Sugar, Spice & Everything "Nice"

I know it's been a while, but I try to get on here as much as I can, and sadly it's not as much as I wish I could be.  I had some spare time tonight though and thought it was time for some cookies to be made! I have another dinner recipe I want to share, "Drunken Pork chops" but i'll get to that another time. Cookies are way more important!  A "little bit of everything" cookie Ingredients: 3 c flour 1 T baking powder 1 T baking soda 1 T cinnamon 1 t salt 1 1/2 c butter (room temp) 1 1/2 c sugar 1 1/2 c brown sugar 3 eggs  1 T vanilla 3 c semisweet chocolate chips 3 c old-fashioned rolled oats 2 cups sweetened coconut flakes Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In another bowl (a LARGE one), beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar and brown sugar and beat for 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each

Lately I have been eating the HECK out of muddy buddies! Sadly, I can finish a whole bag to myself, no problem. So I figured instead of me always going to the store and buying bags upon bags of muddy buddies, I would figure out a way to make them from home. This little mix is SO much better, only because it has more ingredients in it. So easy and it makes a TON of it! Great fall colors incorporated too, so it'll be fun to make for the kids to pack in their lunch as a "happy going back to school" snack! I hope you LOVE this as much as I do! Crunchy Peanut Butter Mix Ingredients - 4 c golden grahams cereal - 2 c coca puffs cereal - 2 c pretzel stucks - 1 c reeses pieces - 1 c dry-roasted panuts - 10 oz white chocolate baking bars or squares, chopped - 2 T butter - 1/2 c powdered sugar In a large bowl, mix cereals, pretzels, peanut butter candies and peanuts; set aside. In a 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave white chocolate and butter uncovered for 1 m

Yum, yum, yum. I know it's been a while, sorry! Been busy with work & everything that's going on, but I promise I am going to start getting back into posting new things! I hadn't baked anything delicious to bring to work lately, so I figured cookies would make everyone happy. These babies took NO time at all (which I love) & tasted DELICIOUS! They're not too sweet, but they hit the spot. 6 ingredients thrown together, put them in the oven and *POOF*, nice small round pieces of heaven for your mouth. You wont be able to eat just one, I'll warn you ahead of time. Funfetti Cake Batter Cookies Ingredients: -1 box vanilla cake mix (18.25oz) -1t baking powder -2 eggs -1/2c vegetable oil -1/2t vanilla extract -1c color sprinkles (whatever you prefer) Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix & baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix together the eggs, oil & vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the cake mixture & stir.

I was craving something sweet with peanut butter! Reeses Peanut Butter Cups just weren't doing the trick, so I decided to whip up these "cookies" at 8 in the morning and they hit the spot. Brought the extra ones to work the next day ... lets just say they didn't last very long. I love making things that I can throw ingredients together and forget about them until later. This is the perfect recipe for quick and easy "cookies" and hit your chocolate/peanut butter craving! White Crispies Ingredients -2 bags (4 cups) white chocolate chips -1 cup peanut butter -3 cups Rice Krispies Cereal -2 cups miniature marshmallows -1 cup salted peanuts Melt white chocolate chips and add peanut butter. Stir until smooth. In a separate bowl, add cereal, marshmallows, and peanuts. Pour peanut butter mixture over cereal mixture. Drop spoonfuls onto waxed paper or cookie sheet and refrigerate until firm. *They weren't 100% firm when I took this picture

This is a nice change from the typical meatballs you make for dinner with spaghetti, or the Italian meatballs you make as an appetizer. This dinner is a nice little trip to paradise in your mouth. It only has a couple ingredients and doesn't have to cook as long as most dinners that you put in the crock pot. Serve it over rice (I used brown rice, because I LOVE it) or just eat it plain, either way it's delicious. The sauce is so flavorful and takes no effort at all to make. Definitely an easy weekday dinner to make! Hawaiian Meatballs Ingredients: -32 oz package of precooked, frozen meatballs -13.5 oz can of unsweetened pineapple chucks (put juice aside) -1 large green pepper, diced (I cut mine into bigger chunks so they wouldn't get that "soggy" texture) -1 cup brown sugar -2T cornstarch -2/3 cup vinegar -2T soy sauce Place meatballs in crock pot and top with green pepper and drained pineapple chunks. In a separate bowl, mix reserved pineapple

