Firecrackers

 

I have been on a cookie binge lately.  Something about the cooler weather just makes a good batch of butter, flour, and sugar too irresistible!  My taste buds love it, but my skinny jeans do not.  So although I have more yummy cookie recipes to share (even some more pumpkin varieties) I am going to take a detour to savory town with these delicious Firecrackers.

When I haven't been baking amazing cookies, I have been watching football.  Actually, sometimes I have been dong both!  It's been a pretty good fall.  I love to munch on foods while I am watching football.  And these firecrackers are perfect "munching" food.  Just be careful because it is too easy to accidentally munch on the entire batch!

Peanut Butter Snickers Cookie

Halloween has passed on November is officially upon us.  (I hope you are all ready for Christmas commercials, because I have already seen several!)  I had a decent amount trick-or-treaters this year, and enjoyed every one of them.  But I did still have some candy leftover.  You won't hear me complain about that, because I bought some good stuff this year!

By "the good stuff" I mean my favorite candy bar--Snickers.  I don't always eat candy bars.  But when I do, I eat Snickers.  They are tremendous.  I also greatly enjoy peanut butter cookies.  So why not put them together?  One great treat + another great treat = 1 really great treat!  If you have some leftover Snickers from Halloween, do yourself a favor and use them to make these awesome cookies.  If you don't have any leftover Snickers from Halloween, take advantage of candy clearance and get some!

Pumpkin Oatmeal Scotchies

Holy Smokes!  I can't believe that it is almost time to flip my calendar to November.  I have been super busy lately, hence the scarcity of posts.  That is my excuse for why I have made it this far into Fall without posting any pumpkin recipes.  Shame on me!

But I promise the wait is worth it.  I made these yummy pumpkin oatmeal scotchies this weekend and had to share them ASAP.  Pumpkin is just perfect in any form this time of year.  But there is nothing cozier than warm cookies with the flavors of pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.  Then add the heartiness of oatmeal and the sweet deliciousness of butterscotch chips, and you have one amazing treat!

Homemade Buttermilk Ranch Seasoning Mix

When I was a kid, my mom used to make this fantastic dip that I loved with potato chips.  It was a real culinary achievement--a packet of Ranch seasoning mix stirred into a tub of sour cream.  While it may not have been a challenge, it was one of my favorites!  Sometimes the simple things in life are the best.

Fast forward to adulthood.  The first time I was on my own and craving some of this delicious dip, I headed to the store to pick up a packet of Ranch seasoning.  Being a broke college student, I was quite disheartened at how much they cost.  It's just a few herbs spices put together, right?  I checked the ingredient list thinking that it must have flecks of gold in it or something.  Nope.  I guess the MSG must cost extra.  I have purchased it a few times since then, but it was always begrudgingly.  And now, enter Pinterest.  

Makeover Monday: Skinny Corn Dip

 With football season in full swing, I find myself spending an ever increasing amount of time on the couch.  And watching football.  And eating.  And, perhaps, enjoying an ice cold Bud Light.  Life is good.  Somehow a football game is made exponentially better with the addition of junk food and beer.  I can't explain it.  It's just a law of nature.  And I would never argue with science.

But after a few full weekends of football, I sometimes find that my jeans are feeling inexplicably tight.  Could it be the sitting on my butt and stuffing my face?  Perhaps.  So every now and then I have to swap the junk food for something lighter.  But I still want the pleasure of my traditional football watching food.  Enter this delicious, satisfying, and made-over skinny corn dip.