Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

These moist peanut butter flavored bars are so delicious, who can resist peanut butter and chocolate anyway? If you don't want to use sucanat, which is a less refined sugar, brown sugar would work perfectly as an equal substitute. -Sarah

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sucanat

1 egg

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup quick oats

1/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

1 cup chocolate chips

• With a mixer blend butter and sucanat, add egg and peanut butter. 
• Mix in flour, oats, baking soda and salt. Stir in half of chocolate chips.
• Press mixture into a greased 8x8 pan. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips.
• Bake at 350 degrees about 18 minutes, just till edges are lightly browned, careful not to over bake.

Homemade Chocolate Ice Cream

This is a recipe I got from my friend Sarah...it is the best chocolate ice cream EVER!!!  This recipe is for a 4 quart ice cream maker.  -Kristin

2 2/3 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
6 c. whole milk (you can use 2%)
4 eggs, beaten
6 squares semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1 c. half and half
2 1/3 c. heavy whipping cream
2 t. vanilla

Ice Cream Salt
lots of ice (I used 2 7# bags of ice)

• Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.
• Gradually stir in the milk and cook and stir over medium heat.  Simmer and stir constantly.
• Beat eggs in a separate bowl.
• Whisk the eggs while gradually and slowly pouring in 1 c. of the hot milk mixture.  After well incorporated pour the egg and milk mixture into a strainer to get out of any harden egg pieces that might have formed.
• Add the egg and milk mixture into the regular milk mixture.  Stir constantly and continue cooking over low until thickened.
• Melt the chocolate and stir into milk.  Use a whisk and whisk until it is smooth.
• Stir in the remaining ingredients.
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Place into the ice cream maker.  And make as directed by the manufacture.
• Layer the ice and salt around the sides of the maker as directed for your maker.

The Best Italian Pasta Salad

I think this is the best Italian pasta salad.  It is because of the homemade dressing.  I brought this to our church picnic and it was a hit.  -Kristin

1 box rotini pasta, cooked and drained
1 sweet onion, diced
1 large green pepper, diced
cherry tomatoes, diced
black olives or kalamata olives, sliced
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
crumbled feta cheese

• Mix all those together in a large bowl.  Set aside.
• Now mix together the following Italian seasoning mix.  It makes more than you will need for this recipe.  It is great to have on hand though and makes it easier the next time you make this salad!  It is homemade Italian dressing so it can be made with the following directions anytime you need Italian dressing.

1 tablespoon garlic salt
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1/2 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
2 tablespoons salt

• Mix all these ingredients together.
• Measure out 2 T. of the mix with 1/4 c. vinegar, 2/3 c. olive or canola oil and 2 T. water.

Peanut Broccoli Stir Fry

We recently visited my brother and sister in law, Nathan and Sarah, where they served us this fabulous recipe. Sarah says she could eat it every week. My boys thought it was chicken and still thought it was chicken when I made it at home, so if you've never cooked with tofu this might be a great recipe to start with, unless you don't like chicken! The sauce has a really great flavor and I love that it's just simple vegetables that I usually have in the house. -Sarah

16 oz. pkg firm tofu
1 1/2 cups broth
1 T. brown sugar
2 T. lime juice
1 T. sweet chili sauce
2 T. peanut butter
1 T. soy sauce
1 t. grated ginger
3/4 t. cornstarch
1 T. oil
1 t. sesame oil
4 cups broccoli florets
2 cups sliced carrots
2 T. chopped peanuts
cooked rice for serving

• Remove tofu from wrapper and place in a dish, place something heavy on top. Do this for at least 45 minutes, draining liquid as it collects in dish. Cube tofu.
• Combine broth and next 7 ingredients, making a marinade. Add tofu cubes and let set for at least 10 minutes. Remove tofu, reserving liquid.
• Heat oil in a large skillet (be careful not to use too much oil or the tofu will sizzle and not brown very well). Cook tofu cubes until browned, remove from pan and set aside.
• Cook broccoli and carrots until tender, add reserved marinade and boil for 2 minutes. Add tofu back to pan and toss all together. Serve over rice, sprinkle with chopped peanuts.

Wonton Soup

I've been making this fun soup for years. It's great with any Chinese meal and my kids love it. It takes a little while to prepare so make sure you have some time to spare in the kitchen. -Sarah

1/2# ground pork
2 green onions, sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 T. stir-fry sauce
1/2 t. soy sauce
12-16 wonton wrappers
5 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced bok choy
1 med carrot, peeled and sliced
1/2 t. sesame oil

• Combine the meat, onions, garlic, stir-fry sauce and soy sauce. Mix well and place about 2 t. onto corner of wonton wrapper. To seal the wontons I dip my finger in water and trace the outer corners of wrapper to help seal it. Fold over in a triangle shape and press along edges. Set  filled wonton's aside.
• In a stock pot bring chicken broth to a low boil, add bok choy, carrot, and wontons, simmer till wontons are cooked through.
• I usually adjust the seasoning of the broth by adding soy sauce, more sesame oil or other Asian flavors such at Maggi seasoning. 

Peanut Butter Granola Bars

These remind me a lot of peanut butter honey popcorn. (recipe on the blog) What a great combo, these bars are great too because they don't have a lot of ingredients. -Sarah

1/2 cup natural peanut butter

1/4-1/3 cup honey

2/3 cup old fashioned oats

2/3 cup white whole wheat flour

1/4 cup sucanat

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. baking powder

3 T. melted butter

2 T. milk

• Stir together peanut butter and honey (may need to microwave to incorporate it well).
• Mix dry ingredients, then add butter and milk to form crumbs.
• Set aside 1/2 cup of crumb mixture and press remaining into a greased 8x8 pan.
• Spread peanut butter and honey mixture over crust and sprinkle with remaining topping.
• Bake at 325 degrees about 20 minutes.

Awesome Guacamole

I got this recipe from a blog called Tammy's Recipes.  It is awesome, creamy, deliciousness! -Kristin

2 large ripe avocados

1-2 tablespoons lime or lemon juice

3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/2 teaspoon salt

Several shakes of Red Hot or your favorite hot sauce

1/2 cup sour cream

• Place all in a bowl and mash with a potato masher. 
• ENJOY!