Foodie Friday: Avalanche Cookies

Image courtesy of my favorite food blog: Dinner at the Zoo

Today will be my last blog before Christmas. I'd like to take this time to say thank you to everyone who takes the time and makes an effort to support our small, farm-based family business. You all have made our holiday season merry and bright. The outpouring of support for what we do, the faithful readers of my daily ramblings, the messages, likes, and comments on our posts, and your belief in what we do are priceless. To say we appreciate you is not enough. I simply don't have the words, and I always have words; ask The Bibbed Wonder…insert a wink. On this last Friday before Christmas, our family wishes you a safe, happy, healthy, merry, peace-filled holiday. May you have days filled with reasons to smile. Thank you for being part of our soap family. Merry Christmas!

With the big day just three days away, I thought I would share an easy, no-bake cookie recipe with you. This cookie recipe comes from our dear friend, who is more like family than a friend, the person we call our grown daughter, the wicked wiener (this is a story for another day), the happy little elf, wig-wearing, so happy she is part of my life, one of my very best friends, don't know what we would do without her, Jenna.

Jenna comes to our house almost every day. A few weeks ago, she arrived excitedly describing "quite amazing" no-bake cookies with rice crispies, white chocolate, peanut butter, and marshmallows. She informed The Bibbed Wonder we needed to try these fantastic, life-changing cookies. Jenna knows The Bibbed Wonders's affinity for no-bake cookies, rice crispies, and peanut butter. She did not know what they were called and did not have a recipe, but was sure it could be found online.

 I have stored this little tidbit of information in my very forgetful brain and had every intention of looking it up. Alas, with the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, I put it on the back burner and forgot until a few days ago. In the middle of the grocery store, I Googled the ingredients, and a recipe for Avalanche cookies popped up. I circled back around the store, grabbed the ingredients, brought them home, put them away, and immediately forgot about them. For the past week, I have proclaimed today will be the day I make said cookies, but that day has not arrived.

Jenna came to see us last night, and guess what she brought? A Tupperware container of Avalanche cookies! They were indeed quite delightful. One lone cookie remained when I got up this morning and looked inside the cookie container. Being the amazing wife I am, I will leave that one lone cookie for my bib overall-wearing buddy to enjoy because that is what a good wife would do. Okay, actually, I feel guilty because The Bean and I ate all the sugar cookies GramBarb brought out, and The Bibbed Wonder didn't even get a sniff of those little iced wonders of delight. I'm not that great of a wife. However, it's sugar cookies; can you really blame me? In my defense, I ate two. GramBarb brought us six. However, I did indeed eat the last cookie. This act of treason puts me in the bad-wife category, and I'm trying to repent. All I can say is that one last cookie had better be gone before I have my third cup of coffee, or I will remain on the bad-wife list.

On the last Friday before Christmas, allow me to share an easy recipe that anyone can find the time to complete and have on the cookie plate for Santa. I will be making my own batch of Avalanche cookies tomorrow, and this is the recipe I will use. I found this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Dinner at the Zoo. Enjoy, dear reader.

Avalanche Cookies

Ingredients:

16 ounces white almond bark, also known as white candy coating or candy melts

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups Rice Krispies cereal

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1 cup miniature chocolate chips divided

Directions:

Place ½ cup of miniature chocolate chips in the freezer.

Melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, stirring between increments.

Stir the peanut butter into the white chocolate until smooth and thoroughly combined.

Add the rice crispies and stir to coat.

Allow to cool to a lukewarm temperature.

Add the marshmallow and stir.

Add the frozen chocolate chips and stir.

Place a two-tablespoon-sized dollop onto parchment paper. Continue until all of the mixture is used.

Sprinkle the cookies with the remaining chocolate chips.

Work quickly before the cookies harden.

Store in an airtight container.

Jenna added peanuts to her cookies in place of the chocolate chips. Feel free to add either or both.

On this overcast Friday before Christmas, stay safe, be smart, enjoy good food and the holiday, and keep washing your hands.

A Few of My Favorite Things

The Bean and I enjoy Christmas music. We set our car radio stations to holiday channels in early November and will listen to merry tunes as long as they are on the air. One of my favorite songs is My Favorite Things, performed by Julie Andrews. I hum this song when I wrap Christmas gifts, and when I’m feeling obnoxious, I burst out in song in a poorly executed rendition, complete with arm motions and a twirling dance. Sigh, nobody really appreciates my enthusiasm. The Bean used to giggle and dance with me. Now, she simply rolls her eyes and informs me I have the words wrong.   

In my last non-food-related blog post before Christmas, I thought I would share a few of my favorite things about the holiday season. Some of the items on my list are tangible things, and others are feelings or experiences. There is much to love about the holiday season, and I hope you, too, have your own long list of favorite things. As we prepare for the big day, don’t lose sight of what makes you smile, your heart sing, and your holiday special. It could be simple things like twinkle lights or something huge, like a holiday trip. Whatever makes you feel like Christmas, I hope your weekend is filled with it.

