Shortbread Sugar Cookies

Shortbread Sugar Cookies - so festive!

Last week we got a pretty big snowstorm - 11 inches! My wonderful husband went out to shovel, all by himself. Yes, I am lucky that most of the time I can stay warm and comfy inside while he is out in the cold doing the physical labor! He said the snow was at least pretty light and fluffy, but was also surprised and grateful when our neighbor with a snow blower came over to help clear the driveway. So I knew I had to give him some homemade goodies as a thank you. I already had some fudge, but wanted to round it out with some cookies. These cookies hit the spot - decadent and crumbly, with fun sprinkles. They are also very easy to make, though it takes a long time to bake and cool.

Shortbread sugar cookies right out of the oven and so good!

Shortbread Sugar Cookies
based on the recipe by Chelsa Bea

Ingredients 

1 cup sugar plus 1/8 cup

4 sticks of butter (1 lb.)

2 ½ cups flour

½ cup cornstarch

Pinch of salt

Optional:

ginger or zest of lemon or orange

sanding sugar (in place of the 1/8 cup sugar)

(whatever else sounds yummy!)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 250°.

Line a 9x13 baking pan with parchment.

Cream together 1-cup sugar and all butter. Once creamed,, slowly add the flour, then the cornstarch, then salt. If desired, mix in ginger, lemon or orange zest.

Pat it into baking pan.

Bake for 1 ½ hours at 250°.

Remove shortbread from the oven, but leave the oven on.

Cut into smaller pieces, cutting down the middle then cutting across into sections. Sprinkle cookies lightly with remaining sugar (or sanding sugar), until they are evenly coated.

Turn the oven off. Place pan back in oven for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and allow shortbread to cool, in pan, for at least 20 minutes. The cookies will be very fragile when they first come out of the oven and will easily fall apart if handled. Store in an airtight container or freeze.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 12/30/13

Well hey there. I am finally getting to use the MPM holiday logo pic! This has been a crazy month, between sickness, WDW, worse sickness and being out of town for Christmas, menu planning has gone out the window!! But we are back, only slightly sick, going to the grocery store today and ready to get back to regular ole life! I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and got everything on your wish list! My big gift was the kindle Fire! woo hoo!!!

Monday:  Deluxe Baked Macaroni and Cheese from Taste of Home

Tuesday:  NYE!!! cheese and crackers, pretzels, Crock Pot Hot Onion Dip, mozzarella sticks.
Dinner: Pillsbury Grands Grilled Cheese
For dessert: S'Mores Dip with Teddy Grahams and Nilla wafers

 Wednesday:  leftover mac and cheese

Thursday: Pizza Bubble Up (Pillsbury Grands Rolls are on sale -  with coupons, I bought 4 for .35 each!)

Friday: leftovers

Saturday and Sunday: I usually don't cook on weekends, but I think I will make some Fresh Take chicken.

Dessert of the Week: leftover cookies - I was too sick to make any, but my sister in law gave us some of hers :D

Find more meal plan at orgjunkie.com!

Leftover Candy Bar Fudge

Mmmm, candy goodness!!!

 This year was E.'s first year trick or treating! We just went to a few houses in the neighborhood, and he did fabulous. Lots of Trick or treats, thank yous and Happy Halloweens. He loved the freedom of running down the street, too! J. had to work late, but he was able to get home in time to go to the last few houses with us.

Proud of his craft

Little engineer for a party

Yo Ho! Let's go trick or treating!

The kiddo mostly chose lollipops when he was able to choose, so we had a a few odd and ends of chocolate candy, plus some we had leftover that we were handing out. Searching the Internet (aka Pinterest!), most of the recipes that used leftover candy called for a lot of one kind of candy. This fudge uses whatever chocolate candy you have, and it was totally easy to make too!

