Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Recipe: Loaded M&M Cookie Bars

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Leftover Halloween candy gets put to good use in these Loaded M&M Cookie Bars.

Loaded M&M Oreo Bars

We donated a large amount of our Halloween candy, and I’ve been working on being creative with what we have left ever since.

You know, so we don’t eat.it.all.

Last week, I made a cookie that was stuffed with Butterfingers, Kit-Kats, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Although I didn’t have any myself, I’d have to say that given the speed in which they disappeared, they were a hit.

Big time.

Today’s recipe used up the four small packages of Oreo cookies that were in the Halloween stash, along with many, many packages of the M&M’s.

The rest of the M&M’s, keeping the peanut ones separate, I emptied into sealed containers and popped them into the baking cabinet for future baking pursuits.

Loaded M&M Oreo Bars - Close Up-001

Using a blondie bar recipe as the base, roughly chopped Oreos are mixed in, and then once the batter is in the pan, ready for baking, M&M’s are sprinkled on top.

I love that the recipe is for an 8×8 dish, the perfect size to save a few bars for the kids and share a few with some friends. I also love that no mixer is needed and it’s all in one bowl. Recipes like that totally get made more often because I’m all over anything that keeps my kitchen becoming less of a disaster. Mostly because I feel like I’m always fighting the good fight to keep up with dishes.

Even with a dishwasher.

Less than thirty minutes from start to mouth, the kids declared this one a keeper. Good texture, a slight crispy bite from the Oreos, and little bits of chocolatey goodness sprinkled in with the M&M’s.

If YOU have leftover Halloween stash you want to put to good use, or odds and ends in your cupboards, get to baking!

Tomorrow? A Baltimore restaurant review.

Loaded M&M Oreo Bars - side view-001

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Make: Fall Themed Chocolate Covered Oreos

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This is one of those silly why-didn’t-I-think-of it things that is quick and simple to make and always a crowd pleaser.

So in case you didn’t think of it … here we are.

Chocolate covered Oreos have kind of become a thing with us over the past few years. We make rainbow colored ones for our End of School Rainbow Cake Party. I have made girly colors for a Barbie Princess & the Pop Star Party. And still others beyond that.

Because they are simple. Everyone loves them. And it’s the perfect sweet treat to add to any party, holiday, or just because celebration.

And this weekend? We upped the ante and added sprinkles.

Three simple ingredients.

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A package of Oreos.
A package of Candy Melts (from Wilton, found at Wal-Mart and most craft supply stores, and sometimes even Target)
A container of sprinkles

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New York Crumb Cake and Recipe Failures

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Dig In

When it comes to Martha Stewart recipes, I have, quite honestly, had a mixed bag of results.  Years ago, there was an Upside Down Cranberry Cake that graced the cover of her Everyday Food magazine.  It was gorgeous and I made plans for it to be the star of a Thanksgiving meal, but luckily I took it for a test run first.  I made the recipe … twice … and both times were epic failures.  It was then that I started to tread lightly with her recipes.

So earlier this week, when Beth recommended Martha Stewart’s New York Crumb Cake, I made it because I trust Beth in the kitchen.  Not because Martha’s name was attached to it.  I made it in spite of that.  Beth had recently made FOUR of those cakes to take to her very lucky office, and it fit the bill for a catering need I had. A lot of Martha’s recipes, particularly the baking ones, tend to be exhaustively long and very detail-oriented.  This is awesome if you don’t have a bustling household full of activity and you have some quiet time to concentrate on not mucking it up.  That doesn’t happen to be the case very often here.  So imagine my surprise when I saw how easy this Crumb Cake recipe was.

Simple.  Fail-safe.  And downright delicious.  I don’t happen to like crumb cake, but those that do, loved it.  I find it’s much safer to make sweets I don’t like.  Less temptation.  I made one of my favorite cookies this week too, and I just sent the last of them next door because if they sit here any longer, I might eat more than the three I had.  While I indulge a sweet tooth every now and again, I don’t want to undo my hard work.

