Hot Chocolate & Marshmallows

When the weather outside is cold..

..it's definitley the perfect time to enjoy hot chocolate.

My little family loves their hot chocolate, and we go through quite a lot of it.  We have too may flavors to count, and each person like their own little concotion of warm chocolatey sweetness.

But with hot chocolate you need marshmallows, and finding that we were all out, we decided to make our own.  The kiddos couldn't believe that you could actually make them yourself, and they were so easy to make!!

We used this great recipe, and cut some into shapes (like hearts, and snowflakes) but found that they were more fun to eat in plain old squares.  The best part of homemade marshmallows are how light and fluffy they are, and sweet, oh my!! The recipe made about 100 1" squares, so that should hold us till next week (grin)

Dave and I have recently stumbled upon a great find here in Seattle, Chocolati.  They make their hot chocolate with melted chocolate and warm steamed milk.  It is so rich, and absolutely divine. Unfortunately you can only get it at their shops.  They do sell a mix, which even they say is close, but not nearly as good as the real thing. 

In an effort to re-create it, or get somewhat close, I found this recipe for Truffle Hot Chocolate Balls.  Again, a super easy recipe, with great results.  Perfect for another snowy day like today.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

I love spring, I love flowers, and fresh fruit. 
My favorite fruit of the season..strawberries

I recently stocked up on lots and lots of strawberries..and besides popping them in my mouth like candy, and making strawberry freezer jam, I wanted to start baking, and cooking with them.

And then this wonderful recipe was posted by two of my favorite recipe girls over at Our Best Bites.

I'm having this for lunch today..I can hardly wait.

photo from ourbestbites.com

Click here for the recipe, it's so so easy!!

What's your favorite recipe with fresh strawberries?

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

I came across these cookies last week, while perusing blogs.  I was so intent on making them, that when I finally looked for the post that had them, I couldn't find it.  So then I did a search, and found tons of variations on this famous recipe from Better Homes & Gardens.

I love the combination of Chocolate and Peanut Butter, and the kiddos had so much fun rolling the peanut butter balls inside of the chocolate balls. The turned out great, and were a huge hit...so if you're craving chocolate and peanut butter open up your pantry and make these yummy cookies!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Peanut Butter Filling:
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons course sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a medium mixing bowl stir together flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda; set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl beat together butter, the 1/2 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and the 1/4 cup peanut butter with an electric mixer until combined. Add egg, milk, and vanilla; beat well. Beat in as much of the dry ingredients as you can with mixer. Form chocolate dough into 32 balls about 1-1/4 inches in diameter. Set aside.

3. For peanut butter filling, in a medium mixing bowl combine powdered sugar and the remaining 1/2 cup peanut butter until completely smooth. Shape mixture into 32 (3/4-inch) balls.

4. On a work surface, slightly flatten a chocolate dough ball and top with a peanut butter ball. Shape the chocolate dough over the peanut butter filling, completely covering the filling. Roll dough into a ball. Repeat with the remaining chocolate dough and peanut butter filling balls.

5. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly flatten with the bottom of a glass dipped in the 2 tablespoons granulated sugar.

6. Bake cookies in preheated oven for 8 minutes or until they're just set and surface is slightly cracked. Let cookies stand for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire racks; cool.

Caramel Corn

Weekend...family time, movies, and caramel corn!!

My sister-in-law Amy made the most delicious caramel corn at Christmas.  She had found the recipe online at allrecipes.com, and based on the reviews, everyone thinks it's amazing, especially hubby and the kiddos.


INGREDIENTS:

7 quarts plain popped popcorn

2 cups dry roasted peanuts

(optional)

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup margarine

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1.	Place the popped popcorn into two shallow greased baking pans. You may use roasting pans, jelly roll pans, or disposable roasting pans. Add the peanuts to the popped corn if using. Set aside.
2.	Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, margarine and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend. Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.
3.	Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will be light and foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pans, and stir to coat. **Instead of placing the cooked popcorn in pans, I poured it all into a large paper bag, then poured the caramel on top and shook it until coated.
4.	Bake for 1 hour, removing the pans, and giving them each a good stir every 15 minutes. Line the counter top with waxed paper. Dump the corn out onto the waxed paper and separate the pieces. Allow to cool completely, then store in airtight containers or resealable bags

Iced Oatmeal Cookies

I got this recipe from my dear friend Rachelle, and instantly printed out the recipe and made them for my family. They are delicious and light and chewy.  They got a thumbs up from all my kiddos.

