Chicken Burrito Bowls

We didn't eat our Chicken Burrito Bowls in a bowl, so maybe I should have called them chicken burrito stacks.  Hmm.  Regardless of what we called them, they were great.  They were quick to whip up and a great way to get a few raw veggies in the kids tummies.

2 cups cooked chicken, shredded and seasoned with taco seasoning to taste

2 cups rice, cooked
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (15 ounce) can corn, drained
2 tomatoes, diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 avocado, diced
4 cups Romaine lettuce, shredded

Greek Yogurt Chipotle Dressing*:

3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

For the dressing, cut open the chipotle pepper and scrape out the seeds. Place all the ingredients in a blender and and blend until the dressing is smooth.

*This dressing is SPICY!!  Use sparingly!  Or just use a small part of the pepper instead of the whole pepper when preparing the dressing.

To make individual servings, layer rice, chicken, lettuce, black beans, and veggies. Drizzle with the chipotle dressing.

Recipes adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff and Tone & Tighten.

Linked on Weekend re-Treat.

Fudgey M&M Oat Bars

Holy snapdragons!  These Fudgey M&M Oat Bars are good!  When you have a smooth, fudgey center surrounded by sweet, crumbly, oat layers and sprinkled with M&M goodness, you just can't go wrong!  The kiddos seem to agree, as well.  Oh, and the hubs.

My 12 year old always asks me to buy Ding Dongs for her lunches she takes to school.  I smile and tell her I won't buy Ding Dongs at the store because I already have one at home, her.  These Fudgey M&M Oat Bars might not be Ding Dongs, but I sure didn't get any complaints when I put them in the kids lunches.

1 1/2 cups quick oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter melted
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (12 ounce)bag milk chocolate chips
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl mix oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and 1 cup softened butter. Remove 1 cup of the mixture and set aside. Press remaining mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13-inch baking dish. In a small pan, over low-medium heat, melt chocolate chips with the sweetened condensed milk and 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring constantly. Pour chocolate mixture over the oat mixture in the baking dish and spread evenly. Sprinkle leftover oat mixture over the chocolate. Top with M&Ms and bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting.

Recipe from Lil' Luna.

Linked on Weekend re-Treat and Link Party Palooza.

Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars

My little 5 year old is quite the dainty little princess.  Yesterday she got mad at me and told me "Mom, if I had a magic wand I'd turn you into a frog so I wouldn't have to listen to you!".  :)  Now, to the recipe.

Growing up we always DREADED eating school lunch.  The soggy, nearly gray, green beans still give me nightmares!  There were some pretty tasty foods, too.  Like the School Lunch Room Rolls and these yummy Lunch Lady Peanut Butter Bars.  There's just something magical about chocolate and peanut butter together.  It makes things disappear right before my eyes!

1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cups creamy peanut butter
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups oats

Peanut butter layer:
3/4 cups creamy peanut butter

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350. In a small mixing bowl combine flour, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl cream together butter, sugars, peanut butter, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Gradually add dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Stir in the oats, then spread onto a greased 11x15-inch cookie sheet. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes. Whip the peanut butter for the peanut butter layer until it becomes light and fluffy. Carefully spread the whipped peanut butter over the peanut butter bars. Place butter in a small sauce pan and melt over medium heat. Add the milk and cocoa. Cook, stirring constantly, just until boiling. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar and stir until incorporated. Pour over the peanut butter and gently spread. Cool completely.

Recipe from Tried and Tried Again.

Linked on Pin It Thursday, Link Party Palooza and Weekend re-Treat.

Homemade Sidewalk Paint

Spring is just around the corner and I'm already looking for ways to encourage my kids to play outside (aka quite time for Mom!).  This Homemade Sidewalk Paint is super quick and easy to make - just 2 ingredients plus coloring!  And the littles love to paint with it.  Check out their masterpieces!

1 cup water
1 cup cornstarch
food coloring

Combine water and cornstarch and mix until smooth.  Divide into small containers and color with food coloring.

Recipe from Domestic Charm.

Linked on Weekend re-Treat and Pin It Thursday.

Easy No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars

Mornings start early around here.  Sometimes a little too early.  We're out of the house by 9 (at the latest), but usually by 7:30 (if not earlier!), 7 days a week.  Sleeping in is being able to sleep until 7.  Yep, that's how we sleep in around here.  Between getting kids dressed, hair done, lunches made, chores done and things gathered up, there isn't much time for breakfast before we're out the door.  That's where these awesome Easy No-Bake Chewy Granola Bars come into play.  A granola bar in one hand and a piece of fruit in the other = breakfast.  And once in a while they even make an appearance as an afternoon snack.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups crisp rice cereal
4 cups granola (I love to use Susan's Granola)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Combine crisp rice cereal and granola in a large bowl; set aside.  Combine butter, honey, brown sugar and salt in a medium sized sauce pan.  Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium and boil for 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.  Pour over granola mixture and mix until the granola mixture is well coated.  Press into a greased 10 x 13-inch cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with chocolate chips and lightly press to make stick.  Let cool completely and cut into 16 bars.

Recipe adapted from Lauren's Latest.

Linked on Weekend re-Treat and Pin It Thursday.

Baptism Dress Cupcake Cake and My Favorite Frosting - Coconut Buttercream Frosting

My little girl turned 8 last month and got baptized this past weekend.  I found the idea for her cake floating around on Pinterest and made this darling Baptism Dress Cupcake Cake for her.  It was super simple but everyone was pretty impressed.  It would also make a fantastic bridal shower or christening cake.

I used my favorite frosting, Coconut Buttercream Frosting, on it and everyone loved it!  The butter and coconut flavorings are my secret ingredients.  My kids (coconut haters) have no clue there's coconut flavoring in it and even like this frosting better than my Vanilla Buttercream Frosting.  Unless you knew there was coconut flavoring in the frosting, you'd probably never guess.

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 pound powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon butter flavoring
1 teaspoon coconut flavoring
2-4 tablespoons milk

Combine butter and shortening in a large bowl and mix until smooth.  Add powdered sugar and mix until well combined.  Add flavorings and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix until the frosting is smooth and desired consistency.

Recipe from The Royal Cook - an original!

Linked on Weekend re-Treat and  Pin It Thursday.

Chewy Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love coconut.  I secretly add coconut flavoring to my buttercream frosting sometimes, just because I can.  But don't tell the kids or they'll never trust me enough to eat a thing I make again!  For some reason, the kids claim not to like coconut.  Not sure why.  My littles sure are strange!  So....anytime I think I can sneak a little coconut in, I do.  The oatmeal hides it a bit and the kids all loved these cookies.  Especially the one who claims to dislike coconut the most.  She practically ate half the batch!

These Chewy Oatmeal Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies are sweet, buttery, chewy, chocolaty goodness.  And since they have oatmeal in them they're healthy, right?

1 cup oatmeal (I used old fashioned)
2 1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup coconut (if you don't like coconut, fell free to leave it out)
1 (12 ounce) package semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put the oatmeal into a food processor or blender and blend about 30 seconds until coarse. Add flour, baking soda and salt and set aside. In a large bowl, beat the butter for 30 seconds until light in color. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and mix well. Add the dry ingredients then add the coconut and chocolate chips. Shape cookie dough into balls and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool slightly before removing them from the pan to a cooling rack.

Recipe adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe.

Linked on Weekend re-Treat.