ABC Muffins to share with My Friends and a Book Review #MuffinMonday

 A is for Avocado.  B is for Banana.  C is for Chocolate Chips.  D is for Delightfully Delicious.

It's time for Muffin Monday with a Bonus Book Review......

Chocolate Chip Pie #SundayFunday

Delectable, Chocolate Chip Cookie in a flaky pastry crust.  I topped mine with ice cream and a drizzle of dark chocolate.  A perfect ending to a Holiday Dinner.

The Sunday Funday Bloggers are turning on the ovens for Christmas Bakes today......

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips #ChristmasSweetsWeek

Tender, moist, pumpkin bread studded with chocolate chips.  Perfect for breakfast or dessert.  These little mini-breads make perfect gifts for hosts, teachers, and coworkers.

We are getting ready for Christmas gifting and giving.  Today is the first day of Christmas Sweets Week.

Bisquick Cookies to enoy South of the Buttonwood Tree

These cookies come together in a snap using Bisquick baking mix as the base.  In less than 20 minutes you have enough snacks to add to school lunches or serve as after-school treats for the week.

I had never heard of Bisquick Cookies until I read South of the Buttonwood Tree.  A mention of them in this novel had me heading for a Google Search.

Fresh Mint Muffins with Chocolate Chips #MuffinMonday

It is mint season again here on the Farm.  My garden overflows with mint that I spend the rest of the summer trying to find new recipes for and drying for use during the winter.  

These delicious muffins start by steeping fresh mint in milk and butter.  When this mixture cools sufficiently it only takes minutes to turn them into a wonderful breakfast, snack or dessert.

Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies and a Book Review #ChristmasCookies

These scrumptious cookies are going to be a big hit on your Holiday Cookie Tray.  The cranberries add wonderful texture, color and taste to your basic chocolate chip cookie.

Today is the first day of Christmas Cookie Week.......

Devil's Bundt Cake #BundtBakers

 This deep chocolate cake studded with chocolate chips really does taste sinful....perhaps that is why they call it a Devil's Cake.

It's time for the Bundt Bakers.......

Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins #MuffinMonday

Perfect little pop in your mouth treats.  These tender little morsels are chock full of mini chocolate chips but are not overly sweet.  I packaged them up 3 to a snack bag for our dessert table at the Parish Fish Fry.

It's time for Muffin Monday........................

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies #WholeGrainsWeek

These cookies are super delicious and gluten free made with nutritious, whole grain, chickpea flour.  Your kids will never know that you snuck in extra fiber and protein into their lunchbox.  

This is the final day of Whole Grains Week.........

Magical Cookie Bars #SundayFunday

 Did your Mom make Magic Bars when your were a kid?  My Mom used to make them all the time.  These delicious bar cookies start with a graham cracker crust, topped with sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, pecans and coconut.  The end result is Magical.....hence the name.

It's time for Sunday Funday and what is more fun than ooey gooey cookie bars?

Hot Chocolate Cookies with Chocolate Chips #LitHappens #FoodiesRead

These cookies are made with pre-packaged hot chocolate mix and then studded with chocolate chips. The are very rich and decadent.

I was inspired to make these cookies after reading The House with a Clock in It's Walls......

5 Ingredient Almond Butter Mini Bundts #BundtBakers

These adorable little mini bundts take only 5 ingredients and minutes to put together.  Baked up in little cupcake size little bundt pans they are ready to enjoy in less than half an hour and is completely gluten free.

We are serving up cakes that only take 5 ingredients this month over at Bundt Bakers.......

Chocolate Chip Sourdough Muffins #MuffinMonday

These small batch muffins are made using the discard from your sourdough starter.  A delicious way to start the day.

Happy Muffin Monday......

Celebrating #BacktoSchoolTreats with Chocolate Malt Waffles

I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #BacktoSchoolTreats week recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

Wow, it is hard to believe that summer is nearly over and the school year is upon us. Here in Michigan the kids don't return to school until after Labor Day. In other parts of the country they are returning to school next month. There is a wonderful group of bloggers that are sharing #BacktoSchoolTreats all week long.

I am starting off with a wonderful, filling breakfast that your kids are sure to love. Chocolate malt Waffles studded with chocolate chips and sprinkled with powdered sugar. You can sit down and enjoy a family meal or, if your family is like mine, the kids can grab a waffle and eat while being driven to school. Either way, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that their stomachs are full and their brains are ready to soak in all the teachers have to offer.

