Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Once upon a time I thought I had found my favorite chocolate chip cookie. Its this one from the Pioneer Woman. They weren't great right out of the oven but were better the next day. Then I found this recipe. Soft, chewy, sweet, and the perfect amount of chocolate chips. The best part is they stay as good as straight out of the oven for days, but they probably wont last that long. So for now, this is my favorite recipe. Please make these!!

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Adapted From: ChewOutLoud.com

2 1/4 cups & 1 Tablespoon All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Salted Butter, at room temp
1 cup Brown Sugar, gently packed
1 - 3.4oz pkg White Chocolate Pudding
2 Large Eggs
1/2 Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup Mini Chocolate Chips

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

2. In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the brown sugar and butter. Beat on medium high until light and fluffy. Add the pudding and mix until just combined. Add in the eggs and vanilla. Beat until well combined.

3. Slowly add in the dry ingredients mixing on low until just combined. Add in the chocolate chips and mix until well distributed. Place saran wrap right on the dough pressing down gently to compact the cookie dough. Place in the fridge and chill for at least an hour. 

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat mat. using a small cookie scoop make 1 inch balls and press a little. Bake for about 10 minutes, mine take 11. They may seem a little under done but thats ok. Make sure not to over bake. Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes then place on a cooling rack.

Homemade Maple Syrup

We go through syrup like its going out of style. My kids love pancakes and waffles so we have them all the time. Sometimes we have jam on them but most times its syrup. So I recently decided to try making my own. Its even better than the store bought stuff as most things are. Its sweet, mapley, and it doesn't get thick like the store bought stuff which is a plus in my book. My kids would've drank it I let them, but its basically just sugar so that's not a surprise really. Ha. Make it, you wont regret it!

Homemade Maple Syrup
Recipe Source: TheFoodCharlatan.com

1 cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Warm Water
1 teaspoon Maple Extract

In a medium saucepan combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and warm water. Stirring constantly, over medium high heat, boil for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand for 3 minutes. Stir in the maple extract. Let cool completely before putting in the fridge. Store in the fridge.

Biscoff Muddy Buddies

Since my recent introduction to Biscoff I have become slightly addicted. You can put it on anything, just like Nutella. My favorite is apples. I can turn my sweet apple into a the best apple ever. I LOVE it!!

So the next logical step is my favorite snacky treat. Muddy Buddies. They are sweet, crunchy, and with a hint of Biscoff. It may be better than the original! Make sure you use milk chocolate chips, semisweet would overpower the Biscoff.

Biscoff Muddy Buddies
Recipe Adapted From: DoubleTheDeliciousness.blogspot.com

9 cups Corn Chex
1 cup Milk Chocolate Chips
2/3 cup Biscoff Spread
5 Tablespoons Butter
1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1 1/4 cups Powdered Sugar

1. In a large bowl put the corn chex and set aside. Also, in a gallon size ziploc bag pour in the powdered sugar and set aside. 

2. In a medium saucepan over med-low heat combine the chocolate chips, Biscoff, and butter. Stir constantly until the chocolate chips are melted.  Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour over the chex and stir until completely coated. 

3. Pour the chex into the ziploc bags and shake until they are covered in powdered sugar.

White Chocolate Thin Mint Popcorn

This popcorn is minty and sweet. Chocolatey and crunchy. Its addictive. Seriously, someone will have to take the bowl away from you. Its one of my new favorite popcorns and a great green treat for your St. Patrick's day!

White Chocolate Thin Mint Popcorn
Recipe Source: InsideBruCrewLife.com

12 cups Popped Popcorn
1 1/2 cups Mini Marshmallows
1 cup Mint M&M's, divided
2 cups Thin Mints, chopped & divided
12oz White Chocolate
1/4 cup Green Candy Melts

1. Line a cookie sheet with tin foil. In a large bowl combine the popcorn, marshmallows, and 3/4 cup M&M's, and 1 1/4 cups Thin Mints. Crush the rest of the Thin Mints into crumbs and set aside.

