Recipe: Homemade Thin Mints Cookies
My oldest daughter is gluten intolerant, and I feel like she’s missing out on a huge part of her life by not being able to eat the amazing and coveted Girl Scouts THIN MINTS cookies! To aid in this missing part of her life, I decided to search out a homemade recipe that can be modified for her. The Thin Mints cookie recipe below by Six Sisters Stuff has normal flour in it, but it can be easily modified to include your favorite gluten-free flour.
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Mint Chocolate Coating:
- 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
Directions:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and mix until combined.
- Mix in vanilla, salt and cocoa. Add flour and mix until fully combined, and slightly crumbly. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove dough from the fridge and knead a few times on a lightly floured surface to warm up.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8″ in thickness. Use a 1-1/2″ cookie cutter to cut circles of dough (or whatever shape or size you prefer).
- Place cut circles on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake cookies for 9-10 minutes, or until edges are set. Let cookies cool completely.
- After cookies are cool, place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in 30-second increments and stir until melted. Stir in peppermint extract until smooth.
- Place cookies in the chocolate one at a time, using a fork to flip and lift cookie out of the chocolate. Transfer the chocolate covered cookie to a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining cookies.
- Let chocolate harden before serving. You can place cookies in the refrigerator to set the chocolate faster.
Recipe: Vanilla Ice Cream Made With Real Snow!
Many of us in the United States are dealing with insane winter weather, including blizzards and more snow than we’ve seen in years. Take advantage of the piles of white stuff by making it into ice cream! Big hit with kids and adults and only takes 20 minutes. A big bonus – It’s Gluten-Free! Here’s how to do it:
Ingredients:
- 1 gallon CLEAN snow
- 2 cups of whole milk or half and half
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
Directions:
- Combine milk or half and half with the sugar and vanilla.
- Stir until the sugar is dissolved and add it to the fresh snow, then eat!
OR
- One 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 quarts fresh snow
- Combine together and eat!
Thanks to Polka Dot Poplars for the recipes and picture!
Recipe: Almond Chantilly Strawberry Dip
Simple and delicious, Almond Chantilly Strawberry Dip is perfect for parties or just for a snack!
Ingredients:
- 3 oz box Instant vanilla pudding
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- fresh strawberries
Directions:
- Make the vanilla pudding as directed on its package.
- While waiting for the pudding to firm, whip the heavy cream and almond extract together in a separate bowl until thick and looks like whipped cream.
- Add the whipped cream into the vanilla pudding. Stir them together until smooth and have an even color.
- Stick in the refrigerator to cool, then serve with fresh strawberries!
Recipe: Easy Crock Pot Enchiladas
You’d normally not expect to see something like enchiladas in a slow cooker, but this super easy and a little spicy recipe is perfect for these cold winter nights. Thanks to Easy Crock Pot Recipes for the delicious recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 1 can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can diced tomatoes and green chilis (leave undrained)
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
- 6 flour tortillas
Directions:
- In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, and green pepper until beef is browned and vegetables are tender, then drain.
- Add the next eight ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Combine cheese in a bowl.
- In the crock pot, layer about 3/4 cup of beef mixture, one tortilla and about 1/3 cup cheese. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.
Recipe: Valentine’s Day Trail Mix
Easy to make and can easily be modified for food allergies, Valentine’s Day trail mix is a healthier alternative to bagged candy for handing out to friends or to have at a party.
All you need is Valentine’s M&Ms, Sweethearts Conversation Hearts, pretzels, raisins, caramel corn, and peanuts (if allowed). Other options include marshmallows, Chex Mix, and Cheerios.You can substitute for Gluten-Free or Dairy-Free versions of these foods instead and this snack will still be a hit. Mix all together, fill in bags of your choice, and VOILA! Done! :)
Healthy & Delicious Homemade Twix Bars
I don’t know about you, but eating healthy gets pretty boring sometimes, and you just want to break out a candy bar. Instead of buying one at the store or at the vending machine at work, bake these super healthy ones from Chocolate Covered Katie. This recipe makes 12 bars.
Ingredients:
Chocolate Covering:
Shortbread:
- 1/2 cup white rice flour or buckwheat flour or sorghum flour
- 1/2 cup arrowroot or tapioca
- 2 tbsp evaporated cane juice or regular sugar or coconut sugar
- 3 tbsp sunflower seed butter (or other nut or seed butter)
- 2 tbsp virgin coconut oil
- 1 tbsp freshly ground flax mixed with 2 tbsp water (Let sit for 5 minutes before using)
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
Caramel Filling:
- 1 tsp water
- pinch salt
- 100 g of pitted dates (approx. 6 dates)
- 3 tablespoons sunflower seed butter (or another nut butter of choice)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then set aside.
- Prepare shortbread: Add first three ingredients to a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine. Then add sunflower seed butter, coconut oil, flax mixture and extract. Mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer until fully combined. The dough should stick together well.
