Peanut Butter Bars

Ok! So how I do love Reese's Peanut Butter Cups and this is the closest thing to them I have found. Very easy and delicious. I'm really hoping the holidays are almost over so I can quit baking all these yummy treats. Also I have attached a printable link at the bottom of all of my recipes on my blog to make it easier to print


Peanut Butter Bars

1 Cup Butter (melted)
2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs
2 Cups Powdered Sugar
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 1/2 Cups Semisweet Choc. Chips (I seriously hate semisweet so of course I use my milk chocolate Hersey kisses baking pieces) 4 Tblsps Peanut Butter

* In a bowl mix together the butter, graham crackers, powdered sugar and the 1 cup peanut butter until blended.

Press evenly into the bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13 pan.



*Melt Chocolate chips with the 4 Tblsps. peanut butter in the microwave stirring often until smooth.

Spread over the peanut butter crust.


Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into squares. YUM YUM

https://sites.google.com/site/windleyfamilyprintablerecipes/peanut-butter-bars

Crockpot Chicken Nachos

Here's a fun recipe for the New Year. I love to do the chicken nachos when you are serving a lot of people because it goes along way. This also goes in the recipe hall of fame for super easy :) I will have more pictures later on today !!

Crock pot Chicken Nachos

3-4 Chicken Breast (Frozen or thawed)

1 Can Black Beans (drained)

1 Can Pinto Beans (drained)

1 Pkg Taco Seasoning

2 Cans Mexican Stewed Tomatoes ( I use whatever i have plain diced, diced with cilantro and lime. really any type will work)

1 Can Diced Green Chilies

2 Tblsp. Lime Juice

**Combine all ingredients into crock pot, slightly stir.

Cook for 6-8 Hours on low. (Shred chicken in crock pot after cooked and stir again) Serve over tortilla chips with all the nacho toppings. (Cheese,green onions, olives,sour cream and whatever else tickles your fancy)

https://sites.google.com/site/windleyfamilyprintablerecipes/crock-pot-chicken-nachos

Idaho Spuds Candy

Idaho Spuds Candy

These are the perfect Christmas treat. They will bring lots of cheer to your family and friends. Delicious and super easy, my kind of calories :)

Idaho Spuds Candy

2 6.8 oz or 7 oz Symphony or Hersheys Milk Chocolate Bars (broke in pieces)

1 8oz Cool Whip

*Flaked Coconut

*Crushed Walnuts or Almonds(I blend in my blender to get a fine consistency)

**My family doesnt love coconut so I do mostly the nuts.

In microwave melt chocolate pieces then fold in cool whip (consistency is kind of like a thick frosting)

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls into a bowl with coconut or nuts and toss until covered. Place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.

Refrigerate till set. Store in a covered container in refrigerator

https://sites.google.com/site/windleyfamilyprintablerecipes/idaho-spuds-candy

My Girls

I recently had my girls pictures taken and had to share because they turned out super cute.. Thanks to Nicole Mathews who is an aspiring photographer and has lots of wonderful talent.

Mackenzie & Madison

Witch Finger Cookies

WITCH FINGERS
Eweeeee!!! What a sight to see. Me and Madison were surfing the Internet trying to find a fun Halloween treat to take for her class and came across these frightful treats. She was so excited to make them.

Happy Halloween!!


Witch Finger Cookies

(I doubled the recipe to make sure I had enough and added 1/4 cup white sugar because alot of the recipes online said the dough wasn't sweet enough,this seemed to help. This is a butter cookie recipe not a sugar cookie.)

1 Cup Butter (Softened)
1 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Large Egg
1 tsp. Almond Extract
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 2/3 Cups Flour
1 tsp. Salt
3/4 Cup Sliced Almonds
1 Tube Red Decorator Frosting
1/2 Cup Raspberry Jam (Optional)

*In a large bowl combine butter, sugar, egg, almond & vanilla. *Combine flour & salt in a medium bowl. Add wet mixture to dry and mix until moistened. (Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour this is to eliminate fat chunky fingers HE,HE)

*Preheat oven to 325
*Work with a section of the dough at a time keeping the remainder in the refrigerator. (I left it all out and my first batch was good the second batch spread a little. I was able to shape with a spoon when they came right out of the oven back to the right finger shape.) Roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into a finger shape for each cookie. Press almond into end for nail.
(Optional** Down the center of each cookie make an indent and add a line of jam and press cookie over it to cover the best you can this is kind of hard but does not have to be covered completely.**)

(Does that look like a gross finger or what??)