2. In a separate bowl melt the white chocolate in the microwave. Stir every 30 seconds until smooth. Pour over the popcorn in the large bowl. Stir until the popcorn is completely coated. Spread the popcorn onto the tin foil, then sprinkle the rest of the cookie crumbs and M&M's over the popcorn. Leave it until set.

3. Melt the green candy melts in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until smooth. Drizzle over your popcorn mixture. After its set, break into pieces and enjoy!

Lucky Charm Krispie Treats

It's St. Patrick's Day soon and I have a whole bunch of recipes to try. This is the first of several recipes I will be sharing with you before St. Patrick's Day. 

My favorite treat is a rice krispie treat. I could eat a whole pan. Seriously. So when I saw this recipe I couldn't help myself. They are sweeter and marshmallowee-er and just maybe a bit more delicious than the original!

Lucky Charm Krispie Treats
Recipe Adapted from: Cataldolife.com

6 Tablespoons Butter
17 oz Marshmallows
6 cups Lucky Charms
4 cups Rice Krispies
1 cup extra Marshmallows from the Lucky Charms

1. Spray a 9x13 pan with baking spray. In large pot melt butter over low heat. Add the marshmallows and stir until melted. Remove the pot from the heat.

2. Stir in the Lucky Charms and Rice Krispies. Mixing until well coated.

3. Spread your Lucky Charm mixture in your prepared pan. If you wet your hands with water you can press your treats down without the marshmallows sticking to them. Sprinkle the extra marshmallows over the treats and gently press them so they stick. Let them cool completely before cutting.

Biscoff Pinwheels and Secret Recipe Club

I am excited about my post for this months Secret Recipe Club! The blog I had this month was... Its Good To Be The Cook. Beth is the author of Its Good To Be The Cook, she's from just outside Philadelphia and has a degree in Communications(Film/Video). She grew up helping her mom prepare meals for her family and because of it she has a passion for cooking, eating, and traveling. She loves movies, baseball, and neddlepoint too! But she has so many great recipes on her blog that it was so hard to choose and you know me, I'm a sucker for a dessert so I picked her Cookie Butter Pinwheels. 

I was skeptical because how could making cookies with Crescent rolls be good, but I'm always up for trying something new, so I tried and I couldn't believe how easy it they were. And in the end how delicious they were. I mean who can say no to some Biscoff or Nutella. I made half of mine with Biscoff and half with Nutella. They were both delicious. The glaze on the Biscoff ones has cinnamon in it and the Nutella glaze doesn't. 

Go over to Its Good To Be The Cook and find something delicious for yourself!!

Biscoff Pinwheels
Recipe Source: Its Good To Be The Cook

1 regular can Crescent Rolls
1/2 cup Biscoff Spread or Nutella
1 cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk
1/2 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon

1. Lay out a piece of saran wrap and unroll your crescent dough so its flat and press your seams together.

2. Spread the Biscoff or Nutella over the dough until its about a 1/4 inch from the edge. With the help of your saran wrap roll up your dough tightly, lengthwise. Leave the wrap around it and put it in the freezer for about an hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place parchment paper or a silpat mat on a cookie sheet. Unroll the saran wrap and slice the dough into 1/4 inch wide cookies. Place the cookies on the cookie sheet and bake for about 10 minutes, or until golden.

4. While the cookies are cooling make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and cinnamon, don't add the cinnamon if your cookies are made with Nutella. Whisk together and pour over your cookies. Let them set for about 20 minutes before eating.

An InLinkz Link-up

Kool Aid Popcorn at Sawdust and Embryos

Head on over to Sawdust and Embryos today to add some fun to your St. Patrick's Day! We had this popcorn for my Ollie's 2nd birthday and it was crunchy, sweet, and tangy. Its an easy way to add some color to your party and using this method its even easier! Go check it out, Kool Aid Popcorn!