Leftover candy bar fudge

I halved the recipe and it worked fine. I also added some peanut butter ;) What I liked most about this fudge was that you never knew what taste you were going to get - sometimes it was minty, sometimes peanut buttery and sometimes there was a Butterfinger crunch!!

Leftover Candy Bar Fudge
Recipe from Sweet Treats and More
*recipe can be halved*

Ingredients:
40-45 fun size chocolate candy bars, any variety (you can also use the minis, using 2 minis for 1 fun size bar)
 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk

 Instructions:
 In a medium sauce pan, melt chocolate candy bars over low heat. Once almost melted stir in sweetened condensed milk. Remove from heat and pour into a bread pan lined with parchment. Chill for 2 hours. Cut into squares and serve.

*** Mine took a lot more than 2 hours to set up in the fridge. Keep leftovers covered in the fridge.

Inside look - Butterfingers, Whoppers, nougat...

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 10/21/13

 I am so glad that I chose to make last week a light week, since we all came down with bad colds! it has been so hard to function, and here it is, 2 p.m. when I am writing this, and I can't stop yawning!! This week and next Jeff is working late (his play is Nov 7 and 8!) and it is supposed to get cooler, so I am thinking more crock pot and stew recipes are on the way. Also as we get closer to Halloween the craziness of the season goes into full swing!


Monday: BBQ Chicken Stuffed Potatoes, using shredded chicken from the freezer

Tuesday: Slow Cooker Macaroni and Cheese

 Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Halloween Party (see Dessert of the Week!)

Friday:  Dinner out

Saturday and Sunday: Ranchy Crock Pot Chicken (and leftovers on Sunday)

Dessert of the Week: Bringing something to the Halloween party... either Fudge Candy Corn or Simple Slice and bake Candy Corn Cookies or maybe some candy corn cake balls. So hard to decide!!!

Find more recipes at orgjunkie.com!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 10/7/13

Another uninspired week, I blame the overcast skies! By the end of the week, it will HOPEFULLY be cold enough to make some soup. I am so tried of wearing shorts in October!!!

Monday: grocery shopping day, so something from the freezer (again!)

Tuesday: Italian Chicken Roll ups

 Wednesday:  chicken pot pie cupcakes - by request of the kiddo!

Thursday:  leftovers

Friday:  slow cooker potato and corn chowder

Saturday and Sunday: leftovers, and a birthday party on Sunday!

Dessert of the Week: Pumpkin Spice Donut Muffins - if pumpkin is on sale!

More menus at OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 9/2/13

Happy September!! Well... it might not officially be fall yet, but I couldn't resist using this banner :D September starts our busy months... Already we have something going on every week this month and into October! Not to mention that J. is back to work and E. starts his 2 year old class 2 days a week, so our schedule is totally changing! I love that fall is a time of change :)


This week:

Monday: leftover taquitos

Tuesday: Jen Hauler's Pizza Casserole

 Wednesday:  leftovers

Thursday: Slow Cooker Salsa Chicken


Friday: Crock Pot Ranchy Chicken

Saturday and Sunday: leftovers and pizza

Dessert of the Week: need to make something for a birthday party on Sunday... probably Double Fudge Oreo Cookies


More menus at OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 8/19/13

Well, all of our summer vacations are over! It was such a crazy summer... Walt Disney World, Sesame Place, Colorado and Disneyland! Whoo. No more vacation until December... we have 2 planned then! We pretty much depleted our freezer before our last vacation, so I will be spending the next few weeks freezing up leftovers to help us with our upcoming busy months. Are September and October crazy busy for anyone else?

I also became inspired after reading How to Clean a Cast Iron Skillet by A Spicy Perspective, so I brought out my grandma's cast iron skillet that I have had for years but never used :( So if you have any great recipes that use a cast iron skillet please LMK! (It is a smaller one - 8.5 inches it says)

Monday: Crunchy Pork Chops

Tuesday: Skillet Lasagne 

 Wednesday:  leftovers

Thursday:  BBQ Chicken Crescents

Friday: homemade pizza

Saturday and Sunday: We are going out to dinner with friends Friday or Saturday, so it will be that, leftovers from that dinner or fend for yourself!

