Summer adventures

Yay Summer!  I think.  Except we've had one month of summer (I count summer starting as of Memorial Day) and we've been in urgent care, the ER or a doctor's appointment a dozen times.  First it was the middle monkey (my kids being my monkeys) - throwing up in the middle of the night - but only at night.  She was fine during the day.  Turns out - strep throat - which she so kindly then shared with me.  Then our littlest monkey (only 2 months old) went to urgent care for vomiting and a little fever.  If you're 2 months old then - a fever means go to the ER.  Never found out what was wrong with her - even in the follow up doctor visits.  She seems to be fine now.  Onto the oldest child who tells us that he has blood drops when he pees.  That's just a little concerning.  No blood drops - just a little ointment to clear things up.  That very same night the middle monkey starts throwing up again in the middle of the night - just at night.  No reoccurence of strep (we brought her in) - no idea what's wrong with her - she seems fine.  Until a few days later when she says it hurts when she pees.  ARRRGGH!  Not officially a UTI, but something going on - doctors don't know what.
On top of that - my own regularly scheduled appointments - post surgery and to check up on my Crohn's condition.

Here's hoping to seeing no doctor in the month of July!

With all that - I still managed to bake a few batches of cookies (2 batches from the last post and these 3 batches).

#296 Chocolate Pudding Sandwiches
This is that cookie that I didn't quite have the right ingredient.  I waited until I found the right ingredient and made these for a summer BBQ.
On the way to our cabin, I stopped at Target quickly to grab ingredients for this cookie and to return diapers and buy the same diapers in order to get the $20 Target gift card.  I had bought the diapers a day before the deal started.  Totally worth the stop, right?  3 kids, a dog in the car and an infant that needs to eat.  I told the kids we'll be real quick.  Real quick in Target - I know, those words don't go together.  I just needed diapers, chocolate pudding mix, cool whip, marshmallows and chocolate wafers.  That should be easy.
Except - where would you look for chocolate wafers? I looked in the cookie aisle.  All I could find was those "Nilla" wafers; not chocolate.  I decided to go with those.  But then, ultimately decided I couldn't go through with compromising the recipe.  So no cookie for the cabin that weekend.
The following week, while at Cub, I happened to notice chocolate wafers while I was in the baking aisle - because that makes sense.  I still don't know if the Target in Forest Lake has the wafers or not - perhaps in the baking aisle.
I was told more than once - these are kind of like an oreo cookie.  Just mix chocolate pudding mix with 1 1/2 cup milk for 2 minutes (let stand for 2 more minutes).  Fold in 8 oz of cool whip and 1 cup mini marshmallows.  Spread pudding mix on the bottom of a chocolate wafer (you'll need 2 pkgs of said wafer) and top with another wafer.  Freeze for 3 hours (and keep in freezer unless you're serving them).

#297 Chocolaty Double Crunchers
This may be one of my favorite cookies that I've made so far - for sure in the top 5.

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1/2 cup coconut

Filling
6 oz of cream cheese (softened)
1 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips  

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Beat in egg and vanilla.  Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and ix well.  Add oats, cornflakes and coconut.  

Roll into 1 inch balls.  Place 2 in apart on greased baking sheets.  Flatten with a glass dipped lightly in flour.  Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove to wire racks to cool.

For filling, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add chocolate; mix well.  Spread about 1 tb on half of the cookies and top each with another cookie.  Store in refrigerator

Note: You can pile on the filling - there's a lot.

#298 Hazelnut chocolate cookies
If all the doctor's visits weren't enough this month - we have no bathroom on 2nd floor - until yesterday.  I now have my dream spa bathroom.  And despite my two oldest monkeys screaming at each other in the next room; and my two month old fussing next to me - every muscle in my body is totally relaxed.  That's what a whirlpool/air tub and luxurious shower will do for you.

A friend of ours (a contractor) has been helping us out - getting us bids and finding tile guys for us and all sorts of other construction guys (there's a lot of different construction jobs that go into an addition). He's been looking at our plans - and just overall a huge help. So this batch was for him.

And you learn something new everyday.  I learned how to peel and toast hazelnuts.  Boil water and then put 3 tbs of baking soda in it.  Put hazelnuts in the water and boil for 3-4 minutes.  Then place in ice cold water.  The peels almost fall right off.    

Do I have to make it up, or not?

 I was going to make a cookie up at the cabin, but then I was missing one ingredient - kind of a key ingredient - but I could substitute it.  Ultimately I decided not to make the cookie because it wouldn't be completely true to the recipe.  But now I feel like I missed out on a cookie baking opportunity and that I'm "one behind".  So do I make a cookie just for the heck of it to "make it up", or am I neurotic and insane?  Maybe don't answer that.

#292 Vanilla Wafer Cookie

It's summer!  And I'm on maternity leave!  And that means my kids are done with preschool and daycare : (.
We've been going to our daycare for three years (which isn't that long, but it's most of my kids' lives). It's time to say farewell and switch to a nanny - because three kids in daycare/preschool is just too expensive.  Do you think daycare would mind if I stole one of their providers as a nanny?

We made this cookie to say farewell.

I don't have a picture of this cookie, but check out this most beautiful sight.  Mother of three isn't too bad.  I am actually able to get all 3 sleeping at once (well, only twice)  Usually the oldest plays ipad and the other two sleep.  Hey, I'll take it!

#293 Peach Oat Cookie
A healthy cookie! If there is such a thing.  This one is almost like a granola bar.  My sixteen year old nephew ate them by a handful.  Not sure if that means they're really good or not.  Teenage boys are known for eating anything and everything, right?

1/3 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup each: flour, whole wheat flour, and oat flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup oat bran
1 1/2 cup drained canned sliced peaches in extra light syrup, chopped
1 cup raisins

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla.  Combine the flours, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well.  Stir in oats and oat bran just until combined.  Stir in peaches and raisins.  

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 for 9-13 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire rack to cool.

#294 Simple Raspberry Almond Bars
My last end of the year teacher party with my current school. I'm looking forward to meeting a new staff and hopefully develop some good relationships.  Cookies should help with that.

#295 Almost a Candy Bar
I've been saving this recipe as it's one Mike specifically asked me not to give away to others.  So I saved it for father's day so Mike gets it all to himself (well, almost - I made him share with his kids and wife - and my Dad got a couple).

1 tube (16 1/2 oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
4 nutty s'mores trail mix bars (1.23 oz each), chopped
1 package (11 oz) butterscotch chips
2 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/2 cup mini pretzels
1 pkg (10 oz) peanut butter chips
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter
1 pkg (11.5 oz) milk chocolate chips

Let dough stand at room temp for 5-10 minutes to soften.  In a large bowl, combine dough and trail mix bars.  Press into an ungreased 13x9in pan.  Bake, uncovered at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.

Sprinkle with butterscotch chips and marshmallows.  Bake 3-4 minutes longer or until marshmallows begin to brown.  Sprinkle with walnuts; arrange pretzels over the top.  In a small saucepan, melt peanut butter chips, corn syrup and butter; spoon over bars.

In a microwave, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth.  Drizzle chocolate over bars.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm before cutting.