Orange Dreamsicle Cookie Mix in Mason Jars

Pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/270216046364759239/

Links to: http://christmas.organizedhome.com/crafts/gifts-in-a-jar/dreamsicle-cookies

 

Of course I wanted to make the actual cookies to ensure the recipe was good before I bought the mason jars and sent them as gifts.

How fantastic this is. So simple, quick, easy. The cookies don’t spread even though they are made with real butter.

I purchased Pint mason jars, and most arts and crafts call for Quart mason jars, so I simply cut the recipe in half and it worked just as perfectly!

Top them with a nice little bow, make a list of the wet ingredients, and decorate the jar.

TADA!

*Jars come in packs of 12, after all ingredients, averages less than $4 per jar to make. What a bargin!

Worlds Best “Subway” Chocolate Chip Cookies

So I work across the hall from a Subway and my latest addiction is their cookies. They are so soft, chewy, decedent and PERFECT. On my  mission to make my own, I Googled the recipes for “Subway Chocolate Chip Cookies” and came across this site which also happens to come from Pinterest.

 

Pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/51439620714045170/

Leads to: http://suziethefoodie.blogspot.ca/2012/03/janes-subway-chocolate-chip-cookies.html

 

1) This is Suzie’s 2nd post regarding the recipe, so after making the cookies to the T of her directions, I noticed they flattened out much more than in her pictures. After looking at the first blog, I noticed she left out the refrigerating for 1 hour minimum which makes the world of a difference. Be sure to do this as the cookie dough is fairly moist (close to a batter) and will be hard to spoon with the tablespoon scoop.

2) FANTASTIC recipe. So fantastic.

3) What kind of chocolate chips to use? Not semi sweet. I prefer the full regular chocolate chips.

4) 12 minutes to make minimum.

5) The trick to these. Margarine > Butter in cookies. I’ve always been told to use butter in baking, but the spreading out is minimized. Using Parchment Paper is a life made easier. Slide it off the cookie sheet, throw some more on.

Yields: 40 cookies, balled in full tablespoon scoops

CAUTION: Will not last over 2 hours.

Orange Dreamsicles

Pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/270216046364553864/

Leads to: NOwhere!

Because there isn’t a link to the attached photo, like most pins, I figured it was as easy as mixing the ingredients together. Wrong..

How am I capable of messing up the mixing for 5 ingredients?

I used almond milk rather than coconut (as i always use almond) and because we don’t like coconut at all! Next, no honey in the house, I can skip it. INCORRECT. Add some sort of sweetener, it neeeeeds it!

Regardless of what sweetener you use (honey, sugar, sweet n low) BLEND IT! In a blender on high.

I simply mixed it all up and it separated before they could thoroughly freeze.

Try a pulp free orange juice. I used regular and along with the other screw ups, found the texture to be wayy to pulpy for my liking.

And I used the classic cheap popcisle making container thing (under $5 at walmart), not sure if it will work with a creamier sicle.

Mine came out to be more like popsicles rater than ice cream bars which is disappointing.

I promise to perfect this by summer, it’s my favorite treat.

2’s for you

For whoever calculated the ratios of 2 cupcakes: thank you.

Pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/270216046364553756/

Leads to: http://www.ohcupcakes.net/recipes-cupcakes-for-two.php

UMNOMNOMNOMNOM

These are basic vanilla cupcakes. 2 of them. Spice it up!

I added a little less sugar and orange juice rather than all vanilla (1/2 orange 1/2 vanilla+ a few extra orange drops). Made them have a zing!

Idea: Don’t forget the milk. Oops…try almond milk! Healthier, and great for cooking!

I don’t have anything bad to say about this, I just had to share how fantastic it is!

Frosting: Its really really hard to make butter cream frosting for 2. I used a recipe on the comments and it would have been enough for 6 cupcakes, but to make just enough for 2 is hard. Make the decision of trying to master that or just dealing with mass amounts of frosting ;). I added about 2 tablespoons of Ghirardelli powered white chocolate. YUMM!

The End result: One happy lady with 2 orange cream cupcakes topped with white chocolate butter cream.

Brussels Sprouts: Newest Obsession

So when I was young my mom made me eat the frozen tiny brussels sprouts covered in butter and tasted like cabbage and mush. With that being said I was very leery of trying them again. However I’ve heard great things from many people about FRESH brussels sprouts!

Pin: http://pinterest.com/pin/485051822336758817/

Leads to: http://whatsgabycooking.com/lemon-garlic-brussel-sprouts/

I love garlic. I love lemon. This is a treat in my mouth.

I grabbed 7 brussels sprouts and it was the perfect serving for a starving college kid and cost $.80! Perfection.

If cooking a smaller size, just minimize everything else.

Note: Be sure to cut them in half. And with a very sharp knife. If you have a dull one, it will make a mess of the layers of the sprouts and not turn out well.

2: The first time I made them as the recipe said with adding the sprouts then the garlic. Second time around, I sauteed the garlic first (this also helped make sure the oil was hot and ready) then added the sprouts. SECOND WINS! much much tastier, and much less garlicy.

