Button Tree

Yesterday evening I was home with just Margot, she had been fed and finally went down for the night and I was in the mood to create something! I'm too loud in the kitchen and didn't want to wake her up so baking something was out of the question. Then I remembered our dogs recently demolished a tree in our backyard and the branches were sitting outside next to the trash can because they wouldn't fit into it. So I went out, broke a small branch off and brought it inside!

As you know, I love buttons and I love trees....so after staring at the branch for a while, I decided to make a button tree! I got a glass planter (India, if you're reading this you'll recognize it! Sorry I killed your plant!) which was still filled with soil and I stuck the tree branch down in it so it stood up straight. Then I dug though my button collection and picked out some old vintage ones. I tied the buttons to a piece of black thread, then tied each thread to the branch tips. And there you have it! A button tree! Simple, but I really like it.

Oatmeal Banana Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 c. shortening
1 c. white sugar
1 egg
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1 3/4 c. quick cooking oats
1/2 c. chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and grease a couple cookie sheets and set aside. Sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set aside. Cream together shortening and sugar. Add egg, banana, oats and nuts. Mix well. Add dry ingredients until well combined. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for about 15 minutes in preheated oven. Cool on a wire rack. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

Notes: These cookies have a great flavor and came out really moist with sort of a cake like texture. I added a glaze made from powdered sugar and milk for something extra...but they would be great by themselves, too!

Reeses Fudge Cookies

Ingredients:
2 c. flour
2/3 c. cocoa powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. vanilla 
1 c. butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
1 c. chocolate chips or peanut butter chips
2 c. Reeses Pieces candy 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and grease a couple cookie sheets and set aside. Combine the first 4 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside. Mix the next 4 ingredients on medium speed until creamy and smooth. Add the dry ingredients half a cup at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition. Once all the dry ingredients are incorporated mix in chips and 1 cup Reeses Pieces. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Place 5 Reeses Pieces in the center of each dough ball (they will spread out and go where they're supposed to during baking). Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes and then transfer onto cooling racks. Makes about 3 dozen cookies (depending on how much dough gets eaten in the process!).

New blog url and title

So I couldn't be "Chloe's Citchen Creations" anymore....I'm now "Chloe's {Valuable, but Small} Life". I switched to this title because of one of my favorite movie quotes that has really been sticking out to me lately. It's from You've Got Mail where Kathleen Kelly is talking to Joe Fox and she says:


"Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life - well, valuable, but small - and sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave?"
Ever since I heard that line I kind of took it as my own :) So there you have it! My new blog title!


-Chloe'

BBQ Chicken and Bacon Pizza

Ingredients:
1 chicken breast, boiled and shredded
6-8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 onion, thinly sliced and sauteed
1 pizza crust (homemade or store bought)
3/4 cup bbq sauce
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 c. cheddar or colby jack cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 and grease a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Spread dough onto pan and spread evenly with bbq sauce. Sprinkle on garlic powder followed by chicken, bacon, onions and then cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes in preheated oven.



Notes: Since boiling and shredding chicken can take a while I start with that first. While its boiling I fry the bacon followed by the onions. Just leave a little bacon grease in the pan and throw the onions it. I like to sprinkle a little sugar on them while they're sauteeing...makes them a little sweet and carmelized :)

Puppy Chow/Muddy Buddies

Ingredients:
1 14 oz. box rice or corn Chex
1 12 oz. bag semi sweet chocolate chips
1 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Directions:
Pour Chex into a large bowl and set aside. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter 1 minute at a time until melted and smooth, stirring in between minutes. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over the Chex and stir until well coated. Pour into a clean plastic bag, add powdered sugar, close the bag tightly and shake until all the Chex are coated in powdered sugar. Spread out on waxed or parchment paper to cool about 20-30 minutes.


Notes: This is my own version of this recipe. I make it several times during the holiday season and it gets eaten up super fast. This stuff is delicious!

The Best Pumpkin Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:
2 1/3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 1/2 c. white sugar
1 c. pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze Ingredients:
2 c. powdered sugar
3 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. melted buttter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 and grease cookie sheets. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice and set aside. Cream together butter, sugar, pumpkin, egg and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Mix in dry ingredients. Drop onto prepared cookie sheets by tablespoonfuls. Bake for 12-15 minutes in preheated oven.
Once cookies are done prepare the glaze. Combine all the glaze ingredients until no clumps remain. If too thick for drizzling, add more milk. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. Drizzle over cooled cookies with a fork and allow to dry before serving.


Notes:
These cookies have more of a cake or muffin texture then your traditional cookie. They are absolutely delicious! I'm not kidding when I say they're "the best"! They would be just as yummy without the glaze if you want to skip it. 


Adapted from allrecipes.com

No Bake Cookies

Ingredients:
2 c. white sugar
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. chunky peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 c. quick cooking oats

Directions:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, cocoa, milk and margarine. Bring to a boil (stirring occasionally) and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in the peanut butter until melted. Add the vanilla and oats and stir until well combined. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto wax paper or aluminum foil. Allow cookies to cool and dry for about 1 hour. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
1 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 chicken breasts, pounded 1/2 inch thick
1 egg, beaten
3/4 c. italian bread crumbs
1/2 c. parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 c. mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 pound spaghetti, cooked
1/2 26 oz. jar pasta sauce, heated


Directions:
In a large skillet heat the butter and oil over medium heat. Place the egg in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl combine the bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, garlic powder and pepper. Dip the chicken breasts, one at a time in the egg and then in the bread crumb mixture. You can do it twice if you have leftover egg and crumbs. Once the butter and oil are melted and hot place the coated chicken in the skillet and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side, or until fully cooked. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese on top and let it melt. Place the chicken on a bed of hot spaghetti and pour sauce over the chicken and pasta.

Stuffed Shells

Oh how I love stuffed shells! This is by far my favorite way to make them. Sometimes I leave out the sausage or use ground beef or turkey instead...whatever's on hand!


Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:
12 oz. box of jumbo shells
1/2 lb. ground sausage
15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 c. cottage cheese
2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1 c. grated parmesan cheese divided
1 egg
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
26 oz. jar pasta sauce

Directions:
Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil. Once boiling add the shells and cook until al dente. Meanwhile, brown the sausage and drain off any grease. In a large bowl combine the sausage, ricotta, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesan, egg, and all seasonings. Place 1/3 of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Once the shells are done boiling, strain and lay out to cool for a couple minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Spoon the cheese and sausage mixture into the shells and place in the pan on top of the sauce. Once all the shells are filled and in the pan, top with remaining sauce, mozzarella cheese and parmesan cheese. Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 15 minutes, until cheese begins to brown. Makes 24 shells