Makes ¾ cup

This delicious carmel sauce can be made up to 2 months ahead and kept in the freezer or up to 5 days in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup + 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• pinch of salt
• 2 apples, sliced

Directions

1. Place butter and brown sugar in a small sauce pot over medium heat, stir to combine and melt the butter.
2. Bring butter and sugar to a light boil around the edges of the pot.
3. Once the sugar mixture is well combined and comes to a boil, immediately turn off the heat and whisk in vanilla, heavy cream and salt.
4. Serve carmel sauce with sliced apples.

Makes 12 bars
I came up with this recipe for a ski weekend at Whistler. We wanted to get in as much skiing in as possible, so we decided to ski through lunch. I knew we needed some energy mid-day, so I came up with these nutritionally rich granola bars, perfect for a snack on the slopes or at a beach side picnic. Crumble to make granola.

Make Ahead: Up to 5 days ahead, make the bars, keep in a covered container.

Ingredients

• 2 cups oatmeal, old fashion
• ¾ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup pepitas, roasted and salted or hulled, roasted and salted pumpkin seeds
• 1 cup coconut, flaked, loosely packed
• ½ cup wheat germ
• ½ cup cranberries, dried
• ½ cup blueberries, dried
• 2 Tablespoons flax seeds
• ¾ cup apple, dried, finely chopped
• ½ Tablespoon lemon zest
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 2/3 cup honey
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°.
2. Line a 9X13 inch baking dish with parchment and spray with non-stick spray.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the oatmeal, almonds, pepitas, coconut and wheat germ together and spread out on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally until slightly toasted. Pour back into the bowl. Mix in cranberries, blueberries, flax seeds, apple and lemon zest.
4. Reduce the oven temperature to 300°.
5. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat, stir in lemon juice, honey, brown sugar and vanilla and bring to a boil for about a minute, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and pour over the oat mixture and stir until well combined. Scoop the oat mixture into the baking dish, with a greased spoon press the granola evenly and firmly into the dish. Bake for 25-30 minutes, turn off the oven and let cool in the oven for a few hours cut and serve.

Makes 10
This is perfect for a last minute Halloween treat or a fun recipe to make any day with the kids.

Ingredients

• 2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 2 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter

Directions

1. Place 1 ½ cups of chocolate in a microwave safe bowl.
2. Microwave on high for 20 seconds, stir. Microwave for another 20 seconds, stir. Repeat until the chocolate is melted and smooth (about 1- 2 minutes). Stir remaining chocolate into the melted chocolate until all the chocolate is melted (this tempers the chocolate to make it shiny).
3. Line a mini muffin tin with mini muffin cups and spray liberally with non-stick spray.
4. Dollop 1 teaspoon of chocolate into each cup, place a heaping ½ teaspoon of peanut butter in the center of each and cover with 1 1/2 – 2 teaspoons chocolate.
5. Place in the fridge for about 10 minutes or until hardened. Keep in a cool dark place.

Makes 5
This a great to make on Sunday so lunch will be ready to go for the rest of the week. You can always add some carrot sticks too.

Ingredients

• 3, ¼ inch thick slices of smoked turkey breast, cut into 15, 2 inch squares
• 15, 1/8 inch thick X 2 inch wide squares, Cheddar cheese
• 30 whole wheat Ritz crackers
• 2 1/2 cups applesauce, unsweetened
• pinch of cinnamon
• 5 100% juice boxes

Directions

1. Place 3 cheese squares and 3 turkey squares in a small container with a lid.
2. Place 6 crackers in a small container with a lid.
3. Place ½ cup of applesauce and a pinch of cinnamon into a small container with a lid.
4. Repeat with remaining ingredients to make 5 complete lunches.

* You can also try ½ cup of vanilla non-fat yogurt and sprinkle some dark chocolate chips over the top, freeze it and by the time lunch rolls around it will be thawed.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 3 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 3 Tablespoons romano cheese, finely grated
• salt to taste

Directions

1. In a small microwave bowl add butter, oregano and garlic and melt for about 30 seconds or until melted. Stir together.
2. Pop popcorn in an air popper.
3. Pour melted butter mixture over the popcorn and toss.
4. Sprinkle the cheese over popcorn and toss.
5. Add salt to taste.

