Raspberry Almond Baked Oatmeal

Happy New Year!  Let's have a healthy breakfast to start off the new year.

Oatmeal is full good nutrients and fiber.  It's great for breakfast as it keeps you full until lunch time, plus during these cold winter months oatmeal is a warm comforting food to eat!

We typically eat a nice breakfast on the weekend and this dish fits right in with our Sunday breakfast plans.  Plus, you can put this dish together the night before if you choose and just bake it in the morning.  However, it doesn't take very long to put this together.  

Another plus is that this should you have leftovers this dish keeps well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days making this a great take along dish of leftovers that you can just potion and heat up in the microwave.  Add a splash of milk for a creamier dish if you want.

We love baked oatmeal.  I like it because it's moist and creamy without being overly mushy.  MGG on the other hand likes to add a little more milk to his portion for extra creaminess.  I also love that this dish is a little tart from the berries, a little spicy from the ginger, and little sweet from natural honey (healthy stuff here!) and a little crunchy from the almonds.  It's a winning combination.

This is the perfect way to start off the new year for those who want to eat something healthier.

Enjoy!




Raspberry Almond Baked Oatmeal

serves 6

1½ cups rolled oats
1 tsp. ground ginger
½ tsp. salt
¼ cup dry-roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
2 cups of low fat milk
¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup fresh raspberries + more for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare a 3 qt casserole dish or an 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  

In a large bowl, combine oats, ginger, salt, and chopped almonds.  In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, honey (or maple syrup), oil and vanilla then add to oat mixture, stirring until just combined. Fold in fresh raspberries.  Spread the mixture into your baking dish.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until oats have set.  Remove oatmeal from oven and let stand for 10 minutes. Top with additional fruit and drizzle with a little honey or maple syrup if desired. Enjoy!

Source: Eatyourselfskinny

Dump and Go Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy

It only takes 5 Ingredients and a Slow Cooker to make this hearty comfort meal!

It's New Year's Eve!  I'm kissing 2019 goodbye and looking forward to a strong, positive and forward moving 2020.  How about you?

We don't really make resolutions for the New Year as resolutions tend to be specific and goal oriented and let's be honest, we never really stick to them for very long.  Instead we do something we call New Year's "intentions".  I heard about these several years ago and they really resonated with me.  

Deepak Chopra said, “intentions are the starting point of every dream—the seed of creation.”  Don't you just love that?  Intentions are statements and declarations of what you both desire and consciously intend to be, learn, do, have, feel or experience in a coming period of time, like the coming year.  Instead of saying, "I want to lose 10 pounds" say "I would love to have a better relationship with food."

Some of my intentions deal with taking charge of my life and job.  Not to allow circumstances control me.  Just getting my strength back and creating my destiny.  Another has to do with food.  Such as, not stressing over creating the most perfect dish each night, and not worrying about repeat dishes.  As a blogger I cook a new dish most days with little repeats.  This is tiring!  So my intention is to ease up on cooking new meals constantly and to create a base of EASY dishes I can count on in a pinch.  In comes today's recipe.

DUMP AND GO SLOW COOKER CHICKEN AND GRAVY

Comfort food galore....and easy to boot!  This is a simple version of my mom's chicken and gravy she served while I was growing up...but easier.  All you need is a slow cooker and 5 ingredients.  Dump and go recipes are just that.  You literally dump everything in the slow cooker and turn it on.  4 hours later you will have the most wonderful chicken and mushrooms with gravy.  

Use whatever chicken pieces you enjoy.  I used boneless skinless chicken breast since that's what I had on hand.  Serve this with mashed potatoes or rice and a vegetable and a dinner roll and you are set.  But what about leftovers???  Yes! leftovers are fabulous too!  Just shred up that chicken and put it in a toasted french roll, and don't forget to drizzle on the mushrooms and some gravy. Ah Mazing!  

Go ahead and take a cooking break!  You deserve it, and this fabulous meal.
Enjoy!





