Spookies and Cookies

I can't say enough how much I love this time of year, fall and the holidays that come with it are just so much fun!  Pomegranates are in season and that makes me super happy also!

Another thing that makes me super happy is Carbon Leaf.  My husband, sister and I went and saw them last week.  So entertaining!  Check them out here, they have a Irish Folk, Rock sound.

My sister and I with Barry the lead vocalist.

 We have started some home improvements in our new house.  Before my husband put holes in the wall there was a counter in this corner of our mud/laundry room.  I guess it was to fold laundry on but it just collected junk.

Before

 We decided to rip it out and make it more useful by adding a bench, shelf and hooks.  Since we come through the garage mostly our coats and back packs were not ending up in the main entry closet.  Brian also moved a plug closer to the built in ironing board. 

After 

We painted the walls green and Brian built the rest and we painted it white.

We had a fun time doing this project, we aren't professional woodworkers by any means.

 There is still more we want to do with the inside and outside of the house but it all takes time and money.

Been doing a little holiday decorating also.  I was wanting to make these lanterns for a long time but did not have anywhere to put them.  But now that I have these cute windows I thought it would be perfect spot. 

 Find the tutorial here.

Spooky at night

Thought I would throw in a recipe in this mega post.  Super easy peanut butter cookie.  You could even throw them together for a Halloween Party.  Maybe frost them with chocolate frosting and sprinkle some holiday sprinkles over the top.

Peanut Butter Cake Mix Cookies

recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Ingredients

• 1 package yellow cake mix
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 large eggs

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients. Mix together until well combined.
3. Shape dough into small round balls and place on a cookie sheet. Using a fork, lightly flatten the balls making a criss cross pattern on the top.
4. Bake all cookies at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (check at 9 or 10 minutes to prevent over-browning). Makes 2 dozen cookies.

We had a little party at our house last weekend and I made these little frankies.  I pinned it on Pinterest  and it was just a picture but I think I figured it out.

Make regular batch of rice krispie treats.  Add green food coloring to marshmallow butter mixture before adding krispies.

Pour into 9x13 buttered pan. 

When cooled dump out and cut into rectangles.

Melt half a bag of chocolate chips in microwave safe mug.  I like to add a little shortening, like 1/2 tablespoon to my chocolate when I melt it.  It just makes it more flexible.  Dip the "heads" of franky into chocolate and lay on waxed paper lined cookie sheet.  

I bought white frosting in a tube and squirted little circles for eyes and put a chocolate chip in each one.  Then with a I found a Halloween frosting writing set at Walmart, it had the color black that I used for his mouth.  When all done pop them into the fridge until set.

Triple Chocolate Cookies, Halloween Style

I think I have mentioned a lot that this is one of my favorite times of year!  I love all the treats that come along with the holidays.  My husbands favorite is sugar cookies, but they are so time consuming.  So here is a quick cookie recipe and I turned it a little Halloween Style.  Got this recipe from my friend Meg.

The original recipe called for semi-sweet chocolate chips and white chocolate chips.  I found this bag of mixed chocolate and orange colored chips and thought it would be fun.  You see the dark chocolate cookie with bits of orange, perfect for Halloween! 

Triple Chocolate Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips 

1/2 cup white chocolate chips 

If using the Halloween mix I added 1 cup. 

Mix dry ingredients together in a bowl.  In a mixer combine butter, sugars, vanilla, and eggs and beat for a couple of minutes.  Slowly add flour mixture and then chocolate chips.  Roll into walnut sized balls.  Bake on  ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  

New Month, New Flexi

A freestyle arrangement of warm harvest colors embellish this month's Flexi. The potpourri of metals, collection of bead designs, and the uniquely-hewn centerpiece encourage the change of season. Be the first to adorn a twist this Fall with the pleasant glow of gold, copper, brass, and more!

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My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie

It is a lazy, cold and cloudy Sunday afternoon a perfect day to make chocolate chip cookies.  This is my go to recipe for chocolate chip cookies that I have been making since I was a kid.  Couple hints about chocolate chip cookies that I find make a nice chewy cookie.  First of all don't over melt your butter.  I never have softened room temperature butter, because who can wait for that when you want to make cookies now!  So I pop my  butter in the microwave for 10 seconds and then check it.  If you put your finger in it and it gives a little it is perfect, you don't want any of it melted just softened.  Next make sure that you add enough flour.  I am at a higher altitude and so I have to add a bit more flour sometimes.  I take a bit a dough in my hand and roll it, if it rolls into a ball and not to sticky is a good judge.  So you don't want to sticky but not to firm either.  I then like to hand roll by dough balls so they are nice and round and you get a perfect circle cookie after baked.  Lastly do not over bake!  I hate a hard cookie, so I rather under bake.  Enjoy!