Dessert of the Week: I made Creamsicle cake mix cookies for lunch at the in-laws today, but I left them at home, so we will eat those this week.

I am also planning on using some of my frozen watermelon and making Watermelon Frostys (Frosties?)

More menus at OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday!

Greek Yogurt Pound Cake

Greek Yogurt Pound Cake

I had some Greek yogurt to use up, (Am I the only one who seems to always have bits and pieces of ingredients to use up?) so of course I headed right to Pinterest! This recipe caught my eye right away. It is a bit healthier and thus has a slightly different and bit more tangy taste than pound cake, but it is still just as dense and yummy as the full on fat version.

The net time I make this, I will put a vanilla or lemon glaze on it. It tastes best with a little whipped cream and fresh berries - or under ice cream!!

Greek Yogurt Pound Cake

Greek Yogurt Pound Cake
Recipe from I Heart Eating

Ingredients:
3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 ½ c. plain, non-fat Greek yogurt
1/2 c. butter, softened
3 c. granulated sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

Directions:
 Preheat oven to 325 F.
Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt pan (or spray with a nonstick spray that has flour in it).
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
 In a large bowl, beat yogurt, butter, and sugar together until well-combined. (Batter will be runny)
Beat in eggs one at a time.
 Stir in extracts.
Add flour mixture, and stir in until just combined.
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. (It took me 70 minutes) You may need to cover the exposed cake with foil if it starts to brown too much.
 Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Greek Yogurt Pound Cake

 

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 7/29/13

Welcome to a hastily put together Menu Plan!! Usually I do my planning on Sunday evenings, but last night we went to Cheesecake Factory to celebrate DH and his brother's birthday (they were born 1 day apart (and his parents were born 2 day apart!)). When we got home I was way too stuffed to think about food!!! So here is a quickly thought about meal plan!!

Monday: leftover chicken and cheese quesedilla pie

Tuesday: Cheesecake Factory again - just an app and 1/2 price cheesecake!
 
 Wednesday: Creamy Chicken and Rice Bake

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Easy Weekday Chicken Pot Pie

Saturday and Sunday: I will probably make baked ziti on Saturday and have the leftovers Sunday

Dessert of the Week: I have Greek Yogurt to use up, so I will be making Greek Yogurt Pound Cake and Creamy Greek Yogurt Nutella Dip as something fun for the kiddo!

More menus at OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of June 17, 2013

Woo, posts three days in a row! lol Don't get used to it - we are going to Walt Disney World next week (YAY vacation! YAY Mickey! YAY not cooking!), and while I DO want to schedule some posts (not sure if I'll be bringing the laptop or not) I know that I probably won't! So, sorry if I go dark.

Anyway, this week is the last week of school for J., one more YAY! to add to the awesome pile. So I thought I'd make some of his favorite dishes! He sometimes complains because we rarely have anything more than once, so I thought this would be a nice treat! I also have no chicken left and don't want to buy any before payday, so this is also a use up what we have before vacation week.


Monday: leftover lasagne from Father's Day (from MIL, so good!)

Tuesday: Crock Pot Mac N Cheese
 
 Wednesday: leftovers

Thursday: Pepperoni Pizza Puffs (didn't make 2 weeks ago!)

Friday: Impossibly Easy Cheeseburger Pie

Saturday: either leftovers or chicken quesedillas

Sunday: leftovers

Dessert of the Week: the rest of the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars


More menus at OrgJunkie's Menu Plan Monday!

