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This oatmeal is quick, easy, and delicious!!! I use rolled oats, rolled red wheat, cinnamon, brown sugar, milk, raisins, and a ripe banana for this recipe. It’s freezer friendly, so you can store some at home, or at work!

Banana Raisin Oatmeal

• 1 ½ cups rolled oats (not instant)
• 1 ½ cup red wheat
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt
• 3 cups skim milk (almond, soy, rice, or coconut milk, may be substituted)
• 1 large ripe banana, diced
• ¾ cup raisins

1. Add oats, red wheat, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and milk to a medium sauce pan.
2. Using medium heat, bring to a simmer.
3. Simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Stir in the banana and raisins.

Makes 4 large servings.

Watch me prepare a client favorite recipe, Flank Steak Roll-Ups with Spinach & Bacon!! It’s perfect for grilling on the 4th of July! Follow that with a quick fizzy Strawberry Cooler, for a family-friendly BBQ!

Flank Steak Roll-Ups with Spinach and Bacon

• 1 ½ pound Flank Steak, trimmed of fat and pounded ½ inch thick
• 1 teaspoon Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 8 bacon slices
• 1 ½ 10 ounce boxes frozen Spinach, thaw and squeeze liquid out
• 1 teaspoon garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon thyme, dried
• 12 skewers, 8 inches long, soaked in water for 30 minutes.

1. Fry bacon slices in a pan using medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes….just until cooked and soft. Do not cook until crispy for this recipe.
2. Trim flank steak, and pound to ½ inch thick with a meat mallet. Sprinkle generously with the Montreal Steak Seasoning.
3. In a large bowl, place the thawed, squeezed spinach. Add the garlic, lemon juice, some Kosher salt, and the thyme.
4. Arrange the bacon slices on top of the flank steak, covering the ¾’s of the flank steak that’s closest to you. This will leave about two inches of flank steak uncovered. Using your hands, arrange the spinach mixture over the bacon in an even layer. Press it flat.
5. Using both hands, begin at the end closest to you, and roll the flank steak tightly, until you have one large roll. Insert three skewers, 3 inches apart, to hold the roll together.
6. Using a very sharp chef’s knife, slice the roll into 1 inch pieces. It’s easiest to slice off only one or two at a time. Lay the pinwheel flat on your cutting board, and insert a skewer through it. This will prevent them from falling apart on the grill, and it will make them easier to flip over.
7. Preheat grill to medium-high. Scrape grill and spray with non-stick spray that is designed for grills (non-flammable). Grill for 4 minutes, then flip over and cook for 3 to 4 more minutes.

Creamy Strawberry Cooler

• 1 pound strawberries, washed and trimmed
• 1 cup vanilla ice cream, lowfat
• 1 cup club soda, chilled
• 2 fresh strawberries, greens attached, for garnish
• 2 tall glasses and straws

1. Place one pound strawberries, ice cream, and club soda in a blender. Blend on high for one minute.
2. Pour into tall drinking glasses. Make one cut in the garnish strawberries, running the long way, so they can sit on the edge of the glasses.

I know you’re going to love this party-perfect appetizer!! Make it ahead of time and take “ready to bake” to any party! All you need is baguette, cream cheese, pesto, salami, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan Cheese.

Genoa Bread

• Baguette
• Soft Cream Cheese
• Pesto
• Quality Salami, thinly sliced, casing removed
• Sun-Dried Tomatoes, oil-packed, thinly sliced
• Parmesan Cheese

1. Slice bread into ½ inch thick slices. Using a butter knife or silicone spatula, spread a thin layer of soft cream cheese on top of each slice of bread (about 1 ½ teaspoons cream cheese on each slice of bread).
2. Place about ¾ teaspoon pesto on top of the cream cheese. Spread it evenly, using the back of a spoon.
3. Thinly slice the salami with as sharp knife, and remove the casing. Slice into half-moon shapes. Arrange on top of the bread.
4. Drain the sun-dried tomatoes, and place on top of the salami.
5. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
6. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet.
7. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 7 to 8 minutes.

This quick and easy Holiday Snack Mix is sure to become a family favorite!! Toast Cheerios with melted butter and cinnamon, then add the whole wheat Chex, pretzels, dried apples, dried cranberries, and M&M’s. Perfect for gift giving!