Betty Crocker's Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

3/4

cup granulated sugar

3/4

cup packed brown sugar

1

cup butter or margarine, softened

1

teaspoon vanilla

1

egg

2 1/4

cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1

teaspoon baking soda

1/2

teaspoon salt

1

cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

1

package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

1. Heat oven to 375ºF.
2. Mix sugars, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in nuts and chocolate chips.
3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

April is here and so is spring!  Let me introduce you to Lilla Rose's Flexi of the Month! 

Spring is in the Hair! Celebrate Spring with a majestic Tree of Life adorned with the delicate colors of Spring!

Order from my website 

So now that it is over...what are we going to do now?

We had a great Christmas and Audrey (my 4 year old) is still yelling "Best Christmas Ever!" Christmas has come and gone and now what is up for the new year?  There is always a huge build up before Christmas, with Halloween and then Thanksgiving and then Bang!, it is all over with.  We are then left with cold, dark days and cabin fever sets in.  I do have a few things on my noggin' to keep my spirits up.

New Years Eve is tomorrow so here are a few ideas that you can whip up real quick today or tomorrow.

Printable Review

Can't wait to see what the kids will say!

Photo Memory Game

My oldest is turning 9 (thought now that next year when she was 9 and 3/4 old would have been a fun idea, but too late now) in a few days and she wants a Harry Potter Themed party.  We are doing a small family party with just us, but I thought I would grab a few cute ideas from Pinterest.

She wants red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting.  I asked her what kind of ice cream and she said Neapolitan (what!?)  anyway she is the birthday girl so she gets what she wants.

I found a few free printables out there 

Click Here for all the printables and tons of ideas.

Next I am already thinking of Valentines Day.  It always seem to sneak up on me and I want to make a few fun things and make some cute valentines with my kids for their friends.

Animal Herd Valentines

"I CEREALsly like you!"

 I would like to make a view of these garlands and hang them around the house.

Heart Paper Chain

Thought this would be cute for teacher gifts for V-day instead of candy and also for some close friends and neighbors.

Mini Hand Warmer

Of course don't forget the treats.....

Chocolate Heart Peanut Butter Cookies

SOFT GINGER SNAP COOKIES

I instagramed these cookies I made for our first Family Christmas Party of the season and I got some likes so thought I would share.  I got this awesome recipe from my neighbor friend Meg.  Meg moved away a few months ago.  Meg was my visiting teacher with Carol and they were the best!  Meg would bring me goodies, because that is what all the most wonderful visiting teachers do.  If I can't make it for a visit to my sisters I always feel good if I can bake them up something and run it over for a quick, Hi!.  Anyway Meg shared this cookie and recipe with me and I just love them.  I love a ginger snap, but I always think of a crispy cookie you have to dip in milk.  But with this cookie milk is optional, they are soft, chewy and have all that yummy spice.  They are perfect to make at this time of year, where you want a gingerbread type recipe but don't want to go to all the trouble of rolling out and cutting dough.  So here ya go!  

SOFT GINGER SNAP COOKIES

1 1/2 cups oil

2 eggs

2 cups of sugar

1/2 cup molasses

Combine and blend well

4 cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cloves

Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture.  Refrigerate dough for one hour.  Roll into balls the size of a walnut and dip into sugar.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  This is a dark dough, so it is hard to tell when they are done.  When the cookie starts to crack on top that is a sign they are done, don't over bake.

Sucker for a Snickerdoodle

I know this looks bad that a few weeks after our weight loss competition and I am already posting yummy baked goods.  I actually baked these cookies up during our competition and I gave most of them out to my neighbors and only kept a few, so there.  I just had to try this new recipe I found because she claimed they stayed soft and chewy and that is really hard to do when baking snickerdoodles. 

I really am a sucker for a snickerdoodle as you can see here and here. 

 I don't know why I love snickerdoodles so much they don't even have chocolate in them!  I guess it is one of my go to cookies, if I don't have chocolate chips in the house.  It is a cookie that you almost have all the ingredients for and they are just simple and yummy to make. 

I usually make the recipe from the Betty Crocker cookbook but I now will replace it with this new one from Our Best Bites.  The cookie did stay soft and chewy, everything you would want in a snickerdoodle.

Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups sugar (12.25 oz), divided
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups (12.5 oz) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt*
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter* (not margarine) at room temp
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2 large eggs
*if using salted butter, just omit table salt

Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon in shallow dish and set aside. Whisk flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl.

Beat butter, shortening, and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl as needed.

Reduce speed of mixer to low and slowly add flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds. Give dough final stir to ensure that no flour pockets remain.

Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll into balls. Working in batches, roll dough balls in cinnamon sugar mixture to coat and set on prepared baking sheet spaced 2 inches apart.

Bake 1 sheet at a time until edges of cookies are set and just barely beginning to brown, but centers are still soft and puffy, about 10-12 minutes. The cookies should look raw between the cracks and seem underdone. Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Makes about 2 dozen 3-4 inch cookies.


Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

Coconut Meringue Cookies & Weigh-in

Brian and I had our 6 week weigh-in on Wednesday!  Brian is still knocking them down. 

Brian lost 2 pounds!  For a total of 12 pounds! 

Katrina lost 1 pound!  For a total of 4 pounds!

We are really doing great!  Brian and I went out on a date also on Wednesday.  Brian splurged and got a Diet Dr. Pepper (we have been trying to stay away from all soda) so after 6 weeks of no soda, it tasted strange to me.  Also one night we made Jello Jigglers.  I ate one and it put me through the roof sugar wise.  I am really like the way I am feeling on the inside and out.  It is weird to say that I have had more energy since I have been exercising. I know I haven't lost much weight, so far but I feel fit and exercise that would exhaust me before is now very fun.

Enjoy today's recipe, they were super yummy!

Coconut Meringue Cookies

1-1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
Directions

Beat egg whites and dash of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually add in sugar while beating until peaks are stiff and glossy. Fold in coconut. Drop by rounded teaspoon onto greased (or parchment lined) baking sheet.

Bake at 325*F 18-20 minutes until set and very slightly browned.

Center will still be soft.


Number of Servings: 20Recipe adapted from Sparkpeople

Nutritional Info

• Calories: 50.6
• Total Fat: 1.8 g
• Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
• Sodium: 14.4 mg
• Total Carbs: 8.4 g
• Dietary Fiber: 0.2 g
• Protein: 0.5 g

For the love of Dessert!

Hi, my name is Katrina and I am addicted to dessert.  I am a person that loves to go from salty to sweet, to salty to sweet, you get it?  After I finish my lunch or dinner I immediately go to the pantry to grab something sweet to get the food taste out of my mouth.  I knew that I did this before but since I have started tracking what I eat on Sparkpeople I have realized I have a huge sweets problem.  I love dessert!  I think it is fine to have dessert.  But here is the next problem, I love to bake!  I love to try new recipes and bake, but then I eat and eat and eat the dessert all gone.....that is bad dessert.  So I have been looking for better dessert options and have tried a few I like and have less calories.  It still might have less calories unless you eat 10 of them!  Bake, eat one and give away the rest that is the diagnosis to my problem, my neighbors are going to love me!

Here is a few lighter dessert recipes for ya!  Enjoy!  Remember to check back in next week for our weigh-in results.

First is a flourless peanut butter cookies.  These cookies were great and I think better than some peanut butter cookies I have tried with flour.  They clock in a little over 100 calories per cookies.  If you minus the chocolate it would be less, but who would want to do that.?

Flourless Peanut-Chocolate Cookies

• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. In a large bowl, stir together 1 cup creamy peanut butter, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 large egg (lightly beaten), 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until well combined. Stir in 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 cup roasted salted peanuts.
2. With moistened hands, roll dough, about 1 heaping tablespoon at a time, into balls. Place 2 inches apart on two baking sheets.
3. Bake until cookies are golden and puffed, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back halfway through. Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

We ate these for Brinner (Breakfast at Dinner time)  I think they have more of a muffin texture than cupcake, but still tasted great and my girls loved them!

Double Chocolate Cupcakes

2 tablespoons butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk (I used 1 % milk)
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon vinegar (I added this to the 1% milk to make my own buttermilk)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and egg white, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Stir in the buttermilk, water, vinegar and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to batter just until moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups coated with cooking spray or paper liners three-fourths full. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

YIELD: 14 cupcakes

Nutrition Facts: 1 cupcake equals 139 calories, 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 1 mg cholesterol, 221 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook

Triple Chocolate Brownies

This brownie has a surprising ingredient, black beans, yep you read right.  The pureed black beans replace some of the butter used in most brownies.  We had some mixed reviews at our household.  Brian and Audrey did not care to much for them.  Aria and I did not mind the taste.  If you enjoy dark chocolate these would be something to try.