- Shape dough into twelve 3″ cookies: Scoop out about 1 1/2 tablespoons at a time into your hand and roll into a ball, then shape into a long tube by rolling back and forth between the palm of your hands until it’s about 3″ long. Set down on prepared cookie sheet and flatten with fingers. (Note: You can make the cookie even straighter by using the side of a knife to press up against the edges.)
- Place cookies in the preheated oven for 10-15 minutes until tops are slightly cracked and sides are golden, then allow to cool.
- Place caramel ingredients in the bowl of the food processor and blend until smooth. If the mixture doesn’t get smooth, just add a tiny bit of water and mix again.
- Once the cookies are cooled, top them with caramel: Roll caramel like you did the cookies; into 3-inch tubes, and place over top of cookies, then place them on another cookie sheet that is lined with parchment paper.
- Place the caramel covered cookies in the freezer and allow to set for at least 10 minutes. This will make the cookies easier to dip in the chocolate.
- Melt chocolate chips by putting them into a metal bowl put over the top of a sauce pan filled with water. Bring water to a boil and stir chips until melted. Remove from heat once fully melted.
- Remove the cookie sheet from the freezer. Coat the bars in chocolate one by one: Drop the bar into the chocolate and coat it with your fingers. Remove the cookie with your fingers and place back on the parchment. Repeat on all cookies. Place the coated cookies back in the freezer and allow to set for 15 minutes.
That’s it! In just a few minutes, you’ll have a dozen Twix bars that you won’t regret later! Here are the nutrition facts on Katie’s site.
Conversation Hearts Valentine’s Wreath Tutorial
Create this super simple Valentine’s Day themed wreath in just an hour or so and about $10-$20!
What You’ll Need:
- Circular foam form with four flat sides
- Pink tissue paper
- Hot glue
- 4 bags of Sweethearts Conversation Hearts candy (or two 1 pound bags)
- Big pink ribbon (or other ribbon to hang the wreath on)
Directions:
- Wrap the tissue paper around the foam and hot glue it on to secure it. This covers the boring white foam.
- Start hot gluing the conversation hearts in one row and go all the way around the wreath. It is easier and neater to do one row than to go three across.
- Do this as many times as it takes to cover the wreath completely, but leave the back that will be against the wall or door without candy on it.
- Tie a ribbon around and through the circle to hang, and that’s it!
Thanks to Crafts & Such for the picture and tutorial!
Recipe: Valentine’s Day Marshmallow Pops
Change up the regular Valentine’s hearts lollipops or cake pops, and make these super simple Valentine’s Day Marshmallow Pops in just a few minutes. Would be great for a child’s school party, too!
Just stick a lollipop stick through a marshmallow, then dip it into melted chocolate (add food coloring to white chocolate for different colors). Before it hardens, dip the marshmallow with the chocolate into different sprinkles, then put it into a glass, stick down. Do this over and over again, and when you put it into a glass, be sure they don’t touch each other (like in the picture). That’s it, it’s that simple! Kids would love to decorate their own marshmallow pops. Do this for birthdays, Easter, Christmas, any holiday!
Recipe: Strawberry Shortcake Muffins
Looking for something sweet, healthy, gluten-free, and taste like dessert? Strawberry Shortcake Muffins are easy to make and only take 30-35 minutes to make AND they’re only 2 Weight Watchers points each.
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 cups old fashioned oats (not quick cooking)
- 1 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup baking stevia (or other sweetener that measures similarly to sugar)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 cup of strawberries
- Optional: 1 tsp lemon juice and another 1/2 cup of strawberries (diced for the top of the muffins)
Note: Paper cupcake liners do NOT work with this recipe. Use either silicone muffin pans, silicone baking cups in a regular baking tin, or take apart the paper ones and just use the foil ones.
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line 12 muffin tins with liners (see italicized note above).
- Place all of the ingredients, except strawberries in a blender or food processor. Blend until oats are smooth.
- Pour mixture into a medium sized bowl then stir in strawberries. Divide remaining 1/2 cup diced strawberries over the top of each muffin. (This is optional, but makes the muffins taste even more delicious!)
- Divide the batter among cupcake liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
That’s it! Thanks to Dashing Dish for the amazing recipe!
Scrabble Word Art Craft Tutorial
Run over to the dollar store, craft store, or thrift store to grab a picture frame, Scrabble tiles (you can find them in a used game or buy 100 Scrabble Tiles on Amazon for less than $6 and have them on hand for multiple projects!), hot glue, and scrapbook paper to make this super easy and SUPER CUTE craft. You can make them for any holiday, but this one is for Valentine’s Day in particular.
Directions:
- Put the scrapbook paper of your choice in the frame and put the glass over it.
- Hot glue the tiles of your word choices in lines on TOP of the glass. This makes it easy to change out the paper for different times of the year if you’d like.
- Hang and enjoy!
Thanks to Embellishing Life for the awesome craft idea!