Bucket of Deliciousness!!!!!

I decided to host a margarita girls night in the honor of my neighbor who was getting married. Well things didn't go as planned and instead of having 10 or so girls we had enough food to feed that many and had like 4 of us. o well more food for the rest of us! A few years ago I hosted a margarita night and I just remember spending most of my night in my kitchen making margaritas so I wanted a recipe that was easy and delicious and that is when I stumbled upon the Bucket of Margaritas recipe. This is a DEFNITE winner and keeper. I made 2 batches at once and kept it in a big plastic jug but some other people suggested making it and storing it plastic baggies. I took it out about 25 minutes before people got there and it took awhile to defrost but it was slushy and delicious (and a little strong). This is definitely a recipe worth keeping because not only is it delicioud but you can enjoy your guests too.

The second recipe I ended up using primarily as non-alcholic margaritas, one of the girls is pregnant so why should she miss out, and I made it with about a can and half of water. However, after she left I poured the rest of it into our glasses and added the Tequilla and Cointreau into the glass. One of the girls mixed the two and said it was delicious.

Bucket of Margaritas

(Source: allrecipes)

INGREDIENTS

4 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups tequila
1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen limeade
1/2 cup triple sec (orange-flavored liqueur)
1 whole lime, cut into 6 wedges

DIRECTIONS

- Mix the water, tequila, limeade, and orange liqueur in a freezer-proof container with a lid; stir.

-Cover and store in freezer until it reaches a slush-like consistency, about 24 hours. Serve in glasses garnished with lime wedges.


STRAWBERRY MARGARITAS
(Source: allrecipes)

INGREDIENTS

1 (10 ounce) package frozen strawberries
1 (6 ounce) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate
1 cup tequila
1/4 cup triple sec
ice cubes (I actually didn't use any because I kept it pretty thick).

DIRECTIONS

- Place strawberries, lemonade concentrate, tequila, and triple sec in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add ice cubes as needed.

Minty Deliciousness!

Since I am so far behind let's talk about Christmas...............in February! For the past few Christmases I have made boxes of cookies for neighbors and our priest at Church. For the past few years I have been using the same basic cookies and then usually added one new recipe to the box. This year I was craving some chocolate and mint (for some reason mint means the holidays to me!)

Aunt Nettie's Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies

SOFT MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Source: all recipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

- In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. In a mixing bowl, beat sugars and egg; add buttermilk and peppermint extract. Beat in chocolate mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture. Let stand for 15 minutes or until dough becomes firmer.

- Drop by tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Touchdown with Cookie Bars!

Back in January one of my coworkers made some cookie bars and on the morning of the Superbowl I was totally craving some so I decided to make my awesome cookie recipe. I added a bag of toffee chips and a bag of chocolate chunks to it; I cooked them for about 20 minutes but they were a little undercooked so next time I might do an extra minute or so. They were delicious!

CHOCOLATE CHUNK AND TOFFEE CHIP COOKIE BARS
(SOURCE: ME)


INGREDIENTS

2 Sticks of butter
3/4 C. Sugar
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz toffee chips
12 oz chocolate chunks


DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

- Cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar together. Then add the eggs and vanilla and mix. Next add the flour and baking soda. Finally add the chips.

- Spread as best as you can all the dough into a 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 20-24 minutes.

It's a cookie?!?! It's a brownie?? Its a brownie cookie!

I think blogger is punishing me for being such a bad blogger!!! I wrote the post but just had to add pictures and of course was slacking; wel today I came back to add the pics and the post was gone! I get it blogspot I am a bad blogger and am not worthy! However, these cookies are totally worthy (hopefully your guinea pigs are worthy of these cookies)! One nite I decided that I was going to skip the gym thanks to some really bad shin splints and I was going to make cookies, not that I ever need an excuse to skin the gym and bake cookies but hey why not use it! I was craving something chocolate and WOWSERS this recipe was totally worth it and my guinea pigs just loved it! I added peanut butter chips to the recipe. I usually bake my cookies at the low end of the time spectrum but these needed a few extra minutes. The first day I made them I probably left them in about 11-12 minutes and they were cruncy on the outside but super soft on the inside and when I made them 2 day later I baked them for a minute or so less and they were just soft all the way around so keep your eyes on them. But this recipe is definitely a keeper! ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SOFT CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Source: All Recipes)

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
confectioners' sugar
1 bag of peanut butter chips (optional)


DIRECTIONS

- In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture.

- Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.(I did less than an hour)

- Roll into 1-in. balls. I used an ice cream scoop and then molded them

- Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with a fork if desired. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are firm. Remove to wire racks. Dust warm cookies with confectioners' sugar. (optional)