find joy in the journey

oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

a Ghirardelli recipe

• 1 1/4 cups margarine, at room temp.
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups unsifted flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 3 cups uncooked oats
• 12 oz. bag chocolate chips (we highly recommend using milk chocolate chips)

Cream margarine with sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg & vanilla.

Stir flour with baking soda, salt, and spices; add to creamed mixture.  Stir in oats. Fold in chocolate chips.

At 375, bake 8-9 minutes for chewy cookie, 10-11 minutes for crip cookie.

Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet before transfering to cooling rack.  Makes 4-5 dozen.

christmas goodies

a little run-down of the things that have been whipped up in Shannon's Kitchen over the past week or so.

Ginger Cookies  (from the Lion House Desserts cookbook - in my opinion, a must have)

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, combine sugars and shortening until mixture is light and fluffy.  Add molasses and egg; beat well.  Add flour, soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger and beat well.  Scrape down the sides of bowl, then mix again.  Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Press down each cookie with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, being careful not to overbake.  Makes 3 dozen.

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark

• 1 pound white chocolate (I used a 12 oz. bag of melting chocolates)
• candy canes & Starlite peppermint candies broken into small pieces
• 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

Lightly grease a cookie sheet.  Line pan with waxed paper.  Lightly grease the paper and set aside.  Melt the chocolates (stovetop or microwave) and add the peppermint extract and stir well to smooth out chocolate.  Pour chocolate into the center of the prepared pan and smooth out with a spatula so it is even and approximately 1/4-inch thick.  (It will not fill the entire sheet).  Sprinkle crushed peppermint candies evenly over the chocolate, and press lightly to embed the candy pieces.  Place in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes until it is hardened.  Remove hardened chocolate from waxed paper and break pieces with your hands.  Pack gently into boxes or tins lined with parchment.  Keep refrigerated for best results.

Holiday Pretzel Treats from Family Fun

Reindeer Cookies

I got the idea for these from a scrapbook page in a magazine if you can believe it.  They are very cute and very fun for the kids to make.

• store bought sugar cookie dough
• pretzels
• M&M's

Unwrap the cookie dough and slice into 1/4-inch circles.  Place on cookie sheets.  Pinch the dough in the middle to create the look of a head and long snout of a reindeer.  Have the kids decorate the cookies using pretzels for antlers, M&M's for eyes and nose (of course a red one for the nose).  Bake according to package directions.

Snowball Surprises  (from The Cheerios Cookbook)

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 cups Frosted Cheerios cereal
• candy sprinkles
• small candies (M&M, chocolate covered raisin, marshmallow, etc)

Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.  Pour the sugar and corn syrup into a 3-quart saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, just until the mixture starts to boil.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Stir in the peanut butter until the mixture is well blended.  Stir in the cereal until it is evenly coated.  Cool for 5 minutes.  Place the candy sprinkles in a shallow dish.  Lightly spray your hands with cooking spray.  For each snack, shape about 1/4 cup of the cereal mixture into a ball around 1 small candy.  Immediately roll the ball in the candy sprinkles to coat.  Place the balls on the cookie sheet.  Cool completely, about 30 minutes.  Store the snacks in a loosely covered container.

We decided to forgo the "surprise" part of the treat this time and just made the balls & rolled them in sprinkles.

Chocolate Pretzel Sticks -- we made these with sprinkles and peanuts for teacher gifts.

one pan chicken and potato bake

• 4 bone-in chicken pieces (1 1/2 lb.)
• 4 large potatoes, cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup zesty Italian dressing
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place chicken and potatoes in 9x13 pan.

Pour dressing over chicken and potatoes, sprinkle with cheese.

Bake 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley, if desired.

A new recipe; I made this for dinner tonight.  Pretty good.  But the reason it is making my delicious list comes from these jaw-dropping words that came out of Conner's mouth, "Can we have this for dinner again tomorrow?"  I'm just shocked.  Dinner for Conner usually involves a piece of bread & butter and the few bites of everything else on his plate that we require him to eat.  So at dinner tonight when he kept saying "this is so good.  Thanks mom for the great dinner!", asking for seconds, and laughing & giggling the whole time, I knew this was a moment to remember.

note:  Conner did not eat any of the potatoes and he doused his chicken in ketchup.  So whether or not it's a great recipe could be up for debate.

update:  We had this a second night, like Conner requested (I didn't make it all over again, just warmed up the leftovers) and he stuck his nose up at it!  He said it tasted like fish and he does not like fish.  These kids are so fickle.

winner

As promised, this morning I am going to draw a name for my blog anniversary celebration.  With Conner to assist me, the winner is . . . . Amy!  Congratulations!  (and btw, she's my aunt).

She will be receiving all the ingredients to make my favorite cake:  Better Than ____ Cake.  I'll let you fill in the blank.  And here's the recipe for the rest of you to enjoy:

•   - German chocolate cake mix and ingredients to make
•   - jar of caramel sauce
•   - sweetened condensed milk (14 oz.)
•   - cool whip
•   - Skor or Heath bars
•   - chocolate syrup
•   * Friends

1.  Bake a German chocolate cake according to it's package directions in a 9x13 pan

2.  While it's baking, mix a jar of caramel sauce (ice cream topping) and a can of sweetened condensed milk in a bowl

3.  When the cake is done baking, immediately poke holes all over the top of it (I use the handle of a wooden spoon).

4.  Pour caramel/milk mixture on top of cake, into the holes.  Yes, the entire bowl.

5.  Put cake into the refrigerator and let it cool completely.

6.  When cake is cooled, top with whipped cream and crushed Skor bars and, if you want, thin lines of chocolate syrup.

7.  Invite friends over to share.  They will love you for it!

Thanks to everyone for humoring me this week!  It's been so much fun.  Here's to another year of blogging!

pudding pops

• 4 oz package of pudding mix (vanilla, choclate, etc)
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup cool whip
• add-ins, optional (oreos, marshmallows, strawberries, etc.)

