The mission from Allrecipes.com and Fiber One:  Create an original recipe featuring Fiber One cereal.

Now I’ll admit, when the complementary boxes of Fiber One arrived in my mailbox, honestly I was less than excited.  I’ve never been a fiber cereal kind of gal, and I seriously doubted I’d be able to come up with something that didn’t taste like, well, twigs.

But I was pleasantly surprised.  The cereal is very crunchy, so it lends itself as a replacement for other grains.  My first recipe attempt was a muffin and it was a total failure.  The texture was just way off.  But it wasn’t the cereal that caused the problem – they were way too wet.

I decided on my second attempt I’d try to make something crunchy.  This is my second try at biscotti ever, too.  So maybe we can call it beginner’s luck, but these turned out really well.

They’re crunchy and full of nutty flavor, and the honey and dusting of cinnamon sugar make them sweet enough for me but not super sweet.  Mission accomplished!

Multi-grain Chocolate Chip Pecan Biscotti

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Recipe type: cookie

Author: Angie Seaman

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 50 mins

Total time: 1 hour

Serves: 36

Ingredients

• 1 cup Fiber One cereal, crushed
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or grease.
2. Mix together flour, oatmeal, Fiber One, salt, baking powder and 1t cinnamon; set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together butter and honey. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Add vanilla.
4. Slowly add dry ingredients until just combined. Stir in all but 1/8 cup each pecans and mini chocolate chips. Stir together remaining cinnamon and sugar; set aside.
5. Cover and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
6. Divide dough into two equal pieces and form into approximately 9″ logs and place about 4″ apart on prepared baking sheet.
7. Moisten fingers with water or use a spatula coated in water, and press dough logs down to about 1″ thick. Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips and pecans over the top of the dough and lightly press in, then sprinkle tops of logs with half of the cinnamon sugar mixture.
8. Bake 20-25 minutes until brown around the edges. Lightly spray with water and sprinkle remaining cinnamon sugar over tops of logs; let cool 10 minutes and reduce oven to 325 degrees.
9. Cut logs crosswise into 1/2″ slices and lay them close together, cut side up on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Turn over so other cut side is up, and bake another 10 minutes or until golden brown.
10. Let cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container.

Serving size: 1 cookie Calories: 89.6 Fat: 5.3 g Saturated fat: 2.4 g Unsaturated fat: 2.4 g : 9.7 g Sugar: 5.4 g Fiber: 1.4 g Protein: 2.5 g Cholesterol: 56.7 g

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photo: Washington National Cathedral

I’ve heard of lots of names for this day of indulgence before lent:  Mardis Gras, Shrove Tuesday, Fat Tuesday, Fastnacht, Paczki Day.  But pancake day was a new one on me – and I’m on board.  Any excuse for a nice tall stack of pancakes is ok by me.  And since I can’t get a decent version of my beloved paczkis where I live, I will have to settle for pancakes.

The traditions are all the same with different ways to celebrate.  The idea was to purge the house of all the thing you had to give up for Lent – so high-fat high sugar treats are the watchword for the day.  Pancake day is the same idea – make pancakes to get rid of the butter, sugar and flour.  But there’s an even more fun tradition for those flapjacks than enjoying their fluffy goodness on a plate.

Shrove Tuesday was once known as a ‘half-holiday’ in England. It started at 11:00am with the signalling of a church bell. On Pancake Day, pancake races are held in villages and towns across the United Kingdom. Legend has it that a housewife from Olney was so busy making pancakes that she forgot the time until she heard the church bells ringing for the service. She raced out of the house to church while still carrying her frying pan and pancake.

The pancake race remains a relatively common festive tradition in the UK, and England in particular, even today. Participants with frying pans race through the streets running and flipping their flapjacks. In Olney today, a pancake race still takes place every year on Shrove Tuesday.

The tradition of pancake racing had started long before that. The most famous pancake race, at Olney in Buckinghamshire, has been held since 1445. The contestants, traditionally women, carry a frying pan and race to the finishing line while tossing the pancakes as they go. The winner is the first to cross the line having tossed the pancake a certain number of times. Traditionally, when men want to participate, they must dress up as a housewife (usually an apron and a bandanna).

And in the US, the national cathedral celebrates this tradition with their annual pancake race.  I can think of better ways to treat a stack of flapjacks, but it looks like fun to me.  As long as I get to eat some of those pancakes I’m totally on board.  Here’s my recipe for the best pancakes I’ve ever had.  Much like pancake racing, making these perfect is all about the technique.

My Favorite Pancakes

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Recipe type: Breakfast or Brinner

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 15 mins

Serves: 2

This recipe is scaled way down for a small batch – just double or triple if you’re feeding a group.

Ingredients

• 1 C flour
• 1/4t baking soda
• 1/2 t kosher salt
• 1 t sugar
• 2T melted butter
• 1 egg, separated
• 1C buttermilk

Instructions

1. Heat griddle or frying pan over medium heat (350 degrees).
2. Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl, whisk and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and butter. In a separate bowl, mix together egg white and buttermilk until combined. Drizzle yolk/butter mixture into the buttermilk while whisking to create an even emulsion.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry, and mix to just combine. Batter will be lumpy. Scoop by 1/4 cup scoops onto hot griddle. Flip when the batter starts to bubble, and then serve hot.

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To me, graham crackers aren’t complete unless there’s some frosting between them.  Dunked in a glass of milk, they’re delicious and super simple.

