Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

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I love chocolate chip cookies.  Actually I like most cookies.  You might say cookies are my weakness!  I mean dessert weakness.  This dip reminds me of a chocolate chip cookie .  Best of all you, you don't have to bake cookies to get the deliciousness.  :)

Now the question is, what should I dip into this yumminess!  I've been dipping chocolate cat cookies from Trader Joe's.  Tomorrow I'm going to try dipping my sliced apples in the dip.  That sounds absolutely divine.

Side note:  Have you ever had someone obsessed with your food choices.  I eat in my classroom and have a limited time to eat.  Today I was running late getting to eat because I had to print some papers and then talk to two other teachers.  I was finishing my lunch when my four students came in for social studies.  They were intrigued with what I was eating.  They would have  been shocked to find out what was in the dip.  (My students have seen my lunches many times.  Fortunately most of the time it's something fairly healthy.  This way I can be a good role model for them.  One is concerned that I don't eat a lot of meat.  I eat meat but it depends on my mood whether I eat a lot meat or not.)

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Dip

adapted from Chocolate Covered Katie

Stars of the recipe:

• 
  
  1-1/2 c. chickpeas or white beans (1 can, drained and rinsed very well)


• 1/8 tsp. salt


• 1/8 tsp. baking soda


• 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract


• 1/4 c. nut butter of choice - I used almond butter.


• up to 1/4 c. of milk


• 2/3 c. brown sugar


• 1/3 c. chocolate chips


• 2 to 3 tsp. oats

Steps:

1. Add the ingredients except for chocolate chips and milk to a good food processor.


2. Blend the ingredients - streaming into milk until desired considency.


3. Remove from food processor cup.  Mix in chocolate chips.


4. Put in the fridge overnight.


5. Enjoy with apples, graham crackers, or just eat by the spoonful!

Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Mmm!  Comfort food makes you feel good inside.  Pot roast is one of those foods.  As I was coming up with this week's menu, I decided pot roast should be one of our dinners.  The interesting thing was we had pot roast for our dinner at my in-laws last night.  The difference was how we prepared the roast.  The side dishes were different also.

I've made this recipe for over 10 years.  It is super easy and delicious.  After we have roast for dinner, another night during the week I make a hash (minus eggs) with the left over roast.  Yum!

Even though I like making baked potatoes cooked in the slow cooker, I'm not a fan of potatoes cooked with the roast.  We had buttered noodles with our roast.

 

Easy Slow Cooker Pot Roast

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Stars of the recipe:

• roast (size depends on the needs of your family)


• 30 oz. can of tomato sauce


• optional:  russet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks, onions cut into chunks, carrots peeled and cut into strips

Steps:

1. Place roast into the bottom of the slow cooker.


2. If placing vegetables, place them on top of the roast.


3. Pour tomato sauce over the roast.


4. Cook for 3 to 5 hours on high or 6 to 8 hours on low.


5. Enjoy!

Mom, What's for dinner? - Week of October 14

Here's my plans for dinner:

Monday - pot roast, butter noodles, and veggies

Tuesday - lemon chicken (if the recipe works, I'll post it here) with rice

Wednesday - homemade taco hamburger helper (if the recipe is good, I'll post it here)

Thursday - pot roast hash

Friday - pretzel chicken tenders, mac and cheese, veggies

Saturday  - Harvest bean soup

 

My Favorite Disney Picture

So my family has decided we are going to Walt Disney World in the beginning of April.  Yesterday we hunted for the pictures we took during our last trip to Disney in 2009 when the boys were 3 and 5.  We finally located the majority of the pictures.  There was 1 picture I really wanted to find because it is hilarious.  I was taking a picture of the German Pavilion in Epcot.  When I looked at the picture later, there was a teenager in the middle of the picture and his expression is like "Just take my picture already."  It looks like I was taking a picture of him instead of the German pavilion.  

