Breakfast Fit For A "STAAR"

Happy Monday!

If you're a mom like me, you might find yourself counting down the remainder of Mondays left in the school year.  You're probably doing the exact same thing if you're a teacher, too :)  Counting down the lunches you have to make.  The alarm clocks you snooze through.  The outfits that need to be clean and semi-wrinkle free.  It's not that we don't love school, it's just that, well, we're ready for a little unstructured and routine-free time.  I can promise you I'll be saying something TOTALLY different come August, but for now, I'm finding with each day inching closer to June, I'm more and more ready to have my boys at home, to sleep in, and to just enjoy this crazy Texas heat with no plans in sight :)  

However, before we celebrate the start of summer, 3rd & 4th graders all across Texas have to take the state mandated STAAR test.  Talk about ending the year with a bang, LOL!!!  It's the first year for my 3rd grader to take this test.  He's 100% ready, but I'd be lying to you if I said he wasn't 100% anxious.  Bless his heart.  It's definitely a mental thing.  Knowing all that, I thought it would be fun to send him off to school on a celebratory note instead of a scary one.  So I figured it was a great morning to get up before them and prep a little breakfast fit for a "STAAR" ;)  

First up, the menu.  Praise the Lord for easy recipes.  He requested these cinnamon rolls and since I prepped them last night, all I had to do was pop them in the oven this morning.  Easy peasy, thank you Jesus.  I know bacon and eggs or something healthier would've been the smarter choice, but I prefer the path of least resistance & my boys don't necessarily dig savory breakfast choices :)  Whatever works.

I decorated the breakfast table with things I already had on hand.  I use all of these manipulatives at workshops & conferences, so all I had to do was pull it out of the closet and put it on the table.  Really, really simple!  

It probably took me a total of 5 minutes, so trust me when I tell you I didn't work to hard to make things "special".  I just wanted to get him excited and help to calm his nerves.  Bless his heart, he was so nervous!  He puts WAY to much pressure on himself.  He says his goal is to make a 100.  Way to set the bar high!  Lord!  I mean, I love that he goes big when he sets his goals, but I hate that he's so hard on himself when he doesn't meet his expectations.  I miss the days when his biggest concerns were getting his diaper changed and enjoying his next bottle. 

Star stickers for the STAAR test (you can find them in the craft section at Wal Mart for $1.96 a bag), and lots of dice & timers (Dollar Tree), & pom pom garland (Dollar Spot at Target).  Today's test is all about Math, so these just kind of fit the bill.  Tomorrow he'll be taking the reading portion of the STAAR, so I'll switch out the dice for books & letter tiles and call it a day :)  The only thing I actually went out and bought for this was the package of Starburst.  

He's already requested a special breakfast for tomorrow, too.  "Pam"cake Cake it is!  He loves this stuff and I don't make it nearly as often as I probably should.  I guess that'll make it that much more special!  At least that's what I'm telling myself.  

Praying for all of our sweet babies taking the STAAR here in Texas this week!  

Pumpkins & Apples

Since it's finally October, I can talk about all things apples and pumpkins now....right?!  Or am I too early?  Or too late?  I can never remember the proper blogging etiquette.  

I know I've mentioned it before, but just as a refresher, I'm not a huge fan of pumpkin.  I've never had a PSL (is that what all the cool kids are calling it these days?), I don't really enjoy pumpkin pie, and unless they're sitting on my front porch, I'm just not a huge pumpkin fan in general.  However, I have plenty of friends and family members who love the flavor.  And even though I'm not a huge fan of the taste, I do enjoy cooking & baking things with pumpkin for the people in my life who DO like it :) 

When I found this recipe, I knew I wanted to try it out.  And I figured the pumpkin could be substituted for apples instead, so I knew this recipe would be a winner in more ways than one.  And seriously, it was a HIT!  Grand slam, outta-the-ballpark, WINNER.  I've baked this more times than I can count in the last couple of weeks and taken it to get-togethers, potlucks, and just-for-fun type occasions.  And if you know anyone who loves pumpkins or apples, this would be a wonderful little treat to bake for them, too!  

