No S’more Summer

At the beginning of summer, and towards the middle, I am always dreading the colder months ahead. But once the last humid days of August fade away, and the cooler days of September make their way into northern Minnesota, I am actually looking forward to the fall leaves, fall festivities, and of course the fall flavors.

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Even though this past week was short, it sure seemed long! I was glad to have Monday off though. I made a trip up to see my parents and we took off to the Black Bear Casino to go to their great buffet. I honestly adore the all-you-can eat style restaurants—especially when they include peel-and-eat shrimp..yum!

Shrimp, jo-jo potato fries, corn on the cob, grapes, shrimp and scallops mix, steamed carrots, battered cod, beef pot roast.

This weekend, my mom, grandma, and I headed to Little Falls, MN and attended the annual Arts and Crafts Fair. It actually turned out to be decent weather—mid 60’s, slight breeze, and plenty of sunshine. The great fall weather brought out thousands of people looking to find a few homemade treasures; it’s a great place to shop for unique holiday gifts!

Lots of local Minnesota food vendors—and lots of samples of course!!

Loved this personalized bird house—how fun!

An authentic ice cream truck—couldn’t pass this up!

I bought this pretty wire twisted ring—loved how unique it was!

After walking all afternoon, we worked up an appetite and headed to Perkins for dinner. I wanted a protein-packed meal, so decided on the Steak & Eggs combo with a baked potato. I was a little skeptical about how Perkin’s steaks would measure up compared to somewhere like Applebee’s, but I had no complaints—the meal overall was a great choice!

 

I grabbed a double-scoop frozen custard from Culver’s with strawberries and blueberries..I think I like frozen custard better than ice cream!

But back to summertime, there are some things that I just can’t leave behind from the June, July, and August months, one being s’mores. There’s just something about the smooth chocolate and melted marshmallows sandwiched between two crunchy graham crackers that still seems to beckon at me throughout the winter months. But even when you can’t head outside in your sandals to the campfire, you can still create s’mores indoors—how? With this recipe!!

s’mores cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup shortening
• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 package chocolate chips
• 1 cup mini marshmallows, plus extra
• About 3 regular-sized Hershey bars, cut into pieces
• 2 packages graham crackers, broken into squares

 

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. On an ungreased cookie sheet, lay out 12 large graham cracker squares.

• In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening and sugars. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
• In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add flour mixture slowly to shortening mixture. Mix until combined.
• Add chocolate chips and marshmallows and stir together.
• Form into golf-ball size balls and place on top of graham crackers.

• Bake for 5 minutes, then remove and press Hershey pieces and an extra marshmallow or two on top.

 

 

What are some things you can’t leave behind from the summer months?

A Fun and Thrifty Gift

Happy Saturday friends!

Hope your out celebrating the start of the weekend—if not, maybe your home watching Christmas shows and baking like me? I can’t get enough of the holiday spirit this year!!

Speaking of which, doesn’t it always happen to you this time of year when you think you have all your gifts ready to go, but then you think of a handful of other people that you’d like to give something to? Well don’t run off to the nearest store just yet..you may have everything you need at home to make a gift guaranteed to please!

Layered Gift Jars

Every year I whip up a bunch of these to give to friends and family. What is a layered gift jar you ask? Basically it’s a half-ready recipe—the jar has all the dry ingredients of a recipe layered into it and then you attach a tag with the wet ingredients needed and instructions for baking. So in other words, when the gift recipient opens the jar, they just pour it in a bowl, add the butter, eggs, etc., form into cookies and bake! It’s basically a homemade cookie that didn’t take much effort on their part, which is perfect for this hectic time of year. Plus you can personalize them to suite your recipients tastes!

• First, I buy these pretty glass jars every year at our local Dollar Tree and then get started.
• I will set up an assembly line of sorts, and put the first ingredients in all of the jars, press it flat with a long handled spatula, and move on to the next ingredient.
• You then want to attach the ribbon around the neck of that jar and make a tag with the name of the recipe, ingredients, and instructions.
• You can then finish by wrapping up the jar with a bow on top, or just putting it into a gift bag with some tissue paper.

Four easy steps to a stunning gift. I figured I’d share what recipe I used for this years cookies.

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Mint Chocolate Chews

Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

For the jar layered in order:

• 3/4 c granulated sugar
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 c Andes Peppermint Crunch baking bits
• 1/2 c semi-sweet chips OR 1/2 c holiday colored M&M’s

Ingredients the recipient will need to add:

• 1 jar Melt-In-Your-Mouth Chocolate Chews
• 1/2 stick of butter, softened
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
• Place contents of jar in large bowl. Using fingers, work butter into flour mixture. Combine eggs and vanilla in small bowl. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and stir until dough forms.
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls, place balls 3’ apart on prepared cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets. Enjoy!

