Gooey Turtle Bars

Recipe from Six Sister's Stuff

Yesterday was a day for a treat.  And these bars hit the spot.  Oats, carmel, pecans, chocolate chips.  Could life get any better? I hope you try this.  They are really scrumptious.

2 1/4 c. flour

2 1/4 c. old fashioned oats

1/2 c. light brown sugar

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. baking soda

2 sticks butter, room temperature

12 oz. jar caramel topping

2 c. pecans, roughly chopped

2 c. milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl combine flour, oats, brown sugar, salt and baking soda.  Stir to combine.  Mix in butter till fully incorporated.  Press 2/3 into a cookie sheet and pat down.  Bake 10 minutes.  Take out and evenly drizzle caramel over top.  Top with pecans, chocolate chips and then remaining crumb mixture.  Pat down.  Bake 15 minutes.  Let cool slightly before cutting into bars.  

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Turkey Chili

Recipe by Our Best Bites

First off this chili is delicious.  I also need to brag about the fact that it is only 1.5 grams of fat per cup and 14 grams of protein.  Don't let that scare you off though! This chili is hearty and filled with great flavor.  I have never cooked with mushrooms or sweet potatoes before but I'm sure glad I did! There is so much good stuff in here for you.  Onion, garlic, pepper, pumpkin, etc.  It's a healthy and scrumptious meal. Enjoy!

1 T. olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, diced (any color)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 bell pepper, diced (any color)

2 jalapenos, minced

20 ounces ground turkey breast

8 ounces mushrooms, minced

2 t. cumin

2 t. kosher salt

1/2 t. pepper

1 t. oregano

1 t. chili powder

1 1/2 t. smoked paprika

1 1/2-2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

28 ounce can diced tomatoes (do not drain)

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

32 ounces beef broth

15 ounce can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 t. cinnamon

1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder

Optional: light sour cream, sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, fresh lime juice, shredded cheese

Heat a large skillet or stock pot to medium-high heat.  Add 1 1/2 t. olive oil and add onion, garlic, bell pepper and jalapenos.  Saute for about 5-8 minutes until veggies are tender and fragrant.  Add to slow cooker.

In same skillet, heat remaining 1 1/2 t. olive oil.  Add turkey and mushrooms and stir to combine.  Sprinkle in cumin, salt, pepper, oregano, chili power and smoked paprika.  Add turkey mixture to slow cooker.

Add sweet potatoes, tomatoes, beans, broth, pumpkin, cinnamon and cocoa powder to slow cooker and stir to combine.  Place lid on pot and cook for 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 on low (I cooked mine 3 1/2-4 hours on high and it was done).  

When done, turn off heat and let chili sit with lid off for 10-15 minutes to thicken.  Season with additional salt to taste before serving.  If desired, serve with sour cream, sliced avocados, small squirt of fresh lime juice, a little shredded cheese and any other toppings desired.  

Yields: 16 cups (It will fill a large crock pot to the very top)

Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies

I went Christmas crazy today! I had the day off and was super bummed about how the election turned out last night and I needed to do something fun.  So I spent the whole day getting out Christmas and decorating! It's like Mrs. Claus's house up in here yo.

After all the decorating I just wanted to bake.  At Wal-Mart I had bought a bag of Andes Mint Peppermint Baking Chips and thought it would fun to make a chocolate chip cookie with those thrown in.  They turned out so yummy! A very fun Christmas cookie to gift.  Keep in mind that this basic chocolate chip cookie dough recipe I used is for bakery sized cookies.  So they are huge! Merry Christmas ya'll!

2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. unsalted butter, melted
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. white sugar
1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 t. vanilla

1 c. milk chocolate chips
3/4 c. Andes Mint Peppermint Baking Chips
Melted milk chocolate chips
Andes Mint Peppermint Baking Chips for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together.  Set aside.  In a stand mixer, combine butter and sugars until light and mixed well.  Add egg, egg yolk and vanilla.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Add dry ingredients a little at a time.  Mix in chocolate chips and peppermint chips.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Using an extra, extra large cookie scoop or a 1/4 measuring cup line up your cookie dough on the cookie sheets.  Make sure there's only 4 cookies per cookie sheet.  These will be large.  Bake each sheet one at a time for 15 minutes.  Let cool 5 minutes.  Drizzle melted milk chocolate chips on top of cookies and put a few pieces of Andes Mint Peppermint Baking Chips on top.  Repeat process on remaining batches.  Enjoy with milk or hot cocoa!

4 Ingredient Snicker Cookies

Recipe from 101 Things To Do With A Cake Mix

These cookies are so divine and easy to make! They are chewy and have a little Snickers in the middle.  Yum yum.  I made them for work and packaged them up in cute Halloween treat bags and I was going to post a picture but man oh man I can't wait to get a new camera.  I used my video camera to take the pictures and they all turned out horrible! This was the best of the bunch.  I know that's not saying a lot which is sad.  I plan to get a new camera on Black Friday.  But in the meantime just use your imagination because these were MUCH prettier in person then they are in this yucky picture.

4 Ingredient Snicker Cookies:
1 chocolate cake mix
1/3 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
12 mini Snickers
chocolate chips
chopped walnuts

Combine cake mix, oil and eggs together.  Cut the 12 mini Snickers in half.  Wrap a small amount of dough around each Snickers.  To help with doing this spray your hands with a little cooking spray.   It will make your life so much easier! Place on 2 cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  Bake one at a time at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  When done baking melt chocolate chips in microwave and drizzle over cookies.  Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

4 Ingredient Cupcakes

Recipe from Tidy Mom

I love cupcakes.  They are so cute and make a party a PAR-TAY! If that makes any sense.  Probably not.  Moving on.

I found this recipe and thought I would give a whirl.  It is so easy! Literally 4 ingredients.  As a side note I found the cute toothpicks at Hobby Lobby for $1.20.  I also got some for Thanksgiving.  Why would you ever make any when you can buy them for that cheap.  If you have a Hobby Lobby then ya need to go! Have fun baking!

4 Ingredient Cupcakes:

1 box cake mix

1/2 c. melted butter

3 large eggs

1 c. water

Combine everything together and mix really well.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.  Top with your favorite frosting.

* I filled mine 2/3 full and it was too much.  Most overflowed.  Aim for just a little over half full and you should be golden *