Peppermint Sugar Cookies

I had so much fun making the peppermint truffles the other day! I had leftover peppermints, so I wanted to make another fun treat. I came across a peppermint crunch ball cookie recipe, and I decided to try it out. The cookies did not turn out exactly how I thought they would (I thought they would be crunchier and I didn't think they would flatten - I guess names of recipes can be deceiving), but they were really yummy. The cookie is sweet, but not too sweet - with just the right amount of peppermint. The texture is nice & I love the slight crunch from the crushed mint and sugar. They are cute & festive and perfect for the holidays - enjoy!

Recipe for Peppermint Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 cup of confectioners sugar
1 egg
1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. of peppermint extract
2 1/3 cups of all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. of salt
10 - 15 crushed mini candy canes or Starlight mints
2 Tbsp. of granulated sugar
Decorative Sugar (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter and confectioners sugar with an electric hand mixer set on medium speed. Mix for a few minutes, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add in the egg and mix to incorporate. Stir in the vanilla extract and peppermint extract. Slowly add the flour to the mixture, by pouring in 1/3 cup at a time. Use the hand mixer to beat on low for several seconds after each addition of flour. Mix in the salt. Make sure all ingredients are well blended together. Cover the bowl with a lid and put into the fridge for 1 - 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix together the crushed peppermints (I grind up the Starlight mints in my food processor) and granulated sugar. Take the mixture out of the fridge. Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop the mixture up and roll into 1 1/2-inch balls. Coat the balls in the crushed mint and sugar mixture and place on baking sheet. Space each ball about 2-inches apart from each other. Place in oven and bake for 12 - 14 minutes.

Optional: About 3 minutes before the cookies are finished baking, sprinkle decorative sugar on top of each cookie and then put back into the oven.

Once cookies are finished baking, transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

*Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Recipe Adapted from: Mr. Food

Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffles

I was going to wait to post this recipe over the weekend, but I am just so excited about it that I had to share it now! I made peppermint truffles for the first time yesterday. The filling was made with a dark chocolate ganache with peppermint extract, and then I dipped them in dark chocolate and sprinkled on some crushed mints. They were pretty amazing. I took some by a friend's house this morning on my way to work, and she messaged me to let me know that they are the best truffles I have ever made (she has sampled the coconut truffles, sweet cream and walnut truffles, cookie dough truffles, and pumpkin truffles)! I think I might agree with her, but I need to go eat another one before I can know for sure. Greg loved them too, and so did my coworkers at the elementary school.

These truffles are the perfect holiday baking project - all of your friends, coworkers, and family would love to have some of these delicious festive treats! They would also be great to serve at a holiday party, or at a shower that is held during the holiday season. Enjoy.

Recipe for Dark Chocolate Peppermint Truffles 
INGREDIENTS:

For the filling
10 ounces of semisweet baking chocolate, chopped very finely
8 ounces of whipping cream or heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 - 2 tsp. of peppermint extract (I used 2 tsp.)
For the coating
16 ounces of semisweet baking chocolate, coarsely chopped or broken in half
10 - 15 crushed mini candy canes or Starlight mints

DIRECTIONS:
For the filling
Chop the chocolate. It can be chopped by putting it into the bowl of a food processor and pulsing until chopped very finely. Put the chocolate into a heat-safe metal bowl. Put the cream into a small saucepan. Set the saucepan over medium heat and bring it to a simmer (watch it closely). Once it simmers, pour it over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit for 1 - 2 minutes. Gently stir the mixture for about a minute, making sure to fully incorporate the cream and chocolate together. Stir it until it is smooth and completely dark in color.  Stir in peppermint extract.  Let it rest on the countertop for about 10 minutes. Cover the bowl with a lid and place it into the refrigerator for several hours, to allow the mixture to harden.

Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop up the mixture and then roll with your hands into 3/4-inch to 1-inch balls. Place the balls onto parchment lined containers. Cover the containers and place in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

For the coating
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Put the crushed mints on a corner on the baking sheet or in a small bowl. Use a small spoon to sprinkle the mints onto the truffles, when ready for that step.

Put the coarsely chopped chocolate into a small to medium saucepan. Put about 3/4 cup of water into the bottom pan of a double boiler. Set the double boiler over medium-high heat. When steam begins to come up, place the saucepan with the chocolate on top of the boiler. Stir the chocolate frequently until it is completely smooth and melted. Turn off the stovetop. Take one container of the filling out of the freezer. Drop one of the balls into the melted chocolate, and use a spoon to completely coat. Use the spoon to carefully place the truffle onto the baking sheet. Sprinkle the crushed mints on top, while the chocolate is still wet. Repeat until each truffle is coated with the chocolate. Repeat with the remaining containers of the filling in the freezer.

Place the baking pan with the truffles in the fridge, and allow the coating to harden before serving.

