Happy Halloween!!

Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies-- Week 5!- Oreo Stuffed Double Chocolate Cookies

Can you believe that we are about 7 (eek!) weeks away from Christmas??!?!?!

 

As soon as I saw this recipe yesterday, I knew I HAD TO MAKE IT! Oreo cookies are a main stay in our house! My boys (husband included) absolutely love oreos. We had just enough in the pantry for me to make this recipe too! This recipe was easier than I thought it would be and I loved that aspect of it. I think it would be a little easier to wrap the cookie dough around the oreo if it was chilled and I have changed that in the recipe below. I also made mine a little bigger by only making a dozen. (The Original yields 14 cookies)

1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted
12 Oreos


Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar until creamy - about 1-2 minutes. Beat in vanilla and egg until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in dry ingredients until combined. Beat in melted chocolate chips until combined.

Divide dough into 12 balls.(I found that it was easier to use a cookie scoop to do this). Place in refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes to allow dough to cool.

Once cooled,flatten a ball in the palm of your hand and place an Oreo in the center; evenly wrap dough around Oreo. Repeat process with remaining dough and Oreos. Place balls on greased sheet pans and bake 10 minutes or until puffy and set. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool.

Adapted from this recipe on Sugar Plum

Sausage Cheese Puffs

Every Sunday morning we really try to take our time getting ready and just try to enjoy the morning. I found this recipe last week and it will definitely be something I make again. These puffs were light and fluffy and reminded me of a well known restaurants cheese biscuits but with sausage in them!



1/2 pound sausage


1 1/2 cups biscuit/baking mix

2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup buttermilk



In a skillet, cook and crumble sausage until no longer pink; drain grease. In a bowl, combine biscuit mix and cheese; stir in sausage. Add buttermilk and toss with a fork until just moistened. Scoop onto ungreased baking sheets placed 2 inches apart. Bake at 400 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown. Brush with melted butter after coming out of oven and let cool on wire racks. Enjoy!





Recipe adapted from this recipe on Plain Chicken



Sausage

Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake

I know I didn't turn out the most beautiful cake in the world but it was absolutely wonderful. I made this a few months ago for a family event but ended up taking it in to work instead. Everyone asked for the recipe! The mousse in the middle was super easy to make. It truly surprised me because I didn't know how it would work at first. I didn't use as much toffee chips as the recipe called for and will probably add in more the next time I make it. I also didn't make a ganache ( I was making this for my mom and she doesn't like ganache) for the top but made a frosting like The Pioneer Woman's frosting for the Best Chocolate Sheet Cake Ever.

Chocolate Mousse Crunch Cake
Recipe Adapted from Our Best Bites

1 package  Devil's Food Cake Mix

Crushed Heath bars (or a bag of toffee bits from the baking aisle)

1 tsp. unflavored gelatin

1 Tbsp. cold water

2 Tbsp. boiling water (just heat it in a small bowl in your microwave)

1/2 c. sugar

1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1 c. whipping cream

1 tsp. vanilla

Chocolate Frosting (adapted from this recipe)
1 stick Butter
2 Tablespoons (heaping) Cocoa
3 Tablespoons Milk
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 Cups Powdered Sugar

 

Bake cake mix according to  instructions on the box and bake in 2 8" round pans. Cool cakes completely before proceeding with the next steps.

In a small bowl, combine gelatin and cold water and allow to stand for about 1 minute. While gelatin is softening, bring 2 Tbsp. water to a boil in the microwave. Whisk into the softened gelatin and allow to cool slightly.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine sugar, cocoa powder, whipping cream, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until medium-stiff peaks form. Mix in gelatin mixture and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place one layer on the serving plate and spread about 1/2 of the chocolate mousse over the cake. Sprinkle with Heath bits. Place the next layer of cake on top of the mousse layer and then pour the cooled chocolate frosting on top. Cake will need to be refrigerated but it probably won't last that long!!

 

 

What's Baking-- Month 1-- Vanilla Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

For the last few years, I have been a member of a special sorority. A sorority that some people know about and some that don't. For those of us that do, we have forged "friendships". I am talking about the website called The Nest. These relationships started on The Knot when we were getting married and then carried over to "The Nest" once we got married.There are many conversational boards and one of them is What's Cooking. The What's Cooking Board is a huge inspiration to brides starting out cooking in their own homes and some of the girls on this board have created a monthly group for baking. Our group picked fall cupcakes for our debut and I hope you enjoy my addition!

