Easter Cheese Ball and Veggies

This is a fun way to serve Easter appetizers. I made these last year and they certainly created conversation. Use your favourite cheese ball recipe and simply form it into the shape of a carrot. Serve the cheese with a variety of crackers or tortilla chips and the vegetables with your favourite dip. I provided my cheese ball recipe but any cheese ball recipe would work. Remember to finely grate the cheese  on the outside of the carrot as a large grate would be too big.
This is a recipe submitted by the younger of the two sisters!

Brownies

I have made many brownies over the years and I must confess I haven't met very many I don't like haha. This recipe is one of my favourites. I can tell by the way they disappear that my family really enjoys them too. Sometimes I will also sprinkle nuts over top of the frosting to add that special touch.

Blueberry Bran Muffins

 I love muffins in the morning or for a snack in the middle of the day. Store bought muffins are usually huge and unhealthy. I like these muffins because they are moist. I found this in one of my many "Barefoot Contessa" recipe books. I like to make a double batch and individually wrap half of them and store them in the freezer for lunches.

½ Cup Vegetable oil

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

7 ounces Greek-style yogurt (about 1 cup)

½ cup sugar

½ cup honey

2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 ½ cups wheat bran

1½ cups fresh blueberries (8 ounces)




Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush the top of a muffin pan with vegetable oil and line it with 12 paper liners.

Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

In large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, ½ cup vegetable oil, honey, eggs, and vanilla until combined.

Add the dry ingredients, stirring with a wooden spoon, just until incorporated.

Gently stir in the wheat bran until incorporated.

Add the blueberries and stir until evenly distributed.

Scoop the batter into the muffin cups.

Bake for 22 to 30 minutes, until the tops are a golden brown and a cake tester comes out clean. Allow to cool for 5 minutes and serve warm or at room temperature. 

Print Recipe:Blueberry Bran Muffins

Combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.

In another bowl combine oil, honey, sugar, yogurt and vanilla.

 

Add beaten eggs.

Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir gently.

Stir in the wheat bran.

 

Stir in blueberries.

Divide batter into twelve muffin cups.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes.

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Sloppy Joes with Crispy Onion Straws

This is a very yummy and flavorful version of a Sloppy Joe. This recipe comes from one of my favourite T.V. chefs, Guy Fieri. The meat mixture is topped with crispy onions to take this dish over the top. It has a nice amount of heat from the jalepeno and spices. My family rated it ten out of ten. I made the meat mixture one day ahead and then made the crispy onions the day I served it.

Darlene's Nana' s Raisin Cookies

My sister-in-law and I were reminiscing the other day about our Grandmother's and what good cooks and bakers they were. My sister-in-law remembers her Nana always having a batch of these raisin cookies when she visited. She shared the recipe with me and I made a batch and OMG are they ever good. So soft and chewy. Thanks Darlene.

Chocolate No Bake Haystacks