M and M Cookies

I searched high and low for a good M&M recipe. I like this one because there is a little crunch, but also a lot of chew. Hubby enjoys dipping them in his hot tea :)

M&M Cookies

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening (I did 1/2 cup shortening and 1/2 cup softened butter)
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups M&M's

In a large bowl, mix sugar, eggs, shortening, and vanilla thoroughly. Add flour, salt, and baking soad to creamed mixture. Blend well. Add 3/4 cup of M&M candies.

Drop dough by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet. Slightly push a few candies on top of each dough ball with remaining candies (optional) or just add them all into the batter.

Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 9 to 11 mins, to your liking.


ENJOY!!!

Delicious Gobs

Growing up in South Central Pennsylvania...well, sorta....western too (insert proud smile) was quite quiet and fairly peaceful, and good recipes were easy to come by! My family, both sides, knew how to cook and bake!

With all the great food, there is one thing that will always remember and cherish from my childhood and adulthood. They are called Gobs (click on here). They were orginated by the Pennsylvania Dutch. Most people know them as whoopie pies, but believe me they are NOT the same. Whoopie Pies are made with marshmallow creme and Gobs are made with a yummy icing. The moister the Gob the better.

I have had several recipes over the years and it is just a matter of opinion of what you like best.

I have found that my hubby's Grandmother had found one of the best recipes. I will post it below. They are DELICIOUS and moist.

My grandfather also has a delicious recipe for them as well....I will have to track that one down or my mom will have to post it cuz I know she has it to share.

GOBS

Cookie:

2 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 egg and 1 egg yolk (cream) save the egg white

1 cup sour milk

1 tsp of baking soda in 1 cup boiling water

Mix together and add dry ingredients:

4 cups flour

2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 Cup cocoa

Mix together and drop by the teaspoons (like cookies) on a baking sheet. I used parchment paper to keep them from sticking. Bake them for about 8-10 mins or until your liking at 375 degrees F. Becareful to not overbake them.

As they are baking, make filling.

Filling:

1. Beat 1 egg white with pinch of salt

2. Add to 1 cup sugar, 3/4 cup canned condensed milk, 1 cup shortening, and 2 tsp. vanilla.

3. Beat until smooth

4. Spread filling between the cookies.

5. Then wrap them individually with plastic wrap.

They freeze wonderfully!!

I hope you enjoy these! They are delightful!

Have you ever had one?? What did you think??

Christmas Creations

On Saturday night my friend Mary came over so we could work on DIY Christmas creations.

Sidenote: Awhile back my Mom came down to visit me and she brought a project for us to make. After posting our project on my Everyday Life with a Smile blog, many of my friends wanted the directions to make one. So, I passed it along and people fell in love with its simplicity and class. Because of all the people Mary needed to show her appreciation for this holiday season, she decided to make lots of these with different words/phrases on them. She worked on the fabulous wrapped blocks as seen here......

And I worked on some glass containers (purchased at Michaels craft store for $3.99 a piece for the circular and $4.99 for the square). I decorated them with patterned and plain cardstock, CTMH stamp (All Decked Out), a $1.00 stamp from Michaels, Creative Memory punches, and other doo dads :) I am filling each of the glass containers with Gobs (recipe will be posted at a later date), candy buckeyes (my mom posted below this one), and/or M&M cookies for people my husband works with, Noah's bus driver, and the Postman (I heart him). I hope they love them as much as I do!

Candy Buckeyes

Cream together the following:

1 - 18 oz jar of peanut butter
1 stick of butter
1 T vanilla

Blend in 1 lb of powered sugar. Mix well and form into balls the size of a buckeye.

Mix in saucepan on very low heat the following:

1 - 12 oz pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 rectangle of paroffin wax (you can buy this at the grocery store and it's perfectly fine to eat)

Dip the balls into chocolate mix to coat leaving a small space amount uncovered. I use a toothpick to dip them and cover the small hole in the top when finished.
To make dipping easier, put the balls in the freezer for 20 min. before dipping.

About Buckeyes
The Buckeye – You may have had one these chocolate-lover's treat, but have you ever wondered where it got its name? This unique snack has a history just as rich as its flavor.
Candy buckeyes are named after the shiny, dark nuts of the Buckeye Tree – the official state tree for Ohio. The state's original settlers found it to be an unfamiliar tree in the forest, and adopted it as a symbol of Ohio heritage. These pioneers carved the soft buckeye wood into troughs, platters and even cradles. Today, buckeye trees are prominent in the Ohio River Valley, and are known for being resilient and hearty.
The nuts of the tree, which are actually mildly toxic, were given their name because of their resemblance to the eyes of white-tailed deer. Folk wisdom says that carrying a buckeye nut in your pocket brings good luck (but you might not want to try that with the candy variety).

From Your Mother