Best Chocolate Chip Cookes {Ever}.

December 13, 2012 By 6 Comments

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here’s just a plain-ole’ nothing fancy chocolate chip cookie recipe for our tenth day of Christmas Baking, but I must say, these are the Best Chocolate Cookies ever.  (Seriously!)  When I was pregnant with my first child (and absolutely determined to be the perfect housewife who baked cookies all the time. . . ), a friend shared this recipe that she found on the back of a Kroger bag of Chocolate Chips. Perfection.

 

 

After baking them at least once a month for the last 12 years, I’ve got the recipe down by memory and figure when I’m old and grey you’ll find me in the nursing home baking up these cookies for all the staff. (Pretty sure I’ll have forgotten everything else in the world, but these cookies are not to be forgotten. ) If you just need a simple recipe that goes a long way and makes everybody happy . . . this one’s for you. :)

 

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Best Chocolate Chip Cookes {Ever}.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookes {Ever}.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar (I use light brown sugar)
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teapoon vanilla
  • 12 oz. chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Cream shortening and sugars together until well blended.
  3. Add eggs & vanilla, mix well. In separate bowl combine flour, baking soda & salt. Mix with spoon, then add to shortening mixture and mix until well blended.
  4. Add chocolate chips.
  5. Bake in 375 oven for 7-9 minutes (I think the original recipe called for 8-10 minutes, but I bake a little closer to 7-8 because I like moist gooey cookies, you may want to cook them a little longer if you like them crispier!)
  6. When you pull them out of the oven lightly tap the pan on your counter top to “settle” your cookies. Let cool on wire rack (if you can stand to wait . . .) and enjoy!
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Filed Under: 12 Days of Christmas Baking, Desserts, Recipes, Slide Deck

Gooey Butter Cake

December 12, 2012 By 3 Comments

This Gooey Butter Cake recipe is one of those tried-and-true treats that everyone should enjoy at least once (maybe twice?) each year.  My wonderful step-mom (who’s the best cook and one of the sweetest people I know!) shared the recipe with me forever ago, and every time I make it my hubby reminds me I need to bake it more often.

 

The best part is it calls for only six ingredients, which you might just have already in your kitchen. It’s also a great way to use up all those bargain cake mixes that you may have stocked up on with coupons throughout the year, so you’ll be putting those penny-pinched deals to very good use. ;) Here’s how to get started . . .

 

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Gooey Butter Cake

Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 yellow cake mix
  • 1 egg
  • 1 stick butter, melted
  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs

Instructions

  1. Mix together a egg, cake mix, and butter. Press into bottom of greased 13x9" pan.
  2. In mixer, blend together cream cheese, 2 eggs, powdered sugar & vanilla.
  3. Pour cream cheese mixture over cake mix.
  4. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes.
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Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars

December 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

It’s Day eight in our 12 Days of Christmas Baking series (thank goodness, because we’re just about sugared out around here!) I tried these Reese’s Peanut Butter Bars over the weekend and they were just perfect.   I found the recipe at All Recipes (love that place!) and while I tweaked it a bit with what we had on hand, they were simply delicious.

They keep best in the fridge, and you can choose to either use milk chocolate or semi sweet chocolate to top them with . . . either way I’m betting your family will love every last bite.  I can’t believe it’s taken me this many years to find these, but oh my heavens we’ll be making them again soon!

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Reese

Reese

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, melted
  • 2 cups graham cracker crumbs
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 1/4 cup peanut butter, divided
  • 1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips or semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Combine first three ingredients in mixer on medium speed, then add in 1 cup of the peanut butter.
  2. Spread evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 pan.
  3. In small bowl, melt together chocolate and remaining 1/4 cup peanut butter in microwave fpr 30 seconds.
  4. Stir peanut butter and chocolate chips. If chips do not melt, cook in microwave an additional 10 seconds at a time until melted.
  5. Pour over the peanut butter mixture.
  6. Refrigerate at least 3 hours, or overnight.
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Filed Under: 12 Days of Christmas Baking, Desserts, Recipes, Slide Deck, Uncategorized

White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

December 10, 2012 By 3 Comments

It’s Day six of our 12 Days of Christmas Baking series, and I’m thinking I’ve found my new favorite Christmas recipe. Yesterday, while I was looking over my Pinterest boards I found this recipe for White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars(originally adapted from Martha Stewart), and couldn’t wait to try them out. They were perfect, and such a nice different treat to add this Christmas.

