Molasses Cookies

My mom is quite the cook, maybe I'm just biased but she can make a fantastic home-cooked meal. For as long as I can remember she's been cooking and baking, both professionally and at home.

While I definitely like to experiment more in the kitchen, my mom tends to stick to simple, good food. I have fond memories of her preparing meatloaf, pot roast and one of my favorites, her homemade chicken and noodles. She's given me her recipe and I've tried to make them numerous times but I just can't get them to turn out like hers. I don't know what it is, I give up for now.....I'll just keep visiting when they're on the menu.

Molasses cookies were a staple in our house growing up, along with her snickerdoodles (I'll have to share that recipe another time). My own kids have grown to love these cookies. Whenever grandma takes requests, they are always at the top of the list.

I think a lot of us have wonderful memories growing up that revolve around food. One of my favorites is of our Sunday visits to my grandma's house and helping my grandma and mom make homemade pizza. It's the little things like that, that we will cherish forever!


Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 c shortening
1 c brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 c molasses
2 1/4 c flour
2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger

Directions:
In a large bowl cream together shortening and brown sugar. Add in egg and molasses, mix well. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon and ginger. Add to cream mixture. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and dip tops into sugar. Place balls sugar side up on a non stick cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 6-8 mins.

German Chocolate Whoopie Pies

I just realized I made these a few weeks back, teased you with this picture on my facebook page and never shared the recipe. Shame on me!

I spotted these on another blog and instantly knew I had to make them. That was the weekend all of our kids were gone, we were planning to visit some friends and I was searching for a fun, new dessert to try.

I can't tell you how insanely good these were! They were well worth the extra time it took to make them. The coconut-pecan filling was definitely my favorite part of these cookies, I think I could have sat down and ate the whole pan. I will say, they are best enjoyed the day they're made. Any extras might be better off enjoyed with a fork because they get that moist, stickiness on top from being stored in a container.

Overall, these were another amazing dessert I enjoyed making. The recipe makes around 2 dozen, which means there's plenty to share with others. One was more than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth and I love having extras to deliver to friends and family.


German Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:
1 box German chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
3 eggs
1/2 c canola oil
1/2 c water

Coconut-Pecan Filling:
1/2 c evaporated milk
11 oz bag caramel bits
1 c coconut
1 c pecan chips

Chocolate Frosting:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c cocoa powder
4 c powdered sugar
Splash of milk to thin out frosting

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or use silicone baking mats. In a large bowl combine cake mix, eggs, oil and water, mix until well combined. Using a small cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheets, placing several inches apart (they will spread). Bake for about 8-9 minutes or until center springs back when touched. Remove from oven, let cool on cookie sheet for a few mins before removing to a wire rack.

For coconut-pecan filling: In saucepan, heat evaporated milk over medium heat until simmering. Add in caramel bits and stir until melted. Let come to a boil, then add in coconut and pecans. Remove from heat and let cool.

Meanwhile prepare chocolate frosting: In a large bowl, cream butter and vanilla together. Gradually add in cocoa powder and powdered sugar. Add just a splash of milk to thin of frosting, add more milk if needed to reach your desired consistency.

To assemble: With cookies flat side up, spread half with the coconut-pecan filling and the other half with chocolate frosting. Taking one of each, sandwich together and enjoy! Makes about 2 dozen.

Slightly adapted from: Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Barbecue Chicken and Penne Skillet

One of my favorite meals to make is barbecue pulled pork or chicken, but it seems like we always have tons leftover. It's nice to enjoy them for the next day's lunch but after that I start to get burnt out. Here's a great way to re-purpose those leftovers and create something totally new!

We made this for lunch a few weeks back and I was really surprised when all the kids really enjoyed it. I think just about everything was gone on their plates and that's one way I know it's a keeper.  You can use any sort of bbq meat in this dish and I love how it makes for a quick meal. When I have multiple children to feed during the lunch hour, I love dishes that can be made in 15-20 minutes. It makes my life so much easier!

Barbecue Chicken (or Pork) and Penne Skillet

Ingredients:
8 oz. penne pasta
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c leftover bbq pulled pork or chicken
14 oz. can diced tomatoes w/green chiles, undrained
3/4 c diced bell pepper, I used both green and red
1/2 c beef broth
1 tsp cumin
Salt and Pepper to taste
Grated or shredded cheddar cheese to top with

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package. While that's cooking, in a large skillet melt butter, add in oil, garlic and peppers and saute for a couple mins. Add in tomatoes, broth, chicken, cumin, salt and pepper. Let simmer until heated through. Drain pasta and add into skillet. Sprinkle cheese on top and let melt. Remove from heat and serve.

Adapted from: Real Mom Kitchen

Weekly Menu 8/26

I'm bracing myself for what could be a really crazy week around here. Our daughter begins her first full day of kindergarten tomorrow, we've been trying to eliminate naps for the past month or so but she still gets tired in the afternoon and needs some rest. I'm hoping things will go okay but I know it could be a rough few weeks until we're adjusted. I've also got another wedding order for this weekend along with our daughter's 5th birthday party. It might be one of those "what was I thinking?!" weeks. At least having a game plan for meals will help with the craziness! Here it is:

Breakfast:
Waffles
Pumpkin Muffins
Silver Dollar Pancake Sandwiches
Oatmeal
Cereal or Toast with fresh fruit

Lunch:
Pizza Bites (I'll be making up extras for the girls' lunches too)
Snack-y Lunch (think homemade lunchables)
BBQ Chicken Quesadillas
Leftovers x2 (it's only the little one and I on Thurs and Fri)

Dinner:
Chili
Walking Tacos
Chuck E. Cheese with extended family
Grilled Chicken w/ Tomato-Pineapple Salsa
BBQ Ribs with homemade dinner rolls

Snacks:
Fresh fruit: watermelon, kiwi, grapes, bananas
Fresh veggies w/dip
Smoothies
Goldfish crackers
Peanut Butter and Jelly Swirl Bread (I'm really excited to try this recipe!)

