Valentine Cookies

Every Valentine's day I like to make special cookies for my kids.  My grandma used to make my cousins and I a goody bag of home-made cookies for Valentine's day each year, half of the cookies would be frosted heart shaped sugar cookies, the other half would be M&M cookies, made from the special red, pink, and white colored Valentine ones.   I love that tradition and I want to keep it going.  The cookies I make each year are a hybrid of both sugar cookies and M&M cookies! 


What you will need is:
 2 cake mixes ( I used two strawberry cake mixes... the flavor is delish and I love the color pink)
(Follow this recipe to make dough... If you would like your cookies to be two-toned keep the dough seperate and either use two different flavors of cake mix, or add food coloring to one)

2 heart shaped cookie cutters that are similarly shaped but one is larger and one is smaller

1 cup or so of M&Ms

*Powdered Sugar ---this is just for rolling the dough on, my grandma taught me to always roll out my cookies on powdered sugar and not flour... flour makes cookies dry and dense and flavorless, powdered sugar lets the cookies remain light, fluffy, and just adds sweetness, (and calories, but its okay on holidays right?)

Now-- Hey, Hey, Here we go!!

1. Make your dough--here is the LINK to the recipe again--I used the same flavor cake mixes, so I added a few drops of red food coloring to the mix  when I made the second  batch of dough to get a contrast in the colors.

2.   Roll out the dough (on powdered sugar)...  I start with one color and cut large hearts first, then in the middle of the large hearts cut out a small heart*, and set the small heart aside (you will use it later to fill in the hole of the other color large heart)

 

 

*you may need to use a fork to help lift out the center heart

 

 

 

3. Repeat  step 2 with the other color of dough, when you remove the center heart from those hearts, put them in the holes of the other color large hearts, like placing a puzzle piece.  Seal the edges by lightly patting the dough until the hole is completely filled with the new color center heart.

 

sorry about my finger being covered in cookie dough... lol

 

 

4. Gently press in M&Ms into the unbaked cookies, no need to press them in super deep, when the cookies bake they will rise around the m&ms-- holding them in place.

 

 

 

5. Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let them cool a little before removing them from their pan, or they will break--and no one wants a broken heart (ha ha!)

 

 

Here they are all finished, and so so tasty!

Super Easy Sugar Cookies

I love making my kids special cookies for special holidays.  I always use the simple cake-mix sugar cookie recipe to mix up some quick dough.   Just take one box of  white cake mix, one egg, and a fourth of cup of melted butter or margarine, and mix together until it becomes dough,  if it isn't moist enough to stick together properly you can add a TBS or two of water.   The key to making the cookies extra chewy and tasty instead of dense and hard is to roll them out using powdered sugar instead of flour.    Cut out the cookies and bake for about 10 minutes at 350degrees.    I frosted my cookies with canned frosting for extra easiness and then added chocolate chips and candy corn for embellishments.   They are so cute, so easy, and make the kiddos so happy!

Crockpot Chicken Burritos

The holiday season is quickly approaching! For me, that means a busy, busy schedule!  It's easy to pull through a drive through lane when your heading from errand-running, to picking up kids at sports practice, or on your way home from a long day at work. But lets face it, fast food gets old, isn't healthy, and too many nights eating out can hurt the budget.   So my alternative to the drive through is my crock pot.
 
The easiest and fastest way to cook dinner!  Before you head out for the day, pull some boneless skinless chicken breasts straight from the freezer--NO NEED TO THAW (I usually use a pound and a  half for my family of four,) then pour on about a cup of salsa, add about a fourth of cup of non-fat cream cheese, and a few cilantro leaves.  Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours or low for  up to 8 hours.   Before its time to eat, take a fork and knife and shred the chicken.. put it in a tortilla and top with cheese... delish!  So fast, so easy, and healthy too!
 
Its nice being able to throw a few things in the crock pot, head out for a busy day, and come home to a house that smells inviting with a home cooked meal ready to enjoy!
 

 

 



 * You can also try pouring a cup of bbq sauce over the chicken, shred it and put it on a bun for a pulled bbq chicken sandwich.

Low Cal Orange Julius Recipe

 I have always loved Orange Julius. The tasty beverage has been something I've tried to recreate from home for years.  I found an amazing, easy, and low-cal copy cat one fine day when I was experimenting with my blender.

Here is what you'll need to make 1 serving : 1/2 cup of  Orange Juice, 1/3 cup Vanilla Soy Milk, and about a cup of Ice, that's it!!!

First crush up the ice in your blender until it looks almost like snow.  It is important to do this first, in order to get that light airy texture of a real Orange Julius.

Next add the orange juice and  vanilla soy milk, blend and tada' your done!!  It's so simple and so tasty, and for under 100 calories (depending on what brand ingredients you use)!

Get creative with it, try adding some banana or strawberries.. or peach schnapps!!