And don’t just stop with a cookie jar..here’s some other fun ideas!!

• Tea and biscuits mixes
• Soup and side dish mixes
• Puddings, sweets, candies and yogurts.
• Jam, chutney, pickles, and preserves.
• Condiments, herbal vinegars, and oil.
• And for furry friends—dog treats and biscuits!

Head here for a GREAT collection of gift jar recipes and ideas.

By the way, glad you all were drooling over the PB Chocolate pie—I made new version, so I thought I’d share! It’s easy to make this stunner into a Chocolate PB Banana Pie—just swap the cheesecake pudding for banana flavored pudding instead—I actually like this rendition better :-)

 

Have a great weekend—stay warm!

Clearance and Cookies

Hello everyone!

I am really excited for the weekend because we are supposed to have weather in the 60’s! In November? I must be dreaming! What are you up to this weekend?

So now it’s the official holiday season. The Halloween things are being pulled off of shelves and replaced by Christmas decorations. Does anyone else notice how stores just kind of “skip” Thanksgiving? Well I particularly like the end of one holiday because then I rush to the clearance shelves and score some cheap deals—here’s what I scrounged at Target this year!

Wilton fall cookie cutters—turkey, leaves, apple, pumpkin, and an acorn. $1.50 each.

White candy melts--$1.25 a bag, I got four.

Brach’s caramel apple candy corn and gourmet pumpkin spice candy corn. $0.94/bag

A brownie pops pan, and a mini pumpkin pan for only $2.49 each!

So I was happy with all my purchases and can’t wait till Black Friday and after Christmas sales!

Did you score any after Halloween steals?

For the last couple of days, every time I visit Google, I am reminded that it is Sesame Street’s 40th anniversary. Do you know where this is going? I am celebrating by being a Cookie Monster! But for once, I am not making them from scratch! I was very fortunate to get a chance to try out Best Maid Cookie Company’s new Trans Fat Free Home Style pre-formed frozen cookie dough. 

First off, when you order these, they come in a very uniformed fashion, with each layer separated by waxed paper.

They are very easy to remove—then all you do is pop em’ on a cookie sheet(at this point I was very tempted to eat just the cookie dough!), follow temperature instructions, wait a very short time, and almost instantly you have homemade cookies! Perfect for the time-crunched, or even those who are not because they’re delicious no doubt!

I got to try the Chocolate Chip, Peanut Butter w/Rieces Pieces, White Chunk Macadamia, and the Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut.

They smell so great even before they bake!

About 7 minutes later..

They baked up beautifully! These are my kind of cookie, because like I mentioned before, I am a chewy cookie gal—not so much for the crunch. These were crisp on the outside, with that lovely chewy inside. I’d have to pick the Oatmeal Cranberry Walnut as my favorite because oatmeal cookies are always great, but with the additional cranberries and nuts makes for a treat! The White Chocolate Macadamia  comes in a close second because the chunks of chocolate are huge & satisfying! The Peanut Butter w/Rieces Pieces is an obvious good one—creamy peanut butter taste studded with M&M’s? Yes please! And the Chocolate Chip was great dipped in some soymilk—perfect for that chocolate craving.

The Best Maid Company has TONS of great cookies and flavors. Be sure to check em’ out here ASAP!

Good for You Goodies: Glow Gluten Free Cookies

**Make sure to check out Zesty’s POM Tea giveaway here**

If you are a newer visitor to my blog, you might not recall hearing about my Good for You Goodies feature. It was created by me in an attempt to highlight great companies that make tasty goodies that are both good tasting, and good for your well-being. All companies that qualified for this feature donated products that I review. I haven’t done a feature for a long time, just because I was a little too busy this summer with moving and such, but expect a few new Good for You Goodies posts in the near future. (p.s. There will be a feature page posted on my blog so you can access all reviews soon!)