 

I had everything except molasses in my pantry, so I substituted with honey and they turned out just the way I would have expected, however they might be a wee bit richer with molasses. Either way, I’m pretty sure you’ll love with the results, and am betting you’ll want to add them to your gotta-make-each-year list too. They also pack easily, so they’re perfect if you’re getting recipes ready to share this Christmas season! (By the way, with the amount of butter these babies call for I definitely would have figured they were a Paula Deen recipe rather than from Martha Stewart, but apparently butter makes things better for everyone.  I’m pretty sure I’ve never made another recipe that called for this much butter!)

 

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White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

White Chocolate Gingerbread Bars

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups + 1 tbsp flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ginger
  • 2 1/2 sticks butter
  • 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp sugar
  • 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • 1/3 cup molasses (I substituted with honey)
  • 10 oz, white chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 and spray 17x12" baking pan with cooking spray.
  2. Mix together butter, brown sugar and white sugar with a mixer until fluffy.
  3. Add eggs and yolk, 1 at a time and mix well.
  4. Add in vanilla and molasses (or honey if substituting). Reduce mixing speed to low.
  5. In separate bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt and spices.
  6. Slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating just until combined.
  7. Pour into prepared pan and bake 350 for 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan on wire racks.
  8. Enjoy!
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Filed Under: 12 Days of Christmas Baking, Desserts, Recipes, Slide Deck

Rolo Bites

December 8, 2012 By 1 Comment

After running to Walgreens yesterday to pick up some more candy bargains with that $2/2 Hershey coupon, I decided we needed to try something out with Rolos. (I love those things!)  I checked my pantry and noticed a Betty Crocker Chocolate Chunk Cookie dough mix, and knew I was in business. Oh my heavens . . . these little Rolo Bites are plain ole’ happiness in a mini-muffin-sized bite. . .yum!  

Rolo Muffins

The best part is you won’t need many ingredients at all, and I’m betting you’ll have most everything you need right in the pantry. You can also print this $0.50 off Betty Crocker Cookie Mix coupon to help you pinch those pennies while you bake this week!  Here’s what you’ll need . . .

 

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Rolo Cups

Rolo Cups

Ingredients

  • 24 Rolos, unwrappped
  • 1 package Betty Crocker Cookie Dough mix and ingredients to make cookies (oil, egg and water)

Instructions

  1. Mix together cookie dough ingredients according to package directions.
  2. Bake at 350, 8-10 minutes in WELL-GREASED mini muffin tin (hint: if doing this again I'd use mini-muffin cups to make removing them easier from the pan!)
  3. As soon as cookies are baked, immediately put Rolo in the center of the cookie.
  4. Cool completely in muffin tins, so that Rolos harden back to their original consistency.
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 Do you have a favorite Christmas treat that you love to make? Leave a comment sharing the recipe, and feel free to link to it on your blog or another page and we might sample it here . . . I love hearing your favorites!

 

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Filed Under: 12 Days of Christmas Baking, Desserts, Slide Deck

Cinnamon Ornaments

December 7, 2012 By 2 Comments

PPP reader Kristi sent me this simple Homemade Cinnamon Ornaments Recipe a few years ago, and I finally took a few minutes to make them this year!  They’re so simple to make (it took me under 15 minutes from start to finish), and look and smell just wonderful.  They would be so cute added as a gift tag to a special gift, or a great way to let your kids inexpensively decorate the tree this year!

Cinnamon Ornaments

Ingredients

  1. 1 cup of Cinnamon Aldi’s has a good sized bottle for $1 ~ love that!)
  2. 3/4 cup of Applesauce
  3. 2 tablespoons Regular Elmer’s School glue
Directions
  1. Mix ingredients together — until its like a cookie dough. (If its too dry you can add more applesauce, if its too wet add more cinnamon.)
  2. Mix in your school glue. (I sprinkle cinnamon on my counters -(like I would flour) and roll out with a rolling pin.)
  3. You’ll want your ‘dough’ sort of thick but not too too thick.
  4. Cut out with your favorite cookie cutter. We use Gingerbread men — also make a small whole at the top — so you can run ribbon or a ornament hanger through to hang on your tree.
  5. Place on a cooling rack and dry about 48 hours — then paint them (if you’d like!) or leave them plain. (We leave ours plain.)  You can also dry them in a food dehydrator for about 8 hours if you have one -to cut down on drying time.

