Journey Through Motherhood

Jun. 29, 2009

Tasty Treat

When your camping trip gets cut short because 3 of your kids are sick and then it rains all day and your tent trailer leaks and you don't get to make smores, you can come home and make these in the oven!! (Was that a run on sentence?)

Simply put graham crackers on a cookie sheet, however many you plan to eat, and top with chunks of your favourite solid chocolate bar.
Then cut large marshmallows in half lengthwise and lay 2 halves on each cracker.

Place in a 400F oven for about 5 minutes and watch it closely! Immediately after removing from the oven, top each smore with another cracker. Eat them right away!

Yummy!!

Oct. 1, 2008

One Cup of Everything

OK, here's the deal, I was already going to post this recipe and I had the post all ready to go for later this week. Then I went on over to HSBA to find out what the weekly theme was. It happened to be 'favourite snacks' and so I decided to include this recipe in my post because when I'm nursing a newborn, these are indeed my favourite snack!

I mentioned in my Daybook post that I was going to make One Cup of Everything Cookies.
These are a big(I make them big!), hearty cookie that sound just like their name. They pretty much have one cup of everything that you might find in a cookie.
I like to make a batch and freeze them before I have a baby. When nursing a newborn, I get quite hungry myself-especially during those late night feedings. These cookies fill that hungry hole!

Here is the recipe:
One Cup of Everything Cookies

1 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup peanut butter(I use the 'just peanuts' kind)
3 eggs
1 cup flour
1 TBSP baking soda
1 cup oatmeal
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts(or pecans)

Cream together margarine, sugars, peanut butter and eggs.

Mix in flour and baking soda. Stir in the remaining ingredients.(I usually do this by hand with a large spoon.)

Drop by tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet.

Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes(depending on oven temperature and size of cookie).

I get around 45 cookies. The original recipe said it would make 9 dozen. You can decide how big you want them(but in my opinion, who wants a small cookie?).

Enjoy!

And just for the record, as far as regular snacks that the kids eat from day to day; I always try to have fresh fruit on hand. I always say "Yes" if a child is asking for a piece of fruit. I figure it's better than other things they could be asking for!! Other than that we snack on things like cheese and crackers, popcorn, pickles, any baking that I've done, and my boys will snack on spicy peppers!!.

Aug. 12, 2008

Weekly Recipe: Chocolate Mousse

OK, honestly, I did not make this, this week,
but this is a great recipe if you have whipping cream to use up and you're having a chocolate craving.
That's pretty much every day for me right now!
I found this recipe for Double Chocolate Mousse here.
Now, I didn't have any chocolate baking squares, so I substituted dark chocolate chips. I also don't buy prepared whipped topping, so I used real whipping cream(or heavy cream), whipped, of course.
And as you can tell by the picture, I didn't top it with fresh raspberries, because mine were all frozen.
But, after tasting it, fresh raspberries would go very nicely with it!

Enjoy!

Jul. 10, 2008

Weekly Recipe: Butterscotch Brickle Dessert

I hesitate whether or not to share this recipe.
It might create quite the stir, as the Iced Mochas did!
It's perfect for a Summer BBQ, and it's one of my non-sweet-toothed Hubby's favourites.
Here goes...

Butterscotch Brickle Dessert

2 cups flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup(8 oz) of butter or margarine, melted
1 cup chopped pecans
1 can butterscotch sauce(I use Hershey, 248ml)
1 pint vanilla ice-cream, slightly softened(This is how much the original recipe says. I usually buy a 4L bucket of ice-cream and use about a 1/3 of it, it depends how thick you want your filling.)

