Fluffernutter Pizza

I have never had a fluffernutter.

I know right? One would think I have been living under a rock.

This isn't true.

I was going through all the things in my pantry that have been collecting dust and found a jar of marshmallow fluff...from the s'more bars I made...a year ago. (Apparently marshmallow fluff lasts forever)

I saw this funny word on the side of the jar "fluffernutter"...interesting.

Then I tried one.

How did I spend 23 years without this wonderful concoction?!

I decided to take it to the next level one lazy sunday night. I was feeling inspired by the Chicago-style deep dish pizza I was about to devour and came up with this...

Its gooey, and sticky and messy. But lets face it...if the clean freak is willing to get a little messy it must be good.

It's good. It didn't last 3 hours.

0:)

Fluffernutter Pizza
Dame Good

Ingredients:

1 pound pizza dough (can be homemade or storebought)
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup marshmallow fluff
1/2 cup peanut butter chocolate chips
6 large marshmallows

Directions:

Position the oven rack on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.

Line a heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll out the dough to a 9-inch-diameter round. Transfer the dough to the prepared baking sheet. Using your fingers, make indentations all over the dough. Brush the dough with butter, then bake until the crust is crisp and pale golden brown, about 15 minutes.

Immediately spread the peanut butter spread over the pizza. Refrigerate for 20 minutes and spread the marshmallow fluff over the peanut butter. Take the halved marshmallows and place evenly on top of the marshmallow fluff. Sprinkle with peanut butter chips.

Bake just until the chips and marshmallow begins to melt about 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Granola

I'm baaaack!!

Well sorta...it is reaching the end of the quarter aka super-stressful-crazy-busy-time.

My vacation=lovely. For 4 days I ate, drank and floated on a lake with some of my favorite people. We literally ate every 20 minutes and burned I'm guessing 0 calories.

But thats what vacation is for. Getting fat. And not caring about it.

Of course now this week its all about fruits, vegetables and a lot of time at the gym. But it's worth it.

Am I right or am I right?

If anyone actually consistently reads this silly blog then you have probably discovered I like to make up granola. It's easy and fun. And I love greek yogurt so it works for me.

I dont know where I got the idea for this, but it came to me and I tried it. It's not too "jelly-y" (yeah, I make up words). I personally like my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with extra peanut butter. But to each their own...play around with this recipe to your liking.

I'm allowing it :)

Peanut Buter and Jelly Granola
Dame Good

Ingredients:

5 1/4 cups oats
1/2 cup lightly salted peanuts, chopped
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar-free jelly
2 tablespoons canola ol
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup wheat germ
2 tablespoons flax seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat peanut butter in microwave for 30 secons. Stir and heat again for 15 seconds.

Combine oats, peanuts, wheat germ and flax seeds in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine peanut butter canola oil and honey. Mix well. Stir in the jelly just a tad (don't overstir, you want the peanut butter and jelly to be somewhat separate).

Place the granola on a sprayed baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pan and stir the granola, rotate the pan and bake again for another 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Peach BBQ Baked Beans

I have been a horrible blogger.

I know. I am sorry.

If it is any consolation I have had a really really tough and challenging week. Sometimes things happen to challenge you or to drastically shift your perspective so you can see things clearly and learn about yourself.

I have been learning about myself.

It has been tough. And things aren't ideal right now but I am putting the confident and positive Tarrah I used to know so well back on and never taking her off again.

Things get tough for a reason. If you belive in your gut, then you just have to believe things will work out the way they should.

Positive. Positive. Positive.

A few weeks back, we had a work potluck. Gosh I love potlucks. It was a backyard barbeque kind of theme...Gosh I love barbeques :)

I have had this recipe tucked away in my "to-do" list for what feels like ages. I have always been dying to make it but never had the ample opportunity until now.

Love it. Love love love it!

It makes a TON...and by a ton I mean you will be putting containers of it in the freezer. But that's okay because its so yummy and come winter time when you are really missing that beautiful summer that feels like so long ago and would give anything for a backyard barbeque you can pull this out.

You'll feel better. I promise.

Ps, I am leaving for a much needed little mini-vacation with a few friends tomorrow night so I will be MIA for a bit, but for happier reasons :)I am so ready to be on a boat with good friends, margaritas, junk food and no sense of time...yes please!

I shall return refreshed and revived!

Peach BBQ Baked Beans
From foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

8 strips bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 (#10 can, about 6 pounds and 10 ounces) baked beans (recommended: Bush's)
3 cups canned peach pie filling
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
2 tablespoons Jack's Old South BBQ Rub

Jack's Old South BBQ Rub:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1/4 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until somewhat crispy and its fat has rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, leaving the fat in the skillet.

Add the pepper and onion to the skillet and cook, stirring, until softened, about 6 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a large baking pan.

Add the bacon, beans, pie filling, barbecue sauce, and rub to the pan. Mix to combine and bake, uncovered, until hot and bubbly, about 1 hour.

Portabello Spinach Lasagna

Some people would be surprised to know that my favorite shirt isn't pink, or adorned with a cupcake of any kind...nor does it have pearls, ruffles or anything that sparkles on it.

I've had the same favorite shirt for as long as I can remember. It is from 1985 and used to belong to my dad.

