Healthy No-Bake Cookies

found on http://ihearexercisewillkillyou.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-best-no-bake-bars-youll-ever-eat.html via Pinterest


1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup unrefined coconut oil (be sure to use unrefined for the coconut flavor)
2 cups dry oats (not instant)
1 C shredded coconut
1/2 C chopped walnuts (optional)
1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips
1 t vanilla extract

Melt peanut butter, honey and coconut oil over medium-low heat. Once melted, remove from heat and add oats, shredded coconut, chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until chocolate is entirely melted. Pour into a 9x13 pan and cool in the fridge. When it's set, cut into bars and enjoy. Store in the fridge. If they last that long!

My Notes:  I used pecans and chopped them and the oats of pretty fine in the food processor for a finer textured cookie.  I also used Publix brand "natural" pb (bought it by accident, but love it!) It's quite a bit thinner than regular peanut butter so I did a tad less of it.  I also used semi-sweet chocolate, because that's what I had. I have no idea if my coconut oil is unrefined or not.  You can find coconut oil next to the other oils in the baking aisle. 

Scripture Cookies 

(Primary Activity)

Peanut Butter Balls

Janell Lowry

2 cups PB
1 ob pwdrd sugar
1/4 butter or margarine
3 cups Rice Krispies

-Cream first 3 ingredients together, add Krispies
-Make into small balls (1"). Refrigerate overnight.

1 large Hershy bar
12 oz chocolate chips
waxed paper or butcher paper

-Met chocolate. Dip balls in chocolate and let harden.  May use dipping chocolate.

My Notes: These are amazing...and oh so good for you;-)  Extremely easy, they just require a little forethought since they need to refrigerate overnight to harden before dipping, and then after dipping, too.

Gluten Free: substitute rice chex for krispies.  Chex crunch up smaller than krispies, so if you used the whole 3 cups with crushed chex, it might be too much. I haven't done this version yet, but the idea is that the mixture is supposed to be slightly crunchy, but still be able to hold itself together into a ball.  Probably start with 3 cups of whole chex, then crush them roughly. Maybe add a little more, depending on taste and preference of crunchiness. 

Semi-Sweet Chocolate and Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake bars

Semi-Sweet Chocolate and Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake bars

found at http://www.bigbearswife.com/2009/01/semi-sweet-chocolate-and-reese-peanut.html

Recipe:

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) Milk Chocolate &; Peanut Butter Morsels, divided
2 pkgs. (8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs

Directions: PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

COMBINE crumbs, butter and 1/4 cup sugar in medium bowl. Remove 1 cup mixture and reserve for topping. Press remaining mixture onto bottom of ungreased 13 x 9-inch baking pan. Sprinkle 3/4 cup morsels over crust.

BEAT cream cheese, remaining sugar, flour and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Pour over crust and morsels in pan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping and remaining morsels.

BAKE for 25 to 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars.

 

My Notes:  The recipe is not very clear if you need 1 2/3 cups of each flavored chip, or total.  I used a whole bag of chocolate chips, and most of a bag of PB chips. Can't go wrong with more choc and PB, right?!  Also, the recipe title says "Semi-sweet Chocolate," however the recipe calls for "Milk Chocolate." I used semi-sweet because I like that flavor better.  It was great!

Funny Story: My almost-4-yr-old was helping me make these. He was very eager to put in some ingredients, so I tried to teach him how to crack and egg.  He did great at the cracking part, but then instead of opening the egg, he threw the whole thing in the mixing bowl. My mixer was on, so it immediately got smashed and mixed in. I was able to fish most of it out, some of our cheesecake bars have a little extra crunch to them;-)

Truly Milk's Favorite Cookie

Oreo Stuffed Cookies
found at http://www.bigbearswife.com/2011/03/oreo-stuffed-cookies.html

Ready for a HUGE treat with two of the best Cookies ever?