 I love doctoring cake mixes! I was concerned that adding a pumpkin spice pudding mix would either make it taste funny or too pumpkin like but it was perfect! Definitely full of fall flavor! And don't skip the cinnamon in the buttercream -- it's the best part!

Vanilla Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

1 Box white cake mix ( I used Betty Crocker--it had 2 box tops too!)
1 package Jello Instant Pudding Pumpkin Spice pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup softened butter
4 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice


Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl mix all ingredients. Batter will be very thick.
Place batter into lined muffin tins and bake for approximately  25 minutes or until tested done with a toothpick. Top with Cinnamon Buttercream.

Cinnamon Buttercream
1 cup real butter (softened)
1 pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
 4 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

In a mixing bowl, blend butter until smooth (until there are no lumps-- takes about a minute). Add salt, vanilla and cinnamon. Continue mixing until well blended. Gradually add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition. On the highest speed of your mixer, stream in the heavy whipping cream- pour nice and slow.
Continue beating on high speed until frosting is fluffy.


recipe adapted from  this recipe on Tidy Mom

Pumpkin Gingerbread

I first made this recipe about five years ago and have loved it ever since. It's super easy but has wonderful flavor (especially if you like pumpkin or gingerbread)!


1 package gingerbread mix (I used Betty Crocker)
1 cup canned pumpkin (NOT pie mix)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit, optional (I didn't add any)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and mist a loaf pan with cooking spray. Mix together the gingerbread mix, pumpkin,eggs, and water in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Beat again on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Fold in raisins (if adding). Pour batter into load pan and bake the load until it springs back when pressed with a finger (about 45 to 50 minutes). Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then remove it from a pan after releasing sides with a knife. Place back on the rack for 20 minutes to cool completely.


Recipe adapted from The Dinner Doctor by Anne Byrn

Week 4 of 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies---Instant Pudding Cookies

My husband absolutely loves to snack, so when I saw this recipe I knew it would be not only fun to make but easy to make. I love that in this recipe I could use any flavor of instant pudding on hand. (I've got some pumpkin spice pudding I would love to try this with!)

Instant Pudding Cookies

1 stick of margarine

1/2 cup of sugar

1 small package of instant pudding (I used chocolate)

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups of flour

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1/4 teapsoon of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together margarine and sugar. Add pudding, eggs, flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix together well. Drop by teasponfuls onto baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes or until lightly brown. They will be firm but still soft inside! Makes 2 dozen.

Recipe adapted from Homegrown Heavenbound Cookbook 

Wordless Wednesday

Cookies and Grandmothers

I tried calling my grandmother (the lady in green) today and of course, she wasn't at home. She is probably the most active 80 year old you would ever meet. I (think) I get my love of cooking from her. Dad said growing up that they never went out to eat and always had a dessert after dinner and even now when she does cook it's still that way. She loves trying new recipes and using old favorites too. When she moved into her apartment, she got rid of a lot of cookbooks including the most extensive collection of Southern Living Annual Recipes (we're talking she had back to 1987 here folks!) and they are now lovingly placed in our walkin/cookbook closet. (Yes, we have a closet FULL of cookbooks, insane, yes, but my husband is a chef and I wanted to be a chef a longgggg time ago,so therefore lots of cookbooks.) I am wanting to get 4 cookie recipes from her for the next few weeks of Christmas Cookies: Fruitcake Cookies, Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies, Apricot Foldovers, and Teacakes. I love her teacakes.In fact, when I was in college the first batch of teacakes she made that Christmas was sent in a care package to me!! I know she's given me her recipe for them before but of course, I can't find it. Let's just hope she knows where her copies are!! Because that famed Settle Apple Pie recipe,yeah doesn't exist, and only two people made that pie: Grandmother and her Aunt Dorothy.

Week 3 of Christmas Cookies!!

Chocolate and Peanut Butter
Pinwheels

I saw this recipe a few months ago and forgot about it but they were so easy to make and have the perfect combination for a cookie!! What is also scary is that it is week 3, which means approximately 9 weeks before Christmas! Eek!