Recipe makes 25 - 30 truffles.

Recipe Adapted from: Food For My Family 

Dark chocolate peppermint truffles - possibly the best truffles I have ever made...

NOTE: Since there is cream in the filling, it is best to store the peppermint truffles in the fridge - don't let them sit out long. 

Delicious & Easy Refried Beans in a Slow Cooker - no grease or frying!

Okay, these beans are not "refried," but they taste as good if not better than actual refried beans. I came across the recipe a couple weeks ago, and there were hundreds of great reviews, so I gave it a shot. The  beans cooked in the slow cooker all day, and they made our house smell amazing. And, the beans were as yummy as they smelled! The beans are great as a filling in tortillas, a side to quesadillas or tacos,  a dip with chips, or plain for a quick and easy lunch.

I love many things about this recipe. I love that the beans require very little (less than 5 minutes) hands-on preparation time. I love that there are no unhealthy ingredients in the recipe. And, I love that the beans taste so delicious - the texture is creamy & smooth, and the flavor is perfect.  Greg loves how inexpensive the beans were to make, and he loves how delicious they tasted. He pointed out to me that I should never buy canned beans again - because compared to dried beans, they are much more expensive. He is right on this one (don't tell him though)! I hope you are as excited about cheap, easy, healthy, and delicious un-fried refried beans as we are! Enjoy.

Recipe for Delicious & Easy Refried Beans - no grease or frying! 

INGREDIENTS:
3 1/2 cups of dried pinto beans, rinsed (place beans in colander and set under running water for a minute)
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped small (deveined and seeded - but I kept a few seeds to kick up the heat)
3 Tbsp. of dried onion flakes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1/8 tsp. of cumin powder
2 1/2 tsp. of salt
1 1/4 tsp. of black pepper
10 1/2 cups of water

DIRECTIONS:
Place the rinsed beans, chopped jalapeno, onion flakes, minced garlic, cumin powder, salt, and pepper into a slow cooker. Cover with the 10 1/2 cups of water. Turn the slow cooker on high and cook for 8 hours. Use a ladle or spoon to skim any excess water out of the beans. Use a potato masher to mash the beans to desired consistency. Serve & enjoy!

*Makes 12 - 16 servings of beans. Hands-on time is less than 5 minutes!*

Recipe Adapted from: All Recipes

Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies (chocolate Snickerdoodles)

Yesterday on my lunch break I stopped at Sweet Hearts Patisserie, a bakery in Annapolis. I have been there a couple times before, but I had never sampled any of their yummy-smelling and great-looking treats. I always order a hot chocolate and resist the urge to buy anything else. Well, it was a long week, and yesterday I could not resist the urge. I saw "Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies" right in front of me, and by the time my drink was ready, my mind was made up - I was not leaving the store without the cookie! The cookie was pretty big, so when I got back to work I asked my coworker if she would be willing to share it with me. If I hadn't asked her to share, I would have had no problem finishing the cookie myself. It was so super yummy. The cookie itself was crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside, and the flavors of chocolate and cinnamon were intoxicating.

Today I decided to recreate the cookie in my own kitchen. I found a few different recipes online for the cookies, and I followed one with only a few minor changes. The batter is made with cocoa and just a little cinnamon, and then the dough is rolled in a delicious mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and ancho chile powder. These cookies are kind of like Snickerdoodles, but they are chocolate instead.  They smelled so good while baking, and they tasted amazing. Greg has already had several of the cookies since I pulled them out of the oven. I will definitely be making these again. I think I might take some to the neighborhood holiday party next week! Enjoy.

Recipe for Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies 

INGREDIENTS:
For the cookie dough

2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened at room temperature

1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 cup of cocoa powder
2 tsp. of cream of tartar
1 tsp. of baking soda
1/4 tsp. of sea salt
1/4 tsp. of cinnamon
For the cinnamon-sugar coating
1/3 cup of granulated sugar
2 tsp. of cinnamon
A dash or two of ancho chili powder (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer set on medium speed. Beat until smooth and creamy. Add in the eggs, and incorporate well.

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Pour the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Mix together the ingredients with the electric hand mixer set on the lowest speed, until the ingredients are well incorporated and a batter is formed.
In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, and ancho chile powder - this is the cinnamon-sugar coating.

Use a cookie dough scoop to scoop up about 1 tablespoon of the batter. Use your hands to form the dough into balls, and then roll each one into the cinnamon-sugar mixture, until fully coated. Place on a baking sheet, and leave about 2-inches of space between each (I put about 12 on a baking sheet, using 3 baking sheets). Place baking sheet in the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet, and then cook another 5 or so minutes. The cookies are done when they begin to crack on the tops. After you remove the cookies from the oven, let them rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

***Makes about 3 dozen (36) cookies***

Recipe Source: A Pretty Life