Holiday Snack Mix

• 14 ounce box Cheerios, plain
• 1 stick butter
• 2 tablespoons Cinnamon
• 14 ounce box Whole Wheat Chex
• 6 cups mini pretzels
• 2 cups dried apple rings, chopped small
• 2 cups dried cranberries
• 2 cups M&M’s (12.6 ounce bag)

1. In a large skillet, melt the stick of butter and add the cinnamon over medium-low heat. Stir well. Add the box of Cheerios, and stir well. Toast the Cheerios by stirring constantly over medium-low heat, until the butter is completely absorbed. Remove from heat.
2. In a very large bowl, place the toasted Cheerios, the Chex cereal, the pretzels, the dried apples, the dried cranberries, and the M&M’s. Stir very well.
3. Divide into cute gift packaging. Air tight is best. Store in the freezer if possible.

This recipe will become a new family tradition! Watch me make Sausage, Apple, and Cranberry Stuffing, which I put in a fresh turkey breast, and then bind it with twine. I roast it, and then carve it into beautiful slices. It is perfect for a small family gathering, when you do not want to prepare a whole turkey. Enjoy!!

Sausage, Apple, Cranberry Stuffed Turkey

This is one of my favorite recipes! It’s sweet and savory, and has the hallmarks of the holidays, with fresh apples, fresh herbs, and dried cranberries. It is a special recipe, and well worth the effort. Your family will ask for it again and again!

For the stuffing, you will need:

• 6 cups whole wheat bread, about 6 or 7 slices
• 1 pound turkey sausage, breakfast flavor, casings removed
• 1 ½ cups onion, diced small
• 1 ½ cups celery, diced small
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 large golden delicious apple, cored and chopped
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• ⅓ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• ¾ cup turkey or chicken stock
• ¼ cup butter, melted
• Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Cube the bread and then toast on a cookie sheet in a hot oven, for 6 to 8 minutes at 365 degrees. Transfer to large bowl.
2. In a large skillet, cook the onions and sausage over medium heat. Break up the sausage into small pieces. Cook until evenly browned. Add the celery, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Cook for 4 minutes for flavors to blend.
3. Pour sausage mixture into bowl with the bread cubes. Mix in apples, cranberries, and parsley. Drizzle with turkey stock and melted butter.

For the turkey entrée, you will need:

• 3-pound turkey breast, boneless and skinless, butterflied
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• Kitchen twine

1. Prepare the stuffing before working with the turkey.
2. Using a very sharp chef’s knife, trim all visible pieces of fat from the turkey breast. Cut a pocket into the thickest part of the turkey breast.
3. On a cutting board, lay the longest piece of butcher’s twine perpendicular to yourself. Lay the other 4 pieces of butcher’s twine across the long piece. Lay the butterflied turkey breast on top of the twine, and arrange the breast meat open. Place about 3 or 4 cups of stuffing into the turkey breast. Taking one of the 4 shorter pieces of twine, carefully tie it closed, containing the stuffing in the turkey. Repeat with the other three pieces. Use care to contain all of the stuffing in the breast meat. Lastly, tie the long piece of twine, going the long way and fold the meat to contain the stuffing.
4. Once the meat has been tied up, turn it over and place in an oven safe baking dish. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with the kosher salt, pepper, and thyme.
5. Bake uncovered in a 375 degree oven, for approximately 55 minutes to an hour. Using a meat thermometer, check to ensure the stuffing has reached 165 degrees. Let roast rest for 15 minutes. Carve into slices, about half an inch thick.

**This recipe makes plenty of stuffing. Place remaining stuffing in an oven safe baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees. Serve on the side, along with my Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles, and Cranberry Orange Walnut Crescent Rolls.

These cookies are loaded with flavor! With a full cup of pumpkin, lots of chocolate, and the spices of pumpkin pie, they’re sure to become your family’s favorite cookie this season.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter, completely softened
• ⅔ cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup white sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup pumpkin
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cloves
• ½ teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (Trader Joe’s is my favorite brand of chips!)

