Recipe: Orange Dreamsicle Cookies
Our family enjoys baking special goodies for family, friends and neighbors. The Orange Dreamsicle Cookies are from The Ultimate Cookie Kit by Scholastic. It is a great cookbook for kids and comes with a rolling pin, wooden spoon, measuring spoons, cookie cutters, frosting bag, and tips. If you like orange creamsicles you’ll enjoy these cookies.
Orange Dreamsicle Cookies
- 1/2 cup Orange Flavored Powdered Drink Mix
- 3/4 cup White Sugar
- 1 1/2 cups Vanilla Baking Chips
- 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 cup Butter
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the butter, egg, and vanilla. Pour into the dry ingredients and blend completely.
3. Roll heaping tablespoons into balls. Place 2 inches a part on a lightly greased cookie sheet.
4. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until tops are very lightly browned. Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Makes about 24 cookies.
Save A Lot | Rite Aid: Deals for the week of December 22-28, 2010
Here are this weeks deals at Save A Lot | Rite Aid stores.
Meats and Seafood
Boneless Chuck Roast – $3.49 per pound
Pork Chops – $1.99 per pound
2 lb bag Frozen Cooked Shrimp – $9.99
Oscar Mayer Fully Cooked Bacon – $2.49
Shaner’s Hot & Spicy Chicken Wings – $4.99
Fridge and Freezer
Home Churned Spread (3 lb) – $1.69
Morning Delight Crescent Rolls – $1.49
Snack-A-Tizers – $1.99
Banquet Pies – $0.50
Bright & Early Apple Juice – $1.29
Household
Charmin Basic Bath Tissue – $2.99
Use $1/1 coupon 11/28 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 12/31/10)
$1.99 each after couponDuracell Coppertop Batteries (AA or AAA 20 Pack or 9 Volt 4 Pack) – $8.99
$1 UP Rewards
Use $1.50/1 coupon from 11/14 Red Plum (Expires 12/31/10)
Use $1.50/1 coupon from 12/12 Red Plum (Expires 1/31/11)
6.49 each after coupon and UP RewardsProduce
Mini Carrots (1 lb) – $0.79
Grocery
Pepsi & Pepsi Products (12 Packs)* – $2.50
*You must buy 4 to get this priceGinger Evans All Purpose or Self Rising Flour (5 lb) – $1.50
J. Higgs Pretzels – $0.88
Senora Verde Salsa – $1.50
Shelby’s Grove Apple Sauce – $0.99
Westcott Canola 0r Corn Oil – $2.49
Morning Delight Pancake & Waffle Mix – $1.00
Morning Delight Syrup – $1.00
Red Gold Ketchup – $1.00
Del Pino’s Mini O’s, Mini O’s with Meatballs, Ravioli, Spaghetti with Meatballs, or Macaroni & Beef – $0.69
Enhance Coffee Creamer – $1.49
Maruchan Ramen Cup – $0.33
Hargis House Beef Stew – $1.69
McDaniel’s Ground Coffee – $4.99
Wylwood Canned Beans – $0.65
Health & Beauty
Vicks (NyQuil, DayQuil, Liquicaps, or Children’s) – $5.00
$2 UP Rewards
Use $1.50/1 coupon from 11/28 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 12/31/10)
As low as $1.50 each after UP RewardsPantene Shampoo, Conditioner, or Stylers – $3.00
$1 UP Rewards when you buy 2
Use B1G1 coupon from 11/28 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 12/31/10)
Use $1/2 coupon from 11/28 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 12/31/10)
As low as $1.00 each after coupon and UP RewardsPrilosec (42 count) – $24.99
$6 UP Rewards
Use $3/1 coupon from 11/28 Proctor & Gamble (Expires 12/31/10)
$15.99 each after coupon and UP RewardsFixodent, Glide Dental Floss, or Scope – $3.49
Efferdent – $1.99
Colgate Total Advanced Toothpaste or Colgate 360 Manual Toothbrush – $2.29
Use $0.75/1 coupon from 12/5 Smart Source (Expires 12/25/10)
$1.54 each after couponCold-Eeze – $3.99
$1 UP Rewards
$2.99 each after UP RewardsBaby Items
Beech Nut Baby Food – $0.50
Use $2/16 coupon from 6/27 Smart Source (Expires 12/31/10)
$0.38 each after couponPampers Jumbo Pack Diapers – $8.99
$1 UP Rewards
Use $1/1 coupon from 11/28 Protector & Gamble (Expires 12/31/10)
$6.99 each after coupon and UP RewardsPet
Special Blend Canned Dog Food – $0.49
Enroll in the free Rite Aid Wellness Rewards Program and earn up to 20% off drugstore purchases as well as UP Rewards. Remember to use any UP Rewards you currently have to get additional savings on your purchase.
