Epic Fail!

K1 loves cheesecake (okay honestly we ALL love it!). So we decided to make one a Back To School Cheesecake.  

It started out great. 

K1 used the rolling pin to crush the graham crackers. 

We worked together to get all the ingredients mixed up. 

Lookin' good, right?! 

We popped in the oven to bake for one hour.  And per the instructions we left in the oven for a few hours to cool, you know, so it won't crack... Well...

The sucker cracked, like the Grand Canyon! 

Oh well, it was delish any way! 

We ate every. single. bite. 

(We've made this same recipe several times... sometimes it cracks, sometimes it doesn't.) Hmpf.

Black bean burgers! DELISH!

These burgers are so easy and delicious, not to mention great for you!! You should totally try them out!

Black Bean Burgers

2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 red onion, diced
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds ground pepper
1/2 tsp lime juice
1 tsp Tabasco
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
A few extra tablespoons olive oil

For serving:
Hamburger buns
Ketchup
Mustard
Tomatoes
Avocados
Lettuce

Add the beans to a large bowl and mash with a masher or your hands. Set aside.

In a small skillet, heat 2 Tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add onions and saute until softened, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Add to black beans. Add oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, lime juice, Tabasco, garlic and bread crumbs. Stir well to combine.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat and add a few tablespoons olive oil, enough to coat the bottom of the pan. Shape black bean mixture into patties and cook on each side for 3-5 minutes.

Serve on hamburger buns with whatever condiments you like.

Yields 6 burgers.

NOTES: Instead of shaping the patties as big as a regular hamburger, I would make them small and thick. Once you bite into your black bean burger, the burger is going to spread and flatten. So making them smaller will leave room for spreading on the bun.

Source: Rookie-Cookie

Fruit (and veggie) smoothies!

We love making fruit smoothies during our hot Texas summers. We don't really follow a recipe as such, but usually use the same ingredients. Basically we put a handful of strawberries, blue berries, black berries, a couple of bananas, a 1/3 cup of splenda, a handful of spinach (you don't taste it at all) one container of vanilla yogurt, 12 or so ice cubes, a dash of vanilla and a splash of vanilla soy milk! Dump it all in the blender and puree until smooth... instant refreshment!

Everyone in my family loves them and they're good for ya too! You should totally try it!

Yellow squash chorizo tacos

Because we've had an abundance of squash... I've been forced to get creative with some recipes. I found this one and it was delish!!!

Yellow Squash Chorizo Tacos

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 medium yellow squash, diced
1 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
10 oz pork chorizo ( I used turkey chorizo... who knew?!)
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 14 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
Tortillas for serving
Guacamole for serving

In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil. Once the oil runs quickly in the pan, add the onion, yellow squash, salt, pepper and cumin. Saute until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add chorizo and break up using a wooden spoon. Once chorizo is broken up, add the tomatoes and black beans. Stir until well combined. Cook until chorizo is cooked through, about 10 minutes, stirring often.

Serve a scoopful of chorizo filling in a tortilla with guacamole.

source: http://rookie-cookierecipes.blogspot.com/

Cinnamon Sugar Muffins

These little boogers are divine!! Definitely just a special treat since they're full o'sugar... but every now and then a little treat is in order!

Ingredients

• 1-¾ cup Flour
• 1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Nutmeg
• ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
• ⅓ cups Oil
• ¾ cups White Sugar
• 1 whole Egg
• ¾ cups Milk
• _____
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• ¼ cups Butter
• ⅓ cups White Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
  

Preparation Instructions:

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

Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine the white sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl.

Shake muffins out while still hot. Dip muffins in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Let cool.

Source: http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen/