Snap, Crackle, Pop... Perfect Treats!

If it weren't for my hubby and boys,
I probably would never bring a box of cereal into my house.

However, who doesn't love and enjoy a yummy Rice Krispie Treat,
especially one that is the perfect texture and has peanut butter in it.

(Another wonderful thing about my family, 
they LOVE peanut butter, 
me, I could take it or leave it).

This recipe is for my husband, 
because we are happy buying the no-name "Crisp Rice" cereal
and there is never a recipe on the box (or the marshmallows) to make up Rice Krispie Treats.
I've tweaked the original recipe to fit our liking, that of adding in peanut butter and vanilla and cut the butter in half. It turns out perfect every time we make them up.

SO, my awesome hubby, here you go!

Perfect Rice Krispie Treats 

(not too sticky, not too crisp, but just right). 

1/4 cup butter 

40 large marshmallows 

6 cups Krisp Rice Cereal

1 large heaping wooden spoonful peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla 

Melt butter on stove over medium heat

Add in marshmallows and keep stirring until melted

Remove from heat and add in peanut butter and vanilla.

STIR well

Next add in Krisp Rice Cereal 

Stir until all cereal is coated well.

Pour into large RubberMaid container and spread out well, put on lid and let cool.

(We like ours chilled so we keep in the refrigerator until time to serve).
Cut into squares and ENJOY!

Can you say YUM!
Definitely makes for happy and content families,
when a batch of these yummy treats is made up.

The perfect blend of mint and chocolate!

 We have a new 

favorite cookie creation at our house...

Who would have known that Pastel Junior Mints, put on top of  double chocolate cookie dough cookie would be SO yummy but I'm here to tell you that it is!

Lots of chocolate flavor, with a hint of mint that is not too over powering!

In fact,  

90+ fifth graders thought they were the best and wanted seconds at a birthday party celebration I took them to this past week! 

Double Chocolate Cookies
(cream together)
1 cube REAL butter  (1 cube of butter equals 1/2 cup)
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla

(then add in)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 to 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Roll into balls and 
bake 350 degree oven for 14 minutes or until no longer doughy.
Remove from oven and as you pull them off the cookie sheet and put them to cool  
"smash" the cookies down with your spatula. (it gives you a nice dense cookie)
After you have removed from cookie sheet 
put a Junior Mint in the middle of each cookie and lightly smash it down.  The heat from the cookie will melt the Junior Mint into the cookie.
Let cool on wire racks. (this makes around 15-18 cookies)

Other variations of this cookie recipe... 

here and here!

 ENJOY 

a plate of yummy cookies today!

 Perfect for Spring and Easter-Time!

Alternative to rolled out sugar cookies!

 'Tis the time of year for one of my favorite things...

that of making PINK Cookies with Sprinkles!

 

However, with the busyness that my life has had, I am finding that I have been very time crunched and not able to do the baking I like most to do, especially making 9 dozen frosted heart shaped sugar cookies!

I was SO happy to have found a great idea of taking your sugar cookie dough and baking it in a 9x13 pan and then cutting it into squares and frosting it.  

I pretty much just took 

my regular sugar cookie dough recipe  

 and cut it in half,  

however, I adjusted the sour cream and baking powder.

My family was in sugar cookie heaven and I was able to provide them with such a yummy treat on my tight schedule that I have right now.

We are hooked and I love how easy they are! 

Pan Sugar Cookie Squares
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream
1 egg
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
2-1/2 cups flour

Beat together sugar,butter vanilla together for one minute.
Add in sour cream and egg and mix well.
Add in salt and baking powder and mix well.
Lastly add in flour.

Put in greased 9x13 pan (will need to spread mixture out with a spoon)
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes (until lightly browned...don't overbake).
Cool.
Frost with cream cheese frosting.(put sprinkles on top of you would like)
Cut into squares and enjoy! 
 
Frosting
1/4 cup butter
4 oz. cream cheese
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
Cream together butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
Add in powdered sugar and beat until well combined.
Add in your choice of food coloring.
Frost and enjoy!

NOTE...

If you want more cookies, 

just DOUBLE the cookie dough 

and bake on a large cookie sheet.  

Also, double the frosting as well.

Tastes just like sugar cookies, 

but without the extra work, or mess.
(although, I DO have to admit that I still love rolling out dough and making REAL cut out sugar cookies). 

Random thoughts and a recipe...

 Lots of fun and exciting things going on in my life…however, I’ve been overwhelmed with social media and how to find balance in dealing with it on a daily basis.

Since the first part of the year, I joined facebook and I have found out real quick, it is much easier to do a quick “status update” to let people know what is going on in your life, or to quickly upload a photo to share than it is to do an actual blog post.  AND facebook is awesome that you can just click on “Like” if you don’t have time to comment and the person knows that you read and saw what they posted.  

