chocolate mint delights

This is the third and last recipe I’m posting using the “Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels”. (See the chocolate mint cheesecake and the mint cocoa). This recipe is almost the same as the classic Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe, but with some slight changes, including adding cocoa to make chocolate batter, and of course, using the mint chips. Warm out of the oven, these cookies are absolutely addicting. :)

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cup (10 ounce package) Nestle Toll House Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually stir in the flour mixture. Add the morsels. Drop by well-rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes, then let cool on wire racks. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

(For mini cookies, drop by well-rounded measuring teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets, and bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. This would make around 7 dozen.)

Linking up cookie recipes with XtremelyV

cranberry chicken

I usually focus on dessert recipes, because that’s where my head is most of the time. But this chicken recipe is SO easy and delicious that I have to share. My mom has been making it for about 15 years, and I’ve always liked it even though I’ve never been a big chicken fan. Even Nolan enjoyed it the other night, and it’s really hard to get him to eat meat! :)

Ingredients:
approximately 1.5- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can (16 ounces) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 cup (8 ounces) Catalina salad dressing (I buy Kraft Fat Free Catalina)
1 envelope Lipton onion soup mix

Directions:
Arrange chicken pieces in a 9x13 glass Pyrex baking dish. Pieces should cover the bottom of the dish, but not be stacked. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Serve chicken and sauce over white or brown rice.

Calorie information:
4 ounces chicken breast=125 calories
1/4 cup cranberry sauce mix=100 calories
1/2 cup rice=100 calories

 

And how about some “Cadbury Mini Egg Blondies” for dessert? ;)

or “Cadbury Creme Egg Cupcakes”

weekend

Grateful for:
+ A hamburger, fries, & frosty at Wendy’s on Friday night
+ Progress on the redo of Nolan’s bedroom
+ A new coffeemaker (with very flavorful coffee) after the old one suddenly broke
+ Getting a steal on 4 shirts for Nolan and a pair of earrings for myself at JCP. Grand total = $1.94!
+ A trip to Target with my mom and Nolan. (It takes over an hour to get to Target). So fun to look at Christmas goodies & maternity clothes :)
+ Attending a 50th wedding anniversary party—what a beautiful milestone that I hope Steve and I reach one day.
+ Spending time with friends, chatting, eating pizza, and playing with the puppy at my friend Meghan’s housewarming party.
+ Little flips and kicks to continually remind me of the little miracle I’m carrying.

baby bump: 28 weeks

how far along? 28 weeks, due January 28th.

size of baby: size of an eggplant, about 14 inches (head to toe) and 2 pounds

heartbeat: 139 bpm (last week). This baby’s heartbeat is consistently in the 130s… which is normal, but sounds so different compared to the 150s to 180s that we had with Nolan. Maybe I’m getting my wish for a more calm baby?? ;)

total weight gain: + 18 lbs 

maternity clothes:  I’m now wearing compression stockings from the moment I wake up until the moment I go to sleep. Even though they’re super tight, they feel so comfortable to me. My uniform lately has been leggings with boots, a long maternity shirt, and a jean jacket.

sleep: still sleeping well :)

movement: he moves A LOT in the late evening.

food cravings: sweets mostly—cookies, hot chocolate, Edy’s cookie dough ice cream, waffles with whipped cream. I get restaurant cravings, but we’re on a strict budget, so we don’t eat out.

symptoms I have: My legs are becoming a little more painful. We’ve all had mild colds for two weeks, so I’ve had a bit of a sore throat and neck.

doctor’s appointment: Last Thursday, I met with another midwife in the practice. My blood pressure and the baby’s heartbeat were fine. I also got good results from the glucose test. I now have appointments every two weeks instead of every month—yay third trimester!

what I’m looking forward to: The baby’s room got painted on Saturday, and the new curtains came yesterday! Nolan is now sleeping in there while his room gets painted—and one wall gets fixed. I’m dreading the winter and the cold, but I know that the more wintery it becomes, the closer we are to meeting the baby! I am excited to get Nolan’s baby clothes out of storage and see what the new baby will be wearing :) I want to make a list of what I think he’ll need. Nolan mostly just wore onesies since it was September, but this baby will need warm, full outfits.

“For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139: 13-16

saltine toffee

 

I had a few friends ask for the recipe after I posted this picture on Monday. I just ate the last of the toffee yesterday afternoon, and I’m already thinking about making it again (like today). It. is. so. good.

