Peanut Butter Cookies

This past weekend we decided not to hit the waves, but clean out a lot of forgotten spaces in our house. One space being the pantry. We are good at rotating foods in our pantry, but every once in awhile we find out we have more of one item than we think. This weekend it was peanut butter. Six jars later we realize that we are pretty set on having enough for awhile. I tried to think of ways to use it and there is so many possibilities. After sorting through all of the options, we agreed on making peanut butter cookies and played around with some of the chocolate candies we picked up at the local food co-op here. We love these chocolate candies and they are similar to M&M's, but are made with Fair Trade chocolate and dyed with better ingredients. Since changing our eating habits to better quality, it's amazing how many things that once tasted "good" now taste off. One of the main products I've noticed the change in taste is chocolate and peanut butter. I used to love Hershey's, especially Hershey Kisses, but now, nope. I can't eat them without feeling like I'm eating chocolate-flavored wax. These chocolate rainbow drops can be purchased online here, if you wanted to use them like we did in this recipe. Here's how we made our peanut butter cookies.

Ingredients:

1 cup organic peanut butter, 1 cup organic sugar

1 large organic egg, ½ cup organic flour

Chocolate candies

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the peanut butter, sugar, egg in a mixer and add flour on low speed until well combined. Don't over mix, just enough to combine everything and make a wet/oily dough base.

Roll into balls, or create your own pattern of cookie. Pressing a fork into the tops of the cookies creates the lines on the top of the cookies shown here. Add the chocolate candies anywhere on the cookies that you chose. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies start to brown a bit. 

These cookies are great when they are still slightly warm.

A twist on the No-Bake Oatmeal/Peanut Butter Cookies

This past week Skylar and I sat down and made us some cookies.  Not just any cookies though, we made no-bake cookies!    We should have made more than two dozen because these yummy cookies were gone by the end of the next day.  Here is our twist on the no-bake oatmeal cookies.

What you'll need:

• Medium sauce pan

• Large mixing bowl

• Wooden spoon

• Cookie sheet

• Wax paper/Plastic wrap

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup 1% milk

• 1 cup of sugar (we like to use organic sugar)

• 4 tablespoons of butter

• 4 tablespoons cocoa

• 1/4 chunky peanut butter

• 1/4 cup Nutella butter

• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

• 2-3 cups uncooked rolled oats

1.  Line a cookie sheet, cutting board, or large plate with wax paper, or plastic wrap.  

2.  In a medium sauce pan heat the milk, add the sugar, butter, and cocoa.  Bring to a low boil and dissolve the sugar completely.  Reduce the heat and add in the peanut butter, Nutella, and vanilla. 

3.  Remove from heat and allow to sit for five minutes.  Add the mixture to the rolled oats in a large bowl and mix to combine.  

4.  Drop large tablespoons of the mixture onto the lined cookie sheet and allow to dry for about two-four hours.  24 hours is best to solidify the cookies completely.

Skylar had the idea to add white chocolate chips to the batch too!  We will be trying that one next!

Easy Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are one of the first things I learned to bake once I was out on my own. But having to ice them and decorate them, is mostly something for holidays and special occasions, unless you have the time and patience. Just having a simple sugar cookie on any day of the year, or even just a quick cookie to take somewhere, or to eat on throughout the week, is something a lot of us enjoy. Sugar cookies, just baked and left by themselves, is such a simple cookie to mix together. The key to these easy sugar cookies is to roll them in sugar before baking, without the hassle of cookie cutters, or icing. Here is my version of "Easy Sugar Cookies" that you can make any time of the year. And the best part, they're soft.

Here's how to make these easy, soft sugar cookies:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking power
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk

Mix dry ingredients together and set aside. Using a stand mixer, mix wet ingredients together starting with the butter. Combine butter and sugar, and add the eggs. Combine dry ingredients into wet ingredients and mix well. Form into balls, about two tablespoons for each ball. Roll in granulated sugar, or colored sprinkles, flatten just slightly and lay on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for about 30-45 minutes, or freeze at this point to bake later.

Bake for 12-16 minutes at 350 degrees.

I would add to allow them to cool before eating, but nothing is better than a warm sugar cookie straight from the oven, so enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cookies Five Ways

Nothing is more comforting in our house than a warm chocolate chip cookie straight from the oven. I have about 20 different ways to make chocolate chip cookies, but these five are our most loved. 

