Soft Gingersnap Cookies with White Chocolate Chunks

You have to add these cookies to your Christmas baking list!

These are phenomenal.

These soft ginger cookie are coated in sugar, strong in spice and studded with white chocolate chunks.

It's all kind of wonderful.

Make these. You'll be thanking me!


Soft Gingersnap Cookies with White Chocolate Chunks
Adapted from: Two Peas and their Pod

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks

1 cup granulated sugar-for coating cookie dough balls

Directions

Preheat oven to Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment papers or with a silicone baking mat. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy.

Beat in the molasses, canola oil, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and spices. Mix until well combined.

Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until smooth. Slowly add in the flour. Next, stir in the white chocolate chunks.

Scoop the dough into balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on lined baking sheets, about two inches apart. Bake for 8-10 minutes, the cookies will still be soft. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

Tortellini Spinach & Veggie Soup

Yes, I get that this doesn't look like soup and I blame that on that fact that I was sick and probably consumed most of the chicken broth for dinner. So bare with me.

This is soup. I promise.

This was so easy to make, is chalk full of delicious veggies and is a substantial main course with the help of the cheese filled tortellini.

My husband informed me that it was so good that if I would just make this soup and this he could easily live off of that.

Righhhht.... ;)

Top this soup off with some grated cheese and enjoy!


Tortellini Spinach & Veggie Soup
Adapted from: Apple Crumbles

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 tsp minced garlic
1 carrot, peeled and chopped small
2 ribs of celery, chopped
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
14 oz can diced No Salt Added tomatoes
32 oz Vegetable Stock
6 oz baby spinach, chopped
9 oz pkg Whole Wheat tortellini with 4 cheeses
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large soup pot. Add the onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and let cook another minute.

Add the carrots, celery, mushrooms, oregano, thyme, pepper flakes and cook about 6 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and broth. Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to simmer for 10 –12 minutes.  Add the spinach and tortellini and cook for 6 minutes.

Apple Cranberry Cobbler

Cranberries and apples are a welcome addition in my kitchen anytime so I'm not one to complain about the abundance of them at this time of the year. The sweetness of the apples paired with the tartness of the cranberries is a wonderful combination and the baking possibilities are endless. For this cobbler, rather than opting for my usual favorite crumb topping I made the biscuit topping and it certainly did not disappoint.

This was delicious, with all the the festive spices, and tasted best served warm out of the oven and topped with vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!


Apple Cranberry Cobbler
Adapted from: Sugar Plum

Ingredients

6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground clove

3 cups cranberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 ounces cold reduced fat cream cheese, cut into chunks
2 large eggs
2/3 cup milk

Directions

Heat oven to 375°F. Butter bottom and sides of a 13x9-inch baking dish.

In a large bowl, stir together apples, 1/2 cup sugar, and spices until well combined; set aside.

Stir together cranberries and 1/3 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat; cook 4-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until cranberries start to break down and get juicy.

Pour apple mixture and cranberry mixture into baking dish and stir until combined.

To make the biscuit topping, in a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder and salt until combined. Knead in butter and cream cheese using fingertips or a pastry blender until well incorporated and mixture starts to clump together. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk until well combined; add wet ingredient to dry ingredients, and stir until just combined.

Drop spoonfuls of biscuit topping evenly over fruit. Bake 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

It's Christmas Month!

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

It's December 1st! Time to eat the first chocolate out of your advent calendar!

I love (x infinity) the Christmas season!

Truth be told, my tree was up the first week of November (don't judge!) but I held off on the Christmas baking. Until now.

I made these adorable snowmen cupcakes last year. They were a huge hit and will definitely be made again this year

I'm going to continue sipping on my gingerbread latte while I brainstorm some festive treats and count down the 24 sleeps left until Christmas morning!

Ho ho ho!

For the recipe and instructions for the Snowman Cupcakes, please click here!

Meal Planner

Life gets so busy at this time of the year!

Most days I'm feeling frazzled, beyond busy and unorganized and as a result I find myself eating ice cream out of its container and calling it dinner.

This meal planner is a great freebie and a great way to begin a new (and potentially healthy), organized week.

Meal planning is great because you can plan for busy days, you will eat a variety of meals and you will save money.

While this meal planner won't give me the self control to step away from my favorite ice cream I can at least plan to have a salad on the night I'm going to indulge in some decadent dessert!

To download a full size of the image above, click here for further instructions.

Enjoy!

Created by graphic designer Alma @ Ollibird.

Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili

As we've previously established, pumpkin is one of the best things about fall.

Exhibit A: This chili (... and these and these).

And, this is another recipe made it the slow cooker; my new best friend.

The pumpkin in the recipe makes the consistency thick and creamy. The pumpkin flavor is quite subtle but gives the entire dish a subtle sweetness that's incredibly tasty.

This is delicious, healthy* and perfect for warming up on these brisk fall days we are enjoying right now!


Black Bean 'n' Pumpkin Chili {Slow Cooker}
Adapted from: Taste Of Home

Ingredients

2 medium onion, chopped
1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
2 zucchini, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups low sodium Chicken Broth
2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 package of ground turkey
1 can solid-pack pumpkin
1 can diced tomatoes, un-drained
3 teaspoons chili powder
1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Transfer to a 5-qt. slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

*1 cup equals 192 calories, 5 g of fat, 7 g of fiber and 16 g of protein.

Add sour cream, avocado or shredded cheddar cheese and enjoy!

Better-Than-Crack Brownies

 Okay, stop licking your computer screen....

...seriously, it can't be healthy!

I have no words.

But, I'll try to convey my love for these to you.

I'm sold on a recipes picture. Aren't we all? We see it, we want to eat it, we make it. Well, I saw these, read the list of ingredients and knew I had to make them. Immediately.

Give me a brownie and I'm happy.

But give me a brownie with pieces of peanut butter cups, topped with Rice Krispies mixed with melted chocolate and peanut butter and I'm in sugar heaven.

Unless your middle name is Will-Power prepare yourself to be seriously addicted. These are sinfully delicious. 

But, like Jessica, from How Sweet It Is says, it's all in the name of chocolate!

Amen.


Better-Than-Crack Brownies
Adapted from: How Sweet It Is

Ingredients

1 batch brownies (boxed mix)
1/2 cup salted peanuts (if don’t have salted, add sea salt)
1 cup chopped Reese’s peanut butter cups
1 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 tablespoon butter
3 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Directions

Mix brownies according to directions, and bake for 20-25 minutes in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Remove from the oven and top with chopped peanuts and peanut butter cups and bake for 4-6 minutes.

While they are finishing baking, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter. Stir in cereal. Remove brownies from oven and evenly pour chocolate mixture over top. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

These really are as good as they look!