peanut butter oat breakfast bites

A quick and easy breakfast/snack based on a recipe from allrecipes.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups oats
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup honey

Instructions

1. Mix all ingredients well.
2. Roll into about 1 inch balls.
3. Store in the refrigerator at least 8 hours before enjoying!

chocolate beet cake

Another COVID-19 root veggie recipe that turned out to be a new favorite. The beets really didn't add any earthy flavor to the cake, but kept it incredibly moist. We'd definitely make this recipe, based on one from food.com,  again even without a surplus of beets in the house.

INGREDIENTS

4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla
3 cups shredded fresh beets
1/3 cup dutch process cocoa powder

DIRECTIONS

• Heat oven to 350 °, grease and flour 13x9 baking pan.
• Beat eggs, sugar and oil until light and fluffy.
• Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon.
• Add to egg mixture and mix well.
• Add vanilla and beets.
• Beat for 1 minute on medium speed.
• Pour into pan, bake for 45 minutes, or until a pick comes out clean.

sweet potato biscuits

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we ordered a box of root veggies from Driftless Direct. To our great benefit, they accidentally sent us a second box for free. We now have so many beautiful veggies, but I have to find creative ways to use them in recipes the kids will happily eat repeatedly. The perfect answer for several sweet potatoes were these yummy biscuits from Once Upon a Chef. The kids happily ate these two days in a row with lunch-- Kory and I enjoyed them too!

Sweet Potato Biscuits 

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup cooked mashed sweet potato (from one medium sweet potato)
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup whole milk, as needed
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with back edge of knife
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the mashed sweet potatoes and 1/3 cup milk. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; process for a few seconds to mix. Add the chunks of cold butter, then pulse a few times until the mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size chunks of butter within. (If you don't have a food processor, this can be done by hand with a pastry cutter or your hands.)
4. Transfer the flour mixture to a medium bowl, then add the sweet potato mixture and fold gently to combine. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons milk a little at a time until the dough is just moistened and holds together (you may not need all of it).
5. Sprinkle a small handful of flour on a work surface. Turn the dough out onto the surface and knead lightly 2 or 3 times with the palm of your hand until the mixture comes together. Pat the dough into a 3/4-inch round. Using a 2-1/2 inch-round biscuit cutter or glass, cut the dough into biscuits. Gently press the scraps into another round and cut out more biscuits. Place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until golden on the bottom and firm to the touch, 12-14 minutes. Serve warm with honey butter.