Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars

This was a huge hit! My intention was to make these for good friends as he had mentioned he loves oatmeal toffee cookies and for people in the office. I used my new Calphalon bar pans to make this delicious desert. Enjoy!!

Yielded: approx 20 bars
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/3 (8 oz. package) toffee bits
- 3 cups quick cooking rolled oats

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 13x9x2 inch pan or use a bar baking sheet.
2. Beat Butter and brown sugar in your stand mixer or large bowl until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
3. Stir together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, beating until blended.
4. Stire in the toffee bits and oatmeal gradually.
5. Spread batter over prepared pan or in baking sheet.
6. Bake for 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted comes out clean. Cook completely before serving.

Crock Pot-Sweet & Sour Chicken

So I won over my husband with the crock pot sweet and sour tofu, so it was time to make something he would like even more...sweet and sour chicken. This is a healthy, flavor packed dish prepared in the slow cooker. Serve over rice or a noodle dish. I made this dish with a tofu noodle dish.

Tip: Purchase chicken breasts that are already sliced like tenders. This made it easier to prepare without having to cut and trim full size chicken breasts.

Servings: 5

Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 pound boneless chicken breast, cut into 1 inch strips
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 (8 ounce) can pineapple chunks
- 1 (8 ounce) can of sliced water chestnuts, drained
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 tablespooons of soy sauce
- 4 teaspoons of cornstarch
- 1 cup of sweet and sour sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 3 green onions cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups fresh snow peas.

Instructions:
1. In a large skillet, saute chicken in oil for 4-5 minutes, drain. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2. Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set pineapple aside.
3. In a 5 quart slow cooker, combine chicken, water chestnuts, carrots, soy sauce and pineapple juice. Cover and cook on low for 3 hours.
4. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch, sweet and sour sauce, water, and ginger until smooth. Stir into the slow cooker.
5. Add the onions and pineapple. Cover and cook on high for 15 minutes or until thickened.
6. Add snow peas and cook for 5 minutes longer.
7. Serve and enjoy!

Baked Tofu Kale Loaf (Vegan)

This is a great recipe! This recipe is hearty and protein packed with lots of flavor. Serve with long grain rice or potato with more grilled vegetables. Enjoy this healthy vegan recipe!

Serving Size: 2-3

Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 (14oz) block Extra-Firm Tofu
- 1 clove Garlic (minced)
- 3 tbsp Ketchup
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 1 tbsp Tamari (or soy sauce)
- 1 cup Kale (finely chopped)
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- 1 tbsp Peanut Butter
- 1 cup Carrots (thinly sliced)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Oil a 9 inch loaf pan with the olive oil (leaving some excess in the pan) and set aside.

2. Rinse and drain the tofu, squeeze with a few paper towels to remove excess water. Crumble it (with a food processor, your fingers, a big wooden spoon, your choice). Place the crumbled tofu into a large mixing bowl.

3. Toss the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and mix well. Pour into the loaf pan, pressing firmly and evenly.
4. Bake for 55-60 minutes, let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Yum!

Caprese on a Stick

This is a delicious, healthy snack or addition to an entree for a hot Summer day. You can make this ahead and bring to a BBQ or pot luck. Depending on how many you want to make or the size you can use tooth picks or full size Skewers (like those used for kabobs). Enjoy this delicious blend of flavors!

Serving Size: 25 Full Size Skewers

Ingredients:
- 6 1/4 cups of cherry tomatoes, halved (approx. 2 packages)
- 3 (6 ounce) package of fresh basil leaves
- 3 (16 ounce) packages of small mozzarella balls
- Tooth picks or Skewers
- Olive Oil - Balsamic Vinegar
- Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Assemble the tooth picks or Skewers with the basil, mozzarella and tomatoes with any design you choose.
2. Place completed pieces on a large plate or in a caserole dish for transporting.
3. Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve!

Crock Pot Sweet and Sour Tofu

This is a delicious entree that is best served over freshly cooked rice. The smell this dish creates is so fragrant and you can really smell the different elements of the dish. This is a simple, leave it alone crock pot recipe that you are sure to enjoy.

