Sprinkled Cake Batter Cookies

Wow! Tis' the season to be busy!
Christmas has always been my favorite holiday! I love the decorating, the cold (for a little bit), the cheer, the shopping and of course, the baking.

I have made three batches of cookies since Dec. 1st, but have not had the time to sit down and blog about it.
I finally have a second, seriously a second, which is why these cookies are perfect.
They are simple and won't use up all your flour and sugar. I can't tell you how much flour and sugar I buy. Don't get me started on the butter.

Meanwhile, the cookies.....

What you will need:
Makes just under 3 dozen

1 box vanilla cake mix, 18.25 oz
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 C vegetable oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
 1 container color sprinkles

The key players.

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix and baking powder. In a small bowl, mix together the eggs, oil and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the cake mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the sprinkles. Drop by spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet.
Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on your oven.
I baked mine for 8min, they were still a little soft, but after they cooled they were perfect.

 Easy right?
Everyone needs a yummy easy cookie every now and then.

My boys loved these sprinkly cookies.


Baking from my heart to your kitchen, 

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Gluten-Free Peanut Butter Cookies and another Green Smoothi

Week 2 of Green Smoothie every morning. The one I made this morning will be at the end.
Week 1 of Gluten-free (gf), Dairy-free (df) diet. 

I know you are anxiously awaiting to hear how it's going.   
First few days were a bit torturous challenging. I was a bit discouraged with all the foods I couldn't eat. I'm just plain hungry.  
This may not be a big deal to you, but to a foodie like me, it was difficult to wrap my brain around. Then I started finding a TON of gf recipes and blogs and started cooking.
I also went out and bought some gluten-free snacks, some were great and some where down right ew. Coconut milk yogurt, not so great. Veggie chips, not too bad. 
Trail mix, ate the whole bag in two days. Chex cereal with Lactaid, surprisingly delicious.


One super great side effect, my clothes are looser. After only a week, well two if you count from the smoothie beginning. 
I would love to tell you I lost weight, but I don't own a scale. As soon as I get one, I'll let you know the results.

However, I need cookies! I need to bake! I finally couldn't take it anymore and searched for a gf recipe that I could make with the ingredients I already have. I found....
Peanut Butter Cookies!
Score!

Super easy too!

Here is what you will need:

1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used the Natural pb)
1 cup white sugar (I did 1/3 white and 1/2 brown)
1 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Basically, throw all the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a spoon. I told you it was easy.

Roll the dough into balls and roll in sugar. Press criss-cross with a fork. My 3 year loved that he could help.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes depending on your oven. Don't Overbake! 

Right out of the oven they are yummy (as you see the missing spot where I am munching one while taking the picture) Don't judge, I seriously needed a cookie.
Meanwhile, while they were yummy, it was not entirely the same as a pb cookie with flour.

My hubs said it tasted like the dough, just baked... um sweetie... that's what cookies are... baked dough. I couldn't resist, he really opened himself up for that one. Upon further discussion that really is the best description. That grainy texture of cookie dough.

If you have enough will power to wait a day, they taste even better. Maybe they just have to sit and come to terms with the fact they don't have flour.
We all agree here in my house, better the next day. My 5 year old keeps asking for more. So, definitely kid approved.

What should I try next? 
I'm a bit excited about these new possibilities.

Let's talk Smoothie:

1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup Pineapple (all I had left, you could add more)
1 Peach (I peeled the skin off mine)
1 Pear
1 Carrot (medium size)
Handful of Spinach

I put it all in the blender in the order of ingredients. I read somewhere to put the soft fruits and veggies first, end with the spinach and ice. Not sure why, but it works much better.

This mornings green color did not look that appealing, but it was actually really good.

If you are wondering how filling they actually are, they do pretty good. I start to get hungry again 3-4 hours later and grab a snack before lunch. I have made the smoothie as a morning snack after breakfast. 

Do I have more energy? Really hard to judge since I'm chasing around 3 boys all day, but I definitely don't feel as tired as I usually do. I have had no stomach pains this week either. 

What do I eat? 
Yesterday I had.....
Breakfast: Coffee with Lactaid and a Green Smoothie
Lunch: Salad with turkey, carrots, cucumbers and sesame seeds with vinaigrette dressing.
Snacks: Trail mix and veggie chips
Dinner: BBQ chicken, gf sweet potato casserole and peas
Sweets: gf peanut butter cookies

There are so many supportive blog full of wonderful recipes. 
Week 2 here I come!

