Otis Spunkmeyer?

I have been getting lots of compliments on my cookies recently and just typed up the recipe to email to someone, so I thought I might as well copy and paste here! This is my mom's standard cookie recipe. Ryan LOVES them when they're raisin (not choc. chip). One time our friend came over and I had to take Riley somewhere for a few minutes. When I got home I noticed that someone had eaten a few cookies and I asked Ryan if Jordan liked them. He said that Jordan was raving about them and Ryan told him he thought they were a pre-made Otis Spunkmeyer cookie dough! Excuse me?! (We had bought some dough for our babysitter's soccer team fundraiser, yada-yada...) I guess it was a compliment. :)

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Cream the following:
1 C margarine or butter (softened)
1 C brown sugar
1 C white sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla

Add:
2 C + a little flour
1 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
2 C + a little oatmeal (I use quick oats for cookies)
1 C raisins, chocolate chips, m&ms, whatever you want!

Refrigerate! (I usually put it in for at least 20 mins.) Bake at 350 for 10 minutes (no more!). Cool on wire rack for best results.

Yield: about 4 dozen cookies

Nothing fancy, but very yummy!

Creamsicle Sandwich Cookies

I was browsing the Baked Perfection site today, and saw her most recent post... Creamsicle Sandwich Cookies. These look delish, simple and cute... and most importantly - desirable for a person of any age!

White Chocolate Raspberry Crunch

recipe from a lady (loree) at work... the front and center dessert in this picture = delish!!

Layer #1
2 ½ cups crushed pretzels
¾ cup butter
3 tbls sugar
Melt butter in bottom of 9X13 pan then added the other ingredients and press flat onto the bottom.
Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

Layer #2
8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup sugar
8 oz Cool Whip
½ bag white, mini chocolate chips melted
Mix together until smooth and spoon over pretzel layer.

Layer #3
6 oz box of raspberry jello
2 cups boiling water
20 oz raspberries

Mix jello and water (don’t use the amount of water on the box).
Add berries and refrigerate until slightly jelled. Pour over cream cheese mixture and refrigerate.
Sprinkle with rest of mini chocolate chips before serving.

Loree’s notes – I use frozen berries in layer 3 and make it before layer 2, just leaving it on the counter. Then when I have the cream cheese mixture in the pan the jello mixture is jelling and I add it. You can substitute any fruit or berries you want. I got this with strawberries and am looking forward to trying it with blueberries.

Peanut Butter-Toffee Cheesecake Brownies

I found THIS recipe in a magazine or somewhere and cut it out a while ago. I just tried it yesterday and took the results to DJ's Eagle court of honor. So yummy! They were gone fast!

(For the record, I didn't use all the same brands of ingredients that are suggested in the recipe.)

berry-topped brownie bites

just wanted to show you the berry-topped brownie bites. i topped with raspberries, blackberries and strawberries.

ganache didn't turn out exactly like i would have liked. white ganache was a little too runny. you can tell i went back and added plain white chocolate on top because it looked like a runny mess.

the semi-sweet chocolate ganache was almost perfect, maybe just a little too thick.

and one shot of it with a couple other 'competitors'... i got 1st out of 10 desserts.
the white chocolate raspberry bars pictured below were SOOO heavenly.
and so were some mint chocolate brownies.

Strawberries

With strawberries in season, I've been checking out strawberry recipes.

Here's one I think I'll try: Strawberry Butter

And here's one I'd totally try if I knew what an ice cream freezer can was: Strawberry Buttermilk Gelato

I've already made strawberry freezer jam and have strawberries cut up ready for topping cereal, etc. Anything you guys like using strawberries? (Amy, I really wish I had a reason to make that strawberry salad you posted a link to...it just wouldn't fly for Ryan! If I was hosting a shower or something, it would be great!)

berry-topped brownie bites

i'm going to make Ganache-Topped Brownie Bites for a chocolate bake-off at work on friday. i think i'll top with raspberries and blueberries to make it colorful... what do you think is a good topper?


while searching i found this: Brownie Ganache Torte with Raspberries (Gluten Free) and thought traci might like to know about it. :o)

Pulled-Pork Tacos Recipe

I found THIS recipe yesterday and I think I'll try it out next week! I already make a Costa Vida copycat sweet pork recipe, but I think this sounds even better.

strawberry arugula salad with lemon ricotta

check this out: strawberry arugula salad with lemon ricotta

looks so good for a summer picnic... or any occassion really.

3 Desserts for the Birthday Boy

I ended up making three different "dessert" recipes for Ryan's birthday.

I made my cheesecake for the Sunday before. (Amy, no clumps at all...I think the key is softening the cream cheese first.) We topped with sweetened, fresh strawberries.

