what my mother would call "Potpourri Night" at our house. We had a fridge full of leftovers to eat up, so our evening meal consisted of a little of this and a little of that. The main event for my husband and his pal, Ryan, was a hearty pile of nachos, the perfect disguise for leftover odds and ends.

The nacho building went a something like this:

Mostly crunched tortilla chips made up the ideal base layer.

Refried beans? Definitely.

Leftover rotisserie chicken found a new life when I added a few shakes of chili powder.

A hearty pile of shredded cheddar was the crowning jewel.

And after the house was filled with the fragrant perfume of nachos straight from the oven, a dollop of sour cream and salsa really gilded the lily.

As you can tell, these nachos were designed to use up the leftovers in our fridge. But please customize them to your palate and pantry. You've got a can of black beans languishing on your shelf? Just mash them up with a fork and, if your feeling wild, throw in a dash of cumin and chili powder, and substitute black bean for the refried beans. Say you've got a hunk of pot roast a day away from the compost pile. That's a perfect stand-in for the chicken if you shred it up into bite-sized bits. Just use what you have on hand, and I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised with the delicious results.

Chicken and Bean Nachos
Serves: 2-3 hungry dudes

2 cups shredded or cubed chicken
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 cup refried beans
1/4 cup sour cream, plus extra for serving
6 cups tortilla chips
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Salsa, for serving

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine chicken and chili powder. Heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 2 minutes on medium-high.

In a separate bowl, stir together refried beans and sour cream. Heat in the microwave until warmed through, about 2 minutes on high.

In a baking dish (mine was 9" square), layer half the chips. Spoon half the beans and half the chicken over the chips. Sprinkle with half the cheese.

Repeat with remaining chips, beans, chicken, and cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until everything is warmed through and cheese is melted. Serve with extra sour cream and salsa.

Note: If you don't want to warm up the chicken and the beans in the microwave, just bake it longer in the oven to ensure everything is warmed all the way through.

Snack Attack

I'm a fan of meals. Breakfast, lunch, dinner...I'll take all three, please. But I also have a soft spot in my heart for snacks. There is a particularly long space in my day between lunch and dinner, and I've gotta fill it with something. (Besides work, I guess.) So today I'm sharing with you a few of my favorite snacks.

Please note that these are my attempts at somewhat healthy nibbles. There is a distinct difference in my mind between a snack and a treat. Snacks keep you from gnawing your arm off between meals. They are (hopefully) nutritious and should have some sort of stick-to-your-ribs quality. Treats are sweet, and include items such as ice cream, cake, cookies, pudding, brownies...I could keep going, but I think you get my drift.

Now, on to the snacks.

2 graham crackers + 1 wedge Laughing Cow cheese

1 banana (or your favorite fruit) + 1/4 cup vanilla yogurt + 3 tablespoons granola

11 chocolate covered almonds

1/2 cup applesauce + 2 tablespoons dried cranberries

Happy snacking!