Serves 8

Follow along with Jill. Click here to watch the Make Ahead Meals web segment for this recipe!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 1 cup Feta
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• pinch cayenne
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red wine vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons mascarpone cheese (you can sub cream cheese)
• pinch of sugar
• 4 pitas
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Add all of the ingredients through the sugar to the bowl of a food processor. Blend until well combined.
2. Heat a medium sauté pan over medium. Add 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add 1 pita allow to “toast” on for about 20-30 seconds and flip and toast the other side. Repeat with remaining oil and pita.
3. Cut each pita in to 8 wedges and serve with dip.

Makes 16

Ingredients

• 16 large-medium strawberries
• 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips

Directions

1. Wash and pat dry strawberries.
2. In a small microwave safe dish, microwave chocolate for about 1 1/2-2 minutes, stopping ever 20 seconds to stir until melted.
3. Holding the green top dip each strawberry into the chocolate and place on a sil-pat or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining strawberries.
4. Place dipped strawberries in the fridge for about 5 minutes to harden the chocolate .
5. Place the white chocolate into a small microwave safe dish, microwave chocolate for about 1-1 1/2 minutes stopping ever 20 seconds to stir until melted.
6. Pour white chocolate into the corner of a small Ziploc bag , twist the bag to add pressure and cut the corner tip to make a small hole to pipe the chocolate.
7. Decorate strawberries with the white chocolate and serve.

Makes 22 Sliders
Sliders are the perfect appetizer for the Big Game, no matter what side your friends are rooting for, these sliders will be a winner!

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 12 oz or 1 cup ground sausage
• 1/4 cup yellow onion, finely grated
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, I use Mr. Vinegar’s vinegar
• salt
• 2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cups yellow onion, sliced 1/4inch thik
• cheddar or swiss cheese, sliced,1 inch squares
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon ketchup
• 2 teaspoons sweet relish
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar (I prefer Mr. Vinegar’s Red Wine vinegar)
• 22 Hawaiian sweet rolls

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375°.
2. In a mixing bowl mix together beef, sausage, onion, Worcestershire, garlic vinegar and pinch of salt.
3. Scoop into 18-22 large golf ball size balls and pat down into patties. Keep wrapped in plastic in the fridge until ready to cook.
4. In a medium sauté pan over medium/high heat add olive oil and onions. Allow to caramelize for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. In a medium mixing bowl mix together mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, sugar, vinegar and a pinch of salt. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
6. When ready, heat a large heavy bottomed skillet over high heat. Salt and pepper both sides of each burger and when the skillet is hot spray with cooking spray and a add the burgers. (Don’t over crowd, work in batches if needed).
7. Cook about 2-3 minutes on each side to get a nice crust and place on a baking sheet and top with cheese.
8. Once all of the sliders have been seared, place them in the oven for about 5-10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160°.
9. Slice each roll in half and spread the top and bottom with the mayo sauce.
10. Place a patty on each roll and top with caramelized onions.

Makes 16 Large or 32 Small Potato Skins
Get ready for Kickoff with two varieties of my delicious potato skins, Chilli and Cheese and Bacon and Blue Cheese, two fun twists on the classic appetizer.

Follow along with Jill. Click here to watch a Make Ahead Meals web segment for this recipe.

Ingredients

• 8 large or 16 small russet potatoes, washed
• 7 slices of bacon
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 2 cups mascarpone
• 1 cup blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 cups chili, canned
• 2 cups Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup Sour cream
• 1/4 cup Chives

Directions

1. Pre heat your oven to 375°.
2. Pierce potatoes with a fork and bake on a baking sheet for 1-1 1/2 hours or until easily pierced with a fork.
3. Remove from the oven and set- aside until cool enough to handle.
4. Lay bacon strips on a baking sheet lined with Sil Pat or parchment paper.
5. Mix together brown sugar and cayenne.
6. Sprinkle brown sugar over bacon.
7. Bake for 12-16 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the oven and set-aside.
8. Once the potatoes have cooled, slice each one in half length-wise.
9. With a spoon scoop out most of the inside, leaving a 1/4inch rim left with the skin, reserve the scooped out potato for later mashed potatoes.
10. Remove from the oven and fill each one with 1 Tablespoon mascarpone (1 1/2 tablespoons for large potatoes).
11. Top half of them evenly with blue cheese and cut up the bacon and crumble the cooked bacon over the blue cheese.
12. Evenly fill the remaining potatoes with the chili and top with cheddar cheese.
13. Place filled potatoes back in the 375° oven and allow the cheese to melt, about 5-7 minutes.
14. Remove from the oven top both with scallions and the chili ones with sour cream.