The Company: Glow Gluten Free 

The Products: 4 flavors of gluten-free cookies

My Chew Review: When browsing the web, sometimes I will stumble upon a company’s website that has a food I am dying to try—this was one of those times! I mean who doesn’t like cookies? And it was even better that all four flavors are all natural, preservative free, gluten free, trans fat free, and casein free. I like when I can feel a bit better about eating cookies! =) Then I recalled a time when I had tried some not so stellar gluten free cookies—but I figured every cookie deserves a chance, so I was pleased when the wonderful Jill agreed to send some cookies for me to sample. I had high hopes after visiting the website and seeing the drool-worthy photos. Was I let down by these fab four? Read on to find out! But first a little rundown on this company:

Baking entrepreneur and celiac disease expert, Jill Brack, has cooked up a mouth-watering collection of gluten free cookies full of everything that has been missing in the marketplace. Her new line of Glow Gluten Free cookies will surprise even the most discerning palates: rich Double Chocolate; crisp and spicy Gingersnap; cinnamon sugary Snickerdoodle and, always a best seller, the old fashioned Chocolate Chip. And in case all of these delectable flavors make you forget, yes, they’re all gluten free. “It takes one to bake one,” says Brack, who has been diagnosed with celiac disease for many years. “Eating gluten free doesn’t mean you have to settle for less. I created Glow Gluten Free cookies to put fun and delicious flavor into snacking gluten free. People tell me they crave these cookies whether they are gluten free or not.”

Snicker Doodle Cookies

Since I am not a giant fan of chocolate I have always leaned more towards being a sugar, snickerdoodle, molasses type cookie girl. So of course I had to dig into this flavor first!

What I thought:

Just like a fresh-baked snickerdoodle that I would have made. Not overly sweet, but just the right amount of goodness! Crunchy and crumbly at its’ finest! Great on top of a fruit and yogurt parfait—made it 10 times better!

 

Gingersnap Cookies

What I Thought:

I had very high standards for this gingersnap. I find it hard to compete with the chewy ones I bake around Christmas. But, every cookie deserves a chance, and I am so glad they do! Can you see the sugar crystals just gleaming on that cookie? And the crinkles made it all the more appealing. This is definitely my new go to gingersnap cookie for when I don’t have time to whip up my own.(This is also a crunchy cookie, as are all of the Glow cookies) Did I mention I am astounded these cookies are gluten-free and still so delicious?!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

What I Thought:

Okay, so in all reality, how many different brands and variations of chocolate chip cookies has the average person tried? Lets just say a lot. So needless to say, each chocolate chip cookie needs to have something memorable about it to be marked as a “good cookie”. I guarantee this variation on a chocolate chip cookie will please anyone in your family who is a Chip’s Ahoy fan! I used to love Chip’s Ahoy, and this cookie brought back chocolaty (albeit healthier) memories! Cheers to that—with a cold glass of milk of course! ;-)

Double Chocolate Cookies

What I Thought:

Like I said before, I am not a giant chocolate fan, but I do enjoy an occasional chocolate cookie or a few chocolate candies. This cookie would be perfect for brownie lovers because it had that same deep richness of a typical brownie, without the dense chewiness of course. So if you need a serious chocolate fix, I found your match!

Overall, all of the cookies were delicious. I really have no gripes about them, other than I would have liked a chewy cookie for maybe one of the flavors—but like I said, they are great dipped in milk, crumbled over yogurt, or just a snack.

Thanks again Jill—what a great company!

Get your own Glow Cookies HERE!

I’ll Always Be a Kid at Heart

“Growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional.”

“You're never too old to become younger.”

“Man does not cease to play because he grows old, he grows old because he ceases to play.”

“I have my whole life to be mature, why start now?”

“Age is something that doesn't matter. Unless you're a cheese.”

I think I am one of the fortunate kids who have a childhood filled with everything good—good times, good food, good family relationships, and overall good great growing up years. So, of course I will always want to stay a kid at heart because I loved not knowing what each free day would bring, but not caring regardless! So I thought I would share how I am still a kid at heart—these are just a few! :o) How are you still a kid at heart?

One: I have a slight obsession fondness for Spongebob Squarepants. Ever since he was introduced 10 years ago I have been smitten. And I was stoked when I finally got to meet him at Universal Orlando a few years back!

(Universal Studios Orlando—February 2006)

Two: If you’ve been reading the blog for awhile you already know that I am head-over-heels for anything ice cream and I turn wobbly in the knees around anything cream and cone themed! There’s just something nostalgic about ice cream. (Maybe the fact that I ate my good share of cones when I was little—and even more now!)

(FL State Fair—February 2007)

  Three: I love to eat foods that come in shapes. Any shapes! I used to only like macaroni in the fun little cartoons vs. the boring elbow macaroni. Now I still prefer to eat shaped foods. For example, I am in love with these heart-shaped cookies!

Have you tried the Heart Thrive cookies yet? They’re not just any cookie—they actually qualify to be in my Good for You Goodies category. About them:

30% Daily Protein, Fiber & Calcium!

Now Calcium Enriched!

As much calcium as an  8 oz. glass of milk!

No Trans Fats!

Heart Thrives are a delicious, VEGAN and NON-GMO energy bar. Made with oats, soy and dried fruits, each Heart Thrive supplies 30% daily PROTEIN, FIBER and CALCIUM.

