Captain Crunch Peanut Clusters

Well...we just can't go through the holiday season and not share some chocolate treats, now can we?! 

After comparing two recipes recommended by 2 dear friends...

(thanks Betty & Janean!), I decided to 'make my own' recipe according to what I had on hand...and needed to use up. 

Use what you have - how can you go wrong covering anything in chocolate??

This is an easy recipe and it made 2 cookie sheetsful. I used my medium Pampered Chef scoop to drop these - worked like a charm.

CAPTAIN CRUNCH PEANUT CLUSTERS 

2# chocolate almond bark

(I used partial white that I had on hand)

6 ozs. milk or semi sweet chocolate chips

3 Tb. peanut butter

5 c. Captain Crunch cereal

1 c. rice krispies 

(or use 6 c. Capt. Crunch)

2 c. peanuts

Melt chocolates along with peanut butter in the microwave. (follow directions for melting almond bark). Stir until melted and smooth.

Combine cereals and peanuts in a bowl. Pour chocolate over top; stir gently until combined; drop onto waxed paper lined cookie sheets. 

That's it!  Wait til they're cool (if you can) and share with friends

(before you eat them all!) That's what I had to do. 

Linked to Totally Tasty Tuesday Weekend Potluck Foodie Friends Friday Ingredient Spotlight - Chocolate GBP Roundup - Christmas Cookies/Candy   Meal Plan Monday

Salted Caramel Coffee Toffee Cookies

Before I head into a 'normal' week of posts and food, I must take time to recognize the folks of Sandy Hook, CT.  I know all of our hearts are agonizing over this senseless tragedy. Will you join me in praying fervently for the families who have lost their precious babes?

I am thrilled to have an address to send sympathy cards to. I think it helps to be able to do something tangible also. If you'd like to do the same...it's

Sandy Hook Elementary School

12 Dickenson Dr.
PO Box 3700

Sandy Hook, CT 06482

I'm sure the cards will be read by many. I pray that God wraps those families who have lost a loved one, in His strong arms and comforts them like no one else can. 

 Just so you know.... From now until Christmas eve, I will be sharing mostly Christmas goodies. I want to get them out of my drafts so I can concentrate more on healthier eating in the new year.....and I want YOU to enjoy them this favorite time of the year! ;-}

Man!  These are the BEST cookies!

It isn't often I repeat a recipe within several months, but these I make again and again.  They have truly become a favorite!

How awesome is it to have your coffee & cookie wrapped up in one tasty bite??? 

I adapted this just a tad, but found this lovely recipe at A 'lil Country Sugar. Angie named this creation of hers...CARAMEL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (WITH STABUCKS VIA) She's is one of the few bloggers I've ever met with face to face.  We only live about 25 minutes away from each other and have had lunch a few times, so that's fun. 

She was my 'helper' at one of my local cookbook signings also. I always love her tried & true recipes and always enjoy time with her. 

Angie loves using bread flour in cookies and I do think it makes them softer, longer. 

This is what Angie had to say about using bread flour...

"The bread flour makes for a softer cookie. The cookies remain moist and soft, where the all-purpose flour cookie seems to dry out after the first day." 

I have a friend who is stationed overseas....I sent her a batch of these cookies and she described them as...TO.DIE.FOR!

They have caramel syrup in them and Starbucks VIA caramel coffee. 

The first time I was making them, I was sure I had chocolate chunks, but only had toffee, so that's what I used, and that's what I'm stickin' with.  

They are amazing for sure!

A great addition to your holiday cookie trays.  I just LOVE the sea salt sprinkles on top of the cookie.  Makes a very interesting and attractive treat. 