It is gray and faded and so worn thin that it is almost see-through. If you squint hard enough you can still make out the "1985 All-Stars Game The Twins" on it...just barely.

But it is the most comfortable shirt that has ever touched human skin. It is so light and perfect for that cool summer night when you have the windows down.

I only bring this up because I caught a lot of slack for still wearing it the other night...ahemshawnahem!

He's just jealous.

I will probably mourn for an entire week when the holes in the shirt have become too much. But I don't like to think about that.

I will wear it until it dissolves.

How bout that.

It's comfort for me. Much like lasagna is...and bread...and chocolate...and anything edible for that matter. This lasagna recipe is comforting and get this...pretty guilt free. Ch'yeah.

It is a meatless lasagna...I know I know...that is unheard of and rather preposterous for that matter but I promise you don't even miss it. Shawn didn't, and he is kind of meat and potatoes land.

Seriously.

But if you don't believe me. Add ground chicken. It will rock I'm sure.

Portabello Spinach Lasagna
Adapted from foodnetwork.com

Ingredients:

9 whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 3/4 pound)
2 teaspoons olive oil
12 ounces portobello mushrooms, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups store bought marinara sauce
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta cheese
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 egg, lightly beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
3 ounces grated part-skim mozzarella cheese (about 2/3 cup)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cook the noodles al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain them well and spread them out onto aluminum foil or waxed paper to prevent them from sticking.

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and all the liquid has evaporated, about 5 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the tomato sauce and simmer for 2 minutes. In a medium bowl combine the ricotta cheese, spinach, egg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, a few turns of pepper, and nutmeg.

Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 9 by 12-inch baking dish. Layer 3 noodles on top of the sauce and spread half of the ricotta mixture. Spread half a cup of tomato sauce on that. Repeat a second layer again with 3 noodles, the other half of ricotta and half a cup of sauce. Layer the final 3 noodles on top of that. Spread the remaining 1/2 cups of sauce over the lasagna rolls. Top with grated cheeses, cover loosely with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 minutes more

Buffalo Wing Onion Rings

Lately I have found myself gravitating towards my favorite childhood snacks.

My pantry now has a box of dunkaroos (the best kind that had the cinnamon graham cookies and vanilla icing with sprinkles) and a box of chocolate teddy grahams that are enticing me at all hours of the day.

I am not sure what possessed me to purchase these boxes of processed sugar and memories of the many summer nights I spent in front of an episode of "Are You Afraid of the Dark" (hiding under a blanket of course).

But I am glad I did.

For they are still oh so good for my mouth and soul alike.

Something I wish I had been able to enjoy when I was a kid? These buffalo wing onion rings. Why have I never thought of these until now?! I have been really missing out...

I must say though...making onion rings...it's tedious. After dipping the 4th ring I was "so over it". But the final product made it worth it.

If you have the patience of a 2-year old, make these with a partner. I wish I did. But I was rewarded for my hard work...I really was.

Buffalo Wing Onion Rings
Dame Good

Ingredients:

1 large white onion
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup hot buffalo sauce
2/4 cup egg whites
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup corn flakes
1 oz package dry ranch seasoning
1/2 cup wheat flour
cooking spray

Directions:

In a casserole dish, combine onions, buttermilk and 1/2 cup hot sauce. Allow to soak for about 2 hours.

Place corn flakes in a food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs. Mix corn flakes, bread crumbs and ranch in a medium-sized bowl.

In another bowl, mix egg whites and 1 tablespoon of hot sauce. Put the wheat flour in a separate bowl.

Take each onion and dip in the flour, follow by dipping the same onion in the egg whites and then finally in the bread crumb mixture. Place onion rings on a baking sheet fitted with a baking rack (I actually use a cooling rack) so the onions cook evenly. Once all the onions are dipped, spray lightly with cooking spray.

Bake at 450F for 10-15 minutes flipping onions halfway. Serve warm with ranch.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

I did something fun last night.

The kind of fun that calls for heels and good perfume. Shawn and I had a date night...on a sunday...we're wild like that.

Last tuesday was his birthday. My old man turned 25. We both love comedy and enjoy the raunchy and dirty humor that is of Daniel Tosh on Tosh.0.

Thankfully I discovered he was coming to Columbus so I eagerly snatched up a couple tickets and surprised him with it while we were watching Tosh.0.

It was hiiiiilarious.

I love to laugh. After eating, laughing might be my favorite thing. Lucky for me I have my own personal little clown.

Of course the half bottle of sweet red wine that I enjoyed over our homemade steak dinner helped.

But really, it was so so funny. I am not sure what kind of person it makes me to enjoy his humor. It is so wrong on so many levels but if I had room to roll on the floor I would have.

No joke.

Peanut Butter Banana Bread

From Cookinglight.com

Ingredients:

Bread:
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1/3 cup plain fat-free yogurt
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
6 3/4 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted peanuts
Cooking spray

Glaze:
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon 1% low-fat milk
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

To prepare bread, combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat until blended.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through allspice) in a small bowl. Add flour mixture to banana mixture; beat just until blended. Stir in nuts. Pour batter into a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from oven; cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack. Remove bread from pan; cool.

To prepare glaze, combine powdered sugar, milk, and 1 tablespoon peanut butter in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Drizzle glaze over bread.