Cottage Cheese Pancakes...yes you read that right!!

Yep, you read that right.  I saw this recipe in a book and was thinking...hmmmmm..good diet breakfast, lets try it out on the kids.  Guess what...... they loved them!  I thought they were darn good too and I even whipped them up and didn't let them rest.   I wonder what they taste like if I let them rest???  They take 5 minutes to mix together and 10 to cook.  To me that is amazingly fast - even on a school day.  Try them out!

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

2 cups cottage cheese

4 eggs

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup flour

***Update - Cook on greased skillet - it will help flip.  These do cook longer than 'normal pancakes' on each side.

Mix ingredients and let them rest for 1 hour to up to overnight.

Cook as you would a normal pancake.

Put real maple syrup, jam, fruit or honey on top.
Enjoy!

Piper Arizona Simba Jaggi

John and Piper at AZ Temple grounds

Matthew and Piper - hairy!

Piper - a few months old.  He liked to sleep on top of our couch pillows.

He was our first baby - July 2004

His first bath June 2004

Matthew and Piper talking.

First Halloween - he hated being dressed up.

Matthew and Piper trying to escape!

We had to say goodbye today to a good friend and family member. Piper.

A few months after John and I married, we started talking about getting a dog. He talked about a family he knew in Logan that had this cute little white dog. So a few days later, I happened to be at the mall and stopped in at a pet store, to see what this little white Maltese dog looked like. Bad mistake, don't go holding a cute white fluffy thing and not want it. So we found a local breeder and cashed out ALL our savings and bought Piper. I remember his first night, like it was yesterday, because it was awful! We wanted to return him the next day. He cried all night long!

It got better. He became such a good listener, sometimes even better than my own kids! He loved to go on walks and to run back and forth between John and me. He loved his doggie toys and he knew between his toys and the kid’s toys -never even bothered their toys! He was a good traveler. He and John were good buddies; Piper was always the first to welcome Daddy home. He would give me looks and I knew what he wanted, like potty, food, to play, he was always happy. My sister's family loved him so much they went out and got their own "Piper" (We love Snowy!!).

A few months ago Piper started having some problems with his hind legs. The vet couldn't fix him and so we hoped it would fix on its own. However, it never got better. He was suffering and that is a hard thing to see. So we had a good friend pick him up and to take him away and to put him to sleep. Just before, we had a family meeting to say goodbye and to talk about where Piper was going. I can say that he will truly be missed and we will always love our sweet little doggie. I hope all dogs go to Heaven, and I hope we meet again. Goodbye sweet Piper, we love you!

Christmas dress up - he hated it!

John and Piper, the first week we had him.

Josh, Snowy and Piper ~ in Oregon 2009.

Piper needing some love.

Piper getting some love from Uncle Mike.

Good thing he wore his sweather, lovely Montana snow!

Piper, can you tell what he is feeling?  LOL!  He was saying, "Why do you make me wear these things!"

Emily Alese 4 months today 7-15-2012

My name is Emily, or Emmi, or Em, or Stinky (Daddy calls me that) or Emily Alese Jaggi (Izzie calls me that), Sister, Girlfriend, or Baby.  I turned 4 months today.  Where did the time go?!  I still don't sleep through the night yet, I love to be held and snuggled.  I will not take a bottle.  I smile and giggle.  I love to be outside, play with my pound puppy and to see my brother and sister.  I am adorable and just plain happy all the time.  Can't wait to see what next month brings!

Just made these little babies - they are so good!

Nutella-filled Banana Muffins

ingredients:
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 & 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg  **ran out of eggs and used 1T flaxseed with 3T water
2 medium bananas, mashed
1/3 cup milk
2/3 cup Nutella

instructions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line 12 regular size muffin tins with liners and lightly spray with cooking spray (this will keep the muffins from pulling away with the liners). Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices. Set aside.

With and electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in the egg, mashed banana, and milk. Scrape down the sides and bottom of bowl as needed.

With a silicone spatula, gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet. Divide the batter into the 12 muffins tins. Bake 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove from the tin to cool completely.

Meanwhile, spoon the Nutella into a pastry bag fitted with a large tip. (I used a Wilton 4B.) Once the muffins are cooled, poke the tip into the center of each muffin. Fill until you see the muffin expand a bit and, while squeezing, pull the tip up and out of the muffin.

I made these for my VT Sisters.  They are pretty darn good.  I think they would be good on top of brownies or just plain dough without chocolate coating.  I am a sucker for dough though!

 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Balls

For the cookies:

1 stick (1/2 cup or 4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1/3 cup Greek yogurt (or applesauce or peanut butter) (*** I used greek yogurt)

1 cup semi sweet mini-chocolate chips

For the chocolate coating:

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips, melted for dipping

1/2 tablespoon shortening (for shine)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fit with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about three minutes. Beat in yogurt or applesauce or peanut butter along with the vanilla extract and stir to combine.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add all at once to the butter and sugar mixture and stir until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.

Scoop small or ice cream scoops onto a waxed paper or Silpat lined cookie sheet. Place in the freezer overnight or until frozen, at least three hours.

When ready to dip the balls, melt chocolate chips and shortening in a small saucepan over a low heat. Remove balls from the freezer and dip into warm chocolate. Return to the lined cookie sheet and return to the freezer to harden. Serve cold from the freezer.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake

I have posted on this before, but this time I made one up myself that was soooo good!  If you have not made one of these you are seriously missing out.  My kids LOVE these shakes!!  And they are so healthy.

Ingredients

PROTEIN SHAKE BASE-

Start each shake with this base and blend in the extra ingredients to make the flavored shake of your choice!

·   1/2 Cup Cottage Cheese (or 1 Cup Reduced Fat Greek Yogurt). Cottage cheese may sound strange, but TRUST me… this is what makes the ‘MILKSHAKE’ consistency! Also, if you are sensitive to dairy, you can use tofu to get the same consistency!

·   1 Scoop Protein Powder (Something that has around 100 calories per scoop~I love Designer Whey Protein Powder)

·   1-3 Packets of Splenda/ Stevia/Low Calorie Sweetener (Play around with how much depending on how sweet you like it!)  I use 1 /2 teaspoon of stevia

·   5-10 Ice Cubes (Depending on how thick you like it, use less for a thinner consistency)

·   1/2 Cup-1 Cup Water (Alter this according to desired consistency)

·   *Optional- 1/2 tsp Xanthax gum (you can get this from most grocery stores in the gluten free section! Just a pinch of it makes your shake sooo thick and creamy!) I don't use

CHOOSE ADD-INS TO MAKE THE FLAVOR YOU WOULD LIKE:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Shake (Add these ingredients to base)

·   2 Tbs Chocolate Pudding Instant/sugar free

·   1 Tbs Creamy Peanut Butter

or try this:

Banana Cream Pie Shake (Add these ingredients to base)

·   1/2 Frozen Banana

·   2 Tbs Sugar Free Banana Pudding

·   Optional: 1 Graham Cracker (or Honey Teddy Grahams) on Top of Shake!

You can try so many combos but we make these almost daily.  Check out the person who made them on 'Dashing Dish'. Enjoy!

Isabel turns 4

My girl turns 4!  Can't believe it!

Happy Birthday my Izzie!
I do love how she has my eyes.  Oh I wish time would slow down.  These are the best days of my life.