Chocolate Toffee Cookies

It is hot in Utah. The other day it was 102 degrees outside and of course that was a day I wanted to bake. I try not to turn on the oven when it is roasting outside, but I came across a recipe for Chocolate Toffee cookies and immediately turned on the oven.

If you are a chocolate lover, these are the cookies for you. They are super rich! They remind me of brownies, but in cookie form. The toffee melts in with the chocolate and adds extra goodness to these cookies. Make sure you have a cold glass of milk nearby; you will want a few swigs after downing a couple of these chocolaty gems.

The house may have been a sauna, but oh well. These cookies were worth the heat!

As most of you know we have been participating in She's Becoming Doughmesstic’s Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Challenge. The goal was to only spend $100 on food for 4 weeks in July-that included groceries and eating out. Yesterday was the last day and WE DID IT! We passed with flying colors too. We only spent $26.34 on food for the entire month!

So how did we do it? We didn’t starve, I promise! We love food and eating good food. We used what we already had in our pantry, fridge, and freezer. Some days we had to be creative to come up with a tasty meal, but it was fun. I did continue to buy milk and produce, but that was about it. Luckily, I had milk coupons and found great deals on produce.

My dad and Josh’s mom came to visit and they both spoiled us a bit. They treated us to a meal out and purchased some groceries for us. Some of you may consider this cheating, but I promise we didn’t beg them to and they do this all of the time when they visit. We have great parents:)

We had extra mouths to feed this month. Besides my dad and Josh’s mom, our friends from Colorado stayed with us for a weekend, with their five kids. Our family friends from California also came to visit. Friends and Josh’s brother joined us for a couple of meals during the month. We love entertaining and I wasn’t going to let the food challenge change that.

We made sure we had plenty of food for our guests-we made them special breakfasts-whole wheat waffles, pancakes, banana bread, etc. We grilled out a lot-using the chicken and fish we had in the freezer. We made homemade pizza, baked our own bread, created new pasta dishes, salads, and sandwiches. We actually did a lot of cooking. I didn’t stop baking either. We had to offer sweet treats to our guests:) I just used the ingredients I had on hand.

Eating out wasn’t too much of a temptation. I always pack our lunches for work and we usually make dinner at home. I know Josh wanted to eat out a couple of times and I had to put my foot down, but he really was a good sport.

All said and done, I think we did a good job. I don’t know if I will stick to a $100 food budget every month, but I certainly will try.

Chocolate Toffee Rounds

Recipe from The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion

(Printable Recipes)

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 TBS unsalted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup toffee bits ( I used chopped up Heath bars)
1 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease (or line with parchment paper) two baking sheets.

In the microwave or in a saucepan over very low heat melt the chocolate and butter together, stirring until smooth. Set the mixture aside to cool to lukewarm.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat together the brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Beat in the melted chocolate, then stir in the flour, toffee bits, and chocolate chips.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until the tops are cracked and dry, but the cookies are still soft to the touch. Don’t overbake these; they’ll become firm as they cool.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool completely.

Dried Apricots

I have always been fond of apricots. My grandpa has a farm in Idaho and we used to go almost every summer when I was a kid. We loved exploring the farm, riding horses, chasing peacocks, milking cows, and picking apricots. There’s nothing better than a fresh, juicy, ripe apricot on a hot summer day.

We were out walking the other night and bumped into our neighbors who have an apricot tree. They said they weren’t going to use them this year so we could pick what we wanted. I of course ran home and got a bag, I wasn’t going to let those apricots go to waste.

I decided to dry most of them. I washed the apricots, cut them in half and placed them in our food dehydrator. When I woke up the next morning the apricots were dried and ready to be bagged. They aren't the prettiest things, but they are a great healthy snack!

I also made apricot sorbet and will be sharing that recipe soon! Stay tuned, it’s a winner!

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Update

I went to Sunflower Market this week to stock up on produce. I was running low and I can’t live without my fruits and veggies. Josh’s mom is also visiting this weekend so I wanted to make sure we had fresh produce for our special guest.

Wednesday is double ad day at Sunflower-everything from the week before and the new week is on sale. I got some great deals:

1 bunch of cilantro-50 cents

1 eggplant -55 cents

4 white peaches-$1.31

4 yellow peaches-84 cents

5 apples-$1.77

1 green pepper-50 cents

1 cantaloupe-50 cents

7 Roma tomatoes-$1.18

5 plums-$1.34

2 zucchini-59 cents

1 cucumber-50 cents

Head of Romaine lettuce-99 cents

3 lemons-$1.00

1 garlic clove-34 cents

Total-$12.27

So far we have spent $23.34 on food this month. I think we are going to make it. Our friends from CO stayed with us last night and Josh's mom is visiting all weekend. Don't worry we are not starving our guests:) Have a great weekend everyone!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel Bars

I don’t usually crave salty snacks, but I do love pretzels. Twists, rods, sticks, chocolate or yogurt dipped, I love them. We’ve made homemade soft pretzels and those are super scrumptious too. Pretzels are just a fun snack, in any shape or form!