PUMPKIN SPICE  & APPLE SPICE PULL APART SWEET BREAD

via Pillsbury

PUMPKIN SPICE PULL APART SWEET BREAD

1 (16.9 oz.) can Honey Butter Pillsbury Grands Flakey biscuits, 8 

3/4 cup pumpkin pie filling

2 TBSP. butter, melted

1/3 C. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2 C. powdered sugar

1/4 C. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

APPLE SPICE PULL APART SWEET BREAD

1 (16.9 oz.) can Honey Butter Pillsbury Grands Flakey biscuits, 8

1 (15 oz.) can apple pie filling

2 TBSP. butter, melted

1/3 C. sugar

1 1/2 tsp. apple pie spice

2 C. powdered sugar

1/4 C. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

Choose the flavor you want and let's get to baking!

As you can see, not much is needed.  If you choose apple instead of pumpkin, you'll just switch out the can for apple pie filling and the pumpkin pie spice for apple pie spice instead.  YUM.

Now take each of the biscuits...8 total...and separate into two layers.  They easily pull apart because, well, they're flaky layers already.  You'll need 16 pieces for this recipe.  I went ahead and laid mine out on wax paper for easy clean-up and whatnot.

Now spread the pumpkin pie mix...or apple pie filling...on the top of each biscuit.  The recipe calls for 3/4 C. of the pumpkin pie mix, but I didn't follow that.  I just added what I thought would be tasty.   As for the apple pie filling, I went ahead and used the entire can spreading an even amount atop each biscuit.

Melt the butter and pour about 1/2 - 1 tsp. of melted butter on top of each biscuit.

Now mix together the sugar and pumpkin pie spice (or apple pie spice) until combined.  Sprinkle evenly on top of the pumpkin pie/apple pie filling.

pumpkin

apple...my favorite!!!!!

Now get ready to get your hands dirty.  For real.  

Stack four biscuits, one on top of the other.   You'll have four separate stacks altogether.

I made sure to place the top biscuit upside down on the last stack.  This will be the "heel" of your loaf :)  

Be sure to grease your loaf pan before adding in the biscuits.  

You'll have to do some finagling to fit everything in.  Place one set of biscuits in the pan at a time.  You'll need to keep the biscuits in place with one hand while adding the next set with the other.  You'll see what I mean when you start adding...it gets pretty messy really quick!  

You might have a bit of the sugar & spice mix leftover.  If you do, you can sprinkle a little bit more on top of the biscuits once they're added to the pan.  Waste not, want not, right?!?!

Bake on 350 for about 40-45 minutes or until the center is cooked through.  I baked mine right at about 40 minutes on the convection setting.  The center was baked through, but the top was a bit crispy, LOL!  I like a crispy crust, so that worked for me :)

Does that not look amazing?!  

The pumpkin pull apart bread doesn't bubble over quite like the apple bread so I would suggest placing a baking sheet underneath the loaf pan if you plan on baking with the apples.

Remove from oven and let cool.  While the bread is cooling, mix together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until combined.  This glaze basically tops it all off and really sets the stage for a delicious sugar coma to take place.    Pour evenly over the top of the bread.  I didn't use all of the glaze because I felt like it made a ton, so I would say add to taste :)  You really can't screw it up!

I've baked and sampled both the pumpkin and the apple and I definitely think the apple is better, but that's my most favorite flavor to begin with, so don't take my word for it!  Mr. Spouse LOVED the pumpkin and I think he preferred that one to the apple.  In all honesty, you can't go wrong either way.  They're both delicious!!!!  

This would be a great little breakfast to bake for overnight guests, but it also makes a great little treat to gift to neighbors, friends, and co-workers....especially this time of the year! 

I love how the layers pull apart easily so you won't need a knife to cut into it.  Just the perfect little serving sizes.  I'm keeping all of these ingredients on hand so that I can whip these up at a moment's notice.  You'll see what I mean when you try it for yourself!!!  

Sweet Mornings

Most of our mornings look the same around here.  Mr. Spouse is usually up and out the door before anyone else' alarms go off.  He does get to go in a little later some mornings, but it seems like he's gone before we get up most days.  My boys always set their alarm for 6:30 so they can watch TV before I roll out of bed around 7.  Since the boys make their own lunches and take care of all of their personal stuff alone (getting dressed, brushing teeth, etc.), I have plenty of time to make breakfast and get dressed before we head out the door by 8.  Some mornings I have quick breakfasts on hand....cereal, cinnamon rolls, muffins....but some mornings I actually cook. 

