Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I LOVE picnics. Last summer we lived on Bainbridge Island and every Wednesday people would pack picnic dinners and go to the concert in the park. We loved our Wednesday evenings! Because I love picnics, I was given a Picnic Cookbook for my birthday and a waterproof picnic blanket. I can't wait for the weather to turn warm again and get good use out of them both. This recipe comes from the Picnic Cookbook. I added some stuff to the recipe.

I love these cookies because once they are baked they are NOT flat. They are nice a round and yummy!

2 1/4 C all-purpose flour (I used some wheat flour in place of all the white)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 C milled flax seed (I added this, it is not part of the origianl recipe)
3/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C softened, butter
1/2 C softened, margarine (I used all butter and no margarine)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 C old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 C chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt (and flax seed, if using) in a mixing bowl.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix sugars at low speed. Add the butter and margarine and continue to beat on low, then increase to high speed and beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla at low speed, then increase to high speed.
4. At low speed, add the flour mixture 1/2 cup at a time, then increase to high speed until the mixture is well blended. Stir in the oats and chocolate chips with a wooden spoon.
5. Drop rounded TBSP onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the cookies from the oven and cool one to two minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Pack in a resealable plastic bag for the picnic.

Me and Mommy Peanut Butter Kisses

My favorite cookie is by far peanutbutter blossoms. I found this much quicker recipe and tried them. They are a great alternative to the original. There is no wheat which is great for several members of my family. This recipe comes from Gooseberry Patch Quick and Easy Family Favorites.

1 C creamy peanut butter
1 C sugar
1 egg
24 milk chocolate drops, unwrapped

Combine peanut butter, sugar and egg in a bowl; mix well. Roll into small ball and arrange on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Remove from oven; immediately place a chocolate drop in the center of each cookie. Makes about 2 dozen.

Kids Make Ice Cream

I do a home preschool with my 3-year-old son. This week we are studying science. We just made this ice cream and he was excited about it. I got excited when I remembered I could post it on the blog! I got the reciped out of our Science Play book.

1 C milk
2 TBSP sugar
1/4 C salt
Ice cubes
2 resealable sandwich bags
Larger resealable bag
Towel
Plastic shopping Bag
Twist tie

Add sugar and milk to the small resealable bag. Taste the solution. Let out some of the air as you zip to seal. Seal this bag inside another sandwich bag.
Place ice cubes in the bottom of the big bag. Add the small bag of milk and surround with more ice cubes. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of salt over the ice. Let out some of the air as you zip to seal.
Wrap a towl around the bag of ice. Place the bundle into a plastic shopping bag and seal with a twist tie.
Shake the bag. Have kids help continue to shake for 15 minutes. Remove the small bag and quickly rinse off the salt with cold water. Ask your kids if they think the milk changed. Enjoy their creation. Try adding sprinkles, chocolate chips, nuts, or your favorite toppings :)

Rich Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

This frosting goes great with the cupcake recipe I just posted. Also from Betty Crocker.

4 C powdered sugar
1 C butter or margarine, softened
3 TBSP milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

In a medium bowl, beat all frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and spreadable. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 tsp at a time. Spread over cupcakes.

Sour Cream Chocolate Cupcakes

I went to a birthday party at the Kids Cooking Corner and these were the cupcakes they made. Very good. The owner got the recipe off the Betty Crocker website.

2 C all-purpose flour
2 C granulated sugar
3/4 C sour cream
1/4 C shortening
1 C water
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 36 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. In a large bowl, beat all cupcake ingredients with electric mixer on low-speed for 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on high speed 3 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling each 1/2 full.
Bake 20-25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; place on cooling rack. Cool completely and frost.

Homemade egg noodles

2 1/2 c. flour
pinch of salt
2 eggs-beaten
1/2 c. milk
1 T. butter-softened

Mix all ingredients then (have the kids) roll out thin. Cut into thin strips. Drop into any kind of boiling broth. Let boil for about 5 minutes

Kid's Favorite Cornflake Chicken

Sometimes we make things and forget about them, even if they are great. Seems to be happening to me a lot lately! Benjamin reminded me of a recipe I used to make. Cornflake Chicken! All the kids, and adults gobbled it up. I used chicken tenderloins bc it was easy to defrost and they were already in small pieces, but you could use breasts cut up or any cut of meat, really.

