Today, while out discovering this amazingly huge kitchen store that I didn’t know even existed near me – I found these awesome Guittard Mint Chips and just knew I had to buy them! I’m a huge fan of Guittard chips and these green little treats had my name written all over them.

So I took my famed Double Chocolate Chobani muffin recipe and morphed it into these fabulous little treats.  They are the quintessential after-school snack.  How cute would these be for St. Patty’s day too!?!

Ingredients:

1 c of all purpose flour
1/2 c of good quality dark cocoa powder (I used Wilbur)
2 tsp of baking powder
1/4 tsp of salt
3/4 c of sugar
1 c of non fat vanilla Chobani yogurt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp of vanilla extract
1/2 tsp of mint extract
1/2 c of canola oil
1/2 c of mint chips (I used Guittard) or more if you like

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray your muffin pan (I used a mini muffin pan) with non stick floured baking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, sift you flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Then add sugar and mix to combine.  In your stand mixer, paddle attached, add yogurt, eggs, vanilla and oil.  Combine.  Then add the dry ingredients to the wet. Combine, avoid over-mixing.  Then fold in the mint chips by hand.

Using a small scoop (I use a melon baller) add batter to the muffin tins.  Fill 3/4 of the way allowing room for the muffin to grow.  I baked mini muffins for 18-20 minutes.  I inserted  a toothpick to ensure the muffins were done baking.  Some chocolate from the chips may be on the toothpick but as long as the batter isn’t present, they are done.

I remember traveling to Bologna, Italy with my husband.  It was a very quaint, calm area after we had been to Florence, Rome and Venice.  We enjoyed all of the wonderful culinary treats and especially their Bolognese sauce.  From this, is my inspiration.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, finely diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 rib celery, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, diced
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 pound pork, ground
1/4 pound pancetta, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of Italian Seasonings
1 bay leaf
1 cup of water
1 cup red wine
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmigiano-Reggiano (grating)

Directions:

In your large Dutch oven (large pot), over medium heat, add the olive oil.  Once hot, add your carrots, celery and onion.  After about 4 minutes, when the onions are translucent, add the garlic.  Cook for one minute then add the meat.  Once no longer pink and properly cooked through, add the tomato paste.  Then add the seasonings, water and wine and cover.  Simmer over low heat.  I simmer this for several hours to develop the flavors.  Adjust the seasoning to your preference.

Typically people add ground lamb, I do not but that’s my taste.  If you do, add 1 lb to the mixture.  Serve this sauce over a substantial pasta that can hold up to this thicker sauce.

Cabot Cheese was so generous to ship me a lovely care package of their products, which I love, and I wanted to whip up a fun new recipe to serve along with dinner.  I came up with small, bite-sized biscuits that can be easily used as an appetizer idea too!  Best served hot from the oven.

Ingredients:

4 cups of bread flour (I used King Arthur’s bread flour)
2 tablespoons of sugar
1.5 tablespoon of baking powder
3/4 teaspoon of salt
3/4 stick of room temperature butter
2 beaten eggs
1 cup of full fat milk
1 egg beaten, for the egg wash
1 8 ounce block of Cabot Cheddar Tuscan Cheddar cheese (shredded)

Directions:

Place parchment or a Silpat on your baking sheets (2).  In your stand mixer with the dough hook attached, blend flour, sugar, powder, salt, butter, eggs and milk.  After mixing for about 2 minutes, add 3/4 of the block of shredded cheese to the dough.  Knead it in with the dough hook on for an additional 6 minutes.

Remove the dough and place on a floured surface.  Roll out to about 1 inch thick or slightly thicker. Using your biscuit cutter, or whatever cutter you wish, cut out the dough and gently place the biscuits on your baking sheet.  Brush the top of the biscuits with the egg wash then top with the remaining shredded cheese.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Remove from the fridge and place into a hot oven.  Bake for 10-12  minutes or longer depending on the size of biscuit you select.  Make sure the cheese is melted and the biscuit is a light golden brown.  Serve.

I have a few recipes I still wanted to try and review for my dear friend Lauren.  Her wheat-free cookbook is fabulous.  Last night I tried the Quinoa Turkey Meatloaf and made it in a muffin pan for easy serving.  Everyone loved it!  It was so tasty and she was right… didn’t miss the breadcrumbs at all!

Friday night’s typically involve me making a carb-loaded pizza dinner for my family as my girls swim most Saturday mornings at their dual meets.  In conjunction with that, I always make a special treat to share with our awesome coaches and as a concession stand contribution.  This week I knew what I wanted to make, birthday cake batter cookies, to celebrate our dear coach Nikki’s birthday!  I didn’t have time to play around with creating a recipe so I searched the internet and found a great one from Cookin’ Cowgirl.  I adapted the recipe from their inspiration.

