Golden Birthday Sweets

We have yet another family celebration this weekend. An eight year old birthday party. And this year isn’t just any old birthday–it’s a golden birthday.!!! Tina’s son will eight on the eighth and that’s cause for an extra special celebration. Of course, there will be birthday cake, but we thought it would be fun to gather a bunch of “golden” treats to create a Golden Birthday Snack Mix. Some might even use these as ice cream toppings. Rolos, vanilla cupcake Goldfish, Golden Graham’s, and mini Golden Oreos. Golden yumminess! Perfect for any old day but especially for a golden 8th birthday. 

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Holiday Sweet Treat

It’s that magical time of year again! This Saturday we are whipping up a batch of the cutest holiday treats so simple to make! These Reindeers Treat are the perfect goody to help you through your day of tree trimming, holiday light hanging, gift wrapping, and maybe, just maybe a few reindeer games!

Reindeer Treats

 

INGREDIENTS:

– Square Pretzels

– Regular Pretzels

– Rolos

– Red M&MS

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 230. Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet. Put down square Pretzels and then un-wrapped Rolos.

2. Break the regular pretzels so they look like the letter E.

3. Place cookie sheet in the oven for 2-3 minutes. Take it out and insert pretzel antlers at the same time. Then add a Red M&M for the nose.

* recipe adapted from Lil Luna

 

 

Borrowed Sweets

Ever heard the phrase, “Too much of a good thing is not a good thing at all,”? Well take applies to our sweet cheat this Saturday….sort of. After trick or treating last night we have mounds and mounds of candy. If your kids are like ours’ they prefer the super sweet fruity types of candy. We, on the other hand, LOVE the chocolate. Good thing they won’t notice us “borrowing” their chocolatey goodies to make Candy Bar Brownies. Brownies mix+ candy bars + Saturday + sisters = the best post Halloween treat ever!

Candy Bar Brownies

Ingredients

• 1  box of brownie mix plus ingredients on the back of the box
• Halloween candy

Directions

Make brownies according to directions on the back of the box. Once cooled put your “borrowed” Halloween candy on top of the brownies and enjoy with your little ghosts and goblins!

Sweet Goals Set High

Around here summer vacation is nearing the end. So is our list of new, exciting, yet inexpensive ideas to fill each day (and night by that matter).  It’s time to shake things up . This Saturday we are taking our sweet treat to a whole new level. How far will we go? We’re aiming as high as we can get on the sugar meter! Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies are sure to help us reach that goal.  Don’t judge. If you’re a mom you know how we feel. Take it from us, sometimes a little (ok A LOT) of chocolate is all you need to survive!

Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup  brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup  unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 and 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
• 16-17  Rolos
• coarse sea salt

Directions:

Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium speed for about 20 seconds. Add the sugars with the mixer running on medium speed. Cream it all together until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

In a separate medium size bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together. Slowly add to the wet ingredients. Stir in the milk, then fold in the dark chocolate chips. The dough will be thick and very sticky. Chill for at least 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper . Set aside.

Take 2 Tablespoons of chilled dough and split in half and roll each into a ball with your hands. Stick a caramel into 1 ball of dough. Top the caramel with the other ball of dough and seal down the sides so that the caramel is securely stuffed inside. Repeat with the rest of the dough and 18 caramel candies. Sprinkle each with sea salt before putting into the oven.

Bake for 12-13 minutes. Cookies will appear undone and very soft. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for at least 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

*recipe adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction

Sweetly Celebrating the USA

It’s Independence Day and we are celebrating the good ole USA! What’s more American than pie? However, we’re not making your ordinary, run of the mill apple pie. We need a treat so tasty it’s worthy of sending firecrackers to our taste buds. We can’t think of a better way to show our patriotic spirit and honor our country than with our red, white, and blue festive Fourth Of July Chocolate Chip Pie! Time to party!

Fourth Of July Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Butter Flavored Crisco
  1 large egg
  3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  1/4 cup granulated sugar
  1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
  pinch salt,
  1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  about 1/2 cup M&Ms (We picked out the red, blue, and brown ones)
  about 1/4 cup Mini Rolos

Directions:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish very well with cooking spray; set aside.
  2. In a large, microwave-safe bowl melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power.
  3. Wait momentarily before adding the egg so you don’t scramble it. Add the egg, sugars, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
  4. Add the flour, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
  5. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  6. Add about 1/4 cup M&Ms and stir to combine; reserve remainder.
  7. Turn batter out into prepared pie dish, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula.
  8. Evenly add the remaining M&Ms to the top of the batter, pushing them down slightly to anchor.
  9. Evenly insert the Mini  Rolos into the batter, pushing them down so the top is almost flush with the surface of the dough.
  10. Bake for about 24 to 26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter.  If your pie has risen in the center, it will deflate as it cools. Allow pie to cool in dish for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving.

 

*Recipe adapted from www.averiecooks.com

 

 

Easter Sweets

Hooray! Not only is it Saturday, it’s Easter weekend too. We hope you have lots and lots of fun things planned. We sure do! And fortunately our events revolve around yummy treats! Trina will be bringing a yummy Easter mix of GORP to her in-laws and I will be whipping up a batch of ooey gooey Monkey Bread to take to my in-laws. If you need a last minute idea of what to take to your Easter gathering, why not give one of these a try. They are always crowd pleasers. Happy “Hoppy” Easter!

Monkey Bread

Monkey Bread Recipe

GORP

GORP Recipe

Layering on the Sweetness

The winter winds continue to “heat up” around here and it is essential to put on layers and layers of clothing just to survive the walk from the car into the grocery store (for sweet treat supplies, of course). We decided to apply this same logic to our goodie this Saturday. We’re layering on extra ooey-gooey chocolatey goodness with Rolo M&M Double Chocolate Brownies. Stay Warm!

Rolo M&M Double Chocolate Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box of dark chocolate brownie mix
• 1 box of milk chocolate chunk brownie mix
• 1 large bag of Rolos
• 1 medium bag of M&Ms (we used the Valentine colors)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make both brownie mixes according to the directions on the back of the boxes in separate bowls. Add the prepared dark chocolate brownie batter to the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Layer the prepared milk chocolate chunk brownie batter on top of the dark chocolate brownie batter. Cook for 40-45 min. Once cool place Rolos on top of the baked brownies. Then add a single M&M to the top of each Rolo. Now roll one to a friend and enjoy together in your cozy home.

Oodles and Doodles of a Sweet Surprise

Wanna know what’s better than Snickerdoodle cookies? Snickerdoodles stuffed with Rolos!  Don’t underestimate this cookie’s ability to blow your mind. They are a game changer!

Rolo Stuffed Snickerdoodle Cookies

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 24 Rolos, unwrapped
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon

1. In a stand mixer, cream butter with 3/4 cup sugar.  Add egg & vanilla & mix.
2. Add flour, cream of tartar, salt & baking soda & mix.
3. In a separate small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp sugar with 3/4 tsp cinnamon.  Set aside.
4. Scoop some cookie batter, squish a Rolo in the center, pinch & smooth any seams by rolling the dough in your hands, hiding the rolo in the middle.  Then roll cookie ball into cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a greased cookie sheet & repeat for all cookies.
5. Bake at 325*F for 12-13 minutes.  Makes 2 dozen small cookies.

*Recipe adapted from Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)