I substituted more whole wheat flour (1 cup rather than 1/2 cup in the adapted recipe) to make them healthier, and they turned out great. I used the recipe below.


Iced Oatmeal Cookies
Adapted from Good to the Grain from Smitten Kitchen

Yield: 30 3-inch cookies (with a 2 tablespoon) larger if yours spread more.  (I got about 42 cookies)

Ingredients:
Butter for baking sheets
2 ½  cups + 1 tablespoon old fashioned oats
1 cup  whole wheat flour
½  cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon  baking soda
1 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon  freshly grated nutmeg
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs

Icing:
2 ¼  cups powdered sugar
5 to 6  tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Rub two baking sheets with butter. In a food processor, grind 1/2 cup of oats to a fine powder, then add remaining oats and grind them all together until it resembles coarse meal, with only a few large flakes remaining.

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl, pouring back any bits of grains or other ingredients that remain in the sifter. In a small bowl, whisk butter and eggs until combined. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Scoop balls of dough about 2 to 3 tablespoons in size onto cookie sheets about 3 inches apart. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. When tops are evenly brown, take them out and transfer them to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining cookie dough. Let cookies cool completely before icing.

In a bowl, whisk icing ingredients together until smooth. It should have a honey-like consistency. Drizzle the frosting over the cookies

Oreo Turkeys

When I opened up the newest post from Our Best Bites I smiled, because what is cuter than a turkey made of candy, and oreo cookies??

I can't wait to make these with Oreo Turkeys with the kiddos once I collect all the ingredients.  (Click on the link for detailed instructions)

11 - 16 & Potato Soup

11 - Trick or Treat Bags
        I purchased some inexpensive bags at the craft store in both orange and black, along with some self-adhesive felt and a few paint pens.  I found some glitter glue in our personal stash, and invited the kiddos to the table. 

No rules, just decorate your bags. 



Daniel went for candy decorations, since that what was going in them anyway, Josh freehanded a lizard, and Caleb chose to use some cookie cutters to draw pumpkins and ghosts.  Natalie was too busy checking out the boys handiwork, and wasn't interested in anything but strawberries (she's very into strawberries righ now!!)

The best past, we still have another side to decorate in the next few weeks, and it was fun to watch their personal creativity.

12 - Mummy Dogs  - fun little snack for the kiddos, except ours had red eyes, since no one likes mustard except daddy.

Directions: Cut crescent roll dough into thin strips and wrap around hot dogs. Bake according to crescent package directions and use ketchup or mustard for eyes. I cut my hot dogs in half to make them bite-sized.
(recipe and pic courtesy of Our Best Bites)


13 - Treasure Hunt  - I was silly and also feeling a little lazy, so I hid clues that had the kids go from room to room, at the end was a Halloweeny snack.

14 - Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies (super easy!!)
       1 - box Spice Cake Mix
       1 - 14oz can pumpkin
       1 - bag chocolate chips

Mix together and drop dough onto cookie sheet in rounded spoonfuls and bake...350degrees for 8-10 min.

15 - Pumpkin watercolor.  Have the kiddos draw pumpkin with pencil.  When finished outlinw with sharpie, and paint with watercolor.  Fun and quick decorations..

16 - Potato Soup (the best ever!!)
       My friend Rachelle had this recipe and the above picture on her blog, and I couldn't refuse trying it.  It's actually one of Dave's favorite soups and I don't think I've ever made it for him (at least I redeemed myself after making this)

It is so warm, hearty, and smells like a fully loaded baked pototo. So good!!

Best Ever Potato Soup

6 bacon strips, diced
3 c cubed potatoes
1 - 14.5oz can chicken broth (or 2 cups homemade broth)
1 small carrot
1/2 c chopped onion
1 T parsley flakes
1/2 tsp each of celery salt, salt and pepper
3 T flour
3 c milk
8 oz cheddar cheese (grated or cubed)

In large saucepan cook bacon until crisp; drain and reserve drippings.