Random Eats: Meatloaf Burgers and Energy Bites

I wanted to share a couple of dishes we enjoyed this week, while I didn't change much of the original recipes, they were really good and I know our family will continue to enjoy them more often. First up are these delicious meatloaf burgers. I've had them on my menu for the past two weeks and finally got around to making them Monday night.

I followed the recipe for the most part, of course I left out the onions so my children wouldn't have a fit. I thought these were delicious, especially with a nice juicy tomato from the garden on top. Next time I think I'll be sneaking some bacon into these!

We also enjoyed these no-bake energy bites for snacks throughout the week. I apologize for not having a picture to show you, you'll just have to make them for yourself now and see. My good friend Angie has been making these for awhile now and I finally got around to trying them.

They're the perfect snack for when I'm craving something sweet. While I love chocolate, I'm not a fan of eating plain chocolate chips. I did add a very small amount to the mix, but I also substituted butterscotch chips. Yummy! I loved the peanut butter, butterscotch and chocolate combination in these. The kiddos even gobbled them up, we'll definitely have to keep these on hand for quick snacks!

Well I'm off to get started on a cake order I have for tomorrow, a sports themed first birthday. How fun! Have a great weekend!

Cinnamon Roll Biscuits

I love to make cinnamon rolls for breakfast but I don't make them very often as they do require a bit of planning ahead on my part and well, mornings can be quite hectic around here. I have a favorite recipe that I use and every so often I'll try to make up a double batch to keep in the freezer for when we're craving a fresh baked cinnamon roll.

Well now we can enjoy the taste of cinnamon rolls a little more often, but with using either a homemade baking mix or Bisquick. I first seen this recipe over on Money Saving Mom's blog.  While I haven't tried making my own homemade baking mix just yet I did have some Bisquick on hand to try these with.

These were really easy to make, I had them mixed and in the oven within 15 minutes. Everyone enjoyed them, they're filled with yummy brown sugar and cinnamon filling and topped with a simple powdered sugar glaze. Of course they had a biscuit texture and flavor but overall I think we'll be enjoying this quick and easy breakfast treat a little more often. Next time though, I think I'll try making up my own batch of this homemade baking mix and see how they turn out.

Cinnamon Roll Biscuits

Ingredients:
4 1/2 c Bisquick
1 1/3 c milk
3 tbsp butter, softened
1/3 c brown sugar
2 tbsp cinnamon

Glaze:
1-2 c powdered sugar
2 tbsp milk

Directions:
In a large bowl mix Bisquick and milk together, dough will be sticky. Turn dough onto a well floured surface and knead about 8 times. Roll dough out into a rectangle. Spread softened butter over dough and sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on top. Roll dough up and cut into rolls, I got a good 15 out of mine. Place into a greased baking pan and bake at 350 for 15-20 mins.

Remove from oven and let cool for a few mins. Meanwhile combine powdered sugar and milk to make glaze. Drizzle over warm biscuits and serve. These are best eaten while warm.

Caramel Peanut Butter Brownie Cups

Last night we hung out with some friends from my husband's softball team. We had some great weather (minus the few random rain showers), the kids all played well together and we enjoyed some good eats including these decadent brownie cups.

I usually get asked to provide desserts when it comes to gatherings and I have to say I don't ever complain! I have so many different recipes bookmarked and ideas in my head especially when it comes to desserts that I don't know if I'll ever have time to complete them all.

These are definitely one of the most decadent desserts I've ever made. I started with a boxed brownie mix. While I do try to cook from scratch as much as possible, sometimes we just can't go wrong with a little Betty Crocker in our life. I baked these in a mini muffin pan and then topped them with a Rolo. After they cooled I made up my favorite peanut butter frosting, this stuff is just one big bowl of goodness I tell ya. I don't get a chance to use it on any of my cake or cupcake orders since it contains cream cheese and whipped cream and those are not ingredients I can use with a home-based business.

You'll have a good amount of extra frosting with this recipe so you can plan to use it on a batch of cupcakes, a small cake, sandwiched in between some cookies....I wouldn't even judge if you sat down and ate it by the spoonful. It's really that good, I promise!

Caramel Peanut Butter Brownie Cups

Ingredients:

1 box fudge brownie mix plus ingredients called for on package

Rolo candies, unwrapped (I used about 40 or so)

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c peanut butter

3 c powdered sugar

1 c whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

Unwrap Rolo candies and chill in freezer while you prepare and bake brownie bites. Preheat oven to 325. Prepare brownie batter according to package instructions. Grease 2 mini muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. * I used a family size Betty Crocker brand mix so I ended up with close to 40 brownie cups, other brands might only yield closer to 2 dozen* Using a small cookie scoop drop batter into prepared cups, filling about 3/4 way full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and immediately place a rolo candy (small side down) into each brownie bite. Bake in oven for 2 more mins and then remove to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before trying to remove from pan.

In the meantime make your frosting, cream together butter, cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add in powdered sugar. Finally mix in the whipped topping. Once brownies are cooled, remove from pan. When you're ready to serve, top each bite with a dollop of frosting. I inserted a large star tip (Wilton 1M) into a pastry bag to decorate mine. Store extra frosting in the fridge.

Makes around 40 brownie bites

Quick reminder: I have a cookbook giveaway going on for all of my Facebook fans. Make sure you head on over for your chance to win!