Pasta Salad

This is my friend indie's recipe (Girlie Review).  I thought I didn't like pasta salad until I tried hers.  YUM.  It's delicious and she deserves all the credit.

Ingredients:

• 1 box of pasta (I usually use whole wheat, but I really like the tri-color rotini because it adds color.  This time I used low carb pasta, but you can use whichever kind you like the best.)
• Veggies and other additions:  You can really put in whatever you want.  I usually use 2 cans of artichoke hearts, 2 cans of sliced olives, celery, and cucumber (which I forgot this time).  Sometimes I throw in tomatoes and indie sometimes puts in cubes of cheese. 
• Italian dressing (I usually use Olive Garden Italian dressing, but you can use any kind you like.  I want to say indie uses Kraft Italian, but I'm not positive.)

Directions:

Boil pasta, drain and let cool.

Wash and chop up all the veggies, put them together in a bowl with the pasta and put in Italian dressing

I don’t have a measurement for the dressing.  I put some in and stir it up and then put the bowl of everything in the frig.  Usually, I let it sit overnight to cool and soak in the dressing and then in the morning when you taste it, you’ll find that most of the dressing has been soaked up by the noodles and you can barely taste it.  Put more on, stir it up and eat. 

Fantastic dish!  This is perfect for potlucks, picnics, BBQ, or lazy weekends at home.  It's delicious and a fave at every event - if you aren't my husband. LOL.  He doesn't like it.  But then he doesn't like a lot of the ingredients either. 

Overnight French Toast

Another recipe via Pinterest, Overnight French Toast turned out wonderfully!  The original source is here.  This is delicious and easy!  I love that I could make it the night before and in the morning, I popped it in the oven and was able to do other things before my guests arrived.

Ingredients
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 loaf French Bread
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

The original recipe called for Texas Toast but I couldn't find any, so I used French bread, which I think probably worked better.  I used half the amount of brown sugar (the recipe called for 1 cup) and I think next time I'll use half the butter.

1. Melt butter in microwave & add brown sugar....stir till mixed.
2. Pour butter/sugar mix into bottom of 9 x 13 pan....spread around

3. Beat eggs, milk, & vanilla
4. Lay single layer of French Bread in pan
5. Spoon 1/2 of egg mixture on bread layer
6. Add 2nd layer of Texas Toast
7. Spoon on remaining egg mixture

8. Cover & chill in fridge overnight
9. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes
10. Sprinkle with powdered sugar

11. Serve with warm maple syrup

This turned out SO GOOD.  I will definitely make it again. :)  My spectator agrees!

Chocolate Chip Peanut Granola Bars

Recently, my husband & I were hanging out with some friends, and everyone was supposed to make some kind of food.  I was so busy thinking about what to take for my four month old son, that I completely spaced bringing a dish.  My friend, Jess, remembered to bring these.  Everyone LOVED them, so I asked her for the recipe and decided to make them myself.

I gathered all the supplies (recipe below):

I melted coconut oil, PB and honey together, then mixed it with the dry ingredients. 

(Note:  I made this again and substituted the honey for agave nectar and it was just as delicious.  In other attempts, I made it with less agave nectar and less coconut oil and they were still pretty good.  I would be careful about how much you lower the ingredients because they will start to fall apart.)

I smoothed it into a pyrex dish on wax paper and tossed it into the frig overnight.  (You don't have to do that.  You can just put it in there for a half hour or so.)

My son thought the whole process was really boring:

The cat was riveted:

So was the other cat:

 I cut them up and tried them out on my husband who loved them just like he did at the party the other night:

They are healthy and delicious!  Here's the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Peanut Granola Bars

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup natural peanut butter
• 1/3 cup local honey
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons wheat germ
• 1/2 cup ground flax seed
• 1/4 cup peanuts
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Melt peanut butter, honey, and coconut oil together in a small sauce pan over low/medium heat, stirring constantly.  It only takes a minute or two to melt.
2. In mixing bowl, combine all other ingredients except for chocolate chips, and stir well.
3. Pour liquid mixture over dry mixture and stir til well combined.
4. Let cool in bowl for several minutes.
5. Place mixture into foil lined 8×8 pan and press down firmly.
6. Sprinkle chocolate chips over top and press down firmly with hands.
7. Place in fridge or freezer to set.
8. Flip the foil out onto cutting board and cut into desired bar sizes.  I like to cut a dozen rectangle shaped bars.
9. Store in fridge for best results.