(I really wish everything in life had a “Like” button!!!!) 

However, I just LOVE blogging, but I think my real dilemma has been my recent acquiring of my iPhone.  With having an iPhone, it means I’m not connected at the hip to my PC to be able to access the internet and the things that I enjoy like blogging, facebook, photo a day challenge, etc…HOWEVER, it puts me in a quandary as I have been taking many photos with my iPhone (since I always have it with me and I don’t always have my camera) and then it makes it hard to decide what to blog about, how to incorporate my cell phone AND camera photos and so rather than try to figure things out, I have been a real slacker in my blogging.  (facebook is just plain EASIER to keep up and I love seeing what is going on in everyone’s lives and it just takes a few moments a day for that).

I do have to say that I LOVE my iPhone 

for being able to keep in contact with 

the love of my life all throughout the day!!  

I have been giving things a lot of thought and decided that I’m going to do a series of posts these next few days that are mostly photos (our yard, kids school events, family outings, etc…), so I have them for my journal and also share the photos I have been uploading to a group of 365 Day Photo challenge, where you take a meaningful photo each day to share  

AND then brace yourselves… 

Next week I am going to be starting our 2012  

“Three Months of no major shopping" 

challenge 

"Kimmie in Real Life" 

I thought it was funny that Jade brought this up to me on the last day of school if we were going to be doing this again this year as he commented that he LOVED when we do this each summer.
Since I’m not working this summer I thought, this would be a great thing to do again and since we have had to tighten our belts to make it without my income, instead of taking our food money to pay off debt, we will actually either save it away or use it to go on one or two FUN 4 day weekend trips each month of summer vacation! 

We’ll see if I can actually keep up this summer! 

Here’s a yummy cookie recipe to enjoy

until my next post!

 (we've been living on these this week!) 

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup milk
2 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not quick)
2 cups flour (I used 1 cup wheat and 1 cup unbleached flour)
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Beat together first 4 ingredients
Add in milk and eggs and beat well
Mix in rest of ingredients until mixed together well.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased cookied sheet
Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes until lightly browned.
Cool on wire racks. Makes 3 dozen cookies 

Enjoy! 

(Very hearty and fairly healthy cookie that is really great energy as well!  

They actually make a great breakfast with a boiled egg!)

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies!

 This is what happens when dad helps out in the kitchen  
and makes us a Sunday afternoon treat...

We get YUMMY 
Sour Cream Chocolate Chip cookies 
to enjoy!

He originally found this in a Martha Stewart Living Magazine
when Ethan was just a wee babe.

These are the only cookies he bakes...

these are his specialty 
and since I never make these up they are always
a much WELCOME treat to enjoy!

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies 

1-1/2 cups unbleached flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 cup REAL butter (1 cube)

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

2 Tbsp. sour cream

3/4 cup chocolate chips (we use semi-sweet chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Whisk together flour, salt and soda.

Beat butter and sugars with mixer on medium for 3 minutes

Beat in egg and vanilla 

Reduce to low speed and add in flour in two batches, alternating with sour cream.

Beat until just combined.

Stir in chocolate chips by hand.

COVER and FREEZE for 10 minutes.

Drop by teaspoonfuls onto well greased cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes.

 Enjoy!

WOW, Sunday afternoon cookies just can't be beat!
Especially when lovingly made by the best dad and hubby in the world!
(and when we enjoy them as we watch re-runs of  
"Little House on the Prairie" together as a family)

Oatmeal Cookie Dough + M&M's = Yummy!!

 I can't believe it is the first week of April...

the year is definitely flying by faster than I would like it to!  I'm excited to finally have my entry shelf decorated with Easter/Spring decor.

'Tis the week of coloring eggs, 

 enjoying the sunshine and walks around the block, 

and LONGER days with more sun at the end of the day.  

It's noticing 

 the trees starting to leaf/bud, 

tulips/perennials starting to sprout, 

enjoying the music of the birds chirping 

and the excitement of planning what you're going to plant in your garden.

I LOVE spring time SO much!

 While I don't make fancy Easter Treats,  

or amazing things like you see in the world of Pinterest,  

I do usually buy a holiday bag of M&M's and add them to my Oatmeal Cookie Dough to add some festiveness to spring time!

They always are a hit every time we make them up!

M&M's are a treat that doesn't grace our home too often, so to get to enjoy them in cookies is a welcome sight to my hubby and kids! 

(that is, if we can keep Ethan from devouring the bag 

before it gets made into cookies!)