Squeeze center to create a "knuckle" shape. (If you used the jam this is hard to do but the look is still great!!) Using a knife make slashes in several places to complete the look of a finger. (You cant see the slashes in the picture but they are there)
*Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet or parchment paper and bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool 3 minutes. Lift off almond squeeze red frosting onto nail bed and press almond back in place so the frosting oozes out. (I took some extra frosting and added a little oil to thin it and drizzled it over the fingers for more of a blood look)

Have Fun and Enjoy this gruesome Halloween treat

https://sites.google.com/site/windleyfamilyprintablerecipes/witch-finger-cookies

Caramel Dip/Sauce

I love when Halloween rolls around and the weather starts to change. I always crave caramel apples, but seriously they are the hardest things to eat. Plus there is never enough caramel on the darn apple. You eat all the outside and are left with a plain apple. Who loves that??? Well here is the solution. This dip is just like the caramel apple but you can dip these apples one after another, it is that good. Believe me I did just that (A little bit of apple and a whole lot of caramel). I also hate having to stir and stir caramel to get it to the soft ball stage and all that fuss. This was so super easy and fast and holy cow I could eat the caramel with a spoon forget the apples. This is also perfect for ice cream or any dessert that calls for a caramel sauce. Enjoy the Fall Season!!


Caramel Dip/Sauce

3/4 cup Brown Sugar

3/4 cup Sugar

1/2 cup Corn Syrup

1/3 cup Butter

2/3 cup Whipping Cream

*In a sauce pan combine sugars, butter and corn syrup over medium heat. Stir until it reaches a full boil (Approx. 5-6 minutes)

*Remove from heat (Let cool 5 minutes)

*Stir in whipping cream completely

*Pour into a jar/container and store in refrigerator. Will thicken up as it cools.
https://sites.google.com/site/windleyfamilyprintablerecipes/caramel-dip-sauce

Chicken Taquitos

This is a quick and easy dinner,it can also be served with a spanish rice. I believe the original taquitos are fryed and these are baked so cuts back on the calories for sure. My kids loved them :)

Chicken Taquitos

1 can chicken (drained)

4oz cream cheese (softened)

1/4 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder

pepper

3 Tblsps chopped cilantro

2 Tblsps green onions

1 Tblsp lime juice

* Combine all ingredients for filling

Corn tortillas

*Heat tortillas in microwave for approx. 40 sec. about 4 at a time; add filling down center of each tortilla making sure not to get to close to the edge on both sides. Roll tortillas place seam down on a greased cookie sheet. Spray each tortilla with Pam and sprinkle with salt. Bake @ 400 for 15-20 minutes

*Serve with guacamole & sour cream (Can also sprinkle with shredded cheese)

https://sites.google.com/site/windleyfamilyprintablerecipes/chicken-taquitos

No Bake White Chocolate Cookies

A new twist on the traditional no bake cookie. These are really good and super easy for a fast treat.

No Bake White Chocolate Cookies

1 Cube Butter

2 Cups Sugar

1/2 Cup White Choc. Chips

1/2 Cup milk

*Bring to boil...(Boil 1 Minute)

Remove from heat add

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 Cups Oats

1/2 Cup Peanut Butter

*Mix well; Drop by tablespoons onto waxed paper. Cool 20 minutes

(I drizzle with white chocolate(melt about 1/2 cup white choc chips & 1 tsp. oil in microwave for 10 second intervals until completely melted; drizzle over each cookie)

https://sites.google.com/site/windleyfamilyprintablerecipes/no-bake-white-chocolate-cookies

Over the Top Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies

Perfect cookie for Fall. Can you say YUM YUM YUMMY!! I have done it to myself again. Found a cookie that is sinful.. I came across this recipe the other night on realmomkitchen.com, one of my favorite sites for recipes and have yet to try something on her website that I didn't like. Let me tell what, they were so good, they just melted in your mouth. A little bit of peanut butter a little bit of chocolate. Who can resist?

Over the Top Reese's Peanut Butter Cookies

3/4 Cup butter (softened)

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Brown Sugar

1 Cup Peanut Butter

2 Large Eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 Cups flour

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips (I use hersheys mini baking kisses. I replace any recipe that calls for choc. chips with these. These are so much better than the regular choc chips.)

