March Food Holidays

Mar 1 -Tues -National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day (Peanut Butter Cup Brownies)

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup softened butter
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter chips plus about 1/3 cup more for garnishing
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips plus about 1/3 cup more for garnishing

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. Spray or grease 12 muffin cups.
  2. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine sugar, butter, and water. Microwave on high for 1 minute or until butter is melted. Stir in 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips until melted.
  3. Stir in egg and vanilla extract. Add flour and baking soda, stirring until blended.
  4. Stir in 1/2 cup each of peanut butter chips and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
  5. Spoon batter by heaping tablespoonfuls into muffin cups.
  6. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until top is set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out slightly moist.
  7. Place pan on wire rack. Centers of brownies will fall upon cooling.
  8. Place peanut butter in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high for 45 seconds, then stir. While brownies are still hot, spoon about a tablespoon of peanut butter into the center of each brownie.
  9. Top with semi-sweet chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Cool in pan.

Mar 2 -Wed -National Banana Cream Pie Day

Ingredients:

  • 1 nine inch Graham pie crust
  • 2-1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3-4 over ripe bananas
  • whipped cream

Directions:

  1. Combine the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium heat until thickened making sure to whisk consistently.
  2. Lightly whip your egg yolks in a small bowl. Stir a small amount of your milk mixture in with the yolks and whisk until combined. Slowly stir into the pan with the remaining pudding mixture and cook for two minutes longer; making sure to stir the entire time.
  3. Remove from the heat and stir in your butter and vanilla extract.
  4. While your pudding is cooling, slice your bananas and place into your prepared pie crust.
  5. Pour lukewarm pudding over the bananas.
  6. Cover and chill 4 hours. Top with whipped cream!

Mar 3 -Thurs

Mar 4 -Fri

Mar 5 -Sat -National Cheese Doodle Day (Cheese Puffs)

I got a bag of puffy Cheetos for the kids today!

Mar 6 -Sun -National Oreo Cookie Day (Oreo Truffles)

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of Double Stuffed Oreo’s
  • 4 oz. Cream Cheese
  • 12 oz. Almond Bark

Directions:

  1. Crush the Oreo’s in a bowl.
  2. Mix in the cream cheese by hand and roll into balls and place on wax paper. Save the crumbs for the garnish.
  3. Place in freezer for 10 minutes.
  4. Melt the almond bark in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring between.
  5. Place a toothpick in the balls and dip them in the chocolate.  
  6. Place them back on the wax paper and remove toothpick.
  7. Refrigerate.

Mar 7 -Mon -National Cereal Day

I bought the kids special sugary cereals for the day… Baby Shark Berry fin-tastic Cereal and Dunkin’ Caramel Macchiato Cereal.

Mar 8 -Tues  -National Popcorn Lover’s Day

I bought the kids special flavored popcorn for the day…

Mar 9 -Wed -Meatball Day

Ingredients:

  • Frozen Meatballs
  • Marinara Sauce
  • Shredded Mozzarella

Directions:

  1. Place meatballs into a baking dish.
  2. Mix in marinara sauce.
  3. Bake on 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
  4. Place cheese on the top and bake for 10 more minutes.

Mar 10 -Thurs -National Blueberry Popover Day

I used this blueberry popover recipe from the Two Cups Flour blog.

Mar 11 -Fri

Mar 12 -Sat

Mar 13 -Sun

Mar 14 -Mon -National PI Day (Triple Berry Pi)

Ingredients:

  • 2 crusts (9 inch): one for the bottom and one for the top
  • 7 cups fresh or frozen raspberries, blueberries and blackberries
  • 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar (plus a little extra to sprinkle on top of the pie)
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 4 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 large egg white beaten with a fork

Directions:

  1. Add berries, sugar and lemon juice to a large saucepan over medium heat. 
  2. Simmer, until warm and juicy, about 5-10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.
  3. Spoon out about ½ cup of the juice from the pan into a bowl. Stir cornstarch into the juice until smooth. 
  4. Bring pot of berries back to a simmer and slowly pour in the cornstarch. Gently stir mixture (being careful not to mash the berries), until thickened, about 2-5 minutes.
  5. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell.
  6. Use number cookie cutters to put the numbers of Pi (3.14) in the top pie shell.  Then place on the top of the pie.
  7. Pinch the edges of the top and bottom pie crusts together and crimp the edge, if you like. Brush a thin layer of beaten egg white over the top of the pie and sprinkle lightly with sugar. 
  8. Bake at 400 degrees F for 40-45 minutes. Check it after about 25 minutes and place a piece of tinfoil over it if the top crust is getting too brown. 
  9. Remove to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool for several hours. Once cooled completely, you can cut into it or cover it and refrigerate it overnight to serve the next day.

Mar 15 -Tues

Mar 16 -Wed -National Artichoke Hearts Day (Spinach Artichoke Dip)

Ingredients:

  • 8 oz light cream cheese full fat is fine but I used light
  • 16 oz light sour cream same you can use full fat if you want
  • 1 stick 1/2 C butter
  • 10 oz frozen chopped spinach thawed and squeezed to remove excess liquid
  • 14 oz Artichoke Hearts
  • 4 oz diced chilies mild drained (don’t worry this doesn’t make it spicy AT ALL pinky promise)
  • 1 1/2 C shredded Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 C grated Romano cheese
  • 1 TBS chopped garlic
  • Tortilla Chips

Directions:

  1. Chop artichokes.
  2. Drain off any excess liquid from spinach and chilies.
  3. Combine everything in crock pot and allow to heat through for about an hour.