So, here we are.  A great recipe for you to make if you like Crumb Cake.  Or if you know someone who does.  Gift it.  Share it.  And keep this one for the upcoming holiday season.  You’ll be glad you did.

Project 365
November 11, 2010, Photos #212, 213 and 214

The Color of Winter 2010

Objects in this picture may be pinker than they appear. Madeline got her winter coat today (as did Nick). I tried really hard to convince her to get a different one. Something that wasn’t so, um, Pepto Bismol pink. But she was having none of it. Not the deep chocolate brown one with the bright pink lining. Not the darker pink one with the fur hood. Not the purple plaid one. She did, for a brief moment, toy with getting the faux leopard-spotted one, but thank goodness they didn’t have her size. Folks, we have reached a crossroads. The point in time where my daughter will no longer let me choose her clothing. I expected this. Really I did. Just not before she hit three years old.

Wrong. Just Plain Wrong.

I’m down with different Oreos. Seriously. I have no problem with it. I like the chocolate-filled ones actually better than the regular ones. I like the mint-filled ones and purposely don’t buy them because of that. But these red-filled ones for Winter? Really? I’m certain a line has been crossed somewhere.

Icee + Maddie = Happiness

It does not take much to make this child happy. As soon as we are near Target, the earnest requests for Icees begin. She gets that from her brother. Along with the apparent need to mix the pink and blue flavors together. Ick.

And before you leave me for the weekend, one programming note… I did a review on Pop-Tarts over on The Voice of Mom and one lucky reader has the chance to win a $100 Visa gift card, courtesy of the fine folks at BlogHer. Go on, check it out and comment. Good luck!…

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Ten on Tuesday

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  1. Our trampoline takes up slightly less than half of our backyard.  The grass is growing like crazy on one half of our backyard.  You’d think it was the half where the trampoline wasn’t, right?  You know, the side that gets FULL SUN?  Nope.  Underneath the trampoline?  Nice and grassy.  Growing a little crazily, like in the you-might-need-to-actually-mow this type.  The other side?  Nothing.  Absolutely, positively nothing.  I don’t get it.
  2. I use my electric mixer more if I leave it on the counter.  I personally hate leaving it there because I’d rather have the counter space, but I guess using it is better than not.
  3. I need a new blender.  A good one.  Because my last one, um, might have eaten a spatula.
  4. The Neighbor Wife taught Madeline two important words today: Bloomies and Neiman-Marcus. They just might serve her well someday.
  5. I just found out that The Fresh Beat Band is going to be at Sesame Place for a concert this summer.  I cannot wait to see Madeline’s face when she sees them up close and in person.  She is going to freak. I think Jamie and I might be just as excited.
  6. I would love to know what the heck Siobhan Magnus was wearing on American Idol tonight.  I mean, some of her outfits are a little out there, but this one took the cake.
  7. And speaking of outfits, I’ve become fixated on Doc Martens, but not related to Siobhan.  I totally want a pair.
  8. I just read something recently, an interview with R&B star Usher, where he mentions that he has perfected the recipe for Tuscan Egg Toast.  Ok peeps, fill me in.  What is Tuscan Egg Toast?  It’s a new one on me.
  9. The Neighbor Wife has said they’ll get a spotlight put on their house so they can see Madeline sneaking out of her room when she’s in high school.  Because she is destined to be that girl.
  10. Love the show Parenthood.  So glad that the tv world found a vehicle to get Lauren Graham (she of Gilmore Girls fame) back on.

Project 365
April 27, 2010, Photo #83

Mint Oreos

Believe it or not, I’ve never been a fan of Oreos. Even as a kid. But then, a few years ago, I discovered the chocolate filled Oreos. They are definitely an Achilles Heel of mine so I don’t buy them that often. The kids and Jamie love Oreos. Period. Any kind. On a whim, we bought the mint filled ones last week. Bad idea. Because I’ve now found a second kind of Oreos that I like.

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