1 roll of peanut butter cookie dough (from the refrigerated section of the grocery store)
1/4 cup of flour
1 roll of chocolate chip cookie dough
1/4 cup of cocoa powder

Knead the first two ingredients together in a plastic resealable bag and refrigerate after combined completely. Do this again with the next 2 ingredients. (Refrigerating the ingredients makes them easier to work with!) Let them set in the fridge for 30 minutes.
On pieces of waxed paper (I used flour and my silpats), roll out each cookie dough into a rectangle. Once each dough is rolled out, invert the peanut butter dough into the chocolate dough and press down gently to seal. Remove the top piece of wax paper and tightly roll up from the long side of the dough. Once the dough is in a log, freeze for approximately 20 minutes. It is easier to cut when the dough is frozen! Slice the dough into 1/4 inch pieces and then bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

Recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens, Ultimate Cookie Book

Thankful Thursday

Thankful for my boys. All of them. (yes, my husband is one of my boys!)

Thankful for more days with Cam!

Thankful for visiting home last week and going to parks and just enjoying being together.

Thankful for cooking!! and baking!! (Apparently, my mom always said she could tell how my mood is depending on how much I bake and it's been a lot lately!)

Pumpkin Pancakes

When fall comes around, the two things I want more than anything is chili and pumpkin! My family on the other hand could care less about the pumpkin part but obliges me every once and a while! We had these Sunday morning and were so good!

Ingredients

2 cups flour, self-rising

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 egg

1 1/4 cup buttermilk (we prefer thinner pancakes)

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 15-ounce can pumpkin

Step by Step

1. Combine dry ingredients and gently whisk through to mix. Pour buttermilk into liquid measuring cup, add in butter and egg and lightly beat together with a fork as you pour into dry ingredients. Pour in pumpkin and mix together til well-combined.
2. Heat griddle over medium heat. Drop 1/4 cup scoops of batter onto griddle. Flip once. Top with a touch of butter while still piping hot.
3. Serve hot with your favorite pancake syrup.

Recipe adapted from this recipe by Add a Pinch

Week 2 of 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies!!

Haystacks

This is probably the simplest cookie EVER. It requires no baking and considering it was over 80 degrees today it was nice to not have to turn the oven on! My mom has made these for every Christmas that I can remember. I am really loving being a part of The 12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies group and big THANK YOU to Abby for hosting it!

The Ingredients:

1 bag of butterscotch chips

1 bag of chow mein noodles

1 cup of peanuts

Melt the butterscotch chips at one minute intervals in the microwave ( mine only took 2 minutes to completely melt). Add in peanuts and chow mein noodles. Place on wax paper in heaping tablespoons until set. They aren't the prettiest cookie in the world but definitely something good!

Recipe came from my mama!

Thankful Thursday

I am thankful for.....

getting Cameron on Saturday,

going home,

apple orchards,

being able to read blogs at work,

A08,

elfster,

and just being able to smile!

interesting........

I'm not quite sure about this one. I like pop tarts and I love pumpkin pie but the two of them together??!?!?!???

Twelve Weeks of Christmas Cookies, Week 1

Hello Dollies

This is a really simple cookie (more of a bar cookie, I know) but is really good! It's perfect with a glass of milk! This cookie is a cookie that my mom makes every Christmas season. My grandmother makes it too. In fact, my grandmother, would sometimes omit the nuts and coconut in the recipe when I was younger because I didn't like them!

6 tbsp. butter or margarine, melted
3 tbsp. sugar
1 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. butterscotch chips
1 c. chocolate chips
1 c. coconut (I used 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup nuts (can use 1 cup but I'm not a huge fan of nuts and I used pecans)
1 can Eagle Brand milk (or Sweetened Condensed Milk)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and mix together with sugar and graham crackers and press into a 9x9 pan. (I have heard of some people doing this in a 9x13 but they turn out really thin.) Layer coconut, nuts, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips and then pour Eagle Brand on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe adapted from this recipe on Cooks.com

12 Weeks of Christmas Cookies!!

Yes, I know it's October 2nd!
But this Seemed super exciting to me! More to come!

October 1st!

So I love to have a challenge and my husband and I might (might) do this... we talked about it briefly (even if I did eat out breakfast and lunch today!)

We are going To Go An Entire Month without eating out.

This may be easier said than done but October 31st, I will post the total of what we spent eating out for the month.

I ate dinner at home tonight (because it's easier with the baby) but so far $10 (5.83 to Chik Fil A and 4.59 to McDonald's) has been spent. Normally we spend at least $50 a week eating out. I would really like to challenge us to do this not only to save money but to also save some calories! I know a lot of bloggers have done this in the past and done well so let's see what happens!