I call those my "miracle mornings" :)

I've never been much of a breakfast person myself.  I'd rather have breakfast food for dinner.  Coffee usually holds me over until about 11 when I'm finally ready for lunch.  My boys, on the other hand, love breakfast.  My oldest would eat a steady diet of pancakes, waffles, and cinnamon rolls every morning if we let him and my youngest would prefer cereal, muffins, eggs, and biscuits.  Because I want them to have some sort of sustenance in their bellies before heading to school, I don't mind giving them what they want (for the most part).  It just makes for a happier morning for everyone.  And I really love happy mornings :)

Since it's just me and the boys most mornings, I don't make huge breakfasts...especially since I don't normally eat before 11.  When Mr.Spouse is home however, I try to make something all three of my guys can enjoy.  And if there is anything leftover, Mr. Spouse will take it to work and share with his kids.  It's a win-win.  When I found this recipe, I knew I had to throw it into the rotation.  It has all the makings of a great breakfast...chocolate, croissants, and sugar, OH MY!  

Here's a little bit about our experience with this recipe!

CHOCOLATE CHIP CROISSANT BAKE

via Plain Chicken

1 package (10-13oz) of mini croissants (found in your grocery store bakery area), chopped

2 pkgs. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1 1/3 C. sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 C. milk

2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels

Just in case you're wondering, here are the mini croissants.  I'm honestly shocked these all made it into the baking dish because I could've eaten the entire package.  Alone.  #sadbuttrue

Chop the croissants into small bite-sized pieces and add them to a greased 9x13 baking dish.

In a separate bowl, beat your cream cheese until smooth before adding any of the other ingredients.  And be sure that it's softened (room temperature).  I didn't do this and I wish I would have!!!  After reading some of the comments on the original post, I think this is the step where I went wrong.  You see, I put the cream cheese into the bowl with all the other ingredients and then mixed until everything was combined.  It was softened, but maybe not enough?!  My cream cheese ended up looking more like cottage cheese when it was all said and done.  This didn't affect the taste whatsoever...it was still REALLY good!!!...but the appearance made all three of my boys a little wary.

Once your cream cheese is beat until smooth, add the remaining ingredients (sugar, eggs, vanilla, & milk) until well combined and pour the mixture evenly over the croissants.

See what I mean about the lumpy cream cheese?!?!

I prepped this dish the night before I baked it giving it time to set.  All I had to do was wake up a little earlier on a Friday morning, take it out of the fridge, and pop it in the oven at 350 for about 45 minutes and it was ready to go!   That's what I call a pretty sweet morning :)

As you can see, even after baking I had little lumps of cream cheese all over the place.  Again, it didn't affect the taste, just the appearance. 

It was a bit soggy on the bottom which presented a bit of a problem for my texture sensitive 9-year-old, so he abandoned ship pretty quickly.  Bless.  I'm sure I did something wrong...total user error!...because from the looks of the original recipe, it's not supposed to be soggy at all, LOL!

I'm not giving up on this recipe because it has serious potential and it really tastes fantastic!!! I  love the idea of baking this and taking it to potluck brunches and showers.  It would be great if you're entertaining company, too!  I just want to get it right before I share it with a crowd! 

Next time, I'm going to make sure the cream cheese is super softened and I'll be sure to beat it before adding any of the extra ingredients.  I also plan on adding a little cinnamon to the mixture, too. The sogginess??? What could I have done differently?  Less egg?  Less milk?? More croissants??   Not sure!  I need to keep playing with it to figure all that out because I surely don't want a crispy croissant bake, but I don't want it soggy either.  I guess there's only one way to find out!  And I know what my boys will be trying again tomorrow morning :)  Ha!

Make You Banana Pancakes, Pretend Like It's The Weekend

I don't know about y'all, but I'm a huge fan of Jack Johnson.  There's just something about his music that makes me want to live seaside and spend my life relaxing on a hammock.  I adore his voice. And just like it would be impossible to choose a favorite child, the same sentiment goes for choosing a favorite song of his...I just can't do it!  I love them all so much!  I swear this post isn't about Jack Johnson and his music, but I do want to throw this out there for your listening pleasure...

Banana Pancakes...such a great song!  

And it also happens to be one of my most favorite breakfast dishes :)  

And every time I whip up a batch of these flapjacks, this song always comes to mind.  Banana Pancakes on repeat...both the song AND the dish....on repeat ALL DAY LONG :)

BANANA OATMEAL PANCAKES

recipe  slightly altered via  FIXATE cookbook, by Autumn Calabrese

1 C. almond milk (sweetened, unsweetened, or vanilla flavored...I used unsweetened)

2 eggs

1 banana

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 C. cooking oats (I use the old fashioned Quaker cooking oats)

Optional toppings:  fresh berries, banana slices, maple syrup, nut butter, fresh whipped cream, etc.

Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until well blended and smooth.

Spray a nonstick skillet with cooking spray or grease with coconut oil.  

Pour 1/4 cup of the batter into the skillet.  Cook for 2-3 minutes and then flip and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes or until pancake is set.

Repeat as many times...or pancakes...as needed!

I personally like a lighter breakfast when I choose to eat three square meals a day, so I typically top mine with fresh fruit like raspberries and blueberries, but you can drown yours in syrup if you prefer ;)  I know that's my personal preference, but my expanding waistline begs me to resist.  

I can't begin to tell you how much I love these!!  This quickly became a favorite breakfast for me AND my family.  Shocking, I know!  But y'all...they're so good!   I typically have unsweetened almond milk on hand, but these would be AMAZING with vanilla flavored almond milk as well.  Or go crazy and add the vanilla almond/coconut milk instead.  YUM.  

The longer the batter sits, the thicker the consistency will become, so you may need to add a couple of teaspoons of almond milk to the batter if you don't plan on cooking an entire batch right away :)  

Now go make yourself some banana pancakes and don't forget to listen to Jack Johnson while you're at it.

The Best Part of Waking Up

It's Friday and we're embarking on a 3-day weekend.  My boys couldn't be more excited :)  I couldn't be more excited because in exactly a week from today  I'll be kidnapping my husband and taking him here...

Colorado has been on my bucket list since forever!!!  I really wanted to take the Mr. and get him out of town.  He never has a bye week in October, but this year's break in football comes at the perfect time and I'm taking full advantage of the break in schedule.  We're staying Friday night in downtown Denver.  My husband loves Denver.  Several people on IG recommended we eat at Snooze for breakfast so that's what we plan on doing Saturday morning.

Then we'll head to Breckenridge and stay there Saturday night.  I couldn't be more thrilled!  Adam LOVES Breckenridge.  We were planning on staying in Estes Park on Saturday because neither of us have been there, but we waited too long to book a room and so we'll just have to come back a different time :) There's a fall festival in Breck on Saturday and I'm dying to drive through the Boreas Pass.  Aside from that, I don't know what else we'll be doing, but just being in Colorado will be enough!!!  HELLO FALL COLORS!!!  And maybe some snow capped mountains, too?!?!

Have you ever been to Denver or Breckenridge?  Are there any "must-do's" while we're there?!?

Before I share one of my favorite breakfast recipes, I wanted to say 'thank you' for the haircut suggestions!!!  I ended up going in yesterday and getting it cut shorter with a little touch of ombre.  I forgot how much I love short(er) hair!!!  My stylist went with the same light brown on the top layer and then black on the bottom that we always do, but she added some caramel to the bottom to give it some dimension. Next time we'll go a little lighter with the ombre and add a little more.  For now, I'm in love!

PS...I hate selfies.  SO awkward.

When my oldest saw my new 'do, he started crying.  Not full blown bawling, but he teared up and his voice started to quiver.  "Mom..you look really beautiful all the time, but I prefer you with longer hair.  How long will it take to grow back???"  I was NOT expecting that at all!  LOL!!!  My husband didn't cry, so I take that as a win :)  Bless. I guess the whole "men love long hair" starts at a young age.  SMH.

Now let's move onto something more interesting.  And appetizing.  How about breakfast?!

I'm not a huge breakfast person.  I usually drink my large Sonic Red Button Roast until about noon and then go straight for lunch fare.  When I am in the mood for breakfast, I usually stick with my favorite PBJ Oatmeal. When we're hosting overnight guests, breakfast is a must.  The most amazing cinnamon rolls will likely be on the menu paired with something a little more savory for good measure.  I pinned this savory breakfast recipe on Pinterest months ago and couldn't wait to try it out and jazz it up.  Now Mr. Spouse is requesting it on a weekly basis.  Looks like we won't be waiting for overnight guests to make a delicious breakfast anymore!

SAVORY BREAKFAST BAKE

via Rocking Lion

7 large eggs

1/4 C. half & half (milk or cream would work, too)

Tony Chachere's, to taste (optional)

1 (16 oz.) tube of refrigerated flakey biscuits

4-5 green onions

1 medium yellow onion

1 red or green bell pepper

1 pkg. Jimmy Deen or Owens sausage

1 C. shredded cheddar cheese

Let's start by preheating your oven to 350.