#1 •Coconut-Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:

2/3 cup butter, room temperature

2/3 cup coconut oil, solid

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar

Cream together until light in color and "fluffy"

2 eggs (add one at a time)

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Mix until well combined

In a separate bowl:

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 cups rolled oats

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

Add dry to wet

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes

(Makes three dozen)

***

#2 Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies:

1 1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 cubes butter

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup cocoa

2 tbs. honey

2 eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups vanilla chips

Cream sugar, honey, butter, eggs, and

vanilla together until light in color.

Sift dry ingredients together until combined.

Add vanilla chips and drop by tablespoonfuls.

Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

(Makes three dozen)

***

#3 Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies:

2 cups butter

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

5 eggs

5 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 package chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Add vanilla and eggs. Beat well.

Add dry ingredients together and add to 

butter mixture. Add chocolate chips and mix 

to incorporate. Drop by teaspoonfuls and 

bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Of course, all of these recipes are a bit different, but give the same result of a chocolate chip cookie. Bake all of them at random times and find out which one is your favorite. The quality of ingredients are important here with these recipes. Keep in mind, when you use lesser quality ingredients you will get a lesser quality cookie. We eat only organic in our household, and your tastes are geared towards what you eat on a regular basis. If you are not completely organic, change one ingredients in your recipes at a time when you cook or bake and eventually you'll be using all organic for certain recipes. Try on of these chocolate chip cookie recipes with all organic and see how you like it.

#4 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies:

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and line two baking 

sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter until smooth and add peanut butter,

and both sugars, beat well until combined.

Add eggs and beat well. Mix dry ingredients together.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients gradually until combined.

Stir in chocolate chips by hand. Scoop small portions onto sheet.

Bake 15 minutes until just firm around edges. Don't overbake.

(Makes two dozen)

***

#5 Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies:

3 1/2 cups flour

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 sticks melted and cooled butter

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 tbsp. vanilla

2 cups chocolate disks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Beat butter and sugars until fluffy.

Add eggs, and egg yolks. Combine after each addition, but do not

over mix. Add vanilla. Combine all dry ingredients until combined and 

add dry to wet mix and mix well. Add in chocolate disks by hand.

Bake about 10 minutes until edges are just golden in color.

And lastly, since we can all admit that we eat some of the cookie dough before it reaches the oven, here's a better version of cookie dough that won't have the potential to possibly make you sick.

Edible Cookie Dough:

1/2 cup melted butter, cooled

1 tsp. vanilla

2/3 cups water

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups (heat-treated flour)*

1-2 cups chocolate chips (depending on taste)

Combine melted butter, vanilla, water, and 

sugar until smooth. Add salt and flour to mix.

Mix thoroughly before adding chocolate chips.

Eat right away, or refrigerate for up to three

days. Try freezing into balls and dip in

melted chocolate.

*How to make heat-treated flour:

Heat by one cup at a time in microwave.

30 minutes at a time, stirring between,

Make sure the flour reaches 165-170 degrees

before removing. Or, place in oven at 300 degrees.

Spread evenly on a cookie sheet and bake for about

five minutes. Check the flour in several places

to make sure it has reached 165 degrees.

Soft Gingersnaps

 One cookie that gets made yearly in our house is gingerbread. I've yet to attempt to create a gingerbread house from this recipe, but I'm eager to try, so maybe next year I will give it a try and see if I can create a house from my recipe. But for simple gingersnaps, this recipe is our all-time favorite. It's a quick recipe that combines the great taste of gingerbread with a snap to them that you get from store-bought gingerbread cookies.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 7 tbsp. sugar
• 1/2 stick cold butter
• 1 tbsp. honey
• 1 tbsp. molasses
• 2 egg yolks (separated)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Mix dry ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl. Add butter to mixture, honey, molasses, and one egg yolk. Mix until it forms a dough. I mix with my hands, because it's easier than using a spoon. Mix until smooth. If mixture is too wet, add more flour, if too dry add more honey, or molasses.

Roll globs of dough into a ball, depending on how big you want your cookies to be. Mine are about two tablespoons in size. Place dough balls on cookie sheet and lightly press down just a little bit. Beat remaining egg yok and brush a small amount on top of each cookie and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for about 10-12 minutes for soft ginger cookies, or 14-15 minutes for harder cookies. Do not overbake.

Ginger is known to help aid in digestion, provide some relief from varicose veins, and reduce inflammation. These cookies can be paired with ginger tea to provide an even more ginger experience. Take freshly grated ginger (1-2 tbsp.) and one cup boiling water. Steep for about 10 minutes. You can add honey, lemon, or even cinnamon to your tea and enjoy up to three cups a day.

