Recipes: Homemade M&M Cookies
Fresh out-of-the-oven Homemade M&M Cookies
There is something comforting about walking into the house and the smell of freshly baked cookies. It is welcoming, not to mention the delicious taste when you sink your teeth into a warm fresh cookie as it melts in your mouth. I remember as a kid when we would get off the school bus sometimes my Mom would be pulling a fresh batch of cookies out of the oven for us to enjoy. No matter how crazy school had been that day you knew you would feel better after Mom’s homemade cookies!
Our kids don’t ride the school bus so they don’t get to experience that “get off the school bus and encounter freshly baked cookies sensation” however, I do try to bring them homemade cookies, send it with them in their lunches, or make them at times when they are home. It is nice to surprise them with a special treat every once in awhile. Sometimes if they are playing outside I will make up a quick batch and the next time they come inside they get to sink their teeth into the hot cookies.
M&M Cookie Recipe:
- 2/3 cup Margarine
- 2/3 cup Butter Flavored Crisco
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon imitation Rum Extract
- 3 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 package Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the margarine, crisco, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, rum and eggs together. Then add the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking soda) and mix. Fold in the M&M’s. Grease the baking sheet. Drop by small spoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes depending on the oven. Serves 3 to 4 dozen.
Another batch ready to go into the oven! The house is smelling good….
Book: “Dining On A Dime” Cookbook by Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper
If you could save $10,000 a year on food without cutting coupons would you be interested? I had the privilege of receiving Tawra Kellam and Jill Cooper’s newest edition, November 2011, of their Dining On A Dime Cookbook Eat Better, Spend Less! The authors packed in more than 1200 great recipes and money saving tips in this cookbook. One of the challenges they gave is to see how much you could save in one year by cutting out just one thing. For example, by reducing the amount of meat you eat each week by 1.5 pounds you could save over $400 a year. They cover a variety of recipes and tips in their book, here are a few:
- How It Adds Up
- Basics of Frugal Cooking
- Beverages
- Breakfast
- Breads
- Soups & Sandwiches
- Vegetables, Beans, Pasta, & Rice
- Salads, Dressings, Pickles, and Dips
- Meats & Main Dishes
- Cakes, Pies, Candy, Cookies, & Desserts
- Mixes, Gift Baskets, & Jars
- Kids
- Cleaning Cents
- Pretty for Pennies
The authors challenge you to take small steps to change your life. Whether you start with planning your meals, organizing your home, or saving money it is the little steps over time that give you results. Their menu planning ideas include recipes you can make for picky eaters or quick dinners for those busy days. I like that they have sections on using up your leftovers, making your own cleaning & beauty supplies, gift baskets, and more. They use a good mix of great information and light hearted humor.
Here are a couple of quotes / tips that made me smile:
If you want to see a cup runneth over, let a child pour his own soda.
When your house looks like a bomb hit it and company calls from a block away set your vacuum by the front door and say, “Come on in! I was just cleaning”
You have two choices for dinner. Take it or leave it.
The problem – how to get 2 pounds of chocolate home in a hot car. The solution – eat it in the parking lot.
Some of the information and recipes made me laugh out loud…..”Elephant Soup” simply hilarious! One of my favorite non-food recipes was their “Recipe for a Happy Marriage” (loved that one). While they may not have convince me to try “Liver and Onions” again Tawra and Jill did a wonderful job putting together a useful and entertaining cookbook to have in your kitchen. The best part is their recipes only require a handful of ingredients and most (if not all) of the items you will find in your kitchen pantry.
At the end of the book they have separate indexes for looking up tips, leftovers, and recipes making it easy to look up what you want. I look forward to trying more of the recipes, tips, and seeing if these help our family save even more. This cookbook would be a great wedding gift or birthday gift for those who are beginning to cook or a novice. It offers practical tips, great recipes, and may even make you smile!
Please visit Dining on a Dime Cookbook’s website if you want to learn more about this book.
Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book for review purposes from the publisher. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
On the Farm: Recipe for Acorn Cookies
Fresh Acorn Cookies
Now I am going to share with you a couple of recipes that you can make using fresh acorns. To learn more about acorns check out On the Farm: Acorns Are For Squirrels and how process fresh acorns so you can use it in recipes here is a post On the Farm: How to Prep Acorns for Cooking.
Once you are ready to use your fresh acorn meal or flour here is one of the recipes you can try:
Acorn Cookies:
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 1/2 cup Shortening
- 1 large Egg
- 1 cup Acorn Flour
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a larger bowl cream the shortening, egg, and sugar together. Gradually add the flour mixture to the cream mixture. Blend in the acorn flour. Add the vanilla extract until blended well. Take a medium size ice cream scoop and place onto a greased cookie sheet. Use a fork to slightly flatten the balls. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
Freshly scooped cookie dough.
Cookie sheet full of cookies ready to go into the oven!
The cookies are not as moist as a Chocolate Chip Cookie but not as dry as Shortbread Cookies. They are a little dryer then I expected but they turned out pretty well. We shared this recipe with our Community Group and people at Jake’s work. It was a fun recipe do make and share with others. I would make sure that those eating do not have a nut allergy. It provides an interesting conversation started and you are sure to be the only one at the event with Acorn Cookies! Now if I can just find an acorn cookie cutter. Stay tuned for some more of our acorn recipes in upcoming posts!
Recipe adapted from Grandpappy
Family Recipe: Renelle’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
My cousin Renelle was the closest thing to a sister I had growing up. I grew up with three brothers so it was always a special treat to spend time with Renelle! We use to spend at least a week every summer hanging out together since I lived in Kansas and she lived in Colorado. She is an amazing cook and her Chocolate Chip Cookies are a favorite in our family! Hope you enjoy them as much we have over the years!
Renelle’s Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- 2/3 cup Margarine
- 2/3 cup Butter Flavored Crisco
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon imitation Rum Extract
- 3 cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 package Chocolate Chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix the margarine, crisco, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, rum and eggs together. Then add the dry ingredients (flour, salt, and baking soda) and mix. Fold in the chocolate chips. Drop by small spoonfuls onto the baking sheet. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes depending on the oven. Serves 3 to 4 dozen.
I use the same recipe when making M&M cookies as well!
Thanks Renelle for sharing your recipe and for being such a wonderful part of our lives. You are a true treasure, encouragement, and friend!!!
Photo by SeriousBri
