M&Ms

Dark Chocolate M&M Chocolate Dipped Cookies

/ Jodi / 36 Comments

Dark Chocolate M&M Chocolate Dipped Cookies.

So the thing about Christmas cookies is that it’s fun to make them fancy.

Well – sometimes fancy might mean taking a usual cookie (like my “Jodi’s Best Ever  Chocolate Chip Cookies,” and using Dark Chocolate M&Ms instead of chocolate chips (DARK Chocolate M&Ms is the key here! They are insanely delicious!), and then dunking them in some more dark chocolate….

…. but only half way….

to be fancy!

They are sure to be a crowd pleaser.

You can make these by simply following my tried and true recipe here and substituting Dark Chocolate M&Ms or your favorite Maybe you want to use chopped up Butterfingers or Snickers or Milky Way candies or maybe even peppermint sticks.

Go wild.  Get fancy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Caramel M&M Cookies

/ Jodi / 44 Comments

Caramel M&M Cookies.

Have you tried the new Caramel M&Ms yet?

O. M. Geeeee!

I would never have believed the Mars Candy Company could made an M&M better than my favorite – Peanut.

My sons love the Peanut Butter M&Ms, and I know they make Crispy and Pretzel and Dark Chocolate, and of course the good old standby – Plain – but these Caramel M&Ms….

They are just the Rock Stars of the family!  The cat’s meow… The bee’s knees.. The bomb dot com!

Once hubby talked me into buying a bag and we tried, I knew I had to make cookies out of these little gems of heavenly deliciousness!

And they did not disappoint!  I made them for a picnic this past weekend, and it’s a good thing I took them all, because I might not be able to resist these babies!

I used my standard chocolate chip cookie recipe – replacing the chocolate chunks with the Caramel M&Ms.  Simple – but oh so delightful!

Give them a try!  Let me know if you agree.

Caramel M&M Cookies

  • Servings: 4 dozen large cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:

4 sticks (1 lb.) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
2 9.6oz bags Caramel M&M Candies

Directions:

With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until completely incorporated. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Add baking soda and salt, and mix another minute. Gradually add flour and beat until well incorporated, but do not overbeat.

Fold in Caramel M&M Candies.  Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. With your hands, form a cookie dough ball about 1-1/2 inches in diameter.  Place on baking stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake. Allow to cool on baking stone for 5-10 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

#MadewithM

I am not being paid by M&Ms to promote them, though I wish I was!  

Chocolate Pretzel Shamrock Pops

/ Jodi / 19 Comments

Chocolate Pretzel Shamrock Pops

It will soon be St. Patrick’s Day, and I couldn’t let it pass without making a fun treat.  These Chocolate Pretzel Shamrock Pops are about as easy and cute as it comes.  I simply placed three mini pretzels and a cookie pop stick on a piece of parchment paper, spooned about a teaspoon of melted chocolate in the center, and placed a green Mint Dark Chocolate M&M in the center.  Let it cool/dry for about 5-10 minutes, and voila – a fun St. Patrick’s day treat.

Chocolate Pretzel Shamrock Pops. 2jpg

I originally saw a photo of what I thought was the same thing here created by Amy @ MomAdvice. (Amy has an awesome blog, Pinterest boards, and Instagram BTW!)  But then I realized, after actually going back to find the post to give credit, that Amy actually used Rolo candies in the center of hers!  How yummy does that sound?!  SCORE!  And it would have been even EASIER!

I should have read it first, but these became my version, and they are yummy and festive!

Chocolate Pretzel Shamrock Pop

When I ran out of sticks, and knowing my daughter-in-law was coming over and how much she loves white chocolate, I made a small batch of pretzels without a stick, but with a dot of white chocolate and an M&M.

white chocolate pretzel M&M st patricks day

Here’s my recipe (if you can even call this a recipe!) for this simple, festive treat:

Chocolate Pretzel Shamrock Pops

Ingredients:
1 Bag Mini Pretzel TwistsChocolate Pretzel Shamrock Pops
1 Bag Mint Dark Chocolate M&M’s (you could also just use green plan M&Ms or any other favorite flavor)
6-8 oz. Melting Chocolate (whatever is your favorite)
20 Cookie Pop Sticks
Parchment Paper

Directions:
Lay down 3 pretzels in the shape of a shamrock and cookie pop stick on parchment paper.
Repeat with as many as you have.
Melt chocolate in small bowl in microwave for 1 minute at 50% power, stir. Continue at 30 second intervals until completely melted.
Using a teaspoon, place a spoonful of chocolate in the center of the pretzel “shamrock.”
Push together gently if it pushes apart when you spoon the chocolate on top.
Place an M&M in the center.
Let cool/dry for 5-10 minutes.
ENJOY!  (And P.S. – you will have plenty of leftover M&M’s and pretzels to munch on too!)

jodi mckinney @lifeinbetween.me

Wishing you the luck of the Irish this week!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Food Photography – for National Homemade Cookie Day

/ Jodi / 12 Comments

Candy Corn Cookies cover

Did you know yesterday, October 1, was NATIONAL HOMEMADE COOKIE DAY?!??!