Mix pudding & milk together for 2 minutes.  Add cool whip and your add-ins and stir gently.  Pour into small paper cups, add a popsicle stick, and freeze 3-5 hours.  Makes about 8 popsicles.

Lately we've been having fun making our own popsicles.  I want to find some white chocolate pudding (it does exist, doesn't it?) and add chopped up strawberries.  Mmmm. 

tasty steak

Mix together:

• 1/2 cup A-1 steak sauce
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• 2 small garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp dried oregano leaves

Put your steak in plastic bag and add 3/4 cup of mixture, reserving the rest.  Allow to marinade for 30 minutes, turning meat occasionally.

Grill - sorry, don't know the details on this step, Scott is our grill master. 

Use reserved marinade to pour over cooked steaks.

I was mixing up the marinade for this yesterday when Scott started giving me looks.  "Are you going to mess up the steak?"  I like to try new recipes and he's always pretty skeptical.  Well, near the end of dinner he told me that he had to take his words back.  He really enjoyed this one.

banana cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease & flour a 9x13 pan.

Cream together:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla

Mix together & add:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/3 cup sugar

Beat for 3 minutes.  Bake for 35 minutes.

Banana Cake Frosting (here's where it gets good)

Don't begin making this until the cake is completely cooled

• Melt 1/2 cup butter in a saucepan.  Add 1 cup brown sugar -- cook for 2 minutes
• Add 1/4 cup milk.  Bring to full rolling boil.  Take off heat.
• Add 2 - 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar & beat until smooth spreading consistency.
• Spread onto the cake right away (the frosting will set as it cools)

My favorite way to eat banana cake is to heat it up in the microwave for about 20 seconds -- just until the frosting gets a little soft.

caramel popcorn

Scott made me the best crunchy caramel popcorn last night.  And I know it was a complete act of love because he far more prefers the gooey, chewy variety. 

6 qts of popped corn, lightly salted

• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1/2 pound margarine
• 1/2 cup white Karo syrup

Bring to a boil.  Take off heat and add:

• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Pour over corn.  Stir.  Spread on cookie sheets.  Bake at 260 a little less than an hour.  Stir a couple of times.  Cool on waxed paper.

orange biscuits

Cream together

• 1 cube margarine
• 1 cup sugar
• grated rind of one orange

Place two cans of biscuits in a greased 9x13 pan.  Crumble (or spread) orange mixture over the top.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

These were so good -- I even had a couple warmed up for breakfast today.

monster cookies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 12-ounce package (2 cups) chocolate chips, m&m's, chocolate chunks, white chocolate chips, Reese's pieces, cut up peanut butter cups, or other cut-up candy bars

Beat butter and shortening in large mixing bowl.  Add the brown sugar, sugar, and baking soda.  Beat until combined.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix some more.  Add flour.  Mix.  Add your candy of choice and mix.

Scoop the dough into a 1/4 cup measuring cup or spoon and drop onto an ungreased cookie sheet, leaving about 4 inches between cookies.  Bake at 375 for 11 to 13 minutes.  Makes about 20 cookies.

The boys love these cookies -- partly for the name and partly because they're huge.  Today we mixed in the pastel easter M&M's.

chocolate caramel goodness

These are to die for!  I've been munching on them all day.  They're fantastic warmed up with a bowl of vanilla ice cream.

Mix together (will be crumbly):

• 2 cups flour
• 2 cups oats
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 cubes butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Press half in bottom of 10x15 baking pan (spray first).  Bake at 350 for 5 minutes.  Watch carefully.

Melt bag of caramels and 1/2 cup whipping cream.

Sprinkle chocolate chips on crust.  Pour caramel mixture over.  Spread rest of oatmeal mix over the top.  Bake again about 12 minutes.

ice cream sandwich torte

• 1 cup coarsely chopped oreos (about 10 cookies)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 package (3.9 ounces) chocolate instant pudding & pie filling
• 1 container (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided
• 12 frozen ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped, divided

1.  In a bowl combine milk and pudding mix; whisk until mixture is smooth and begins to thicken.  Fold in half of the whipped topping and cookies; set filling aside.

2.  Working quickly, arrange six of the ice cream sandwiches side by side on a platter.  Spread filling evenly over sandwiches.  Top with remaining ice cream sandwiches, forming a rectangle-shaped torte; smooth sides.  Spread remaining whipped topping over top and sides of torte.  For topping/garnish use sprinkles, more chopped up oreos, or 2 Tbsp. grated chocolate chips.  Freeze at least 30 minutes or until ready to serve.  (If freezing overnight, remove from freezer 30-45 minutes before serving for easier slicing).  Yield:  16 servings

I made this last night for our FHE treat -- doesn't it look heavenly!  I got the recipe from a pampered chef party I went to a couple weeks ago.  It is sooo good and sooo easy to make.