Choco-Chip-Pretzel-Candy Corn Cookies

Ok, as the name above may show....I MAY have gone a bit overboard with these cookies...BUT it WAS WORTH IT!  I like regular Choco-chip cookies....but  I wanted some more.....how you say.....layers to the cookie....Some depth....a little sumpin sumpin....if ya know what I'm sayin'


Sooooo, I looked in my cupboards...and discovered that HEY!   I have pretzels......I have Candy Corn!!

What is with Candy Corn anyways?  It's kinda just a sweet blob of sugar.....3 colors in the shape of a triangle.....maybe its an older generation thing.....or an American thing?

Anyways, I had some in my cupboard (for nostalgia's sake...or maybe for my American friends sake...) So I thought I would add them to my cookie creation!  And they are gooood!  So to celebrate the up-coming gorge ourselves with our children's hard worked for candy.....after they go into a sugar induced-come on the 31st....here are my cookies....

Enjoy!

Choco-chip-Pretzel-Candy Corn Cookies

What you Need:

2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of salt

1 cup of butter or margarine softened
3/4 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
1 tsp of vanilla extract
2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of Candy Corn chopped
3/4 cup of chopped pretzels.

What you Do:

1.  In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside

2.  In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugars together until fluffy.  Add vanilla and eggs one at a time. Beating after each addition.

3.  On a low speed, slowly add dry ingredients to wet, until combined.  Add chocolate, candy and pretzels.  Stir to combine.

4.  Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoon onto an un-greased baking sheet.

5. BAKE for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool on baking sheet for a couple of minutes and then remove to cooling racks.

ENJOY!!!

 

Pumpkin Loaf with Maple Glaze

We are full on into October!  I am so thankful that there is no snow yet.  :)  When you live up as north as we do you are grateful for everyday that is snow-less.

So I've got my Pumpkin everything groove on.  I made these lovely Pumpkin Spice Meringue cookies a couple of weeks ago.  They were GOOOOOOD.  Though Auntie Evelyn wasn't so sure about them.  Oh well.  I had requests to bring them for Thanksgiving dinner. 

Funny thing about Thanksgiving dinner....No one made Pumpkin Pie.....Thank goodness I had a slice left at home.  David and I enjoyed it with a glass of red when we got home.

This past week I decided that I still haven't had enough pumpkin in my life and one MUST go overboard in this area....So I made this delicious Pumpkin Loaf with Maple Glaze.  The glaze is a must!!!!!!  Totally adds to the loaf.  The loaf is good on its own....It's my mom's recipe!!!.....but made stellar with the glaze.

So we must continue the Pumpkin TRAIN!!!!  October is only half over....


What happens in Novemeber?  We transition to chocolate???

ANYWAYS!

Pumpkin Loaf with Maple Glaze

What you Need:

1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 cup of granulated sugar
1/4 cup of corn syrup
2 eggs
1/2 cup of oil
1 cup canned pumpkin puree

Glaze:

2 TBSP of butter or margarine
1/4 cup of maple syrup
1 cup icing (confectioner's) sugar


What to do:

Loaf

1.  Beat sugar, syrup,oil, and eggs in a large bowl.  Add pumpkin puree, and beat to combine.

2.  In a smaller bowl, combine all dry ingredients.  Stir to combine.

3.  Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and combine well.  But don't over mix.

4.  Pour into a greased loaf tin and bake in a  pre-heated 325 degrees F. oven.

Bake for 60 minutes.  Check for doneness by inserting a wooden skewer into middle of loaf.  If it comes out "clean" it is done.  If it comes out with a bit of batter on it, continue to bake for 5 minute intervals until the skewer comes out clean.

Let cool in pan 10 minutes.  Remove from loaf pan.  Let cool.

Make glaze:

In a small saucepan, melt butter and maple syrup over medium heat.

Remove from heat and whisk in the icing sugar.

Pour over Pumpkin Loaf.

You may want to let the glaze harden, but one is more than welcome to slice the loaf with warm drizzly glaze running down each slice...Mmmm.  I think a cup of chai tea would go lovely with this.....I'm gonna go brew a mug.  Enjoy!

Family Life Recipes #3 - Being Thankful for the Seen and Unseen Blessings

It's Thanksgiving up here in Canada!  The sun is shining, the air is crisp and I am extremely thankful that there is NO SNOW!  Chicken soup is simmering on the stove, pumpkin bread in the oven....prepping for the family gathering that will come.  All the while....I'm in a reflective mood.  Reflection is good....especially when its in the spirit of THANKFULNESS.

