Franklin Mom Blog

No Bake Chocolate Cookies

No Bake Chocolate Cookies

Gluten free oats make this a great gluten free and dairy free dessert.  SO YUMMY.

2/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup vegetable oil (I usually omit this)

5 T unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 cup (gluten free) rolled oats

1 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan over medium heat combine the maple syrup, oil, cocoa, and cinnamon.  Boil for three minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter, rolled oats, and vanilla until well blended.  Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto waxed paper and chill until set, about 30 minutes.  

Beef and Mushroom Burgers

Aren't we always looking for new burger recipes???  We tried this one and loved it.  The mushrooms are chopped finely, so if you're kids don't like them, they won't even notice:)  This is also a great way to stretch a budget, it makes 8 burgers with only 1 lb. of beef.  For a gluten free/dairy free option just wrap the burger in a piece of iceberg lettuce!

1 1/4 cups small mushrooms

1 small onion, chopped

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs (or gluten free bread crumbs)

1 tsp. dried mixed herbs

1 T tomato paste

salt and pepper

Put the mushrooms and onion in a food processor until finely chopped.  Pour into a bowl, and add all other ingredients.  

Shape into 8 patties.  Can cook in a frying pan, under the broiler, or on the grill about 12-15minutes turning once!  

Maple Chicken Kababs

This recipe is simple, but amazingly yummy.  Loved by big people and little people alike at our house.  Great for the grill, too.  

Also gluten and dairy free!

4 ears of corn, cooked and quartered

8 slices of turkey bacon, halved

8 portabella mushrooms, halved

2 chicken breasts, cut into 8 pieces

2 T olive oil

1 T fresh lemon juice

1 T maple syrup

salt and pepper

Mix oil, lemon juice, syrup, and salt and pepper.  Brush some over the chicken.  To thread the skewers, start with a chunk of corn, then wrap a mushroom half with a slice of bacon and add that next.  Add a piece of chicken.  You should go through this process twice for each kabab.  Brush with remaining dressing.  Broil for 8-10 minutes, turning once.  Baste occasionally with extra dressing.  Can also be grilled.

Makes 8 kababs.  Great served with rice and salad!  

Fortune Cookie Fun

My brother, Buddy, is a missionary in Sudan Africa for Samaritan's Purse.  I wanted to send him some sort of cookies that might last through the time it takes to ship them, and it sent me searching for just the right thing.  I stumbled across this recipe for fortune cookies and thought we'd give it a try.  What was even better about this is the fun everyone had coming up with the fortunes.  We ended up having everyone in our extended family write a little message, so I made 18.  Although you have to be very precise with the recipe, they turned out great and taste better than any we've ever had! 

Here's the link:  http://chinesefood.about.com/od/diningout/r/fortunecookie.htm

Let me know what you think!!

Krissy

Dinner in Reverse!

And I don't mean while driving!  If your family is like ours, it's pretty crazy in the evenings after school between sports, music, and homework.  If you have boys like me, getting them clean also takes a good bit of time!  On nights we know are going to be crazy, we've been doing our dinners in reverse.

Instead of the classic snack after school, and dinner later in the evening, we switch the two around.  As soon as the boys hop off of the bus, I serve them dinner.  They are always hungry enough to eat an entire meal then.  Sometimes Dad can join us, and sometimes he can't.  If he is still working, we just make a point to sit down together as a family for a snack right before bed (my boys are always hungry again!) 

This works great for us, since no one is crying in the car on the way home from a practice because they are hungry, and I'm not rushing around trying to cook something up as fast as I can, while throwing out appetizers.  Everyone stays much calmer, and much happier, and we do always still get to sit down together at some point.  It helps to be realistic and be flexible!

For an especially easy afternoon, do a crock pot dinner.  My friend Jill sent me this link and it is loaded with great crock pot recipes.  I'm trying one this week.  http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/

Flavorite Reciplease: The Chicken That Crossed the Street Soup

The days are getting shorter and the nights are getting colder.  It's time to break out those soup recipes...or should we say "Reciplease"!?

Here's a new "Crazy Cooking Show" episode for you all to enjoy.  Kaden was home 'sick' yesterday, so we decided to show you how to make "The Chicken Crossed the Street" Soup.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Cups Chopped Spinach leaves

6 Cups Water

2/3 Cup Chopped Carrots

1 Cup Chopped Onions

3 pieces of chopped Turkey Bacon

1/4 teaspoon Salt (or more to taste)

1/4 teaspoon Pepper (or more to taste)

1 tablespoon Liquid Smoke

1 teaspoon Rosemary

1/2 teaspoon Basil

2 1/2 Cubes Rapunzel (brand) Bullion Cubes

2 - 3 Whole Chicken Breasts

Combine ingredients and cook for 3 hours in a crock pot. 