32 mini Reese's peanut butter cups, cut each cup into 4 pieces. ( I just bought a bag of the halloween candy ones 11 oz. Wasnt exactly 32 but was good enough.)

(This was just a few of the PB cups)

Cream together butters, sugars, eggs and vanilla till creamy. Then add baking soda, salt, and flour mix well. (I use my kitchen aid to mix all the ingredients) Fold in chocolate chips.

Using an ice cream scoop ( I used my medium sized pampered chef scoop generously) Scoop 6 big scoops on each pan, flatten each cookie slightly ( These are a large sized cookie)

Bake @ 350 for about 12 minutes

Remove cookies from oven and lightly press approx. 8 cut pieces of the Reese's peanut butter cups onto the top of each cookie. ( I didn't do 8 on every cookie because I had less PB cups)

Return to the oven for 2 more minutes. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before placing on a cooling rack.

It was recommended to eat these warm, which was fabulous but cooled was great also. If you want them warm just cook them in the microwave for about 10 seconds when ready to eat.

This recipe made about 22 good sized cookies

https://sites.google.com/site/windleyfamilyprintablerecipes/over-the-top-reese-s-peanut-butter-cookies

Cheesecake Dessert

This is a great recipe and so easy and fast.
Great for the summer barbeques.

CheeseCake Dessert

2 Cheesecake (instant) pudding **Make as according to directions. (set up for 5-10 minutes)

*1 8oz cool whip (fold into pudding mix)

*Layer bottom of a 9x13 cake pan with whole graham crackers till bottom of pan is covered. (I think it usually takes 2 or 3 packages of the graham crackers) then add a pudding mix layer to cover grahams and then another layer of graham crackers and another layer of pudding finally a top layer of graham crackers.

*1 container of milk choc. frosting (melt the frosting in the microwave until pourable.)

**Pour over last layer of grahams and spread.

Refrigerate overnight and serve

https://sites.google.com/site/windleyfamilyprintablerecipes/cheesecake-dessert

Costa Rica Trip

Are long awaited trip finally arrived... We had an amazing time (adventurous, great food, mild trauma, great company, lots of laughs and wonderful memories.)

I was very surprised about how laid back the life style is there which is why they say Pura Vida (Which refers to Relax and enjoy life), which they do not have a problem with there. They run on Tico time which is kind of like Mormon standard time (When ever you want or feel like it.)



This is the pool at the condo. It is really nice and had a few critters visit now and then. Frogs, a huge cock roach some fireflies huge moths that look like humming birds. The water felt like bath water it was awesome.




This is a view out the patio of the condo we stayed at. Playa Grande is the area we were at, but traveled to lots of other areas. (Playa Coco, Tamarindo, MonteVerde and lots of other little towns.)



There was lots of fun restaurants to eat at and some interesting food. This is a whole snapper fish deep fryed totally disgusting if you ask me but Lance quite enjoyed it.

This is the guys fishing and the mild trauma began. Lance and Bryan decided to take their shirts off in the boat to get some sun and also because it was so humid. But unfortunately a mother wasn't there to inform (or nag)them to apply sunscreen more often than once... Lance was severely sunburned on his back mainly his sides and had to go to the doctor to get treated for 3rd degree burns. Bryan luckily applied enough to be in a little better shape but still was sunburned also. From what I understand it happens all the time there because Costa Rica is very close to the equator and the sun is very hot. I do believe he learned his lesson and hopefully the next time we go the shirts will stay on Ha Ha.



This is in MonteVerde(The Cloud Forest)at the frog exhibit, which you are so high that literally the clouds float right in front of you. We zip lined and tarzan swung, something everyone needs to try.




This is our cute little pot guy. We were in Tamarindo which is a big tourist area for surfers. They have lots of vendors walking around town selling pots and lots of jewelry. We came in contact with this vendor wanting us to buy some of his pots. We nicely declined several times and then went on our way. We were with the guys and got a little lost driving so we ended up passing the pot guy quite a few times laughing every time because he would lift all his pots in his hands with a huge smile each time we passed in the car. Me and Becky felt sorry for him and went back the next day to find him and purchase some pots from our friend.


Are trip was amazing and we can't wait to go back again. I have tonz of pictures but we would be here for days. This is just a few, you will have to go to experience it yourselfs. It is definetly worth the trip....