In my house, it is Homemade Cookie Day AT LEAST once a week, so I almost missed this monumental celebration.

Thankfully, I had made cookies anyway on National Homemade Cookie Day that I took to the office to share with some special visitors.  THEY were the ones that pointed out that today was this wonderful holiday, and I was excited that I could oblige!

In honor of that, and because my son, Nick, told me I need to vary up my cookie photography pictures since they were all starting to look the same, I thought I would share some varying photographs of the cookies I made yesterday.

Now please bear in mind that I have never taken a photography course, not even a single lesson.  Never even read the full manual that came with my favorite Christmas present of all time (this year) that Marty got me last year – a DSLR Camera (Cannon EOS Rebel T3) – but I just LOVE to have fun with it.

I really do want to take some classes.  I know when I do, I will probably look back at the ones I have taken thus far with great embarrassment, but hey – it’s just me having fun at life in between!

Now I know there are some professional photographers out there that follow my blog, so please give me some feedback, critique, provide constructive criticism/feedback.  But please be kind.  I have this ridiculous habit of taking everything personally!  UGH!

So here are some fun photos of these Peanut Butter M&M and Candy Corn M&M cookies I made yesterday morning.  I just used my standard chocolate chip cookie dough recipe, but substituted the M&Ms for the chocolate chips.  They turned out pretty yummy.

Candy Corn Cookies 8

Candy Corn Cookies 3

 

Candy Corn Cookies 1

 

Candy Corn Cookies 2

 

Candy Corn Cookies 12

 

Candy Corn Cookies 11

 

Candy Corn Cookies 10

 

Candy Corn Cookies 4

 

Candy Corn Cookies 14

 

Candy Corn Cookies 15

Ok – so I think I’m ready…  Any that you particularly like?  Particularly dislike?  Love?  Hate?  Tips??  Am I going to regret this..???  🙂

Cheers & Cheers & Hugs  – – – I think I might need that second “Cheers” 🙂 ,

Jodi

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Chunk Cookie Bars

/ Jodi / 5 Comments

Peanut butter chocolate chunk cookie bars

Does the name just say it ALL?!?!?

PEANUT BUTTER & CHOCOLATE CHUNK Cookie Bars

Oh My!!!!    I first saw this simple recipe on the AverieCooks Blog.  Have you seen Averie’s blog yet?  It’s one of my faves.   I think she could take a picture of a piece of cardboard, and I would want to eat it!

Oh #AverieSunshine – I think you are my hero! (Check out her amazing BLOG here.)    I can only aspire to be like Averie Sunshine (sigh).

 I wonder if it would help if I had a cooler name…??!!  

Maybe I could use Marty’s “pet” name for me……  Do you think Gertrude PIA Wisenheimer has a cool ring to it??!!??  (and if you are wondering… PIA is an acronym for Pain in A$$). 

I guess that’s what I get for calling him Merv.  🙂

IMG_9346

Anyway – We were going to a barbeque picnic Saturday – one of those parties where everyone brings something to share.  (with our buddies from John’s Bar btw)
Marty suggested I make a dessert.   Seems I’m always the dessert lady.
Too bad I don’t L O V E baking!

So I remember these amazing looking cookie bars from AverieCooks, and decided that is what I was making.

But I had to somehow “Jodi – ize” them.   Hmmm…. ????  What could make a peanut butter chocolate chunk cookie bar any better??  I know!  A sprinkling of Peanut Butter M&Ms on top!  Am I a genius or what??!!

IMG_9336

This recipe is seriously so easy and basic.  You probably have all the ingredients on hand already (if your pantry looks anything like mine).  You really don’t even need a mixer, and they only take a few minutes to mix together and 20 minutes to bake.

IMG_9311Note how I measure my peanut butter….  teeheehee!

So here’s the recipe:

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp vanilla
1 Heaping cup creamy peanut butter
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
Pinch of salt  (did you know a pinch is 6 shakes?  Trivial Pursuit Question!)
1 Bag Nestle Semi Sweet Chocolate Chunks

Garnish:  1 cup (ish) Peanut Butter M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 13×9 baking pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray.

Mix butter, egg, sugars, vanilla.

Stir in the peanut butter.

Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and stir until just incorporated.

Stir in chocolate.

Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing it lightly with a spatula.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until center is just set and golden.  (Underbaking is always better!)

Bars will firm up more in pan as they cool.

ENJOY!

IMG_9344Let me know if you make them and how you like them.

IMG_9340Cheers and Hugs,

Jodi