Week 1 Letter A school complete

  I won't be able to do a field trip every week but will try to grab one where I can and even if it's to our local store we will make it an adventure!

Its a little too early for apple picking but since we were on letter A it only seemed fit to pick an apple.  We headed to out local grocery store where we picked a few varieties.  I allowed him to pick one from each pile so we could compare the size, color and taste.  

  This tasting was huge as he is a picky eater.  He likes the red delicious and Jonagold! Peanutbutter is not necessary and he will eat the skin.

Apples come from trees before the store so we made this apple tree!

After we dissected the apple we made a picture of all the parts! 

We also made applesauce cookies this week which he did make, eat and enjoy! 

Letter A was a good productive week for us!  I hope your week was productive too!

Chocolate Cookies

  Believe it or not some weeks I do not make anything.  Tonight I made cookies because there I was minding my own business when a plate full of cookies gets my attention on Facebook.  A quick glimpse over the recipe and it's on.

  These cookies boasted of a chocolate flavor and there is no doubt about it when you see them and when you smell them fresh out the oven!

  They were easy to make adding that the teen made these.  The longest process was letting them chill prior to cooking. Ooh the torture.

  However after an hour of that I am almost sure when I took a bite of the first one I had already forgot about the waiting period.

  These are a great little cookie.  They have a great chocolate flavor, were soft, resembled a brownie in flavor and texture.  All you need is a glass of milk to accompany these and you too will be in a happy place.  These would definitely get you bonus points if you cooked them and had them ready for unsuspecting children!

 Get to cooking these!  I know you didn't know you needed them but, your welcome anyways.

Check out the recipe here:
http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2016/03/07/chocolate-sugar-cookies/

Cookies Today with Strawberries

  Although this recipe uses a small amount of strawberries.  It also uses up the strawberries I had on hand.  So I need to go back and get more in order to finish out the month or else I will not be able to finish out the month.  I feel like I am running on fumes already but am not giving up.

  The recipe was for cookies today!  These strawberry cookies only asked for a few tablespoons of strawberries.  I had just enough.

  The rest of your ingredients are your basic requirements for a sugar cookie to include: flour, sugar, butter egg, baking powder and vanilla.

Blend that sugar and butter before you add anything else to make sure it will be incorporated.

I skipped the roll the cookies in a ball part and just plopped them on the cookie sheet but, I did add some sprinkles!

  My opinion of the cookies.  I would like to try them again with more strawberries.  I couldn't see them in any of the cookies, or taste it.  The recipe did say you could use strawberry extract in place of the strawberries.  The cookies however were good.  They didn't have that after taste that I get with some cookies!!  These were a good cookie that I could see making without the strawberries.

  Without the obvious appearance of strawberries the little man of the house nibbled on a couple and liked them too.  He had been avoiding all things strawberries for the last few weeks.

 Grab a glass of milk and make some of these they were a nice treat!
 
Check out the recipe here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/235942/chewy-strawberry-sugar-cookies/

Strawberry Patch Kickoff

  The other day we visited out local strawberry patch to pick some berries!  Nothing beats a fresh strawberry and lucky for us the season started a couple weeks earlier this year.

I had two eager helpers with me and we purchased one bucket!

  Since then I have decided to make a new monthly challenge of strawberry recipes.  This will be a little more interesting as I was able to buy a few cans of pumpkin last fall and spread it out amongst the month.  I will have to make random trips to the patch for this objective!

  The recipes will be a variety of ideas but all will showcase the strawberry.  So I will have breakfast items, shakes, smoothies, desserts and maybe I can find some interesting savory dishes.  You know by now none of the recipes are my own.  I look high and low on the Internet for recipes to try and that will continue to be the case for this challenge.

  So operation red berry starts today May 1st with shortcake!

You can find the recipe here!
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/strawberry-shortcake-recipe3.html

Country Crock (review)

  A few weeks ago I received a new voxbox from Influenster.  This package was for Country Crock spread.  In this package was a coupon to make my own purchase be it a tub or sticks of the spread.  Also included was a recipe card to create my own cookies with a basic recipe.  I choose the tub.

  I have baked with sticks in the past but choose to make my cookies with the spread.  Not hard at all. I scooped out the appropriate measurements and added it to my mixing bowl.  I was elated with the ease of using the spread.

  The convenience of using the spread allows me now the privilege of making one purchase for future baking or giving me an alternative to using sticks.

  Country Crock didn't fail me in flavor either.  The flavor was still there in every bite of the cookies as much as it is on a slice of toast or as an add-in for some vegetables.

  Country Crock comes in 3 flavors in addition to the original: churn style, light and calcium.  I prefer tubs because I like to be able to put the top back on it and it sits in the fridge taking up minimal space but I can also stack things on it as well.  Sometimes my sticks have been known to jump out off that fridge door.  Also being able to recycle or reuse the tubs is a bonus.

  I was provided this product for review purposes and all opinions are my own.

Holidays in the air

  What type of cookies are planned for you this year?

  I personally don't know quite yet.  I just kind of decided today we are making cookies and dig out recipes!

  Do you always make the same cookies each year?

  I make a few cookies from my childhood like gingerbread, anise cookies and pressed cookies but also try to make a few different and new to us ones!

  Do you me cookies solo or do you cook with your mom, grandma, children or siblings?

  Sometimes I make cookies by myself and let my older kids make some independently!


  Tis the season to get baking!  I would love some new recipes. Easy or slightly complex.  I get Betty Crocker's 25 days of cookies sent to my email but I don't think I can handle having that many cookies around in my house.

  I would love to hear your cookie stories feel free to post pictures or recipes!

Cookie monster (Pumpkin edition)

  Ok so I need to stock up on pumpkin scented candles, potpourri or cans of pumpkin.  I am getting so used to the smell and it's not quite becoming second nature but I wish it was.  I love the way it smells and fills my house when I cook it.

  Of course making cookies always smells good but to know it has some pumpkin in them makes these extra special.  These here are my first official pumpkin cookies!

  I assigned the teen to assist and young chef assigned herself to help.

 So these cookies were essentially made by 3 people but don't worry we are all trained professionals.  Also as a side not before I scare you away; this recipe was not that hard.

 You got your dry bowl of ingredients. Funny how noone ever wants to taste the flour bowl.

 Your wet bowl filled with butter and sugar. Fingers did sneak in here.

Then behold the bowl of pumpkin goodness! Don't touch it has an egg in it and you know what they say.  (I live on the edge)

  The only bad thing about this recipe is they require some down time in the refrigerator.

So with that downtime comes a lack of trust and impatience.  The kids got their hopes up only to be put on hold.  This is a hard concept to grasp. Now you see them now you don't.  My poor plan on this step also meant the cookies were having a sleepover in the fridge as it was already 8 o'clock.  Enter worst mom of the year.  However I said I would make them for breakfast in the morning and I regained my tolerable mom title.

0700 let's get this show on the road!

Ahhh tick tick tick. Done

I present you an awesome cookie. An awesome pumpkin cookie!

  Check out the recipe, grab your ingredients and have milk on hand these should go in the books as a must have for a fall cookie.

These awesome soft pumpkin goodies come from cookingclassy.