Menu Monday

Good morning! I hope you all had a great weekend! 

I participated in my first Holiday Open House of the season yesterday and had a great time meeting so many new people, sharing kitchen tips and easy entertaining ideas.

Today, on my Facebook page, I am sharing 5 new delicious recipes to get you through the week

will you hop over there and follow me? I post a new menu with recipes every Monday and kitchen tips throughout the week to inspire you to gather with your family around the table.

Here's the link, I hope you enjoy it!

Lauren Wyler- Independant Consultant with The Pampered Chef

On the Menu this Week:

Bacon, Linguini & Tomato Toss

Baja Shrimp Tostadas

Barbecue Chicken & Onion Pizza

Braised Chicken in Wine Sauce

Blackberry Balsamic Pork Stir-Fry Salad   

Brandy Cider Sangria

It's Fall Ya'll! 

Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away and the weather here in Austin has only teased us with a few random cool days. Mulled Cider, Hot Chocolate and Hot Toddies are going to have to wait until we aren't so hot ourselves. 

Just because Mother Nature isn't bothering to be agreeable doesn't mean that we can't have a festive drink while we gather to celebrate all that we are thankful for.

I, for one, am very thankful for this drink! 

Brandy Cider Sangria- full of cinnamon, brandy and ginger-y apple spice in a refreshing chilled cocktail.

It's sure to warm your heart and not your hands!

Brandy Cider Sangria

1 cup apple cider

1 bottle dry white wine

1/2 cup brandy

1/4 cup honey

1 granny smith apple, sliced

1 fuji apple, sliced

2 cinnamon sticks

1 inch piece of ginger, peeled

Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and allow to chill overnight or at least 4 hours

Artichoke and Olive Crock Pot Chicken

A few weeks ago I wasn't feeling great and it took me most of the day laying on the couch before I realized that 

we had nothing in the house for dinner. Luckily, I keep a very well stocked pantry 

(so well stocked that my husband frequently complains that I am hoarding for the end of the world)

 and I was able to take a peek in my pantry and freezer, grab some of my favorite things, 

throw them in the crock pot and enjoy a delicious meal a couple hours later!

 What is your favorite crock pot meal? I can never get enough of them!

Artichoke and Olive Crock Pot Chicken 

2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper

 1c mixed sliced olives 

2 c sliced frozen fajita veggies 

2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced 

1 Tbsp Italian seasoning 

1/2 Tbsp fennel seed 

2 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes  (with juice)

6 Tbsp tomato paste 

1 (14.75 oz) jar marinated artichokes (not drained)

1/4 c marinated sun dried tomatoes 

1/2 c white wine (I used Pinot Grigio)

flat leaf Italian Parsley, chopped

 Place chicken breasts in the bottom of the crock pot. Generously salt and pepper them and then 

layer the remaining ingredients on top of the chicken. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. When ready to serve, 

stir in the parsley and place over rice or pasta.

Granola Chai Muffins

 I love Costco, and even though I technically don't NEED a whole pallet of toilet paper I love getting a good deal when I can find one. I recently purchased a large box of Pumpkin Flax granola thinking that I would use it as cereal for the kids in the morning and to make parfaits with yogurt and fruit. But, as much as I tried to push it,  my kids just are not going for it. So that leaves me challenged with sneaking healthy pumpkin flax granola into baked goods so they don't know that they are eating it.

And I am happy to tell you that I have succeeded. I took some of my granola and soaked it in chai tea concentrate (another delicious Costco find) and put it in these muffins with raisins, honey and buttermilk. They are not overly sweet and are really delicious warm!

I hope you enjoy these as much as my family does!

Granola Chai Muffins

1 cup granola (I use Nature's Path Pumpkin Flax Granola)

1/2 cup Chai tea concentrate (I use Tazo Chai Tea Latte Concentrate)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup raisins

In a small bowl combine the granola and chai tea concentrate and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray muffin pan with cooking spray or use liners.

In a large bowl pour the chai granola mixture with the oil, honey, vanilla, eggs, and buttermilk and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl measure and whisk the dry ingredients together. Mix all ingredients together until combined. Spoon muffin mixture into muffin pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until done.

Maple Apple Oat Muffins

 Maple, Apples, Oats and Granola all come together to make one amazing fall breakfast when you are on the go. My kids gobbled these up and I think this is on the top of their list of favorite muffins that we've made. I had homemade applesauce left over from crock pot applesauce we had made earlier in the week, but feel free to use store bought applesauce or totally change it up and use a different fruit puree. Bananas, pumpkin and even sweet potato would be a great substitute for the applesauce!

I say smile, and at least one of them makes a face....what can I say?!

My apple peeler/corer/slicer made such an easy job of breaking down the apples, and the kids love to use it. The apple comes out in a spiral which is a fun snack all on its own!

