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Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

Allie — Sat, 22 Dec 2012 06:35:23 +0000

The process of grieving is painfully long and the journey for many is still just beginning.

Although words continue to fail me after this horrific event, I did want to share with you the wise words that my Pastor wrote last Friday…

Pastor Ray Johnston’s response to the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School:

Today is a heartbreaking day. Our nation experienced the second-worst school shooting in American history. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and everyone affected by this senseless tragedy. I, like all Americans, am devastated.

During tragic times like this, there is inevitably a mad scramble for clarity. How could this happen? Why would a good and loving God let this happen? Who’s to blame for this senseless violence?

The problem – shallow Christian clichès fall short and ultimately Clarity never comes…because at best, we see ‘through a glass dimly…’ During times like this we think we need Clarity when what we really need is Certainty.

I am certain that this senseless act breaks the heart of God because…

• I am certain that God understands what it means to lose a son

• I am certain that every one of today’s victims was precious to God

• I am certain that God is near to the brokenhearted

• I am certain that no life is ever devoid of meaning no matter how short

• I am certain that Jesus meant it when He said, “Let the little children come to me”

• I am certain that life is precious and that every day with your kids is a gift

• I am certain that America needs to rediscover a reverence for life

• I am certain that a day is coming when suffering will cease and God will reign

• I am certain that when anyone closes their eyes here for the last time and wakes up in the arms of Jesus – they will be more alive than they have ever been.

Of all the words I have read this past week, these are the ones I go back to again and again.

In the midst of all the horror, there truly is no clarity but I strongly believe and echo each of the certainties that my pastor proclaimed.

Today I am remembering the lives that were lost by participating in “Cookies & Crafts for Sandy Hook”

A small gesture to show my love and support to the Newtown community.

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup Cocoa Powder
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bag White Chocolate Peppermint M&Ms
Powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, combine granulated sugar, oil and cocoa powder until well blended.

Beat in eggs one at at time. Then stir in the vanilla.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt.

Gradually add the flour mixture to the cocoa mixture, until just blended.

Add the Peppermint M&Ms.

Stir until evenly mixed.
Cover the dough and refrigerate until firm, about 6 hours.

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls and roll in powdered sugar to coat.

Place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes.
Cool completely before serving.

Enjoy!

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Halloween Snack Mix

Allie — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 01:49:00 +0000

Snack mixes are definitely the way to go when feeding a group of hungry kids. Sweet, salty, crunchy, chewy, a little of everything is sure to please a crowd. After a recent soccer game, I passed out this Halloween Snack Mix to team of six and seven year old hungry boys. It was a total hit! My favorite little soccer player is still requesting more :)

Halloween Snack Mix
4 cups Classic Animal Crackers
4 cups Chocolate Animal Crackers
4 Cups Pretzels
4 cups Cheez-its
2 cups Chex Cereal
2 cups Raisins
1 1/2 cups Peanuts
1 cup Candy Corn
1 bag Reese’s Pieces

Mix it all up and serve!

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Resurrection Rolls

Allie — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 07:48:00 +0000

Resurrection Rolls are the perfect treat to make with your little ones to share the meaning of Easter.

Resurrection Rolls

One can of crescent roll dough

8 large marshmallows (or one for each roll you’ll be making)

Melted butter

Cinnamon sugar

Read John 19 while the oven is preheating to 350.

Unroll the crescent rolls and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Explain that this is like the cloth they wrapped Jesus in.

Give your child a marshmallow and explain that it represents Jesus,
all white and pure because He was without sin.

Roll the marshmallows in the melted butter.
This symbolizes the embalming oils.

Roll the marshmallows in the cinnamon sugar.
This is like the spices used to prepare his body for burial.

Wrap the marshmallow in the crescent roll cloth, pinching the dough together securely. This represents how they wrapped Jesus’ body.

Put the rolls in the oven (symbolizing the tomb) and bake for 12 minutes.

While the rolls are baking, read John 20:1-18.

Open the tomb and remove the rolls. When they’re cool enough to handle, break one open and discover what happened to the marshmallow.
JESUS IS RISEN!

Happy Easter!

Source: adapted from Homegrown Mom

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Sweet and Salty Valentine Popcorn

Allie — Mon, 14 Feb 2011 12:44:00 +0000

I promise that someday, I will write about something other than sweets but this is just too cute, too tasty and too festive to pass up. Valentine Popcorn! I mean who could resist popcorn coated with candy melts, sprinkled with sea salt and tossed with pink and red M&Ms! Happy Valentine’s Day!

