Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

Peanut Butter Swirl Bars- Creamy peanut butter with the added bonus of a chocolate swirl in convenient bar form.  A great option for a weekday dessert! 

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When I was little, my mom was a stay at home mom.  She did work, but, it was once my younger sister was in middle school/high school.

While she was a stay at home mom,  my mom baked nearly every weekday.  Yes, no exaggeration.  It was pretty awesome. We would always have something for dessert after dinner or after school.

These bars were part of the regular dessert rotation.  No wonder! They are easy, delicious and can be made with just a few simple pantry ingredients. 

Ingredients Needed

• Flour + Baking powder + Salt
• Butter
• Peanut butter
• Sugars: both white & brown
• Eggs 
•  Vanilla
• Chocolate chips

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Recipe Notes:

Peanut Butter

I recommend using a "regular" peanut butter as opposed to a natural version. The natural version will work, but, does have a higher oil content.  If you do use it, you may want to add a tablespoon or two extra of flour, to absorb the extra oil.

Baking

Don't over bake your bars.  They will appear soft at first, but, will firm up as they cool. As long as the edges are lightly brown, they are OK. 

Storage

Keep any leftover bars in a covered container. No need to refrigerate, unless it's really hot/humid in your area.

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Peanut Butter Swirl Bars

Greek Yogurt Guacamole

Greek Yogurt Guacamole- A delicious and versatile guacamole that can be made to fit your taste preference.   Serve it with a side of chips or on tacos, quesadillas, sandwiches, nachos, burgers and more! 

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My sister got me on the homemade guacamole kick many years ago. She gave me the original recipe and I adapted it into this version. The Greek yogurt gives your guac a little extra creaminess and the pico is a great shortcut.

Ingredients Needed

• Avocados
• Plain Greek yogurt
• Lime juice
• Salt
• Fresh pico de gallo

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Recipe Notes

What is Pico De Gallo?

Pico de gallo is a blend of fresh, chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapenos and cilantro. It is not the same as salsa.  Salsa has more liquid.  I like to grab a package from the deli section of my local grocery store, instead of making it homemade.  It's just quicker and I can use the pico for a variety  of other dishes. If you can't find pico in your store or simply prefer to make it homemade,  here is a simple recipe.

Avocados

I actually use frozen chopped avocados for this guacamole. I found mine at Aldi.  However, you could probably check out Walmart, Target or your local grocery store for them.  I like them because, if you don't use fresh avocado in a timely matter, it can go bad on you.  With the frozen, they are always ready to go! However, fresh or frozen will work for this recipe.

Taste Your Guac!

Below is what I like for my guacamole. The great thing about this dip is its versatility. Taste your guac as you make it and adjust the ingredients to fit your preference.

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Greek Yogurt Guacamole

Banana Buttermilk Cake

Banana Buttermilk Cake- For the banana lover in your life! A soft cake packed full of banana flavor and only requires a few simple ingredients.  

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This recipe actually came from my mother in law.  Who, like my mother,  loved desserts.  This cake is really simple to make and tastes amazing!  You can dress it up with frosting or eat it plain.  Either way, it's quite delicious. 

Ingredients Needed

• Flour + Baking powder + Salt
• Vanilla
• Sugar
• Butter
• Banana
• Eggs
• Buttermilk

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Recipe Notes

Bananas

You will need a cup of mashed bananas.  This should be about 2-3 medium size bananas. Go with ripe bananas for your cake.  They are easier to mash, a little sweeter and will blend better.

Buttermilk

None on hand?  Simply whisk together 1/2 cup milk with a teaspoon of white vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then, proceed with the recipe.

Frosting

I frosted ours with peanut butter frosting.  However, this cake will go great with a chocolate frosting, cream cheese or vanilla.  It's even delicious without any frosting at all!  Explore some ideas right here.

Storage

Keep any leftovers in a covered container. No need to refrigerate, unless the weather is really hot/humid in your area. The cake is best eaten within a week.

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Banana Buttermilk Cake

Slow Cooker Easy Sesame Chicken

 Slow Cooker Easy Sesame Chicken- Just 3 ingredients for this flavorful chicken! Serve it with rice, your favorite noodles or as sandwiches! 

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What Are The Three Ingredients?

• Chicken breasts
• Sesame dressing
• Brown sugar

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Can I Use Frozen Chicken Breasts?

This is sometimes a hot topic when it comes to cooking chicken in the slow cooker.  Personally, I have done it in the past and have never had a problem.  I simply add on about 30 minutes to my cooking time. You will need about 1 to 1.25 lbs of chicken breasts.  This should be 2-3 medium size chicken breasts.

What Kind of Sesame Dressing?

Your favorite! I have used several different brands for this recipe in the past. Right now, our favorite is Restaurant Style Asian Sesame Dressing at Aldi. 

A Note About Sauce

Feel free to increase/decrease your sauce when it comes to your chicken size/amount and preference. 

Serving Ideas

• With Brown or white rice
• With your favorite noodles
• Serve as sandwiches
• Top with sesame seeds
• For little heat, top with crushed red pepper flakes before serving

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Slow Cooker Easy Sesame Chicken

Banana Bread

Banana Bread- The classic! Soft banana bread that requires just a few simple ingredients and tastes amazing.

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Not gonna lie, I have eaten way too many of slices of this in my lifetime.  Serve it plain or with a little butter and it is just perfect.

Ingredients Needed

• Flour + Salt + Baking soda
• Ground cinnamon
• Brown sugar
• Eggs
• Butter
• Bananas

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Recipe Notes

• Don't  over mix your batter. You can simple mix it until there are no longer any dry spots in your batter. Overmixing can give you a dense banana bread. Which is, not that great.
• Butter: Be sure it's soften beforehand. Need it done quickly? A few tips.
• Bananas: You will need 2 cups of mashed bananas. This should be about 3 medium size bananas. The riper the banana, the better.
• Storage: Keep any leftovers in a covered container or storage bag. It's best eaten within a week.  If desired, you can freeze your bread. Let it cool completely, then, freeze it in a freezer-safe, covered container or storage bag.  It will be good for several months. 

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Banana Bread

Baked Meatballs

Baked Meatballs- Easy meatballs that are baked right in your oven and are totally versatile!  Goes perfect with a side of pasta, rice, on a sandwich or by themselves.

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These meatballs are my mom's classic recipe.  She made them with ground beef and we usually ate them with pasta and red sauce.  I make them with ground turkey, ground chicken or ground beef. Plus, I serve them on sandwiches, with rice ( & sweet and sour sauce) or in casseroles. 

Ingredients Needed:

• Ground turkey
• Bread crumbs
• Eggs
• Milk
• Parsley + Minced garlic
• Grated Parmesan cheese

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Do I Have to Use Ground Turkey?

Nope. This recipe will also work for ground beef, ground chicken or ground pork.  With that said, ground turkey has less fat than these previous mention meats. So, you may need to cut back your baking time by just a minute or two. 

Can I Freeze These?

Yes.  Let them cool completely. Then, store in a freezer safe/covered container or storage bag. They will be good for 2-3 months. 

Serving Ideas:

These go great with the traditional red sauce and pasta. However, they will also go great on sandwiches, served with rice or potatoes, served with Alfredo sauce, with BBQ or just plain. They are also perfect for lunch! 

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Baked Meatballs