Try It Out: Berry Baked Oatmeal

Idea Posted By: So, How's It Taste?, found via Pinterest

Ingredients: old-fashioned rolled oats, pecans, baking powder, ground cinnamon, salt, maple syrup, milk, egg, butter, vanilla extract, peaches, strawberries, blueberries

Tools: oven, 2-quart baking dish, measuring cups, measuring spoons

The perfect way to start the day!

1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional swap: walnuts), divided
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup sliced peaches, fresh or frozen
3/4 cup strawberries, fresh or frozen, divided
1/4 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen

Directions: Preheat the oven to 375F.

Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine the oats, half of the pecans, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a liquid measuring cup (at least 2 cups large), combine the syrup, milk, egg, butter, and vanilla.

In the baking dish, make a single layer of fruit with the peaches and half of the strawberries. Sprinkle the dry oat mixture in an even layer over the fruit. Then pour the liquid mixture in an even layer over the oats. Top with the remaining pecans, strawberries, and blueberries.

Bake in the oven for approximately 35-40 minutes, until the brown is browned and the oats have set. Let it stand and cool for 10 minutes before serving.


This recipe is equally easy to make and modify. When I wanted to make this oatmeal bake, I quickly discovered that I had a variety of fruit, but not exactly the fruit in the original recipe/pictures. Additionally, all of the fruit that I had was frozen and I am pleased that it does not matter if it is fresh or frozen in this recipe. I swapped out the bananas for peaches and because I did not have enough blueberries, I used strawberries to make up the difference. It is a very filling and warm dish which will be perfect for those upcoming chilly mornings this fall and winter. Any fruit could probably be used in this dish, dependent on how sweet/tart the fruit is and your desire of sweetness in your oatmeal.

Rave & Review: Beer Pork Chops

Originally Posted By: Pork Chop Recipes

Ingredients: pork chops, salt, pepper, olive oil, beer, onion

Tools: skillet, knife, measuring spoon

Meat and beer--a match made in heaven!

4 thick-cut pork chops
Dashes of salt and pepper
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 12oz. can or bottle of beer
(Optional Add-in: 1/2 cup sliced onions)

Pair With: Garlic Asparagus with Lime

Directions: Season both sides of the pork chops with the salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the chops and brown on both sides for five minutes each.

Add the (onions) and beer. Reduce the heat to low and cover the skillet. Cook until chops are no longer pink and the sauce is reduced, 35-45 minutes.


I used a light beer for my first attempt to make the chops and I think you could use just about any beer that you enjoy drinking. Since I used a beer that I like to drink with lime, I paired it with the Garlic Asparagus and Lime and some sauteed mushrooms. My time in the pan was a little longer than the original recipe used to make the chops more tender and the reduce the beer. Cook time might vary dependent on the type of beer in cooking.

Try It Out: Garlic Asparagus with Lime

Idea Posted By: Allrecipes, made with modifications by N&N

Ingredients: olive oil, butter, garlic, asparagus, lime

Tools: measuring spoons, stove, oven, knife, hand juicer, spatula

Lime for lemon -- switch it up!

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. butter
1 tsp. garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
1 lime, zest and juice
salt and pepper to taste

Pair With: If there's a beer you like with lime, give it a go with the Beer Pork Chops recipe!

Directions: Begin by zesting and juicing the lime, keeping them separate. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter until hot. Add garlic and zest, cook for approximately 1 minute as not to burn the garlic. Add asparagus and coat in the oil mixture. Cover for 10-12 minutes, or until tender. (Note: Thicker stalks of asparagus will take longer to cook through.) Remove cover and drizzle asparagus in lime juice. Optionally, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.


I have made asparagus with lemon juice and asparagus with olive oil and sea salt, but I had never tried it with lime. Being a fan of lime, I used a good bit of juice. The amount you use is completely optional. I also made the Beer Pork Chops using a lighter beer that I would usually drink with lime and figured this recipe would make a good side--which it did!