Oatmeal Cookies

1 cube REAL butter (1/2 cup)
½ cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups unbleached flour

½ teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup Old Fashioned Oats (enough to make a nice dough)

(add in your choice of chocolate chips, chocolate/butterscotch chips mixed, M&M’s, raisins, or Gumdrops cut into little pieces)

Cream together sugar and butter.
Add egg, vanilla, salt and soda.
Then add flour and oatmeal.
Then add in your choice of chocolate chips, M&M’s, raisins or gumdrops.  (about 1 cup of whatever you choose)

Mix well
Roll into balls and put on greased cookie sheet. (if dough is a little sticky, roll into balls and then put in the fridge to chill for 3-4 minutes before baking)
Bake in 375 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

HELPFUL HINT:  
The way to get a truly dense and rich cookie, is when you remove the cookies from the cookie sheet, and put them to cool is to "Smash" them down.

(see original post about this here) 

Happy Easter Week!
I hope it's full of everything that brings 

JOY to you and your family 

at this wonderful time of the year! 

Mint Chocolate Cookies

 If I were to think of a cookie  

that gets requested for about any event we go to, it would be that of my

 Double Chocolate Cookies.  

They taste really similar to brownies, 

but they are SO much more yummy, and more frugal to make as well!  

Truly a favorite with my kiddos,

 in fact, I'm making up a batch this weekend so Ethan can take them 

to his school class for his birthday treat to share on Monday.

HOWEVER, this recipe is also yummy to replace 

 part of the chocolate chips for mint candies or baking chips.

At Christmas I found these yummy peppermint baking chips and made these cookies and my family loved them so much so I went back to buy more and they didn't have anymore.

However, they had these Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips and so I bought them.  They were even a bigger hit than the original mint baking chips I bought. I thought I would buy another bag of them to make Mint Chocolate Cookies as our  

St. Patrick's day treat, 

but they must have been seasonal as I couldn't find anymore.

SO, I bought a bag of Andes Mints for $2.24, unwrapped 15 mints and cut them into chunks and added them to the cookie dough and they were PERFECT!!
(you can make 3 different batches of cookie dough 

with 1 bag of Andes Mints) 

 ALSO, remember if you make these up that... 

"The Secret's in the Smash" 

The way to get a truly dense and rich cookie, is when you remove the cookies from the cookie sheet, and put them to cool is to "Smash" them down.  

(see original post here about this)

Mint Chocolate Cookies
(cream together)
1 cube REAL butter  (1 cube of butter equals 1/2 cup)
1 egg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla

(then add in)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup plus 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
15 Andes Mints cut into small chunks (or about 1/2 cup Andes Baking Chips, if you have them). 

***NOTE...if you don't want mint, just add in 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips instead).

Roll into balls and bake 350 degree oven for 14 minutes or until no longer doughy.
Remove from oven and as you pull them off the cookie sheet and put them to cool "smash" the cookies down with your spatula. (it gives you a nice dense cookie) 

Let cool on wire racks. (this makes around 18-20 cookies)

Enjoy a plate of cookies today...

whether you make a batch of 

Double Chocolate, OR,

Mint Chocolate you'll find out that 

they are absolutely delicious

and they are sure to be a HIT with everyone 

that is a lover of chocolate or brownies!

Sugar Cookie dough...the possibilities are endless!

 I always love this time of the year 

as we make up batch after batch of

 "Pink Cookies with Sprinkles", 

however, there always seems to be leftover sugar cookie dough 

and I'm always amazed at the yummy things we make with the leftover cookie dough.

 Fruit Pizza and Fruit Dip

 always get made up this time of the year... (recipe here)

 (leftover cookie dough, makes the perfect fruit pizza)

 but, I think one of my favorite alternatives to use 

Sugar Cookie dough for is that of making 

RAISIN Filled Cookies!!

This is a PIONEER recipe 

that goes back many generations and one that I have fond memories 

of my Grandma Laura making for us on many occasions!
(although I've used the modernized sugar cookie dough recipe of using sour cream instead of milk, but other than that, the dough/filling are something that has been passed down through the years).

So, yummy and SO easy... 

You can take one batch of sugar cookie dough 

and bake it up two different ways 

so that EVERYONE is happy, 

plus it adds a little variety.

PERFECT, served with a cup of tea or hot cocoa on a cold fall OR winter's day!!

I know what some of you are thinking. 

"RAISINS I don't think I could eat them!" 

Trust me, they are SO good and the raisins 

have a nice texture and consistency after baking in the cookies...

SO I am going to tell you a saying 

that I tell my children quite frequently...

Dr. Seuss says it best:
"Try them you will like them you see"

Raisin Filled Cookies

Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe..(here)

(Raisin filling)

1 cup raisins ground (I just coarsely chop them with a knife)
½ cup sugar
½ cup chopped walnuts
½ cup water
1 Tablespoon flour mixed with a little bit of water. Put on stove and boil.

