12 Weeks of Christmas Treats: "Pleasing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies"

I am happy to be participating in Meal Planning Magic's "12 Weeks of Christmas Treats" blog hop. This week, I am sharing my recipe for a fun fall pumpkin cookie that has The Southern Fried Husband's official seal of approval.

"Pleasing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies"
1/2 stick butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 large egg

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper. In large bowl, add butter and brown sugar. Beat together until creamy. Mix in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until well blended. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and cloves. Mix well. Slowly add the dry mixture into the batter in three parts until all of dry mixture has been added. Gently stir in chocolate chips only long enough to blend in mixture. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove cookie sheet from oven and let cool for 2 minutes before removing with a spatula onto cooling surface. Enjoy!

Shutterfly Holiday Cards 2012 Collection and a Giveaway!

The holidays are upon us, and I'm very happy to announce that I'm working with Shutterfly this year for their holiday campaign. My husband and I celebrate Christmas, and it's almost hard to believe we will be celebrating our second Christmas as husband and wife. It is a favorite tradition of mine to pick out just the right card design that represents us as a couple as we send our wishes to friends and loved ones. Shutterfly offers an amazing selection of Holiday Cards.
I also love seeing friends and loved ones who celebrate some of the other holidays of the season sharing their traditions and greetings. They have you covered for all the winter holidays to be celebrated in 2012 with an astounding 610 design possibilities!

Here are some of my favorites in this year's collection:

This card echoes the sentiment of one of my favorite songs of the season. I love the fonts and color combination of this design, "Wonderful Time Script".

This design reflects our Christian faith and a beloved Christmas carol I have loved since my childhood.

I am crazy about monograms. You will find them throughout our home. I was immediately drawn to this card design, "Classic Wreathed Monogram".

They have the cutest designs perfect for showcasing your treasured pets, such as "Peppermint Countdown".

They literally have every winter holiday covered with this cheery card, "Merry Everything".

They also have a wonderful selection of gift tags, address labels and other accessories.

I love the gingerbread cutie on this gift tag, "Ginger Kids Red".

This "Jolly Ribbons" address label has my favorite color combinations in a delightful design.

You can view their current special offers here and find them on a number of social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

My friends at Shutterfly are sponsoring a fun holiday giveaway for one of you! One of you will win a promo code for $50 off of your total order (does not include shipping and cannot be combined with any other promos). To enter, leave a comment below telling me if you have a favorite Christmas or other winter holiday tradition. Entries close tonight at 10:00 pm EST. Good luck!

Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post by Shutterfly. I received a promo code for the purpose of my honest feedback about their 2012 holiday card collection and a promo code giveaway prize for one of my readers. All opinions expressed in this blog post are my own.

12 Weeks of Christmas Treats: "Peppermint Wonderland Bars"

I am happy to be participating in Meal Planning Magic's "12 Weeks of Christmas Treats" blog hop. This week, I am sharing a fun cereal bar recipe. Peppermint has been my favorite Christmas flavor since I was a little girl. I look forward all year long to the variety of peppermint treats this season brings.

Budget-Friendly Tip: I save peppermint candies throughout the year and at Christmastime, I have plenty for recipes calling for peppermint candies. For a crushed peppermint topping, I place the pieces of candy into a plastic bag, set it on a cutting board and roll over the bag with a rolling pin until the candies are crushed.




"Southern Fried Bride’s Peppermint Wonderland Bars"

1 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup sugar

1 (7 oz.) jar marshmallow creme

6 cups toasted rice cereal

1 1/3 cups white chocolate morsels

1 teaspoon peppermint extract

12 peppermint candies, crushed

Coat 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking pan with wax paper. Combine corn syrup and sugar into 3-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and mixture begins to boil. Add in marshmallow creme and stir well until mixture is well blended. Remove from heat. Add cereal to mixture, stirring until well coated. Press onto bottom of prepared baking pan. Refrigerate 15-20 minutes, then remove from refrigerator to add topping.

Microwave white chocolate morsels in large, microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave at additional 10-to 20-second intervals,stirring between intervals until smooth. Stir in crushed peppermints and peppermint extract until well blended. Spread evenly over cereal mixture. Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes or
I save peppermint candies throughout the year and at Christmastime, I have plenty for recipes calling for peppermint candies. For a crushed peppermint topping, I place the pieces of candy into a plastic bag, set it on a cutting board and roll over the bag with a rolling pin until the candies are crushed.
until topping is firm. Cut into bite-size bars. Makes 28 bars. Enjoy!

Mom's Makeup Case: A Special Memory and a Giveaway

This is my Mom and me was taken four years before she passed from this life in August 1997: floor seats at the Garth Brooks concert in Tulsa, right before I started grad school at NSU. This picture perfectly represents the love we had for one another. Incredibly blessed by God with the mother He gave me for 26 years in this life and forever in Eternity! Celebrating my late, great Mom on her birthday. ♥


I thought about what prize to giveaway for today. I wanted it to be something extra-special, just like her. I turned to a favorite memory to make my decision. When I was in college, one Christmastime we saw a makeup kit in the store and my Mom was taken with it. The way she lived her whole life was that she always put her child first, herself second. She had never owned a huge makeup kit like that. As we went about our shopping in the store, I knew what to get her for Christmas that year. I will never forget the look of delight on her face when she opened that present from me. She loved it.

