Pumpkin Bran Muffins

I start class again later this week. Unfortunately my classes are in the morning. Well surprise surprise I am not a morning person. I wanted to make something that would be filling, and I could just grab it and go. I thought a bran muffin may be the trick since it has nutrients to keep me full and I could easily (and quietly) eat it during class.

These may not be the prettiest, but they were still tasty

1 box Hodgson Mill Bran Muffin Mix
1/2 can (around 7 oz) canned organic pumpkin*
1/8 cup skim milk
1/4-1/2 shredded carrots
Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie Spice

Heat oven to 400º. Line muffin tin with paper muffin cups. Mix muffin mix and pumpkin together. I found my mixture of milk was dry so I added a splash. Ultimately I added around 1/4. It was still thick and could have been thinned out a little more. I shredded a handful of baby carrots and added it to the mixture. Raisins or apples could also be used. I added a few shakes of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to add flavor. Spices could either be omitted or increased depending on the taste. Bake for 15 minutes. Stick knife in the middle to make sure the muffin is firm. Mine were not. I baked for an additional 10 minutes. These turned out pretty good. Although they may not be the most flavorful muffin (my personal favorite has always been chocolate chocolate chip) they are pretty good.


*I used organic out of preference other types of canned pumpkin would work.

Peanut Butter Reece's Pieces Cookies

Peanut Butter Reece's Pieces Cookies

I made these cookies the other day. I had been craving Reece's Pieces like crazy, so I thought why not incorporate them into a cookie. I turned to my trusty Betty Crocker Cookbook and found my standby peanut butter cookie recipe.

Peanut Butter Reece's Pieces Cookies (modified from Betty Crocker)

1/2      cup sugar
1/2      cup packed brown sugar
1/2      cup creamy peanut butter
1/4      cup shortening
1/4      cup softened butter or margarine
   1      egg
1 1/4   cups flour
3/4      teaspoon baking soda
1/2      teaspoon baking powder
1/4      teaspoon salt
   2      cups Reece's Pieces candies.

Close up of the Reece's Pieces goodness

Heat the oven to 375º.  Mix everything but the candies together. Once the dough is starting to form add the candies. If desired more or less than two cups may be used. Make 1 inch balls. Then with a fork, make a criss-cross pattern flattening the balls. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes. Enjoy!

The Best Pasta Salad Ever!

The finished product

I adapted this pasta salad from one my grandma used to make. It is always pretty popular, it even one second place in a contest!


Italian Pasta Salad
1 box whole wheat penne or rigatoni
1-2 Roma tomatoes
1/2 cup green diced onions
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 Green Bell Pepper
Bottle of light Italian Salad Dressing to Taste
1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1/2 lb (2-3 cups) diced salami
1 block ( 2-3 cups) of  diced Farmer or Monterey Jack cheese

This is the perfect pasta to ingredient ratio

Boil the pasta. While cooking, dice the tomatoes,peppers, cheese, salami, and green onions. Coat with Italian Dressing. Rinse the cook pasta. Let it cool. Mix with the tomatoes, peppers, cheese, salami, and green onions.  Add Italian dressing to taste. I typically add about 1/2 of the dressing. Add the parmesan cheese. Mix and set in fridge until it is time to serve. Enjoy!


Following this recipe my family of three, who eat this as a main dish, normally get several meals out of it. However, make sure to have extra salad dressing as it can dry out.

This is my personal favorite summer salad. It is excellent to bring to any BBQ, potluck, or other event you may have this summer. Happy cooking!

Ranch Chicken

It turned out better than the picture shows

I keep seeing recipes for Ranch Chicken that require cream of chicken soup. Although I love using cream soups on my meat I have a few issues with it. First, they can add additional categories. Second, during the summer it seems to make meals heavier, which is undesirable in the hot summers. Tonight I tried this recipe in a crockpot. I set the pot to low during the day ( around 8-10 hours). Here is what I put in.

1 lb. Chicken Breast
1 packet ranch dressing mix
1/2-3/4 cup chicken broth
green onions to taste.

It turned out pretty well. Very moist.

A little help?

I seem to be making a lot of dessert items lately. Although as far as I am concerned dessert is the most important course, not everyone shares my sweet tooth. I am giving you (yes you!) the opportunity to let me know what I should attempt to make next. Please complete this short survey so I can use your feedback to better my foodie adventures!

Follow Up: Low Fat Birthday Cake "Ice Cream"

Low Fat Birthday Cake "Ice Cream"

This was not as successful as I had hoped. It tasted great, but not what I expected. I used two frozen banana's (probably around 1.5 cups) and about 2 tablespoons of the cake mix. Forgive the pink color, that was because of the sprinkles. All and all good texture but definitely tasted like banana's and cake, not birthday cake. Next time, I would either try only one frozen banana or possibly double the amount of cake mix. However, this did create a good base. It may taste better with something mixed in which provides a more robust flavor, maybe coffee or chocolate!! All and all a good first attempt. Happy eating.

My Little Addiction!

I normally do not fall for gimmick appliances. This mini pie maker was a gift from my dad. I make apple pies every fall and he cannot get enough. It was a way to entice me to make more. However, this thing is pretty practical. Besides making some apple pies, I was able to make pot pies for dinner one night. It was pretty easy. Just cook some chicken, frozen veggies on the stove. Then cover with cream of chicken soup and sauté for a few more minutes. Use pre-made pie crust to fill the cups, add about half a cup of the filling top. The pie maker does the rest. It took a few minutes, plus had enough to freeze.