Sweet and Savory Chex Mix

1 cup honey
1/4 cup vegetable oil
5 cups of rice chex
1/2 - 1 cup oats
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
12oz nuts

1. Mix honey and oil. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, mix rice chex and oats. Pour honey mixture over and mix well.

3. Lightly spray a baking sheet and spread cereal mix evenly. Bake at 300F for 20 minutes, stirring 1-2 times, until golden brown.

4. Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium bowl. Then add garlic powder, oregano, celery salt, and Parmesan cheese. Mix well.

5. Mix in nuts to the butter mixture. On another baking sheet, spread nuts evenly. Bake at 300F for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

6. Allow nuts to cool when finished. Combine cereal and nuts together in a large bowl. Mix well.

Tip: most of the oats I added ended up sticking to the pan. I suggest sprinkling the oats on top of the cereal when first putting it in the oven, so they don't come off as easy.

Upside Down Banana Pecan French Toast

From Taste of Home:

2 packages wheat pull-apart dinner rolls
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup corn syrup
4 medium, ripe bananas
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
2 tsp ground cinnamon
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
Maple syrup
Fresh sliced strawberries

1. Butter the bottom and side of a 13in x 9in baking dish. Slice rolls in half and set aside.

2. Mix sugar, butter, and corn syrup until smooth. Spread mixture into an even layer on the bottom of the baking dish.

3. Slice bananas thinly and place over the brown sugar layer. Scatter pecans over bananas. Place sliced rolls on top. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

4. In a large bowl, mix eggs, half-and-half, and vanilla. Pour over rolls. Cover tightly and refrigerate overnight.

5. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 350F. Bake 45-55 minutes or until rolls are golden.

6. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen sides. Gently invert pan onto a larger platter to serve.

7. Serve with warm maple syrup and sliced strawberries.

P.F. Chang's Chicken Lettuce Wraps

From food.com:

3 tbsp oil
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup water chestnuts, minced
2/3 cup mushrooms, chopped to the size of small peas
3 tbsp chopped onions
1 tsp minced garlic
4-5 leaves of iceberg lettuce

Special sauce:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp ketchup
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp hot mustard
2 tsp hot water
1-2 tsp garlic and red chile paste

Stir Fry Sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp rice wine vinegar

1. Make the special sauce by dissolving the sugar in water in a small bowl. Add soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, ketchup, lemon juice, sesame oil, and desired amount of garlic chili paste. Mix well and refrigerate until serving.

2. Combine 2 tbsp hot water with hot mustard. Set aside until serving.

3. Bring oil to high heat in a large frying pan or wok. Saute chicken breasts for 4-5 minutes per side or until done. Remove chicken from the pan and cool.

4. Keep oil hot. Prepare the stir fry sauce by mixing the soy sauce, brown sugar, and rice wine vinegar together in a small bowl.

5. Add 1 tbsp of oil to pan. Mince chicken add to frying pan with chestnuts, mushrooms, garlic, and onions. Add the stir fry sauce to the pan and saute mixture for a few minutes.

6. Serve mix in a lettuce "cup" and top with special sauce and desired amount of hot mustard sauce.

Beef and Pork Chili

From The Neely's:

6 slices of thick-cut apple wood bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
4 garlic cloves, diced
2 medium onions, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp chipotle chili powder (this was difficult for me to find)
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tbsp smoked paprika
Salt and Pepper
1 pound 85% lean ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 cup beer
1 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 24oz can of crushed tomatoes, with juice
1 24oz can of diced tomatoes, with juice
Lime wedges, for garnish - optional
Sour cream, for garnish
Shredded cheddar cheese, for garnish
Sliced scallions, for garnish

1. In a large pot, cook bacon over medium heat until lightly crisp, stirring occasionally.

2. Once browned, add garlic, onions, bell peppers, chili powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder, oregano, and paprika. Cook until the vegetables until tender and seasonings are aromatic.

3. Add the beef; break up with a spoon. When beef is broken up and beginning to brown, add the pork. Break up with a spoon and brown until no longer pink, roughly 4 minutes.

4. Stir in the beer and beans. Toss together, then add the crushed and diced tomatoes.

5. Turn head to low and simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. When serving, add lime wedges, sour cream, cheddar cheese, and scallions for garnish if desired.

Scallop and Bacon Pasta

From Good Housekeeping:

2 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound sea scallops
2/3 cup apple juice
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
3 tsp chopped fresh chives
4 servings of your choice of pasta,  prepared

1.) In a nonstick skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until browned. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Meanwhile, pull of and discard tough crescent-shaped muscle from each scallop. Pat scallops dry with paper towel.

FYI - It took me for-e-ver to get my scallops dry and I went through several paper towels.

2.) Increase heat to high. Add scallops to drippings in skillet and cook, turning once, until just opaque throughout and browned, about 4 minutes. Transfer scallops to platter and keep warm.

