These are a few of my favorite things

Hot chocolate and artisan bread with honey and butter....mmmm....

Peanut butter jelly roll ups

I know your all probably thinking I hit a peanut butter truck or something with all of these peanut butter posts!! Truth is I do buy it in bulk at Costco! My kids love it so I buy a lot of it!! I saw these on a blog and thought they were so cute. You just roll out a piece of bread, cut the crust off and spread one side with peanut butter and the other side with jelly, some I did with peanut butter, jelly and a strip of cream cheese. Then roll up and cut into little rolls. I put a bunch in the freezer for school lunches, way cheeper then those uncrustibles!!

Homemade cheese crackers

Whole Wheat Cheese Crackers

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, room temperature
2 cups whole wheat flour (I used King Arthur White Whole Wheat)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons cold water

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.

In a large bowl, beat butter and salt until creamy. Add cheese and mix well. Gradually add flour, baking powder and water, mixing until dough begins to form a ball. Remove the dough from the bowl, divide in half and pat into two balls with your hands. Cover with plastic wrap.

Using one ball of dough at a time, roll the dough into 1/8 inch thickness between two pieces of parchment paper. Cut the rolled out dough in shapes with cutters or simply cut into 1 ½ inch squares. Place on parchment or silicon baking mat lined baking sheets.

Bake 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes before removing.

I loved these, the kids did a little bit, I told them they were just like goldfish, but because they were not as orange as the goldfish they didn't eat them up like they do goldfish. I made some chocolate crackers and they loved those, didn't get a picture of either so I took a picture of my friends batch of crackers! I'll have to make the chocolate ones again. I've been bad about taking pictures, I find it hard to touch my camera when my hands are dirty!! I don't don't how those other bloggers do the step my step pictures while cooking, maybe I'm just a messy cook!!

The peanut butter chocolate madness continues

Chocolate peanut butter pie! Never go to the store on the weekend when they have samples and your hungry!!! This was one of the samples. So I left with all the ingredients to make this creamy delectable dessert!!

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie

1 nine-inch chocolate crumb pie crust
1/2 cup chocolate or hot fudge sauce, divided
1 package (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 large or 8 small peanut better cups, frozen

1. Drizzle 1/4 cup of fudge topping over bottom of pie crust and set aside.
2. Beat cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well blended. Add whipped topping and whisk to blend.
3. Spoon mixture into pie crust. Chill 4 hours or until firm.
4. Before serving, chop candy into small pieces and sprinkle over pie. Drizzle remaining chocolate over top. Cut into slices and serve!!

Poppy mix

It got deleted when I tried to fix the post

Sorry

Sorry for all the misspellings and periods here and there, my ipad has a mind of it's own when it comes to spelling, and if I try to change the post it will delete the picture, so until I figure out to blog successfully from this thing just know that I really am not that bad at grammar!! Though my mom would probably say otherwise! Oh! And I know it loads the picture really big, sorry about that too! Unless its a food pic and then you want it big and all yummy in your face looking!!!

Poppy mix

Not be confused with poopy mix, got to make sure your spelling is right on this one!! This is like the chex buddies mix, or some people call it dog chow, anyhow yu use pop corn instead of the chex, quite yummy if I do say so. I'm on a peanut butter and chocolate kick.

Poppy mix
9 cups popped pop corn( I made 2 bags of microwave, it's all I had and it added some more butter flavor)
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 T. Butter
Put everything but the pop corn in a bowl and put in the microwave for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the chocolate and butter are melted. Pour over the pop corn and stir until it is all coated. Next sprinkle 1 1/2 cups of powdered auger over the pop corn mixture and stir until coated, pour out onto a cookie sheet or some parchment paper until it sets up.

Because everything is better with butter

I Give you honey butter and cranberry butter.
The honey butter I have been making and. Wondering why it never comes out like at the restaurants, well my friends, there is a secret and since I like y'all I'll share it!!
Honey butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
1 egg yolk, yup that's it! And you would have never known that!! But it helps the texture to come out like the smooth fluffy stuff you would get at a restaraunts.
Just blend all together, I used my hand held blender thing so it would be real smooth. That's it! And it is Devine!!

