Puppy Chow Muddy Buddy

I finally got my Christmas shopping finished. I actually finished last week. It feels great to get that behind me and now I can sit back and enjoy the rest of the season. 

With my work schedule, I have to find time to get things done. I was off on Sunday so I was able to enjoy church again. My daughter came home and we spent the afternoon baking cookies and making treats to hand out to the neighbors. 

This year I will be handing out tins of “puppy chow”. It’s not really puppy chow but that what it’s called because of how it looks. If you buy it in the store, it is called Muddy Buddy.

It is made by coating chex cereal with a peanut butter and chocolate mixture then tossing it into powder sugar. It is absolutely delicious!

Incases you want the recipe, here it is.....

PUPPY CHOW (Muddy Buddy)

6 cups Chex rice cereal.

1/2 Cup peanut butter.

1 Cup chocolate chips.

1/4 Cup butter.

1 Teaspoon vanilla.

2 Cups powder sugar.

In microwave, melt chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter together on high for 30 seconds. 

Microwave 15 seconds at a time until mixture becomes smooth.

Stir in vanilla and pour over cereal mixture. Stir to coat. 

Pour into a 2 gallon resealable food storage bag or a container with a lid.

Shake until coated. 

Transfer into a serving container and add extras of your choice such as pretzels, marshmallows, M&Ms, or other candies.

I just added some Christmas colored M&Ms. 

We also made my favorite holiday cookie, “Pecan balls”. I filled a tin with those to take to work and we have a container of our own. 

I could eat my weight in those things. 

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s time I share with you, these delicious cookies I made. The best thing about these cookies are they are rather healthy. You will not believe what they are made with. No eggs, no oil, no butter, and no flour. Seriously. Can it get any worst better than that? Maybe. These cookies are made with Chickpeas! Seriously.

Are you a cookie dough eater? I’m not because my daddy always warned us about eating raw eggs. I thought I’d die if did. But again, this dough has no eggs or any dairy product for that matter so if cookie dough is your thing, grab a bowl and dig in. 

They are Gluten free, low sugar and grain free. They can even be made vegan if you change up the recipe a bit such as using vegan chocolate chips or maple syrup instead of honey. In fact, the original recipe is vegan. But hey, I’m not vegan and I didn’t have maple syrup so I’m sticking with this recipe. 

Don’t snarl your nose up until you have tired it. They are absolutely delicious. You can not taste the chickpeas at all and if you didn’t know it, you would never guess it’s in them. These cookies are also full of protein. Now I don’t feel guilty when I eat ten four. 

Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Can chickpeas (rinse and drain)

1/2 Cup peanut butter

1/3 Cup Honey

2 tsp. Vanilla

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Pinch of salt

1/2 Cup chocolate chips.(or more).

Put all ingredients except chocolate chips into a food processor and blend until smooth.

Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a greased or lined cookie sheet. (They do not rise or spread but do fluff some)

Bake on 350 for 20 minutes.

These cookies come out firm on the bottom and soft and gooey throughout. 

I plan to make more of these to share with family as they taste as good as any other homemade chocolate chip cookies. 

Enjoy

Original recipe was found at Earthyandy.com (via Instagram @earthyandy)

Christmas Eve Eve

Happy Christmas Eve Eve. Is everyone ready for Christmas? I am. Christmas shopping was completed a week ago and now it’s time for baking. I have lots to things to make by Christmas. I have cooking to prepare for and goodies to make for neighbors and family.

Not sure how much baking I will get done today so I started on a few things yesterday. 

My daughter will be coming home this morning and staying through Christmas. She still has to work half the day. She can work from here since she has the privilege of working remote a couple days a week. The fun will start in a little while. 

Before anything, I have a mandatory meeting with the unemployment office today. I have to take proof that I have been searching for jobs while drawing my little 200.00 unemployment check. I’m not gonna complain though. It buys groceries. I have worked everyday since I turned sixteen. That’s 34 years and I have never been unemployed before. Now I have to prove I have been searching for work the past 6 weeks. Well, I have a long list, plus two papers they gave me full of places I have applied for with no avail. So, yes, I have proof. I think people that are capable of working but choose to live off the Government should have to do this too. But that’s none off my business.
I have gotten word from some employers that they will not be interviewing until the first of the year. Fingers crossed something gives. I need to work not only for the money but for my health and sanity. 

Anyway back to baking....

I made some of my Italian Biscotti. This is an all time favorite. We like to dip them into our all day morning coffee. They are so easy to make. I’m not sure why I only decide to make them at Christmas. 

This batch was made using vanilla flavoring with only a touch of anise and lightly dipped in chocolate. They are the perfect sweetness.

This year I also decided to make “Italian Crescent Cookies”. 

These are made using butter, flour, sugar and walnuts made into little crescent shapes and rolled in powder sugar. I love anything with powder sugar. I will break a diet over powder sugar. It’s my weakness. 

I have cookie dough made and in the refrigerator waiting on my daughter to arrive. We will be rolling out the dough and cutting into Christmas shapes before decorating them. A lot of these cookies will be given away. I hope they turn out pretty. I usually struggle with icing them. 

What is a Christmas favorite you or someone else makes each year?