Welcome to the first day of Back to School Treats Week.......

Egg Free Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins #MuffinMonday

These miniature chocolate muffins chock full of mini chocolate chips are the perfect bite for with your morning coffee.

Happy Muffin Monday everyone.  I'm glad you are here........

Chocolate Mug Cake #ChocolateCakeDay

Did you know that there is a day set aside to celebrate Chocolate Cake?  My friend, Cam of Culinary Adventures with Camilla did and invited us all to bring a chocolate cake to this virtual party.

Now, I'm still detoxing from all the junk food I ate starting at Halloween and going right through the 12 days of Christmas.  I hate missing a party though so I found a great solution.  An individual little cake mixed and baked right in a mug.

This easy peasy recipe comes from Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman.  It gets mixed up and cooked up in the microwave in the same mug.  The entire process from start to finish takes about 15 minutes.

It's so easy that a toddler can pretty much do it themselves. They may need some help with the microwave though.  I love that my toddler can now identify my utensils by size.  I can ask for a Tablespoon and she knows exactly which to grab.

But the toddlers favorite part of the job was scooping some out and holding it so Grammy could take a photo.

Well, not really, her very favorite part was tasting the cake.  She pronounced it "very delicious" and offered me a bite.  I declared it very delicious as well.  I was kind of surprised.  I have never made a cake in the microwave before and wasn't sure it would turn out as wonderfully moist and tasty as it did.

One more bite and then she took the mug, asked for help off the counter and went to find Grampy so he could taste it.  The next time I saw the mug was when it was ready to be washed....such is the life of a Grammy.

Chocolate Mug Cake

slightly adapted from Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman

3 T. flour

3 T. sugar

2 T. cocoa powder

1/4 t. baking powder

pinch of salt

3 T. milk

3 T. olive oil

1/4 t. vanilla

3 T. mini chocolate chips

Place the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt into a 12 oz. mug.  Stir with a fork to blend.  Add the milk, oil and vanilla.  Stir until combined.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Microwave on high for 90 seconds.  Let cool for about 5 minutes before eating.  Print Recipe

More Chocolate Cakes

• Jolene's Recipe Journal: Best Chocolate Cake Ever!
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Chocolate Mug Cake
• Amy's Cooking Adventures: Small Batch Chocolate Cupcakes
• The Redhead Baker: Fudgy Chocolate Bundt Cake
• Cindy's Recipes and Writings: Chocolate Mocha Cream Cake
• Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks: Chocolate Hazelnut Cake
• Culinary Adventures with Camilla: Double Chocolate Cake with Whiskey Ganache
• Palatable Pastime: Flourless Chocolate Cake
• Cooking With Carlee: Chocolate Banana Cupcakes
• Soulfully Made: Chocolate Cake with Whipped Oreo Icing

Grandma Lily's Thumbprints #ChristmasCookies

My children's paternal grandmother, Lily, passed away, much too young, right before Christmas of 1981.  Amy was 7 and Chuck was 5.  It was a heart wrenching experience.  My first experience with  death of someone to whom I was very close. A death that my children and their cousin had to learn to cope with at their young ages.

Lil was not just a second mother to me but a very dear friend.  She was the best grandmother I had ever met. That's saying something because my grandmother and mother were  pretty darn amazing.

I strive to be half of the grandmother that she was to Jennifer, Amy and Chuck.  When those children were at her house, nothing else mattered.  She spent time with them; reading, talking, playing games, going for walks, taking them shopping.  They were never a bother and never a burden.  Her face lit up each time one of those kids walked into a room.

Each Christmas, Lil would make Thumbprint cookies.  They were my kid's dad's favorite cookie and I was soon making them each year as well.  My kid's grew up, their dad and I separated and we began a new chapter of our lives with Frank, Anthony and Nicole.  

I continued to make Thumbprints, Amy's favorite, and Brown Eyed Susans, Chuck's favorite but expanded my repertoire to include Frank's favorite, Mom Klik's Almond Cherry Snowballs and Sugar Cookies for Anthony and Nicki.

When Amy got her own place, she took over the making of the Thumbprints and still makes them each year for her Dad.  