Cranberry butter
1/2 cup cranberry sauce(I used my homemade stuff)
1/2 cup butter
1 small jar of orange marmalade
Blend together real well until smooth.

Now go make some bread to put that butter on!

Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

Why am I just now learning about peanut butter hot chocolate!!! Its soooo good!!! They are meant to be together, peanut butter and chocolate, so its no surprise that they would be awesome heated and poured in a mug. Try it you'll see! Unless you don't like chocolate(Justin) or peanut butter(Justin!) then don't try it, I wouldn't want you to barf on my account!!

Creamy Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate
If you want it salted, add a pinch of flaky sea salt at the end.
1/4 cup sugar or honey
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 cup water
3 cups 2% or whole milk
2-4 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (Lindt 70% cocoa is great)
In a saucepan, stir together the sugar and cocoa to get rid of lumps; stir in the water until smooth, then whisk in the milk over medium-high heat. Heat until steaming. Remove the pan from the heat and add the peanut butter and chocolate. Let it sit for a few seconds, then blend it with a hand-held immersion blender. Or for individual cups, divide the chocolate among the cups and pour the warm milk over top. Whiz with one of those little frothers to make it very smooth and foamy.

P.s. I'll post a picture when I make it again!!!

Dora's Cranberry pudding Recipe

Cranberry Pudding with Hot Butter Sauce
This is the perfect dessert for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or anytime during the holidays! The hot butter sauce is really what makes this great.
Prep Time: approx. 30 Minutes. Cook Time: approx. 1 Hour. Ready in: approx. 1 Hour Minutes. Makes 1 - 10 inch Bundt pan (12 servings).

Cake:
6 tablespoons butter
2 cups white sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups evaporated milk
1 (12 ounce) package cranberries

Hot Butter Sauce
1 cup butter
2 cups white sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
2 In a large bowl, cream together the 6 tablespoons butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the evaporated milk. Stir in the cranberries. Pour batter into prepared pan.
3 Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely.
4 To make the Hot Butter Sauce: In a saucepan, combine 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, and cream. Bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve slices of cake generously covered with hot butter sauce.

This week

Made 100 gingerbread men and a huge football grooms cake for a wedding. The boys played transformers while I worked.
Making some cute little things that I cant blog yet cause my family read this blog. Baked some more cookies. Went shopping a couple times. Stocked up on baking supplies to do more baking next week!

The Hortons go sledding!

Having fun in Utah snow!!!

Last week in numbers

2 the number of times I went to the mall, trying to get warm clothes for my little people for our trip.
5 the number of time madden threw up, yuck!! He just had a Viral infection.
2 the number of times I made egg nog.
About 50, the Number of times I had to tell my children to go brush their teeth.
About 25, the number of times I threatened to spank said children with my ruler. I just have to hit the counter real hard with it and their eyes bug out! (note to self, don't forget to pack ruler on road trip next week.)
5 the number of lb.s of candy we probably have.
0 the number of times I worked out :(
7 the number of loads of laundry I did.
1 the number of times I had Milano cookies for breakfast.
1 the number of times I had a black brownie for breakfast, I like sweets for breakfast!!
4 the number of inches I'm gonna have to had to my jeans if I keep eating goodies and not working out!!
A million, times I kissed Madden J's cheeks!
4 the number of times MJ got in trouble yesterday:(
3 the number of times I went to Taco Cabana for their street tacos, oh my gosh they are so good!!!
2 the number of days I couldn't turn my head, don't know what I did but it was so stiff, probably slept real wrong because there is a 2 year old that insists on getting in our bad at night!!!
Well that about sums up last week!

All dressed up!

Justin and I went to a Halloween/ birthday party for a friend and we actually dressed up!! I usually don't dress up!! Justin was a Texas ranger, I sang The theme song from Walker texas ranger to him, or tried, can't remember all the words!! And I was a sailor girl.

The kids ready to head out to get some candy.