Father's Day Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Father's Day Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

J.'s family loves desserts. LOVES desserts. Unfortunately, they don't like anything too odd or out there, so I am learning to hide my fun dessert streak and just make plain ole boring desserts for them. Every year for Christmas Eve, J. makes some sort of complicated cake, and his family is more likely to make fun of it (even with a look or turned up nose) than to simply say "Thanks for making this"

So for Father's Day, I asked J. what his dad might like for dessert. His dad is diabetic, so he doesn't really eat dessert, but it IS Father's Day. J. suggested chocolate chip cookies. BORING! Thankfully I found this recipe in my bookmarks and was  able to pump up the regular ole chocolate chip cookie.

I baked them the full 20 minutes, but they are still a bit undercooked in the middle and flaky on top. So. So. GOOD!!!

Father's Day Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars - chewy in the middle, flaky on top

Happy Father's Day!


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
from Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients:

1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup creamy peanut butter
½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan; set aside.
2. In a small bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and granulated sugar on medium speed until creamy and light. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Reduce speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing only until the flour is just incorporated. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate chips and peanut butter chips.
4. Turn out the mixture into the prepared pan and press into an even layer. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until the center is set. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cut into bars and store at room temperature in an airtight container.

The kiddo couldn't wait until I was done taknig pics to try to nab one!

 

Muddy Buddy Rice Krispie Bites

Muddy Buddy Rice Krispie Treats

What a few days it has been. We are having some water issues, so we can't do laundry, use the dishwasher or the water too much .We can take quick showers but that is about it! Today is day 4 of this, and day 3 of the guys working on the issue! So I haven't wanted to cook so much, between the water issue and the guys being here near dinnertime and not wanting to dirty too many dishes. Hopefully the issue will be resolved today!

I did manage to whip up these yummy treats, though. They are originally from Mallow and Co. I changed the recipe a little to make it more Weight Watchers friendly. I made 60 bites for 1 Point Plus each.

Muddy Buddy Rice Krispie Treats

4 Tbsp butter
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
6 cups (1 bag) mini marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups Rice Krispies
3/4 cup powdered sugar


Pour half of the rice krispies in a large mixing bowl. Set aside. Stir together the butter, peanut butter, and chocolate chips in a large saucepan over medium heat until melted. Turn the heat down to low and add the marshmallows and vanilla extract.Stir, stir,stir until the marshmallows are all melted.

Once fully melted, take them off heat and pour over the rice krispies. Add the rest of the krispies. Stir quickly but gently to combine. Dump into a lightly greased 9x13 pan and let sit 5 minutes (on the counter). Lightly grease your hands then press down the krispie mix until even. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Pour your powdered sugar in a bowl and pull out your cooled treats. Cut them up in into bite sized pieces (I cut them into squares, then cut the squares in half or in fourths), then roll them around in the powdered sugar. Tap them to shake off some of the excess sugar. You could also dump the powdered sugar in a bag and shake some pieces in that. Enjoy!!

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 4/21/13

This week I have eggs and sour cream to use up, so that is guiding my menu. I feel like I never have anything to make yet I am always trying to use things up??

Monday:  Crescent Pizza Pockets

Tuesday: Creme Fraiche Quiche (no bacon :( )

 Wednesday:  leftovers

Thursday: Leftovers, maybe something from the freezer, maybe something else quick. No inspiration here. Maybe hot dogs, some kind of corn dog casserole?

Friday: Pizza! We have a free one from Papa John's.

Saturday: I am having a grilled cheese party, thanks to House Party! Should be fun!

Sunday:  leftovers

Breakfast of the Week: Yup I rarely make breakfast but this week I am going to make Sour Cream Banana Bread

Dessert of the week: Going to make use of the Easter candy and make either Carrot Cake Coconut Cookies (modified so that J. will eat them!) or Cadbury Mini Egg Blondies

Find more menus at Org Junkie :)

Mint Oreo Brownies with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

Mint Oreo brownies with Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting

This recipe is so quick and easy. It's a great way to use Oreos, and it can be easily changed for the seasons, depending on what color of Oreo cream is on the shelves.