I hadn't made them in years but this season, my mind and heart have been heavy with the losses that always seem so much harder over the holidays.  In two day's I will be remembering my brother, Dan, who died on December 10th, way too soon. He was the same age that I am now.

December 13th is my mother's birthday, she died shortly after Christmas 2015 and my mother in law, Jane, died one month and one day later. This is our second Christmas without them.  The house is no longer filled with my Pop's laughter and my nephew, Danny, has been missed for many years now.

I was feeling pretty darn sorry for myself but then Tuesday came.  

Tuesday's I have my granddaughter.  So I made sure my face lit up when she entered the room and then I took time with her. She helped me make these cookies that hold such fond and happy memories.  I pray that, one day, these memories will help her to get through the rough spots that she will encounter in her life.

Thumbprint Cookies

adapted from Lily Moore

1 c. butter

1/2 t. salt

2 t. vanilla

1 c. brown sugar

3 c. flour

4 T. milk

1 c. miniature chocolate chips

powdered sugar

Glaze:

3/4 c. chocolate chips

1 T. shortening

2 T. light corn syrup

1 T. water

1 t.vanilla

In large bowl of stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter, salt and vanilla.  Mix in the brown sugar and gradually blend in the flour and milk.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips.  

Form into 1" balls and place onto a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  Make an indentation in each ball with your thumb.  

Bake in a preheated 375* oven for 10-12 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack placed over parchment paper and generously sift powdered sugar over them.  Let cool completely.

In a small pan, melt together the chocolate chips and shortening, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat and blend in the corn syrup, water and vanilla.  Place a dollop of this mixture in each indentation on the cookies.  Print Recipe

More Christmas Cookies

• Almond Spice Christmas Wreath Cookies by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Black Forest Brownies by Palatable Pastime
• Chewy M&M Cookies by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Chocolate Orange Blossoms by Family Around the Table
• Chocolate Marshmallow Meltaways by Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Gingerbread Madeleines by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
• Greek Baklava by House of Nash Eats
• Honningkagehjerter by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Lemon Ginger Crinkle Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Lemon Pizzelle Della Sondra by Girl Abroad
• Grandmas Lily’s Thumbprints by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mocha Biscotti by Books n’ Cooks
• No Bake Christmas Tree Cookies by Cooking with Carlee
• No-Bake Eggless Chocolate Salami by All That’s Jas
• Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies by Simple and Savory
• Peppermint Meltaway Cookies by Making Miracles
• Peppermint Sandies by Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids
• Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies by Soulfully Made
• The Old Fashioned Cookie by Making the Most of Naptime
• White Chocolate Oatmeal Raisin Cookies by The Bitter Side of Sweet

Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies #ChristmasCookies

Wow, this week has just flown by. I can't believe it is already Day 4 of Christmas Cookie Week.  Today I am sharing everyone's favorite cookie, The Chocolate Chip.

How do you take a classic cookie and make it suitable for the holidays?  Well, if you're me, you add peppermint and food coloring, creating these Christmasy Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies.

This is simply a chocolate chip cookie in which I substituted peppermint extract for the vanilla extract.  My peppermint extract was provided by our sponsor for this event, Nielsen-Massey.  All opinions are my own.

Nielsen-Massey is also providing one of our lucky readers with a prize package consisting of  2-oz each of Orange, Lemon, Peppermint, Almond, Chocolate, Coffee, Rose Water, and Orange Blossom Water. You can enter to win this wonderful prize package in the rafflecopter that you find at the bottom of this post.

Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies

2 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

1 1/2 sticks butter, room temperature

1/2 c. sugar

1 c. brown sugar, packed

2 eggs

1 t. green food coloring

1 t. peppermint extract

1 1/2 c. semi sweet chocolate chips

In large bowl of stand mixer, fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter, sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in eggs, food coloring and peppermint extract.  Turn speed to low and stir in baking soda and salt.  With speed still on low, gradually add the flour until combined.  Increase the speed and mix well.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Using a cookie scoop, place the dough about 2" apart on baking sheets lined with parchment or silicone mats.  Bake in a preheated 375* oven for 10-12 minutes.  Print Recipe