Cornflake Chicken
2 Tbsp butter + 1/4-1/2 c butter
1/2 c crushed corn flakes cereal, maybe a little more
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1.5 lbs cut up chicken in strips or tenderloins

Heat oven to 400. Melt 2 Tbsp butter in 9 x 13 pan. Take out when melted to make sure it doesn't burn. Crush corn flakes. I put enough to fill a ziplock sandwich bag. Zip the bag, with air pushed out , crush with rolling pin. Mix flakes, paprika, salt and pepper. Melt 1/4 c butter in bowl, melt more as needed. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in corn flake mixture. Place in 9 x 13 pan. Bake on 400 for about 20 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. Test frequently so they don't dry out. Don't turn, otherwise the corn flakes fall off. Serve with BBQ, ranch, ketchup, etc.

Pumpkin Seeds

I decided to finally post some recipes we love. I have the seeds cooking in my oven right now and that smell brings so many great childhood memories. My daughter helped make them this year...sharing the tradition my mom started.

1 1/2 T melted butter
2 c rinsed pumpkin seeds
1/2 t. worchestershire sauce
1 1/4 t. salt

Blend. Bake at 250 degrees for 2 hours until seeds are crisp, dry & golden brown.

Fun Snacks

Make these with your kids for a new fun snack.

Celery cars:
1 celery stalk
4 carrots rounds
peanut butter or cream cheese
2 toothpicks

fill celery with peanut butter or cream cheese. Place carrot rounds on each end of the toothpicks (these will be the wheels). Place filled celery(the car) on top of the wheels. Enjoy.

Marshmello Creatures:
Several large and small marshmellows
toothpicks
food coloring
shredded coconut

Let your child create creatures using the marshmellows. Example: I large marshmellow for the body, another for the head, connected by a toothpick. Then add the arms and legs using the toothpicks with small marshmellow attached to the ends. Then add food coloring for the eyes, mouth, and nose. Use the shredded coconut as hair. Try different creatures as well horses, dinosaurs, etc.

Apple Smiles:
Cut an apple into slices. Place peanut butter on two slices of apple. Place miniture marshmellow on top of one slice of apple with peanut butter for the teeth. Place second slice on top to form mouth. Enjoy

Bunny Salad:
Place a leaf of lettuce on a plate. Place on half of a pear cut side down on the lettuce leaf. Make eyes with 2 raisins, nose with a red hot, ears with two almonds, and a tail with a cottage cheese ball. Enjoy

Happy Snacking

Stone Soup

There is a book called stone soup that you could read to your kids before making this if you want to. Make sure to read it first though, some versions are not the greatest.

1 large, very clean stone
4 C water
3 large carrots
3 potatoes
2 onions
3 celery stalks
1 can tomatoes
1 can corn
1 can peas
4 tsp beef(I use chicken) bouillon
dash of salt
(When we made this with our students at school, we would use other ingredients as well, like ground beef/chicken, rice, other veg., etc)

Heat water in a large pot. Add the stone. Peel and cut up carrots, potatoes, onions, and celery. Boil these ingredients until soft. Add tomatoes, corn, peas, and bouillon. (If adding meat, make sure it is cooked and add now). Add salt and boil 10 minutes. Remove the stone. Serve.

Chocolate Yummies

I made these when I was a kid. I need to make them with my kids now.

1 (6 oz) pkg. chocolate bits
1/3 C margarine
16 large marshmellows
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 C shredded coconut
2 C rolled oats

Melt chocolate, margarine, and marshmellow in a saucepan, stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Add vanilla, stir. Stir in coconut and oats. Mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper. Refrigerate. Enjoy.

Quesidilla Face

I told Julie I would post some cute kid pleasing ideas. Here is a super easy one.