Next time you make cupcakes, cake…anything that uses frosting, you will invariably have some left over.  Just spread it between the graham crackers and put them in the fridge to set up a bit.  Delicious!

But, if you are impatient and want to make frosting specifically for your graham crackers, here’s a recipe.  I fancied them up by just pushing the edges into some sprinkles before the frosting set.  Enjoy!

Graham Crackers with Frosting – Easy Treats

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Recipe type: Dessert

Author: Triggerpal at AllRecipes.com

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 24

A simple to make treat that will satisfy any sweet tooth.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup milk

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat the margarine, egg and vanilla, using an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Stir in confectioners sugar and cocoa until smooth. Beat in the milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the desired spreading consistency is reached. You may need to adjust the amount of milk used.

Notes

Consider chocolate graham crackers, cinnamon grahams, or any flavor frosting. There are a million ways to make these delicious.

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This isn’t my normal kind of treat, but as part of the AllRecipes AllStar program, we get monthly activities to do and this was one of them.  Fiber One sent us some cereal and our job was to make the haystacks and create an original recipe of our own.

I will admit, honestly, I’m not a fan of the cereal on its own.  It’s just my food issues I’m sure, but the texture doesn’t make me smile, and my stomach really doesn’t enjoy it.  So, this challenge was more of a challenge than normal.

That said, the haystacks are a pleasant surprise.  I can say the texture still isn’t tops on my list even with the the chocolate coating, but even I think these aren’t bad.  The peanut butter and chocolate add just enough sweet, and if I just have one or two of them, my stomach doesn’t turn them into pain and anger.

And if you’re watching your weight or your Weight Watchers points, they won’t add much to your totals, and they’re pretty filling from the fiber.

So, would I happily reach for them instead of a cupcake?  Probably not.  But they’re a nice replacement for something sweet when I’m watching my calories, and they’re super easy to make.

Click to get the recipe.

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What’s better than buttercream and chocolate cake?  A decadent Nutella filling.

These Valentine’s Day cuties are a basic cake mix cupcake taken over the top with the best buttercream frosting I’ve ever made, or tasted.  And they’re filled with Nutella.

It’s a simple way to say I heart you to that special someone this February 14.

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Enjoying comfort foods is about more than eating a hearty meal. During the winter months we are often running at a frantic pace, rarely experiencing the sun shining on our faces, through dark, crisp, and snowy streets. By the time we arrive home from work or errands we are chilled to the bone and have another to-do list of tasks needing to be accomplished at home.

Today, our expert contributor and food blogger, Edgard Sammourd reminds us of what comfort food is really all about. And also provides us with a delicious tip the next time we sit around the fire as a family.

One of my most memorable times in winter are snowy evenings where it’s blazing cold outside, and a warm wood-burning fireplace brings the family together. Those are precious bonding times away from iPads, smart phones, TVs and facebook.

We set our fire place ablaze, throw a few heads of potatoes on the charcoal along with some chestnuts wrapped in aluminum foil, and gather around the fire trying to absorb enough warmth while waiting for the food to cook. We let the potatoes cook thoroughly until the outside skin turns into charcoal. Once done, we split the potatoes open with a knife, sprinkle just a tiny bit of salt, and we use a spoon to scoop the soft potato meats.

A big thank you to Edgard Sammour from Mama’s Lebanese Kitchen, for the nice reminder of how important and refreshing quality time with your family can be and for the great potato tip!

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You don’t have to spend hours fighting with cutout cookies to get together some cute Valentine’s sweets for your favorite honey.

Use drop sugar cookies, and decorate with two different colors of icing for a look that says you care enough to make the very best.  Add special messages for your sweetheart, or leave the design open enough to share with a number of sweeties – we don’t judge.

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It’s good to be the life of the party, and the cocktail is at the heart of it. That’s why the World Bartending Championship is looking for new and unique cocktail recipes from their fans and guests. The T.G.I. Friday’s® WBC Cocktail Recipe contest will help celebrate the 21st birthday of the World Bartender Championship and what better way to celebrate being 21 with some amazing new drink recipes? So, whether it’s a twist on a classic favorite or your grandfather’s uncle’s secret family recipe, they want to see what you’ve got.

Click for details and enter by 2/26/12

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Parents with children (ages 5-12) are invited to submit home videos that show the family together in the kitchen introducing a rice-based dish they prepared and discussing their experience cooking together. Consumers will have an opportunity to vote for their favorites and one grand prize winner will receive $20,000 cash, an appearance on “The Rachael Ray Show” and a $50,000 cafeteria makeover for the child’s school.

Videos can be submitted to www.BensBeginnersContest.com until Feb. 26, 2012, where official contest rules, kid-friendly recipes and helpful hints can also be found.

“Our goal is to demonstrate and celebrate that cooking with your kids leads to a better relationship with food and with each other,” said Tim Snyder, vice president of marketing, Mars Food US, the parent company of the Uncle Ben’s® Brand. “As a company, Mars Food strongly supports healthy eating and family togetherness. We are thrilled to be launching a campaign that will help parents establish healthy beginnings in their children’s lives.”

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Take some pictures of your favorite homegating recipe this Superbowl Sunday and you could win a Char-broil Grill2Go, XZipit® by La-Z-Boy® – AND – The Ultimate Wholly Guacamole® HOMEGATING® Party Pack, which includes a year supply of Pepperidge Farm® Natural Baked Cracker Chips, Blue Diamond® Almonds and Wholly Guacamole.

Enter your recipe and photo by February 4, 2012 for a chance to win. Happy livingroom tailgating!  For details and to enter, click here.

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