Monster Magic 7-Layer Bars

Let's talk Summer for a min, shall we?

I really love the lazier days of the school's out season. No making lunch at night. No homework. No rushing in the morning. Being able to go on a day trip on a whim. Swimming and the general do-whatever-you-want attitude. I can even handle the heat, because I know that it only lasts a few months. Plus, there's A/C. So pretty much, summer is all great.

Except for the dishes.

And the clutter.

And oh my god the attitude.

Let me explain.

About a week ago I found myself with a full dishwasher for the second time in two days. I was confused.

Then I looked at the kitchen table, where there sat a juice glass, a plate, a bowl, and empty string cheese wrapper, and a wadded up napkin from lunch three hours before.

Beyond the dishes, into the family room, Jordan sat, on the couch, headphones on, using the iPad. Around her was a tornado of pillows and blankets, all strewn around the floor because these items are not allowed to share her air, obvi.

On the coffee table was a full art kit, open, with pens all over the table, paper spread out to every corner. When I looked behind the couch I noticed an upended bottle of glue sitting on the carpet and scissors strewn about.

And I had an epiphany.

Summer is work. It's 24 hours a day, all day, every day, seven days a week for two and a half months.

Or, 35 runs of the dishwasher.

And my sanity.

To calm myself, I made you some 7-layer bars. But not just any 7-layer bars. Magical monster ones.

Last week, Heather, at French Press made Peanut Butter and Chocolate 7-layer Bars. The second I saw that post, and I mean the second, I knew had to make these. I dreamed about them all night long, got up, and made them at 7am the next day.

{And...I was probably channeling Ashton who made these awhile ago...}

I had Nutter Butters in my pantry (are you surprised?) I had earmarked them for another recipe, but, I kid you not, Shelly at Cookies & Cups made almost the exact recipe I had been planning. So I wanted to find a new use for my favorite cookie.

That's layer one: a Nutter Butter crust. Layers two through seven include chocolate and peanut butter chips, nuts, pretzels, M&Ms, and, of course, the best thing in the entire world, sweetened condensed milk.

These are very rich bars. You can eat more than one, but you may want to pace yourself. Believe me, I know. Serve them up with a glass of milk.

With a side of sanity and a dash of prayer that school starts soon.

~Read More~

Nutter Butter Truffle Brownies

Seriously, you knew it was only a matter of time, right? Ever since I made these babies, I knew I was going to do it again with Nutter Butters. And now I have.

You're welcome.

I think I liked these even more than the Oreo version. Because, I mean, it's a Nutter Butter.

It's peanut butter and chocolate.

Is there anything better?

I actually bought a new package of Nutter Butters for this recipe. I have been working off a bag of the little bite-sized ones since January (impeccable restraint, I know). Now I have little ones and big ones in my pantry. Just calling out too me: make something else with me Dorothy...we love you as much as you love us!

Any bets on how long it takes me to give in to their siren song?

Not long, I can tell you that much.

And I know Canada doesn't have Nutter Butters. Which is weird to me. I mean, come on. How do they not have the best cookie in the world in a country that large? It's insane.

If you don't have access to Nutters, any peanut butter cookie will do. If you happen to have some Girl Scout peanut butter sandwich cookies in your freezer (or is that just me?) you could use those.

One of these days though, I'm going to do a Canada-only giveaway that will include Nutter Butters, Coconut Hershey's Kisses, and Biscoff.

Because you deserve it too, dammit.

Anyway, enjoy these. I know I did. And there is one lady at school who keeps talking to me about how good they were. Two weeks ago.

Enjoy!

~Read More~

Baby Chicks

Last year, I posted Baby Peeps.

Obviously, my creative apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

Because this year I made Baby Chicks.

I was particularly proud of the Baby Peeps recipe last year, because it was the first recipe to ever get featured by any party. Allison, from Alli 'n Sons featured it after a Sweet Tooth Friday linky. She stumbled it and got so many hits. I was smiling for days.

I knew I wanted to stuff eggs with something again. I was going to do a filling. But then I thought about those Mini Nutter Butters I still had in my pantry from making this and this.