Looking for more penny-pinched ways to decorate or organize this Christmas? Check out these ideas:

I’d love for you to join me over on Pinterest (I love that place!)  If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)

 

See previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing!

 

 

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, Friday Fluff Up, Penny Pinched DIY Projects, Slide Deck

Chocolate Pretzel Bites

December 5, 2012 By 3 Comments

For day 3 in our 12 Days of Christmas Baking Series I thought we’d try out these Chocolate Pretzel Bites . . . yum! (I’m seriously going to have to start dieting before day thirteen . . . yikes!)  This is one of those oh-so-easy-but-just-about-perfect recipes, so if you haven’t made them yet this year they’re definitely worth adding to your list. And, since CVS has that great Hershey’s deal going on this week, it’s a great time to stock up for the Holidays! 

 Here’s what they look like before going in the oven . . . yup, sheer salty-chocolate bliss . . .

And here’s what your family will look like as they wait for them to cool . . . (my hubby might kill me for including him in the picture, but aren’t those two so cute?) :

And finally the recipe so you can try it out too. ;)

 

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Chocolate Pretzel Bites

Chocolate Pretzel Bites

Ingredients

  • Square Pretzels
  • Hershey Kisses
  • M&Ms

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 350.
  2. Fill baking sheet with pretzels.
  3. Unwrap Hershey's kisses and put one in the middle of each pretzel.
  4. Bake in oven for 1-2 minutes, until Hershey's soften.
  5. Remove from oven and carefully place one M&M in the middle of each Hershey's kiss.
  6. Cool in refrigerator until chocolate hardens.
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Do you have a favorite Christmas treat that you love to make? Leave a comment sharing the recipe, and feel free to link to it on your blog or another page and we might sample it here . . . I love hearing your favorites!

 

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Filed Under: 12 Days of Christmas Baking, Desserts, Recipes, Slide Deck

“Christmas Crack” {Saltine Toffee Candy}

December 4, 2012 By 23 Comments

 

Okay, let me just preface this post by saying that’s the most horrible name for a recipe, but it’s the only way to describe just how good and addictive this stuff is. . . I promise, you will LOVE every bite!

Saltine Toffee Candy

It’s day two of our 12 Days of Christmas Baking series (yum!) My sister made this plain ole’ amazing “Christmas Crack” recipe for my dad’s birthday, and oh-my-heavens it was fantastic. It’s so simple to make, but  turns a plain old saltine into utter bliss.  {You might just need to ask someone hide the batch so that you don’t eat the entire pan yourself. . . that’s what I’ll be doing when I make it here!}

If you’re baking much this Christmas, you’ll definitely want to add this one to your to-bake list, as it only requires a few simple ingredients so you’ll have a delicious treat at a rock bottom price.  I’m betting you have everything you need right in your kitchen already! I’d love to hear if you try this one or have a variation on it, because I’m planning to make it at our house over the weekend. :)

 

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“Christmas Crack” {AKA Saltine Toffee Candy}

“Christmas Crack” {AKA Saltine Toffee Candy}

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter (NOT margarine)
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 40 saltine crackers

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400.
  2. Line 12x17 cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.
  3. Layer the saltine crackers on top of the foil.
  4. Heat butter and sugar on stovetop and heat until boiling.
  5. Reduce heat to simmering, and simmer uncovered for 3-4 minutes, or until it thickens and the sugar is dissolved.
  6. Pour butter and sugar mixture over crackers and spread evenly.
  7. Bake 5-6 minutes in oven.
  8. Remove pan from oven and let cool 3-5 minutes, then sprinkle with chocolate chips.
  9. As chocolate chips melt, carefully spread into an even layer over the toffee layer.
  10. Let cool completely (can refrigerate to cool more quickly.)
  11. Break into bite-sized pieces and serve. . . yum!
  12. Store covered.
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Do you have a favorite Christmas treat that you love to make? Leave a comment sharing the recipe, and feel free to link to it on your blog or another page and we might sample it here! Don’t forget you can also enter to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card during the 12 Days of Christmas Baking Amazon Gift Card Giveaway which ends tonight, so hurry and enter to win!