I recently saw a cookie bar recipe from Food and Wine that included pretzel pieces. I knew I had to try these. Pretzels mixed into a sweet treat, what a divine idea!

The cookie bars were delightful. The pretzels added a nice little crunch and the sweet/salty combination was very satisfying. Josh said these are his favorite bar treats that I have made. This recipe is a keeper!

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Update

The challenge is still going well. Over the weekend our friends from CA stayed with us and we were able to feed them well with what we had. We also had friends over for dinner on Sunday. The challenge is working even with extra mouths to feed! :)

I bought another gallon of milk for 80 cents this week. Josh goes through milk like mad! I am grateful for coupons this month. I am going shopping for produce today. I hope to find some bargains at Sunflower Market. It is double ad day, so there should be some good sales. Our total is now at:$11.07.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Pretzel Bars

Source: Food and Wine

(Printable Recipe)

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

One 12-ounce bag bittersweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups mini pretzels, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons chocolate sprinkles (I didn’t use these)

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 9-by-13-inch pan with cooking spray.

In a bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and salt. Using a mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract. On low, beat in the dry ingredients, just until incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips and pretzel pieces.

Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Press the batter down with a spatula. If you want to use the sprinkles, sprinkle them on top of the batter. Bake for 30 minutes, until golden brown. The middle might be a little gooey but that is ok, the bars will set up. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely.

Use a knife to go around the side of the pan to loosen the bars. Cut the bars in squares and serve.

Neff's Canyon Hiking Photos

Utah is a beautiful place. If you haven't been, I highly recommend you add it to your list of travel destinations. We love having company too:)

I am feeling lazy today so I am sharing some of our recent hiking pictures. Utah received a lot of rain this spring/summer so the mountains are extra green and lush. These photos were taken up Neff's Canyon.

Sorry no recipe today, I will be back with a sweet treat soon:) Have a great weekend!

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Update

I had to buy a couple of things this week-a gallon of milk and Roma tomatoes. The gallon of milk was only 80 cents because I had a coupon. The Roma tomatoes were on sale for 99 cents a pound-I spent 1.19. Overall I have spent $10.27 on food this month. Not too shabby:) We are over half way there!

Recipe for Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My dad came to visit us for the weekend. It was a quick trip, but we had a great time. We went to the farmer's market at Pioneer Park, did a lot of yard work-my dad was a huge help, and then he treated us to a nice dinner at Cafe Molise. We also went to my sister's and hung out with my niece and nephew. They get cuter by the minute.

My dad loves raisins. He can't go a day without them. I wanted to make him a special treat, so I baked a batch of oatmeal raisin cookies.

These cookies won't win an award for "most attractive" or "best presentation," but they are down right delicious. The cookies are soft and chewy with a nice cinnamon spice background. The plump raisins added sweetness to these wholesome cookies. My dad loved them, I am glad I added in extra raisins. They turned out great!

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Update

I think I may of cheated this weekend, but not on purpose. My dad LOVES spoiling his girls. While he was here he bought us groceries and took us out to dinner. I promise I didn't ask him to and this isn't unusual. My dad enjoys spoiling us while he is in town.

So I don't really know how to count my food budget total. I still have only spent $8.28 of our own money, but we do have a fridge that is full of fresh produce and we enjoyed a nice Italian meal out. Again, I promise I didn't beg my dad to buy our groceries, that is just something he does. He is the best. So if anyone wants to kick me out of the challenge let me know:)

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

(Printable Recipe)

1/2 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup light brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of ground cloves

Freshly grated nutmeg-just a bit

1/2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats

3/4-1 cup of raisins

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a small bowl add the raisins and cover with water. Let them sit for five minutes. This will help plump them up.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth and creamy. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter/sugar mixture. Blend until combined. Stir in the oats and raisins.

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. You can bake them right away, but I prefer to chill the dough. I think it helps them bake up and not be so flat.

When you are ready to bake, spoon about a tablespoon of dough into a round ball, leaving space between each cookie. They will spread a little. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes. Take them out when they are golden at the edges but still a little under baked in the middle. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to cooling rack.

Recipe for Honey Whole Wheat Bread

I love whole wheat bread, but Josh isn't a huge fan. He loves it for toast or a BLT, but prefers white bread for his other sandwiches. He claims most whole wheat bread is too dense. I do buy white bread for Josh because I let him eat what he wants, but of course I prefer we both eat healthy:)

When we were in Colorado the friends we were staying with had a couple loaves of homemade whole wheat bread. Josh tried it and loved it. I was amazed, he said he would even use it for sandwich bread if I made it. So of course I snagged the recipe.