Here's the picture:

Foodie Pen Pal - September Edition

This month we followed a different format.  Instead of being paired up with two people (one who bought and sent to me and the other I bought for and then sent the box), we were paired with one other person.  We bought and sent to each other.  

This month, I was paired with Jessica who lives in Mississippi.  She had never been to Ohio and I have never been to Mississippi.  I sent her a box of my usual goodies,  One of which is the Triple Treat Granola.  All 3 times that I've sent that granola, the recipient loved it.  

Okay onto what Jessica sent me:

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Thank you Jessica for the great box!

Homemade Applesauce

I'm so proud of myself.  Today we were given a chance to go apple picking at one of our fellow church member's houses.  We could take as much as we wanted which is totally cool.  The Imaginative One is a fussy eater but loves his apples and applesauce.  So I jumped at the chance.  

We picked a lot of apples and made memories with the boys.  The Imaginative One ended up getting stung by a bee but was happy because the apples were absolutely delicious.  That made up for his finger being stung.  

Once we got home, I washed some of the less attractive ones.  Then I peeled and cut them into smaller pieces.  I placed into one of my bigger pots, covered the apples with water, and cooked them for half and hour.  The boys then helped me puree the apples in the blender for a smoother applesauce.  The end result was a delicious applesauce.

So why am I proud of myself.  I made homemade applesauce that I know the boys will eat.  I made memories with the boys.  We picked the apples and within 2.5 hours I had applesauce.  That is why I'm proud of myself.

Homemade Smooth Applesauce

Stars of the recipe:

• 3 to 4 pounds of apples, peeled and quartered (or cut smaller)


• cinnamon to taste or cinnamon sticks


• water


• sugar to taste (1/4 to 3/4 c.)

Steps:

1. Wash, peel, and cut apples.


2. Place in a big pot and then cover with water.  Sprinkle with cinnamon or put in the cinnamon sticks.


3. Put the pot on the stove and turn the heat on to high.


4. Allow the water to boil and then turn to medium low.


5. Cook until apples are tender.


6. Either use a food mill or a blender to puree the apples.  (We used the blender.  When we did, we used the apples and some of the cooking water.)


7. Place in a bowl.  Sprinkle with more cinnamon and sugar to taste.


8. Enjoy warm or cooled down.

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Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

The Imaginative One hates zucchini so much when I asked him to pick one up at the local farmer's market, he refused to even touch.  He also refused to taste this cake because he had a feeling I put zucchini in it.  He forgot there was a possibility later on in the week and ended up trying it.  He still didn't like.

Don't let his dislike of the cake and zucchini discourage you from trying this delicious cake.  He is such a fussy eater.

I really enjoyed this cake.  In fact I took pieces of it as a lunchtime treat.  It is so yummy!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Cake

adapted from Finding Joy in My Kitchen

Stars of the recipe:

• 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce


• 1/6 c. oil (I used Extra Virgin Olive Oil)


• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar


• 1/2 c. white sugar


• 2 eggs


• 1 tsp. vanilla


• 1/2 c. buttermilk (I used 1/2 c. milk + 1 Tbsp. vinegar)


• 1 tsp. cinnamon


• 1 tsp. salt


• 1 tsp. baking soda


• 1/2 tsp. cloves (Instead of cinnamon and cloves, I used Chinese 5 spice.)


• 1/2 tsp. baking powder


• 2 - 1/3 c. white whole wheat flour


• 4 Tbsp. cocoa powder (unsweetened)


• 2 C. shredded zucchini (I patted it dry with a paper towel to remove some of the liquid.)


• 1 c. chocolate chips

Steps:

1. Cream together, applesauce, oil, and sugars.  (If you don't have buttermilk, make the milk and vinegar mixture.  Allow it to curdle.)


2. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients and mix well.


3. Add the eggs and sour milk or buttermilk to the sugar applesauce mixture.


4. Then gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ones.  Stir to combine.


5. Add the zucchini.  And then stir it until incorporated.


6. Pour into a greased 9 by 13 pan and then sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top of the cake.


7. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes.


8. Enjoy!