Gooey Snickerdoole Bars {Secret Recipe Club}

It's the third Monday of the month.  You know what that means.  It's Secret Recipe Club reveal day.  Yeah!  I love this day!  Call me a dork but I look forward to this day all month.  It's fun.  It brings me joy.  Don't judge.

My blog assignment this month was Julie's Eats & Treats.  With a blog name like that, I knew I would have no trouble finding one (or twelve) recipes that I wanted to try!

There were so many recipes that I wanted to try, like the Peanut Butter and Jelly Bars or the  Meatball Bubble Biscuits.  Everything looked so good and it was so hard to chose.  But then I saw the Gooey Snickerdoodle Bars and knew my kids would love these!

 

Gooey Snickerdoodle Bars

Source: Julie's Eats & Treats

Bars

2 1/2 c  flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 c. butter, room temperature

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar, slightly packed

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

Cinnamon Sugar Filling

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 Tbsp sugar

Glaze

1 1/4 c. powdered sugar

3 Tbsp milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Spray the bottom of a 9×13 pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

My kids love baking with me.  I think I love it more than they do, but either way, it's a win-win.

 

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter for 30 seconds until light and fluffy. Mix in the sugars and continue creaming until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs and vanilla. Beat for 1-2 minutes. On a low speed slowly mix in the dry ingredients.

Spread half of the batter in the bottom of the pan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar and sprinkle over the batter.

Take a small spoon (I used my small scoop for this) and drop the remaining batter evenly over the cinnamon sugar.

 

Bake for 25 minutes.

 

Let cool completely, about an hour. Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla for the glaze. Drizzle over the bars.

As the glaze soaks into the bars they transform from a cookie bar into a gooey, delicious, soft Snickerdoodle bar.  Amazing!

 

They are kind of a cross between a Snickerdoodle and a Cinnamon Roll.  They are a Snicker Roll... or a Cinnamon Doodle.  You decide.  But man oh man.  I can't even tell you how amazingly delicious they are. 

 

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Baklava

 

Ever since I made Peanut Butter Baklava I've been on a little Baklava kick.  It was so dang delicious that it's about all I think of.   Yep, I'm having Baklava dreams.  I daydream about it at work.  When I'm making dinner all I can think about is that I need to make more and quick.  I know, I'll join a 12 step Baklava program later.  For now, I'm going to enjoy another amazing Baklava recipe!

 

I figured if you could change up the filling to peanut butter and chocolate, what else could you put in there?  Hershey's Cinnamon Chips immediately came to mind.  I love those things.  And doesn't cream cheese make everything in life just a little bit better?

So this is what I came up with... Cinnamon Cream Cheese Baklava.  What do you think?  Well, only tell me if you're going to be positive.  I don't think I can deal with critisism right now.  I'm tired.  Seriously... TIRED!  We're on the countdown, though, to the end of the school year.  I can't wait for summer.  'Cause guess what I'll be making this summer?  More Baklava!

 

 

All delicious ingredients!

 

The directions are on our Peanut Butter Baklava post as well but here they are again.  They sound complicated, but they really aren't.  Heck, if I can make it, anyone can!

 

 

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Baklava

 

* 1 package of Phyllo dough (1 roll in the box)

* 1 cup butter, melted

* 1 tub of Philadelphia Indulgence Cream Cheese Spread (I used Cinnamon in one batch and Dulce de Leche in another.  Bother were amazing!)

* 1/2 to 2/3 package of cinnamon chips

* 1 cup sugar

* 1 cup water

* 1/2 cup honey

* 1 tsp. vanilla

 

The directions are a little complicated so read through them first.

Get all of your ingredients out before you begin. The Phyllo dough dries out quickly if not done properly.

Place melted butter in a bowl and have a pastry brush for brushing it on the phyllo.

Place the tub of cream cheese in the microwave about 30 seconds - 1 minute, until it is really soft.  Make sure you don't burn it so just do 30 second spurts and then stir..