Yes, I know it's been a while. Sorry guys, life's been a little hectic lately, but here is something I made the other night when I was crunched for time. It's so easy, and keeps the chicken so moist because of it being baked in the foil, melts in your mouth!! Foil-Pack Taco Chicken Dinner Ingredients: 4 small boneless skinless chicken breasts (1lb) 4 t taco seasoning mix 1/2 lb red potatoes (about 2), peeledd, thinly sliced 1 cup Tex Mex Shredded Cheese 1/2 cup salsa 1/4 cup sour cream Heat your oven to 400. Springle the chicken with seasoning mix. Place 1/4 of the potatoes on the center of each of 4 large sheets of heavy-duty foil;  top with chicken, cheese and salsa. Fold foil to make 4 packets, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place on baking sheet. Bake 30-35 minutes, cool for 5. Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening them. Top with sour cream. Easy, right? Super yummy. I just sliced up some cucumbers and ate those right along si

These are really good fruity scones to serve at a dinner party. They're a bit lower in fat than other scone recipes as well. They're super moist, and have a nice authentic "scone" taste! The lemon and blueberry compliment each other very nicely in this recipe.  Lemon Blueberry Drop Scones Ingredients: 2 cups flour 1/3 cup sugar 2 t baking powder 1 t grated lemon peel 1/2 t baking soda 1/4 t salt 1 cup lemon yogurt 1 egg 1/4 cup butter, melted 1 cup fresh OR frozen blueberries Glaze Ingredients: 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 T lemon juice 1/2 t grated lemon peel In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon peel, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, combine the yogurt, egg and melted butter. Stir into flour mixture just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.  Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto a greased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 16 minutes or until lightly browned. Combine glaze ingredients, drizzle over w

Oh me, oh my! These are like a soft version of an oreo, but bigger and better!! Super quick to make if you have a chocolate fix as well. Nothing better than a chocolate cookie, cream cheese filling, topped with another chocolate cookie. Heaven. Chocolate Sandwich Cookies Ingredients: 2 packages devil's food cake mix 1 cup canola oil 4 eggs Filling: 1 package cream cheese, softened 1/4 cup butter, softened 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 t vanilla In a large bowl, combine the cake mixes, oil and eggs until well blended. Roll into 1-in balls. Place 2 in apart on ungreased baking sheets. DO NOT FLATTEN. Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks (cookies will flatten as they cool). In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Beat in sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread on the bottom half of the cookies; top with the remaining cookies. Store in the refrigerator.  Oh yes...it real

These puppies are like 3 different cookies in one. Peanut butter mixed with oatmeal mixed with chocolate chips, what could be better? Absolutely nothing. These are the ultimate cookies. If you have any type of cookie craving, make these and you wont regret it! Five-Chip Cookies Ingredients:  1 cup butter, softened 1 cup peanut butter 1 cup sugar 2/3 cup packed brown sugar 2 eggs 1 t vanilla 2 cups flour 1 cup old-fashioned oats 2 t baking soda 1/2 t salt 2/3 cup EACH milk chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.  In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, oats, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chips. Drop by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 12 minutes. Cool 1 minutes before remov

The title to this recipe does not lie. These are, by far, the most amazing chicken enchiladas you will ever put into your mouth. It's a white sauce, with so much flavor, your taste buds will be thanking you for weeks, and begging you to make it again. It's a great family dinner, or to bring to impress guests at a party. SO GOOD! The Best Chicken Enchiladas Ingredients: 10 medium soft taco shells 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken 2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese (or whatever you prefer) 3 T butter 2 T corn starch 2 cups chicken broth 1 clove minced garlic 1/2 t of salt and pepper (each) 1 cup sour cream 1 t onion powder 1 t garlic powder 1 t cumin 1 t lime juice 1 finely chopped jalapeno, seeded Preheat oven to 350, grease a 9 x 13 pan. In a medium size bowl, mix chicken, 1 cup of cheese, garlic and roll the mixture into tortillas and place into the pan. In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the corn starch and cook for one minute. Add broth and wh