Mar 17 -Thurs -St. Patrick’s Day (St. Patrick’s Punch)

Ingredients:

  • Lime Sorbet
  • Sprite
  • Ginger Ale

Directions:

  1. Mix the Sprite and Ginger Ale in a large glass. 
  2. Add a scoop of lime sorbet.

Mar 18 -Fri -Oatmeal Cookie Day (Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies)

Ingredients:

  • ½ Cup Shortening
  • ¼ Cup butter
  • ¾ Cup Peanut Butter
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 teas. Vanilla
  • 1 ½ oats
  • 1 teas. Baking soda
  • ½ teas. Salt
  • 5 oz. peanut butter chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream together the shortening and butter.
  3. Add in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
  4. Mix in the rest of the ingredients.
  5. Chill for a hour.
  6. Drop Tablespoonfulls onto a greased baking sheet.
  7. Flatten with a fork and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Mar 19 -Sat -Poultry Day -National Chocolate Carmel Day (Ritz Rolo’s)

Ingredients:

  • Rolo’s
  • Ritz Crackers

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Place the crackers onto a baking sheet with the salty side down.
  3. Place one Rolo on each cracker.
  4. Bake for a couple of minutes then add another cracker to the top and gently press down.
  5. Allow to harden, then enjoy!

Mar 20 -Sun -National Ravioli Day (Toasted Ravioli)

No fancy homemade recipes today… we just baked some frozen toasted ravioli and warmed up some marinara sauce!

Mar 21 -Mon -National French Bread Day

Ingredients:

  • 1 cups warm water 90-100 degrees
  • 1 Tablespoons instant yeast
  • 1 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 large egg white mixed with 1 Tablespoon water

Directions:

  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. First, add the water, yeast, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whisk the mixture together and let it sit for 3 minutes, or until it’s bubbly and frothy.
  3. Next, add in the oil, salt, and 2 1/2 cups of flour. Attach a dough hook and mix on low until the dough comes together. Increase the speed to medium-high and knead. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl. If it doesn’t, add more flour, 2 Tablespoons at a time, until it does. Then, knead the dough for 2 minutes on medium-high.
  4. Remove the dough hook and cover the work bowl with a warm damp towel. Let the dough rise for 15 minutes.
  5. Remove the towel and punch the dough down. shape  into a long, thick dough that measures 16-17 inches long. Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, and cut 5-6 slits diagonally on each loaf.
  6. Move the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 375 degrees Let the dough rise for a second time while the ​oven preheats. As soon as the oven is done preheating, pop the pan into the oven (don’t let the dough sit out too long because it will over-proof).
  7. Bake for 23-25 minutes. Then, remove the bread from the oven and brush the loaves with 1 egg white mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water. Bake for another 3-5 minutes.
  8. Move the pan to a wire rack and cool the bread for 5 minutes before slicing and serving!

Mar 22 -Tues -World Water Day

Mar 23 -Wed -National Chip & Dip Day

My favorite is potato chips with Tostitos Ranch Dip!

Mar 24 -Thurs -National Cheesesteak Day (Crockpot Philly Cheesesteak)

Ingredients:

  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 1¾ cups hot water
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 pounds top sirloin steak cut into very thin strips
  • 1 medium red bell pepper sliced thin (about 1 cup)
  • 1 medium green bell pepper sliced thin (about 1 cup)
  • 1 medium white onion sliced thin (about ½ cup)
  • 6 hoagie buns sliced in half lengthways
  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 6 slices provolone cheese cut in strips

Directions:

  1. In a large measuring cup, mix together the beef bouillon cubes and the water. Stir in the Worcestershire sauce, salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Add the beef strips, sliced red and green peppers and sliced onion to the crockpot.
  3. Pour the beef bouillon mixture over the top of the meat and vegetables in the crockpot. Stir to combine.
  4. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. Until the meat is cooked and tender.
  5. When the meat has finished cooking, preheat the oven to 400F. Spread the butter on the hoagie buns and place them cut side up on a baking sheet. Bake until they begin to get golden and toasted around the edges, about 5 minutes.
  6. Remove the hoagie buns from the oven and fill each one with beef mixture. Place slices of provolone cheese on the beef in each bun and return them to the oven until the cheese has melted, about 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Mar 25 -Fri -Waffle Day (Eggos)

My waffle maker broke last week… so we had Eggos today!  Kids still LOVE them!

Mar 26 -Sat -Spinach Day (Spinach Dip Bites)

I used this Spinach Dip Bites recipe from the Lil Luna blog.

Mar 27 -Sun

Mar 28 -Mon -Something on a Stick Day (Corn Dogs)

Tried to make corn dogs in the air fryer at 370 degrees for 15 minutes, they were delicious!

Mar 29 -Tues

Mar 30 -Wed

Mar 31 -Thurs -Tater Day (Garlic Parmesan Potatoes)

Ingredients:

  • 1.5 pounds small yellow potatoes, halved
  • 1 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

  1. Lightly grease a slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray. Place potatoes, olive oil, butter, garlic and seasonings into slow cooker and toss to coat potatoes well.
  2. Cover and cook on low for 5-7 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until potatoes are tender. Stir every few hours.
  3. Transfer potatoes to a large bowl and toss with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Re-season with salt and pepper, if needed. Serve immediately.