In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, half & half, and your Tony Chachere's.

If you're not a fan of Tony's, I'm sad for you.  Just kidding...sort of.  But seriously...if you're not a fan of that seasoning, you can omit that altogether.  We like a little spice in our life and this particular seasoning is our favorite.  It definitely adds another layer of flavor and it pairs really well with this dish!  It packs a little punch, so use it sparingly if you like things on the milder side.  I think I used about a teaspoon, give or take.

Now take your biscuits and cut each one into quarters.  Kitchen shears are perfect for this task!  

While you have your kitchen shears out, cut up your green onions, too.

Toss the cut biscuits and green onions into your egg mixture and set aside.

Brown your sausage and toss in the yellow onion and bell pepper to soften those up...unless you don't mind crunchy veggies.  REmove from heat and drain.  

Now take the sausage/onion/pepper mixture and combine it with the biscuits and eggs. Stir well to combine.

Toss the cheese into that same bowl and mix again.  

At this point ALL of the ingredients mentioned above are mixed together in the same bowl.

Lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish and pour in the sausage/egg/biscuit mixture.  Cook at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until the eggs are no longer runny!  Ours cooked for closer to 30 minutes.  While it sounds like the oven won't work it's magic, I assure you it will.  You'll end up with a delicious and savory breakfast that resembles the likes of this ....

DELICIOUS!!!

This was the perfect savory breakfast and SO easy to prep!!!  Bacon would be a great addition, too.  I've even toyed with the idea of adding in some shredded hash browns, but that's just crazy talk ;)  

This is a perfect meal for a crowd and isn't too bad served as a leftover breakfast the following morning.  We had a little bit leftover when we originally served this, so we popped it in the fridge and pulled it out the next morning to reheat (in the oven at about 250 until heated through).  Of course, it's the most amazing when served fresh out of the oven the first go 'round, but it reheated really well and tasted pretty darn delicious the next morning, too.  

And as my husband has requested, this will be served again SOON!! 

I just need to figure out a way to get my boys to try it, too.  #thestruggleisreal

Mouthwatering Monday

Our extended family weekend went by in a flash.  It always happens when we're having fun :)  We started our weekend pretty low-key.  We stayed in Friday night while Mr. Spouse was at his football game and then we headed to Chuy's for lunch on Saturday.  The boys even got some balloon animals :)

Next stop, Hotel Transylvania :)  **Almost** as good as the first! 

My in-laws have never been to Buc-ees, so that was a must stop and shop.  Goodness.  One candle, two shirts, a pair of Reefs, and a generous helping of cinnamon sugared pecans later we headed home for movie night.  Darn you, Buc-ees!!!  

We enjoyed a day full of family fun for our Sunday Funday shenanigans and we enjoyed a little more food than necessary.  But oh so good.  Then we finished the night with a game of Headbandz and too many laughs to count :)

We took the boys out of school for an hour(ish) today to have one last meal with grandma and grandpa before they head home this afternoon.  As I was taking the boys back to school, they both started to cry.  They have such sensitive hearts and it breaks mine to see them so sad!  Christmas is only a few months away...can't wait 'til we're together again!!!  

When the family's all together we sure do enjoy our food.  I said it earlier and I'll say it again...we definitely enjoyed way more food than necessary.  I indulged...as I usually do...and I don't regret a single calorie.  My pants, on the other hand, are struggling to fit today.  It might have been this breakfast that did me in.  

Yes, my friends.  Better than Cinnabon.  And that's a bold statement coming from someone who would bathe in their cinnamon gooey-goodness if I could.  This is, hands down, the easiest recipe from prep to table. And the tastiest, too.  I'm sure this recipe also has a very high caloric intake, so if you're opposed to meal that will make your pants fit a little tighter, abandon reading now.  My motto is "everything in moderation".  It's just a shame I didn't exercise that kind of restraint when digging in ;)

BETTER THAN CINNABON CINNAMON ROLLS

via Love of Home & Family

1 pkg. Rhode's Cinnamon Rolls

1 (3.4 oz) box of COOK & SERVE Butterscotch pudding

1 stick of butter (1/2 C.)