Ingredients:
-1 lb extra firm tofu, drained
- 4 cups fresh vegetables (I used 2 bell peppers, carrots, and broccoli)
- 1/2 white onion, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon corn starch
- 10 oz jar sweet and sour sauce
- 1/2 Tablespoon water
- 1 Tablespoon butter

Instructions:
1. Cube your tofu, and put it in a zipper bag with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. Shake the tofu until it's coated completely in cornstarch.
2. Fry tofu on the stove on medium heat in a tablespoon of butter. Resist the urge to flip the tofu often. Let it get a nice crusty coat before turning.
3. While that's cooking, wash and trim your vegetables and add to the crockpot. When the tofu is done, put it in also. Pour the entire bottle of sweet and sour sauce on top of the tofu and vegetables.
4 Add a 1/2 tablespoon of water to the "empty" jar, and shake. Pour the contents on top. Toss gingerly.
5. Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours.

Lemon Bars

If you are looking for a sweet, refreshing citrus inspired desert, than this is an easy delicious recipe. This is the first time my husband and I made lemon bars! The prep time and amount of ingredients is very easy for the beginner baker.

The flavors incorporated include a crisp and crumbly shortbread crust topped with a deliciously tangy lemon filling. The lemons came from my Mother n Law's lemon tree so it does not get more organic than that!

Enjoy this delicious sweet treat!

Serving Size: 36
Ingredients: STAGE ONE: THE CRUST
- 1 cup unsalted organic butter, softened
- 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder

Ingredients: STAGE TWO: Lemon Filling
- 4 eggs
- 1.5 cups white sugar
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 5/8 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- Powdered sugar to sprinkle on cooled lemon bars (optional, but suggested)

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and Grease a 9x13 pan
2. In a medium bowl, blend together the butter, 2 cups of flour, and powdered sugar.
3. Press into the bottom of the 9x13 pan.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the pre-heated oven until firm and golden brown.
5. In another mixing bowl or stand mixer, whisk in the eggs, white sugar, flour and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
6. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the oven. The bars will firm up as they cool. Sprinkle sifted powder sugar on top for added display and sweetness (optional)

Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Cupcakes

In celebration of July 4th, I made these delicious red velvet cupcakes with a generous scoop of semi-sweet chocolate chips in the batter. To make the cupcakes in the spirit of the "red, white, and blue," I added a gel based blue food coloring to the cream cheese frosting. The cupcakes were than completed with a mini red or blue wind mil tooth pick design from Michaels.

Tip: I lined each cupcake with a white cupcake holder. To add the batter without making a mess, use a cookie scooper tool to add just the right amount. Fill 2/3 full.

Enjoy :)
Serving Size: Yields 2 dozen cupcakes (standard size)

Cupcake Ingredients
-1/2 cup Spectrum Naturals Organic Shortening
-1 1/2 cups white sugar
-2 eggs
-2 tablespoons cocoa
-4 tablespoons red food coloring
-1 teaspoon salt
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 cup buttermilk
-2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
-1 pound of cream cheese (or 2 packages of 8 ounce)
-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
-4 cups sifted powdered sugar
-2 sticks of butter

- blue food coloring (optional)

Directions for Cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F & Grease cupcake pans. You will cook one dozen at a time.
2. Cream shortening and 1 1/2 cups sugar well. Add eggs and beat well.
3. Make a paste of cocoa and red food coloring. Add to creamed mixture.
4. Mix salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla and buttermilk together. Add alternately the flour with the milk mixture to the creamed mixture.
5. Mix soda and vinegar and and add to the mixer.
6. Bake for 30 minutes. Than cook second batch. if you have extra batter, use an additional cupcake pan and bake accordingly. Allow to cool before applying frosting (approx 1.5 hour)

To make frosting:

1. Mix all ingredients into the stand mixer.

2. To add to the cupcakes, use a bag and cupcake tip kit to make your cupcakes look gorgeous. The design/look is just as important as the taste!