This past week has been especially busy and stressful for me.  Most of it was good stress: getting to skating lessons, swimming lessons, subbing, getting kids to school....the usual good stuff.  We also celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary and had a family photo shoot.  ALL GOOD STUFF.  Thrown in there was a bit of not so good stuff....An un-expected to deal with NOW situation....

BUT

I'm in a spirit of Thankfulness....

This week I saw God's blessings in my life.....Woven through it like a tapestry of LOVE for ME!  ME!  Even in my faults, my failures....He showered me with CARING.

I reflect on the SEEN Blessings of this week.

1.  All events were made to in good time.  The boys LOVED their first skating lessons and even started to stand up on the ice for a few seconds....(instead of swimming and licking the ice...)

2.  The week was filled with caring words, understanding, encouragement, and LOVE from my Best Friend, and Love of my Life.... My husband.

3.  On our photo shoot day:  it was forcasted miserable weather.  So I prayed, and asked my friends to pray...for this was going to be our only chance...And I was soooo looking forward to doing it.  As we drove out to our location it was cold, and drizzly....THEN...IT HAPPENED!  Sunshine, warmth, perfect lighting for our family photo shoot!  GOD answered my little prayer!  FOR ME!  Because HE cares about the little things.

4.  Friends were helpful this week and kind words sent through emails, texts, and actual  words I heard.

5.  In the Yucky situation I had.....I made it through...and provision was there....waiting...A HUGE BLESSING.  GOD KNEW what I needed!!!!!

Now, it may sound like...WOW...God will just make it all go away, or fix anything...Not so.  Yes, this week I saw HIS BLESSING.  But I know as I have muddled through situations He has also allowed me to learn through natural consequences, and prayers that may not have been answered as I thought they should.  BUT, even in these things....the UNSEEN BLESSINGS....our lives our being woven into a masterpiece...filled with threads that may be rough, or cut, or re-tied together....not always perfection.... but WOW, when we look at where we have come from, what we've been through... You always see a thread of perfection....

GOD's LOVE, MERCY, and GRACE.  

THANK YOU....

Pumpkin Spice Meringue Cookies

So have you ever had a day where none of your baking turns out like you want it too?  I did recently...I was so ready to jump on the pumpkin bandwagon.  SO READY!   So I scoped out my favourite bloggers, picked a couple of recipes.....

Made said recipes, with high hopes and wonderful aromas filling the air...

Took out said recipes.....

NO FLAVOR!!!!

I was like...WHAT?  I don't get it!  My house smells great....but when I bit into my pumpkin inspired cookies....NO PUMPKIN FLAVOR!

I was so disgusted...I threw them away.  Ugh...

Well I was ready to try again.  And with Canadian Thanksgiving right around the corner...I knew I had to get something right..like NOW!

And this is THE Thanksgiving recipe !!!!

I"ve never made meringue cookies before and I've always wanted to try.  So easy!  I bit into these crispy, melt in your mouth pumpkin spicy morsels and sighed with happiness and ate 2 more to make sure I wasn't dreaming...They are good!  With a cup of coffee....perfection!

So surprise your friends this Thanksgiving with a spicy treat that epitomises FALL!

Pumpkin Spice Meringue Cookies

adapted from: Eat, Drink, Love

What you Need:

4 egg whites

1 cup super fine sugar*** (see note)

1 1/4 teaspoon of pumpkin spice

1/2 tsp of cream of tarter

*** You can easily make super fine sugar by putting a cup of regular sugar into your food processor  for 30 seconds to a minute.  I did mine in my Magic Bullet.

What you DO:

1. Beat egg whites in a large glass bowl with the whisk beater until they are foamy.

2.  Add sugar slowly as you beat eggs.  Beat until well - mixed.

3.  Add Cream of Tarter and pumpkin spice.  Keep beating on a medium to medium high speed until you get a glossy shine on egg mixture and can hold a stiff peak when you lift the beater out.

4.  Pre-heat oven to 200 degrees F.  Line cookie sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper.

5.  Spoon egg white mixture into a piping bag with your choice of tip.  (you can also just dollop the mixture onto the cookie sheet with a spoon as well)

6.  Pipe mixture onto baking sheets.  Bake in oven for 2 hours.  Try not to peek at cookies as they bake.  

7.  Remove and cool.  Eat them up!!!  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Crispy-Baked Sweet Potato Fries!!!!

When I was first married I wasn't the best cook.  One time by poor husband had to eat the same stew for supper, then lunch the next day, then supper, then lunch.....yah, we had a talk about leftovers after that...