Rave & Review: Basil Lime Chicken

Originally Posted By: Goodness Gracious

Special Instructions: My personal belief for the best results when using marinades is to allow your meat to soak in it overnight. You can also do this an hour before cooking, as was suggested in the original posting.

Ingredients: lime, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, olive oil, soy sauce, green onions, chicken, basil

Tools: grater, bowl, knife, measuring spoons, whisk, gallon-sized zip-lock bag, refrigerator, grill

Cut into bite-sized pieces and ready to serve.

Marinade
2 limes
2 cloves garlic, minced (cheat: 1-1 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic)
3 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp. olive oil
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
3 green onions, chopped
Dashes of salt and pepper

3lbs. chicken breast (or chicken tenders)

Dressing
1 lime
3 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced (cheat: 1-1 1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. basil, chopped

Directions: For the marinade, begin by zesting and juicing two limes into a medium-sized bowl. Add the garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, olive oil, and soy sauce. Finally, add the chopped green onions, along with the salt and pepper. Whisk together.

Take the 3lbs. of chicken breasts and cut into smaller, equal pieces, roughly the size of tenders. In a gallon zip-lock bag, combine the chicken and marinade. Allow to sit overnight (or at the very least of an hour).

When ready to cook the chicken, preheat the grill. To prepare the dressing, zest and juice 1 lime into a medium-sized bowl. Combine the green onions, garlic, olive oil, and basil, whisking together.

Remove the chicken from the marinade and discard the bag. Place the chicken on the grill an cook thoroughly, about 5-8 minutes on each side of the chicken. When fully cooked, cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Drizzle dressing over chicken and serve.


Basil Lime Chicken has to be one of my favorite recipes that I have ever made. Even in the early stages of whisking the marinade together made me mouth-watering hungry. I like to make smaller cutlets and marinade in the refrigerator overnight or nearly a day before cooking to maximize the absorbency of the flavor. I did use the cheat with minced garlic but otherwise everything else was done as seen on Goodness Gracious. Everything was gone within two days, and it reheated wonderfully!

Rave & Review: No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cups

Originally Posted By: Blue-Eyed Bakers, found via Pinterest

Ingredients: butter, peanut butter, graham crackers, sugar, chocolate chips, milk, sea salt

Tools: microwave, bowl, muffin tin(s), muffin papers, rolling pin and a sandwich bag (or food processor), refrigerator, spoon

Make many little cups or a few big cups!

1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs (optional swap: salted pretzel crumbs)
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups semisweet or milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup milk
Sea salt (optional swap out if using salted pretzel crumbs)

Directions: Line muffin tins with the papers; large muffin tins will use eight cups and mini-muffin tins will use about twenty cups. Using either a rolling pin and sandwich bag or a food processor, make the graham cracker (or pretzel) crumbs. 

In the microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and the peanut butter for 45 seconds, then stir until smooth. Add the graham crackers and sugar, mixing well to combine. Evenly spoon the mixture into the muffin papers and refrigerator 15-20 minutes to set the peanut butter layer.

When the peanut butter has set, combine the chocolate chips and milk in a microwave-safe bowl and heat for intervals of 10 seconds, stirring well in between, until the chocolate is just melted. (Note: Over-cooking the chocolate will not allow the chocolate to set and will stay soft, no matter how long they are refrigerated. How often intervals are needed will vary by microwave. Stirring well after each interval will help prevent over-cooking. When the chips have all smoothed together, no more heat is necessary.) Distribute the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter cups. Add a dash of sea salt on top of each cup (or omit if using pretzels) and chill until firm, roughly 30 minutes.


I have made this recipe three times and I did not get the chocolate right the first time around. As was seen where I had found the original recipe, I too had followed their directions and microwaved the chocolate in 25-second intervals, which ended up overcooking the chocolate and made it too thin. I also had some concerns about the amount of milk with one cup of chocolate chips, so I increased the chips by one-half of a cup the second time around and watched carefully for when the chips were all melted. The more I stirred the chips together between the intervals, the easier it was to see when enough was enough. Sea salt is a nice touch when using the graham crackers to give it that salty-sweet taste, but I left it out when I used the salted pretzels because I did not want it to be too salty. It's an easy recipe when you get the hang of the chocolate. I have not experimented with reducing the amount of sugar that goes in with the peanut butter and crackers/pretzels as it is key in the peanut butter setting correctly.

