Chocolate-Covered Katie Cookies

Chocolate-Covered Katie's Double Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies are the best cookies I have ever had. Seriously. I am posting the recipe and some helpful tips so you can enjoy some, too. Mine didn't turn out very photogenic since I used dark cocoa powder. It makes for chocolatey goodness, but my desserts look like dirt!

One thing I love about this recipe is how flexible it is. You can substitute based on your personal preferences, dietary needs, or the contents of your pantry. I used whole wheat flour, dark cocoa powder, regular sugar, and coconut oil. I thought the milk was definitely needed, and the next time I bake these I am going to try adding an egg white so the dough binds a little better. Although, no egg means you can eat as much raw cookie dough as you want...

It is a very crumbly dough, so you need to be patient while shaping your cookies. I had 21 two-bite cookies in one batch. They were super decadent, so I think the small size worked well. My brownie cookies were a little delicate for the first day or so. Not quite crumbly, but the lack of liquids in the batter left them fragile. However, these tasty treats have improved with age. The coconut oil has kept the cookies from drying out and made them even more moist and sturdy. If you plan on sharing these cookies with other people, you should double the recipe and hide some for yourself. These will go fast! Feel free to leave a comment if you have any questions about making these at home. Successful substitutions are appreciated as well. Happy baking!

Sarah

Crocheted Headband

Here is one of my homemade Christmas presents! This crocheted headband is simple enough for beginners (me) to make and can be altered for different stitches or yarns. I chose to half double crochet in a bright teal color that is a Simply Soft Caron yarn. I have been drooling over their yarns for weeks, and this project finally gave me an excuse to buy a skein. Plus, I still have tons of leftover yarn to use for future projects. 

I decided that 5 stitches across was the width I wanted for my accessory. I made almost enough rows to complete the headband and then I cut a small piece of elastic and tied it to both ends of the band. I used hot glue to lay the ends flat. The flower was made from a package of felt pieces and a button. This was a free style project, but if you would like more specific measurements or details, please let me know!

*I think smaller elastic would have worked just as well, but I wanted to make sure this was extra secure. Also, no one will see those two inches that are not as attractive.

Tri-Bead Candy Cane Ornaments

These festive candy canes add instant cheer to your holiday decor and couldn't be easier to make!

You will need:
-red, white, and green tri-beads (look for these in the kid's crafting section)
-red, white, or green pipe cleaners
-scissors

Directions:
1. Select your pipe cleaner and fold the tip of one end upwards so your beads don't fall off. Tweezers make this job even easier and allow you to leave the smallest amount of pipe cleaner exposed.
2. Start stringing beads onto the pipe cleaner. I thought alternating red and white or green and white looked the best, but feel free to play around with other combinations and colors.
3. When you have about 4 inches left without beads, gently bend the pipe cleaner to create your candy cane shape. This will help you determine how many more beads you want to add.
4. When you feel like you have the right amount of beads, snip off the unused end of your pipe cleaner. Save about half and inch to fold over and secure your project.

Greek Yogurt Spinach Dip

This week I decided to make spinach dip for book club, so I took to the Internet in search of the perfect recipe. This proved to be a bit difficult. The recipes I found were either too involved or unhealthy. If I am making a snack with spinach, I would like to assume it's fairly healthy so I can munch away guilt-free. I decided to go out on a limb and make last minute deletions and a mayonnaise substitution before the meeting, and it was a hit! I don't think this easy appetizer was missing any flavor.

Simple Spinach Dip:

1 package Knorr vegetable recipe mix
10 oz frozen spinach- cooked, cooled, and drained
16 oz container of fat free, plain Greek yogurt (Chobani is loaded with protein)
8 oz light sour cream

Directions:

Microwave frozen spinach and let cool. Once cooled, squeeze out as much of the extra liquid as possible. Then stir together the vegetable mix, Greek yogurt, sour cream, and spinach. Serve with pretzels, pita triangles, or veggies.

Thanksgiving Take Two

Work kept my husband and I up North for Thanksgiving this year, and we spent our very first holiday away from home. At first we were pretty bummed, but a friend from school invited us over to his family dinner. So on Turkey Day we went to his place for a delicious meal and some excellent travel-themed conversation. The grandparents are taking a cruise to Antarctica! We both had a great time, but a disappointing realization set in the next day... There were no leftovers. One of the most exciting things about Thanksgiving is wandering into the kitchen for the next few days and having an abundance of starchy leftovers to choose from. We decided this gross oversight on our part had to be corrected.

The solution is a mid-week Thanksgiving dinner in December. We will be having barbeque pulled pork (because turkey is overrated and I miss bbq), macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, salad with oil and vinegar, rolls, and pumpkin fluff to top off the evening. Now since this is the middle of the week and I have a small kitchen, I will not be trying any complicated recipes. I will be keeping it simple so my husband and I can enjoy our comfort foods with minimal stress.

Sarah

The recipe for Green Bean Casserole on the back of the French's onion container is easy to make and tastes great. It is my husband's favorite. I'm not sure why we only make it once a year!