It wasn't until we got cable that my cooking improved.  Food Network!!!  I finally saw how food was supposed to look and taste.  I started trying new things, with some successes.  Then a friend told me about Kraft Canada's "What's Cooking" magazine.  It's a free quarterly magazine that gets sent to your home.  It is full of easy to make recipes!.  I remember that with the first magazine I received I tried almost all the recipes.  My husband was getting happier!!!

So several years later I still look forward to receiving my "What's Cooking" magazine!  This fall's edition is full of amazing recipes!  I've circled and highlighted at least a dozen!  Wahoo!!!  So here is one that I just had to try.

Crispy-Baked Sweet Potato Fries.  OH MAN, OH MAN!!!  So easy, and yet soooo tasty.  Dip the fries in a garlic aioli sauce (think Costco) and your taste buds are in HEAVEN!!!!!  So ya, go out and buy some Shake and Bake.....You'll thank me....and your family will thank YOU too.

Crispy-Baked Sweet Potato Fries

adapted from: Kraft Canada

What you Need:

2 yams or 3 sweet potatoes

3 TBSP of canola oil ( or any light tasting cooking oil)

2 eggs

1 pouch of Shake and Bake Extra Crispy

1/4 cup of fine crumbed bread crumbs

What you Do:

1.  Pre-heat oven 425 degrees F.

2.  Cover two baking sheets with tin foil.  Drizzle with canola oil.

3.  Peel potatoes (or yams) and cut into match-like sticks length ways

4.   Whisk eggs in a large bowl and add cut potatoes. Toss to coat.

5.  Empty the pouch of Shake and Bake into separate bowl.  In small batches add the potatoes into Shake and Bake; toss to coat.

*** about half-way through you may find the that Shake and Bake Coating mix starts to get clumpy.  Add the breadcrumbs into the bowl and stir mix.  This will make the coating mixture not as clumpy and you can get a nicer coating on your fries.

6.  Spread potatoes onto prepared baking sheets.  Bake until potatoes are tender-crisp, and golden brown.  Turn fries every 10 minutes and rotate baking sheets if you have one on a higher level than the other.

7.  Serve with a Garlic Aioli Sauce, or ketchup.  Enjoy!  I know I sure did.

Tortilla Pizza

BASIL!  I LOVE BASIL!!!

Especially with late summer tomatoes.

Yep, a combo made in heaven....

especially on a pizza......

This here pizza is one of the easiest pizzas you can make.  David and I both love this one...which is amazing as there isn't a stitch of meat on it.  OH MY!  Ok, we are not vegetarians by any means, but this pizza doesn't need meat to make it outstanding!

It starts off with a tortilla as its "crust". So perfect on a rushed week night, or when some friends pop over unexpectedly  (come do that and see if we make this for ya....I dare ya....)  Anyways,  You put a tortilla on a pizza pan.  Smear some olive oil on top, top with very simple toppings, and 10 minutes or so in the oven you got an amazing appetiser or supper dish at your hungry fingertips...hmm... I mean....

Just eat it already!!!!!

Tomato and Basil Tortilla Pizza

adapted from Kraft Canada

What you Need:

1 large tortilla (any flavor you like)

1 tsp, olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese

1-2 Roma tomatoes ( or 1 large tomato, or 1 cup sliced in half cherry tomatoes)

2 TBSP of Parmesan shredded cheese

4 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced.

1/4 tsp of ground black pepper

What you Do:

1.  Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees F

2.  Place tortilla on baking sheet and brush with oil.  Top with all remaining ingredients EXCEPT the basil.

3.  Bake 8-10 minutes, or until tortilla is crisp and cheese is melted.

4.  Sprinkle with basil.

Enjoy!

FamilyLifeRecipes #2 - First Day of School

The summer breezes may still have been blowing, but this week was back to school.  For many moms last Tuesday was full of excitement and anxiety......and watching the clock.....

Did they like their teachers?  Were there any friends in the same class?  Were they nervous? sad? scared?  Did they need me?

Believe me, those questions darted in my mind all day.  My oldest son was starting grade one and it was his first "full" day experience. I was in need of distraction... I was so thankful that it was full of friends, coffee, and encouragement.

"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7

There was much "casting" on Tuesday....hourly, minutely, continually.....and that is okay.  God knows what we are trying to express to Him.  So with prayer, and friends my day went by.  At pick up time I wasn't anxious.....curious...yes.....I had given my God my prayers....He knew what I needed.

My little guy has a wonderful teacher, there are some friends in the class.....He didn't "need" me....but he smiled big time when our eyes met at the end of day bell.   I smiled back.....feeling cared for...