Rave & Review: Pepperoni Pizza Quesadilla

Originally Posted By: Snixy Kitchen, found via Pinterest

Special Instructions: The original recipe makes four servings. This recipe is for an individual quesadilla. You will also find that the amounts of ingredients are very flexible based on your personal taste and preference.

Ingredients: flour tortillas, shredded cheese, pepperoni, pizza sauce

Tools: stove, pan, spatula (or a quesadilla maker)

Made with pepperoni and diced olives.

2 flour tortillas
1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
12 pieces of pepperoni
1/4 cup of pizza sauce (I used pepperoni pizza sauce)

Optional Add-In: Other pizza toppings, like olives and mushrooms. Add-ins should be cut into small pieces. The more added in, consider adding more cheese; cheese is the glue that holds the quesadilla together.

Directions: Turn the stove on low and lay the first tortilla down. Sprinkle half of your cheese evenly, then place the pepperoni. Sprinkle the rest of your cheese and lay the second tortilla on top. You will know you can flip the quesadilla without the top tortilla falling off or losing any ingredients if you try to lift the top tortilla off and it is fused down with the melted cheese.

Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, or until the tortilla sides become a little crispy. (Test this by tapping your spatula on the browning portions.) Remove from heat and allow to cool for a minute before cutting it into quarters. Serve with the side of pizza sauce for dipping.

Pair With: Anything you might like! Eat this as a main dish or an appetizer.


I have made this recipe a dozen times and things can be done differently each time. I have served it with a vegetable side and made mini-quesadillas using one tortilla folded over. You can use more or less cheese, pepperoni, sauce--anything you might like! If you have a quesadilla maker, this can be made quickly. Play around with it and see what suits your tastes!

Rave & Review: S'mores Dip

Originally Posted By: Tasty Kitchen, found via Pinterest

Ingredients: chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, marshmallow fluff, graham crackers

Tools: bowl, spoon, microwave

The best S'mores without a fire!

11.5 oz. bag of milk chocolate chips

14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
7 oz. of marshmallow fluff
graham cracker sticks, for dipping

Directions: Combine the chocolate chips and the sweetened condensed milk in a microwavable bowl for 30 seconds. Take out and stir until melted and smooth. (Note: Different microwaves have different power. Continue to microwave at 10-second intervals until the chips and milk are smooth.)

Top the bowl with a large scoop of marshmallow fluff and stir it into the chocolate. This will create a marbled look when well-blended.

Pair With: graham crackers

It's insanely easy to make this dip and people will definitely love it. Even when it cools down, it's still easy to use as a spread. I brought this to a party and put it on a table that everyone had to walk past. People couldn't pass it up! It's great when the weather or setting won't allow for an open fire to roast marshmallows and is a safe and easy alternative for kids. Whatever isn't finished can be put into the refrigerator and kept for probably a week (I say a week because mine is usually eaten before that). Just scoop out however much you would like and microwave it again.

Rave & Review: Ranch Burger Sliders

Originally Posted By: All Recipes, found via Styleberry Blog/Pinterest

Ingredients: ground beef, ranch seasoning mix, egg, saltine crackers, onion

Tools: knife, cutting board, bowl, whisk, rolling pin, sandwich bag, measuring cup, grill

Ranch dressing & cheese; strawberry mango salsa

2lbs. lean ground meat
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning mix
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers
1/2 cup chopped onion

Directions: Preheat the grill for high heat.

In a bowl, lightly beat one egg. Add the chopped onion and packet of ranch seasoning mix. Put some saltines in the sandwich bag, seal the bag, and use the rolling pin to crush the saltines. Measure out the crushed crackers, then add to the bowl. Add the ground meat and mix well.

Make sliders out to be a little smaller than the size of your palm, yielding roughly 8 sliders.

Place sliders on the grill and cook to personal liking.