Baking from my heart to your kitchen,

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M&M Cookie Peanut Butter Sandwich

I have a quick little goodie for you today.



Are you ready?


M&M Cookie Peanut Butter Sandwich!


I know right? Extreme Goodness.

I will be going on vacation next week.
Try to survive without me, I know it will be hard, but I have faith in you.


Oh did I mention on top of packing and getting ready,  I am doing crafts at VBS this week. 
I love little 4 and 5 year olds, I mean, I have one, however...


well, let me just say, they can only glue and color for so long before they start getting anxious and start glueing their fingers together. The last 10 minutes I have to improvise, we fly our projects around making animal sounds or march like soldiers. Today I took one of the table cloths off and we were bulls.. Ole! I am wiped out! I will be ready for vacation.


There is always time for cookies though. I decided to make M&M cookies for the trip, cookies are a must on the road. 
I had made some peanut butter frosting for some cupcakes earlier this week and I was sitting in the kitchen trying to figure out what to eat for lunch... then it hit me!


Make a sandwich, with the cookie and frosting. A winner! I had to share it.
You know, cause I love you so much.


First make the cookie.


2 cups + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) of salted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
m&m’s

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Mix the flour and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the butter and sugars until they are combined.
Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Gradually add flour and mix until a dough forms.

I had to put mine in the fridge to harden some. I think I didn't let the butter fully cool. 

Divide the dough how you choose (1/4 cup portions for 18 large cookies or 2 tablespoon portions for 36 smaller cookies). Shape each portion into a ball with your hands then pull each ball into two equal pieces. Turn each half so that the rough side of the half (what used to be the inside of the ball) faces upwards and then put M&M's inside and on top, squish both halves together. Place the dough rough-side up on a baking sheets. If you’re doing large cookies, I’d leave about 2 inches in between each.


I know that step seems weird but it works.


Bake for 12-15 minutes (large cookies) or 8-12 minutes (small cookies) or until the edges are slightly brown. The centers should be
soft and puffy. Do not over bake.

You can eat them as is, totally acceptable. 
Or you can sandwich some peanut butter frosting in the middle for extreme goodness.


Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbls heavy whipping cream or milk
1 tsp vanilla


Cream peanut butter and butter for about 30 seconds.
Sift in the powdered sugar. Add vanilla
Gradually add the cream/milk until desired smoothness.
Beat about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.








Baking from my heart to your kitchen,

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Linking Love:

Chocolate Coconut m&m Sugar Cookies

Why?


My almost 3 year old's favorite word right now. If you are past this point in your child's life. God Bless You! You feel my pain.


I answer the first round of "Why's" with a patient answer. 


Wash your hands.... Why?... Because you just stuck your hand in the toilet..... Ok


Please don't jump off the couch.... Why? ..... Because you can hurt yourself.... ok


Please don't color on the wall..... Why? .... Because you color on paper not on the walls.... ok


Now fast forward to lunch time. I have gone half the day answering why after why......


Please don't dump your food on the floor.... Why? (As he continues dumping)....... 


At this point my friends I can feel my nerves slowly unraveling... the inevitable "Because I said so" is coming soon. Deep breaths.... deep breaths.....


So when my husband walks in and asks, "Why are you making those cookies right now?" The poor man didn't know I had reached my quota of "whys" for the day. I ever so kindly responded, "Because I want to!"
I love that man, he understood and just backed out of the kitchen, no further explanation was needed.

You will need:

Chocolate Sugar Cookie 

(This is really the only one you need)

Coconut m&m's

Make the Cookies according to directions.

Cut in cute little shapes.

Press m&m's in center.

Bake.

Eat.

They are best when they are right out of the oven and the m&m is soft, but they are still tasty the next day too. At least I think so. It is chocolate goodness with a hint of coconut.

Simple, yet delicious.

Why?

Because sometimes you just need a cookie.

Baking from my heart to your kitchen,

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Rolo Blondies

I am going to bring you a little reality. 



Stress Happens!


It's everywhere, no one can hide from it. You can try, but it lurks around every well intentioned corner waiting to strike. Such an instance happened to me this week. I had volunteered to make a dessert for our Missions Conference at our church this week. As far as I knew, I had signed up for Friday.
I planned it out, had the perfect dessert, went to the store, bought all the ingredients I didn't have and I was ahead of the game. Oh yes, I was prepared.