Open your bag of cinnamon chips.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Thoroughly butter your 9x13” pan. My phyllo dough came in one large sheet so I cut it in half so it would fit in the pan.  You'll want to use the entire package.

Unwrap your roll of phyllo dough onto a cutting board and cut it in half, so it will fit in your pan. Cover the phyllo dough with a layer of plastic wrap and place a damp kitchen towel over the top. This step is super important!

Brush the top sheet of phyllo with melted butter. Grab it and the sheet below it (so you have two sheets) and place them, butter side down, in the pan. Repeat two more times, so you have 6-8 sheets of phyllo in the pan. Cover the phyllo with the plastic/damp towel.

Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese over the top and spread. Sprinkle with cinnamon chips.

 

 

Butter another phyllo sheet and grab the one below it (so you have two sheets) and place them, butter side down, on top the cream cheese layer. Pour about 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese over the top and spread. Sprinkle with cinnamon chips. Repeat this about 4 more times, or until you are out of cream cheese.

Butter another phyllo sheet and grab the one below it (so you have two sheets) and place them, butter side down, on top the peanut butter layer. Repeat this two times, so you have 6-8 layers on top of your last cream cheese layer. Butter the top of the baklava.

 

Using a sharp knife, cut your baklava into squares, being sure to cut all the way though all the layers. This was kind of hard but be patient. The phyllo will slip and slide a little bit.

 

Bake about 45 minutes until it's golden brown.

 

While the baklava is baking, heat the water, sugar, honey, and vanilla in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to the lowest setting until the baklava is done baking..

When the baklava comes out of the oven, pour the honey mixture over the top, being sure to get it in all the cuts and corners. Let cool completely, uncovered, for several hours. This is a strange and cool step.  It kind of seems like it's going to turn into a soupy, mushy mess with all the liquid.  But the phyllo soaks up the honey mixture and makes it taste oh so delicious!

 

It's amazing!  The cinnamon cream cheese (or dulce de leche) and the cinnamon chips combined with the sweet honey - AMAZING! 

 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

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Slow Cooker Pulled Pork {Crock Pot}

Who doesn't love a good slow cooker recipe?!  It's truly the best of both all worlds - you come home from work and your house smells wonderful, you don't have to turn on the oven for hours and there aren't a bunch of dishes to clean up afterwards.  Win, win in my book!

We had company for dinner the a couple of weeks ago and I wanted to make something that didn't require me standing in the kitchen the entire time that they were at my house.  I hate trying to cook dinner and entertain at the same time.  (Add into the mix a house full of kids running around too and my brain gets a little fuzzy.)  So this was the perfect recipe!

 

Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Source: My Recipes

* 4 pounds pork roast (shoulder or butt) 

* 2 large onions sliced (I used a sweet onion)

* 1 cup ginger ale

* 1 bottle (18oz) bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce

* 1 bottle barbecue sauce for serving (optional) 

Slice one onion and place in the bottom of the crock pot.

Put in the roast and cover with the other onion, sliced. Pour over the ginger ale. Cover and cook on LOW for about 12 hours.
 

Remove the meat, strain and save the onions, discard all liquid. With two forks, shred the meat, discarding any remaining fat, bones or skin (if any). Most of the fat will have melted away.

 

Return the shredded meat and the onions to the crock pot, stir in the barbecue sauce. Continue to cook for another 4 to 6 hours on LOW.

Serve with hamburger buns or rolls and additional barbecue sauce.

This was an easy recipe to make and it's delicious!  My house smelled wonderful!   We served our sandwiches with our Ranch BLT Pasta Salad.  Perfect combination!

 

Enjoy!

 

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Win $25 in the the #SummerSplash Giveaway Event

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Summer Splash Event hosted by Life With Two Boys and With Our Best!

A bunch of great blogs have come together to bring you some amazing prizes to help you kick off your summer... with a SPLASH! Each blog is giving away at least $25 worth of prizes, plus we have an awesome grand prize for one very lucky winner. Be sure to hop along to each of the participating blogs because the more giveaways you enter, the more chances you have at winning the Grand Prize!

