Endozoochory

Endozoochory: The scientific word for animals eating seeds and spreading them out through their waste. We get lots of new plants and trees this way. These are Eastern Red Cedar. There are so many tiny ones in our front yard, and I dig them up and put them in pots, to transfer later. I'm thankful for these trees.

Pretzel-coated chicken with honey mustard

Pretzel-coated chicken ingredients

• 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 cups hot water
• 3 tbsp salt (or 4 tbsp kosher salt)
• 2-3 cups pretzels
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup ranch dressing
• salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder

Pretzel-coated chicken directions

1. Cut each chicken breast into 3-4 pieces of equal thickness.
2. In a large bowl, stir salt into hot water.
3. Add chicken pieces to salt water and place in fridge for a few hours.
4. About 30-40 minutes before mealtime, preheat oven to 425°F.
5. Prepare sheet pan with cooking spray or foil.
6. Remove chicken from salt water, rinse and pat dry with paper towels, then place on plate.
7. Using a food processor, break down pretzels to make crumbs and pour into bowl.
8. Stir seasonings (to taste) into bowl of pretzel crumbs.
9. Mix mayo and ranch dressing in a separate bowl until well combined.
10. Coat chicken pieces with mayo/ranch, then coat with pretzel crumbs, then place on sheet pan.
11. Cook chicken for 15-20 minutes at 425°F. (Note: Safe cooking temp for chicken is 165 ºF. Use meat thermometer inserted into thickest piece of chicken to check if it's done.)

Honey mustard ingredients

• 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp raw honey
• 1 heaping tablespoon yellow mustard

Honey mustard directions

1. Add ingredients to bowl or cup and whisk until well-combined. (May need to pop honey in microwave first to liquify.)
2. Use honey mustard as dipping sauce for pretzel-coated chicken.

Easy mini lemon cupcakes

Recipe makes a dozen mini cupcakes.

Mini Cupcake Ingredients

• 5/8 cup self-rising flour
• 3/8 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp softened butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice and zest

Directions for mini cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place 12 mini cupcake liners in mini muffin baking pan.
3. Cream butter and sugar together with mixer or whisk.
4. Add remaining ingredients to mixing bowl and combine using mixer or whisk.
5. Fill cupcake liners with batter.
6. Bake 12-14 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
7. Cool mini cupcakes before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2.5 tbsp lemon juice and zest
• pinch of salt

Directions for frosting

1. Combine all ingredients in bowl using mixer or whisk.
2. Frost mini cupcakes using knife or piping bag.

Nutrition facts calculated at VeryWellFit.com: Calories 175, Total Fat 6.2g, Saturated Fat 3.8g, Cholesterol 29mg, Sodium 59mg, Total Carbohydrate 26.8g, Dietary Fiber 2.3g, Total Sugars 21.9g, Protein 0.6g

Easy mini chocolate cupcakes

Recipe makes a dozen mini cupcakes.

Mini Cupcake Ingredients

• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp coffee

Directions for mini cupcakes

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Place 12 mini cupcake liners in mini muffin baking pan.
3. Add all ingredients to mixing bowl and combine using mixer or whisk.
4. Fill cupcake liners with batter.
5. Bake 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
6. Cool mini cupcakes before frosting.

Frosting Ingredients

• 1.5 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp coffee
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Directions for frosting

1. Combine all ingredients in bowl using mixer or whisk.
2. Frost mini cupcakes using knife or piping bag.

Nutrition facts calculated at VeryWellFit.com: Calories 162, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 3g, Cholesterol 24mg, Sodium 45mg, Total Carbohydrate 25.7g, Dietary Fiber 1.3g, Total Sugars 23.2g, Protein 1.1g

Green bean and corn casserole

Ingredients

• 2 cans french cut green beans
• 1 can white corn
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 can fried onions
• pepper, garlic powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Prepare baking dish with non-stick spray.
3. Drain beans and corn.
4. In mixing bowl, combine soup, sour cream and 2/3 can of fried onions.
5. Add pepper and garlic powder to taste and stir.
6. Add beans and corn and combine all ingredients.
7. Pour mixture into baking dish.
8. Top with remaining fried onions.
9. Bake at 350° for about 30 minutes.
10. Serve and enjoy!

Notes/Optional

Can sub cream of mushroom or other "cream of..." for cream of celery soup. 

Can sub other cuts of green beans. 

Can sub yellow corn for white corn. 

Can add 1 cup shredded cheese, if desired.