Like I said before, this couldn't be easier.  This is definitely a crowd pleaser and I would highly suggest serving this to friends and family.  You don't want anyone to miss out on this.  

Grease a 9x13 baking dish and place all 12 rolls inside.  You'll want to do this the night BEFORE serving so that your rolls have time to rise.  

Once the rolls are arranged in your dish, take your packet of pudding mix  and pour over the rolls.  The pudding doesn't need to be cooked first.  Just evenly pour the dry powder over the rolls.  Easy, right?!

Now melt your butter. The whole stick.  I melted mine in the microwave because #lazy.  Pour it over the rolls and then cover the dish with saran wrap/press & seal/ foil.  Whatever you have handy.  Place this concoction in the fridge overnight so that your rolls have time to rise a bit.  

When you wake up bright-eyed and bushy tailed the next morning, remove the dish of rolls from the fridge and set out on the counter for an hour BEFORE baking.  I woke up around 5 this morning, took the rolls out & set 'em on the counter..and then fell back asleep 'til about 6:40 when the boy's alarm started going off.  

Bake the rolls at 350 for about 20 minutes.  They'll look amazing right out of the oven and you'll try really hard not to sample a corner bite, but you'll realize you're weak and go for it anyway....

The force is strong.

You'll remember there are two packets of cream cheese frosting that came with the rolls, so you'll quickly empty the contents of both packets right on top of the piping hot cinnamon rolls, spread it around, and watch as it slowly melts into the cinnamon laden bites of heaven.  

The force is getting stronger and you can't wait another second.

Just go ahead and dig in already!!!!  

My boys couldn't get enough and I had to tell them to slow it down so that there would be some left for grandma and grandpa when they woke up.  Let me just tell you that we demolished the whole pan. I couldn't wait to share this with y'all because they were THAT good!!!  I'm sure you've probably made these before!  I'm always the last to find out about a good recipe :)

If you're not too keen on the butterscotch pudding mix, switch it out for the cook & serve vanilla.  OR go ahead and try out the pumpkin pudding mix since it's Fall and all.  Get a little crazy.  I have a feeling you'll devour them no matter what!!!

Peanut Butter Jelly Time

I sure did love this extended weekend, but I love a routine even more :)  My boys were happy to stay home an extra day, but they were both missing their teachers and friends.  That couldn't make me happier :)  We headed down to my grandparent's bayhouse this past weekend for grandma's famous gumbo, a little bit of fishing, and a little bit of crabbing.  My boys love the bayhouse.  G caught his first fish, but it was a hardhead and he threw it back.  He was SO proud of himself. So proud he couldn't even touch it, hahaha.

L found grandma's original version of Monopoly and begged me to teach him how to play.  He's finally starting to enjoy board games and he says this is his favorite.  Of course....the longest game in the history of ever!!!  But I loved playing with him.  He was too cute buying property and collecting rent.  And he figured out real fast his payday would come with Park Place and Boardwalk so he made sure to buy those up when I was low on funds.  

I didn't have to meal plan this week because we're getting our first Hello Fresh box tomorrow and I'm so anxious to try it out.  However, I will be making Shrimp Scampi with Zucchini noodles tonight while we're waiting.  Since breakfast isn't included in that box, here's what I'll be enjoying in the mornings.  It's so filling that I'll often eat this for dinner when Mr. Spouse is working late, too.  If you're a fan of peanut butter and jelly, you'll love this grown-up version in oatmeal form.

PBJ OATMEAL

1 C. water

1/2 C. instant cooking oats

1 TBSP. natural peanut butter

3-4 fresh strawberries, chopped or sliced

This recipe makes a single serving of oatmeal.   And like I said before, this is pretty filling so it's really all you'll need!

Add 1 C. of water to a saucepan and heat on high until boiling.

Add 1/2 C. of quick oats and 1 tablespoon of peanut butter and reduce heat to low.  Mix until combined and oats are cooked.

Once cooked, transfer oatmeal to a bowl, chop or slice your strawberries, fold into oatmeal, and serve warm.

You can always sub the quick oats for steel cut and use your preferred peanut butter.  I've found that 3-4 strawberries are the perfect amount for me, but you can always add more/less as you desire.  

This is such deliciously simple breakfast that takes no more than 5 minutes from start to finish.  My favorite kind of meal!

Tastes Like Fall

Happy Monday, friends.  And...

