Breakfast Fruit Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Makes 2 cups
Calories: 316 calories
Source: Better Food for Kids


Ingredients

• 1 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen strawberries or raspberries
• 1 tsp liquid honey
• 1/2 cup vanilla yogurt
• 1 tbsp. wheat germ

Directions

• In a blender, process milk and fruit until very smooth.
• Add honey, yogurt and wheat germ; process till smooth.
• Pour into glasses and serve.

I didn't add the wheat germ.  I'm just not that healthy.

Be-Mine Chocolate Pots

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 19 minutes
Serves 8 people
Calories: 407 per serving
Source: Parents Quick and Easy Kid-Friendly Meals


Ingredients

• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• icing sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Grease 8 six-ounce ramekins and place on a baking sheet.
3. In a double-boiler, combine chocolate and butter and stir over simmering water until melted.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool 5 minutes.
5. In a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla with an electric mixer until frothy, about 2 minutes.
6. Lightly whisk in the chocolate mixture.
7. Fold in the flour until combined.
8. Divide mixture among ramekins.
9. Place baking sheet in oven and bake 18-22 minutes or until edges are firm and centre is slightly soft.
10. Allow to cool completely.
11. Place a heart-shaped stencil on top of each ramekin; sprinkle with icing sugar and remove carefully.

The book from which this recipe was taken is amazing!  Usually I'm lucky to take one or two recipes from each book I check out, but this book was chock full of delicious recipes.  These chocolate pots are not hard to make at all, but they are absolutely decadent.  The soft spot in the middle makes them to-die-for.  Not exactly cake, not exactly brownies - these can only be called chocolate pots!

Angel Sugar Cookies

Prep Time:10 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 13 minutes
Makes 18 cookies
Calories: 375 per cookie
Source: "The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes From an Accidental Country Girl" by Ree Drummond.


Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for the tops
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream together the eggs, oil, butter, granulated and icing sugars and vanilla.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
• Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Drop balls of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
• Smear a dab of butter on the bottom of a glass, then dip in granulated sugar.
• Use the glass to flatten the balls of dough, dipping back into the sugar each time.
• Bake 12-13 minutes until the cookies are just barely turning brown around the edges.
• Allow to cool before eating.

I have been looking for a good, simple sugar cookie recipe for a while.  I tried a couple of highly-rated recipes that I found online, but I didn't think they were that great.  I borrowed Ree Drummond's book from the library as I have occasionally come across her blog posts and enjoyed them - and I found this recipe at the very back of the book.  I gave it a try - and had success!  These cookies are delicious and easy to make.  The only downside to them is that they come out really, really white - I wish they had a bit more of a golden tinge to them.  But the cookies please my tummy if not my eye, and that's all I care about!