We ran out of bread this week and since I am trying to spend $100 on groceries/food this month, it was time to make our own. The recipe makes two big loaves and is really easy. My KitchenAid did most of the work:)

I was nervous it wouldn't turn out as good as our friends, but it did! I love that the recipe calls for ALL whole wheat flour. It also has a little vital wheat gluten, which adds protein and improves the texture and elasticity of the dough. This bread has a very nice texture, it is light, fluffy and all whole grain. It is perfect for toast and sandwiches.

I am glad Josh likes this bread. I will be making our own every day bread from now on.

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid Update

I haven't spent any money this week so I am still at $8.28. I am running low on produce so I will have to make a grocery run this week. I can't live without fresh fruits and veggies. I will shop the sales though:)

Some of you are probably wondering what we are eating, I promise we are eating well. Breakfast is oatmeal for me and cereal for Josh. I've always packed our lunches, so that hasn't changed. For dinner, we are using more of our freezer and pantry food. It is actually fun being creative with what we have. So far the challenge is going well!

Honey Whole Wheat Bread
Stouts' recipe

(Printable Recipe)

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 T vital wheat gluten (find it at Whole Foods, Bob's Red Mill, King Arthur, etc.)
2 packets of yeast (I used rapid rise)
2 1/2 cups warm water

In a large mixing bowl (preferably a KitchenAid), add the 3 cups flour, wheat gluten, and yeast. Stir. Add in warm water and stir until combined. Let sit for 10 minutes.

1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup honey
1 1/2 T lemon juice
1 T salt
3 1/2-4 cups whole wheat flour

Mix the oil, honey, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture after the 10 minutes. Mix until combined. Add in the additional flour and mix. Now knead the dough for ten minutes with the dough hook. When it is done divide the dough into two loaves. Make sure they are even. Shape them into loaf form. Place the dough into 2 loaf pans that have been sprayed with cooking spray. Cover with a clean towel and let rise for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. After the loaves have risen, bake them for 30 minutes. They should be golden brown. Let cool before slicing, if you can wait:) You can freeze one of the loaves if you wish.

Penny Pinching Pantry Raid

Happy 4th of July! I hope everyone has a great holiday. We are at the Dewey's for the weekend. A bbq, lounging by the pool, and fireworks are all on the agenda. Should be fun!

As most of you know, I am a bargain shopper. I LOVE a good deal, especially on food. I love looking at the ads and shopping the sales. When Susan from "She's becoming doughmesstic" announced a $100 Food Challenge on Twitter, I knew I had to join in on the fun. Check out her blog for details. The Challenge is titled: "Penny Pinching Pantry Raid."

The challenge is flexible, but the goal is to only spend $100 TOTAL on food for the month of July. That is for me AND Josh and includes going out to eat. We can use what we already have in our pantry, fridge, and freezer. The challenge started on July 1st. I am late in getting my post up, but I have been participating. Don't worry I haven't been cheating:) Here is a list of what we started with in our pantry, fridge, and freezer:

Pantry:
Baking items (the usual-flour, sugars, salt, extracts, etc.)
Spices/herbs
Canola/olive oil
Vinegars
Oats
Boxed cereals-a variety of kinds, we love cereal:)
Pretzels
Tortilla Chips
Raisins
Craisins
Homemade granola
Brown rice
Quinoa
Whole wheat pasta
Bow tie pasta
Pasta Roni and Mac and Cheese-eww! Josh likes that stuff!
Popcorn
Dr. Krackers
Wheat Thins/Triscuits
Canned Beans-a variety of kinds
Diced Tomatoes
Veggie Broth
Tomato paste
Canned beans/corn
Whole wheat cous cous
A couple cans of soup
Hot chocolate mix
Canned Tuna
Agave nectar
Almond butter
Bag of potatoes
4 Roma tomatoes
Garilc
1 onion
Almonds
Coconut

Fridge:
2 gallons skim milk
Hummus
Feta cheese
Colby cheese
String cheese
Greek yogurt
Fresh spinach
Apples
Peaches
Nectarines
1/2 watermelon
Pom Juice
Salsa
Salad dressings/condiments/jam, etc.
Smart balance

Firm tofu
1/2 green pepper
Celery
Natural PB
Bread-only a couple slices left
Ham-for Josh's sandwiches
eggs
Artichoke hearts
Limes
Cucumber
FF Cottage cheese

Freezer:
Chicken-for Josh
Gardenburgers
Whole wheat tortillas
Mozzarella cheese
Unsalted butter
Chocolate chips
Berries
Edamame
Buckwheat pancakes-leftover
Roasted peppers
Lentil soup
Tuna steaks
Frozen yogurt
M and M's
Corn
Salmon

Ok, sorry to bore you. I think that is about it. So far I have spent $8.28. I bought another gallon of milk because I had a 75 cent coupon. Josh drinks a ton of milk! I also bought 2 containers of cottage cheese because it was on sale for $1.00 and a tub of Greek yogurt, again I had a coupon:)

We are at our friends' for the weekend and most likely we won't spend any money. They are providing everything for the bbq today. I will try to do an update at least once a week. Our goal is to spend $100 on food for the month. Wish us luck!