Now i'm just going to start this off letting you know this recipe is easy, but it will take most of your day to finish the bars. The outcome though is totally worth it. They taste exactly like a regular snickers. And you don't feel as  bad for eating a couple of these bars because they aren't as big, but they are filling! Bottom Chocolate Layer: 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips 1/4 cup peanut butter Thoroughly grease your baking pan (9 x 13). 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 sugar 1/4 cup evaporated milk 1 1/2 cups marshmallow fluff 1/4 cup peanut butter 1 1/2 cups salted peanuts, chopped 1 t vanilla extract Melt the 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

I'm not going to lie, I had no idea what a "no bake" was until a friend of mine told me his favorite cookies were no bakes (this was around Christmas time when I go cookie crazy!). So I looked up a recipe and ended up falling in LOVE with them. They're so quick to make. This recipe here took me (start to finish) 20 minutes to do. So if you want something sweet and have nothing in the pantry to snack on, just whip these up super quick (because you should have everything you need already at home!) and enjoy! No Bake Peanut Butter Cookies Ingredients: - 2 cups sugar - 1/4 cup margarine - 1/2 cup milk - 1 cup peanut butter - 1t vanilla - 3 cups rolled oats (old fashioned) In a large saucepan, mix sugar, margarine and milk; bring to a full rolling boil over medium heat.  Boil for one minute, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla, stirring until peanut butter is melted; stir in oats. Working quickly, drop spoonfuls on

Something comforting to make for a dreary day! Baked potato soup. This recipe makes a lot of soup, so I made the whole thing, took half of the soup and put it in the freezer to have for another meal! It was nice to come home from work and dish up a bowl of this soup, a good "welcome home" if you ask me.  Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup Ingredients: - 5 lbs russet potatoes, washed but not peeled, diced into 1/2 in cubes - 1 medium onion (sweet/yellow) diced - 10 cloves of garlic, minced (or 5t jarred) - 64oz chicken stock or broth - 16oz cream cheese, softened - optional garnishes: crumbled bacon, shredded cheese, green onion Add potatoes, onion, garlic, and chicken stock to slow cooker. Cook on high for 6 hours or low for 10 hours. Add the cream cheese and puree the soup with an immersion blender until the cheese is incorporated and about half the soup is blended. (Or you can remove half of the soup and the cream cheese to an upright blender and then stir it in). St

Just baked this recipe this morning! How delicious!! Super easy to make (which is what i'm all about) and tastes like it just came from some professional bakery! Sticky Bun Breakfast Ring Ingredients: - 1 tube Pillsbury Grands buttermilk biscuits - 3 T butter, melted - 1/2 cup pancake syrup - 1/3 cup packed brown sugar - 1/2 t cinnamon - 1/4 cup chopped pecans (opt.) Spray fluted pan with non-stick spray. Combine melted butter and syrup in small bowl and set aside. In another bowl, combine the brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts.  Place half of the syrup mix on the bottom of the pan. Then sprinkle half of the brown sugar mix on top.  Lay the buscuits on the bottom of the pan, overlapping edges to form a ring.  Top with remaining syrup and sugar mix.  Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.  Cool for 1 minute and enjoy!

I made this dish for dinner when we had company over and it was a hit! Right when they walked in the door they said their mouths were watering! This pork loin was so moist and had such good flavor, but wasn't over powering to the point you couldn't taste the meat. I also made a yummy side dish of some sauteed spinach leaves, went perfectly! Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin Ingredients: 1 2lb boneless pork tenderloin 1 t ground sage 1/2 t salt 1/4 t pepper 1 clove garlic, crushed 1/2 cup water Glaze: 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 T cornstarch 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1/2 cup water 2 T soy sauce Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. An hour before the roast is done, combine the ingredients for the glaze in a small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2-3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side. *Just so

I'm in love with my crockpot. Whoever invented it should be like...nominated for something spectacular. It's so easy for busy families to just put a meal into the pot and walk away and not have to worry about it until you put it on a plate and serve. Most recipes (like this one) are really easy with only a few ingredients to throw together. My favorite part though...the smell it gives off throughout the day. I wish you could somehow let people smell what your house smells like while it's cooking!  Crockpot Parmesan Chicken Ingredients:  -2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in half - 1/2 cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs -1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (shredded) - 1/4 t black pepper - 1/4 t salt - 1 T olive oil - 1 egg, beaten - shredded mozzarella cheese - 1 jar of your favorite (store bought or homemade) marinara sauce Spread the 1 T of olive oil into the bottom of your crockpot. Beat the egg with a fork in a separate bowl. Mix the bread crum

