Peanut Butter Oatmeal Ball

When I first saw this post  about these delicious Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls..I had to try them out.  First, they have peanut butter in them. Everyone knows that one of my weaknesses is peanut butter. Wait..you didn’t know that? Oh. Well, now you do. And now you know that if you offer me peanut butter on a spoon, I’ll gobble it up. Or peanut butter on a popsicle stick, I’ll take that as my cue to make toast and spread pb all over it.  The best thing for all of us would be to just put the peanut butter down, and walk away.  But we’re not talking about that. We’re talking about these yummy peanut butter oatmeal balls.

I love that you can have these for a breakfast, snack, or a “I’m-trying-to-be-good-” dessert.  The real test came when I offered them to my kids.  Would they like them? Would they throw them at me? Answer: They LOVED them. (I can safely come out of hiding. Whew!)

Here’s the recipe in its original form.  I did make a few changes (added in italics).  Overall..perfection and delicious. 

Ingredients:
3/4 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons unsalted, roasted sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons pistachios, chopped (I didn’t have any, so I used chopped peanuts)
1/4 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/4 cup dried blueberries, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I left this out because of the salt on the peanuts..I figured I didn’t need it. It’s up to you.)
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

 The How-To:

*In a large bowl, combine all ingredients making sure to evenly distribute all the ingredients.  
*Roll some of the dough between your hands, if it sticks together it is ready to go. If it feels too dry then add a bit more peanut butter or honey. If it is too wet add extra oats or flaxseed.  
*Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball and then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough. Chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving. Store in airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

I really, REALLY like the dried cranberries and blueberries in this recipe.  It adds a little sweetness to the peanut/oatmeal flavor. My mouth may or may not be watering just thinking about this…
For a quick, easy and super yummy treat, make these. And send me any left overs.  (Did I mention I loved peanut butter?)

Orange-blueberry Muffin

 

I love the citrus flavors you can add to muffins.  Usually, I add lemon, but when I saw this recipe here, I knew I had to try it.  There’s just something inviting about a muffin with a citrus flavor, mixed with blueberries.  The orange zest used in this muffin gives it a tangy zing, but not overpower the flavor of the sweet blueberries.

Ingredients:

• Grated zest and juice of one orange
• About 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons honey
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking power
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (not thawed)
• Turbinado sugar, for topping

The How-To:

*Preheat oven to 400F. Line muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
*In a two cup glass measuring cup, add the orange juice and enough buttermilk to make 1 cup. Whisk in the eggs, honey, and melted butter.
*In a large bowl, rub the orange zest and sugar together with your fingers. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
*Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Top the muffins with turbinado sugar. Bake until muffin tops are golden and springy to the touch, 20 to 24 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.

 

Mixed Berry Popsicles

Mixed berry popsicles? YES PLEASE!!  With summer just around the corner, who wouldn’t want something cool and full of berry flavor? And the best part? You control how much sugar goes into them! Awesome! I promise you, you kids will never know these are good for them. 😀  The ingredients are things you’ll have in your house, especially with the summer fruits in season. If you want to ‘cheat’ a little, I found these amazing smoothie mixes in the freezer section which have everything already in them. Berries, frozen yogurt, it’s all there.

Ingredients:
Fresh or frozen berries of your choice. (for the above photo, I used raspberries, strawberries and blueberries)
1 container of yogurt, any flavor (I used vanilla)
1 cup apple juice
1 cup milk
honey or sugar to sweeten it up (optional.)

The How-to:
*gather all your fruit, wash it well
*place fruit in a blender

*pour the yogurt in the blender
*add the milk and juice
*mix everything until it’s at the desired consistency
*take a little taste.  If it needs some sweetness, add a bit of sugar or honey, or more apple juce and yogurt. 
*once everything is mixed to your preference, pour it into popsicle molds, add popsicle sticks
*place in the freezer until set

When it’s frozen through, simply remove from mold and enjoy! 
What is so great about these puppies, is that you can ix it up.. use pineapple and mango, or any other fruits you love. I can forsee having different kinds of popsicles every. day. in. the. summer. 😀 And that, my friends, is how you’ll get the ‘Parent of the Year Award!’ ha ha ha..

Blueberry-Lemon Scones

Yeah..I think I just died and went to heaven, these are THAT good!  So light and fluffy, bursting with globs of blueberry.  Just when your tastebuds are in shock..the lemon flavor kicks in and BAM, you’ve officially entered heaven. 

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
5 Tablespoons butter-frozen (not margarine)
1 cup cream (whole milk will work, too)
1/2 cups dried or frozen fruit (Craisins, blueberries, raspberries…)

The how-to:
*preheat oven to 450*
*combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
*whisk togeher
*grate (with cheese grater) frozen butter into dry ingredients
*using a fork, cut into and coat butter
*Add fruit and toss to coat
*Add cream and getly stir with rubber spatula
*add a light layer of flour to a cake round or square pan and pat mixture into pan
*turn out onto baking stone or cookie sheet
*cut into equal slices, like a pizza, and spread apart
*bake for 13-15 minutes or until golden and set in the middle
*let rest for 10 minutes

GLAZE:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
zest of half a lemon
1 Tablesoon melted butter
2 Tablespoons cream

**pour glaze over scones while they are still hot. Let set. Enjoy!

See what I mean? Heaven.  I like to use the zest of the whole lemon, instead of just half. None of this ‘girlie’ tasting lemon…I want monster lemon flavor.  The glaze is what really sets these apart from the rest.  Go make yourself a batch..eat it, try different fruits..then make one for your family. (our little secret. ;D)

Blueberry Muffins…

One is simply not enough. For reals. I’ve been looking for a blueberry muffin recipe for a long time.  Some were too sweet (even though I never thought that could ever be possible), others were too dry, too salty..too..something.  But this one, well, we have a winner!! 😀   Moist, soft, full of blueberries, all balanced with the perfect sweetness.  For a minute there, I felt like I was living on a blueberry farm..

These do take a  bit more  time to make because you do a little something special with the blueberries. Not your average, stir, fold, pour and bake. Oh no..these are the motherload of all blueberry muffins.   That’s what makes them so amazing! This recipe was from my friend, Jen, who I would trust my blueberry life with. 😀  Trust me..you know you want to.

Here’s how you make ’em:

The Topping:
Zest from one lemon
1/3 cup sugar
*Mix in a bowl and set aside

For the muffins:
2 cups frozen or fresh blueberries
1 1/8 cups sugar plus an additional 1 teaspoon of sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
1/4 cup oil
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

*Pre-heat oven to 350*
*Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray or line with cupcake papers
*Rinse one cup of blueberries. Pat with a towel to dry well
*Place the remaining blueberries in a sauce pan over medium heat
*Cook blueberries while smashing them with a potato masher and stir frequently, until the berries have thickened.  (about 8 minutes)
*transfer to a small bowl and cool

*Meanwhile, whis flour, baking powder, and salt
*Toss the blueberries in that have been drying on the towel

*Whisk  the  1 1/8 cup of sugar and eggs together in a seperate bowl until thick
*Slowly wisk in the butter and oil until well combined.
*Whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla until combined
*Using a spatula, fold egg mixture into flour mixture until JUST moistened
(The batter will be lumpywith some dry spots..don’t worry..that’s normal. :D)
*DON’T OVERMIX

*Spoon batter into cupcake tin until they are about 3/4 full
*Spoon cooked blueberry mixture ontop of batter, swish it around with a toothpick (see below photo..this is taken before I swished it around with a toothpick)
*Sprinkle with lemon zest/sugar mixture

*Cook for about 1 minutes or until they are golden brown and firm
*Cool muffins for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack
*Let cool an additional few minutes before eating.