Mint Chocolate Chip Icee

We had a girls night out with the wonderful ladies in my ward.  We learned to make a few yummy dishes and watched Lift of Pi.  This dessert is going to replace ice cream at my house. 


About 2 tbsp maple syrup (adjust to taste)
Handful of spinach
1/2 avocado
Capful of mint flavoring or fresh mint
2 cups of ice

After it's all blended, add a handful of chocolate chips. Blending time depends on the size of chocolate chunks you like.

Granola Bars

I found the original recipe (posted below) on pinterest, but in order to make it a little more healthy I made these changes.  I have wanted to try applesauce in place of the banana, but I haven't gotten around to that yet.  Also, to the original recipe I just like to add everything together and not do the layers. 
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup mashed banana
1 tea. vanilla
3 cups quick oats
1 cup chocolate chips ( I have used just semi-sweet, and once I mixed semi-sweet and dark chocolate chips)
1/2 cup peanut butter
sesame seeds, nuts, coconut, raisins or craisins etc. (as much as you like)

Instructions
Melt butter in a large sauce pan over low heat. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, and oats. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Then add chocolate chips and peanut butter and other extra mix ins to pan and stir to mix together.
Press into 8x8 dish ( I like to line the dish with either wax paper or plastic wrap, so it is easier to get out of the pan). Refrigerate for about 3 hours.


Original Recipe:

3/4 cup butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick oats
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter

Instructions:
Melt butter in a large sauce pan over low heat. Stir in brown sugar, vanilla, and oats. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes. press half of mixture in the bottom of a buttered 8x8 dish.
In microwave safe bowl, microwave the chocolate and peanut butter, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and blended. Pour the chocolate peanut butter mixture over the crust, reserving a couple spoonfuls to drizzle over the top.
Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over chocolate and peanut butter, pressing gently to form a crust. Drizzle the remaining chocolate and peanut butter over the top of the bars.
refrigerate for 3 hours.

Pumpkin Blondies

I made these today, and oh, boy!!! They were de-licious. Grandma Ruth would approve!!!

I can't stop eating them!

Original recipe from this blog.

Pumpkin Blondies

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1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pumpkin
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
1 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla, then pumpkin. In a separate bowl combine together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Add to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Add in white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
Spread the batter into a greased 9 x 9 inch baking pan. Place in oven and bake 35-40 minutes. Cool completely before cutting.

Homemade Snow Cones

Just thought I'd share this idea we tried today... Homemade Snow Cones.

It's "Easy-peasy-lemon-squeasy" said Hannah.

We put crushed ice from the freezer into our food processor (I love, love, love my Braun Multi-Mix)and chopped away. It made the ice into a nice fine airy snow. Not as perfect as SnoShack, but still great for free!

We bought some Sugar-Free syrup at Target for snow cones, but I want to try using juice & this Snow Cone Syrup Recipe:

Snow Cone Syrup Recipe

2 cups white sugar
1 cup water
1 (0.13 ounce) package unsweetened, fruit-flavored soft drink mix

Directions

In a saucepan, stir together the sugar and water. Bring to a boil, and boil for about 1 minute. Remove from heat, and stir in the drink mix. Allow to cool, and store in a container for pouring. Pour over shaved ice to flavor. (someone in the comments said they used 1/2 cups sugar to 1/2 cups water and 2 packages of flavoring to help avoid the watered-down snow-cone).

We bought a $3 pack of snow-cone cups and spoon-straws to last the summer.

Fun & easy.

Now - I just need to figure out all the awesome combinations... like tiger's blood... or maybe peaches & cream. Any tips?

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

A friend gave us a Christmas gift and note with a package of popcorn and the dry ingredients in a baggie for this treat. Unfortunately Owen and I ate it up before anyone else got home. Not a recipe for the whole family, unless you only need a taste!

Microwave Caramel Popcorn Recipe #78693

(from recipezaar.com) by Una Rose

1 bag of micro-wave popcorn

1/4 lb margarine or butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup miniature marshmallow

1. Pop the micro-wave popcorn and put in a bowl.
2. Place margarine, brown sugar and marshmallows in microwave proof bowl; microwave for two minutes.
3. Stir well and pour over popcorn.

© 2009 Recipezaar. All Rights Reserved. http://www.recipezaar.com

Buckeyes

When one lives in Ohio, there is no choice but to make buckeyes. Plus, peanut butter treats are always a hit at our house (as are peanut butter and jam or honey sandwiches). Ok, on to the recipe.

Buckeye Candy (directly from Nestle.com)

Estimated Times:
Preparation - 10 min | Cooling Time - 1 hrs freezing | Yields - 72 candies (6 dozen total)

The perfect combination of peanut butter and chocolate -- a "chocolate lover's" dream come true....

Source:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups creamy peanut butter, (not all-natural)
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened
• 3 3/4 cups (16-oz. box) powdered sugar
• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening

Directions:

LINE baking sheets with wax paper.

BEAT peanut butter and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in powdered sugar until mixture holds together and is moistened. Shape into 1-inch balls; place on prepared baking sheets. Freeze for 1 hour.

MELT morsels and shortening in medium, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH (100%) power for 1 minute; STIR. Morsels may retain some of their shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until melted.

DIP peanut butter centers into melted chocolate using a toothpick, leaving a small portion of the center uncovered. Shake off excess chocolate and scrape bottom of candy on side of bowl. Return to baking sheets; refrigerate until chocolate is set. Store in covered container in refrigerator.

Easy Oreo Truffles

Easy OREO Truffles

(totally, directly copied from KraftFoods.com)


What You Need!

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Make It!

MIX 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.

DIP balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.

REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
How to Easily Dip Truffles-To easily coat truffles with the melted chocolate, add truffles, in batches, to bowl of melted chocolate. Then use two forks to roll truffles in chocolate until evenly coated. Remove the truffles with forks and allow excess chocolate to drip back into bowl before placing truffles on prepared baking sheet.

Special Extra-Sprinkle truffles with colored sugar or sprinkles in addition to or in place of the cookie crumbs.

How to Soften Cream Cheese-Place completely unwrapped package of cream cheese in microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 10 sec. or just until softened. Add 15 sec. for each additional package of cream cheese.

White Chocolate Cheesecake Cupcakes

These were made up using a vanilla cake mix and an easy white chocolate glaze. I had seen a photo that was just darling and thought I'd have a go...

1 vanilla cake mix
1/4 cup cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup water

Start by beating the cream cheese, then add other ingredients and beat well. Bake as cupcakes for 18-20 minutes.

After cooling, top with this glaze:
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted and stirred smooth
1 Tablespoon butter, melted with chips
2-3 Tablespoons evaporated milk, room temp
2-3 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Beat smooth, cool for a few minutes to thicken up a little bit, then spoon over cupcakes, garnishing with extra chips as desired.

These weren't amazing, but if you bake just right and have super moist cupcakes, they would be great (as far as non-dark chocolate treats go!).