Roll dough with plenty of flour and cut with round cutter.
Drop filling on dough and top with another round of dough.
Press edges together to seal well.
Bake at 375 degress for 8-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Enjoy! 

A plate of homemade sugar cookies, 

whether topped with frosting and sprinkles, 

OR, filled with raisins and nuts, 

truly makes any day better!

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies = Heaven!

  Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies 

were a favorite of my hubby when he was a little boy. 

For years and years

  he has talked about how yummy these cookies were that his mom would always make up.  

In fact, as I was scanning photos with my mother-in-law Josie she commented several times, how these were a favorite that she would make for a treat when her kids were young.  These are definitely an "older generation" cookie, as I got this recipe from my mom and her older sister who is in her 80's used to always make these up when my mom would come to her house, when she was just a little girl.

These are still a favorite today...

SO happy that my kids can enjoy and taste, yet another recipe

that was a childhood favorite for Tracy and I.

VERY easy, decadent and a 

crowd-pleaser for sure!
The only thing I would suggest is to double the recipe  

as they will disappear quickly and you might as well utilize the frosting

(the frosting makes enough for 2 batches of cookies).

Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

1/2 cup REAL butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1-3/4 cups unbleached flour
18 large marshmallows cut in half

Pecan Halves

Cream together butter, sugar and vanilla
Then add in egg, baking soda and salt and mix.
Then add in cocoa powder and milk mix well.
Then add in flour until it's all mixed in.
Stir in chopped nuts
Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet and
Bake at 350 degrees for 9 minutes, remove from oven and top with marshmallows halves.
Return to oven and bake 2 more minutes. (don't overbake)
Remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks.
Frost with chocolate frosting and top with a pecan half

Chocolate Frosting:
3 Tbsp. melted butter
1 to 2 oz cream cheese
dash salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup milk
2 cups powdered sugar
Mix all together until really creamy.

Enjoy a taste of 

Chocolate Heaven today!

Healthy, Frugal New Year!

I can't believe "Twenty-twelve" is here.  

 It seems like just yesterday that we were decking the house with Christmas decor!
While I love all of the yummy, decadent food that comes with the holidays, there comes a point where you are finally craving to be back to normal life and eating simple, nourishing meals.

Although I didn't plan it this way, our New Year started out not only being frugal, but healthy.

 As I was cleaning out our pantry I came across some random bags of black beans and white beans and so I soaked them overnight and cooked them until tender.

 I also pulled out the UGLY, gross looking ham bone from my freezer that was leftover from my mom's Christmas party dinner and made up a delicious pot of Ham and Bean Chowder. 

 WOW, such a delicious pot of bean soup, that left my hubby and kids begging
to dish up some of the leftovers
so they could take a bowl of these in their lunch for the first day back to work/school after the holidays.

We also enjoyed a simple treat 

of homemade Gingersnaps.  

I decided to post the recipes again...(original posts here and here)

Ginger Snaps (one of Jade's favorite cookies)
1-1/2 cups sugar
1 cup REAL butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup molasses
1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1-1/2 teaspoons ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons soda
3-1/2 cups flour

Cream together sugar and butter.  
Add eggs.
Next add molasses, salt and soda and mix well.
Then add flour, and spices.
Refrigerate at least one hour.

Roll into balls and then roll balls in sugar.
Bake 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until crackly on the top.
Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire baking rack.

Enjoy!

Ham and Bean Chowder

2 cups dried Great Northern beans (OR, whatever dried beans you have)
1 meaty ham bone (OR, 1 cup chopped ham)
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
3 cloves minced garlic
2 cups water
2 cups chicken broth (OR 2 bouillon cubes in 2 cups water)
1 can stewed tomatoes
1 bay leaf
1 whole clove
salt/pepper

Soak 2 cups of beans overnight—
drain off water and add fresh water and cook until tender. Drain off water.

Then melt 2 Tbsp. butter in sauce pan and add:
Onion, celery and garlic and sautée until tender…
Then add cooked beans, ham bone, water, broth, tomatoes, bay leaf, clove and salt/pepper. 

Bring to a boil, Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours (stirring occasionally).
Remove ham bone, bay leaf and clove. (also remove meat from ham bone, cut into small pieces and add back to soup).

  
This is very frugal soup that is absolutely delicious!
It is yummy served with homemade bread 

and garnished with a dollop of 
our family's favorite...COTTAGE CHEESE.

Enjoy a healthy, frugal 2012, 

putting your dried beans to use to make 

a nourishing pot of soup for your family!
 
I hope you find out as well, 

that this is absolutely delicious!

(and don't forget about the cookies...

they are yummo for the tummo delicious)