Then Wednesday, stress struck! One of my friends called to ask me where we were to deliver our desserts  that night. Silly girl, the desserts are for Friday. She insisted it was that night and it had to be there by noon. I glanced at the clock.... 11:50. Great! She must be wrong. I called the church secretary and asked what I had signed up for. That night! Well fantastic, now what?
There was no time to make what I had intended for Friday. I told her I would get my dessert there a little late, whatever it was going to be. 


I had just bought some Rolo's. The new bag, the one that is already unwrapped and ready for consumption. I was fully intending to eat those in a chocolate crisis. I then remembered a cookie post I had seen on cookiesandcups.com using Rolo's and pretzels. I didn't even have time to make a bunch of cookies. I had to go with a bar. Here is what happened!

Sometimes stress can be manipulated into deliciousness, such as these gems. They were so good.
I didn't want them to leave.
Like a good volunteer, I cut them up and sent them on their way, still warm, to tempt others with their gooey, chewy goodness.

You will need:

2 sticks butter, melted
 2 cups brown sugar
 2 large eggs
 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt
 2 cups all-purpose flour

prepackaged Rolo's

Caramel Sauce (I used Hershey's since I was pressed for time)

pretzels, crushed

Butter or line a 9x13 pan
Mix melted butter with brown sugar – beat until smooth. Beat in egg and then vanilla.
Add salt, stir in flour.

Pour 1/2 the batter into prepared pan.

Press in the Rolo's and drizzle with Caramel Sauce.

Sprinkle on the crushed pretzels. How ever many look right to you. Enough to cover.

Drop on the remaining batter in three places and smooth out at best you can. 

Just for the fun of it, sprinkle on some chocolate chips.

Bake at 350°F 25-30 minutes, or until set in the middle.

 Cool on rack before cutting them. 

Enjoy!

They were chewy and rich,  with a hint of the salty pretzel. 

I must make these again soon!

Definitely a stress reliever.

Baking from my heart to your kitchen,

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Dessert and Devotions: Peanut Butter Chocolate Goodness

It is time for another "Dessert and Devotions". I have posted about this before so I won't go into the details of how this came about. I was really looking forward to a night of encouragemnet. 

One of my mom friends gave some great advice; just be honest about how we really feel as moms sometimes. I totally agree! I would love to say my day is filled with rainbows and sunshine, but I have three boys under the age of 5. My day is filled with dirt, daredevils and wrestling.


Rabbit trail: Must my boys fight and wrestle up and down the halls on a daily basis? Is this necessary? The response is always, "well, they're boys". Does being a boy give you a free pass to mayhem and stinkiness? Seriuosly?! My 5 year old makes flowers wilt when he takes off his shoes. He is 5 people! Why do his feet smell that bad? 


Ok, back on topic. We had a wonderful "seasoned" mother of five give us a devotional. She has been through the teenage season and lived to tell about it. She was a great encouragement and blessing to all of us and answered our bombardment of questions with such wisdom.
One of the points she made was that, as moms, we get angry at our children sometimes *gasp*! She reminded us to look at them as our little gifts from God that we need to train and encourage through life. Yes, it is not easy, and some days I feel I am banging my head against the wall, but they are worth it. 
Are we exhausted, yes... Do they still jump on the couch after you have told them not to 100 times... yes. Do we give up... No.
I am very thankful for a this mom who was willing to take time out of her busy day to stop and remind me what a blessing it is to be a mom. If you knew this mom, she is meek and quiet and her children are awesome! So to think she had the same issues and worked through them with God's help is an incredible encouragement to me. There is hope for me yet and maybe I don't get the badge of mothering shame for the month. 


Keep it up Moms out there, you are doing a great job! There are sweet children living inside those little monsters blessings. 


Speaking of sweet, let me show you what I made.

Layers of peanutty chocolate goodness! 


Let's start at the beginning

You will need:

Peanut butter cookie dough

Box of brownie mix

Chocolate chips

Reese's Mini's

Preaheat oven to 350 degrees

Make the peanut butter cookie dough and the brownies.

Spread the peanut butter dough into a 9x13 greased pan

 FYI, I use chunky peanut butter, I love the crunch of the peanuts in this. I also  used only 3/4 of the batter and made cookies with the rest. Bonus!

Sprinkle on the chocolate chips. 

Pour on the brownie mix of choice. If you want a thicker brownie layer, make an extra box or use the family size box. I may do that next time.