Living on the dark side

Of chocolate that is!!! I just found out about black cocoa powder!! This stuff is sinful!! Its a super Dutch processed cocoa powder that is black as night!! Makes all your chocolate goodies come out super rich and dark, just the way I like it!! These brownies are so good, its kind of hard to describe the flavor, its rich and strong, so much so that you use it with regular cocoa powder in your recipes. I absolutely love the color!
I found the stuff at king Arthur Flour web site, if you haven't been there, go! But when your done reading my blog!! They have tons of recipes on the blog.

Salted Black Cocoa Brownies
makes one 9 x 13" brownie or two 8" brownies

salted butter, for greasing the pan
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1/3 cup black cocoa powder
2/3 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 tspn baking powder
1 tspn salt
4 eggs
2/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 tspn vanilla extract
coarse sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Using the salted butter, grease the bottom and sides of the pan(s). Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa powders, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
4. Combine the wet ingredients with the prepared dry ingredients, folding until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated. Batter will be very thick and difficult to stir.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Sprinkle liberally with coarse sea salt.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes if using a 9 x 13" pan and for 25-30 minutes if using two 8" pans. Be careful not to over-bake.
7. Remove the brownies from the oven and let cool completely before removing from pans and cutting. (This part is the most difficult--resisting until they are all cool!)

Yeast donuts

I just made the best batch of donuts!! I used Alton Browns recipe, you can find it on the food network.

Annual pumpkin party

We had our annual pumpkin party last night, the kids painted pumpkins and then ran around all night. Love that when kids come over thats all they want to do, so blessed to have so much room for kids to run!!

My dessert table.

No bake peanut butter bars

Ingredients:
* 1 cups butter, melted
* 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
* 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
* 1 lb. powdered sugar
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
*2 Tablespoons dark chocolate chips

Directions:
Crush graham crackers into crumbs- get out some pent up frustration.(or buy crumbs if you’re feeling ‘zen’)

Melt butter in microwave safe bowl.

Add peanut butter, powdered sugar and graham cracker crumbs to butter and mix well. It will form a soft, moist dough. I used my Kitchen Aid for this - and it was a dream. If you feel like a work out - use a bowl and spoon.

Press the dough into a lightly greased 9x13 parchment lined pan (I LOVE parchment)

In another microwave safe container, melt the semi sweet chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring every 15 seconds until they are completely melted and spreadable.

Spread on top of the peanut butter mixture till smooth. Melt dark chunks in the similar fashion and drizzle on top of the semi sweet. IF you want pretty little bars- score the chocolate now, for easy, no breakage cutting later.

Refrigerate until chocolate is set!

Caramel apples, cant keep the caramel from sliding down my apples!! Maybe its the humidity?!

Chocolate whoopie pies with marshmallow filling.

Mmmmmm....tang!

Cutie MJ painting!! He looooved painting, everyone was done and went off to play but he kept on painting for a while.

Tang!! In cute jars that I have been collecting!!

We even had a real spider at the party!! Creeeeepy!!!!!!

Super squad!

Annalyse had her first cheerleading performance last Thursday at the middle school football game. She did awesome, she is slowly getting out of her shy not wanting to perform in front of anybody stage. I was a proud mama!! I was also thinking of how cool it will be when my boys play football until I heard the boys crash helmets!! Sounds awful! Maybe we will do a less contact sport!! My Zander is a runner so anything with running he will love!! Madden might be the one that likes to knock people over!!
Fun times! She is so in love with cheerleading, she practices everyday, which is sometimes annoying! But I love the girl!!

Chocolate chip whoopie pies with ganche filling

Recipe coming as soon has I have some time to type it up!!

Pumkin patch

School was out Monday so I took the kids to a pumpkin patch, they had lots of activitys and fun stuff for the kids to do. Didnt get a ton of good pictures of the kids in the pumpkins, to busy running around and eating yummy food!

This horse has a blue eye!! So cool!! His name is Scooby Doo, my kids love Scooby Doo!!

That's my boy!! Brush the pony!

I love the weird pumpkins.

Zanderman the spider man!!