Triple Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for baking pan
• 1/4 cup black beans, rinsed, drained, and pureed until completely smooth
• 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (1/2 cup)
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (1/3 cup)
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, plus 1 large egg white
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine butter, bean puree, and chocolates and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth, about 2 minutes. Whisk in sugar, eggs and egg white, and vanilla until smooth.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir into chocolate mixture until just combined. Pour batter into pan; smooth top. Bake until top is cracked and a toothpick inserted in center has moist crumbs attached, about 25 minutes (center will seem undercooked but will set further as it cools). Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Using parchment, lift brownie from pan and cut into 16 squares.

Cook's Note

Store in an airtight container, up to 3 days.

per brownie 155 calories; 7g fat (4g sat fat); 3g protein; 24g carb; 2g fiber

Recipe adapted from Everyday Food Magazine, The Light Issue

Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies

When I was a little girl instead of an orange in my stocking for Christmas I got a pomegranate. I love pomegranates and put pomegranate and chocolate together and it is one amazing treat!

Double Dark Chocolate Pomegranate Cookies
Makes 2-3 dozen
bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes

1/2 Cup (1 stick) Butter--don't use margarine
1/2 Cup Vegetable Shortening

3/4 cups White Sugar
3/4 cups Brown Sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp Vanilla

2 cups Flour
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
3/4 tsp Salt

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup pomegranate arils (those red seeds. 1 Pomegranate is more than enough)

In a Kitchenaid mixer (or in a bowl with a handmixer) cream together the butter, shortening, 2 sugars, vanilla, and eggs. Beat the mixture on medium-high for a full 3 minutes--this is important. During that time you'll watch the chemistry of the ingredients change into a very creamy mixture.

In a separate bowl mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Combine it with the butter mixture and mix till everything is incorporated.

Add the pomegranate arils and chocolate chip, mix briefly to incorporate everything. A few seeds may burst while mixing but that's fine.

Scoop the dough into small balls on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.
Recipe adapted from MADE

Flourless Double-Chocolate Pecan Cookies

Dark Chocolate lovers do I have a cookie for you! This was a very fun and different cookie to make. Why it is a unique cookie is that there is no flour and made of mostly egg whites, so it is sort of healthy also. The ending product turns out to be kind of a meringue, dry on the outside but nice and chewy inside.

FLOURLESS DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE COOKIES

Ingredients

3 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder Not regular Cocoa Powder, I used Hershey's Special Dark
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used semi sweet chocolate chips)
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (or other type of nut)
4 large egg whites, room temperature


Directions

1.Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cocoa, and salt. Stir in chocolate and pecans. Add egg whites and stir just until incorporated (do not overmix).

2.Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls, 3 inches apart, onto two parchment-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake until cookie tops are dry and crackled, about 25 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer sheets to wire racks and let cookies cool completely. (To store, keep in an airtight container, up to 3 days

Recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you like butter or margarine in your chocolate chip cookie? Mostly I use margarine, but if the recipe specifically asks for butter I use it. I like the buttery taste you get when using butter, but sometimes the cookies can turn out hard. Where margarine can yield you a softer cookie. But really the key to a great chocolate chip cookie is to not over melt your butter/margarine, it should be at room temperature. Also for a soft cookie is to not over bake and I never leave my cookies to rest on the cookie sheet after baking, I immediately remove them. I really despise and over baked cookie. I found this recipe and thought it would answer all problems of using butter versus margarine, because it has both. It really was a tasty cookie. You got the buttery taste and then the margarine to keep the cookie all soft and chewy.


Chocolate Chip Cookies

½ c. butter
½ c. high-quality tub margarine (I used Blue Bonnet)
¾ c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
¾ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. baking soda
1 12-oz. bag chocolate chips

Cream together butter, margarine, sugars, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to creamed mixture and beat well. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop onto cookie sheet by tablespoon

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned

Recipe adapted from Our Best Bites

The proof is in the picture

I want you to make these Chocolate Chip Cookies

Surprise Inside

Today I have got two surprises for you. First the big surprise, Wednesday we found out that we are having a BOY! We are so very excited and especially my husband. Second I have a fun cookie recipe with a surprise inside. These cookies are more like a brownie with a gooey marshmallow center and a fudgy icing. I have seen this recipe a few places and one version they used a strawberry marshmallow inside, which would be perfect for Valentine's Day. Enjoy!