Sweet and Salty Valentine Popcorn

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn

1 bag Colorburst Pastels Candy Melts

1 bag Valentine M&Ms

Sea Salt to taste

Pop the popcorn and set aside.

Place candy melts in a small pot over low heat.

Stir often until completely melted.

Pour over the popcorn and toss to coat.

Sprinkle with Sea Salt.

Add M&Ms

and gently toss.

Place on waxed paper until set.

Enjoy some with your Valentine and share with those you love ♥

Source: adapted from This Blessed Nest

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Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies

Allie — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:27:00 +0000

My good friend Tanya made these brownies last Christmas and they instantly became a favorite of mine! I absolutely love the chocolate peppermint combination and the candy cane topping makes them the perfect treat to serve at Christmas time. These brownies are the best! Merry Christmas!

Peppermint Candy Cane Brownies

Brownies:

4 squares unsweetened chocolate (4oz)

1 C butter

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1t vanilla

1 1/4 C flour

1/2 t baking powder

Frosting:

2 C powdered sugar

1/2 C butter, softened

1/2 t peppermint extract

2 T milk

pink food coloring

Chocolate Glaze:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

6T real butter

Topping:

Crushed candy canes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter and unsweetened chocolate in a saucepan over low heat.

While the chocolate is melting, use a mixer to beat the eggs for about 3 minutes until thick and frothy.

Add sugar and vanilla

and beat to combine.

Then add in the melted chocolate and butter that you set aside.

Mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder

and stir into brownie batter

until just combined.

Pour into a 9×13 pan lined with foil.

Bake for 20 minutes.

When brownies are done, cool on a cooling rack.

When completely cool, place in the fridge to chill.

Combine all frosting ingredients and beat until light and fluffy.

Spread evenly over cooled brownies

and place back in the fridge to chill again while you do the final step.

Place chocolate chips and butter in a microwave-safe bowl.

Cook in 30 second intervals until smooth.

Spread the melted chocolate over the frosting.

Top with crushed candy canes.

Enjoy!

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World’s Best Sugar Cookies

Allie — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:54:00 +0000

These are the sugar cookies that I grew up on. My mom would make them every year along with Christmas Fudge to pass out to our friends and neighbors at Christmas time. They are the perfect Christmas cookie.

World’s Best Sugar Cookies

1 cup powdered sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup butter

1 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 cups flour

Cream together sugars and butter.

Add oil and remaining ingredients.
Mix to combine.

Firm into small balls and place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Press cookies with a fork.

Sprinkle generously with sugar.

Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

Cool completely.

Enjoy!

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Christmas Fudge

Allie — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 12:06:00 +0000

This Christmas Fudge is a Christmas tradition in my family. A dear friend made it for us one Christmas years ago and it has been made in our home every Christmas since. It really is the best fudge recipe out there. Look no further, make this Christmas fudge today!

Christmas Fudge

4 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cubes butter

1 can evaporated milk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 lb semi-sweet chocolate

1 lb milk chocolate

1 jar marshmallow cream

2 tablespoons vanilla

2 cups chopped walnuts

Combine sugar, butter, evaporated milk and salt in a large pot over medium heat

Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly

Remove from stove and add semi-sweet chocolate, milk chocolate and marshmallow cream.

Stir until melted.

Add vanilla

and nuts.

Stir to combine.

Pour into a sheet pan lined with wax paper.

Cool and cut.

Merry Christmas!

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Candy Bar Shortbread Squares

Allie — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:38:00 +0000

I realize that Thanksgiving is only a couple of days away however we still have Halloween candy lurking around our house. I really couldn’t let my kids eat all this Halloween candy and I really would have hated to see it all go to waste so instead I decided to make these leftover Halloween Candy Bar Shortbread Squares. I’m sure the Halloween candy will be out of our house in no time now :)

Candy Bar Shortbread Squares

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups assorted chocolate candies or roughly chopped candy bars (12 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat butter, brown sugar, and salt on medium-high until light and fluffy.

With mixer on low, add flour in three additions

and beat until combined (dough will be crumbly).

Press dough evenly into an 8-inch square baking dish.

