I love this idea for the holidays. It makes the perfect snack. Head over to Chex Mix and print this new coupon for $1.50/2 Chex Cereals!
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Then make this recipe for the Original Party Chex Mix:
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Ingredients:
3 cups Corn Chex cereal
3 cups Rice Chex cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup bite-size pretzels
1 cup garlic-flavor bite-size bagel chips or regular-size bagel chips, broken into 1-inch pieces
6 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
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Health Focus
To reduce the fat to 2 grams and the calories to 80 per serving, use 3 tablespoons margarine instead of the 6 tablespoons butter, omit mixed nuts and use fat-free bagel chips.
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Preparation Directions
1 In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in seasonings. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.
2 Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.
Oven Directions Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.
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Go here for more recipe ideas!
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Thanks Kim!

Here is a quick, easy and nutritious dinner you can whip up in no time.  It uses some common leftover ingredients that I had sitting around and needed to use up.  Your kids will love the chicken and cheese and hopefully not even think about the spinach and tomatoes:)

The Ingredients:

14 1/2oz can petite dice tomatoes- not drained

6 oz stuffing mix

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed or chopped and cooked fresh

2 cloves minced garlic

1 1/2 lb cubed chicken (I used the meat off of half a cooked chicken leftover)

1 t. italian seasoning

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1 cup shredded mozzarella

The Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.  Place tomatoes in large bowl.  Add stuffing, water, spinach and garlic and stir until moist.  Set aside.  Place chicken in 9×13 pan, dot with soup and sprinkle with seasoning and cheese.  Top with the stuffing mixture and bake for 30 minutes.

Have a favorite recipe or food tip you want to share?  Share the name and link in the box below!

With Thanksgiving coming next week, I am sure recipes are on many of our minds.  I am cooking for my husband’s staff and families on Monday and I look forward to it every year.  I got my menu and recipes down and am doing my shopping this morning.  Here are a few of my favorite recipes for you to consider adding to your line up:

Apple Bacon Stuffing Muffins

(2) 10oz bags seasoned stuffing cubes

1/4 c chopped parsley

1/4 c chopped sage

1 pound thick cut bacon chopped

3 T butter

1 large onion chopped small

2 c diced celery

2 Granny Smith apples peeled and diced

2 cans chicken broth

1 c apple cider

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease muffins tins.  Put stuffing, parsley and sage in a large bowl.  Heat skillet and cook bacon pieces until crispy.  Add to bowl.  Drain fat.  Melt butter and sauté onion then celery, then apple adding to bowl after each is done.  Add broth and cider to skillet and scrape bits off bottom.  Add to bowl and toss all gently.  Scoop into muffins tins molding gently and cover loosely with foil.  Bake 15 minutes then remove foil and bake until lightly browned.

Sweet Potato Casserole

4 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes

1/2 c granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 t vanilla

1/3 c milk

1/4 c melted butter

Topping

2/3 c packed brown sugar

1/3 c all purpose flour

1/3 c butter

1/2-1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 t cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease a 2 quart baking dish.  In large bowl combine potatoes, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, milk and butter.  Beat with mixer until smooth and spoon into prepared dish.

For topping: Combine brown sugar, flour, butter and pecans and combine with pastry blender or two knives until resembles coarse corn meal.  You can add a little extra flour if needed.  Sprinkle over casserole.  Bake for 30 minutes until top is browned.

What are some of your favorites?  Link to them using the linky below.  Just put the name in the first box and the link to it in the second so we can all check them out.

Todays Scrumptious Bites post is a yummy recipe I love for Cranberry Chocolate Oat Bars.  They are really not that bad for you as far as yummy treats like this go.  They are super easy to make and your kids won’t even know the difference between these and less healthy treats, hey you probably won’t either:)

Ingredients:

1 cup Craisins

1/4 c OJ

3/4 cup soft margarine

1 1/2 c brown sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 1/2 cup oats

1 t Baking powder

1/4 t salt

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Spray 9×13 and line with parchment or wax paper leaving some hanging over each end as handles.  Spray paper as well.

Mix Craisins and OJ in microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds, stir and let sit while you make the rest.  Mix flour, oats, baking powder and salt in a bowl and set aside.  Cream margarine and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time until fully incorporated.  Gradually add dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly between additions.  Stir in craisins, nuts and chocolate chips. 

Spread evenly into prepared 9×13 dish and bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned and toothpick comes out clean.  Cool in pan for 30 minutes then carefully lift out onto cutting board.  Let cool completely, peel off paper and cut with a sharp knife. 

This week’s Scrumptious Bites post come from the over abundance of canned biscuits in my fridge!  I cashed in on the last sale and I plan on cashing in on the one at Vons again this week.  I also made a whole chicken last night for dinner and had half of it left over so I went in search of a recipe and found this one for Chicken & Dumplings.  I have never really made it before so I figured I would give this recipe a try. 