For more information about Save A Lot | Rite Aid’s coupon policies go here.
If you discovery another coupon for additional savings let me know and I will add it.
Save A Lot: Deals for the week of December 22-28, 2010
Here are this weeks deals at Save A Lot. The ad is continued from last week with a couple additional coupons to sweeten the deals. Sign up for the Smart Shopper Club, by doing so you will get a $5.00 off of $25.00 coupon!
Meats and Seafood
Hillshire Farm Lit’l Smokies – $2.59
Use $1/1 Hillshire Farm Cocktail Links & (1) Crescent Rolls Booklet (Expires 12/31/10)
Use $1/2 coupon from 12/5 Red Plum (Expires 1/22/11)
Use $0.75/2 printable coupon from Red Plum
As low as $2.09 each with couponAssorted Pork Chops – $1.99 per lb
Pork Loinback Ribs – $2.99 per lb
Pork Spare Ribs – $1.69
Sugardale Sliced Bacon – $1.99
Frozen Cooked Shrimp – $9.99
Pick 5 for $19.99 promo on going: Pick any 5 specially marked packages of your favorite cuts of fresh, frozen or smoked meats and pay just $19.99 (about $2 per pound).
Fridge and Freezer
Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese – $0.89
Use $0.55/1 coupon from Kraft Food & Family (Expires 12/31/10)
Use $1/3 coupon from Holiday Cravings Kraft Foods Booklet (Expires 1/2/11)
Use $1/2 coupon peelie (Expires 3/31/11)
Use tearpad coupon FREE Philadelphia Cream Cheese WYB Kraft Grated Parmesan (Expires 1/31/11)
Use $1/2 printable coupon from Kraft
As low as $0.34 each after coupon.Bright & Early Breakfast Drink – $0.79
Kraft Chunk Cheese (10 oz) – $1.79
Use $1/2 printable coupon from Kraft
$1.29 each after couponCreamy Whip Whipped Topping – $0.99
Household
Wrightware Foam Plates – $0.99
Axis Liquid Bleach – $0.99
Produce
Mini Carrots – $0.79
Grocery
Ritz Crackers – $1.79
Use $1.50/1 printable coupon from Kraft
Use $1/2 printable coupon from Kraft
Use $1/2 coupon from Kraft tear pad in stores (Expires 12/31/10)
As low as $0.29 each after couponLibby’s Pineapple – $0.99
Maruchan Ramen Cups – $0.33
Baymist Cranberry Juice Cocktail – $1.99
Enhance Coffee Creamer – $1.49
Ginger Evans Graham Cracker Crust – $1.29
O’ Day’s Mac & Cheese – $0.33
Senora Verde Tortilla Chips – $0.99
Ginger Evans Frosting – $1.25
Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix – $0.39
Ginger Evans Cake Mix – $0.89
Shelby’s Grove Applesauce – $0.99
Portmann’s Cocktail Sauce – $1.29
Theodoro Plain or Cinnamon Raisin Bagels – $1.39
Senora Verde Dice Tomatoes with Green Chiles – $0.63
Remember you can use the $5/$25 printable coupon to sweeten these deals! Plus you can earn up to 5 additional $5 off $25 coupons for sharing the coupon with your friends.
