Rolo Cookies

These are the new favorite cookies at our house. Alayna loves to help me make them, and they are so yummy right when they come out of the oven, when the caramel is still gooey. Also great dunked in milk. I got this recipe from thenerdswife.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups of flour
3/4 cups cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 pkg Rolos
A bit of sugar for garnish (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Unwrap the Rolo candies.
Beat sugars and butter until fluffy.
Add vanilla and eggs to mixture.
beat until combined.
Combine flour, cocoa, and soda.
Add flour mixture to fluffy mixture.
Shape about a teaspoon of dough around each Rolo.
Be sure to cover it completely.
You want it to be about the size of a golf ball.
Optional- Press one side of the dough ball into the leftover sugar. Place sugar-side up on a baking sheet, about two inches apart.
Bake 8-10 minutes.

Cream Cheese Cucumber Spread

Grayson's nurse has been losing weight by eating healthier food in proper portion sizes and exercising. So since it's January and all, and we're in sugar detox mode from the holidays, Olivia and I have decided to give it a try, too. We had salad last night and tonight I made some pita sandwiches -- with whole wheat pita bread, tomatoes, lettuce, green onions, and some left over shredded beef. I am sure we would have immediately died if we were to cut back cold turkey, so I had to make this spread to make sure we would all survive through the night. I would have used plain non-fat yogurt if I would have had it--actually, no I wouldn't have. It just cannot replace the cream cheese without some major bad side effects. Forget it. This is good. Spread it on wraps, bagel sandwiches, pita sandwiches, or a toasted baguette.

Ingredients:

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and finely diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Fresh ground pepper to taste

Kosher salt to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate.

*Dave got a new mini food processor from a coworker for Christmas. I was so elated! I've never had a food processor. I chopped the cucumbers in the processor and then added all the remaining ingredients and wa-lah, it was done. I would recommend your coworker give you one for Christmas next year.

Pretzel Turtles

I got this recipe from Our Best Bites. It's super easy, cute and tasty. Yum! I love sweet and salty.

Ingredients:
Rolos
pretzels
M&M's

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place pretzels on cookie sheet. Top each pretzel with a Rolo. Cook in oven for 3-4 minutes. Squish an M&M on top. Done!

Hot Chocolate Bark

Alayna, Carson and I have been working all morning on treats for our neighbors and friends. It has been so much fun, and it's one of my favorite things to do during Christmas time. We made up this recipe because Alayna said we should make some like hot chocolate. Carson even helped crush the candy canes by trowing the bag on the floor.

Ingredients:
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups white chocolate chips or white candy coating
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
3 crushed candy canes

Directions:
Melt semisweet chocolate chips in microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or until smooth. Spread thinly onto a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Next, melt the white chocolate same as the semisweet chocolate. Stir in the marshmallows and spread evenly over the semisweet chocolate. Sprinkle with candy canes. Chill in the fridge until hard. Break apart.

Lemon Spaghetti

Hey Hilary- here is that recipe, it is Rachel Ray's, but I don't think I put quite that much garlic in it as she does! It really does sound good, maybe I'll have to make it too! Love ya!

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
• Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (10 or 12 leaves) fresh basil, very thinly sliced

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and drop the spaghetti into the pot.

Heat a large deep skillet over low heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil andgarlic and crushed red pepper flakes.

When the pasta has been cooking about 5 minutes, add lemonjuice, a ladle of the cooking water from the pasta and the cream to the garlic and oil. Raise heat a bit to bring sauce to a bubble.

Drain pasta when it still has a good bite to it, al dente. Add lemonzest and half of the cheese to the cream sauce. Season the sauce with salt, to taste. Add pasta to pan and turn off heat. Toss thepasta with sauce a minute or 2, allowing it time to soak up the sauce.

Top the plates of pasta or platter with remaining cheese, parsley and basil.

Recipe Request

Hey Alyssa, I was wondering if you would share your lemon spaghetti recipe. It's so yummy, I'm craving it. Love ya!

Soft Buttery Breadsticks

It's cold here -- it's been in the 40's at night. That kind of weather in Texas justifies making soup. At least for me. Most of my family doesn't love soup so making these breadsticks justifies having soup for them. This is such a simple recipe and so good.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups warm water

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups flour

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1 stick butter

Directions:

Mix all ingredients (except butter) in bread maker on dough cycle. (Or make by hand or with a mixer and let raise until double). When cycle ends, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/2 inch thickness. Use a pizza cutter and cut into 1 1/2 inch strips. Melt butter and pour on large cookie sheet. Dip a strip in butter, fold over and twist both ends. Turn to cover in butter and place on cookie sheet. Continue with all dough strips and then sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, herbs, or whatever else you would like. Cover and let rise for 20 to 30 minutes. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.