I used to love making the apple muffins from the box, they tasted so good. Whenever I'm really craving something yummy, I go for a bread of some sort, or a muffin. That was the case for yesterday. Either the  Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread  or some kind of muffin. I've never made apple muffins from scratch before, and I have a bunch of apples left over from this year so I thought I would try it out! And man are they good! Super moist, chunks of apples and not too sweet. Sounds like the perfect treat to me!  Apple Cinnamon Muffins Ingredients: - 1 1/2 cup flour - 3/4 cup sugar - 1/2 t salt - 2 t baking powder - 1 t cinnamon - 1/3 cup vegetable oil - 1 egg - 1/3 cup milk - 2 apples - peeled, cored and chopped Topping Ingredients: - 1/2 cup sugar - 1/3 cup flour - 1/2 cup butter, cubed - 1 1/2 t cinnamon Preheat oven to 400. Grease muffin pan or line with liners. Stir together flour, sugar, salt, baking power and cinnamon. Mix in oil, eggs and milk. Fold in the a

Mmm, mmm, mmm. Just finished eating this scrumptious meal and had to share it immediately. I love super easy recipes. There is nothing better than putting some ingredients in a crock pot and being able to walk away and have dinner ready for you in a few hours. The smell this puts off makes you mouth water and once it's ready to eat, the dinner table is silent because everyone is too busy shoving their faces to talk. Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken Ingredients: - 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - Salt and pepper - 1 cup honey - 1/2 cup yoshidas (or soy sauce) - 1/2 cup diced onion - 1/4 cup ketchup - 2 T vegetable oil (or canola) - 2 cloves garlic, minced - 1/4 t red pepper flakes (just to add a little flavor, doesn't add much heat) - 4 T cornstarch dissolved in 6 T water Season both sides of chicken lightly with salt and pepper and lay in crock pot. In a small bowl, combine honey, yoshidas, onion, ketchup, oil, garlic and pepper flakes. Pour mixture over t

If you like lemon bars, here is a nice little twist for you! It's not as tangy as a lemon bar, but it's still so yummy! My husband is a HUGE fan of lemon bars, and when he tried one of these, he says that these are ALMOST better than lemon bars...almost.  It has a nice creamy center, but a yummy oat crust on the top and bottom of it. With brown sugar mixed in, you really can't go wrong. The only problem is, it doesn't make enough to last 48 hours...so you'll just have to make more soon! Because I assure you these puppies will be gone PRONTO . Creamy Lemon Oat Bars Ingredients: - 1 can (14oz) sweetened condensed milk - 2 t grated lemon zest - 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice - 1 1/4 cups flour - 1 cup old fashioned oats - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar - 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened) - 1/4 t baking soda - 1/4 t salt Heat oven to 375. Coat 8x8 pan with non-stick spray. Mix milk, lemon zest and lemon juice in bowl until thickened and set aside. Mix remaini

Need an easy, heart warming dinner? This is it! So simple to make and so tasty! I didn't think it was going to have much flavor, but with the sausage in it, BAM! Party in your mouth. Seriously. And so easy to make. I used the hot sausage in mine, but you can use just mild or regular, and substitute the sausage for turkey sausage if you want it to be healthier.  Italian Sausage Soup Ingredients: -12 oz hot (or regular) ground Italian sausage  -2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth - 1 (14.5oz) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano - 1/2 cup uncooked small pasta shells (1 cup uncooked medium pasta shells) - 2 cups bagged baby spinach leaves - Shredded Parmesan cheese Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add sausage to pan and cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain; return to pan.  Add broth, tomatoes, and pasta to pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes (or until pasta is done). Remove from heat and st

