Sweet Treats

Sand Dollar Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

I totally messed up on the dough, and ended up using store bought cookie dough.  I also realize that I want to buy some cookie cutters, but not before I figure out an easy way to store them!

No Bake Cappuccino Pie

This recipe features a new product Jif Mocha Cappucino.  It wasn't available to me locally (or even when I visited my parents), but I did find it the last time I was in Pierre.  The recipe does make more than one pie, so I used some mini pie pans as overflow dishes.

Funny thing is that I told the kids at church I made the cookies for them, and the pies for the adults.  I said that the pies tastes a bit like coffee, and I didn't think they would like it.  During the meal, one of the twins (about 17 months old), and shoved the whole mini-pie in her face, and was licking the tin. 

Handy Cooking Tool

I was talking with a lady from my church, where I had dropped by cookies at her office.  She shared with her office mates.  She said that the lady said she would pay for cookies that were this good.

 

Cookies and More Cookies!

Nutella Banana Cookies

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip, and Pretzel Cookies

Today, I am working on two more recipes for church this evening.  I'm dropping by school, but only for a minute.  We are having registration today and tomorrow, and it is going to be a zoo.  Tomorrow we are RALLY BOUND for STURGIS to see Sugarland!

Last night HH and I watched:

Beef Taco Bake

Last night for dinner we had Beef Taco Bake (Thirty Handmade Days).  This is an easy weeknight meal to make!

 

 

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies and Oreo Pops

I worked at school for three hours today, but then I decided to take the rest of the day off.  I had some baking fun with making ...

 

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies

(Sorry, I have lost the recipe credit for this.)

 

 

1 stick butter, melted

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 white sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground coffee

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

1 cup chocolate chips

 

Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Cream together the butters and sugars.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix together remaining ingredients (except the chocolate chips) then add to the wet ingredients.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Put spoonfuls of batter onto a greased cookie sheet and bake for 9 minutes.  Yields three dozen small cookies.

 

I didn't use the cayenne pepper.  HH had two of these cookies, and I had one.  The rest were given to my friends at the bank, telephone authority, grocery store, and school.

 

Note: I was scared that the coffee and chili powder combination would give it a weird taste, but all the flavors complimented one another greatly.

 

I took the nuggets Oreo Pops from The Nutmeg Nanny.

 

 

HH and I watched The Last Brickmaker in America.  Dinner was a repeat, which is rare in this house.  I don't do many recipes more than once, but Parmesan tilapia and wild rice is a favorite of both HH and myself.

 

 

In Praise of "Dirty" Dishes

Our new friend's Adam and Rachel returned our dish "dirty" today.  Now I like this!

 

  I am getting ready to take over this "Candy Bar Cake" that I made.  I followed a step by step picture recipe from the Food Network Magazine.  My top didn't turn out like the magazine, but it looks delicious.   

  I had a co-worker who was pretty sick, and is just now getting back on her feet.  On Monday, I am bringing her Chex Lemon Buddies.  She is not a big chocolate person, so I think this will hit the spot.  I saved a small bowl for HH.  

   I love my decal on my Mac.  (I should have turned off the flash, and had the Mac on for full effect.)  

  After the event tonight, HH and I will have a dinner (recipe probably posted tomorrow).  He is coming to the school to help me move furniture into the spots I want it, so I can fully begin my setup tomorrow.  I know I will start getting pumped once I have my classroom setup.  Sometimes seeing all these pictures on Pinteret can be overwhelming, and I want to do so much more than is realistic.  (Also, we don't have a Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Target right up the road either!)  

Chicken Tetrazzini and S'mores Krispie Treats

Tonight for dinner I made Chicken Tetrazzini.    

12 ounces linguine 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 cup butter 1 onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic 2 (10 3/4 ounce) cans cream of mushroom soup 1 (5 ounce) package shredded Parmesan cheese 1 cup sour cream 1/2 cup water 1 cup frozen green peas, thawed 1 sleeve crushed Ritz crackers
1.  Prepare linguine according to package directions, and keep warm.  Preheat over to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Cut chicken into 1 inch cubes, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
2.  In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add chicken, onion, garlic, and cook, stirring often, for 6 to 8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Stir in soup, cheese, sour cream, and 1/2 cup of water.
3.  Add linguine, tossing gently to coat.  Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.  Sprinkle with crushed crackers.  Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
There is a church group working on the Christian school this week, and I had HH take 2/3 of Baking with Blondie's S'mores Krispie Treats!  I am usually pretty good at staying away from the treats that I make, but I did have several bites of these!  

 

What a Man!

HH found this video last night.  I ordered the book on my Kindle.  Please take a few minutes to watch this.
 

Cupcakes, Cookies, and Dinner Oh My!

Today was kinda a last hoorah, as tomorrow I'll be going back to work.  I'm working on an online class with a colleague about Common Core Standards.  Our goal is to try and finish up most of the work before school starts.  The class is just a month, and I do get paid to take it. 

 

Next week I'm going to work on setting up my classroom.  I was in a big purging mode at the end of the school year, and hope to continue that for a day or so.  I really like entering the school year feeling very prepared, and mentally it does something to help me start the year right.

 

I took the nuggets at the daycare Gone Fishin Cupcakes.  These were super quick to make, and didn't take any decorating talent at all.  I just used a writing icing pen from the grocery store to make the "fishing line."

 

 

I also made S'more Pudding Cookies.  I shared those with our dinner guests, and will be taking the rest to work tomorrow to pass out.

 

 

For dinner we had Chicken Divan Casserole.

 

 

 

2/3 cup uncooked rice

1/4 cup butter

4 boneless skinless chiclen breasts, chopped into 1 inch pieces (about 2.5 pounds)

1/2 chopped onion

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

2 Tbsp dry sherry

1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1 (14 ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and drained

2 cups cubed French bread (I used croutons, as we don't have French bread on the Rez.)

2 Tbsp. melted butter

 

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.  Cook rice according to package directions, and keep warm.

 

2.  In a large skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium-high heat.  Add chicken and onion, and cook, stirring often, for 6-8 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.  Add flour, and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add chicken broth, milk, and sherry, and cook for 4-5 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in cheese.  Add broccoli and cooked rice, stirring gently to combien.  Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish.

 

3.  In a small bowl, combine French bread (or croutons) and 2 Tbsp. melted butter, tossing gently to coat.  Sprinkle evenly over casserole.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

 

Brown-Buttered Sugar Snap Peas with Pecans

 

 

I thought it was a bit bland, so I added The Melting Pot's Garlic and Wine Seasoning to it. 

 

 

 

Breakfast Apple Cobbler

I have a love obsession with my crockpots.  I could have ten more of them, and still never think they were a bad investment.  I made Breakfast Apple Cobbler for an event my husband is doing at the hospital today.  These went super fast, and the smell filled up the room.  

 

Wednesday Night Meal

I volunteered to cook two Wednesdays this month by myself for church, because I had been missing in action for so long.  That means the few other women who cook have to way pick up my slack.  I made:   Taco Stew from Crockin' Girls   I served it with corn chips and spanish rice.  

I also made Chocolate-Covered OREO Cookie Cake.

The top didn't turn out as pretty as I would have liked, hence just the side shot.