Pair With: Go beyond the usual cheese, lettuce and tomato! Try topping your sliders with pepperjack cheese and homemade ranch dressing or strawberry mango salsa.


Once you go ranch, you can't go back--at least not back to the same plain ol' burger! One thing that could be swapped out or done differently is the use of wheat bread crumbles instead of the saltine crackers, as was done by Styleberry Blog. I used the saltines because they were easy. The onion was not overpowering; in fact, I hardly seemed to notice it as it was mixed with the ranch seasoning. Sliders are a great size to experiment with toppings. If you try something and don't like it, you can always wipe it all off and hose it down with ketchup. (Ketchup will fix just about anything.) Check your local grocery store's bakery as they might have slider buns, as I found.

Rave & Review: Homemade (Healthy!) Ranch Dressing

Originally Posted By: The Caffeinated Chronicles of a Supermom, found via Pinterest

Ingredients: plain non-fat yogurt, Hidden Valley ranch seasoning mix, milk

Tools: whisk, bowl, 12oz. jar

"Do you come to the Hidden Valley often?"

1 cup Dannon Oikos plain non-fat Greek yogurt
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix
1/2 cup 1% milk

Directions: Whisk together all ingredients and chill at least one hour before serving. Should yield roughly 12oz. of dressing and should keep for about two weeks.

Pair With: Everything and anything that can only be made better with ranch dressing!

I haven't experimented with using fat-free or 2% milk as there were other reviews that the change milk compromise the quality/consistency of the dressing. When I put this out with vegetables as an appetizer, everybody dipped in. Everyone was quite surprised that this dressing was made of yogurt and milk, and the recipe was passed around. If anyone is a major ranch enthusiast and likes a healthy option, this is for you!

Rave & Review: Lemon Pasta

Originally Posted By: Jamie Krell, found via Pinterest

Special Instructions: Dish to be prepared the day before serving, left overnight in refrigerator to set, and to be served cold

Ingredients: pasta, olive oil, garlic, heavy cream, lemon, chicken broth, baby arugula, grape tomato, peas, grated cheese, salt, pepper

Tools: cheese grater, stove, pot, saucepan, colander, measuring cups, measuring spoons, knife, cutting board

Colorful and flavorful, but not overpowering.

1 pound of pasta
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (cheat: 1/2 tsp. of bottled minced garlic)
1 cup heavy cream

1-2 lemons (juice and zest)

1 cup chicken broth

2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper

1-2 cups of baby arugula, finely chopped (optional swap: spinach)
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 10oz. bag of frozen peas, thawed

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese (cheat: prepared grated cheese, like Kraft's Parmesan and Romano cheese blend)

Directions: Prepare by zesting and juicing 1-2 lemons. (Two lemons were used in this preparation.) Set aside.

Begin by boiling the water and cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil on medium. Cook the garlic for less than a minute so it does not burn. (If using the bottled minced garlic, you will see it turn a little brown.) Combine the heavy cream, lemon zest and juice, chicken broth, and the salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower heat to simmer for about 15 minutes. The sauce will reduce and begin to thicken.

While the sauce simmers, finely chop the baby arugula and use the amount to your liking. (For this recipe, I used 2 cups.) Halve the grape tomatoes. (If you are using a bag of frozen peas and forgot to remove them from the freezer, you can cook them for a minute or so in the microwave to thaw them out. No harm, no foul!) 

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, sauce, and vegetables. Stir to coat evenly. Add cheese and stir again.

Cover and keep in the refrigerator overnight before serving.

Pair With: Grilling favorites like hamburgers and barbecue, or eat alone!

The pasta used in my picture is tri-colored farfalle (or bow-ties), chosen because of its color and shape. Since my box was for 12oz, I also threw in some rotini. Mix and match pasta noodles; it gives more variety and appeal! I didn't have fresh garlic cloves on hand so I used McCormick's minced garlic. If you like lemon, then you will love the smell of this sauce as it simmers! In the future, I want to try using this sauce hot. This is a great recipe and change from the usual sort of pasta salads you will find at barbecues and parties and I will make it again!