For more information about Save A Lot’s coupon policies go here. If you find additional deals or savings please let me know and I will add them to the list.
Gift Giving: Delivering Christmas Goodies to Neighbors
Brina & Karlie Delivering Christmas Gifts to our Neighbors We had a blast on our Christmas Baking day last weekend but I think the biggest joy came when we delivered the goodies to our neighbors. Once the girls realized that we were not giving every morsel of the baking goodies away they were excited to share. I think they were worried that we did all the baking and they wouldn’t be able to taste any of it. Although, they definitely got their share of sampling the day of the event.
Sunday afternoon we put the baked items into gift bags, added a photo mug of the girls full of candy, put in a Christmas Card with the traditional annual picture we give to the neighbors, and tied the packages with ribbons to deliver. The girls got bundled up in their coats and mittens to help me deliver the goodies. We have 6 neighbors on our street. Most of our neighbors are retired couples that enjoy seeing the girls and getting their annual card with a picture. I found out the hard way the one year how much the yearly pictures meant to our neighbors when we didn’t give out Christmas pictures and one of our neighbors showed me her refrigerator with pictures of the girls from every Christmas. Oops!
Karlie carrying the next gift! 
Brina rang the doorbell! It was cold and windy day delivering the goodies but our street is pretty small and we were so excited about handing out the presents to those on our street. Only 3 of the 6 neighbors were home or answering their doors on a Sunday afternoon. We headed back out on Monday to hand deliver the rest of the goodies, but it wasn’t until later in the week we were able to successful hand deliver all our treats to the neighbors.
The amazing blessing came when we delivered the presents. Seeing the smiles, joy and gratefulness on the faces of our neighbors made it worth all the time and energy it took to put together the packages. It is a wonderful blessing being able to share with others. Not to mention it opens doors into the lives and hearts of those on the street near you. We look forward to more opportunities to share with our neighbors.
Recipe: Oreo Truffles
I picked up all the ingredients to make this on our Christmas Baking day, however, I didn’t have enough time to make it on Saturday. Since I had all the ingredients made this for another Holiday event. I picked up this recipe by Kraft at the grocery store and it is delicious!Oreo Truffles
- 1 package (8 ounces) Cream Cheese, softened
- 1 package (approximately 1 pound) Oreo Cookies (or other chocolate sandwich cookie), finely crushed (about 4 1/4 cups)
- 2 – 8 ounce packages (8 squares each) Baker’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted (you can use 1 Semi-Sweet and 1 White Chocolate if you prefer more variety)
1. Mix cream cheese and 3 cups of cookie crumbs until well blended.
2. Shape into 48 (1 inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.
3. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
Photo courtesy of Kraft.
Family Recipe: Chocolate Crackle Top Cookies
I remember Mom making these cookies as a kid. There are many variations to the Chocolate Crackle Top cookies but below is my Mom’s recipe. I was hoping to make these during our Christmas Baking day to share with our neighbors, I am making them for another Holidays event with with family and friends.Chocolate Crackle Top Cookies
- 7 ounces Bittersweet or Unsweetened Chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- 7 tablespoons Unsalted Butter
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 3 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1/4 cup Cocoa Powder
- Pinch of Salt
- 1 1/2 cups Confectioners’ Sugar, for coating
1. Grease a large baking sheets. In a saucepan melt chocolate and butter over low heat until smooth, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in sugar until dissolved. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
2. Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Gradually stir into the chocolate mixture in batches to make a soft dough. Cover dough in the plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour, until the dough is firm enough to hold its shape.
3. Preheat oven to 325° F. Place the confectioners’ sugar in a bowl. Form the dough into a small balls.
4. Drop the balls, one at a time into the confectioners’ sugar and roll until well coated. Remove each ball with a slotted spoon and tap the spoon against the bowl to remove extra sugar. Place the balls on the baking sheets about 1 1/2 apart.
5. Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes or until the top of each feels slightly firm when touched. Let set for 2 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks and allow them to cool completely.