Next step is one of the best ideas ever! Unwrapped mini cups!

Press those into the brownie.

Bake for 40 -45 minutes.

Let cool completely before cutting into. Unless you are like me and couldn't wait, then dig in. Just beware, it is gooey yummines that the knife doesn't like to let go of. Can't blame it.

These were really good and even better the next day.

I put some aside to give away, but when I went to package them up they had mysteriously disappeared. Wonder how that happened?

Baking from my heart to your kitchen,

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Peanut Butter Cookie

As I was "Pinning" one day I came across a peanut butter cookie recipe that claimed it was soft and chewy, not crunchy. It was on createdby-diane.com found here. She definitely had my attention and I knew I had to try them. I knew that I was going to try them today, so all through my class at the gym this morning it is all I could think about. If that instructer only knew that while she was killing me with lunges I was thinking of cookies. You know what? I was so distracted with cookie thinking that the class flew by. I think I'm on to something here. I definitely work out so I can eat more cookies. It's justified, don't judge. 
These cookies did not dissapoint. So yummy! 
I decided to make it a little fun for spring with a flower cookie cutter. 

This is just the beginning of the peanut butter cookie recipe. Tune in later this week for another peanut butter goodie.


First the recipe.....

You will need:

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups flour

Beat butter, peanut butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs one an a time, then vanilla. Mix baking powder with flour, then add flour a cup at a time.

Pretty simple right!

Roll the dough into little balls

Press down a bit then press the flower cutter on top, but not all the way through. Unless you want it flower shaped of course.

You can leave it like this or press the cutter down again

Sprinkle on some sugar... Bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 minutes

Simple and delicious!

Baking from my heart to your kitchen,

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Valentine's Bark

Happy Valentine's Day!
Let me just share a tidbit of my day with you. Do you mind? I didn't think so.
It was decent weather today so I told my boys to go out back and play. It is a fenced yard so I let them play by themselves out there and I frequently check on them to make sure they are being kind to one another. On one "check" I didn't see them. Hmm? Maybe they are in the dirt and I can't see them, perfectly logical, they are boys after all. Nope. Then I catch a glimpse of an orange jacket OUTSIDE the fence. How did they get out? If you know anything about my boys, one is a runner. By that I mean, he will run out into the street and not look back. Of course I panicked. We don't live on a busy road, but they need to stay in the safety of the fence.
I ran to the front door, pushed my feet halfway into shoes and flew out the door.  I rounded the corner to go around back, I was slightly irritated mind you and not looking where I was going. Suddenly I lost my balance,  there was no recovery. My foot twisted and down I went. I tried to get up, but pain shot through my foot. As I lay in the dirt, I look up to see my boys through the bushes with the "oh no we are caught, but wait why she is laying on the ground" look in their eyes. I tell my son to run in the house and get Daddy. My husband comes out, I know he is trying not to laugh even though he will deny it, helps me up and rounds up the boys. I pathetically hobble in the house feeling a bit deflated. I am sure my neighbors are still laughing about it. 


You know what I had to do... bake of course. My husband said I should put my foot up and stay off it, but we all know that's not going to happen. I needed cookies and chocolate... stat! It is Valentine's Day, a day dedicated to eating chocolate or is it a day dedicated to love. ... However you feel about Valentine's day, an excuse to eat chocolate is always a good day.

If you need a pick me up, here is what you will need:

Chocolate chip cookie dough minus the chips

3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 c. all purpose flour
2 tsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

(It was a new recipe and it didn't dissappoint)

Chocolate chips (I used white and dark)

M&M's

I have your attention now, don't I.... it gets better

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make the cookie dough and spread into a lined or greased pan.

A little trick: spread it as good as you can in pan then cook for 5 min, take out the pan and the warm dough will spread out for you alot easier. 

Bake for about 10-12 minutes

Pour chocolate chips over the warm cookie. I used about 2 cups.

I made two pans, one with dark chocolate chips.....

and one with white chocolate chips....

Put back in the oven for about 3 minutes to melt the chips.

Take out of the oven and spread the melted chips over the cookie.

Place the M&M's on top of the warm chocolate. 

Let cool, then I place in the fridge for about an hour to harden.

Then slice, they tend to break up when you slice them, like a bark rather than a bar. There you have it. Sit down and enjoy. I may just put my feet up now. Enjoy your day full of love!

Baking from my heart to your kitchen,

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