Kid Style: Cookie Crisp Sandwich Cookies

Last night as I was relaxing on the couch watching the Big Game (aka the Super Bowl commercials) it suddenly occurred to me that tomorrow is L's turn to bring in preschool snack. At this point, I deemed it too late to run out to the store, and in full disclosure, a morning stop would never happen as it is a miracle to get out the door on time as it is. So, I was forced to dig through the pantry and pray that I could find something suitable to feed fifteen tiny people. Pickings were slim as I hadn't made it to the grocery store over the weekend, but I managed to find an unopened box of Cookie Crisp cereal and some white chocolate chips.

 

A quick search on Pinterest revealed that I wasn't the first to concoct an on-the-fly Cookie Crisp treat and in fact, someone had been kind enough to create some adorable tags so my last minute efforts appeared way more put together than they actually were.

 

 

Using the tiny Cookie Crisp Cookies, I melted the chocolate put a dab between two cookie pieces using my handy dandy Pampered Chef icing bottle. This was the first time I've had a chance to use this handy dandy tool, and it was way easier than using a regular icing bag!

 The whole process of making the tiny sandwich cookies took about an hour and then I placed a few in snack sized baggies and stapled one of the cute FREE printables to each bag.

The result was adorable! If you are looking for a cheap Valentine's Day treat idea, this could totally be an option!

Happy Monday!

Cold Weather Comfort Food: Chicken and Dumplings!

The weather is getting cooler and we find ourselves eating more soups, stews, and dishes that make us feel warm and cozy. One of my favorite fall recipes is chicken and dumplings. I've always enjoyed them, but until last year, I had never attempted to make them myself. I was under the impression that they were the product of little gray haired ladies in church kitchens using closely guarded family recipes and that they took tons of time and lots of effort.  I couldn't have been more wrong!

Not only are they easy to make, they really don't require a bunch of prep, and they are delicious!

 

 

I used this recipe from The Country Cook and it is amazing! The broth is a little thinner at first, but if you can wait 20-25 minutes for it to thicken up before serving it is even better. My husband suggested adding cream to the broth, which I'm sure would be really good, just not as healthy.

 

 

I use a fondant mat to roll out the dough and a pizza cutter to cut it into the little dumpling squares. You can use whole grain flour in place of white flour if you choose.

 

 

I always use sodium free chicken stock since I salt and pepper my chicken before roasting it in the oven, shredding it, and adding it to the stock pan.

 

 

My son loves helping to cook this meal by placing the dumplings in the pot one by one. A great tip I have learned is that you can make two  (or more) batches of dumpling dough at a time. Use one in your dinner and then roll out and cut the second batch of dough into dumplings and store them flat between wax paper on trays in the freezer for later. So easy and so good!