Neat Spring Recipe...for Kids!

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I thought these would be fun for kids. Maybe to celebrate the
first day of Spring? Or for a party?
Easy too!
Make your fav cupcake recipe.
 Mound vanilla icing high, and cover in sprinkles. Snip leaves from taffy tape.
Then insert Lollipop! :)

Cornstarch for your Chocolate Chip Cookies!? Yep!

I recently learned about a secret ingredient that will produce the most delicious, fluffy, soft chocolate chip cookies ever--CORNSTARCH! Just  use cornstarch in your dough. The dough itself ends up looking exactly like ice cream and the texture is out of this world.
Sample recipe--I haven't tried this one....I usually use the one off the back of the Nestle bag and just add the cornstarch.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup  unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup  dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup  granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups  all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1  1/4 cup  semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be quite thick. Add the chocolate chips and mix for about 5 seconds until evenly disbursed. Cover dough tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough.
2. Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Set aside.
3. Once chilled, the dough will be slightly crumbly, but will come together if you work the dough with your hands as you roll into individual balls. Roll balls of dough, about 1 Tablespoon of dough each, into balls. Bake for 8-9 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. They will look extremely soft when you remove them from the oven. Allow to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. If the cookies are too puffy, try gently pressing down on them with the back of a spoon. They will slightly deflate as you let them cool. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
4. Cookies stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week. Baked cookies freeze well - up to three months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well - up to three months.

Makes about 2-2.5 dozen cookies. Do not drop dough onto warm cookie sheets.  Allow cookie sheets to cool completely between batches. Baked cookies freeze well - up to three months.  Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well - up to three months. Bake for 1-2 extra minutes (do not thaw).

 

A Stroll in the Park...

A stroll in the park yielded these pics for me today on my

way home from physical therapy...

Didn't want to miss the photo-op that the snowstorm provided!



Delicious Kale Chips Recipe (Gluten free and gaps legal)

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I haven't tried these--but plan to this week. My mom made them over the weekend and really liked them. I want to do these, and the Zucchini chips too! Let me know if you try them! (or, if you've already tried them!)

 

How to Make Awesome Kale Chips

1. Turn oven on to 350 degrees**.  When the oven has been preheated, turn it off.  Seriously, this is the trick!
2. Get a bunch of kale – you’ll need more than you think.  They shrivel up quite a bit once cooked.
3. Break it up into pieces about the size of your palm.  Use only the leaves.
4. Put into a bowl, sprinkle with olive oil and shake. (I will probably use coconut oil)  You don’t need a lot of oil.  I read somewhere that it’s best if you massage the oil into the leaves.
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.
6. Spread kale evenly.
7. Put into warm oven.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes.  You can just check in on them.  If they’re crispy, they’re done.  They should be a bright green with little to no brown.  Brown = burnt.
9. Sprinkle with salt.

*You can also sprinkle w/parmesan cheese after they come out of the oven
Link to nutritional information on kale chips
**Here’s the trick: turn the oven on to 350, let it heat up, turn it off, and then put the kale chips in.  The oven stays hot and the kale chips cook slowly, without being scorched.

Baked Zucchini Chips Recipe (Gluten-free and Budget Friendly)

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This is a budget friendly gluten-free recipe!
(easy too!)

Baked Zucchini Chips Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

• Olive Oil
• 1 Zucchini thinly sliced (1/8 inch)
• 1 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees Farenheit
• Line Cookie sheet with parchment paper
• Slice Zucchini very thin and lightly coat with olive oil
• Bake for 2 hours, rotating cookie sheet after 1 hour
• After 1 hour and 30 minutes, check your zucchini every 10 minutes to avoid burning
• Remove from oven and place zucchini on cooling rack
• Serve warm or cool
• Store in airtight container

Want a great idea for your Sugar Cookies!?

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I thought this was great! I already have dessert dishes that I could
use...now why didn't I think of that!?
don't they look elegant!? Great for a ladies tea...

Homemade Snickers Bars

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Homemade Snickers Bars
[recipe from Nikki, who lightly adapted it from and old Taste of Home recipe]
makes one 9×13 pan
bottom chocolate layer
1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter
Thoroughly grease you baking pan. Melt ingredients together in a saucepan or microwave, then pour into the baking dish and spread until even. Let cool and harden completely.
nougat layer
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 cup salted peanuts chopped, roughly chopped
1 tsp vanilla extract
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in sugar and milk, stirring until dissolved and bring to a boil. Let cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add in fluff, peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Turn off heat and fold in peanuts, then pour over bottom chocolate layer. Let cool completely.
caramel layer
1 14-ounce bag of caramels
1/4 cup whipping cream
Combine ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Let melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth – this took about 10 minutes for me. Pour over nougat layer and let cool completely.
Top chocolate layer
1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
1/4 cup peanut butter
Melt ingredients together in a saucepan or microwave, then pour over caramel and spread until even. Let cool and harden completely.
Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving, then cut as desired. These can stay at room temperature, but they do get gooey. I like them refrigerated best!
Note: for best results, buy one of the half-sheet aluminum cake pans at the grocery store. That way, you can pop the entire square out and cut from there!
No, not a gluten free recipe, but you could probably adapt it!