Add potatoes, onion, carrot, broth, parsley, celery seed, salt, and pepper.  Cover and simmer about 15-20 min until pototoes are soft.

Combine flour and bacon dripppings until smooth, then add milk.  Stir into potato mixture.

Bring soup to a boil and stir for about 2 minutes.  Add cheese, stir until until melted, and soup is heated through.  Top with cooked bacon.

7,8,9 & 10 - Pumpkin Muffins

a quick catch up of our 31 days of Halloween crafts and goodies...

7 - Clothespin Bats  http://www.marthastewart.com/article/clothespin-bats

8 - Skeleton Brains
  So hubby was out of town and one of my kiddos favorite dinners is Alfredo Pasta.  We chose one from the pantry that looked like curly brains, and then added homemade alfredo to it.  They all enjoyed saying many times through dinner whose brains they were eating, and were so so silly.  (but all the plates were clean, so they must have enjoyed their brains!!)

9 - Ghost Jugs http://familyfun.go.com/halloween/halloween-crafts/ghost-crafts/spirit-jugs-673388/

  I would love to have enough of these to line the driveway up to our front door, but I'm not sure we'll go through 20 milk jugs between now and Halloween, I'll have to start earlier next year!!

10 - Pumpkin Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting

I had these a few years ago, and they were so delicious, that I immediately called my friend's mom just to get the recipe.  We've been using it every fall since, and we sure do go through a lot of pumpkin around here.

We also like them without frosting, and chocolate chips inside the muffins.

Pumpkin Muffins

4 eggs
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 cup oil
1 15oz pumpkin
2 cup flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder

Beat together eggs, sugar, oil, and pumpkin
Mix dry ingredients together and then add to wet mixure above.
Place in muffin tins, and Bake at 350 for 25-30min, or until center is cooked.

Cream Cheese Frosting

3 oz cream cheese
1/2 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 cup powdered sugar

Beat well with mixer

6 - Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats

6 - A huge favorite of mine when I was growing up, peanut butter, butterscotch and rise krispies..yum!!

The original reipe calls for corn syrup and extra sugar, but I think they taste just as delicious with this simple recipe..

Butterscotch Rice Krispie Treats

1 bag Butterscotch Morsels
1 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups Rice Krispies

Melt butterscotch and peanut butter, add in krispies.  Press into a 9x13 pan.  Cool and cut into squares.

1- Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough BRAIN Cupcakes to be exact.

I saw an amazing idea for cookie dough cupcakes, where the inside has a soft cookie dough center, and a delicious cookie dough buttercream frosting, and thought this was the perfect time to try it.

We decorated them as brains to celebrate our first day of October and give them extra special spookiness.

Step 1 - Make your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough, substitute 2-3 tbsp of milk for the eggs. I used mini chocolate chips.

Step 2 - Roll dough in 24 small balls and freeze (bake, or eat the rest of the dough!)

Step 3 - Mix up your favorite cupcake recipe and place in cupcake liners (I just used a box mix)

Step 4 - Place frozen cookie balls in center of uncooked cupcake (see pic above)

Step 5 - Bake according to cupcake directions (20-25 min)



You can't even see the yummy soft cookie dough hiding inside...

Step 6 - Make this incredible Cookie Dough Buttercream Frosting

          3 sticks unsalted softened butter

          ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
          3½ cups powdered sugar
          1 cup all-purpose flour
          ¾ tsp. salt
          3 tbsp. milk
          2½ tsp. vanilla extract
          (recipe for frosting found here, along with a variation of the cookie dough cupcake)

Step 7 - Frost Cupcakes (We did brains to be spooky for Halloween)

Step 8 - Enjoy!!





Banana Bread

One thing  I've learned since living in the Pacific Northwest is that fruit seems to ripen very quickly.  Bananas especially!! I've been busy keeping the kiddos filled with potassium, but those bananas just go too fast.  So with the lovely cooler weather, I've been baking, baking, baking.

This is one of my favorite recipes for banana bread..so if you've got extra bananas, give it a try!!

Classic Banana Bread

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 bananas)

1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt

1 tsp. vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar

Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended. Add flour mixture; beat at low speed just until moist. Spoon batter into an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. (recipe from Our Best Bites)