General Conference was AWESOME!

Black Bean Soup

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

2-3 cans black beans (do not drain)

2 cans chicken broth

1 tsp. salt

3 cups cooked rice

avocado sliced

grated cheese

crushed tortilla chips

sour cream

Instructions

In a crock pot on low cook black beans and chicken broth. Separately make rice. Layer all the ingredients and add a little salt and pepper on top. 

Holding Grudges...Stop!

I absolutely love this quote from Dieter F. Uchtdorf. He is brilliant in clarity. Simply stop it! Life is too good to short change yourself into having baggage that YOU have to carry around. There is so much to be grateful for. None of us are perfect, but when we love eachother and want the best for another life for everyone is bound to be better! Hope you have a flappity dappity day!

Alphabet Rocks

This is such a cute idea! Ours did not turn out as cute as the ones pictured above. (My kids were the artists and we were lucky if a letter showed up. Ha!) But in an effort to learning our ABC's it was a fun activity and I wanted to share. We started the day going on an adventure looking for flat rocks. We then came back and I set up a spot in our backyard with a big tarp and let the kids go at it painting. We used washable paint instead of the yard and garden, but once again I had kids ages 2 and 4 doing the painting. Yay for the Alphabet and creative ways learning it!

Whey Protein Bars

Ingredients

6 scoops Chocolate whey protein powder 

2 cups oats

16 ounce jar of peanut butter

8 Tbs. Honey

Instructions

Combine the honey and peanut butter in a microwave safe bowl and heat for 20 seconds. Stir and heat again until the honey and peanut butter are soft enough to be mixed with the oats and whey.

Spread mixture into a greased pan and place in your fridge for 1 hour. Cut into squares and enjoy! My kids go crazy for this and I love that is is a healthy, protein packed snack!

Andes Mint Cookies

Andes Mint Cookies

makes 3 dozen cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 cups and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups chopped Andes Mints 

1/4 cup milk (if needed, see note)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  With an electric or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, then the egg yolk, mixing for about 1 minute after each addition.  Mix in the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking soda, baking powder, salt, flour, and unsweetened cocoa powder.  Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet.  Mix for about 1 minute on low speed.  Add the rest of the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. By hand, fold in the Andes Mints.

Drop by rounded tablespoon-fuls* onto ungreased baking sheet or silicone mat. Bake for 10-12 minutes until sides *slightly* begin to brown.  I took mine out of the oven at exactly 10 minutes.  Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and transfer to a wire rack.

*The dough is very, very thick and should come together easily.  However, if it is TOO thick to handle, add up to 1/4 cup milk before adding the Andes Mint Chips

*If making larger cookies, I suggest dropping dough by 1/4 cup measurements and shaping into a ball.  Bake for 11-12 minutes.

© Sally’s Baking Addiction 2012 recipe & photos

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

makes 2.5 - 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4 cup yellow or white boxed cake mix

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 egg, at room temperature

1.5 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips (I used a blend of white and semi-sweet chocolate chips)

1/2 cup sprinkles

Instructions

In a large bowl, sift together flour, cake mix, and baking soda. Set aside. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars on medium speed. Mix in the egg and vanilla until creamy.

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not OVERMIX the dough. Fold in the chocolate chips and sprinkles.

Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 days. This step is mandatory. The dough is fairly sticky, so chilling the dough is required in order to avoid the cookie from spreading too much.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop rounded tablespoons of the cold dough onto an ungreased baking sheet. Shape your cookie dough balls to be "taller" than they are wide, as pictured above. Make sure to keep dough chilled when working in batches. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are slightly browned. (Mine took 10 minutes exactly). The centers will still appear very soft, but the cookies will set as they cool.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 4 minutes and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.