3: Subtract the lemon zest, just stick with lemon juice (plastic ones are under $2 and last forever) and dont add too much! It turns the meal sour very quickly!

4: Some people add cheese, I prefer not to and save the calories!

Heres the nutrition facts for Brussels: Per Half cup

Calories: 28

Cards: 6

Protein: 2grams

Sodium: 16mg

Garlic Parmesan Knots

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/270216046362421491/

Leads to: http://realmomkitchen.com/609/easy-parmesan-knots/

If you like over seasoned things (which I LOVE) these are for you.

What a great appetizer. Suggest to serve them warm (most definitely not cold) and with ranch!

Idea 1: Don’t use jumbo biscuits. I’ve cooked with jumbo ones in everything for as long as I can remember, but unless you want these in the size of softballs, don’t use jumbo biscuits, stick to regular ones. My baaad.

Idea 2: Oil type doesn’t matter one bit, but Canola is healthier than vegetable.

Idea 3: Grated Parmesan, using the green bottle can is required, the real stuff doesn’t melt well and has a terrible texture.

So delicious, everyone should try. Would be great for 3-4 people dinner, or a superbowl party!

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles w/Cream Cheese Filling

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/270216046363874284/

Leads to: http://www.bakeaholicmama.com/2012/10/cream-cheese-filled-pumpkin.html

YUM YUM YUMMMMM!!!!

Fall=leaves=pumpkin=happiest girl in the world.

Best recipe. EVER. Heaven. Required. I’ve made these twice so far and doubled the recipe both times, making about 40 fairly large cookies.

Thing 1: Filling comes out tasting like straight cream cheese, I prefer to add a bit more sugar to the filling to make it sweeter. Biting into a sugary-cinnamony cookie with straight cream cheese in the middle is a bit of a let down. Making it a true cookie filling defiantly helps. They can also be made without the filling at all!

Thing 2: Be sure to let the dough sit in the fridge, covered, for an hour minimum! Before that makes it very hard to work with. Your hands will get messy regardless but stiffer dough makes life easier.

Thing 3: I love soft cookies, I wont touch them if they are crumbly. As soon as the tops of these are stiff, take them out of the oven and they will harder a bit more when cooled. The bottoms are sensitive so be careful about leaving them in even for a minute more.

 

I cant even begin to convey how fantastic these things are. Its almost like pumpkin bread rolled in cinnamon sugar. How cant you love it?!

Practice makes perfect with these. The more you do, the easier it becomes.

 

Slow Cooker Chicken-Classic Herb Taste

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/270216046364553781/

Leads you to: http://eezyrecipes.com/crock-pot-chicken-okay-yall-this-was-the-best-chicken-that-i-have-ever-made-it-was-so-moist-and-delicious-best-part-easy/

If you live in any cold place you know the GREAT perks of a slow cooker. You throw the food in and can leave it for hours without touching it! I love love love my slow cooker.

Baby chickens! I love a good slow cooker chicken, they are usually moist and so simple. This recipe is so simple and quick, also has all the seasonings that are fairly common to a household.

Number 1: Putting onions under the chicken, I’ve seen this in many recipes but never understood why. Well when you don’t add water to your chicken (I think it comes out more moist when you DONT add water) the onions help with moisture. It doesn’t add any taste and honestly is a pain in the butt to clean when done. So its a preference step.

The rule of “When it smells good its done” greatly applies to this. Or “wiggling a leg loose”!

I cook on high 4-5 hours for a 4lb chicken. 5-6 for 5-6 pounds or low for 8ish hours. When it comes to crock pot timing, you just have to do trial and error as every pot holds the heat differently.

Blueberry Muffins made with yogurt and applesauce

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/270216046364553979/

Link leads to: http://shortbreadbakery.blogspot.com/2009/08/healthy-blueberry-muffins.html

Sounds healthy right? On my venture to lose weight and live a more healthy lifestyle I was ecstatic to see these. I know a lot of people have been using apple sauce rather than sugar and oil. Yogurt sounded interesting…

First ingredient called for whole wheat flour, I used regular all purpose flour. I rarely go out of my way to buy specialty things like this.

Next: Lemon fat free yogurt?! Plus lemon zest?! So I went with a lemon margarine pie yogurt (Regular lemon was not to be found) and a vanilla yogurt. As someone mentioned in the comments, DO NOT USE GREEK, it will make it very sour.

Lastly: Blueberries…DO NOT use frozen blue berries. Even if they are completely defrosted. Fresh ONLY. When i used frozen, I drained them thoroughly, and they still wouldnt set. And 2 cups is an absurd amount. Highly suggest 1 cup, eat the other cup while waiting(:

The end result: Mush. The end resulted in mush. So much moisture and blue berries ensured the muffins wouldnt set up. Bake time is 12-14 minutes, Mine didnt start to brown until about 18 so watch them carefully.

Would i try them again? Possibly, if fresh blueberries every cost under $4 a cup in Boise, ID. Our produce is limited up here so this might be one to save when visiting California.