Maple Apple Oat Muffins

1/2 cup sugar
3 oz maple syrup
2 large eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon spice blend
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup granola

In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, maple syrup, eggs, oil and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder and soda, and cinnamon spice blend, and add them to the wet ingredients in the bowl. Mix in the oats, applesauce, and granola. 

Pour the mixture into muffin liners, and bake in a preheated 350°F oven 17 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean when tested. Remove the muffins from the oven, and cool completely.  

Yield: 16 muffins  recipe adapted from here 

Be sure to visit my Pampered Chef Facebook Page as well, where I post a new menu each Monday to get you through the week without ever having to wonder what you should make for dinner!

Yummly Love

It goes without saying that my blog has been neglected lately. 

I knew that my son starting kindergarten would make him tired and very busy, but I had NO IDEA how much him starting school would affect my schedule! Between having a ton of fun with my Pampered Chef business, new kindergarten routine for M, new pre-school for B, swim lessons and soccer twice a week we are always on the go and by the time I would be able to photograph any food to share, it's dark outside!

Yesterday I received a very unexpected note letting me know that my

Blue Cheese, Bacon and Potato Soup 

was featured on Yummly! A totally unexpected fun surprise which was the perfect thing to nudge me along and get back to blogging!

Thanks so much Yummly for featuring my soup, I can't wait to try out all of the other delicious soups included in your "Simple Soups to Warm You Up This Season" feature! It's perfect for this newly cool weather we've been enjoying!

Now, please don't judge me by the quality of this picture- remember how I said it's dark by the time we're eating?!

This is one of my new favorite "crazy busy day" meals that is so easy, healthy and delicious I promise you will love it!

In the morning I made the tzatziki sauce in my Manual Food Processor, one of my Pampered Chef faves, and threw it in the fridge. (If you don't have one of these and want one- email me, I can help you get one for a discount or free!!) Then when we got home all I had to do was cook the fish, warm the tortillas in the microwave and assemble the salads. Dinner was done in 15 minutes!

Greek Isles Fish Tacos

Easy Tzatziki Sauce:

1 garlic clove

¼ cup red onion

1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ of a cucumber seeded and peeled
Juice of ½ lime
1 cup fat free plain greek yogurt
1 teaspoon Pampered Chef All Purpose Dill Seasoning

1 pound cod (or any firm white fish)
Salt and pepper
Pampered Chef Greek Seasoning

8 Flour tortillas
½ cup kalamata olives, sliced
2 cups salad greens

Place the garlic and red onion in the manual food processor. Pump the handle 3-5 times until diced. Add salt, pepper, cucumber, lime juice, yogurt and dill seasoning. Pump the handle 5-8 times until everything is mixed and place in the fridge until dinner is ready.

Season fish with salt, pepper and Greek rub. Heat a grill pan or large non-stick skillet on medium high heat and spray with kitchen spritzer. Cook fish 4-7 minutes per side until flaky, turning only once.

Once fish is cooked, put in warm tortillas with salad greens, top with Tzatziki sauce and olives and serve.

Bells Will Be Ringing

Do you hear that?

It's the sound of school bells and early alarm clocks.

My son started kindergarten last week and it has been a wonderful experience so far. He was so excited the first day he got up and was dressed before I got in his room in the morning.......let's see how long that lasts!

I have never been a morning person (and in general never really feel fully awake before 10am) so this early morning having to be at school on time every day thing is very new to me. Kindergarten is a whole new world compared to the relaxed schedule of the two day a week pre-school down the street that we are used to.

One of the things I'm most passionate about is what my kids eat

and being on a new (up before the sun comes up) schedule is really challenging the way I feed my kids breakfast. I no longer have a lot of time to cook something right before running out of the door but that doesn't mean that they can't get a great nutritional start to their day. Going from a half day program to a week long full day schedule is exhausting for little ones which makes it even more important that they get a great breakfast before that bell rings.



 I grabbed one of these containers from the Target dollar section to help with those mornings that we are running a little slower than normal and fill it with healthy delicious breakfast treats the kids can munch on in the car. One of the newest bars I made are a chocolate peanut butter banana protein bar. I filled it with some of the kids' favorite flavors and, once they were baked, wrapped them individually. All I need to do is grab them on the way out of the door!

Chocolate Banana Breakfast Bars

recipe adapted from here

1 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup chocolate protein powder

1 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup mashed banana

1/4 cup almond butter

1/4 cup honey

2 Tbsp flax seed

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. In a medium-sized bowl combine oats, flour, protein powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. In a separate bowl, combine mashed banana, almond butter, honey, and vanilla.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Spread evenly onto a medium bar pan and bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges start to turn brown
6. Allow to cool 10 minutes before slicing.
7. Store in an air-tight container for up to a week or wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze.

What are your favorite grab and go treats?