And I thought, hmmm. Those kinda look like baby chicks. (If baby chicks are small, round, and filled with peanut butter.)

Then I asked myself, what should I do with baby chicks?

Well, stuff them in eggs, of course.

First, you need to make your baby chicks. Dip your Nutters (or mini Oreos) in yellow candy melts. Let them harden, then melt some orange candy melts and pipe on beaks.

Then pipe some feet and stand your chick up on them.

Then you need to make your eggs. I use a mold I bought at An Occasional Chocolate, but I saw some silicone ones at Target last week.

Spread around your chocolate and let it harden.

Once you have all your shells, put your chicks inside.

Add some more candy around the edges.

And seal them up. (I wonder if they feel like they're in a coffin? That's kinda cruel. Must go liberate the ones in the fridge...)

So now I guess that stuffing food animals in eggs at Easter is my thing.

I hope you don't mind.

Maybe next year I'll stuff a cat in there. You know, to throw you off course.


~Read More~

Dr. Seuss Snacks

Is it totally inappropriate to serve 7-year-olds smoothies in shot glasses?

Don't answer that, too late. I already did.

Last Friday was Dr. Seuss' birthday.  I know, this post is late. But I had an excuse. Plus, I made it, I served it, and it deserved to be posted. Dr. Seuss is good anytime, not just on March 2nd. (Please agree with me. Or pretend that you do?)

I thought about trying to rhyme this post like Hayley did. But, unlike Hayley who says she can't rhyme but totally can, I really can't. Ask me to find something that rhymes with "dog" and I'll start out okay (log, jog, fog...) but then resort to using made-up words like tog or wog or zog just to make it fit my theme.

But I guess, for Dr. Seuss, that might work?

Anyway.

I've always loved Dr. Seuss books. I think The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham are my favorites. You all know how much I love to read. I bake, eat, breathe, and read. Pretty much in that order.

Now that Jordan is in the first grade, reading is part of her life. I'll never forget last year when she brought home her first reader and actually could read it to me. Sure, it had like, five words, but still. She could read!

I've always looked forward to that time when my daughter and I could curl up on the couch, me with the latest John Grisham novel and her with Little House on the Prairie and we could read, silent side by side. Harmonious, while angels would sing and unicorns would fly around our backyard.

And well, then Jordan was born. And it was (and is) painfully apparent that that scenario will rarely happen. Reading is "boring" and not active enough. I mean, you can't bounce on the trampoline, swing like a monkey from the pull-up bar, eat a snack, and watch Good Luck Charlie while reading a Magic Treehouse book, now can you?

However, she loves Dr. Seuss. She's finally gotten to the point in her reading skills that she can (and wants) to read them. She laughs over the rhymes and even does voices for the characters. "Would you COULD you in a car?"

Honestly, I don't think I would like green eggs. Um, can you say rotten? But these green eggs? These I could eat by the fistful.

The idea for these green eggs and ham came from The Girl Who Ate Everything. I saw her cute green eggs and ham on Pinterest. I did mine a little differently. Can you guess what my eggs are made of ? I bet it's not to hard to guess, if you've been reading this blog for any length of time.

Mini Nutter Butters! I know, I know. For some strange reason, you cannot get Nutter Butters in Canada. Come on Canada, get with the program. Your people deserve Nutter Butters! If you can't find this delectable cookie, use mini Oreos.

The Cat in the Hat Smoothie is a play off of something I found on the Betty Crocker website. A layered strawberry milkshake. Instead of ice cream, I used Cool Whip. But if your kid is like mine and can't stand whipped cream (um, if I didn't have absolute proof she was my daughter I would think the doctor messed up during embryo transfer), you can use ice cream.

And there you have it. The worlds tastiest Green Eggs and Ham and a cat smoothie, not to be confused with a smoothie made with a cat. (Ew.)

