Really Easy Berry Sauce

Guys I think summer is officially ending.  This is a strange concept for me because growing up in Arizona, summer lasts until the middle of October.  Now that I know that Indiana's weather is very fickle, so I'm not holding my breath, but we have had a couple of 40° days.

Here's my final summer hurrah (although this would be a bit more convincing if I didn't need to wear a sweater while making this)!

What you need:

1 14 oz bag frozen mixed berries

1 TBS lemon juice

2 TBS sugar

2 TBS corn starch

What you do:

Combine all ingredients in a large microwavable dish.  Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval, for 2-2.5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.  Note that the sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

This sauce is a great topping for pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, ice cream, and yogurt.  If you’re feeling a bit more creative, mix it up with some vanilla yogurt, oatmeal (for added fiber!), and milk, and you have a healthy, delicious smoothie!

Banana Bread Oatmeal

I LOVE banana bread.  I love quick breads in general, but something about banana bread just feels very homey, bakesale-y, and makes a good welcome-to-the-neighborhood-we're-very-pleased-to-be-your-neighbors gift.  But since it’s summer time, the last thing I want to do is heat up the whole house by turning on the oven.  The good news is that we can still enjoy the flavors of banana bread for breakfast without heating up the oven!

If you’re feeling fancy, you can add a tablespoon of peanut butter and/or chocolate chips after the oatmeal has been cooked.   You know, just to make the morning a bit more bearable.

What you need:

1 ripe banana, mashed

1 tsp cinnamon

1 C old fashion oatmeal

1C water

1/2 C milk

Chopped walnuts, for topping

What you do:

Combine all ingredients except walnuts in a large, microwaveable bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, for about 1.5-2 minutes, or until oatmeal is thick.  Remove from the microwave and add walnuts.  Enjoy warm. 

Speculoos No-Bake Cookies

This Speculoos spread might just be my weakness.  If you have never heard of Speculoos before, it is Trader Joe’s version of Biscoff cookie spread.  And it is deeelicious.  Trust me, you need to go by yourself a jar of this stuff.  Pronto.

I hate turning on the oven in the summer, so I love that these cookies are no bake.  What's not to love about enjoying delicious cookies without having to turn on the oven?

What you need:

6 Tbs Biscoff spread

½ C sugar

4 tbs butter

½ C sugar

1 ¾ C old fashion oats

1 tsp vanilla

¼ C milk

What you do:

Bring sugar, milk, and butter to a boil, stirring constantly and making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan so that the mixture does not stick and burn.  Let boil, and stir for one minute.

Remove from heat and add other ingredients.  Line cookie sheet or baking pan with parchment paper and either shape into balls for a round cookie or press into the pan if you desire a bar cookie. 

Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, or until firm.