Take your ice-cream out of the freezer to soften, if you haven't already.
Combine melted butter or margarine with flour, oatmeal, brown sugar and pecans. Pat thin on a cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 400F. Don't press too thin or bake too long as you don't want it to burn. When it's done and while it's still hot, crumble it up and spread half of it on the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
Drizzle half of the can of butterscotch sauce over crumbled mixture. Spread your desired amount of ice-cream over top(I usually drop big blobs of it and then spread it as it melts a little). Sprinkle the remaining crumbs on top of the ice-cream layer and then drizzle the remaining butterscotch sauce on top of that.
Freeze overnight(or if you make it early enough in the morning, it should be fine for an evening meal, you want the ice-cream to have time to solidify again), cut in squares and serve! Yummy!

~~~

Alright, so I haven't made this yet this Summer and so I have no photo of it to share, but I couldn't let the post get away without a picture so here is another dessert.

This is something I made from a Menus 4 Moms
menu. It's called Festive Flag Cake(although my berries weren't in a flag design) and you can find the recipe here.
It's absolutely delicious and I'm adding it to my recipe collection as another great BBQ dessert.

Please note:This is not what your Butterscotch Brickle Dessert will look like!

I take no responsibility for any addictions to these desserts!
But please do let me know if you try them!

Jul. 2, 2008

Weekly Recipe: Iced Mochas

Mmmm....I have just added this to my recipe box. I could probably have one of these every day...around 3pm in the afternoon, with my feet up and a magazine!

Iced Mochas

8-10 ice cubes, made from your favourite coffee
2 cups of chocolate milk

First you brew your coffee and make ice-cubes with it. It's probably a good idea to make your coffee stronger than you would drink it. Not only do these ice-cubes give you a fresh coffee aroma every time you open your freezer, but you can pop them out a store them in freezer bags for future use!

Then you put 8-10(depending on how strong you want the coffee flavour to be) ice coffee cubes in a blender with 2 cups of chocolate milk. Blend only until the ice-cubes are in fine chunks. I have an 'ice-crush' setting on my blender and so it only takes a few seconds.

Pour into your favourite glass, sit back and enjoy!
This makes enough for two, or if you make your coffee decaf(like I did) you can share it with your kids.
Let me know if you try this, or if you have any other variations to share!

Take time to enjoy something for yourself today!
It is Summer, after all!

Jun. 25, 2008

Weekly Recipe:Rhubarb Struesal Muffins and Iced Mocha

Mmmm...I love rhubarb!
Here's a muffin recipe that even the 'non-rhubarb lovers' in our family like. Hopefully it's not too hot in your part of the world to have the oven on. Unfortunately this recipe only calls for 1 cup of diced rhubarb, which I worked out to be about 1 stalk(depending on size), so it doesn't help you use it up quickly(if that's your case). The original recipe says that it makes 12 muffins, but I like my muffins BIG and so I never get that many.

For the muffins

1/2 cup sour cream(I use lite sour cream)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1 1/3 cups flour
1 cup diced rhubarb
2/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Topping

1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsps melted butter

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Combine sour cream, oil and egg. In separate bowl mix together flour, brown sugar, baking soda and salt. Stir in rhubarb. Add wet ingredients and mix until moistened. Pour into muffin cups.
Combine ingredients for topping and spoon onto the top of each unbaked muffin.
Bake for 25-30 min.
Enjoy!

Here is a way to make your own Iced Mochas. I saw it in the newspaper and I haven't actually made it yet, but it sure sounded good! Basically you make ice cubes with coffee and then blend them with chocolate milk.
Mmm...we're supposed to get some warm weather(finally!) this weekend and so I might try it. I'll let you know if I do! And please let me know if you do(or if you have another refreshing drink to share!

)

Thanks for visiting today!
I hope you are basking in God's love for you!

May. 28, 2008

Weekly Recipe: Blackberry Banana Bread

Blackberry Banana Bread

1 1/2 cups flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
2 tbsps lemon juice
1 tbsp grated lemon rind
3/4 cup blackberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a loaf pan. Sift together: flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add oats, oil, eggs, bananas, lemon juice and rind. Gently mix until just moistened and carefully fold in blackberries. Pour in pan and bake for 1 hr. Cool in pan before turning out onto wire rack.
As yummy as this will smell, and as tempting as it will be to eat it right away, it's actually better if it's allowed to sit for a while. The original recipe said to chill it, which you might want to do if it's a warm day.

*Note: You can easily substitute any berry, like blueberries, fresh or frozen. I used frozen blackberries and thawed them slightly. I then gave them a gentle rinse so they wouldn't turn my batter purple.
I was also out of oats(gasp!) and so I used a combination of oat bran and wheat germ and it turned out fine.

Enjoy!
Let me know if you give it a try!

Apr. 29, 2008

Chocolate Chip Scones

I'd really like to bake more. I used to(before I had so many babies!) and I truly enjoy it. I get satisfaction from baking, more so than cooking. So, as part of my desire to create a warm atmosphere in my home(and to feed my hungry boys!), I'm going to(try to) post a recipe of what I've baked each week.

This weeks recipe is: Chocolate Chip Scones

1 cup orange juice
1 egg
3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
grated peel of one orange
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
1 egg white
sugar to sprinkle

Preheat oven to 400F. Mix orange juice and egg together and let sit while mixing dry ingredients. In separate bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in orange peel and chocolate chips. Add wet ingredients, stir and gently knead. Divide into two balls, flatten(3/4 inch) and brush with egg white and sprinkle with sugar. Cut each ball into eight wedges. Bake for 15-20 minutes.

*You can also substitute dried cranberries, raisins or currants for the choc. chips. If you do, soak them in the egg mixture at the beginning. You could also try a mixture of half white chocolate chips and dried cranberries! The possibilities are endless!!

Hubby says these are one of the best baked items I've ever made!!

Let me know if you try them! It sure makes the house smell good!

ps. I was out of mini choc. chips and so I made these with regular ones.

Dec. 10, 2007

Cookie Exchange

Last night Hubby and I got dressed up and went to his company Christmas dinner. His boss is a Christian and although many of the employees are Christians, not all of them are. Anyhow, I was very moved because he(the boss) voluntarily stood up and shared his testimony with everyone. It was such a blessing to hear it and for him to just share it openly, in that setting.

Well, today I'm off to the mall-not my favourite place this time of year! I'm taking the kids to buy gifts for our local Angel Tree program. We picked cards off of a tree that had their age and gender written on it. Then we're supposed to buy a gift for them and return it, unwrapped. This is the first year we've done it, but I want to make it a tradition.

Have a great day and I'll leave you with this tasty treat:

Last week I hosted a cookie exchange for some moms from our homeschool support group.
Here is what I made:

Almond Rocca Bars

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup sliced almonds
graham crackers

Heat oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13 pan and line the bottom with graham crackers. Melt butter and brown sugar together in saucepan on medium heat. Boil for 3 minutes. Pour boiled mixture over crackers. Bake for 8 minutes. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Once the chocolate chips have started to melt, lightly spread with rubber spatula(there can still be lumps, don't spread too hard or too much as you don't want the chocolate mixing with the layer underneath). Sprinkle with sliced almonds and press lightly with wax paper. Let cool before slicing. Freezes well.

I got this recipe at another cookie exchange that I went to a couple of years ago. I made it and Hubby, who does not have a sweet tooth, absolutely loves it. Now he looks forward to it every year as I've made part of our Christmas baking tradition.

Enjoy!

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