SALTED CARAMEL COFFEE TOFFEE COOKIES 

1 c. butter (2 sticks)

3/4 c. sugar

1 c. packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1-1/2 TBS vanilla extract

1/4 c. caramel syrup (Hershey's original caramel sauce)

3 3/4 c. bread flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 pkg. Starbucks VIA ready-to-brew caramel flavor coffee

(about 1 tsp)

1-1/2 tsp. baking soda

1- 8 ozs. bag Heath Bits 'O Brickle Toffee Bits or 

1 1/2 c. chocolate chunks - Ghirardelli premium baking chips - 60% cacao

Sea Salt

Preheat oven to 350. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars until well combined. Add eggs, vanilla, and caramel sauce & beat until well combined.

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl (flour, salt, Starbucks VIA, baking soda) and whisk together. Add slowly to wet ingredients mixing until everything is combined. Mix in toffee (or chocolate chunks).

Using a large cookie scoop (ice cream scoop will work) place on baking sheets. Press cookies down with your fingers after placing on cookie sheet, or using a fork, press cookie down in a crisscross fashion. Lightly sprinkle with salt before baking (yes, salt). Bake 10 - 12 minutes. Don't overbake.

 Leave the cookies sit on the cookie sheets for a couple minutes after taking them out of the oven. Move to cooling racks.

Don't burn your tongue tasting them right from the oven...I might, or might not have done that myself.  ;-}

Linked to Scrumptious Sunday           Weekend Potluck Ingredient Spotlight - Coffee Meal Plan Monday

Sour Cream Banana Bread & Weekend Potluck #46

SOOO GLAD YOU CAME BY TO JOIN US FOR WEEKEND POTLUCK TODAY! 

AND....

Where I share something worth sharing...again....

This wonderfully moist banana bread quickly becomes a favorite to everyone who tastes it.  It makes several loaves and freezes great too.  Makes an awesome gift to give for the holidays too. 

(click on link below) 

Sour Cream Banana Bread

Now, let's take a quick peek back at last week...

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

Colorful Swirl Cookies by Walking On Sunshine

Recipes that caught our attention ~

Candy Christmas Lights by Kelli’s Retro Kitchen Arts

Basil Garlic Goat Cheese Schmear by Sumptuous Spoonfuls

And, a personal favorite ~

Chicken Bacon Crescents by Julie's Eats and Treats 

Your hostesses ~

• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie
• 4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• Meet Penny ~ Tabitha

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all SIX blogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

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When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!

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Brown Sugar Vanilla/Almond Scrub (Gift Giving)

Have you ever tried making a homemade scrub?  They are great...and terrific to give as gifts.

This one is very tasty too (don't be afraid to taste it as everything in it is edible as well). 

I love the recipes at Kitty's Kozy Kitchen. Just like many of Kitty's other recipes...I HAD to make this soon after printing it! *-*

It works awesome to soften hands, elbows, feet and whatever other rough parts of your body need some 'attention'. 

This recipe makes a couple of small jarsfull.  They are great to keep on hand for the holidays to give as hostess or last minute gifts. 

I included a small shell as a 'scooper'...just for fun.  Any spoon will do as well too. 

BROWN SUGAR VANILLA ALMOND SCRUB 

2 c. brown sugar

1 c. white sugar

1 c. oil*

(I used, as Kitty did, 1/2 c. olive oil and 1/2 c. coconut oil) 
*(I have revised this recipe since making others....I think it's
better using only 3/4 c. oil total) 

1 TB. vanilla extract

1 tsp. almond extract

Mix the sugars together until there are no lumps.  After I measured

the oil, I added the extracts to it, then mixed into the sugars. (A pastry blender worked nicely). Blend until smooth. Place into jars or plastic containers (if you want to be sure of no breakage in the bathroom). 

MMMMM - this smells oh-so good! 

Linked to Weekend Potluck

Best Ever Vanilla (or Spiced) Chai Mix

IT'S STORY TIME....if you have time...

I want to share a couple of stories along with this post. 

             If you're short on time today, just jump down for the recipe....

I am WILD about chai tea!  My daughter first introduced it to me when we lived across the country from each other!  

She had sent me an email one day saying she enjoyed a cup of spiced chai that day.  Soo...a few days later when I went away with a group of ladies for a convention, and we went to lunch...and chai tea was on the menu, 

I JUST HAD TO TRY IT!

