Dad’s pico

Small-Batch Chocolate Chunk Coconut Oil Cookies

These have become my favorite cookie lately. And here's the recipe straight from Our Best Bites.

Small-Batch Chocolate Chunk Coconut Oil Cookies

3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
¼ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon white sugar
1 egg yolk
½ teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons flour
⅛ teaspoon baking soda
⅛ teaspoon table salt
¼ cup ground old fashioned oats* (see note)
⅓-½ cup chocolate chips

*note: since it’s hard to grind just a few tablespoons of oats, pour more than that into a blender (about a cup) and pulse until oats are finely chopped, but not turned into a powder! Use 4 tablespoons in this recipe, and keep the rest in a zip-top bag so they’ll be ready the next time you make these.

Place coconut oil in a microwave-safe mixing bowl and heat until melted or semi-melted (30 seconds or less is fine). Add brown sugar, sugar, vanilla and egg yolk and stir until smooth. Add flour and sprinkle baking soda and salt on top of it. Add oatmeal and stir all to combine. Stir in chocolate. Note that with coconut oil doughs, chocolate doesn’t mix in like it does with a butter based dough. It might seem like it’s not holding together, but just use a cookie scoop or clean hands to portion dough into 4 cookies and place on a baking sheet (I always line mine with parchment or a silicone mat.) Press down on each one just a bit to just slightly flatten. Bake for about 8-10 minutes, until edges are set but centers still appear soft. Cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully transferring to a cooling rack.


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No Bake PB Energy Bites

No Bake PB Energy Bites

1 cup (dry) oatmeal
2/3 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup honey
1 Tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients together and let set in fridge for about 1/2 hour. Roll into small balls about 1 inch in size. Store in airtight container in fridge.


This has become one of my favorite snacks lately (of my whole family actually). I have had a crazy strong sweet tooth since having Lincoln and these have helped to satisfy/curb that. I like to double the recipe when I make them because we eat them so quickly. A double batch can last as little as a week between the 4 of us. :)


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Dinner in a Pumpkin

Dinner in a Pumpkin

1 small to medium pumpkin
1 onion, chopped
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1.5 - 2 lbs ground beef
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 (4 oz.) can sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Cut off the top of pumpkin and thoroughly clean out seeds and pulp. Paint an appropriate face on the front of the pumpkin with a permanent marker or acrylic paint. Preheat oven to 350F. In a large skillet, sauté onions in oil until tender. Add meat and brown. Drain drippings from skillet. Add soy sauce, brown sugar, mushrooms, and soup. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cooked rice and water chestnuts. Spoon mixture into the cleaned pumpkin shell. Replace pumpkin top and place pumpkin on baking sheet. Bake 1 hour or until interior of pumpkin is tender.

My blog app isn't letting me load pictures but I'll try to add the picture of the recipe in the future.

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Greek Quesadillas

I started using a service this year called emeals. They give you a week long menu plan WITH a shopping list and you can choose from tons of different meal plan types. Family friendly, 2 person, crock pot meals, diabetic friendly etc. I tried this one today for lunch and it was not a big hit with my kids, but I enjoyed it. I thought that a lot of my siblings would probably enjoy it too so, I thought I'd share it. The first time emeals called for Greek seasoning I ended up just googling it and mixing together my own. I don't have a clue what recipe I used. I probably did a mix of different recipes I found.

Greek Quesadillas

1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp Greek seasonings
1/2 red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 cup sliced yellow onion
3 cups fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 (2.25 oz.) can sliced black olives
1/3 (8 oz.) pkg. sliced mozzarella cheese, cut into strips
3 oz. feta cheese crumbles
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

Melt butter in a large skillet and add Greek seasonings. Toss in sliced red pepper and onion. Sauté until just crisp tender. Add chopped spinach and heat to wilt, tossing with peppers and onions. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide the spinach, onion, red peppers, black olives, sliced cheese and feta on one side of each of the tortillas. Fold empty side of tortilla over filling. Brown each side in a large greased skillet until cheese is melted. Cut in wedges and serve.

The dinner meals (I haven't tried their lunch, breakfast or dessert menus) always include a side. This one recommends serving with pita chips and tzaziki sauce.

Tzaziki Sauce
2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/3 cup shredded peeled cucumber
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Dash garlic salt
Stir together ingredients, chill until ready to use. Serve with quesadillas and chips.


P.s. I'm currently using the Budget Friendly Plan for 2 because my kids aren't huge eaters and it's easy enough to figure what I'll need more of. The meals tend to be on the simple side for budget sake. Sometimes I have to doctor for flavor. But I didn't with this one.

Tortellini Salad

Confession, I don't have the whole recipe for this salad. All I actually have is the dressing recipe. But that's kind of the most important part right?

Tortellini Salad Pesto

1 cup lightly packed fresh basil
1 large clove of garlic chopped
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2.5 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

The rest of the salad is just cooked and cooled tortellini and sliced bell peppers.
Yum!

Grandma Maggie Salad

Grandma Maggie Salad

Salad
1 lb. deboned chicken
8 oz. pasta shells
Bacon to fit griddle
3 cups lettuce
1 big tomato chunked

Dressing
1/2 c Miracle whip (aka salad dressing - non brand name)
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp BBQ sauce
1.5 tsp vinegar
1.5 tsp chives
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp black pepper

Cook, cut, mix enjoy. :)
Note, I always feel like this amount of dressing is not enough. It feels a little dry to me. I like to double the dressing.