One of my favorite things about the holiday season is the music. I adore Christmas music of all kinds, from all eras, and sung by a wide variety of artists. My favorite song is Nat King Cole’s Christmas Song. I also love Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree, Harrold of the Bells, and It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas. However, my absolute favorite holiday song is White Christmas, performed by The Drifters. I can put on a spectacular kitchen concert, performing each vocal with vigor and verve. Again, nobody really appreciates my talents. Okay, talent might be a stretch, but I should at least get applause for trying. When I perform, our senior pit bull, Chubby, has to be locked out of the room because he tries to bite me…no ha-ha.

Another thing I love about the holiday season is twinkle lights. I love to put little white lights around the house, turn off all the lamps, and watch the lights twinkle on the tree, the nativity, the village, and the mantle. Twinkle lights make everything magical, happy, and festive. I also obsess about fires being started by said twinkle lights, but one must take the good with the bad. I am obsessive about turning everything off and unplugging everything before we go to bed each night. However, the magical feeling twinkle lights create is worth the effort.

I also love the scents of Christmas. Scent is a strong memory trigger for me, and I associate a lot of scents with good and bad memories. The scent of pine is my absolute favorite smell of the holiday season. I agree with The Bean; nothing compares to the scent of a freshly cut Christmas tree. I also love the scent of vanilla and peppermint, gingerbread, sugar cookies, and cranberries. During the winter months, I will simmer a small pot filled with pine, oranges, cranberries, cinnamon, and clove atop the stove to make our farmhouse smell fresh and wonderful.

Walking around the farm during a snowfall is also one of my favorite things. I love to walk when snow is on the ground, and flakes are floating in the air. The insulated quiet of the world is comforting and makes everything magical and beautiful. Even The Heavy-B is quiet and calm on these walks. It brings me a sense of calm and well-being and helps to put things in perspective.

One of the nicest things about the holiday season is that friends and family make time for each other. I love the little get-togethers, whether planned or impromptu. My sweet and creative friend, Marie Buggey, hosted an Anne of Green Gables-themed holiday tea over the weekend, and it was perfect. Everyone dressed up in their Anne of Green Gables-themed attire, chatted, visited, and got caught up with friends. However, impromptu lunch dates and family stopping by to say hello are just as lovely. Life takes over the rest of the year, and we don’t make time for those we love. During the holiday season, spending time with people who make your heart happy becomes a priority. I love that.

I also love holiday movies. My absolute favorite holiday movie is The Santa Clause with Tim Allen. However, I will stop what I am doing to watch Will Farrell in Elf. The Bean loves Home Alone and the Hallmark movie Spruces vs. Pines. I am a sucker for Hallmark holiday movies, and I subscribe to the Hallmark Channel from October through January. I know, I know, they are cheesy and predictable, but there is just something nice about a story where everything turns out okay in the end, the couple gets together, and everything is gentle. This world needs to be a little gentler.

Hand in hand with holiday movies, I love being upstairs or on the sun porch reading and listening to The Bean and The Bibbed Wonder banter, laughing, and giggling. Hearing Eric laugh out loud over something that tickles his funny bone is one of my very favorite sounds in the world. I love the relationship my two favorite goons share, and to be an unobserved outsider looking in gives me a peak into their private world and wonderful relationship. They are, hands down, my favorite things.

Giving gifts that make people happy is also something I love about the holidays. I enjoy shopping for gifts, wrapping gifts, and giving gifts. There is nothing better than seeing the surprise, joy, and appreciation on someone’s face when one gets a gift right. My absolute favorite Christmas with The Bean was the year she was seven. Her little feet pranced, and she clapped and squealed with each gift she opened from Santa. Her childish glee and genuine love for Santa Claus was magical. That year was the epitome of childhood magic, and I will always cherish those memories.

Lastly, I love packing orders for the holidays. I feel like we always put a lot of effort and care into packing our orders, but during the holiday season, I take a little extra time to do so. With each order I fill, I imagine someone opening it up as a surprise or gift. When I say we love what we do, it doesn’t quite embody how we feel. There is great satisfaction and pride in knowing that something we take the time to create is being given to someone out of love, care, and friendship. Choosing the extra soaps as a thank-you also seems extra special this time of year. Our orders are packed with so much appreciation for you and your support of our dream. Thank you for making us part of your holiday season. We appreciate you. It is the best I can do, but it runs so much deeper.

On this chilly December 21st, stay safe and be smart. May you be surrounded by your favorite people and things, be filled with joy, peace, and contentment, and may you have a happy, healthy holiday season. Oh, and of course, wash your hands!

