Cookies

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Dear Sis,

We used to make Strawberry Banana Bread every time we had over ripe bananas on hand, now we make these:

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

Creations by Kara adapted by b
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Course Dessert

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 c salted butter softened
  • 1 c dark brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 c granulated sugar
  • 2 over-ripe bananas
  • 1/2 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 1 T cornstarch
  • 1 T vanilla extract
  • 2 c unbleached flour
  • 1 11.5 oz pkg milk chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
  • Beat together better and sugars. Beat in bananas. Beat in dry ingredients and vanilla. Fold in chips. Drop spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake 10 minutes. Cool on sheets 5 minutes before placing cookies on wire racks to cool completely. Store airtight between layers of parchment.
Keyword banana cookies, chocolate chip cookies

The batter is loose compared to other cookie doughs. I find that parchment causes less browning or caramelization than the silicone baking mats. I hope you enjoy these as much as we do!

Love,

b

Chocolate Chip Perfection

Dear Sis,

I didn’t know I needed a new chocolate chip cookie recipe, but one of my favorite vlog moms assured me I did. She was right!

Check out the video on the THE WADS Youtube Channel.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Ingredients
  

  • 1 c salted buter softened
  • 3/4 c dark brown sugar packed
  • 1/4 c granulated sugar
  • 1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding
  • 2 eggs beaten
  • 1 t vanilla extract
  • 1 t baking soda
  • 2 /14 c unbleached flour
  • 2 c milk chocolate chips

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Cream together butter, sugars, and pudding mix.
  • Beat in eggs and vanilla
  • Stir in dry ingredients.
  • Fold in chocolate chips.
  • Drop spoonfuls onto baking sheets and bake 10-12 minutes.

Love,

B

101 Cookies

Dear Sis,

A few months ago William found a huge tub of cookie cutters in a clearance bin for $2.50. He saw it in the basement last night and decided we needed to make cookies. He washed all the cookie cutters while I made Butter Cookie Dough. 

This morning we rolled out our dough and made a bunch of cut-out cookies! We frosted them and used them as our letter lesson for school that day:)

To get ride of the excessive cookies, we decided to make cookie plates to share with neighbors. We made some brownies and Cherry Cheesecake Cookie Cakes to add to our assortment. William is a social distancing cookie delivery pro:)

Cherry Chip Cheesecake Drop Cakes

b
Print Recipe
Servings 3 dozen

Ingredients
  

  • 1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese soft
  • 3 eggs beaten
  • 1 t vanilla extract
  • 1/2 c salted butter melted
  • 1 box Cherry Chip Cake Mix

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone baking mats.
  • Cream together cheese, eggs, and extract.
  • Stir in melted butter.
  • Stir in cake mix until smooth.
  • Drop onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 10 minutes

Happy Mother’s Day!

Love,

b

Purim Baskets

Dear Sis,

I woke up to these sweet faces:

Today we took some time to prepare for Purim. We assembled our purim baskets to share with three Jewish friends/families and our pantry donation box for the poor.

We made Better than Boxed Brownies last night, repackaged some dry apricots, and whipped up a batch of Spiced Nuts, just in time to drop off them off at the post office before closing. 

Spiced Nuts
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Ingredients
  1. 1 egg white + 1 t cold water, beaten
  2. 1 1/3 c whole almonds
  3. 1 1/3 c pecan halves
  4. 1 1/3 c whole walnuts
  5. 1/2 c sugar
  6. 1 t pumpkin pie spice
  7. 1/4 t salt
Instructions
  1. Grease a jellyroll pan. Preheat oven to 250.
  2. Coat nuts in beaten egg mixture. In another dish, combine sugar, spice, and salt. Pour over nuts and toss until evenly coated. Pour into prepared pan.
  3. Bake 1 hour stirring every 15 minutes.
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Love,

b

Better than Boxed Homemade Brownies

Dear Sis,

I gave up on homemade brownies so time ago, because no matter which recipe I tried, they couldn’t beat out the box mix! One of my reenacting friends, Hannah, brought her family’s homemade brownies to our last sewing day. Although, it was too rich and dark for our family, they were perfect in every other way, and it gave me hope in finding the perfect homemade brownies for our family. 

Better than Boxed Homemade Brownies
Yields 24
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Ingredients
  1. 2 c unsalted butter, melted
  2. 4 c granulated sugar
  3. 4 eggs
  4. 1 T vanilla
  5. 1 t salt
  6. 1 1/2 t baking powder
  7. 1 1/2 c cocoa powder
  8. 2 1/2 c unbleached flour
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a half (18x13 inch) baking sheet.
  2. Stir sugar into melted butter.
  3. Beat in eggs, one at a time.
  4. Stir in vanilla, salt, baking powder, cocoa, and flour.
  5. Spread in prepared baking sheet.
  6. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until tooth pick comes out clean.
Notes
  1. I like to individually wrap the brownies, so they stay fresh longer.
  2. These freeze well, if you would like to save some for later.
Adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff
Adapted from Six Sisters' Stuff
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

Love,

b

 

Holiday Baking 2019

Dear Sis,

This year Mama Jenn and I decided to join forces! We scheduled 5 play dates and made 2 kinds of dough each time we get together. We are also going to make 2 kinds of candy. Here is what we plan to make:

Chocolate Chip M&M Cookies

We made a double batch and added one bag of milk chocolate chips and one bag of holiday M&Ms.

Perfect Sugar Cookies

This dough is so versatile. It can be rolled dyed and shaped into pinwheel cookies, or rolled in color sugar or cinnamon sugar to make snickerdoodles! I made snickerdoodles this time:)

Cranberry Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

We didn’t soak our dry fruit, so the cookies would be less tender.