Seriously...where'd October go?!  That was a fast & furious month full of memories.  Sweet memories.  Some of my favorites were on Friday night...trick-or-treating with my sweet little family.  The only thing that would've made it better was if Mr. Spouse could've been with us.  We sure did miss him.  The joys of Friday night lights {NOT!!!!}  

I used to plan out the boys' costumes months in advance.  I wanted them to be fun & different...more for me than for them :)  But now I LOVE that they have such big opinions about what they want to be.  My oldest insisted on being a taco for Halloween.  A taco, y'all.  He doesn't even like tacos.  But whatever.  I typically wait 'til the last minute to buy or put together costumes because their little minds are always changing.  And {shocker} change they did.  My oldest eventually decided being a ninja was a lot cooler than a taco and my youngest dressed up as a Skylander.  I took my love of leopard print to a new level and painted my face to match my obsession.  My sister & nephew joined in on the fun and my little baby came dressed as Elliot from E.T.  I DIE!!!!  He won Halloween.  

I even managed to make the boys an "exciting" lunch on Friday.  That's what my oldest called it..."exciting".  Ha.  That made me laugh.  Because I know everything else I pack for them is a bit dull and uneventful.  You know, just trying not to set to bar too high for myself ;)

Now it's November and time definitely won't slow down from here 'til the new year.  The weather is finally starting to feel more like Fall and I'm lovin' it.  Cool and crisp.  And here's a recipe that tastes like Fall, too.  A deliciously moist, albeit dense, chocolate chip pumpkin bread.  And I'm topping it off with a sinfully decadent salted caramel frosting.  YUM!!!!  

CHOCOLATE CHIP PUMPKIN BREAD with SALTED CARAMEL FROSTING

3 C. all purpose flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

2 C. pumpkin pie filling

4 eggs

2 C. granulated sugar

1 C. vegetable oil

4 oz. applesauce {one of those little applesauce cups :)}

1 tsp. vanilla

1 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chip morsels 

FROSTING

1 container of whipped buttercream frosting

1/4 C. caramel sauce {I used caramel sundae  topping, found in the ice cream section}

1/2 tsp. sea salt

HELLO FALL.

Heat your oven to 400 and lightly grease an 8x4" loaf pan.  I used 3 disposable 8x3" loaf pans I picked up at the grocery store and they were the perfect size.  3 loaves later, I was one happy, stuffed camper :)

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and baking soda.  Set aside.

In a separate large bowl, mix together the pumpkin pie filling, eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, and vanilla.  Slowly combine the flour mixture with the wet ingredients.  Once it's nice and combined, go ahead and fold in your chocolate chips.  I'm not shy, so I added almost the entire package.  I may have left 1/4 cup in the bag to eat with my peanut butter, but the rest of those morsels found themselves covered in batter.  You can add as many....or few...as your taste palate prefers.

Evenly portion the batter out into your loaf pans and bake at 400 for about 60-70 minutes or until you insert a toothpick into the center of the bread and it comes out clean.  Mine baked for closer to 65-70 minutes.  

Remove from the oven and give it some time to cool...unless you're like me and you insist on cutting a slice and eating it warm with a cold glass of milk.  While you're waiting for the loaves to cool completely, mix up your salted caramel frosting.  Just place the whipped buttercream, caramel sauce, and sea salt in a bowl and stir.  Easiest, tastiest frosting ever!!!  

Once the bread is completely cool, frost it.  Then dig in.  And I mean DIG.RIGHT.IN.  Show no restraint.   My oldest...aka: the world's PICKIEST eater...absolutely LOVED it.  I mean, y'all...he LOVED it.  I was certain that pumpkin was a flavor profile he would vehemently detest, but I was SO wrong.  So I guess you could say this recipe is definitely picky kid tested and approved :)

It's definitely a dense bread.  Not insanely heavy, but dense.  And oh, so moist.  The original recipe called for 2 cups of oil {ohmiword} and I decided to cut that down to only a cup and some applesauce.  While I'm not the biggest fan of pumpkin, I do love the combo of that flavor & chocolate.  And then the salted caramel!?!?!  Well, HELLO FALL!!!!  So delicious!

And because this recipe yields several loaves at once, it's the perfect little something to whip up and take to your kids' teachers or gift to your neighbors.  I can personally tell you that the way to a teacher's heart is right through her/his stomach :)  Okay...well maybe that's just the case for this teacher ;)  Either way, it really does make a pretty great little Fall gift!    Try it & see for yourself!