Ingredients:

35 saltine crackers (1 roll)

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1.5 cups chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Directions:

Line a cookie sheet with foil, and spray the foil with nonstick spray.
Fill the cookie sheet with rows of saltine crackers—salt side up—so the whole sheet is covered.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and brown sugar together and bring to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and add vanilla, if desired. Pour the mixture over the crackers, and spread it evenly. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. The crackers will be very bubbly. (Watch so that they don’t burn.) Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Put the tray back in the cooling oven with the door open so that the chips melt quickly. Spread the chocolate evenly to the edges. Let the cookie sheet cool in the fridge, and later break the toffee into squares/pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Thanks to this original recipe.

You will love it! :)

life lately

I made some mini pumpkin cream cheese pies. Notice Nolan stuffing his mouth :)


Took this cute photo after Ivy’s trip to the vet last Thursday. A bit of background—the last time Ivy had a vaccine (3 years ago for Lyme disease), she went into anaphylactic shock (severe allergic reaction). We weren’t sure that we ever wanted her to have another vaccine as the allergic reaction is known to become more severe every time. My dog Holly was put to sleep after a similar reaction to a distemper vaccine in 2007. Anyway, the rabies vaccine is required by law to be given to dogs every three years. I did a lot of research. I called around to different vets. And we made sure she had Benadryl and a steroid before receiving the vaccine.  She was absolutely fine! An answer to prayer!


Nolan told me this was “Daddy and Mommy” :)


Nolan and I made homemade play-dough. I was surprised how easy it was! He, of course, wants us to make Veggie Tales characters out of it every time we play.

 
A peek at what the new baby’s room looked like before. Steve sprayed the walls with fabric softener to finally get the rest of the 20-30 year-old pink cloud wallpaper off. Then on Saturday, he painted! I’m so excited to get the room ready.


Bathing cutie.


Halloween! Our little lumberjack.


We had 130 trick-or-treaters come in the city’s 2-hour time frame! I was surprised—I haven’t seen that many since I lived in Chicago. Plus, it was dark and rainy! Luckily, my mom and Don came over to visit, and they brought candy, otherwise we would have run out halfway through.


We could not get him to put the hat on for a picture—this was the best I got before he whipped it off again.


Dressed for our trip to Olive Garden and Target (an hour and a half away!) Used this as one of my Pin-spired photos.


We got the amazing deal at OG to buy one entree, and bring a second entree home for free.


Breadstick lover.


Checking out some TVs at Target.


Wednesday, I got to drink this delicious lemon-lime liquid and have my blood drawn. I’m really thankful to not have to worry about gestational diabetes.


My friend Meghan brought home her new chocolate lab puppy on Friday! His name is Timber, and I am in love. He is so tiny. And has the cutest green eyes. (I am a sucker for green eyes.)

This toffee is incredible. It’s just saltines, butter, brown sugar, and chocolate chips! A new favorite, for sure!

 
Bobbing for apples—or just eating them—at our church’s fall party on Saturday.


When he gets the microphone, he sings “I do, I do” from Tim McGraw/Taylor Swift’s song. :)


Dressed before 8 am! I am trying to shower/ get dressed earlier so I am not in my pajamas still in the afternoon. . .


We went to a fun birthday party yesterday for a friend from church. The food spread was amazing. Nolan put the little yellow truck on the table in exchange for a chocolate cheese muffin :)


Also, I noticed they were serving some of the same yummy saltine toffee!


Did you catch my Can’t Wait Willow book giveaway yesterday?

 
Have a great week!!!

november pin-spired

I can’t believe this is our tenth month of the Pin-spired link-up! Now that I’m 27 weeks pregnant with my little guy, this month has turned into a maternity version of Pin-spired :)

Outfit #1:

Pin-spiration: I love fall ensembles—the neutral colors, the waist belts, tights/leggings, booties—all of it.

. . . And there are also the many photos I’ve seen on Pinterest with black pants/leggings and tall cognac boots! I fell in love. . .

My interpretation: I wore this to a date I had on Saturday with Steve and Nolan (Olive Garden & Target) :)

 
tunic: Lands’ End in Ivory— sizing on it runs large FYI.
leggings: Motherhood Maternity in Black
boots: Mia “Heritage” at BonTon. Got a great deal (original price $90, paid only $30!!)
scarf: GAP outlet
belt: Mossimo at Target (clearance now for $5.24)

Pin-spiration: Alison (Get Your Pretty On) wore a chambray and red combination this summer—and I loved it! 

My interpretation: I tried out the chambray & red for church on Sunday. I normally take photos outside, but it was cold and dark, so this one got taken in front of the Halloween mantel.

 
black tank: Old Navy Maternity Rib-Knit Tank
chambray: Target (old)
red jeans: JCP Maternity Twill Pants in Crimson
boots: Steve Madden, last year

See my other nine months of Pin-spired.

I'm linking up with Shay, Mel, & Sheaffer.