Overloaded Peanut Butter Cookies

My husband has been bugging me to make him some peanut butter cookies since Christmas. I know, shame on me for making him wait this long. Well he finally got his cookies and he was loving what I came up with. I am not a peanut butter eater so maybe that's what took me so long, they apparently did not sound good to me. Well anyway, I found a recipe that I thought he would just love. I was right!  I made one small addition to the recipe making the name "Overloaded" extremely necessary!

Overloaded Peanut Butter Cookies

Cookie Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

1 3/4 C All Purpose Flour

3/4 Tsp Salt

3/4 Tsp Baking Soda

3/4 C Creamy Peanut Butter

1/2 C Vegetable Shortening

1 1/4 C Packed Light Brown Sugar

3 Tbsp Milk

1 Tbsp Vanilla

1 Egg

1 Bag of Peanut Butter Chips (My addition to the recipe, making these cookies Overloaded)

Granulated Sugar for rolling the cookies

1. Combine flour, salt & baking soda together, set aside.
2. Combine peanut butter, shortening, brown sugar, milk & vanilla with mixer until well blended. Add egg, beat until just blended.
3. Slowly add the flour mixture and mix until combined.
4. Take spoonfuls of dough and roll between palms to form a ball. Roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Using a fork dipped in sugar make crisscross pattern on the cookie flattening the cookie slightly.
5. Bake @ 375 for about 7-8 minutes or until slightly brown.

Happy Birthday Card

Here is a Birthday Card that I made to post in the Pink Stamper Birthday Challenge. I think this card looks better in person, I could not get the light to cooperate with me. The pink is really a hot pink. I just LOVE pink & black together!

This card was created using the Simply Sweet Cartridge (flowers) & Classic Font Cartridge.

Happy Birthday to Robyn The Pink Stamper!

"LOVE" Card

Ok, So I have FINALLY had some time to play around with my Cricut and I have completed my first project using it, YAY! It is a pretty simple card but I think it came out cute. I am very limited on cartridges right now, I only have 2 (sigh) plus I am still trying to figure out how to use all the fancy buttons. Can't wait to get more cartridges. More projects to come very soon!

This card was created using the Simply Sweet Cartridge.

Cocktail Sausages Wrapped in Bacon

If you are watching the Football games this Sunday or having some friends over you  must make this recipe. These little sausages make a great appetizer for ANY party you may be having. They are super easy to make and very addicting, I kept going back for just one more. I first saw this recipe featured on Our Best Bites and thought they looked very tasty. They have been on my never ending list of recipes to try for a while now. My mother-in-law actually put these together while we were visiting a couple weekends ago and although I am not sure where her recipe actually came from I knew that I had noticed it here for sure. Throw these together for your next party or get together and I am sure your guests will love them.

Cocktail Sausages Wrapped in Bacon

1 Pkg of Lit'l Smokies Cocktail Sausages

1 Pkg of Bacon

3/4 C of Brown Sugar

Wrap each Sausage with bacon (only about 1/3 of each piece of bacon will be used for on lil' sausage)  and use a toothpick to hold the bacon in place and for easy eating. Place them in a pan lined with foil. Sprinkle the brown sugar over the bacon-wrapped sausages and bake for approximately 40 min @ 350 or until bacon is cooked.

For more great appetizer ideas check out some great options on...

Our Best Bites (Appetizers)
&
An "A" For Effort (Potato Skins)

Creamy Chicken & Dumpling Soup

When I saw the recipe for this soup I knew that I had to make it. I had no idea just how amazing it was going to taste. The words used to describe this soup do not do it justice, you simply HAVE to make it. It is everything you would hope for in a soup; creamy, warm, comforting and  absolutely FULL of delicious flavor. Did I mention that its super easy to make to? This is definitely a "must make" soup!

You will most definitely go back for seconds!

Creamy Chicken & Dumpling Soup

Recipe Adapted From Kevin & Amanda

1 Lb Chicken Breast

10 Chicken Bouillon Cubes

2 Quarts Water

2 C Bisquick

2/3 C Milk

2 Tbsp Butter

4 Eggs

2 Stalks of Celery(or another vegetable, carrots)

Salt & Pepper

1. Put chicken and bouillon cubes in a large pot and cover with the 2 quarts of water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and cover for about 20-25 minutes.
2. Hard boil the eggs. Mix Bisquick and milk together until it is a soft dough mixture and set aside.
3. When chicken is done remove it from the pot and drop spoonfuls of dough into the stock, simmer the dumplings for 10 minutes covered then another 10 minutes uncovered.
4. Dice the celery and cut chicken into cubes or shred. Saute the celery in 2 tbsp of butter for approx 2 minutes then add chicken and season with some salt and pepper.
5. Add the chicken and celery to the soup. Remove yolk from egg and cut up the whites and add them to soup. Stir.