Marshmallow Brownie Cookies

•1/2 cup butter
•1 cup granulated sugar
•1 egg
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1 3/4 cups flour
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•1/2 cup cocoa
•1/2 cup milk
•1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)
•Large marshmallows, cut in half



1.With a mixer, cream together butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla extract; mix well.


2.In a bowl, whisk together flour, salt, soda, and cocoa.


3.Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in thirds alternating with the milk. Stir in nuts if desired.


4.Drop a spoonful (I use my cookie scoop) onto a greased cookie sheet approximately 2 inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees F for 9 minutes and remove from oven.


5.Immediately place a marshmallow piece (place with the sticky cut side down) on the top of each cookie and bake for 2 more minutes. When cookies are cool, frost each cookie with frosting.



Makes 2 1/2 dozen.



Chocolate Frosting:


•1/2 cup butter
•3 tablespoons milk
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/3 cup cocoa
•4 cups confectioners’ sugar



Mix ingredients together well and frost tops of cooled cookies.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I love making cookies and one of my most favorite to make is chocolate chip. Sometimes I want a cookie but don't have the time or don't want to babysit each batch in the oven. Bar cookies are a good fix for my problem and this one I have made a few times and is my new favorite. Just like the name they are thick and chewy...yummmmm.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

•2 1/8 cups (10 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour
•1/2 teaspoon salt
•1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•12 tablespoons butter (1 1/2 sticks), melted and cooled slightly
•1 cup (7 ounces) light brown sugar
•1/2 (3 1/2 ounces) cup granulated sugar
•1 large egg
•1 large egg yolk
•2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•2 cups chocolate chips


1.Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Adjust the oven rack to lower-middle position.

2.Line a 9X13-inch baking pan with foil, letting the excess hang over the edges of the pan by about 1 inch so you can grab those edges and pull the brownies from the pan after they have baked. Spray the foil-lined pan with nonstick cooking spray.

3.Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside. Whisk the melted butter and sugars in a large bowl until combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix well.

4.Using a rubber spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture until just combined; do not over mix. Fold in the chocolate chips and turn the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with the spatula.

5.Bake until the top of the bars is light golden brown, slightly firm to the touch, and edges start pulling away from sides of pan, 24-28 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature.

6.Remove the bars from the pan by lifting the foil overhang and transfer them to a cutting board. Cut into 2-inch squares and serve.

Recipe adapted from Real Mom Kitchen

Pumpkin Two Ways

I love a recipe with very few ingredients. These recipes are probably not new to some of you but they were new to me and I loved the concept of making muffins and cookies with out any eggs or oil. Since the cold weather is upon us and the pumpkin shortage is over make these for your family knowing that they taste great and have a little less calories.


Chocolate Pumpkin Muffins

1 box devil's food cake mix
1 can solid pack pumpkin (15 oz)
semi-sweet chocolate chips (this is not in the original recipe, but I sprinkled some in.)

Mix the two ingredients together. Don't add anything else! The mixture will be very thick. Place batter into regular muffin tins (or mini muffin tins) lined with paper, or sprayed with non-stick spray. Back at 400 degrees for 20 minutes 0r 10-12 minutes for the mini. Makes 12 regular or 36 mini muffins.

1 muffin or 3 mini 181 calories (w/o chocolate chips), 3.5g fat, 37g carbs, 2 g fiber, 2g protein


Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 boxed spice cake mix

1 can solid pack pumpkin (15 oz)

1 bag (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Pour cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Add the pumpkin and mix until the two ingredients are combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Place small spoonfuls of batter onto a cookie sheet. Bake the cookies for 20 minutes.

Chocolate Snickerdoodles

Finally it is starting feel like fall around these parts. When it starts to cool down I love to start baking more and warm the house. I have always loved making snickerdoodles every since I was a little girl. When I came across a chocolate snickerdoodle it was hard to resist making them. They have a very subtle chocolate flavor but still very delicious. A tip about snickerdoodles is not to over bake them, I take them out a bit early so they will stay nice and chewy.
Chocolate Snickerdoodles

1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup cocoa
2 2/3 cup flour
2 tsp. cream of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla. Sift cocoa, flour, cream of tarter, baking soda, and salt together. Add to mixture.

Roll into small balls; roll in sugar. Place on cookie sheets. Bake at 400 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes 5 to 6 dozen.