Recipe InSeitz - Cinnamon Bars

These bars are kind of like home made granola bars. (Like the nature valley cinnamon kind)
I got this recipe from my SIL when we were visiting there last Fall. The bars call for crushed pecans and I don't even like pecans but you can't even taste them! They are different from most of the bars that I make so it's fun to add them to my regular mix of what I usually make.

Cinnamon Bars
2 sticks butter
1 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups chopped super fine pecan nuts (put into blender, electric chopper, etc.)

Cream butter & sugar. Stir in everything except egg white and 1/2 cup of nuts. Press hard into greased 9x13 pan. Then press hard 1/2 cup nuts on top. Beat egg white and brush on top. Bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes. Cut as soon as you get them out of the oven and take out of pan and cool on a rack. However, if you want them to be a bit more crunchy and have a texture that are more like granola bars bake them a bit longer.

Maya and Olivia

Maya's friend Olivia is in her class on Monday mornings and they've been buddies every since we started going last summer. Now they are both old enough to go to class alone once a week for an hour. So the mom's drop off the kids, we run a few errands, and quick get back to pick up the kids. An hour goes by super fast but it's amazing how much you can get done in just an hour by yourself! Anyway today when I went to pick up Maya she came out with Olivia and they were both dressed up in princess dresses. And I think it's so sweet they are holding hands. So fun!

Recipe InSeitz - Lemon Bread

Happy Friday! Last year at this time we were enjoying warm and sunny temperatures. I think on Saturday it was 70. I sure wish we could get out of the 30's here! Every morning we walk outside to go to our activities and it's still freezing out and I think isn't it about time it starts to warm up a bit? I'm so ready for spring!

Here is another bread recipe that is super easy. It freezes well too so you can eat one loaf and freeze the other one for another time. I love that!

Lemon Bread

1 box yellow cake mix
1 box 3 oz instant lemon pudding
1/2 cup oil
4 eggs
2 tsp poppyseeds
1 cup hot water

Put everything into your mixing bowl and beat all together for 5 minutes. Put into 2 loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until the middle is done.

Recipe InSeitz - Baked Bow Tie Pasta with Cheese

I'm in the season of life where a lot of friends are having babies and I remember how great it was when people brought us meals after Maya was born. And I like to be able to do the same for others. However, I'll admit I get a little self conscious when I sign up to bring a meal for someone. I always think what if they don't like what I make? What if they find out I'm not a great cook? But I keep going back to remembering how great a meal was (still is) when I don't have to make it. It can be almost anything and I'd enjoy it. My usual stand by has been a chicken & rice casserole or BBQ chicken roll ups but I recently have been doing a pasta dish. I realize most of the meals people get after having a baby or being hospitalized are pasta dishes. But they are easy to make and they are easy to freeze if people want to use them later. Today I just brought this pasta dish to a friend from church that had a baby a week ago. The recipe is below. Include some salad and bread and you have a meal. So easy! No reason to be self conscious.

Baked Bow Tie Pasta With Cheese

1 package bow tie pasta (12oz)
3 Tbsp butter
3 Tbsp flour
2 tsp dry mustard
3 1/2 cups milk
3 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1lb cubed ham (or you can use chicken or sausage)
2 cups of peas (or broccoli or any veggies really)

Preheat oven to 350
Cook pasta - 10 minutes
In medium saucepan over medium heat melt butter, stir in flour, and mustard. Gradually stir in milk, cook and stir until it bubbles. Remove from heat. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese and stir until melted. Stir in pasta and peas and ham. Spoon into 9x13 greased baking dish. Top with some salt & pepper to taste and some Italian seasonings if you wish and some more cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

Auto Show

One of the things that Joel and I have done since we first started dating was attend the annual auto show. It's probably no surprise that Joel looks forward to checking out all the cars, their engines, design, etc. But secretly I really like looking at all the cars too. Keep in mind I grew up with a dad who really enjoys cars as well. When I was growing up every Saturday night we would go out for dinner as a family and then we'd drive through several car lots and check out all the cars for sale. There was one car lot that always had a "Saturday Night Special" that we would have to check out and see if it was a good enough deal for my dad to entertain. There would be a big sign on the windshield with the price, mileage, and year of the car. As you can probably guess my dad didn't ever purchase any of those Saturday specials. But it was sure fun to look and see what the special was each week.

This past Saturday we didn't take Maya through any car lots but we did take her with us to the auto show. I was dreading it because I didn't know how she would do and I didn't think we'd really be able to enjoy it let alone look at any cars. But we decided to go and surprisingly she did pretty well. She enjoyed getting in and out of the cars, pretending to drive, opening doors, and closing them. Joel and I even had a chance to actually look at some cars and we had a good time. We will most likely need to get a new car by the end of this year so it was fun to check out all the different options. I am resiting the mini van but we'll see what the year brings. On our way home from the show Joel said "I don't think I've ever looked at any of those types of vehicles while at the auto show before." (Meaning all the family friendly type vehicles.) I think he was a little bummed he didn't get to see and sit in any of the fancy concept or fast race cars. Maybe some day he'll be able to enjoy the auto show like he has in years past.

Like I said Maya enjoyed opening and closing all the doors of the cars. I think this is a Subaru Outback which is on our short list for the future. At least it's on my list anyway. 

When we asked her what her favorite car was at the auto show she said "the green one." Well here she is sitting in the fancy green one. I think this was some type of Mazda.

Recipe InSeitz - Oven French Toast

One of my friends asked me yesterday if I had a baked french toast recipe. I remembered that I did have one and I don't think I've posted it before. I've only made it a few times but since I shared it with her I thought I'd share it this week with you all too! It's pretty easy and a good breakfast to have with company if they are visiting. Or if you are craving a sweet breakfast treat some Saturday or Sunday morning it's a great one to try.

Oven French Toast

1 sick butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
12 slices french bread
1 1/2 cups milk
6 eggs

Melt butter in a 9x13 baking dish in a 350 degree oven. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over melted butter. Layer bread over this layer. Mix milk and eggs together and pour evenly over the bread. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown. (This recipe also halves nicely in an 8x8 dish)