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup margarine or butter

1/2 cup chopped onion

2/3 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (10 1/2-oz.) can condensed chicken broth

1 cup water

3 drops hot pepper sauce

2 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, thawed

1 cup sour cream

1 (16.3-oz.) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Refrigerated Southern Style Biscuits

Chopped fresh parsley, if desired

Paprika, if desired

I used shredded chicken from my leftover chicken that I cooked the night before.

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt margarine in large heavy skillet. Add onion; cook and stir until tender. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour and salt to skillet; stir until smooth. Add broth, water and hot pepper sauce; cook until bubbly and thickened, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken, mixed vegetables and sour cream. Simmer over low heat until thoroughly heated.
2. Separate dough into 8 biscuits; cut each in half. Place biscuit halves on top of hot chicken mixture. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
3. Cover; simmer an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are no longer doughy. Sprinkle with parsley and paprika.

I would recommend a little less flour, a little more liquid and cutting the biscuits into quarters instead of halves. I also just used peas since I didn’t have mixed vegetables.  It was quite yummy though and the whole family enjoyed it!

Do you have a favorite recipe or food tip?  If so, link to it to share it with everyone below.  You can also find recipes and food tips from other bloggers that you might enjoy trying out.

I will start off by saying that, no, that is not my picture above but I did make these myself this week but they were gone before I could get a good picture!  When I saw these, I just knew I was going to have to try them.

Candy Corn Cookies

Ingredients

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

1 egg

Orange paste food color

2 oz semisweet chocolate, melted, cooled

Directions

1. Line 8×4-inch loaf pan with waxed paper, extending paper over sides of pan. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms.
2. On work surface, place 3/4 cup dough. Knead desired amount of food color into dough until color is uniform. Press dough evenly in bottom of pan.
3. Divide remaining dough in half. Gently press one half of remaining dough into pan on top of orange dough. On work surface, knead chocolate into remaining dough until color is uniform. Press over plain dough in pan, pressing gently to edge of pan. Refrigerate 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until firm.
4. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove dough from pan. Cut crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut each slice into 5 wedges. On ungreased cookie sheet, place wedges 1 inch apart.
5. Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are set and edges are very light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container.

A Few Tips

1. Watch the video of someone else making them HERE to make sure that you understand exactly how it works out but I followed the directions below which are a little different than what she does but you will get the idea!

2. Do not overbake them and I recommend a baking sheet and not a stone.  Some of mine got too crunchy but I put a slice of bread in the air tight container overnight and they were fine:)

3. One reader recommended putting your cookie sheet in the fridge after you get them cut for a while to get the dough cold again.  This will help them keep their shape.

4. These are little bite sized cookies so you really need to stick to them 1/4 inch slices.

Today’s Thursday’s Scrumptious Bites recipe comes from my decision to go organic for the most important things and also to feed my family healthy foods.  I had a recipe from my mom that I have always loved to make in the fall.  It just screams yummy fall food to me but it isn’t that healthy.  I decided this week to try and see if I could change the recipe a little and make it more healthy but still as yummy.  I think my first attempt was pretty good!!  I have loved it and shared some with a friend today who said she thought it was yummy too:)

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Kerri’s Apple Cake

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2/3 cup natural applesauce

¼ c. oil

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

¼ cup + 1 Tablespoon oats

2 T ground flaxseed

1 ½ cups Splenda

1 t salt

1 t baking soda

2 t cinnamon

4 or 5 medium apples, peeled and diced (I used organic)

½ cup chopped nuts, raisins or both (I used organic raisins)

Mix all together adding extra applesauce if the batter seems too thick. It will seem like a lot of apples but they will cook down and the batter will rise up around it. Bake at 350 in a greased 9×13 pan until slightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

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What recipes have you made or found this week?  Link to any of your food posts below!

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OK, I know, another pumpkin recipe.  I just love pumpkin and especially pumpkin and chocolate!   This recipe is from the FREE ecookbook HERE with 22 easy healthy Halloween recipes you might just love! All you have to do is enter your email address for access to these and tons more.  If it takes you an offer screen, just click your back button to skip it all and get to the good stuff.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yields: 12
Cooking Time: 20 min
Ingredients
 1 1/2 cups flour, all purpose or white whole wheat
 1/2 cup sugar substitute suitable for baking
 2 teaspoons baking powder
 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1 cup skim milk
 1/2 cup solid pack pumpkin (such as Libby’s)
 1/4 cup butter substitute, melted
 2 egg whites
 1 6-ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate chips or carob chips
 1/4 cup nuts, finely chopped
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar substitute, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, and make a well in the center.
3. In a small bowl, combine milk, pumpkin, butter and egg whites. Add to well in flour mixture. Add chips; stir until dry mixture is moistened.

4. Spoon mixture into greased muffin cups, filling each 3/4 full. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of nuts over each muffin.
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes.
6. Cool five minutes, remove from pans, and then completely cool on racks.

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Link up to all your favorite recipes, menu plans and food tips to share them with the rest of us!