Red Hots Cookies

My kids love things spicy. Like way too spicy! They think hot sauce is a condiment that should go on everything we eat around here. So I knew these cookies would be a big hit the first time I made them, years ago. It can be a little tricky finding the Red Hots, but I find them from time to time and buy a couple of bags so I have them on hand when we want these cookies. And they look very festive for Valentine's Day!

Red Hots Cookies
1 c. butter, softened
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. Red Hots candies

Place candies in a baggie and hit several times with a hammer to break them into pieces. Set aside.

Beat butter and sugars together until creamy, then add eggs and vanilla; stir to combine. Mix in the flour and baking soda, then add the candy and stir until everything is mixed together. Drop teaspoonfuls ( I use a medium cookie scoop) onto a cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown.

Chocolate Pie

My husband loves chocolate and especially chocolate pie. I'm not sure how many chocolate pies I made around Thanksgiving for him this year, but it was a LOT! I have several recipes for chocolate pie and I made all of them at least twice!

 

Chocolate Pie

8 oz. German's sweet chocolate

1/2 c. milk

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

2 Tbsp. sugar

8 oz. Cool Whip

1 chocolate crumb crust

Heat the chocolate with the milk in a microwave safe bowl for in 30 second intervals until melted, stirring after each time.  Beat in cream cheese and sugar and stir until smooth. Gently fold in Cool Whip.Spoon into the crust and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Seasoned Oven Roasted Vegetables

This is a great side dish for some of our favorite dinners. I have never been one to "hide" vegetables so my kids would eat them and I'm glad - because they love this!

Seasoned Oven Roasted Vegetables
7 medium potatoes
1 small bag baby carrots
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. pepper
2 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning

Chop the potatoes and carrots into bite-sized pieces, all approximately the same size and place ina large bowl. Add the oil and spices, toss to coat all evenly. Pour onto large baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees about 30 minutes.

Caramel Apple Cobbler

This cobbler was gone almost the moment it came out of the oven. I made it because I needed apple something and cobbler sounded good. Apparently my family agreed. It didn't last long but we will be making it again!

Caramel Apple Cobbler
batter:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
Melt the butter and put in a 9x3 pan. In a medium bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and baking powder. Add the milk and vanilla, stir to combine. Pour the batter over the butter and stir lightly.

apple filling:
3 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin (I use granny smith and gala)
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. sugar
In a saucepan, combine the apples with the cinnamon and sugar. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes or until the apples are softened. Stir frequently so they don't burn.

caramel sauce:
1/2 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. heavy cream

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the butter, sugar, and cream. Stir and cook until the mixture begins to boil. Allow to boil about 1 minute, then remove from the heat.

Add 1 c. caramel sauce to the apples and stir. Save remaining sauce. Pour the apple mixture evenly over the batter. Bake at 400 degree for about 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. You can drizzle the remaining caramel sauce over the cobbler or serve it with ice cream and drizzle the sauce over that. Either way, it is delicious!

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Another one of our Saturday morning muffin recipes. Someday, I won't be making these every week! :-) These have both oatmeal and blueberries and not as much sugar as most of the other recipes, so I consider them healthier than most of my recipes. Once in awhile, I need that.

Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
1 1/2 c. flour
1 c. oatmeal
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 c. milk
1/4 c. oil
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. fresh blueberries

In a large bowl, combine the flour, oatmeal, brown sugar, and baking powder. Make a well in the center and add the milk, oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir until just combined - the batter should still be lumpy. Fold in the blueberries. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners and divide the batter between them. Bake at 400 degrees 15-18 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.