Made about 25-26 cookies (normal sized)

Ingredients:

1 box Funfetti cake mix (going to use the powder)
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1.5 cup color sprinkles, separated in 2 – 1/2 cup bowls

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a small mixing bowl, combine the cake batter mix (powder) and the baking powder.  Whisk until combined.  Then in your stand mixer, blend the eggs, oil and vanilla.  Add the the dry mixture to the wet and blend.  Add 1/2 cup of the sprinkles to the dough and mix again.  Then, using a melon baller, scoop out the dough into small balls and roll in your hands.  Then coat with the remaining sprinkles all over.  Place on a silpat or parchment paper.   Bake for 12 minutes and remove.  Let cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes.  Then remove and let cool completely.  Package up in cute bags, serve or place in tupperware.  The cookie dough is very soft when it comes out of the oven- don’t panic.  Just let them cool on the cookie sheet as noted.  They will firm up.

I made another fantastic recipe from Lauren’s book!  The giveaway is tomorrow night (check my Facebook page for how to enter).  My daughter and father guzzled this one down faster than I blink.  Glad I snapped some pics first!

This smoothie is so delicious, you won’t even believe that it is healthy!

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and creamy. Serve immediately.

Looking to Add More Protein to Your Smoothie?
Protein powder is an easy way to increase your protein, especially in smoothies. There are many varieties of protein powders. Read your labels carefully to make sure the protein powders have no ingredients containing wheat.

INGREDIENTS | SERVES 2

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons natural creamy peanut butter
1⁄2 banana, frozen
1⁄2 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
1⁄2 cup vanilla Chobani yogurt
1⁄2 teaspoon wheat-free vanilla extract 4–5 ice cubes

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until thick and creamy. Serve immediately.

Hosted by:

Ground Beef Budget, Cookin’ for my Captain, Noshing With The Nolands, Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends, and Knead to Cook.

Giveaway starts 2/7/13 at 12:01 AM, and ends 2/15/13 at 12:01 AM.

Can you say pretty cookie overload??!!  I can!

My very sweet friend Lauren Kelly is a certified nutritionist and new author of:

Lauren is generously sharing a signed copy with a lucky winner and fan of Knead to Cook on Facebook this Friday, February 8th, 2013.  I couldn’t wait to dive in and start testing out some recipes.  Today I tried the Cranberry Apple Granola Cookie Bars.  I did use almonds in lieu of walnuts (prefer almonds more) and I omitted the cranberries because my oldest isn’t a fan.  My review… they are heavenly!!!  I highly HIGHLY recommend these.  And they are totally wheat free! They are totally flexible too.  You can add cherries, raisins, whatever nut you prefer.  The end result… perfection!  Love Lauren and her recipes!

Directions:

These bars are like a cookie and a granola bar in one. There is no need to buy the store bought granola bars anymore. These are healthy and delicious.

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a large bowl, mix the oats, walnuts (or whatever nut you prefer), flax, almond meal, coconut, and salt. Place on baking sheet and roast in the oven for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Dissolve honey and vanilla in a saucepan over low heat.
4. Remove dry ingredients from the oven and pour into a bowl. Lower oven to 300°F. Grease 9″ × 13″ glass dish with cooking spray.
5. Mix honey mixture into bowl with dry ingredients, add the cranberries and apples.
6. Pour into greased dish and spread out evenly.  Use rubber spatula to press down evenly. Bake for 30–40 minutes, until golden brown.
7. Let cool for at least 1 1⁄2-2 hours to harden.

My daughter was hosting a Super Bowl party so we searched the internet for a fun dessert idea that would be football themed.  We stumbled upon www.crazyforcrust.com website and knew this was perfect!  I kept the recipe right on for how they did it.  It would also be super fun encrusted with red sprinkles for lips to celebrate Valentine’s Day!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup of butter (I used butter substitute)
4 ounces of low fat cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup of creamy peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 cups of powdered sugar
1/2 cup of chocolate chips

Encrusting: You can use chocolate sprinkles or mini chocolate chips (like I did).
Icing:  To replicate the laces on a football.

Directions:

In a stand mixer, cream the cream cheese and peanut butter with the paddle attachment.  Add the vanilla.  Then in 1/4 cup increments, add the powdered sugar.  Once complete, add the chocolate chips.

Turn the batter out onto your serving platter.  Shape with clean hands into a football or lips etc.  Then dump your encrusting option on top and start gently pushing it in to cover.  I only covered the top.  Serve with pretzels or graham crackers.  Refrigerate until serving.