Heart Thrives are made from ingredients with a low glycemic index that metabolize slowly providing sustained energy for hours.

Flavors: APRICOT, CRANBERRY, APPLE, DATE, POPPY SEED,

CHOCOLATE CHIP and RAISIN FLAVORS

I tried all of the flavors and would have to say the lemon poppyseed was my favorite followed by the raisin spice and third would be the cranberry. These aren’t your typical cookies—they are much heartier, which explains why I could only down one from the 2 heart package. Anyway, get your hands on these if you like your food to be shaped. (I have heard these are good heated or with a smear of peanut butter!)

Four: And lastly, I retain my kid at heart by eating kid themed cereals. Yes they have a lot of sugar and some not a lot of nutritional benefit, but hey—they’re fun! Here’s one of my recent favorites!

These are like the amped up version of your classic Rice Krispies. They are multi-grain with a good source of fiber and a slight, but sweet honey taste. Plus they are about 3 times the size! I am thinking about whippin’ up a batch of Jumbo Rice Krispie Bars!!

Good for You Goodies: Nutritious Creations Cookies

--Happy Humpday—everyone! Yesterday was like the first taste of spring here. A high of 44 degrees which was like a heat wave! So I went for a nice stroll and finished off the night with some Cold Stone Creamery. You all know I love that place! 8-) Now the post today is basically a 2nd edition to my 1st video post on the other goodies Nutritious Creations sent me. If you missed the video post, check it out here. I hadn’t yet tested the cookies when I did the video post, but now that they are all in my belly I can share the chew review!

The Good for You Goodie: More Cookies!

The Company: Nutritious Creations

The Chew Review: Honestly, I loved every single one of these cookies & I am a pretty fussy person when it comes to cookies and food in general, but gosh, I have been delighted by all of these products I’ve received and can’t say I’ve had to stop eating something or give it away because I didn’t like it. Cheers to that! But I still did have some favorites in this bunch, I will start with my least favorite and save the best for last…

• Wheat Free Carob Chip Cookie

Just because this was my least favorite does not mean it wasn’t good just to let you know! I was anticipating a chewy chocolate chip cookie, but instead this was definitely a crunchy cookie which the crumbly texture. I prefer chewy, but I am still working my way through this giant cookie. Here’s some extra info: A Large crunchy cookie made with rice and oat flour, loaded with all natural carob chips (a great alternative to chocolate), a divine treat that’s a great source of energy. 100% vegan.

• Sugar Free Snack-A-Doodles

• I loved the square shape vs. a normal circular cookie—very stylish! (are cookies stylish?) Anyway, even though these are sugar free they are sweetened with Splenda, so definitely not lacking on the sweetness. Any slightly more chewy than the Carob Chip cookie. Each 1 oz cookie is Sweetend with Splenda & Maltitol. They Have No Transfats, No Hydrogenated Oils, No Dairy, & are Kosher by Kof-K. These Cookies are Crispy & 100% Delicious.
• Low Fat Rocky Road Cookies

The look of these immediately got me thinking, “What a loaded cookie!” and isn’t that how cookies should be? Fortunately it also delivered a loaded taste somewhat reminiscent to a good ol’ campfire s’more! It had me wanting s’more.(no pun intended)This scrumptious cookie is filled with lots of yummy bits, marshmallows, almonds, walnuts, & chocolate chips. All wrapped up in a low fat decadent chocolate cookie. Only 170 Calories, 3 Grams of Fat, & 3 Grams of Fiber. Go for it, these cookies rock!!

• Gluten Free Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am a total fan of coconut because it takes me to the beach(mentally of course, bummer it’s not for real!) I could smell the coconut right when I opened the package which is a sure sign it was gonna be loaded with coconut taste & that it was! And no fake coconut tastes here, all real, so yes, it did bring me to a tropical place all the way through!Soft, moist and chewy, this cookie is a great combination of coconut and chocolate. A creamy, melt in your mouth, one of a kind taste. This tropical treat will take your taste buds on a healthy vacation. Sit back, relax and enjoy!

• Gluten Free Carrot Cake Cookie

Anyone who is a fan of carrot cake will no doubt love these cookies! It was so moist it practically broke pieces off itself for me to devour! Packed with raisins and walnuts it was such a treat, but oh so healthy and to top it off it was extreme spicy goodness. My top pick for carrot cake anything! Yumm.. A delicious, sweet, spiced, soft, moist cookie with raisins & walnuts. No refined sugar, transfat, dairy, cholesterol, eggs, wheat, & no hydrogenated oils. The only flour used in this cookie is rice, potato, tapioca & almond. 100% Vegan.