Holiday Baking #2: Chocolate Chip Cookies

We love soft cookies...maybe even a little doughy! I found this recipe on pinterest and knew I wanted to try it. The problem is, that when I make chocolate chip cookies, I can't just eat one or two. I want to eat like 4 or 5!! I decided since it's the Christmas season, I had a good excuse to make them, and add some red and green M & M's just for fun! The recipe is from: Two Peas and their Pod.

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3.4 oz. package vanilla instant pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or 1 cup chips and 1 cup M & M's)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using a mixer, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add in pudding mix, eggs, and vanilla extract. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
• Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly golden and set. Remove cookies from oven and let cool on baking sheet for two minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Christmas Celebration #1

The kids and I are leaving for MN on Saturday. We decided to celebrate Christmas with our little family today so the kids have a couple days to play with their new toys. Here's some pictures of our celebrations!

After school snack: cookies, fancy marshmallows and hot chocolate!

Time for a picture before presents are opened.

A few of the kids' presents:

For the girls last presents, I gave them each identical size boxes. Here was their reaction after opening:

They were not happy about fruit snacks (I didn't even have to tell them not to smile for this pict)...until I told them to open the boxes!

Then Mommy opened her and Daddy's present:

Here's the kids and their loot!

A good time was had by all! Merry Christmas, kiddos!!!

Holiday Baking #1: Chocolate Crinkles

If you are looking for a yummy, easy recipe for cookies, this is the one for you! Just a few ingredients, and really good results. Kids love to help too with rolling the dough in the powdered sugar.

Ingredients: 

1 package Devils Food cake mix

1/2 cup oil

2 eggs

(optional)1/2-1 cup Andes Creme de Menthe baking chips 

Powdered Sugar

Directions:

• Heat oven to 350.
• Stir dry cake mix, oil and eggs in large bowl using a spoon until dough forms. Add baking chips and fold into mix.
  
• Dust hands with powdered sugar; shape dough into 1-inch balls.  Coat balls with powdered sugar; place about 2 inches apart on un-greased cookie sheet. 
  
• Bake about 10 minutes or until crack appears on top of cookies.  Cool completely, about 30 minutes.  Store tightly covered.

Makes about 4 dozen cookies.