This recipe serves 4

Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole

Cheesy Tuna Casserole is one of my favorite comfort foods ever. There are so many ways you can make a tuna casserole but this recipe has become our favorite. It's simple, very cheesy and makes great leftovers.  My mom used to make this growing up and I loved it. I have altered this recipe for for a few years and have finally come up with the combination below as the best, at least in my own personal opinion. What are your favorite comfort foods?

Cheesy Tuna Noodle Casserole

1 Bag of Extra Wide Egg Noodles

2 Cans of Tuna

2 Cans of Cream of Chicken Soup (Can also use Cream or Mushroom or Celery)

1-2 Cans of Milk

2 Cups (approx) Shredded Cheese

1 Cup Frozen Peas (optional, I add them if I have them on hand)

• Boil water for noodles and cook as directed and drain.
• In a bowl combine cream soup, 1-2 cans of milk (depending how creamy you want your casserole), 1 Cup of shredded cheese and tuna. (I also add some salt and pepper to this mix too)
• Pour soup mixture over noodles in 9x13 baking dish and stir.
• Top with shredded cheese and bake at 350 for about 15-20 min or until hot and cheese is melted.

I personally like my casserole to be pretty creamy, so I do not actually use all the noodles I cook. I only use about 3/4 of the bag. I start with that and mix the soup mixture into that adding more noodles if I feel it needs it. But it really just depends on what you prefer.

What is your favorite tuna casserole? Hope you enjoy!

Hopes, Dreams, & Plans for 2011

Hopes, Dreams, & Plans for 2011

At the beginning of every year I tend to make these resolutions that I of course do not keep, just like many of you I am sure. Of course my resolutions always include the working out more, shed a few pounds and eat healthier. Well, this year I have decided to go about it in a different way and try to look at these so called "resolutions" as my goals or Hopes, Dreams & Plans to make 2011 and the years to come the best that I can. I feel that in making these "plans" I am setting myself up for a very happy successful year and hopefully years to come.

• Cook & Bake as much as I can. I especially want to make things that I have never made before and try to make things healthier if I can. I love to cook and have been very inspired by some of the blogs that I have stumbled upon.

 My favorite food blogs include:

Our Best Bites

Two Peas And Their Pod
Mel's Kitchen Cafe
Kevin & Amanda

• Scrapbook & Crochet as much as I can, start digital scrapbooking. Last year I really did not do very much scrapbooking at all and that makes me sad. I am SUPER excited to get to work on some projects with my new Cricut and Photoshop program I got for Christmas. I have tons of crochet projects I want to work on so you will be seeing more of that along with showing you some really awesome craft blogs.

• Redecorate my house. I desperately need a change, my house has pretty much looked the same for about 6 years now. I am in need of a fresh coat of paint on the walls and some new decor. Hope to add a splash of color to, its just to neutral.

• Work out at least 2-3 times a week. I know that sounds more like a resolution but I see it as a goal I know I CAN reach. It may not seem like much but for someone who does not workout AT ALL, this is a nice small step to take. 

• Continue with my blog and make it the best that I can. I hope to post more and read more awesome blogs. I love reading blogs so if you have one or know of one I should check out, send me a link. I would LOVE to see what you blog about. I have some fun ideas for 2011 so come back to my blog or sign up for email updates & follow me so you don't miss a thing.

What goals or plans do you have for his year?

Here's to hoping that you and your family have an awesome 2011!

Freebies In My Mail

Here is what I received in the month of December. Can't wait to see what goodies 2011 will bring me. I am on a mission to use more coupons and find the best deals.

• All You Magazine
• Redbook Magazine
• Tylenol Sleep Solutions Kit (Sleep Mask, Soothing Sounds CD, Sleep Journal & Coupon Booklet)
• Playtex Tampons
• Purina ONE beyond Bag Dog Food
• Vaseline Repairing Moisture
• Dove Haircare
• Seattle's Best Coffee
• Starbucks Vanilla Coffee
• Coupon for FREE box of Garnier HerbaShine Hair color
• Coupon for FREE Excedrin Migraine Product
• Coupon for FREE Excedrin Extra Strength Product