Cake Mix Cookies

The moms’ group that I’m a part of is having a cookie swap playdate tomorrow.    I’ve never been to a cookie swap before, and if you’ve been reading this blog, you can tell that I’m not much of a baker/cook (but, I’m trying hard to pick up a few good recipes). 

I was going to buy the cookies from the local bakery, but after I realized that I would need about 40-45 cookies, I decided to make them to save money.  I have flour, sugar, eggs, butter, almond and vanilla extracts, coconut flakes, chocolate chips at home.   So, thought I’d be able to use the ingredients I already have and skip a trip to the grocery store.

The recipe on the back of the coconut flakes (which was one of C’s new foods to try!) was for Coconut Macaroons.  The only ingredients needed were sugar, egg whites, almond extract, flour, and coconut.  Mix them up and bake.  Easy enough.  The macaroons turned out very chewy, but very, very sweet.   I didn’t make any more  batches and decided againt this recipe.   (Although S liked the macaroons, but he likes anything sweet.)

I turned to allrecipes.com to find a recipe using chocolate chips.  Everyone likes chocolate chips, right? 

I found a few recipes that actually uses CAKE MIX.   I didn’t know that can be done to make cookies.  And, I happened to have a German Chocolate cake mix in the cupboard.   So, I whipped up several batches of this delicious and very-easy-to-make cookie recipe.     I made 47 small size cookies.   I’ll bring 40 of them to the cookie swap, and S will get 6 of them.   I tried one of them.   It was good, chewy, and moist. 

I’ll have to try variations of different cake mix flavors and goodies (chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, etc) to put in them.    How about lemon cake mix with powdered sugar?   One of the reviewers of the recipe used this mix.  I love a good lemon cookie or bar.

And, tomorrow night, we should have about 10 different cookies to sample in return.   Not bad!

Starting A New Book

I finished reading Breaking Dawn, the fourth (last) book in the Twilight series.   It is my favorite book of the series.   While the events seem a little farfetched, I thought that it was a good read and unpredictable at times.     It seemed that Bella (the heroine) in the book finally became less selfish and dependent. 

Overall, I probably would not have read any of the Twilight books if there wasn’t the hype surrounding them.  But, they were all easy to read and did leave me wanting to read more. 

S was brave enough to recommend another book to me!    He has recommended two so far this year, one of which I didn’t like and the other one I could not finish!     The book S thought I’d enjoy is The Thirteenth Tale.   I just started it the other day and only a few pages in.   I love reading books which span generations and family.   I believe S said that this book has that.   We’ll see if I will finish it   

I often browse Amazon’s bestseller book list for ideas of books to read.  It seems like a lot of books on there are non-fiction.  I prefer fiction.   I have several books queued up.  I guess it depends on my mood on what I want to read.

Pecan-Crusted Pork with Pumpkin Butter

The sweetness of the pumpkin sauce balanced with the saltiness of the pecan crusted pork.    A very tasteful combination in the meal that I made on Friday night. 

The meal was relatively easy to make.  The only preparation I had to do was to chop the pecans with a hand chopper that I rarely get a chance to use. 

The one thing I’d do differently next time is to dip the pork in some egg first so that the pecans / bread crumbs would stick to the pork a little better while cooking.   Otherwise, everything turned out great.

We had some of the pumpkin sauce left over.   It can probably be used to top french toast, pancakes, or even crepes for dessert.  (Not that I make any of these regularly, especially crepes, at home!)

I’ll be making this meal again soon!

Here is the Pecan-Crusted Pork with Pumpkin Butter recipe  from allrecipes.com.

The ingredients are here you can check it out and then click on the recipe if you want to try this yourself.   The amount will vary based on number of servings.   I used 4 thin cut pork chops.

Pumpkin Puree
Apple Juice
Sugar
Ground Cloves
Ground Ginger
Ground Cinnamon
Pecans
Bread Crumbs 
Boneless Pork Chops

If you make it, let me know how it turns out for you!

Cookie!

C’s new favorite word is “Cookie” – every time I tell her it’s time to eat, she says “Cookie.”   I’m sure she is disappointed when I give her vegetables and meat instead of a cookie!

I better start baking some cookies to share with her.  Maybe that will be my new weekly recipe    (I’m sure S will love that.)

(This week, if I have time on Friday, I’m going to try a new recipe – pecan crusted pork with pumpkin butter.  Yum.)

It’s Time for Cards Again

I ordered our holiday cards before Thanksgiving, and they arrived last week.  We started a “tradition” last year with personalizing the holiday cards with a photo of C.  

So, before Thanksgiving week, I tried to take a few photos of C out in the front yard.  I dressed her up in a dress and white tights and let her roam around out front.  Boy, it was soooo hard to get a good photo where she is looking into the camera and smiling!    I must have taken about 50 photos and only one was a possibility for the card!   But, it was a good one – she is smiling, showing her teeth, and looking so happy.

I’m also starting our first family newsletter to include with the card.   I’ve always liked reading newsletters that I get so I hope others feel the same way in reading ours.  It is hard thinking of things to write in the newsletter because I just want to write about C, but I’m sure that people want to hear what’s new with S and with me too

Now, I just need to find some quiet time to address and add a personal note to all the cards!