3.) Add apple juice, cream, salt, and pepper to skillet. Heat to boiling over high heat; boil until sauce has thickened slightly, about 7 minutes.

4.) Pour sauce over scallops and toss with 2 tsp chives. To serve, top pasta and sprinkle with bacon and remaining chives.

Makes 4 servings and can also be served over rice, mashed potatoes, or warm toast. It was good over pasta, so be creative.

Valentine Pretzel Buttons

From saifou.com:

1 small bag of Valentine M&M's
1 bag of Snyder's Butter Snaps pretzels (square pretzels)
1 12oz bag of Hershey's Hugs Kisses, unwrapped

1. Preheat oven to 150.

2. Lightly spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.

3. Line the baking sheet with pretzels, with space between pretzels. Place 1 Hershey Kiss on each pretzel.

4. Bake for 6-7 minutes. Check at 6 minutes for kisses to be shiny and soft. Test softness of kisses by pushing an M&M into 1 kiss. If it doesn't push in all the way, bake for another minute.

5. Gently push 1 M&M onto each kiss immediately after removing them from the oven. Be careful not to push too hard otherwise the chocolate will spill over the side.

6. Cool completely. Place in refrigerator for 20-30 minutes if possible. Gently remove finished buttons from the baking sheet with spatula.

Carrot Cake Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

From tastebook.com:

Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
3 cups grated, peeled carrots
1 cups chopped walnuts (optional)
1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Two (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Line cupcake pans with papers or butter and flour them.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

4. In a different and large bowl, whisk sugar and oil until well blended. Whisk in eggs 1 at at time.

5. Add flour mixture to the large bowl and stir until blended. Add carrots, walnuts, and raising.

6. Divide batter among the 24 cupcake molds. Fill about 3/4 of the cup.

7. Bake cupcakes for about 15 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if cupcakes are done. When they are finish, the toothpick will come out clean.

8. Cool the pans for a few minutes. Transfer cupcakes to cooling racks to completely cool.

9. Beat cream cheese, butter, sugar, and maple syrup in a large bowl until fluffy and smooth. Chill the frosting for 15 minutes.

10. Frost cupcakes as desired. I used a piping bag with a large tip for this design.

7-Up Biscuits

From plainchicken.com:

2 cups Bisquick, packed well

1/2 cup sour cream

1/2 cup 7-up

1/4 cup melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 450.

2. Cut sour cream into biscuit mix. I used two knives to do this part.

3. Add 7-Up. Mix lightly.

4. Sprinkle a generous amount of additional Bisquick mix on a counter or table. Pat dough out. Dough may be sticky. Add more Bisquick as needed to lessen stickiness and help with smoothness.

5. Melt butter and add to a square pan (8x8in or 9x9in). Cut biscuits up and arrange them in pan on top of melted butter. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Sautéed Brussel Sprouts with Spam

I've never cooked spam before, so this is my first dish. It was inspired from a dish my Aunt Patsy made for a recent dinner party. 

1 lb brussel sprouts
1 small yellow onion
1/2 red pepper
1 tsp minced garlic
1/8 tsp pepper
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup chopped spam (4 slices of cooked bacon or 1/3 cup ham works too)

1. In skillet, cook spam over medium heat until browned - about 10 minutes.

2. Wash brussel sprouts and tear off any damaged leaves. Cut off stems and slice sprouts from top to bottom.

3. Add butter, garlic, and brussel sprouts to skillet and cook for 5 minutes.

4. Chop onion and red pepper. Add onion to skillet. Cook until brussel sprouts are slightly wilted.

4. Mix in red pepper and ground pepper. Cook for an additional 3 minutes until red pepper is slightly warmed.

Serve immediately.

Southwest Egg Rolls with Avocado Ranch

From Allie at cakeandallie.com:

2 cups corn
1-15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1-9 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry with paper towel
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
1-7oz can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 package of egg roll or wonton wrappers

3/8 cup mayonnaise
3/8 cup sour cream
3 Tbs buttermilk
1/2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tbs lemon juice
1/2 green onion, chopped
1/4 tsp salt
1 avocado, peeled and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line at least 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.

2. Mix together corn, beans, spinach, cheese, chiles, onions, cumin, chili powder, salt and cayenne pepper.

3. Using a spoon, scoop a small amount of filling onto the wrapper. Do not overfill or they may fall apart. Starting at a corner closest to you, carefully start to roll the wrapper over the mix. When it’s slightly rolled, tuck in the left and the right corners. Continue rolling to the last point. Wet your finger with water and dab a bit on the corner to seal the egg roll.

4. Place them slightly apart on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

5. When the baking sheet is filled, lightly spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes (or until browned), turning at least once.

6. While the egg rolls are baking, blend mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, olive oil, lemon juice, green onion, salt, and avocado until smooth.

Serve immediately. Makes about 48 mini egg rolls or 24 regular egg rolls.