One Crazy Cookie

I finally sat down (I had to while waiting at the tire store) and got my Thanksgiving menu put together.  This year I am keeping is pretty simple since it will just be my little family I am feeding. First off I would like to tell all of you who read my blog I am so thankful for you! Thanks for allowing me to share my love and my craziness with you!!  Hope you all have a fabulous Thanksgiving!! 2012 Thanksgiving Menu Turkey (will cook in the oven, but will use this recipe ) Mashed Potatoes & Gravy Stuffing Fresh Vegetable Tray with Ranch and Dill Dip Grandma's Rolls Broccoli Salad Crab Salad Chocolate Cream Cheese Pie Apple Pie - I am in need of a good recipe...hint hint!! Cheesecake (not sure what kind yet debating trying a pumpkin cheesecake.) Ok so I am still wavering on a few items!!

This was one of those recipes that is so delicious you can hardly believe it is so simple to make! The whole family loved it.  I will be putting it on the family favorite list!! Roasted Ranch Potatoes from Hidden Valley Ranch Packet ¼ cup vegetable oil 1 packet (1 ounce) Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Salad Dressing & Seasoning Mix 2 pounds small red potatoes, quartered (I used Russet potatoes and diced them into bite sized pieces) Instructions Place potatoes in a gallon-size food Storage Bag and add oil; seal bag. Toss to coat. Add salad dressing mix and toss again until coated. Bake in ungreased baking pan at 450°F for 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are brown and crisp. Oh YUM!! I'm craving some right now!!

I love having canned fruit and vegetable on hand.  They make quick easy side dishes and are awesome to just be able to open and add to a recipe.   Del Monte has a great variety of canned fruits and vegetables.  It is a name brand you can trust to taste delicious!   Whether I use Del Monte green beans to make:          Mom's Shepherd's Pie Or a can of Del Monte Corn to make: Taco Soup Or many other ways I use their products.   I love the fact that I can count on Del Monte to provide not only a quick help to any meal but: ·           Del Monte canned fruits, vegetables, and tomatoes contain the same essential nutrients as fresh varieties ·           Del Monte fruits and vegetables are grown in the best growing regions of the United States, providing consumers with a consistently quality product ·           The majority of Del Monte products are picked at the peak of ripeness and canned on the same day, to ensure nutrients and flavor are locked

  Growing up in Idaho, the potato harvest is such a big deal we always got 2 weeks off of school for it.  Once you were old enough you worked in the potato harvest, which was hard, dirty and often boring work, but it provided a great paycheck!! I have been on a potato craze lately.  Maybe I am missing the potato harvest time..who knows!  But just a warning there will be a few potato posts in the near future. These potatoes where delicious and fairly simple to make.  Who cannot like the name!! Armadillo Potatoes Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Wash the desired amount of potatoes. Cut them in slices being careful not to cut all the way though, you want the bottom still intact. Brush with melted butter or olive oil and season with salt and pepper. *Use any seasoning you like on potatoes. Bake for 40-45 minutes.  I drizzled a little more butter on them about half way through the cooking process. It was a good way to get the kids to eat the skin and all! Some of my fami

Happy Election day!! Hopefully by the end of today we will know who our next president will be.  I am excited that today will end the negative ads everywhere. In honor of the big election I have told you these past couple weeks that I was on a mission to try the presidential cookie bake off recipes out.  I succeeded in the trying part. I successfully made Laura Bush's Texas Cowboy Cookies (just for old time sake and they sounded delicious.), Ann Romney's M&M Cookies and finally found the mint chips to make Michelle Obama's  Mama Kaye's White and Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies   .  That is where unfortunately the success ended.  For this is what they looked like: Trust me they look better than they tasted.   Now for the confession...I'm sure it wasn't the recipe it was the person who made the recipe's fault.   The recipe calls for one stick of  butter-flavored solid vegetable shortening, which I personally do not like to use.  So thinking I'm

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to try out some of ChapStick's newest products. ChapStick® Sport Ready Designed with the Active consumer in mind, ChapStick® Sport Ready offers advanced, on-the-go hydration fit for any adventure. The perfect accessory for people on-the-move, ChapStick® Sport Ready has a clip top that keeps your ChapStick ® right at your fingertips .  Sure to be the perfect partner for any game under the sun … or on the slopes, ChapStick® Sport Ready has you covered with broad spectrum SPF 30 and water-resistant protection for up to 80 minutes! I have always wanted to test my self with running and have recently started up..very slowly.  It is more like a "wog"!!  Anyway, I found this Chapstick perfect.  I can apply it before I go exercise and it lasts the entire time. Having moisturized lips is a huge ordeal to me.  It drives me crazy if they are not so I am constantly applying it. The great thing with the Active Sport Ready C

In keeping with the election spirit and my "foodie" personality (along with my love for cookies) decided to try out Ann Romney's cookie recipe she submitted for the Presidential Cookie Contest.  The kids were a little skeptical when I said the words "gluten free" which I explained meant no flour in this case.  They quickly got over the scare and ate them up!! My son even hid what was left the next morning! I took a few to work and they loved them also. These cookies were soft and yummy! Ann Romney's M&M's Cookies   from Shine on Yahoo Makes 3 dozen cookies   1 cup granulated sugar   1 cup packed light brown sugar  1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened  1-1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter  1 tablespoon light corn syrup  3 eggs  1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract  4-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats  2 teaspoons baking soda  6 ounces chocolate chips  2/3 cup M&M's candies (I used 1 cup) Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a lar