Bake until golden brown and firm, 25 to 30 minutes.

Scatter chocolate chips on top of shortbread.

Bake until soft, 1 minute.

With the back of a spoon, spread chocolate evenly over shortbread.

Scatter candies over top and press down gently.

Let cool on a wire rack 30 minutes.

Refrigerate briefly to set chocolate, then cut into 16 bars.

(Store in an airtight container, at room temperature, up to 4 days)

Serve

Enjoy!

source: adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

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Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Allie — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 10:44:00 +0000

I don’t usually like the rain but I must say that I have really enjoyed the last couple of days of it. On occasion, being stuck in the house on cold rainy days can actually have its benefits. This weekend we enjoyed a cozy fire, hot chocolate, lazy pajama days, breakfast for dinner and even some pumpkin pudding cake…

Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Pudding Ingredients:

1 (13oz) can pumpkin

1 (12oz) can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1 ½ t. cinnamon

¼ t. ground cloves

¼ t. ginger

½ t. nutmeg

½ t. salt

1 C. sugar

Topping Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix

1 ½ cubes butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix pudding ingredients with a wire whisk.

Pour into 9X13 glass pan.

Sprinkle 1 yellow cake mix evenly over top.

With a spoon, SLIGHTLY swirl cake mix and pudding together.

Be careful not to over swirl, there should still be quite a bit of cake mix NOT mixed in.

Drizzle 1 ½ cubes of melted butter over the top.

Bake for 50 minutes.

Serve warm alone or topped with vanilla ice cream.

Enjoy!

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Red, White and Blue Grilled Chicken Salad

Allie — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:54:00 +0000

I am on vacation right now in beautiful Lake Chelan, Washington. I knew I would be too busy building sand castles, enjoying boat rides, and reading trashy magazines while laying out on the beach to write a post this week so instead I have a special guest post for you from one of my favorite food bloggers. Take it away Reeni….

Hi! This is Reeni a.k.a. Cinnamon Girl from Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice. I’m guest hosting for Allie while she is on vacation. I hope you enjoy my salad and will give it a try!

This recipe is a recreation of one of my favorite salads from my favorite diner. It is packed with blue cheese, pecans, dried cranberries and topped with grilled chicken. The creamiest, most-delicious, homemade honey mustard you can imagine is drizzled over top.

The textures and different flavors in this salad make it so fun to eat. My taste buds are totally addicted to tart and sweet flavor pairs. I love dried cranberries! They take on a whole new life compared to fresh ones. They are sweeter, less tart and the contrast between them and the bite from the bleu cheese is off the flavor charts. Soft, savory, sweet, smoky, salty, crunchy, chewy, creamy, crisp, tangy, tender and juicy; this salad has it all!

It is the most perfect Summer dinner salad. You can throw the chicken on the grill and have the dressing and salad assembled in the time it takes to cook. And it is nothing short of sublime! Light yet filling and completely addicting!

The great thing about this salad is you can make it for one or for a crowd. You can adjust how big or how little you want the salad to be. That’s why I haven’t included measurements for the salad fixin’s. But be on the generous side. They really make the salad.

Red, White and Blue Grilled Chicken Salad
(by Reeni)

For the salad

Chicken breast, boneless, skinless
Romaine hearts, chopped
Dried Cranberries
Pecans or Walnuts
Blue Cheese, crumbled

For the dressing*

2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard
3 tablespoons Honey
2 teaspoons Rice Vinegar
Salt and pepper
Mayonnaise (optional)

1. Pound out your chicken breasts between saran wrap using a mallet to your own desired thickness. Season well with salt and pepper. Grill until cooked through.

2. Meanwhile toast the pecans or walnuts in a dry saute pan for about five to seven minutes on low tossing a few times.

3. In a food processor emulsify the mustard, honey and vinegar. Taste and adjust to your liking by adding more honey or more mustard. If too thick thin with a little more vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. For a creamy dressing add a teaspoon or two of mayonnaise. I save my empty honey bear bottles for storing my home-made dressings in. *For creamy honey-mustard in a pinch mix equal parts Ranch dressing and honey mustard.

4. Assemble your salad, start with the romaine and top with generous amounts of cranberries, walnuts and bleu cheese. Drizzle with honey-mustard and top with the grilled chicken.

Print Recipe

Thanks for asking me to guest post Allie! It’s been a pleasure!

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