Our giveaway for you is a $25 Paypal credit to do whatever you want with.  Yep, $25 to spend anywhere!  Just enter on the rafflecopter below for your chance!

Giveaway open World Wide.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

So what's this Grand Prize we're talking about? Thanks to Trex Outdoor Furniture, one very lucky winner is going to win a Yacht Club 3-Piece Rocker Set valued at $1,317! Made in the USA and constructed of durable HDPE recycled lumber, this Rocker Set is sure to help you slow down and relax this Summer and for many years to come!

Enter the Grand Prize!

Now how about entering a ton of other giveaways?

Disclaimer: Please note that the Summer Splash hosts and participating bloggers are not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prize. We have represented each sponsor with the expectation that they will fulfill their prize in a timely manner. While we are not responsible, we will make every effort to assist the winner in obtaining their prize.

Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownies

Peanut butter and chocolate - a match made in heaven, right?  Well if you are any kind of a peanut butter lover you will LOVE these brownies.  They are chocolate-y and rich and totally delicious!  

It was Teacher Appreciation Week last week last week and my kids wanted to take some brownies to their teachers.  We found these great tags and they made the perfect gift.

Brownies are always a favorite in my house but then add a thick layer of peanut butter, chocolate fudgey goodness and oh man.  I was in heaven!

Peanut Butter Cup Crunch Brownies

Source: Slightly adapted from Once Upon A Chocolate Life

* 1 box of family size brownie mix (9 x 13) 

* ingredients needed to make brownies

* 10 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

* 1 bag (11.5 ounces) milk chocolate chips

* 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter

* 2 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Chop up the Reese's Peanut Butter cups.  Yum!  This was pretty tempting for this peanut butter cup lover - so I cut up 12 instead.   (And ate 2 while I was baking.)  =o)

Make brownies according to package.  Bake for 5 minutes less than the package states.   Remove from the oven and sprinkle the chopped peanut butter cups over the top.  Return to the oven and cook for 4-5 minutes.

In a saucepan, add chocolate chips and peanut butter and cook over low heat.  Stir until melted and blended well.  Add rice krispies and stir well.

Pour the rice krispie mixture over the brownies and and spread evenly.  Let cool for a few minutes and then place in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Cut into squares and enjoy! 

I don't even have words....

 

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Ranch BLT Pasta Salad

I love pasta salad but for some reason I don't make it nearly as much as I should. (Or would like.)  I'm not sure why because it's so easy and perfect to have in the fridge.  I can take a bowl of it to work for lunch and as is right in the world.  =o)

This pasta salad recipe is an easy one to make and it's wonderful!  The crunchy-ness of the lettuce and the tomatoes and bacon add so much flavor and texture.  This might be one of my new favorite pasta salads!

Ranch BLT Pasta Salad

Source: Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice

* 8 ounces pasta - we chose bow tie pasta but any pasta will work

* 1 bottle Ranch Salad Dressing

* 1 1/2 cup diced tomatoes, seeds removed

* 1 cup cubed Swiss cheese

* 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onions

* 1 pound bacon, cooked crispy and chopped

* 2 cups finely chopped romaine or iceberg lettuce

* salt and pepper, to taste

Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente.  You don't want mushy pasta!

Drain pasta, toss with dressing to lightly coat so they don’t stick together and refrigerate until cold.

In a large bowl toss the cold pasta with the tomatoes, Swiss, onions, bacon and lettuce.

Add enough dressing to generously coat everything and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

 I ate it for breakfast.  Is that bad?  But it was so darn tasty!

Enjoy!

 

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Fun Family Fitness

The American Council on Exercise recommends at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for optimum health.  But when you have kids, it is often difficult to fit in an exercise session with all of your other responsibilities.

And parents aren’t the only ones who could benefit from regular exercise.  Exercise increases bone and muscle strength, improves cardiovascular endurance, and helps maintain flexibility in both adults and children.

Children who exercise can prevent and control certain illnesses, like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

Additionally, children who exercise regularly sleep better and handle stress better.

