Chocolate Chip Mocha Fudge Cookies

I try to attempt a new Christmas cookie recipe every year and see if it's a "keeper". This year I hit a home run & I have a feeling these will be making several appearances through out the year as a go-to chocolate cookie- the variation possibilities are pretty endless.

Here is what you'll need:
1 1/4 C Butter, softened
2 C white sugar
2 eggs, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 heaping tsp cinnamon
2 T instant coffee/espresso powder
1 16oz bag mini chocolate chips

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon into a medium bowl.
Using a stand mixer w the paddle attachment, whip the butter & sugar into a fluffy dream of yumminess. Add the eggs, one at a time- keep mixin, add the vanilla.
Slowly add in the bowl of dry ingredients until fully incorporated.
Use a large, sturdy spatula and stir in the coffee/espresso and chocolate chips. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (I did overnight, but I think you'd be ok in 2 hours)
Preheat the oven to 350, use a spoon and your hands to form walnut sized globs, keep em kinda messy looking, not perfect balls.
Space about 2 inches apart and bake for 9 minutes, they won't look totally done. Let them sit on the baking sheet 5-10 minutes before you transfer them to a cooling rack.

They would be great topped with smashed candy cane, and I am pretty sure some shredded coconut is going in the next time I bust these out!

ENJOY!! XO

Tis the season- budget friendly diy gifts

Tis the season to GIVE. That's truly (other than the food) my very favorite thing about the winter holidays. This year Logan is in a preschool group and I was excited to make something for his teachers, but have to be honest- as a stay at home mama, our budget it TIGHT and there are SEVEN amazing women who assist with his group. Pinterest is super helpful in times like these, and you can really get inspired, or overwhelmed searching all the amazing ideas!!

This is just a quick post to share what I ended up making. Due to the hoarding of glass jars that began here in October, the use of ingredients and materials I had on hand, this came in at around $3 per gift.

What you will need:

JARS
(as many jars as you will be gifting, I started saving glass jars from items we used in October for the project to keep budget in target range. Michael's also ran a sale at the end of November w Mason Jars for $0.99)
Burlap or fabric (I had this leftover from the GIVE THANKS banner I made last month)
Yarn or ribbon

Ornaments- I bought these on sale for less than $1 at Michael's- they were plain wood, I had my son help me paint them white so the gift is truly from him as well. While the paint was still wet we added some shimmer (iridescent glitter)

Mocha Mix:
This is pretty much unsweetened cocoa, sugar, powdered milk and instant coffee, I also add a bit of cinnamon. There are tons of recipes if you do a quick Google search.

My mix is pretty much 1 part cocoa, 1 part sugar 1/2 part milk 1/4 part coffee, pinch of cinnamon- increase volume to fill as many jars as you need. To save time, money and space, fill the jars only half or 2/3 full and top off with mini-marshmallows.
You can also sub a candy cane for the ornament idea!
I attached a card with instructions to mix 2 tsp with 1 cup warm/hot milk or water.

CHEERS!!!

Thanksgiving 2013

Gearing up for our first time hosting family for Thanksgiving AND our first Thanksgiving as homeowners in our new place!

I thought I would share the menu, now that I've got it set, to help inspire anyone still working out their details- PLEASE share your menu and links (to recipes only please, spam will be deleted) so we can all get ideas & prepare for next week's food-fest!
CHEERS!!

                                                   

PRE-GAME
Devil'd Eggs

Turkey-veggie tray (above is the one we made last year)

Sweet potato chips- Costco had the Terra Chips last week so I got those

Crackers- Trader Joe's

Hummus- I'm buyin it at Trader Joe's

April’s jalapeno dip from the amazing Kevin at CLOSET COOKING

Cranberry cheese log- Also Trader Joe's- I buy at least one of these a year- SO GOOD!

Nuts- Trader Joe's assorted

MAIN EVENT

Turkey- I will have to post AFTER we make it, we will be smoking our bird in the smoker this year! First for everything!

Gravy

Garlic Mashed (no-peel) potatoes- I make these often, will add a recipe in my wrap-up, basically when making so much other stuff to cut down on prep, I bake the potatoes whole then scoop the inside away from the peel instead of peeling the potatoes and boiling them.

The BEST Stuffing EVER

Cranberry Relish (I am making my own version, similar to THIS (with apples & orange zest, but no celery)

Sweet Potato Souffle

Corn Bread Pudding

Green beans with bacon & crispy home-fried onions- making this one up as I go so like the Turkey, look for this recipe after Thanksgiving.

AFTERMATH

Pumpkin pie

Cherry pie

Chocolate pudding pie

Cranberry Blueberry Crumble (THIS filling with an oat & brown sugar crumble crust topping)

COFFEE.

