Category — Chocolate

So this years 5th Annual Cookie Swap was a success!  We had 14 ladies bake their hearts out to share with each other.  There were so many different recipes and flavors, it was unreal, and delicious.  Ron and I had them all gone in a week and a half.  Yum yum.

So, I tried this Weight Watchers Pumpkin Chocolate chip recipe that I found on Two Blonde’s Walk Into a Gym, and although they were ugly, they tasted so yummy.  I wasn’t sure how this recipe was going to pan out, but it blew me and my guests away how moist and flavorful they were!  Go Weight Watchers, woohoo!  Not only was this the easiest (by far) cookie recipe that I’ve ever made, but is also probably the healthiest… he hee hee.  Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make these scrumptious little cookies, so enjoy.

Above Images: 1. The ingredients that you see here is all you need, seriously!  No eggs, no milk.  I made 14 dozen cookies, so I needed more than one batch.  One batch makes approx. 48 cookies.  You will need 1 box Spice Cake Mix, 15 oz can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix, just straight pumpkin), and 1 cup chocolate chips.  that’s it! 2-4. Mix the ingredients one by one into a small bowl. 5. Scoop mix by the tablespoon onto a non-stick cookie sheet and bake at 350° for 12-14 min.  Let cool foe a few minutes on pan then transfer to cooling rack. 6. Enjoy!

Visit Two Blonde’s Walk Into A Gym for the nutritional values.

What was a bigger hit than the cookies you ask?  Well, that would be my cat Brutus James.  He should have had a red carpet at this event because all of the ladies were swooning over him.  They all asked for photos with him!  He loves the ladies and all of the attention that comes with them.  He was such a hit, even my pal Jessica (top) loved him and she’s not a big fan of animals.  He worked his charm, that’s for sure.  My mom and cousin are in the middle photos and that’s my mom and sis in the bottom ones.  So cute!

Here is a photo of this years ladies!  Can’t wait until next year!

Funny thing, my friend Ben invited me to his cookie swap too, so I participated in two lovely swaps this year!  Crazy, I know, but this one only had us baking 8 dozen…heeheehee.  Oh, that’s my hubby Ron, trying to take the credit for baking all of these goodies.  Don’t be fooled by his charm though.

Night all!
ox RobbieLee

Some friends of mine gave me one of these Strawberry Cupcakes from Tee&Cakes for my birthday last year and it was AMAZINGLY delicious!  Next time that you’re in Boulder, CO be sure to drop by and visist them!

This Chocolate Beacon Cupckae from Tee&Cakes was featured on FoodNetwork and I hear it’s fabulous!  I haven’t had the pleasure of trying it yet, but maybe I can treat a friend for their Birthday soon?!

Hello, Cupcake!  Can be found here.

Cupcakes!  Can be found here.

Cute!

I talked to my grandma today and she wanted to make a Cream/Jelly Roll but couldn’t find her recipe for that special batter.  My grandpa found a recipe on the Food Network website, but as you might know, it can be a very slow loading site…  So, I decided to look around and see what I could find.  I found several recipes that looked like they might work for her, but this POM Cream-Filled Chocolate Roll stood out to me in particular because it’s something that I’ve never seen before!  I had to share it with you for this weeks Humpday Tutorial.  If you try it (and I hope you will), please let me know how you like it!  I’d love to hear.  Pomegranates + Chocolate + Cream filling = Perfection!  Pomegranates are full of great antioxidants and you mix that with chocolate, so you get a win-win situation.  Enjoy!  And have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Image via POMwonderful.com

I was talking on the phone with my mom last night and she was telling me about something she had seen on TV about healthy dog treats.  She had told me that you can give dogs green beans, peas, carrots, and even bananas!  This got me thinking more on the topic of healthy dogs & treats at home.  I found some great sites with recipes and tips to keep your dog fit and healthy.  These recipes would be a great activity to do indoors this winter with the kids!  Enjoy!

**Oh!  Before I forget, it is very very very important to remember to never ever give dogs grapes or raisins because they could be fatal!!!  Chocolate can also be fatal and you should never give dogs real bones, because they can splinter and your dog could choke!  Alcohol and hops are bad for dogs too, so don’t share that beer with them!**

Paw Rescue {A great list of food warnings and kitchen safety for your pets.  This site also has a great list of toxic foods too!!  Please take a moment at read}
*Toxic Foods and items for you dogs and cats (and other animals):
Fatty foods, chocolate, grapes, raisins, real bones (because of splinters), alcohol, bread dough, milk, salt, salty pork products, organ meat, tuna can be bad for cats hearts (I had no idea), avocado, tomatoes, nuts, rhubarb, onions, citrus fruits, too much soy is bad, caffeine, cough medicine, cigarettes (don’t smoke around them or leave your butts on the ground to be eaten, sponges (they like to chew them), self cleaning ovens let off toxic chemicals to any animal and may be very harmful to dogs/cats/birds/etc., and don’t let your dog drink from the toilet because if the germs don’t make your dog sick the chemicals will.

Dog Treat Cookbooks {Recipes for dog treats}
Bull Wrinkle {Recipes for dog treats}
Banana Carrot Muffin Dog Treats {A great recipe good enough for you to eat!  It has carrots and honey in the mix!}
Fruits and Veggies That Are Good For Your Dog {A list of fruits and vegetables that your dog can eat!  Just remember to cut up all fruits and veggies into bite-sized pieces so your dog doesn’t choke!!!}
The Real Owner {Explains the health benefits of veggies for dogs}

If you find any other great sites with animal recipes and/ or safety tips, please share with us in the comments section!  Thanks!