1 tortilla
1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese
2 cucumber slices
2 olives
1 half sliced dill pickle

Place tortilla in frying pan and spinkle cheddar cheese on inside on only one half. Fold totilla over so no cheese is showing. (Make quesidilla) When quesidilla is finishe, place on the bottom half of a plate, with the fold line in the middle. (this makes the mouth) For the eyes: place cububer on the top of the plate with olives in the middle of the slices. Place pickle between the eyes down toward the quesidilla for the nose. Serve to your kids for lunch.

Oven- Fried Fish

Callie made this the other night for dinner. We loved it and she was so excited to get to make dinner for the family.

1 pound fish fillets ( we used halibut)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (we accidently used more and it still tasted great)

Preheat oven tao 350. Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Put the milk in a flat pie plate or shallow bowl. In another flat pie plate, combine the bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Dip the fish into the milk and then into the bread crumb mixture. Place fish in baking dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until fully cooked.

Fish Shaped Pizza or green frog calazones

I get this pizza crust from the book that came with my Kitchen Aid. You could use your own favorite as well. My kids love to help make the dough and the pizza.

1 package active dry yeast
1 C warm water
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp olive oil
2-1/2 to 3-1/2 C flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water in mixing bowl. Add salt, olive oil, and 2-1/2 cups flour. With dough hook, stir on speed 2 for 1 minute. Continuing on speed 2, add remaining flour 1/2 C at a time, and mix about 2 minutes, or until dough clings to hook and cleans sides of bowl. Knead on speed 2 for 2 more minutes. Place dough in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover. Let rise for about 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down. Press dough across a pan to form the shape of a fish. Spread with pizza or spaghetti sauce. Spread mozzerella cheese and then use pepperoni for the "scales" of the fish. Use a sliced black olive for the eye. Bake at 450 for 15 to 20 minutes.

You can also use this for calazones. Use food coloring to dye the dough green. Save some of the dough and once the calazone is wrapped make feet with leftover dough to make frogs. Use olives for the eyes and bake.

Red Hot Applesauce Jello

I loved having this as a kid and I still love having it! Yum! (I have learned to serve this in it's own dish because otherwise all your food turns red.)


3/4 C. Red Hot candies (I use less now b/c my child complains it's too "spicy")
1 small box red jello (any flavor that is red works)
1 C. boiling water
1 small jar applesauce
1 package gelatin
1/4 C. water

Mix together red hots and red jello.

Add 1 C. BOILING water. Stir until red hots dissolve. You will have to fish out any pieces that don't dissolve.

Add applesauce.

Mix together 1 package of gelatin & 1/4 C. water. Add to jello mixture.

Cover & Place in fridge to set.

The World's BEST Sugar Cookies

Okay, I have to admit I have been wavering about posting this recipe out of selfishness! These are truly the BEST sugar cookies and they are always perfect! I will lay down my recipe greed and share this winner with you all! (FYI this makes a huge batch of cookies. It can be a lot to frost if you're getting fancy just to warn you!)

1 1/2 C. butter
2 C. sugar
4 eggs
2 t. vanilla

***cream together above ingredients

ADD:

5 C. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt


REFRIGERATE for easier rolling (spray cooking spray on plastic wrap and wrap dough up prior to placing in fridge)

Roll 1/4"-1/2"thick (yes make them this thick)

Bake @ 350 degrees approx 10 min. or so. (Watch them to see how long in your oven; they're done when edges are golden)

Soft Pretzels

These are great to make with your kids. Mine love playing with the dough and then getting to eat their results.

1 package yeast
1 1/2 C warm water
1 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
4 C flour
1 egg, beaten
course salt

Measure warm water inot large mixing bowl. Sprinkle on yeast and stir until it looks soft. Add salt, sugar, and flour. Mix and knead dough. Give kids small balls of dough to roll and twist into shapes (snakes, letters, number, etc) Grease cookie sheet. Lay pretzels on cookie sheet. Brush pretzels with beaten egg and sprinkle with salt. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Enjoy.