Pumpkin Butterscotch Granola Bars

Pumpkin Butterscotch Granola Bars

These have become a favorite snack. Slights crunchy, fairly healthy, and a unique combination of ingratiates puts these homemade granola bars above all the others. I hope you give these a try!

Pumpkin Butterscotch Granola Bars

4 cups oats
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/3 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup pepitas (optional)
11 oz. butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and prepare a 9x13x1 inch pan with a sheet of parchment paper (do not use anything besides parchment paper or you will end up with a huge mess on your hands!).
Combine the oats & vegetable oil, mix until the oats are covered.
Add honey, brown sugar, pumpkin, cinnamon, & salt, mix until combined
Add almonds & pepitas, mix until combined
Add butterscotch chips and mix
Pour mixture onto a the prepared pan and spread it evenly, pressing down with a spatula
Bake granola bars at 325 degrees for 30 minutes, pull out of oven and press down hard with spatula again.
Return granola bars to oven for another 10 minutes (for softer) OR 20 minutes (for crunchier). Let cool completely before slicing them.


Enjoy
e&e




Adapted from http://www.heatherchristo.com/cooks/2012/10/11/pumpkin-butterscotch-granola-bars/

7 Layer Dip

 

7-Layer Dip

Paving the road for Super Bowl Sunday can be a messy undertaking. Feelings get hurt, dips are left out in the cold, and only one can come out victorious. In my quest for perfect Super Bowl dip we have been trying some new recipes. Although originally from Washington, I am currently rooting against the Seahawks simply for my deeply rooted distaste for anything Mr. Pete Carroll touches and rooting for Atlanta, which is proving to pay off at this moment in time. But, currently living in Denver I do have to say I am a little saddened by the lack of follow through Payton Manning displayed this weekend. Despite my mixed bag of wins and losses this weekend, I definitely hit it big with this 7-layer dip and because of the freezing temperatures I did make this hot, but if your living on the other side the hemisphere, it is just as good cold. 

7-Layer Dip 

1 16 oz. can of refried beans

1 package of taco seasoning

¾ cup sour cream

1 cup jack cheese

___________________1 can of olives

Guacamole (2 avocados; 1/4 cup chopped cilantro; ½ of a lime squeezed; pinch of salt)     

Pico de Gallo  

Contents above the line are the layers you bake. Contents below the line are put on after the baking has completed.

Mix the refried beans and package of taco seasoning together in a bowl. Place in a glass or ceramic dish that is about 8 inches in diameter (I used a round dish).

Spread an even layer of sour cream, cheese and olives in that order. If keeping cold continue with remaining ingredients. If making warm bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

Mix avocado, cilantro, lime, and salt together in a separate bowl. Once combined, spread in a thin layer.

Finally add the Pico de Gallo to the top.

Serve with chips, fritos, or crackers.

Enjoy

e&e

Oreo Truffles

Oreo Truffles

A favorite, award winner, and a dangerous truffle of sheer goodness. These little truffles pack a pretty big bang for being one of, if not the, easiest cookie I have ever made. When I make these I be sure and have a place to send them too or a person to give them to because I could easily eat the entire batch. For a cookie contest last Christmas I must have baked well over a dozen different options (I can be a little competitive) and landed on these as my entry, reluctantly. I have to say it was the right choice and they have never let me down since then. There is no bake time, no oven, no questions in my mind about whether or not these will be soft enough, etc. With only three measly ingredients these little gems are simple, delicious, and a fan favorite. Enjoy!

Oreo Truffles

1 package of Oreo double stuffed cookies

1 8 oz. light cream cheese 

16 oz. white chocolate almond bark 

Chop oreos into a fine consistency in a food processor. Save a 1/4 cup of the finely chopped Oreos for garnish later and set aside.

Mash the softened cream cheese and crushed Oreos until well combined

Roll the mixture into 1inch truffle balls and place on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes (if I am in a rush, I skip this step!)

Melt the chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute on 50% power. Continue to microwave in 30 second intervals until chocolate is soft and melted. This typically takes me 3-6 rounds of 30 second intervals.

Dip the Oreo truffles into the chocolate and garnish with the Oreo crumbs before the chocolate hardens.

Let the chocolate set, refrigerate, and bask in the baking glory!

e&e

The Year in Review

!Wowzers, take a look at our wild & crazy 2012!

JANUARY

1.1.12 New Years in Breckenridge, CO

1.12.12 Skied Aspen, CO for the first time

1.13.12 Got Engaged

1.27.12 Visit from friend Eric Hoover

FEBRUARY

2.3.12 Holden's & Momma Kingen in two to celebrate our engagement 

2.18.12 Skied Telluride, CO for the first time

2.23.12 Celebrated Ek's 27th Birthday

MARCH

3.1.12 Visit from friends Matt & Susie Kalgren

3.5.12 Momma Kingen in town to find a wedding dress

3.21.12 Traveled home to Spokane for a weekend of wedding planning

APRIL

4.6.12 Concluded 41+ days of skiing at Breckenridge, CO

4.14.12 Married in a field in front of 20 of our closest friends & family
4.29.12 Rockies Game

MAY

5.2.12 Eh defends Master's thesis

5.11.12 Trevor Hall at the Boulder Theater

5.25.12 Traveled to the Great American Sand Dunes

JUNE

6.2.12 Ek graduates with Master's in Sport & Performance Psychology

6.6.12 Ek starts full time at the Center for Concussion as the Concussion Program Manager

6.27.12 Rockies Game

JULY

7.4.12 James Taylor at Tanglewood w/ Holden's and Momma Kingen
7.7.12 Wedding #2 in Massachusetts

7.8.12 Water skiing in Richmond Pond
7.15.12 O.A.R at Red Rocks  

AUGUST

8.12.12 Summited four 14er peaks in one day

8.18.12 Hiked Dinosaur Peak--One of our top 5 all time favorites

8.25.12 Bucket list check off-Drive in Movie

8.28.12 Mumford & Sons at Red Rocks

8.30.12 Traveled to Moab to see Canyon Lands & Arches

SEPTEMBER

9.4.12 Eh starts new job w/ Stryker Orthopedics

9.9.12 Eh finishes his first wood working project

9.29.12 Annual foliage hike

OCTOBER

Honeymooned around Italy, Croatia, Turkey, & Greece

Splashing around Venice, Italy

Hiking Dubrovnik, Croatia 

Exploring Santorini, Greece

Zooming around Mykonos, Greece

NOVEMBER

Tasting the Spice Markets Istanbul, Turkey

Discovering the Parthenon, Greece

11/16/12 Warren Miller at the Paramount

11.22.12 Turkey trotted our way through Spokane for thanksgiving

DECEMBER

12.6.12 Celebrating two years of togetherness back at beginning

12.15.12 Started the 12/13 ski season off  at WinterPark, CO

12.25.12 Celebrating Christmas and a ton of POW at Steamboat Springs, CO

Wowzers, what a year we have had. We have seen more, hiked more peaks, camped at more lakes, and traveled to more places. 2012 was one hell of year and 2013 plans to be even better: a Kingen/Uchida wedding, visits from the Australians, a milestone birthday, epic ski trips, another summer sure to be filled with hiking, biking, & camping. From our house to yours...May 2013 bring you all more life, more love, and more adventure!

e&e