 

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Filed Under: 12 Days of Christmas Baking, Recipes, Slide Deck

Peppermint Chocolate Fudge

December 3, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Peppermint Fudge

It’s the first day of our 12 Days of Christmas Baking Series, and I’m so excited to share a few yummy Christmas treats with you this year! I absolutely love to bake, so this is definitely my favorite season . . . if it were up to me I’d give up meals completely and just live on dessert. :)

 

 

My twelve-year-old (who’s very excited about this series . . . he loves to bake and of course try out these treats too!) helped me make this one last night and we’re to give it away for a few teacher gifts, and it was so simple to put together and tastes just delicious. I’m pretty sure we finished the entire recipe in under 20 minutes including clean-up, which of course is my favorite way to cook.  Here’s the recipe if you’d like to try it out too!

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Peppermint Chocolate Fudge

Peppermint Chocolate Fudge

Ingredients

  • 2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 1 (14 ounce) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
  • 1/4 cup crushed hard peppermint candy
  • dash salt

Instructions

  1. Line 8x8 pan with parchment paper.
  2. Combine chocolate chips, condensed milk and salt in heavy saucepan and heat over low heat stirring constantly until chips are completely melted.
  3. Pour into pan and drizzle crushed peppermint all over fudge. Press peppermint into fudge lightly.
  4. Refrigerate for two hours, and cut into squares. To store, keep fudge covered in refrigerator.
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Do you have a favorite Christmas treat that you love to make? Leave a comment sharing the recipe, and feel free to link to it on your blog or another page and we might sample it here! Don’t forget you can also enter to win a $20 Amazon Gift Card during the 12 Days of Christmas Baking Amazon Gift Card Giveaway.

 

Filed Under: 12 Days of Christmas Baking, Desserts, Recipes, Slide Deck, Uncategorized

Decorating At The Dollar Tree

November 30, 2012 By 5 Comments

Christmas Decorating at the Dollar Tree is just about as good as life gets in my book! A few weeks ago we went to the Dollar Tree to pick up a few things for our Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes, and ended up also finding a few fantastic things for my “fancy” Christmas tree while we were there. (Note that it’s “my” tree, because my kids and hubby don’t love it like I do, but goodness it makes me happy! And yes, we have another tree that holds our family’s ornaments . . .)

 

Here’s the tree before ornaments (it’s not pre-lit, and I think I paid $69 for it five years ago after Christmas)

 

 

Several years ago my mom and I decorated this Christmas tree in our foyer with half price Christmas decor from Michael’s left over at the end of the Christmas season, but it was in need of a little fluffing up this year. After finding this tree on Pinterest, I really wanted to re-do mine, but couldn’t justify spending much on it. However when I found this leftover green mesh ribbon from last year’s Christmas Wreath project, and added $15 in decorations at the Dollar Tree, I was amazed to see it come together!

 

Everything with a pin on it was bought at the Dollar Tree, and I even scored the tree skirt for $2.50 at Dollar General. ;)

Here’s an idea of what I paid:

  • Round ornaments 5/$1
  • Twisted longer ornaments 2/$1
  • Red Stars $1
  • “Peace” sign at the top of the tree $1 (I’m not sure if that’s going to stay or not, but my daughter loved it so for now it’s there) :)
  • 12″ Mesh was $9.99 at Hobby Lobby, and I used a 40% off coupon
So, there you have it! I ran by yesterday and the Dollar Tree still had quite a few Christmas ornaments left, but were out of those cute stars. (I wish I’d grabbed all of those!)  Similar items ran $2.50-$5 a piece at Hobby Lobby, so I’m just thrilled with my deals, and so excited to have this tree marked off my list!
Have you scored any great deals on Christmas decor this Season? I’d love to hear about it, so click HERE to leave a comment to share!  I’d also love for you to join me over on Pinterest. . . Happy Fluffing!

 

See previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas.

Filed Under: A Penny Pinched Home, Friday Fluff Up, Penny Pinched DIY Projects, Slide Deck
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