Grocery Cart Challenger Recipe Swap

It's been quite awhile since I've participated in the recipe the recipe swap, so I felt I should dive right back in with something totally unhealthy that tastes amazing.  :-)  And Easter is coming up so perhaps you want a new recipe to take to your family/church gathering.  I have taken these cookies to Singles events, 4-H bake sales and to a church event.  Believe me when I tell you they were VERY well received.  :-)

If you'd like to see more recipes, or participate in the challenge, please go to Gayle's blog HERE:

I actually found this recipe on Pinterest thanks to my friend, Sunny.  :-)   (Side note:  Are y'all addicted to Pinterest yet?  HOLY MOLY there's so much there)   :-)   One of these years I'll make all of the recipes I've "pinned" to my board.  LOL.. :-)

Of course,  I  put my own twist on this recipe, and that is the one I'll be posting here.  I have noted where I made a change to the original.  I like to give credit where credit is due, so if you'd like to see the original recipe you may go HERE:

Nutella Chocolate Chip, Toffee Cookies 

 Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla ( my change)
1/4 cup Nutella
1-1/2 bags chocolate chips ( my change)

1/2 bag of Toffee bits (My change)

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and prep baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, the sugar and the brown sugar. Add the eggs and the vanilla until combined.

4. Gradually add the flour until the mixture is combined.

5. Then mix Nutella. Finally add in the chocolate chips and Toffee Bits.

6. Use cookie scoop and drop on baking sheets and bake for 9-11 minutes.

Oh. My. Goodness!!!  If you think these sound sinful, you'd be right. Remember, moderation is the key.  And it will be hard to put into practice.  :-)    I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Love,

Wendy Darling

Baking, Books, Business and Birthdays

 Mercy, it has been awhile since I've posted.  Well, for those who were waiting with baited breath, no we did not win the camera mentioned in the post below.  I know that relieves your mind.  :-)

 My business is doing pretty well, and if I may say it again, "I LOVE YOUNG LIVING OILS!!" That is all. ;-)

 Also, I have taken a part time/part time job.  I say part time twice because technically the hours don't even qualify as part time and of course there are no benefits.  However, I LOVE my job and the money is paying off some bills.  So, I thank God for it.   The best part is it's only 3 hours a day which still means I can homeschool Little Mark and tutor Angel.   

My job is really "on the job training."  I am an administrative assistant at the local Christian radio station.   I get the mail; keep the books; write the newsletter; answer the phones make the bank deposit; do the faxing (is that a real word?); vacuum, clean the bathrooms; record sound bites when asked.... you get the picture.  ;-) And, this job was a Godsend because I pretty much had no experience in the accounting department for this job.  But my boss?  She is AWESOME!!  And is teaching me all I need to know and more.  :-)

The family and I got away for a night this last weekend.  We went to a book signing by Joann Fluke.  If you never read any of the Hannah Swenson Mysteries you should check it out.  :-) Mrs. Fluke is very funny and the character of Hannah is a baker :-)   She's also a plus size beauty who has the two most eligible bachelors in town wanting to marry her.  ;-)  Our family loves the books, including Little Mark, such it was a treat to get away and meet Mrs. Fluke personally.

Little Mark turns 16 this summer.  I still can't believe it.  We began planning his party back in November.  He wants a murder mystery dinner for the party, so we have purchased the '57 Class Reunion game. 

 

 

It is written especially  for teenagers and youth groups, so it's one of the "clean" versions.  :-)

I have already begun purchasing things for the party and begun to make out the menu.  Little Mark's uncle has agreed to be the "soda jerk" and take care of the food.  We all have our "roles to play"; mine being the hired party planner/hostess.  So, I take all of the pictures and help keep the game moving.

It really seems like it will be fun.  The only thing Little Mark has seen are the invitations, so he doesn't accidentally see the clues/murderer.  He will be playing one of the detectives, so he needs to know just as much as the other guests at the beginning of the game.  Which is pretty much nothing.  :-)

If you can't tell, we are pretty psyched about the party.  :-)

I plan to make the birthday cake look like a 45 record.  We will have burgers and shakes as well as "party food" for during the game.  And, we are building a cardboard jukebox.  It will fit over a speaker with an iPod hooked up to it that will be playing "Golden Oldies", so it sounds like it's coming from the jukebox.

I have to tell you about one of "goals" for a party favor.  I say "goals" because it depends on if I can pull it off financially.  I'll need 10 -12 of them.  BUT, since I'm the photographer I plan to take photos and then the day after the party have "yearbooks" made from those digital scrapbooks you can do at Wal Mart or somewhere.  Just the inexpensive ones, but nice.   Then, have them mailed to each of the guests along with a thank you note from Little Mark.  Just a little something extra from the party.  It's something I would like if I attended a party like that.  :-)

This has also been a very busy year for 4-H.  Little Mark has done well.  His next competition is THIS WEEK.  YIKES!! He's still working on his presentation.  He's doing a power point about Gluten Free Living.  I think it's just unique enough to get him to state if he pulls it off right.  :-)

Well, that should be enough to catch  you up and relieve my guilt from not posting lately.  :-)

Love,

Wendy Darling