Makes about 20 cookies. I am looking forward to making these for the Holidays. Hope the girls enjoy them as much as I did when I was a kid.
Picture compliments of Allrecipes
Christmas Song: “Joy to the World – A Christmas Prayer” by Nicholas Jonas
During the Holidays sometimes it is good to reminded of the blessings we have in our life. The focus with all the parties and gifts can easily distract us from opportunities to share with people around us. Think of some ways you can make an impact on the lives of others during this Holiday Season.
Family Recipe: Simple Potluck Corn
My husband had to make a side dish for a work event. The main course was BBQ so we wanted to come up with something that would compliment the main dish. The challenge was it couldn’t be something that required refrigeration or heating up right before the meal but had to make it four to five hours so they could eat it at lunch. Several years ago my Mom shared a recipe for corn that cooked in a crockpot it was simple, easy and delicious. Since Jake has a plug at his desk at work, I put together the corn recipe, stuck it in the crockpot and sent it with him to work. He stirred it a few times throughout the morning and it was ready just in time for the potluck lunch.Potluck Corn Recipe
- 32 ounces Frozen Corn
- 8 ounces Cream Cheese
- 1/2 stick Butter
- 2 tablespoons Sugar
- 6 tablespoons Water
- Salt
Cook on low in the crockpot for 4 hours.
The Potluck Corn recipe was a hit. Even though the crockpot went to work completely full it came home empty. Glad it was enjoyed by the Jake’s co-workers. It is always a joy to share with others.
Book: “Cooking for Kids, Kids’ Party Food”
My Mom gave me this book for Christmas 2005 Favorite Brand Name: Cooking for Kids, Kids’ Party Food. The girls were still small then but it has been a great book that all of us have enjoyed over the past few years. We love looking through it and have tried many of the recipes; several have become family favorites. It has creative recipes that the girls love helping me with and some they can do almost on their own with a little adult supervision. Once they start reading it will be even easier for them. There are are pictures along with creative ideas for cooking and parties. If you are looking for a great gift for a young child or Mom and they like to cook this may be an awesome book for them.
Recipe: Cheerios Christmas Trees
We made these little Christmas Trees on our Christmas Baking Day. These were super fun but a little more difficult than I first anticipated. The trees were a little hard to make into the correct shapes and it took a little extra time to decorate. I had to keep reforming the trees but they did end up pretty neat once we figured out what we were suppose to do. I don’t think they looked as amazing as the ones from Betty Crocker but they looked cute and the kids thought they tasted great.Cheerios Christmas Trees
- 6 cups Honey Nut Cheerios Cereal
- 6 tablespoons Butter or Margarine
- 4 1/2 cups Miniature Marshmallows
- Green Food coloring
- Red Cinnamon Candies, Decorative Pearls, Sprinkles, Icing, and String Licorice
1. Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. (May want to lightly grease because our stuck a little when pulling them off)
2. Pour the cereal into a 4 quart bowl. Set the bowl aside,
3. Place the butter and marshmallows in a 3 quart saucepan (I used the microwave instead). Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is smooth. Remove the saucepan from the heat.
4. Stir in the food coloring until mixture is evenly colored. Pour the marshmallow mixture over the cereal and stir until the cereal is evenly coated.
5. Lightly spray your hands with cooking spray. For each tree, shape about 1/4 cup of the cereal mixture into a Christmas tree shape on the cookie sheet.
6. Press the candies into the trees to decorate. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store the trees in a a loosely covered container.
Makes about 18 trees. I did the whole box of cereal which was about 1 1/2 of the recipe. Our recipe made about 25 trees. Thankfully I had someone around to keep spraying my hands with spray because it was really sticky and I had to keep reforming the trees. They ended up looking pretty cute and seemed to be holding up okay but would probably be better if you ate it the same day. The Honey Nut Cheerios flavor really comes out in this recipe so if you like the cereal you’ll probably enjoy this too. You could do with any flavor of Cheerios, I think next time we’ll try the Multi-Grain Cheerios for different flavor and color. It was fun to do something a little more unique!