(Chai is a creamy, sweet, sometimes spicy Indian tea.) 

I will never forget how we all passed it around at the table...smelling it...everyone tasting it with their spoon...and all the oohs and aahhs...comments like...

"WOW"!..."This smells like Christmas"..."MMMM good!".  

I have shared my love of it with others, who have become 'hooked' also...and told others, who told others...and so the story goes. 

And so....another story to go along with that one...

I have to tell you how I've always felt about people like Christy Jordan of 
Southern Plate .

I just figure that 'famous' folks like her don't need little ole me to follow them...I keep busy enough trying to keep up with all the blogs that I love....folks I can connect to via email and comments, and feel like these are mostly gals who 'live the kind of life I live'...not famous and all. 

I truly love & adore Paula Deen - I've even been honored to see her (on stage) in person and laughed til I thought my face would crack!  I don't cook like her (or atleast not like she USE to before becoming diabetic), but more like her son, who has the show "Not My Mama's Cookin"....healthier dishes. 

But I ADORE her life's story, her humility, her humor..everything!

So, truthfully...I have avoided anything of Christy Jordan's...just cause.

Don't judge me.  

BUT...that all changed when I saw her in an Operation Christmas Child video.  I head up that awesome ministry at our church, and so I got REAL interested when I saw that someone like Christy, cared about packing shoeboxes for poverty-stricken children. 

So when I decided I would go and check out her blog, I went NUTSO to see this wonderful recipe there, and made it within days of printing it. 

CHAI!  THE BEST EVER!? VANILLA CHAI!

She grabbed me by the neck..by the heart...and the taste buds too, and I am SO happy I made this wonderful mix.  I will be giving it as gifts for Christmas. 

IT.IS.FABULOUS!!! 

Christy even got her mama hooked on this, and those southerners rarely EVER drink tea hot...they are cold tea drinkin' folks! 

So...in looking at other chai recipes, I discovered that the recipe Cristy presents as 'vanilla' chai, really is spiced chai - MY FAVORITE!

The difference is just a couple more added spices, which are at the tail end of the list of ingredients, so you can opt to make 'vanilla' or 'spiced'.

Either way - I can promise you - it'll be the BEST EVER! 

(So since I've become SUCH good 'buds' with Cristy, should I tell her what I've discovered about her recipe?)  Just teasin....I wouldn't mess with a woman of HER status!  After all - a few months ago she had 114 comments on this post! 
I.CAN'T.IMAGINE!!!!

Anyway - enough of the gab....
here's a fabulous recipe that will make any recipient jump for joy!!!!!

You can make this 'very low sugar'(there is a little sugar in the nondairy creamer) and decaffinated also. 

This makes an awesome gift...if you can stand to give it up yourself. 
It's a terrific warm up for when it's frosty and chilly outside...or not. 

You might have to buy 2 or maybe 3 ingredients, but you probably have most of it on hand already. 

BEST EVER VANILLA CHAI MIX 

1 c. nonfat dry milk powder

1 c. powdered nondairy creamer

1 c. (sugar free) french vanilla powdered non dairy creamer

2-1/2 c. xylitol, splenda, ideal sweetener or sugar

1-1/2 c. unsweetened (decaf) instant tea

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tsp. ground cloves

1 tsp. cardamom 

(no real substitute for this...it's what makes it chai!)

1/4 tsp. white pepper

(you don't really taste the pepper)

(If you want SPICED chai, add the next  ingredients)

1 tsp. nutmeg 

1 tsp. allspice

Place all ingredients into a food processor or large blender.  Blend until it is a fine powder.  Store in airtight container. 

To make chai, add 2 or 3 Tb. mix to 8 ounces of hot water or milk.

(I like using half water/half milk). 

Yield: about 6 cups of mix. 

Put into jars or you could fill small ziploc bags and place inside a coffee mug to give as a hostess gift. 

                                                                          

Linked to Weekend Potluck