Mint Oreo Brownies with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
(recipe adapted from Lilluna)

Ingredients

1 Brownie Box and ingredients on box (you can totally use from scratch brownies too!)
1 package mint Oreos, divided
mint extract (optional)
1 cup milk chocolate chips
4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 bar)
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp.vanilla

Instructions

Make brownies as directed on box, adding in 1 to 1 1/2 sleeves of crushed Oreos. You can also add in some mint extract to make them more minty!

Once brownies are cooled, heat chocolate chips and cream cheese over low heat in a pan until melted. Stir to be sure they don't burn!

Add powdered sugar and vanilla to frosting mixture and mix well. Pour over brownies and spread evenly.

Crush of the rest of the Oreos and sprinkle them on top of the frosting.

Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream

Peppermint Marshmallow Fluff Buttercream Frosting

Oh my yum. This is such an EASY recipe, and it is also crazy easy to customize. I had to use up some candy canes from Christmas, so I made a peppermint flavored marshmallow cream frosting. If you think buttercream can be too sweet, this frosting is for you! It is not quite as sweet as buttercream but just as tasty. I put this on a cake from a cake mix to jazz it up a bit.

Marshmallow Fluff Frosting

(from cookies and cups)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter room temp
• 1 cup Marshmallow Fluff
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tbsp milk
• 1 - 2 tsp peppermint extract to taste (or vanilla or almond or orange or...) OPTIONAL
• food coloring (OPTIONAL)
• candy canes or sprinkles or crushed cookies or... (OPTIONAL)

How to Make

1. Mix butter and Fluff until smooth on medium speed until smooth.
2. Slowly add in powdered sugar with mixer on low.
3. Add in milk and extract.
4. Mix on medium speed until all combined and smooth.
5. Color frosting if desired. 
6. After  frosting, sprinkle crushes candy canes on frosting.

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 3/4/12

Well, things have been so busy and so exhausting that I just haven't posted in between Menu Plan Monday posts. :( We are hopefully going to get the playroom set up this week, so *hopefully* the blogging will also increase. But we will see! The good thing is that I am still menu planning, and it is still going well :) This week is a regular week, the last for more than a month!


Monday: Pizza Sloppy Joes (freezing leftovers)

Tuesday:  Bacon Chicken

 Wednesday:  We are supposed to get  snow! Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup will be on the menu! (that links to Pepperplate... not sure if you will be able to see the recipe)

Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Easy Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing

Saturday: leftovers


Sunday:  hopefully dinner out with the in laws!

Dessert of the week: Banana Muffins (from last week) and Lazy Cake Cookies (with Reese's mini cups!)


Find more menus at Org Junkie

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 1/14/13

Monday:   whatever you can grab... Dentist for me :(

Tuesday:  Omaha Steaks Hot Dogs and Taco Potatoes

Wednesday:  Scooter's Spaghetti

Thursday:  Pepperoni Cheese Stick Rollups

Friday:  leftovers

I try not to cook on the weekends, so Saturday and Sunday are leftovers or frozen meals!

Dessert of the Week:  Yogurt Chocolate Chip Cookies They won't last the week, though, so I am not sure what else I will make!

Find more menus at Org Junkie

Menu Plan Monday - Week of 9/17/12

Successful week... I actually made everything I was going to! And all was pretty good. Posts of the recipes are forthcoming, though i did post my Pumpkin Chip Cream Pie recipe. Mmm, good!


Monday: We went out for lunch, so dinner is optional!

Tuesday: Chicken Roll Ups

Wednesday: No Bake Cheesy Skillet Lasagne


Thursday: leftovers

Friday: Lemon Crockpot Chicken

 Dessert this week will be  a combo of Hungry Girl's Peppermint Bark Fudge and Nutty Good PB Brownies. It will be the fudge with peanut butter swirl - have to use up the leftover pumpkin!

For more information or to join the hop, go to I'm an Organizing Junkie.