Monday, 11 November 2013

Mounds Peanut Butter Cookie Bars


Another quick and easy bar cookie recipe with the added bonus, you can use up your leftover Hallowe'en candy. As far as I know, we don't have Mounds here in Canada so I pick them up everytime I go to the States. I really love the combination of dark chocolate and coconut and they made an interesting combination with the peanut butter. I also tried a couple snack size Mars which were DELISH but the caramel bled a bit. Makes a big 9 x 13 pan. If you like a softer cookie, you can bake on the lesser time.

Mounds Peanut Butter Cookie Bars
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
Approx 25 mini Mounds bars

Cream butter, peanut butter and both sugars. Add egg, vanilla, salt, baking soda and milk and mix until combined. Slowly add flour until dough comes together. Press the cookie dough in a 9 x 13 pan, sprayed with Pam. Unwrap all the bars and press them in even rows on the top of the dough.
Bake for 22 -24 minutes at 350F until a golden brown. Let cool before slicing. YUM!

Sunday, 10 November 2013

From the Heart Stamps Sketch Challenge

This week I wanted to make sure that I accomplished a card challenge. I selected the Sketch 041 this week by From the Heart stamps. It looked like a good one and I pulled out my long neglected House Mouse stamps for this one.
Here's the sketch....
And here's my take on it....
It's a little over-exposed.It's actually a very vibrant, cheery red. At least you get the idea. I glossed the light and added a few sparkles. The paper is Doodlebug Christmas, always cheerful and festive to get one in the holiday spirit.

Monday, 4 November 2013

13 in 13 October Update

Where is the year going? It's flying by and I'm not keeping up with my targets but I'm having fun and accomplishing other things.
So how did I do? I managed to use the Cricut this weekend to do some lettering on a layout. I think? I signed up for Pinterest, more on that later. I missed my monthly From the Heart Challenge but I am working on a few cards. I completed 12 cards for a Card Swap, all of the same design but I haven't mailed a single one.
There are leaves to rake and dogs to walk and houses to clean. Sigh! But that's life.

On another note, here are two of Lindor's boys, one from the E litter and one from the K litter. Both working towards making life a little easier for their human companions.

                             Beautiful Elvis has become a Skilled Companion Service  Dog for PTSD.
Here Koby is learning to "visit" and work on other skills to also become a Skilled Companion Service Dog. They are beautiful and intelligent animals. Love the LABS!


Tuesday, 29 October 2013

Happy Hallowe'en from the doggies

I'm one of those statistics of people who spend a fortune dressing their pets up for Hallowe'en. We don't even actually go out and trick or treat but sometimes Lindor comes to work with me to show off her outfit.
This year she couldn't decide if she wanted to BE the horse or RIDE the horse. She looks adorable either way.
COWGIRL
 SECRETARIAT
 
Maya tried on the costumes as well but they always look too small on her long body and she was saying NO WAY to the cowgirl hat!
 
 



Saturday, 26 October 2013

Doodlebug Pixie Sticks

When I saw these at my local Scrapbook store, I had to have them even though I probably could have made my own or better yet picked them up at the Dollar store at a much reduced price. But Doodlebug had such a sweet, Fall line of papers and embellishments, I had to pick up the works!
The boys assembled them and decorated cupcakes for Thanksgiving dinner. I think they looked really sweet on the cupcake tree.....





Thursday, 24 October 2013

Jumbo Bakery Style Peanut Butter Cookies

I tried another new recipe and this one was FANTASTIC! I think the secret was, of course, the jumbo nature of the cookie, in addition to the Reese's Peanut Butter chips. I made very large cookies. I think about 16 or so.... I have already had a couple requests for the recipe as I gave out a few samples so here it is...


Jumbo Bakery Style Peanut Butter Cookies
1/2 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup peanut butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
1 package Reese's Peanut Butter chips

Cream butters and both sugars. Add egg, milk, vanilla, baking soda and salt and mix until combined. Slowly add flour and mix until dough just comes together. Add Peanut Butter chips.
Chill your dough at least 4 hours or overnight.
Scoop 1/4 cups of chilled dough onto cookie sheet. Bake 11-14 minutes until bottoms start to brown at 350F. Cool and remove from cookie sheets. Enjoy!

Tuesday, 15 October 2013

13 in 13 Sept Update

I thought it would be interesting to show how my urn arrangement has progressed over the season and also need something to flesh out my rather thin accomplishment of goals this month.
Here's the basket in May....

And here it is now, mid-October....

 
We could feed a third World country if all our crops grew like the potato vine.
So my list is a little short this month. September was very busy with back to work and some entertaining and life in general. I'm not reading at all but I managed to put a password on my Ipad and downloaded Solitaire. Baby steps!
 
I tried a couple new recipes. The Pumpkin Snickerdoodles were great and so were the Cranberry/orange shortbreads.
I participated in the Bazzill cardswap so I did make a few cards but haven't sent too many lately.
I'm working on my THIRD afghan so that one that I have managed to go above and beyond.
Still a couple months to go. I'd better go pull out that Cricut and start using it!