A Different Kind Of Fun

Yesterday, we had our first measurable snowfall in Pennsylvania. Only an inch or two fell, but it was enough to disrupt the morning commute and the school day. The Bean had her first two-hour delay of the year, and she was thrilled. Her excitement over snow days and two-hour delays never gets old. I love that about her. Although she is getting older, she maintains the childlike quality of her love of surprises, holidays, and looking at the world with wonder.

Her declaration of, “I’m so excited for Christmas!” begins in earnest in October. Once we get through, “I’m so excited for Halloween!” she begins giving serious thought to Christmas. As she gets older, she develops new ideas of how we should celebrate. This year, she created boards on Pinterest filled with ideas of how we should decorate our mantles, tree(s), and her room. I try to honor her ideas, and we take inspiration from the pictures, but I insist we use the decorations I have collected over a lifetime. I also insist we keep all décor within reasonable limits. For example, I struggled to decorate one tree, let alone three. According to The Bean, three seems to be the magic number for the appropriate number of trees.

The Bean is a blend of mine and The Bibbed Wonder’s personalities. Primarily, she acts like her dad…sigh. However, I see some of my traits in her behavior as well. She has BIG ideas and isn’t afraid to dream. I love that about her. However, like me, she doesn’t have the best follow-through. I blame my lack of focus on adult ADHD, but the reality is I get bored quite quickly. If I put my mind to it and it is something that inspires me, I will become almost obsessive about a project. The Bean is the same. However, I am The Bean’s Bibbed Wonder, meaning I am the one who must finish, clean up, and maintain The Bean’s big ideas. When she loses focus and wanders off, I am the one who is left holding the bag. Sigh…my husband must really love me because I am a real pain in the a$$.

However, I am on to her shenanigans now. I have found The Bean’s Achille’s heel. Now that she is a teenager with a busy social schedule, I can say, “Allow me to put this in terms you understand. If you don’t finish __________________ (insert any chore, like putting away your laundry, doing the dishes, feeding the dogs, running the vacuum, etc.), you will not __________________ (insert any activity she wants to do or friend she wants to invite over). Do I make myself clear? Good!” I believe this is my new go-to phrase when dealing with my child.

One thing I have follow through on, dear reader, is consequences. I keep my word. Whether it be a reward or a consequence, I have follow through. I learned very early on in my teaching career that kids, especially adolescents, can smell an empty threat five miles away. I believe I had a reputation for no bullsh**. I handled almost all behavior issues on my own, and for the most part, it worked well for me. The most important thing is I tried to be fair and treat the kids with respect. I take the same approach with my daughter. I am not the “you just wait until your father comes home” kind of mom. The Bibbed Wonder and I present a united front. We may not see eye to eye on all things, but when it comes to our child, we keep disagreements behind closed doors. The little tyrants can smell dissension as well, and they will use it to their advantage. Nobody is safe.

The Bean has a long-running list of social activities she wants to do over Christmas break. I finally feel as though I have serious leverage. You don’t feel like folding towels and putting them away? Well, guess what? I don’t feel like driving you to X-Y-Z over break. Suddenly, she is motivated to fold towels. It’s like a magic wand. Don’t get me wrong. The Bean is a good kid. However, even good kids will try to see just how much they can get away with when it comes to shirking responsibilities. I firmly believe kids need to learn responsibility early, or they will grow up to be entitled smacks. Sometimes, I worry she is acting like an entitled smack, but then she says or does something that makes me think we are on the right path.

Being a mom to a teen is a different kind of fun than being a mom to a child. Just when one thinks that one should have eaten their young years ago, they will do something so loving, so charming, so childlike that you feel remiss for such thoughts. It doesn’t have to be anything huge. It could be as simple as putting your favorite mug on the Keurig with a little note saying, “Thank you for everything. I love you,” so you wake up with a smile the next morning. It could also be something as small as running the vacuum cleaner on their two-hour delay, so you come home to a clean floor. Perhaps the vacuum is clogged with pine needles and a pop cap, but the good intentions were there and appreciated.

Although different from when she was small, this holiday season continues to be magical with her. I will eat up every ounce of fun, ideas, sharing, tradition, mess-making, and shenanigans she gifts me. Just when I feel like I could eat off her face with no remorse, she pulls it out of the gutter and makes me say, “Aww, she is still my baby.” I remind myself that these times are fleeting. Soon, she will be in college with her own friends, a life separate from mine, perhaps a boyfriend, and another family she wants to celebrate with…sniffle, sniffle. So, I will enjoy her. I mean, she still has to do the dishes, feed the dogs, and put away her laundry, but I will enjoy her.

On this sunny, cold December day, stay safe, be smart, find a balance between fun and responsibility, and keep washing your hands.