Green Eggs and Ham & Cat in the Hat Smoothie

by Crazy for Crust

Inspired by The Girl Who Ate Everything and Betty Crocker

6019218

Ingredients

For the Green Eggs and Ham

• Mini Nutter Butters (or Oreos)
• Vanilla Almond Bark
• Mini green M&Ms
• Pretzel sticks

For The Cat in the Hat Smoothie

• 1 cup fresh or frozen strawberries
• Apple juice, as much as needed to blend the frozen strawberries
• 1 cup Cool Whip
• Splash of milk to thin the Cool Whip

Instructions

For the Green Eggs and Ham

1. Melt the Vanilla Almond Bark according to package directions, adding a teaspoon or two of vegetable oil to thin it if it's too thick. Dip your cookies in the melted candy, tapping to remove excess. Place on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Top with a mini green M&M and chill to harden. Serve with pretzel stick "ham".

For The Cat in the Hat Smoothie

1. Place strawberries in a blender. If you are using frozen strawberries, add enough apple juice so that they can be blended to a liquid. (If you are using fresh you may not need to add any juice.)
2. Mix the Cool Whip with a dash of milk to thin, so that it is slightly pour-able.
3. Layer the Cool Whip with the blended strawberries in a 2 ounce shot glass, white on the bottom. (Makes about 4.)

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Halloween Masks

Have you ever had an epic Halloween? I'm talking before kids here, prior to when Halloween was all about princesses and trick-or-treating. Back when Halloween was all about the adults.

When you could dress however you wanted, drink as much as you wanted, and stay out as late as you wanted without the next day repercussions?

I had that sort of Halloween the year I was first married. We had a party. We dressed as...ladies of the night, shall we say.

Both of us. The husband and me.

Since he'd probably murder and/or never speak to me again if I posted the picture here, I'll have to paint it for you.

My husband. Black pleather skirt. Red fuzzy tank top. Green Wig. And four inch platform heel knee-high boots with flames on the sides.

I'll never forget taking him to Ross and helping him pick out his outfit and then watching him take it to the dressing room attendant so he could go try it on.

Ahhh...memories.

Now, these Masks aren't as epic as my husband dressing in pleather...but they are pretty amazing themselves. Because they have a secret too.

{That Tiger, there in the back? He just saw his future and it spooked him.}

Nutter Butters covered in candy melts. (The black is actually milk chocolate with black candy color.) A perfect (and easy) disguise for one of the best cookies ever. I mean, cookies should be able to have epic Halloweens too, right?

Halloween Cookie Masks

Ingredients:

Nutter Butters

Red candy melts (for Devils)

Black candy melts (for Kitties)

Orange and black candy melts (for Tigers)

Sugar eyes or white and black candy melts

Directions:

For Devils:

1.       Melt red candy melts in the microwave on 50% power. (I like to keep my melts warm on an electric griddle set to 200° and covered with a kitchen towel.) Dip Nutter Butters and place on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened.

2.       Meanwhile, make your devil horns. Transfer the leftover red candy melts to a Ziploc sandwich bag. Snip of the corner and pipe the desired shape onto another wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened.

3.       Attach horns to the Devil mask using melted candy. Use melted white candy for the eyes and add a dab of black for the pupil (or you could use a food writer). Chill until hardened.

For Kitties:

1.       Melt black candy melts in the microwave on 50% power. (I like to keep my melts warm on an electric griddle set to 200° and covered with a kitchen towel.) Dip Nutter Butters and place on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened.

2.       Meanwhile, make your ears. Transfer the leftover black candy melts to a Ziploc sandwich bag. Snip of the corner and pipe each cat ear onto another wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened.

3.       Attach ears to the kitty mask using melted candy and add some whiskers. Use melted white candy for the eyes and add a dab of black for the pupil (or you could use a food writer). Chill until hardened.

For Tigers:

1.       Melt orange and black candy melts in the microwave on 50% power. (I like to keep my melts warm on an electric griddle set to 200° and covered with a kitchen towel.) Dip Nutter Butters and place on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened.

2.       Meanwhile, make your ears. Transfer the leftover orange candy melts to a Ziploc sandwich bag. Snip of the corner and pipe each cat ear onto another wax-paper lined cookie sheet. Chill until hardened.