Then take out chicken breasts and cut to bite size chunks.  Then add:

1/2 Cup of Rice

1 Can of Cannellini Beans

Cook an additional hour in the same crock pot.

Serve with favorite toppings...YUM!

Rosemary Baked Vegetables

This is one of our family favorites.  Many nights I make a double batch, and serve with roasted pine nut couscous for a meal.  Even the kids like it!

Rosemary Baked Vegetables

3 red potatoes, cleaned with spots removed, and cubed

12 baby carrots

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 large or 2 small zucchini, washed and cubed

1 medium sweet onion, cut into eighths

1 garlic bulb, pointed end cut off

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp crused dried rosemary

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 400.  Mix all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Spread out single layer on a baking sheet, placing garlic in the center, cut end up.  Bake for 45 minutes, turning once.  When finished, squeeze pulp from garlic bulb.  Mix together and serve.   

Krissy's Chicken Orzo

This dish is great on a cool night.  Very appropriate for the holidays, especially Christmas, with the pretty green and red colors. 

1/2 pkg. frozen square chopped spinach, drained and thawed

4 roma tomatoes, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

1 T basil

2 t oregano

1-2 cups cooked chicken, cubed

2 cups orzo

2 T coconut oil (or olive oil), divided

2 cups water

2 Rapunzel brand (no salt added vegetarian) bullion cubes

salt and pepper to taste

grated parmesan cheese

Place 1 T. coconut oil in a large frying pan on med heat until melted.  Add spinach, tomatoes, garlic, onion, basil, oregano, and chicken.  Stirfry until heated through.  Meanwhile, in a separate frying pan, melt the other 1 T. of coconut oil.  Add the orzo, and stirfry until lightly browned.  Then add water, Rapunzel cubes, salt and pepper.  Cover and boil for 12 minutes.  Add the spinach mixture to the orzo, and serve with parmesan cheese. 

Sweet Potatoes with Apples and Walnuts

This is a healthier version of the traditional sweet potato casserole.  A seasonal must!

4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and diced

2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup sweetener (I use maple syrup)

1/2 cup vegan margarine (Earth Balance)

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t salt

1/4 t ginger

1/4 t cloves

1/4 t nutmeg

Blanch the sweet potatoes in salted boiling water for 5 minutes or until slightly tender, but not cooked through.  Rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly.  Place the sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl with the apples. 

In a frying pan, combine remaining ingredients, except walnuts.  Boil for at least 1 minute, then add walnuts.  Boil for at least another minute.  Pour mixture over potatoes and apples and mix well.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes covered and 15 minutes uncovered. 

Not So Scary School Party Snack Ideas

Here are a few of fun, healthy, non-sugary treats for your little spooker and their classmates!

PUMPKIN PIZZAS:

You can use any kind of pizza dough for this.  I make my own with fresh wheat in my bread machine.  Email me if you'd like that recipe!

pizza dough

orangish colored tomato sauce

white cheese sandwich singles

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Divide the dough into balls approximately 2 T in each.  Spray a cookie sheet with oil.  One at a time, place a ball on the sheet and then shape it into a pumpkin.  You may also add a little twist of dough at the top for the stem if desired.  Finish all pumpkins.  Spoon over some tomato sauce on each.  Cut the singles into 3 triangles for eyes and nose, and add the smile of your choice.  Bake about 15 minutes. 

HOMEMADE APPLE SAUCE:

3-4 lbs. apples (per quart desired)

water

Choose either Fuji, Yellow Delicious, Gala, or Rome varieties.  A mixture is recommended.  Wash and peel apples.  Chop into chunks, removing any seeds or hard parts.  Put into the bottom of a thick pan.  Add about 1 in of water.  Put the lid on , and turn the burner to high.  After it comes to a rapid boil, tur to medium high until soft.  Mash with a potato masher, or blend with a food processor.  Add cinnamon if desired.

FALL TRAIL MIX

Choose any or all of the following:

one box of regular cheddar bunnies

one large package of raisins

one package of white chips

one package of chocolate chips

one small package of pretzels

half a can of peanuts

Mix together and serve.