The next few years of her life would be her last. Amid serious illness, she would always find joy in opening that makeup kit and putting some on, especially the eyeshadows. After she died, my maternal grandmother and I faced the task of going into her bedroom, which was the master bedroom in the home we lived in together, and going through, sorting her treasured belongings. There sitting on her dresser was the makeup kit. I opened it and softly touched her eyeshadow brush. I gently ran the tip of my finger across some of the colors that I knew were her favorites, used well. I closed it. It didn't seem right to use it. Later that evening, I went back into her bedroom, that still felt so surreal to not have her there, and I picked up the makeup kit again. I took my eyeshadow brush and chose a favorite shade of hers, then put on the eyeshadow. I smiled into her dresser mirror as I closed the kit and placed it back in what seemed its rightful place on her dresser. The day would come a few weeks later, that I would take the makeup kit and bring it to my dresser, taking it as my own. One morning as I reached  for the eyeshadow kit, I would find that her very favorite shade had all been used and was gone. That brought a sadness to my heart. Soon most of the kit would be emptied through years of use between the both of us.

Now we come to my giveaway to celebrate her birthday. I shopped at several of my favorite stores looking for this item. I looked and looked, then I saw it across the store on a display shelf: the makeup kit. It was even in a pink case. I knew I had found the prize. Not just the prize for one of my readers and for one of my Facebook page fans, but I found the prize for myself as well, because it brought to mind this special memory from my life. I offer this prize with the hope it might create a special memory for the winner and their loved ones.

Winner will receive the ULTA Day, Night and Play 77 piece makeup collection in a pink case, valued at $200: 54 eyeshadows, 9 lipcolors, 6 cheekcolors, 2 fullsize lipsticks, 2 mini lipglosses, 2 dual ended liners and 1 eyeshadow quad.

To enter, leave a comment below. Entries will close tonight at 10:00 pm EST and winner will be announced immediately. Good luck, and in the words of my late, great mother, "If you see someone without a smile, give them one of yours!".

Crockpot Corner: "Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili"

Here's my favorite crockpot-ready white chicken chili recipe for this fall season that has The Southern Fried Husband's official seal of approval.

"Southern Fried Bride's Easy Crockpot White Chicken Chili"


3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked OR raw, chopped

3 cups water

1 (10.5 oz.) can Campbell's low-sodium chicken broth

1 (15 oz.) can Great Northern white beans

1 packet McCormick "White Chicken Chili" seasoning

Optional garnishes: 2% shredded cheese

light sour cream

tortilla crisps

Place chicken in bottom of crockpot. Cooked or raw chicken will work for this recipe. In separate bowl, combine water and chicken broth. Add packet of seasoning and stir well. Add white beans and stir until well-combined. Pour mixture over chicken in crockpot. Set crockpot on low and cook for 8 hours. Serve, if desired, with shredded cheese, sour cream and tortilla crisps. Enjoy!

12 Weeks of Christmas Treats: "Southern Fried Bride's Oklahoma Snowballs"

I am happy to be participating in Meal Planning Magic's "12 Weeks of Christmas Treats" blog hop. The winters in my home state of Oklahoma are very light compared to the winters here in Northern New York. This week, I am sharing a cookie recipe that honors my memories of snowy Oklahoma winter days.



"Southern Fried Bride's Oklahoma Snowballs"


1 stick butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups oats

Garnish: ¾ cup powdered sugar

In large saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar. Add peanut butter and vanilla extract. Stir until mixture reaches a smooth texture. Turn off stove burner and add oats. Mix well. Make two areas for waxed paper. Spray cooking spray on your hands. Spoon mixture by tablespoon size and form into 1-inch snowballs. Place each snowball on waxed paper. After rolling last snowball, sprinkle powdered sugar evenly over snowballs and begin to roll each ball until well-coated with powdered sugar. Transfer snowballs onto the second clean wax paper area. Let snowballs set at least 30 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

12 Weeks of Christmas Treats Blog Hop: "Southern Fried Bride's Frost on the Pumpkin Bars"

I cannot believe the holiday season is upon us! Where has this year gone? I am happy to be participating in Meal Planning Magic's "12 Weeks of Christmas Treats" blog hop. This week, I am sharing my take on the classic pumpkin bar.


                                         

"Southern Fried Bride's Frost on the Pumpkin Bars"

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 teaspoon Rodelle pure vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
(or 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ginger)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray and dusting of flour. In medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Stir until well-combined and set aside. In large mixing bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, pumpkin and vanilla extract. Mix at medium speed until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture in thirds, mixing between each addition until all of mixture has been added. Pour batter evenly into pan. Bake 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cut evenly into squares. Place wax paper underneath bars to frost with cinnamon glaze. Enjoy!

"Southern Fried Bride's Delightfully Cinnamon Glaze"

1/4 cup butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon Rodelle pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

In medium bowl, add powdered sugar. Add milk one tablespoon at a time and stir well. If smoother consistency is desired, add additional 1/2 tablespoon of milk. Add vanilla and stir well. Add cinnamon and stir well. With pumpkin bars placed with wax paper underneath, drizzle over each pumpkin bar, covering the top of bar completely. For best results, let glaze set 6 hours or overnight.