Five Simple Things (February 17)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. These Scissors.

 

The Mighty Fix from Mighty Nest last month was these herb scissors. I've wanted some of these for awhile now, so this Fix hits just right. We decided to have baked potatoes this week with all the fixings, including chives. I used my herb scissors to make quick work of the herb to use on our potatoes. It was the perfect cut and size. Definitely a must in any house that cooks, or like me, attempts to cook. ☺

You can sign up for the Mighty Fix from Mighty Nest here and get on the mailing list for next month.

2. These Cookies.

We tried a new festive way to dress up sugar cookies. I am not really big on icing sugar cookies, mostly because I don't want to take the time, but sprinkles I'm all about. These sprinkles are non-gmo and USDA organic and they bring such a fun addition to anything, really. We used a basic sugar cookie recipe and then shaped the cookie dough into a log and rolled in sprinkles. You can also freeze the log and then coat with a little melted butter or water and roll in sprinkles. Either way will work and still bake up the same.

The recipe we used is as follows:

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. sea salt
• 2 sticks cooled, room temperature butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and whisk/sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in an electric mixer the butter and sugar and mix until fluffy. Add egg and yolk one at a time, mixing after each addition. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Form dough into a log and roll in sprinkles. Slice into 1/4 inch cookies and bake for 12-14 minutes. Don't over bake.

3. This Box.

Kinder Beauty Box this month brought a few things that I haven't tried before. A body mud mask, flyaway hair gel, and apple cider vinegar gummies. I love having an opportunity to try different items that I have thought about, but never purchased. The body mud felt amazing and I've already started taking the apple cider vinegar gummies. I also got a chance to try the hair gel to help with baby hairs. Such great products, and I'm never disappointed in each box that comes. You can sign up here to get on the mailing list for next month.

4. This Weather.

 

We got a random sleet storm this week and it left as quickly as it came in. It lasted all of five minutes and was gone. We didn't realize what it was right away until we heard the sleet hitting the windows and had to look outside to be sure. Sometimes these freak sleet storms are cool to watch and listen to.

5. This Milk.

This milk was something new that we saw at our local food co-op and I loved the message behind it. It's a carbon-neutral milk and helps fight the damage on the climate. It's from a brand named Neutral. We purchased a half gallon of the milk to taste it and it tasted perfect to us. You can read more about their efforts here. They also create half and half and cheese products. 

One more thing:

Skylar and I have been watching the LEGO livestream this week and we are loving it! You can watch a small snippet of it above, or watch the entire two hours here.

Positive affirmations this week:

Talking more about what I struggle with has helped me a great deal. We must keep talking about mental health to destroy this stigma attached to it and those that suffer with issues get heard more. When we brush things under the carpet, so to speak, it builds up and also causes a lot of issues later. Talking and speaking about topics more helps everyone handle it better, and helps those that need it to be heard. Below is a list of 10 ways you can help reduce the stigma behind mental health issues that could very well save someone's life.

Have a nice weekend.

Five Simple Things (April 5)

 Hello.

Here are five things this week.

1. This basket.

Since Easter landed on the same day we left on our trip this week, we gave Skylar his Easter basket on the bus in his "room." He loved the surprise and it was a nice way to kick off our Eclipse road trip.

2. This doggy.

We got new signs for the bus and we also put our Instagram handle on two of them-one in the back and one on the side of the bus. We hope we can gain new friends while we are traveling. We are excited to be on the road this week.

3. These cookies.

I spent this week making snacks for our trip. I made three dozen chocolate chip cookies, granola mix, two dozen oatmeal cookies, and trail mix. We are hoping to stay on the road driving as much as we can, so these quick snacks will help keep us moving instead of having to stop somewhere to eat.

4. This bee.

My Easter gift from Jeff. He had it sitting on my pillows on the bus when we went to leave. 

5. These masks.

I created some face masks of my own with an old cotton shirt that had been through a lot over the years. I took a face mask template and cut out masks to use with aloe, or clay, and save money and the environment from single use face masks. I am currently working on a few different masks to use. I am excited to put an old shirt to good use and keep it out of the landfill.

One last thing:

Your Super Super Green, Gut Feeling, and Golden Mellow.

Absolutely love this brand and you'll love it too! Use this link above and get 20% off!

Positive affirmations this week:

Have a nice weekend.