Dump and Go Slow Cooker Chicken and Gravy


serves 4-6

2 pounds chicken pieces - I used boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 (1-ounce) packet dried onion soup mix
2 (.75 to 1-ounce) packets brown gravy mix
3 cups water
8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms

Mix the onion soup mix, gravy mixes and water together in the bottom of the slow cooker. Add the chicken, making sure it is covered with liquid.  Add the mushrooms and then cover.  Cook on low for 4 hours.

Note: if you prefer a thicker sauce mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Pour this in the slow cooker and stir. Turn the heat to high and cook for 20 minutes.

1 Hour Dinner Rolls

1 Hour Dinner Rolls is an honest to goodness simple basic dinner roll recipe that is done in a flash.

Yum

It's Christmas Eve, Eve...

We're getting ready for the Holiday over here and today I'm doing my last minute grocery shopping.  I like to start any make ahead items that I have on the menu the day before the holiday so that the cooking on the big day is stress free....or at least less frantic!

I make my dessert the day before, such as this Easy Chocolate Coconut Tart or my Pumpkin Pie with Orange Marmalade.  I prep my salads such as Ina's Winter Slaw or my Arugula Spinach Salad with Feta, Cranberries, and Pecans and dress them the day of.  Plus I also make any type of homemade bread if I'm serving that.

1 HOUR DINNER ROLLS

Today we are going to make 1 Hour Dinner Rolls.  These rolls are sooooo delicious and really super easy to make.  Honestly, a stand mixer does all the work for you so you can have hot steamy homemade rolls in an hour.  Don't be put off by the though of using yeast.  It really is easy to use and this recipe doesn't require any special yeast blooming techniques and very little proofing of the dough, so you get your rolls done quick and easy.  That's my kind of bread baking!  We don't have time these days, especially on a holiday, to put a lot of time and effort into one dish when there are so many to focus on.  This recipe is an honest to goodness simple basic dinner roll recipe that is done in a flash.  This will be your go-to recipe for dinner rolls from now on!

As I mentioned your stand mixer is the key here. You'll add your ingredients and mix up the dough, a really simple step.  You'll need to use the dough hook for this recipe, which will knead your dough so you don't  have to do it by hand.  Half the battle is done for you!  After a short proofing in a bowl, then you will just need to roll them into balls and place them on a tray to proof one more time and then bake!  Poof! fresh rolls!

How do you reheat dinner rolls?  As I am making these the day before our meal you can reheat these rolls easily by wrapping them in foil and placing them in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. 

Storing dinner rolls:  Your rolls should be placed in an airtight bag or container on the counter for several days.

Can I freeze these dinner rolls?  Yes!  You can freeze these rolls for up to 6 weeks.  Thaw the rolls and heat them up or eat at room temperature.  They come out really well frozen.

Easy is the word that comes to mind when I think of making these rolls.  Hot, steamy rolls slathered in butter are the perfect accompaniment to any meal, especially when they are homemade!

Enjoy!


1 Hour Dinner Rolls

yield: 16 rolls


4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon instant yeast (rapid rise yeast) 

2 tablespoons sugar 

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter, softened 

1 1/2 cups warm water

Topping: 3 Tablespoons butter, melted

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, add the flour, yeast, sugar and salt. Mix to combine.

Add in the softened butter and mix on low speed until the butter breaks up into large breadcrumbs. While still mixing, slowly stream in the water. (Note: add enough water all for your dough to form a tight ball and clean the bottom of the bowl. You might not need all the liquid)

Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and form it into an even ball. Using a dough cutter or knife, cut the dough in half. Roll each half of the dough into a long log. Cut each log into 8 rolls. Roll each one into the shape of a ball (see easy rolling technique in video above) Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Place each rolled piece of dough about 1 inch apart.

While the rolls are rising, melt the butter in a small bowl. Set aside.

When the rolls have risen for the second time and joined together, lightly brush the rolls with half of the melted butter (reserve the other half for after they are baked).

Bake until golden brown, roughly 18-22 minutes. Immediately after removing the rolls from the oven, brush them with the remaining melted butter.

After cooling slightly pull apart and serve. 
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• recipe source: Bigger Bolder Baking