1. Combine butter, brown sugar and sugar in large bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy.
2. Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla. Continue beating until well mixed.
3. Reduce speed to low; add flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Beat, scraping down the sides of the bowl often, until well mixed.
4. Gently stir in chocolate chips.
5. Chill dough for one hour in the refrigerator. Dough can be frozen at this point if you would like to prepare in advance.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop cookie dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons each. Flatten slightly and place on foil-lined cookie sheets.
7. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes.

Make this fun snack with your kids, to have something healthy before trick-or-treating! I use pizza dough, and slice it into finger and toe shapes! Brush on pesto to make the Ogre Toes green!! Give them a WICKED manicure and pedicure with plastic spider rings!

Witch’s Fingers & Ogre Toes with Bloody Dip

• 1 tube pizza dough
• ¼ cup blanched almonds
• Red food coloring
• 1 can medium whole olives
• 3 tablespoons pesto
• 1 cup Marinara sauce
• 12 plastic spider rings

1. Using a sharp knife, slice the blanched almonds in half. Place them in a small glass dish and add four drops of red food coloring. Stir well so the almonds become coated with the red dye. Spread the almonds curved-side up on a paper towel to dry.
2. Open tube of pizza dough, and unroll onto a large cutting board. Using a knife, cut long strips 1 inch wide, by 12 inches long. Cut the long strip into three pieces (approximately one finger long). Roll between your palms to make them round, like fingers. Place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Form a rounded knuckle shape in the middle of each finger. Press one red almond into the tip of each dough stick.
3. For the Ogre Toes, cut the strips to be wider and shorter (1 ½ inches by 2 ½ inches long). Place them on the foil lined cookie sheet. Form into a toe shape. Using a small food-safe brush, brush pesto over the dough. Slice the whole olives into halves. Press one olive half into the tip of each toe.
4. Bake fingers and toes in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Once cool, place the plastic spider rings on the Witch’s Fingers. Serve with marinara “bloody” sauce.

This dip is so tasty! I use rotisserie chicken, cream cheese, ranch dressing, Frank’s hot sauce, mozzarella cheese, and green onions. It’s great with Ritz crackers, celery sticks, and baby carrots.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, completely softened
• ½ cup ranch dressing
• ¼ cup Frank’s brand hot sauce
• 1 cup Mozzarella Cheese
• ½ cup green onions
• 2 ½ cups diced rotisserie chicken
• ½ cup blue cheese crumbles

Serve with celery sticks, baby carrots, Ritz Crackers

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, ranch dressing, green onions, and hot sauce.
2. Mix until combined using an electric mixer.
3. Add mozzarella cheese and mix again.
4. Add diced chicken and stir gently.
5. Place in a 13 X 9 baking dish, crock pot, or heavy-duty foil pan (for grilling).
6. Sprinkle evenly with the blue cheese crumbles.

Oven: Bake uncovered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Crock pot: Heat on high for 1 hour, or low for 2 hours.

BBQ at your tailgater: Preheat grill to low. Place foil pan on directly on the grates, and close lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes, or until dip is hot and bubbly.

Everything with Pumpkin Spice is so nice this time of year! In this episode of In the Kitchen, I demonstrate how easy it is to make fancy coffee drinks for your family, for just pennies per cup!

• 2 cups strong coffee
• 2 cups whole milk, hot
• 2 to 4 tablespoons brown sugar (to taste)
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice **recipe below
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• ¼ cup whipped cream

Pumpkin Pie Spice Recipe 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves

In a large container, add the hot coffee, hot milk, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Use a wire whisk and whip the ingredients together. Whisk vigorously to froth the milk. Pour into coffee mugs. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice. Serve immediately.

Chocolate chips, ripe bananas, honey, and whole grains make this the perfect snack for backpackers, play dates, and lunch boxes!

Banana Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

• 3 cups Rolled Oats (not instant or quick oats)
• 1 cup Rolled Red Wheat
• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• ½ cup Wheat Germ
• 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• ¼ cup Honey
• 2 tablespoons Molasses
• 1 ½ cup banana, very ripe, smashed smooth
• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips (Trader Joe’s brand is my favorite)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13 X 9 pan with foil, and spray foil with non-stick spray.

In a large bowl, place all of the ingredients. Mix well using your hands. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Let cool. Lift foil and bars out of the pan. Peel the foil off, and cut the bars into pieces. Makes 24 servings.