Chewy Caramel Popcorn and Pretzel Bars

(Cutting my pan of pressed caramel/popcorn/pretzel goodness into ooey-gooey bars...)

(Then, I wrapped each one in foil and stored in a zip top bag in the pantry. It makes it easy to just grab one and throw it in the boy's lunch box in the morning.)

I made and packaged these bars up in foil so my son could take them to school in his lunch. I will admit, I probably ate about three of them in the process! They are so tasty. It's like a salty, sweet, pretzel-y, popcorn-y, Rice Krispie treat...without the Rice Krispies. Does that make sense? No??? Well, you'll have to try 'em to understand what I mean, I guess.

Chewy Caramel Popcorn and Pretzel Bars
From: Martha Stewart, Everyday Food October 2010

Ingredients:
Nonstick cooking spray
12 cups plain popped popcorn (from 1/2 cup kernels or 2 microwave packages)
4 cups coarsely chopped small salted pretzels (7.5 ounces)
2 cups sugar
Coarse salt
2/3 cup heavy cream
2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:
Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, toss together popcorn and pretzels. In a medium saucepan, bring sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup water to a boil over medium-high. Boil, undisturbed, until mixture is amber in color, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat and slowly pour in cream (mixture will sputter). Immediately add marshmallows; stir until melted.

Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pretzels and quickly stir with a rubber spatula to coat. Transfer mixture to dish and use a piece of plastic wrap coated with cooking spray to press evenly into dish. Sprinkle with coarse salt if desired. Let cool completely before cutting into 12 bars.

Jen's Hummus: Plain

I decided to bring hummus for my Mom's Night Out game night. Hummus is always a crowd-pleaser and it is super easy to make. I did not add any flavor variations this time, I just stuck with my base recipe. Yum! I think I will stop at the store and grab some pitas to serve with it.

Jen’s Hummus: Plain

Base Recipe Ingredients:
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (aka garbanzo
beans)
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt or light sour cream
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp coriander
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 cup of feta cheese


In food processor blender, puree all the ingredients with 1-2 tablespoon water. Add more olive oil and salt, if needed.

Jen’s Notes:
This recipe can be easily doubled. All measurements are approximate.

Jen's Hummus: Spinach/Garlic Flavor

This morning I hosted my MOMS Club monthly board meeting, and I decided to make hummus for a snack. I had an abundance of spinach leftover from salads last week, so I thought that spinach/garlic hummus sounded really good. I typically use the same base recipe, and then flavor it with whatever ingredients I happen to have on hand. In the past I have made jalapeño/cilantro, sun dried tomato, roasted red pepper, and plain. I find that homemade is better than store bought; and much cheaper to make. Garbanzo beans are very inexpensive, so I just keep them stocked in my pantry.
I served this with some Stacy's Pita Chips and soft, Garlic Naan bread cut into triangles. Everyone seemed to really like it, and most of the kids ate some too. I especially feel good about giving it to Connor and his pals, because hummus is an exceptionally nutritious snack.
This is another recipe where I don't measure all of the ingredients. I typically add one thing at a time, taste, and then adjust the seasoning.

Jen’s Hummus: Spinach/Garlic Flavor
Base Recipe:
1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (aka garbanzo
beans)
1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt or light sour cream
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground allspice
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp coriander
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp garlic powder
zest of 1 lemon

Flavor Variation:
4 additional garlic cloves
1 cup of spinach
¼ cup of fresh basil (approximately 4 leaves; stems okay)
¼ cup feta cheese

In food processor blender, puree all the ingredients with 1 tablespoon water. Add more olive oil and salt, if needed.

Jen’s Notes:
This recipe can be easily doubled. All measurements are approximate.