3.       Attach ears to the Tiger mask using melted candy. Use the melted black candy to make his stripes. Use melted white candy for the eyes and add a dab of black for the pupil (or you could use a food writer). Chill until hardened.

Note: If you can’t find colored candy melts, use white melts and color them with candy color (Wilton sells it; find it at Michaels or on Amazon). When dyeing black, use (brown) chocolate candy melts to assist in getting the dark color.

What was your most epic Halloween?

This recipe may be linked with:

Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts. Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology), Mushki Loves My Stuff (Mushki Loves), Totally Tasty Tuesdays (Mandy's Recipe Box), Talent Show Tuesday (Chef in Training). Wednesday: Cast Party Wednesday, Made It On Monday (Lark's Country Heart), This Chick Cooks, Wonka Wednesday (Hugs&CookieXOXO).  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy). Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home). Saturday: Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos). Sunday: A Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters), Strut your Stuff Saturday (Six Sisters' Stuff)

Nutter Butter {fake} Ice Cream

Okay, so I am so totally jealous of many of you.

I keep seeing all sorts of posts filled with delicious Fall foods: pumpkin, cinnamon, apple. There are daily mentions of Pumpkin Spice Lattes and cooler weather and rain.

Yes, where I live, Starbucks is selling their Fall lineup of drinks and I couldn't find a pair of sandals in the stores if my life depended on it. But, here outside Sacramento, this is the weather forecast for this week:

Needless to say, any Pumpkin Spice Latte I order will be iced.

It's September and Fall starts in a few days. I want to bake pumpkin bread and apple pie and make soup for dinner. But, after standing in the pick-up line at school or sitting at soccer practice in 90 degree heat, all I want to eat is ice cream.

So I made some for you. In case you live in a place like here or Arizona, where Fall doesn't follow a calendar.

All summer I kept seeing recipes for two-ingredient ice cream (the two ingredients being fresh whipped cream and sweetened condensed milk). I was trying to think how to make such an ice cream with lower-fat ingredients so wouldn't eat an entire container of full-fat ice cream all by myself. That's when I thought of Cool Whip, because it comes in a fat-free version.

{Yes, I eat (and like) Cool Whip. Sometimes. I mean, I prefer the real thing, but occasionally I want an easy alternative.}

So I made two-ingredient ice cream with fat-free Cool Whip and fat-free sweetened condensed milk. Then I added some Nutter Butters because all that fat-free cancels out any other fat and calories in any mix-ins. It's a scientific fact. I think I read it somewhere.

Nutter Butter {fake} Ice Cream

Recipe by Crazy for Crust

Ingredients:

1 8-ounce container Cool Whip whipped topping (I used fat-free)

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (I used fat-free)

1 teaspoon vanilla

8 Nutter Butter cookies, coarsely chopped (feel free to substitute your favorite cookie)

Directions:

Add Cool Whip, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla to a Tupperware container. Stir until combined. Fold in chopped cookies. Cover and freeze until hardened, about 4 hours or overnight.

Yield: about 6 servings

Someday it will finally cool off. The leaves will drop and I will complain about raking. Then it will rain for 3 straight months and I'll long for summer. But right now, some consistent 80 degree days would be awesome. Until then, it's ice cream for me!

Enjoy!

This recipe may be linked with:

Monday: Mingle Monday (Add a Pinch), Joy of Desserts. Tuesday: 2 Maids a Baking (2 Maids a Milking), Tea Party Tuesdays (Sweetology), Totally Tasty Tuesdays (Mandy's Recipe Box). Wednesday: Cast Party Wednesday, Made It On Monday (Lark's Country Heart), This Chick Cooks.  Thursday: Sweet Treats Thursday (Something Swanky), Chic-and-Crafty (Frugal Girls), Turning the Table Thursdays (Around My Family Table), Tasty Thursday (The How-To Mommy). Friday: Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home). Saturday: Sweets for a Saturday (Sweet as Sugar Cookies), Seasonal Inspiration (Crumbs and Chaos). Sunday: A Well-Seasoned Life,Sharing Sundays (Everyday Sisters)