Nothing is better than homemade mashed potatoes! So much better than ones right out of the box. I have a recipe for you that is so easy to do, you'll be thanking me later. Some people think mashed potatoes take a lot of time, but with this recipe, you gather your ingredients, put them into a pot, and walk away! Garlic Mashed Potatoes Ingredients: - 6 medium red potatoes - 3-6 cloves of garlic (depending on how garlicy you like it) - milk - butter Fill a large pot up with water (enough to cover all your potatoes). Bring that to a boil. Meanwhile, wash and quarter your potatoes and peel the cloves of garlic. Once you have your water to a boil, sprinkle a little salt and put the potatoes and garlic in. Let them boil for 30 minutes. Once they are done, drain all the water out, use a potato masher (I use my mixer) to mash your potatoes and garlic. I just splash in some milk and put a tablespoon or two of butter in, but you can put in  as much or as little as you&

Let me tell you, this is the easiest dinner you will ever make. 3 ingredients, in a crock pot, and you walk away. AND it's super tasty! Easy Chicken Tacos Ingredients: - 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts - 1 package taco seasoning - 1 (16oz) jar salsa Place the chicken in the crock pot. Mix the taco seasoning and salsa together in a separate dish, then pour over the chicken. Make sure it's evenly spread over the top of the chicken. Cook on low for 5 hours. Once ready to eat, shred the chicken and put it on a soft or hard taco and top with your favorite toppings! *This recipe makes a TON of shredded chicken. But the leftovers are just as good! Use them on nachos, stuff them into enchiladas, or throw it in some soup! Yum! Such an easy dinner for everyone! 

I make a mean banana bread. I mean, it melts in your mouth when you eat it. And the loaf is usually gone by the  next morning after breakfast.  When I saw a recipe that added cinnamon and sugar to it, I thought "Something that can make my banana bread even better?! Impossible!" Oh...it was possible. These two ingredients added to this perfected banana bread recipe is just the icing on the cake (or topping on the banana bread). Cinnamon Swirl Banana Bread For the bread: - 3 over-ripe bananas, smashed up - 1/3 cup melted butter - 3/4 cup sugar - 1 egg, beaten - 1t vanilla - 1t baking soda - dash of salt - 1 1/2 cups flour For the swirl: - 1/3 cup sugar - 1 T cinnamon 1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9 x 5 pan with non-stick spray.  2. Mix bananas, butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla together. Sprinkle baking soda and salt around the top of the banana mixture. Then gently stir in the flour. Careful not to over-mix!  3. In a small dish, mix together the swirl ing

Now, i'm not a huge fan of alcohol. I'm gonna be honest, i'm pretty sure it's just because i'm the hugest lightweight known to man (or woman), so I just don't like the taste of it. But hey, not a big deal! I don't spend $9 on a drink at restaurants! But I did find a drink that's amazingly delicious (coming from a girl who doesn't like alcohol!). It's called a Mudslide Milkshake. It's probably more of a summer drink, since it is a milkshake, but honestly, I could drink a milkshake anytime of the year! This milkshake has a yummy chocolate and coffee flavor to it! Something you and your spouse will love to share with each other! Mudslide Milkshake - 1/2 cup Bailey's Irish Cream - 1/4 cup chocolate vodka - 1 pint coffee ice cream - 1 banana, sliced - 2 Tb cocoa powder Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth.  All these ingredients together in one drink, yummy! Makes quite a bit too, at least 3-4 8oz c

So here I am thinking to myself, "I need something sweet" (as usual). But I didn't want chocolate...so what do I do? I searched the web for some different sweets to make and stumbled upon this DELICIOUS treat. Have you ever had the Sopapilla's from the Mexican restaurants? Man are those good! Little chip like things, with cinnamon and sugar, honey and whipped cream? Sometimes if you're lucky they drizzle chocolate sauce on top too!! Let me tell you, HEAVEN in your mouth (well, at least mine).  So when I saw this recipe title, I was immediately drooling. What could be better than a Sopapilla AND Cheesecake put into one?! Nothing...absolutely nothing.  Extremely simple to make. Anyone can do it! It'll be a family favorite and crowd pleaser, that's for sure!! Sopapilla Cheesecake Ingredients: -3 cans pillsbury butter crescent rolls -2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened) -1 cup sugar -1 teaspoon vanilla -1/4 cup butter (melted)