                               

Matzo Ball Soup

I recently wrote THIS POST about fighting the sick season and sited Matzo Ball Soup as on e of my favorite defenses against the yuckies. I have never attempted to make this myself, but usually haul buns to a deli or Bristol Farms and buy it when things get under the weather over here. I know there are mixes for this, but really wanted a recipe for the homemade stuff. I found one, then lost it...somehow never pinned the sucker, so while at the market today I scooped up a container of Matzo meal and decided to try to make up my own recipe. It came out pretty good for a first try & now I'm ready to make it when we need it!! I also froze half for extra preparedness. Apologies for any errors that make this not-kosher or not "real" Matzo ball soup, this is the Italian mama version ;)

Here is what you will need:

2 large carrots
4 celery stalks
1/2 a brown onion
1 T salted butter
3 large eggs
2 32oz cartons chicken broth or stock
3/4 cup matzo meal
2 chicken breasts from a rotisserie chicken, keep it simple people. (chop up into bite sized pieces)
salt

Chop celery carrots an onion into bite sized pieces
Place butter in stock pot on medium low heat and add celery, onion & carrot- stir about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, raise heat to medium-high & start makin the matzo balls!
This is the recipe from the Manischewitz Matzo Meal container- figured stick with a professional opinion on my first try.
Separate the eggs.
Use a hand or stand mixer to beat the egg WHITES until stiff.
Use a spatula to fold in the yolks, then fold in the matzo meal & a pinch of salt.
Let the matzo mix sit for about 5 minutes.
When stock is boiling- use a spoon to form walnut-sized matzo balls & drop into boiling soup mixture. Lower heat, cover and simmer 40 minutes....WITH OUT UNCOVERING (apparently that's they way to do it.) Heat the chicken up in a little skillet so it doesn't get cooked to oblivion since it's already cooked- then just add it to serve.

I'm sure you could doctor this up six-ways-from-Sunday with other herbs, rice, noodles, whatever grabs ya!

Logan liked it, he ate 2 of the matzo balls and lots of the chicken, he also spilled some on Leela's head and Arthrur enjoyed licking it off of her so everyone wins.

If you have a family Matzo Ball recipe you are able to share, please do- we'd love to try it!!! I will try a version using the crackers next! Stay tuned....

Easiest Halloween Party "recipe" ever....

This is easier than it looks, if that's even possible, like, I suppose you could do it in more than the 30 seconds I spent & make it a little more "pretty" ;) - this is 2 bags of organic carrots at .79 per bag- peeled and chopped into sticks and 2 cans of olives (that were 2 for $1) drained & rinsed.
We are talkin $3 total here people. Plus $4 on a big tub of Trader Joe's Hummus Dip (my favorite)- boom. Big, festive pumpkin face party plate for under $10!! HOORAY!

Pumpkin Bread/Muffins

It's pumpkin MANIA~ This is an easy, not-too-awful-for-ya recipe- my favorite kind!

Here's what you'll need:

3 1/2 cup unbleached all purpose flour ( I used 1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose because that's what I had here)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons + 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice mix
1 15oz can pumpkin
4 eggs
1/2 c veg oil
1/2 c apple sauce
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
(I made 1 standard sized loaf and 12 regular sized muffins- I also use THESE baking pans, sheets etc so no greasing or foil lining required and muy, muy easy clean-up. I can't recommend them enough.)

                               

Preheat your oven to 350.
Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and spice mix into a medium bowl.
Combine the eggs, pumpkin, sugars, apple sauce, oil and flax in a large bowl- mix until all ingredients are incorporated. Slowly mix in dry ingredients, until everything is well mixed together.
I filled one standard size loaf pan about 1/2 to 2/3 full & 12 regular size muffins/muffin tin 1/2 to slightly over 1/2 full.
I put both in at the same time.
Pull the muffins out at 25-30 minutes, cook the loaf 50 minutes- until a butter knife inserted in to he center comes out clean.
Serve w some coffee....mmmmmmmmm.

Homemade play-dough

This has been a long time coming. Logan loves play-dough, but leaves it out and it gets dry and we tend to go through lots and lots and lots of play-dough over here. Not an option on my budget. I have pinned at least 10 different blog posts for homemade play-dough and today, finally, tried one- and can totally delete all the other pins now.

I also found a great, useful blog with tons of other great ideas too!

This recipe comes from Erika at Musings from a Stay at Home Mom. (you probably have this pinned too and just haven't tried it yet.....I say again, delete all your other homemade play-dough pins, this one RULES.)

A single batch is about 2 normal or 4 small sized store-bought container sizes. This will be fun for us to play with regularly, but also, the next time I have a kid-party, this is totally gonna be the favor.
My struggle with this first trial batch was the color. I had some candy melt coloring that I used conservatively, but would definitely kick up the color next time- with some all-natural food coloring (beets= red, purple from cabbage, green tea etc...) Promise to try that soon and update the results here!

Here's what you'll need
a 2 qt saucepan
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup room temp water
1 T. vegetable oil
food coloring
wax paper

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl (the flour, salt & cream of tartar.)
Lay a sheet of wax paper on the counter to cool the dough on.
Place the sauce pan over medium-low heat- pour in the water, add the oil- and stir in the bowl of dry ingredients. Keep stirring- it will start to thicken pretty quick. Keep stirring....as it thickens a bit more (after stirring a minute or 2) add the food coloring....keep stirring.....stir some more.
Stir until it is thick, and gathers around the spoon, clinging to it.
This happens pretty fast, she's not joking when she says it takes 10 minutes to make this stuff.
Transfer the dough to the wax paper to cool.
Once cooled, kneed it a bit to get out any lumpiness and create uniform texture.
Keep in an airtight container.

See Erika's original post HERE and her blog Musings from a Stay at Home Mom that's full of other great ideas as well.