Gingerbread Cut-Outs

Cranberry Citrus Shortbread

Macaroon Kiss Thumbprints

Maple Pecan Snowballs

Peanut Butter Cookies

We are still on the hunt for the perfect peanut butter cookie recipe that is WORTH repeating!

Pumpkin Molasses Cookies

I won’t be making these again either.

Chocolate Mint Burst Cookies
Yields 48
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Ingredients
  1. 1 1/4 c unsalted butter, soft
  2. 1 c dark brown sugar
  3. 1 c granulated sugar
  4. 2 eggs
  5. 1 T vanilla extract
  6. 2 t peppermint extract
  7. 1/2 t salt
  8. 1 t baking soda
  9. 3 1/2 c unbleached flour
  10. 48 Junior Mints or mini York peppermint patties
  11. 1/2 c white chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Beat together butter and sugars until smooth. Beat in eggs and extracts.
  2. Stir in dry ingredients until well combined.
  3. Preheat oven to 350.
  4. Using a cookie scoop to portion dough, place a mint candy in the center of each ball and hand roll to seal completely.
  5. Bake on sheets 9 minutes. Cool on sheets a few minutes until set enough to move to wire racks to cool completely.
  6. Drizzle with melted white chocolate. Let stand until set before stacking and/or storing.
Adapted from Sugar Hero
Adapted from Sugar Hero
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

Peppermint Bark

Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

Mint Oreo Truffles

Reece’s Peanut Butter Fudge

William was laying on the floor with the babies and we thought… wouldn’t it be nice if we could get all the kids in the picture. Carter was not eager to join in:)

Love,

b

D is for Dinosaur

Dear Sis,

Our Daily Reading

Today’s non-fiction selection is Dinosaurs! by Gail Gibbons wonderfully explains the study and history of dinosaurs as we know it. Many dinosaur books for kids overwhelm with multitudes of different dinosaur names. This one contains names too, but wisely emphasizes the six groupings of dinosaurs and their features as a group.

Today’s fiction selection is Curious George’s Dinosaur Discovery by Margret & H.A. Reys. During a visit to a dig site, George gets into trouble as expected, but also manages to be the hero by discovering dinosaur remains. 

“d” is for Dinosaur Letter Craft

Parent Preparation

  • Print d is for Dinosaur Letter Craft found on Preschool Crafts.us (original source unknown), on white card stock.
  • Cut out d, head, tail, and one foot.
  • On a sheet of craft foam, in the color of your choice, trace and cut out d, head, tail, and two feet. Add toe nails and smile details with a pen.
  • Provide a sheet of green craft paper, glue stick, and wiggly eye.

Student Assembly

  • Paste d onto craft paper.
  • Paste head, tail, and feet in place.
  • Paste wiggly eye in place.
  • Write or ask your grown up to title, name, and date your work, for your homeschool portfolio.

Science: Dino Dig

We used the Discovery Kids Dinosaur Excavation Kit, but any kit will do the trick. I’ve even seen D.I.Y versions on Pinterest.

Dinosaur Shape Matching Activity

Parent Preparation

Our Process

  • Review shape names using the shape puzzle.
  • Match the foot print shapes with the corresponding puzzle shapes, reviewing shape names as you work.
  • Match the dinosaur shapes with the corresponding puzzle and foot print shapes, reviewing shape names as you work.

Snack: Fossil Cookies

Print and gather ingredients for Jurassic Park Dinosaur Cookie recipe from Sugar & Soul.

Note that dough needs to chill 1-2 hours before shaping and baking. It may work best to make the dough the night before, or first thing after daily reading, so it will be ready to shape and bake as the final part of the lesson.

Love,

b

Anniversary Treats

Dear Sis, 

Today Josh and I are celebrating 5 years of marriage. William and I spent the afternoon making treats for the occasion.

Fresh Peach Pie
Serves 8
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Ingredients
  1. double refrigerated pie crust
  2. 5 c peaches, peeled and sliced
  3. 1 T lemon juice
  4. 1 t orange zest
  5. 1/2 t almond extract
  6. 1 c sugar
  7. 1/4 c cornstarch
  8. 1/2 t nutmeg
  9. 1/4 t salt
  10. 2 T cold unsalted butter, cubed
Instructions
  1. Line a pie plate with one crust, vent with a fork, and set aside.
  2. Preheat oven to 400.
  3. Toss together all ingredients except butter. Pour fruit mixture into crust lined pie plate. Scatter butter cubes. Top with second crust. Tuck edges and press to seal. Vent top with a knife.
  4. Bake 45 minutes. Cool 30 minutes or more before serving. Cover and chill leftovers.
Adapted from Taste of Home - Shirley Olson
Adapted from Taste of Home - Shirley Olson
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While the pie was baking, we made S’more Popcorn Balls. 

S'more Popcorn Balls
Yields 8
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Ingredients
  1. 1/4 c salted butter
  2. 1 (10 oz) pkg mini marshmallows
  3. 1 t vanilla extract
  4. 4 c popcorn (1/4 c kernels)
  5. 2 c Golden Graham cereal
  6. 1 c milk chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Melt together butter and marshmallows, on the stovetop or in a microwave safe bowl, until smooth.
  2. Stir in vanilla. Fold in popcorn and cereal. Cool enough to handle easily.
  3. Fold in chocolate chips. With buttered hands, shape 8 balls and place on waxed paper until set.
  4. Wrap balls individually in plastic wrap to store.
Adapted from I Heart Eating
Adapted from I Heart Eating
Tag Sis, You're It! http://www.tagsisyoureit.com/

We mixed in our chocolate too soon, so it melted:)

Love,

b