I made chocolate muffins (Ryan's request) and took them to him at work. These are so delicious! I should have taken a picture. They end up looking so gourmet...like the muffins from Costco. (recipe below)

I made a family recipe, "Applesauce Oatmeal" cake, to have when people came over on his birthday night (also Ryan's request). This is my favorite recipe of all time! I could live off of this cake and never get sick of it! (recipe and pic at the bottom)

Chocolate Muffins
1 box devil's food cake mix
1 small box instant choc. pudding mic
1 1/2 C water
1/2 C oil
2 eggs
1/2 t. vanilla
1 bag semi-sweet choc. chips

Mix together. Pour into muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for time indicated on cake mix box (usually 18-20 mins, I think).

*For gourmet looking muffins, pour enough into each muffin "spot" to only make one dozen. They will turn out big and will probably need a minute or two extra cooking time.

*This recipe can be used to make chocolate bread...just use loaf pans instead of muffin tins!


Applesauce Oatmeal Cake

Combine:
1 1/2 C boiling water
1 C oatmeal
-Turn off heat and let it sit till you are done with the following...

Cream:
1/2 C applesauce
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar

-Now, add the oatmeal to the creamed mixture.

Add:
1 1/2 C flour
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. backing powder
1/2 t. salt

-Mix until well combined.

-Pour batter into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

-Now, make your glaze.

Combine (in sauce pan over med-high heat):
6 T. butter (let it melt before you add the rest)
1/4 C. canned milk (regular milk is probably fine)
1/2 C. brown sugar
1 C. nuts (optional, but not really)
1 C. coconut (optional, but not really)

-When cake is done, take it out and spread glaze on top. Put back in the oven and broil for 4 minutes.

Serve on it's own or with vanilla ice cream. Eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner the next day. :)

Lemon Bars

I have always LOVED lemon bars- actually, I love anything lemon flavored! I wanted to make them for an Easter dessert, and I tried THIS recipe. They were good, but they didn't live up to my lemon bar expectations. I even used real butter (rarely do that) like it calls for! I thought it was not lemon-y enough and the crust was way too crumbly. I'll have to ask my aunt for her recipe next time; hers are always so good.

Sorry, no pic...they were too disappointing. :)(Everyone thought they were yummy actually...)

chili & baked potatoes

{written at 8:30 pm... but backed the time up so i wouldn't be the current recipe up here! :o)}

we needed something to eat tonight, and no meat was defrosted. so i threw the following together. we both really enjoyed it.

2 baked potatoes (i did it in the microwave)

1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/4 large white onion, finely chopped
1 can chili beans (just beans - not the kind with meat)
1 can diced tomatoes
1 small can diced green chilies
1/4 cup medium Pace chunky salsa (or whatever salsa on hand)
just shy of 1 tablespoon chili powder
just shy of 1 tablespoon cumin
5 twists of cracked black pepper
3 twists of cracked sea salt

cook the above ingredients together for about 15-20 minutes... while baked potatoes cook in microwave. tim was taking care of some computer stuff, so i decided to throw the baked potatoes in a square baking dish lined with foil. cut them open and fill with a good scoop of chili. top with a tablespoon or two of shredded cheddar cheese and bake for 5-10 minutes on 350.

smoothie idea

got this recipe from someone on facebook. i've yet to try it out... probably because its still snowing here in CO.

the recipe intrigues me because it calls for spinach. sounds like a great saturday morning drink in the summer. i wanted to keep it somewhere so i could ck it out later. so here it is.

1 cup OJ (all natural)
1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp vanilla ext
1/2 cup Organic Strawberry yogurt
Handful of ice cubes
1 cup frozen strawberries
2 cups spinach.

Blend and enjoy!

Sometimes switch it up by adding mangos, a banana, or frozen blueberries)

jamie oliver

i don't know if you've watched jamie oliver's food revolution but i love it. and i found a great & simple recipe that all of you would like... or so i think. classic tomato spaghetti

cranberry-walnut chicken salad

you want to see a delectable chicken salad?

check this out:
cranberry-walnut chicken salad

taco salad

we had taco salad last week for the first time in way too long.

thanks lindsay for posting that idea.

we didn't do it in a crockpot, just cooked the chicken up on the stove in a non-stick pan and added seasoning. then put romaine and arugula. we topped with shredded cheese, black beans (slightly warmed up + added a teaspoon of cumin), chopped tomatoes, chicken, and salsa. we ate with baked tostito's. YUM!

no picture, but def fabulous.

(sry, that pic of the ckn salad pita was looking gross whenever i ck to see if someone posted so i wanted to post something else.)