Chocolate Chip Cookies and Oreos

These are some amazing cookies from http://picky-palate.com/ and my husband and his friends are super thankful that I found this recipe :)

What you need:

2 sticks softened butter
3/4 Cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 oz bag chocolate chips, or chocolate wafers
1 bag Oreo Cookies, I used the double stuff, plus off brand. Off Brand Oreos were just as awesome, but less expensive ;)



What to do:

Preheat your oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugars until well combined and creamy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined. I used my kitchen-aid mixer, it worked great!

In a separate bowl mix your dry ingredients, mix the flour, salt and baking soda.

Scoop your dry ingredients into the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients a little bit at a time and mix well.

Add your chocolate chips. Mix until combined.

Using a medium scoop take one scoop of cookie dough and place on top of an oreo cookie.

Take another scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough and place it on the bottom of oreo cookie.

Using your hand, seal edges together by pressing and mushing the chocolate chip cookie dough until you have enclosed the oreo cookie in the chocolate chip cookie dough.

Place the cookies on a baking sheet and bake cookies for about 10-15 minutes depending on your oven type.

I used my pampered chef stoneware bar pan to cook mine. I fit about 6 cookies on the sheet at a time.

Let cool for about 5 minutes and then transfer the cookies to a cooling rack.

I got about 2 dozen HUGE GINORMOUS cookies from this recipe.

 

My Notes: Really,  all I can say about these is WOW! One is plenty! I feel fatter after eating just one!

Cranberries - November cooking club

Hot Cranberry Swizzle Punch

-Glenny Riley

3 whole cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves
A pinch of powdered nutmeg

8 cups cranberry juice
6 cups unsweetened pineapple juice cups water
1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1. Place spices in piece of cheesecloth and tie with a string.
2. Pour juices and brown sugar into a crock pot. Stir punch.
3. Add the spice bag.
4. Cover and simmer for 4 hours. Stir Occasionally.
5. You can add more water if too strong or more sugar to taste.
6. Remove spice bag.
8. Slice an orange and add to punch for a pretty display.
7. Serve Hot Cranberry punch.

Holiday Glazed Pork Roast

-Bonnie Wakefield

4 lbs boneless pork loin roast

2 tsp cornstarch

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp grate orange peel

2 T. orange juice

2 T. dry sherry (or substitute more orange juice)

1 14-oz can Ocean Spray Whole Cranberry Sauce

1 large red onion, cut into 6-8 wedges OR 12 small whole onions, peeled

Combine cornstarch, cinnamon, salt & orange peel in small saucepan. Stir in orange juice, sherry and cranberry sauce. Cook and stir over medium heat unitl thickened. Set aside.

Place roast in shallow roasting pan. Insert meat thermometer. Roast at 325 for 1 hour. Place onion wedges around pork. Spoon about 1/2 cup cranberry mixture over roast and onions. Continue to roast for 30-60 min or until meat thermometer registers 155-160 degrees.

Let stand 5-10 min before slicing. Serve with remaining cranberry mixture.

Cranberry Salad

-Deyce Peterson

2 c. cranberries

2 c. marshmallows

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup crushed pineapple, drained

2 c. diced, unpeeled apples

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Blend cranberries in blender. Combine with sugar and marshmallows and let site overnight. In a medium bowl, stir together apples, pineapple & nuts. Add cranberry mixture. Fold in whipped cream.

Cranberry Arctic Salad
-Jen Brady

6 oz cream cheese
2 T sugar
dash salt
2 T mayo
Mix together till smooth. Mix in:
1 lb can whole cranberries, undrained (or cranberry sauce with whole cranberries)
8 oz crush pineapple, drained
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Whip 2 cups of heavy cream and fold into above mixture. Pour in 9x13 pan and freeze for at least a few hours.

White Chocolate Chip Craisin Cookies

-Deyce Peterson

1 c unsalted butter

1 c brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 T. vanilla

3 c flour

1 tsp soda

3/4 tsp salt

1 cup craisins

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 cup pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Cream butter and sugars. Beat in the eggs