Peanut Butter Dip

Some things are just right.  Peanut butter and chocolate are magical together, as we have discussed over, and over, and over, and over.  When I found a recipe for this peanut butter dip, which has both peanut butter and cream cheese, I knew I had found something special.  And then I thought about how I could use chocolate graham crackers as the instrument for dipping.  I am pretty sure I started drooling instantly.

And upon making it, it was everything I thought it would be.  Rich, creamy, and peanut-buttery.  And then I scooped some on a chocolate graham cracker.  Wow!  This one is definitely a keeper!  Peanut butter, chocolate, and cream cheese....holy cow!  I know I missed Monday, but I didn't lighten up this recipe, and I wanted to share it with you before Super Bowl Sunday.  Because you have to serve this.  You just have to.  So let's call this a Makeover Thursday recipe.  It doesn't have the same ring to it, but it tastes just as good!

Slow Cooker Sticky Wings

So, this Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday.  I am always torn on how to feel about this day.  On one hand, I get to do two of my favorite things--watch football with friends, and eat yummy food.  On the other hand, I know that when the last whistle blows, I won't be able to enjoy another game until the end of August.  And that is just soooo far away!

But I will try to focus on the positive today--food.  One of my favorite football-watching foods is wings.  The are the epitome of sports bar food.  And they come in so many varieties!  I have shared a few recipes already.  My first homemade wings were good ol' Buffalo wings, which are still probably my favorite.  I have also made Asian honey BBQ wings.  These also were finger-looking good!  I found this recipe in an issue of Cook's Country.  Sticky wings were something new to me, and I knew that during football season, it wouldn't take me long to make them.  And I was right!

Makeover Monday: Homemade Oatmeal Creme Pies

I didn't eat a lot of store-bought goodies growing up.  I guess I've always been more of a homemade kind of girl.  When I was a kid though, I used to go to my grandma's house after school until my mom got off work.  Like all good grandmas, mine kept lots, and lots, and lots, of snacks on hand.  Looking back on it, it is a wonder that I wasn't obese as a child!  I have many fond memories of delicious treats at my grandma's house, and one of my favorites was Little Debbie's Oatmeal Creme Pies.

But, the doctors keep telling me that I'm done growing, so I guess childhood is over.  And I haven't had an oatmeal creme pie since I was knee high to a grasshopper.  So when I saw a recipe on the internet for homemade oatmeal creme pies, I knew I had found something special.  I love the idea of taking store-bought favorites and making them myself.  

When I finally got around to making these yummy treats, I decided that I would try my hand at making these a little easier on the waistline.  I made a few simple swaps to help me feel less guilty about devouring them, which I knew I would do as soon as they were made.  Which I did.  Hey, they were delicious!  

Honey Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls

I am going to be a little liberal with the term "Makeover Monday" today.  But, hey, this is my blog so I can do whatever I want!  Honestly, we have been doing so much traveling for the holidays that I haven't spent much time in my own kitchen.  And I can't say I've been making a lot of healthy foods recently.  Oops.

But today I am going to share an amazing recipe for whole wheat dinner rolls.  It's whole wheat, and I used skim milk instead of whole milk, so I'm calling that good enough for a makeover.  I have tried making whole wheat dinner rolls a couple of times before finding this recipe in an issue of Cook's Country.  My previous recipes resulted in dense, short, and basically tasteless balls of bread that were certainly not worth the time it took to make them.  

Not so with these.  Cook's Country never disappoints.  This recipe gave me rolls that were tall, with a tasty wheaty flavor, but still light and fluffy.  And they were actually easier to make then I remember.  This recipe is definitely a keeper!

Beef & Broccoli

 I have been holding on to this recipe for far too long.  So today is the day I share it with the world.  I have some yummy sugary treats on the back burner as well (not literally speaking, of course) but I thought with millions of Americans trying to stick to that ubiquitous New Year's resolution to eat healthier, I would save those for March, when everyone gives up.  Well, everyone but you.  I know you all will stick with it because you have read my post on "How to Stick to Your New Year's Resolution."  On a side note, I thought I would be all fancy and look up some statistics on how many people actually resolve to eat healthier or lose weight.  I didn't.  So I'm going with "millions."  That sounds about right.

Anyway, back to our main topic of interest, beef and broccoli.  I love it.  I never seem to think about making my own Chinese food.  I just head to the only Chinese restaurant in our town, which is a buffet.  And because it is a buffet, I eat too much and leave feeling miserable.  Yes, it happens to me too.  But one fateful day, I decided to try my hand at making my own beef and broccoli.  I found a recipe, whipped it up, and enjoyed!  This recipe is really easy to make, and it is absolutely delicious.  By delicious, I mean that I licked the bowl clean.  And I usually only do that with cookie dough or cake batter, so that's saying something!