More Christmas Cookies

• Caramel-Stuffed Snickerdoodles by The Redhead Baker
• Chocolate Cake Mix Christmas M&M Cookies by Family Around the Table
• Chocolate Chip Mint Cookies by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies by Frugal Pantry
• Coffee-Kissed Pizzelle by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Dark Chocolate Dipped Orange Biscotti by Making the Most of Naptime
• Frosted Peppermint Sugar Cookies by My Southern Sweet Tooth
• Gingerdoodles by Making Miracles
• Ginger Chocolate Chip Cookies by Kate’s Recipe Box
• Mexican Chocolate Chip Crinkle Cookies by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice
• Pignoli Cookies by Love and Confections
• Peppermint Macaroons by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Place Setting Sugar Cookies by The Freshman Cook
• Santa’s Chocolate Chip Cookies by Soulfully Made
• Santa’s Thumbprint Cookies by Cindy's Recipes and Writings

Don't forget to enter this great Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies #FilltheCookieJar during #PumpkinWeek

We are still celebrating Pumpkin Week, hosted by Terri of Love and Confections.  This annual event has been so much fun and, sadly, it is almost over.  We will be sharing our final recipes with you today and tomorrow and then put away our love of pumpkin until next week, or at least a day or two.  After all, we still have Thanksgiving coming up and pumpkin is mandatory at Thanksgiving!

I intend to come back and revisit all these wonderful recipes over the next few months. There are so many that I cannot wait to try.

Today, I am joining forces not only with the other Pumpkin Week bloggers but also with a group of friends that share their favorite cookie recipes each month as we Fill the Cookie Jar.  This great group is led by Cynthia of Feeding Big.

We meet up on the first Thursday of each month to Fill the Cookie Jar with cookies that match the theme chosen for the month.  I was happy to see that pumpkin was this months selection.  Life is so good!

This recipe that I am sharing today makes a ton of cookies.  I had enough to take for dessert when invited to a friend's house for dinner, supply cookies at a party for 40 people and still stick 3 dozen in the freezer to be enjoyed later.

They are so delicious.  If you like traditional oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, you are going to love this version with the addition of pumpkin and cinnamon.  They were a huge hit with kids and adults alike.

You will find links to both the Pumpkin Week recipes being shared today and the Fill the Cookie Jar recipes being shared this month following my recipe.  You are in for a treat!!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Allrecipes, submitted by Ken Sherer

1 1/2 c. butter, room temperature

1 1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 t. vanilla

4 c. flour

2 c. rolled oats

2 t. cinnamon

2 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

pinch of salt

1 1/2 c. chocolate chips

Cream butter and sugars in the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Add pumpkin, egg and vanilla, beating until smooth.

Combine the flour, oats, cinnamon, soda, baking powder and salt.  Gradually add to the creamed butter mixture, using the low speed on your stand mixer, until combined.  Add the chocolate chips and fold in with the mixer still on low speed.

Drop onto baking sheets lined with silicone mats or parchment paper using a small cookie scoop.  Bake in a preheated 375* oven for 12-14 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack to cool.  Print Recipe

More Pumpkin Recipes

Here are today's #PumpkinWeek recipes:

Savory Pumpkin Recipes:

Pumpkin Farrotto from Culinary Adventures with Camilla.
Pumpkin Habanero Salsa from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen.
Pumpkin Quesadilla from Making Miracles.

Sweet Pumpkin Recipes:

Cinnamon Pumpkin Muddy Buddies from Love and Confections.
Pumpkin Cheesecake Macaron from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Truffles from The Crumby Kitchen.

Pumpkin Chip Cookies from Palatable Pastime.
Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting from Daily Dish Recipes.
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Danish from It Bakes Me Happy.
Pumpkin Cream Puffs from The Redhead Baker.
Pumpkin Creme Brulee from Kudos Kitchen by Renee.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm.
Pumpkin Struesel Bar from Cookaholic Wife.
Slow Cooker Pumpkin Butter from Mildly Meandering
Spiced Pumpkin Mini Cakes with Mulled Cranberries & Brandy Brown Butter Glaze from Bacon Fatte.

More Cookies to Fill the Cookie Jar

• Pumpkin Chip Cookies from Palatable Pastime  
• Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars with Ginger Snap Crust by That Recipe 
• Pumpkin Pie Tasssies by Cindy's Recipes and Writings 
• Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm 
• Pumpkin Peanut Butter Oat Squares from Join Us, Pull up a Chair 
• Pumpkin Streusel Bars From  Cookaholic Wife