From the Kitchen

Crazy things have been coming out of my kitchen this week, friends.


It's not my fault! Here I am, desperately trying to lose baby-weight and yet, I feel like I'm freaking starving! So, I feel munchie. And when I get the munchies, I bake.


It's bad news.


First: Brownies. From a box.
I used applesauce in place of the oil, and they were more cake-like than I wanted. They still tasted delicious, even if they were "low-fat." It may have had something to do with the peanut butter and chocolate chips I threw in there... LOW FAT I say.


Next: Granola Bars
This is SO funny because these are oatmeal cookies masquerading as "granola bars." Truly, they have no flour or eggs, so FINE granola bars. But, um DELICIOUS! The recipe originally came from HERE and I tweaked it for our tastes.


It was SO divinely delicious that we didn't even wait for them to set into "bars." I just scooped it out with spoons and we ate half the pan in about 10 minutes. Yes, it was indeed my dinner.


The recipe I used is
2 1/2 c Oats (I used quick and they worked beautifully)
1/2 c Butter
1/2 c Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 c Honey
1/2 c Packed Brown Sugar
2 T Nutella
1/2 C Chocolate Cheerios (I used organic Cascadian Farms, DELICIOUS!)


Mix together and press into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake 350 for 18-20 minutes.


Score into bars (10) for 10 minutes. Then when they are totally set, cut them fully. It took a LONG time for mine to set (maybe because I used Quick oats) but you can eat them before they are cool. Just use a spoon.


You might die, they are unbelievably good.


They are NOT low-fat.


They were gone by this morning (we made them at 4pm yesterday) so here is the only picture I got of them.

From Feb 2011

An empty pan, sitting in the sink. A-mazing. No lie.


And finally, today at about 3:30 my sister called and told me they were having "Pretzel Pizza" for dinner. I immediately knew this was the best idea I'd ever heard in my life. I pulled out my ever-loved low-fat pretzel recipe and created our very own Pretzel Pizzas. Life was good tonight, folks. Very Very good.


Want the recipe?


Of course you do!


Pizza Pretzels Ala Morgan


2 1/4 t Active Dry Yeast
2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 1/2 t Salt
1 T Sugar
1 1/2 c Very Warm Water
2 T Vegetable Oil
24 Turkey Pepperoni
1 C Mozzarella Cheese
1 t Garlic Salt
1 t Italian Seasoning
1 c Water
2 t Baking Soda
1/4 c Parm. cheese


Preheat Oven to 425.


Combine 2 c flour, yeast, salt and sugar
Add 1 1/2 c warm water and oil
Beat with an electric mixer on LOW for 1 minute, then MEDIUM for 1 minute scraping sides frequently.
Add pepperoni (chopped up), cheese, garlic and seasoning, mix in.
Knead in the rest of the flour (as needed) for about five minutes.


Let sit for 10 minutes.

From Feb 2011

Even the dough smells SO good and pizza-like. YUM!


Cut dough into pieces into 16 pieces, and roll into ropes, and shape into pretzels.


Mix baking soda and one cup water in a shallow dish.


Dip pretzels in soda water. Place on greased cookie sheet, and top with parm. Let sit for five minutes.

From Feb 2011

Please note only two of mine made it into "pretzel shape." With four boys yelling and crying, they became pretzel sticks. The end. 

Bake 8-12 minutes.

Chubby little yummy pizzas all baked together. SO SO SO good.

Dip in marinara. Die of happiness at the bready, pretzely, pizzay goodness.

From Feb 2011

Add some dip for true heaven. 

That was a lot of food. 


And it was all really good. 


Next time come on over and I'll share.