As difficult as it may be to fit exercise into your daily routine, there are ways to exercise when you have kids -- and even exercise with them.

Family Friendly Gyms:

The YMCA has a long standing tradition of providing families with safe places to exercise. Adults can enjoy group fitness classes and other amenities while children can participate in fitness related activities like swim clubs, and sports leagues. Other gyms also offer child care and children’s activities, including child-sized fitness equipment, to give parents time to catch up on exercise.

The cost of the gym membership depends on which facility you choose, and the area in which you live. Some gyms have a one-time initiation fee in addition to their monthly dues. Some facilities also offer sliding rates, and discount coupons, for low-income families.

Family Fitness Outings:

Walking is one of the easiest and most affordable forms of exercise available. All you need is a good pair of walking shoes and comfortable clothing. If your child is stroller-aged, you can use the stroller to provide extra resistance and increase your workout intensity. You can map your walking path around your neighborhood, in a nearby park or hiking trail, or through a mall during inclement weather. You can also graduate from walking, to jogging, to running.

Other family-friendly activities include Frisbee golf, tennis, and golf. Some of these activities might require special equipment or membership fees. However, many recreation commissions and parks services offer municipal tennis and golf courses, and some include equipment rental. Contact your local recreation commission for more information on family-friendly fitness activities.

Family Group Fitness:

Some gyms offer classes that all members of the family can participate in. Examples include Baby & Me Yoga classes, or family Zumba classes. Some of these classes might require special clothing and equipment, such as yoga mats and dance shoes. You can purchase much of what you need at department stores and discount stores. You can also search online for Athleta coupons, as well as discounts for other retailers.

Martial Arts Classes:

Martial arts studios usually offer classes for multiple experience and fitness levels, and it’s not unusual for beginning-level parents to take classes alongside their kids. The cost for martial arts classes vary. Some studios require you to purchase a training outfit and belt, while others allow regular workout clothes. Some studios charge a per-class fee, while others require a monthly subscription. To determine the cost of your training, contact the studio you are interested in joining for information.

How do you stay healthy and active with your kids?

 

Consideration was received for the editing and publishing of this article.

Lucky to Have You {Teacher Appreciation}

 

We had time to do one more little idea for our teachers for Teacher Appreciation Week.  Again, simple and easy.  And a free printable.  Bonus!

We printed out the tags from 3 Boys and a Dog (or you can find it here too.)  I bought some of the Lucky Charms Bars but you could buy the little cups of cereal or make fun, Lucky Charm cookies too. 

Print out the tags. I added a layer of purple cardstock behind them and tied them with ribbon. 

 

 

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Super Grad Giveaway - $100 to Amazon

Welcome to the "Super Grad" giveaway event sponsored by Tip Hero, featuring some awesome bloggers. Now that we're in the middle of graduation season, we thought a giveaway would be a great way to celebrate. And who wouldn't LOVE $100?!?!

One lucky winner will be the winner of a $100 Amazon code that can be used to get a great present for your favorite grad!

This giveaway begins on May 7th and will run until May 21st at 11:59pm US Eastern time. It will be open to residents of the US only, 18+. Use the PromoSimple form below to enter, and be sure to take advantage of the many entries you can gain. And be sure to come back daily for more chances to win. 

Good luck! 

$100 Amazon Gift Card

 

Brownie Points for the Teacher {Teacher Appreciation}

Here's another fun and simple idea to do for your kid's teachers. We made some brownies and printed out these tags from Happy Home Fairy.

I wasn't quite sure how to wrap up the brownies since it's been pretty warm here lately and the brownies had a chocolate, fudge type topping (of course.)  So we went with a plastic container and taped the tags on.  Then added a little ribbon.  I'm sure a celo bag would have been "fancier", and if we would have made plain brownies it would have worked.  But I don't think the teachers are going to complain.

If you're looking for other Teacher Appreciation ideas, click on the "teacher appreciation" label on the left side of the page.  There are lots to chose from =o)

Enjoy!

 

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