Happy belated National Cookie Day! I hope you enjoyed baking and eating a variety of cookies yesterday, just like I did. Since we are in the beginning of the holiday baking season, I thought I’d try my hand at making some gluten-free cookies for my family and friends who need this option. While these cookies are semi-homemade; I was delighted with the way they turned out and so was my family. They couldn’t wait to try them when they got home since the heavenly scent of fresh baked treats greeted them at the door. 

Cinnamon Banana Bread:

Happy Fall my friends! I simply adore this season for so many reasons. The crisp mornings, being able to turn off the AC and open up all the windows in my home to welcome in all that fresh air goodness, settling into a more home-centric routine, and of course- baking! I’ve already started my baking season off on the right foot by baking up a batch of tasty cast iron skillet butter-topped drop biscuits and I wanted to share the recipe with you. These were some of the easiest biscuits I’ve ever made.

Biscuit Goodness:

As a blogger and digital content creator, I have the opportunity to try lots of new products that might not normally show up on my shopping radar. June has been bountiful in this department, so I thought it would be fun to start a new (to me) blog series Friday Five! Each month I’ll share five new products I think would be helpful to you as well. This month’s Friday Five is fun foods for summer. I hope you enjoy this new series and these product recommendations. 

Fresh from the oven Walnut Topped Sugar Cookies I’ve been a fan of Nestle Toll House cookie dough’s for ages, so I was thrilled to see these  rolled and ready sugar cookie dough sheets on my last trip to the grocery store.

• 1. Package (16 oz.) Nestlé Toll House Rolled & Ready Sugar Cookie Dough Sheets (found in the refrigerated section of grocery stores)
• 1/3 Cup coarsely chopped Walnuts
• 2 Tablespoons all- purpose flour (to flour cutting board)
• 1 Tablespoon cooking oil (to grease cookie sheet) or line with parchment paper

  

I bake cookies often throughout the year, but at Christmas time, I’m baking like a boss all season long. I bake for family and friends, I bake for cookie swaps and teacher   appreciation days at my daughters’ schools and I bake cookies to give to my neighbors.

 It really is a simple and easy way to spread kindness and cheer at this special time of year. All you need is a Betty Crocker Cookie Mix, about an hour and a few Ziploc containers to put your cookies in.  I chose peanut butter because I knew it was a favorite ; but Betty Crocker has plenty of options like Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Chip and Double Chocolate chip just to name a few.  Both the mixes and the Ziploc containers are on sale right now at Publix, so be sure to visit readysetsave.com to download your digital coupons. Be sure to check out all the fun holiday recipes there too! 

Here’s my quick and easy recipe for Peanut Butter Toffee Cookies. 

Ingredients:

• 1) 17.5 ounce Betty Crocker Peanut Butter Cookie Mix
• 1) 8 ounce bag English toffee bits (found in baking aisle of most grocery stores)
• 3) Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2) Tablespoons water
• 1) Large egg

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In large bowl mix oil, water and egg in Peanut Butter cookie batter until no longer grainy.
• Gently fold in toffee bits.
• Shape dough into 36 small balls or make drop cookies like I did by gently sliding off tablespoon size dough balls on to parchment paper.
• Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes for regular size cookies or 9-11 minutes for large cookies.
• Allow to cool.

If you are giving cookies as gifts like I am, while the cookies cool, it’s time to get your cookie container ready. I prefer using Ziploc containers because they are sturdy and reusable, which truly comes in handy this time of year! Sometimes,  I even receive my container back with a goody inside as thanks. 

I’ve found that a dozen cookies fit perfectly in the 1.25 quart size Ziploc containers. Sometimes you can get lucky and find the holiday containers, but if not, you can decorate your container as festively as you want. 

Win it!

Thanks to my sponsor, Betty Crocker, one lucky reader will receive a $10.00 PayPal cash transfer so you can purchase some cookie mixes too! 

Terms: 

No purchase is necessary to enter using the Rafflecopter from below.  My WAHM Plan is  responsible for prize fulfillment. Winners will be notified by email used on entry form and have 48 hours to respond or another winner will be chosen.  This giveaway is not associated with nor endorsed by Facebook, Twitter, or any other social channel. You must have a PayPal email account to enter. 

Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

• 1 cup (240 ml) butter (two sticks)
• 2 cups (400 gm) sugar
• 3 whole eggs
• 2 1/2 cups (325 gm) cake flour
• 1 teaspoon (5 gms) baking soda
• 1 teaspoon (5 gms) baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon (3 gms) salt
• 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla

• Increase flour to 3 cups, decrease baking soda to 1/2 tsp, and decrease baking powder to 1/2 tsp.
• Bake cake at 325°F for 25-30 minutes.
• This recipe makes 2-8 inch round cakes.



Courtesy Ms. T    The other morning it was a little chiller than normal and the front window was steamed up from our cat looking out. I hadn’t even noticed it as I got my oldest to the bus on time; but it was THE first thing my youngest noticed. She was so happy to see that steamed up window.  Why does that make you so happy I asked? Because she said “it means that baking season is here”! She is her mother’s daughter. As if by some physic link my oldest texted my from the bus saying that the nice crisp morning made her think about my Apple Pie. Coincidence? I think not. See it has been so ghastly hot this summer, here, there, everywhere! That I haven’t done much baking. I was loath to turn the oven on for the 2 minutes it takes to broil some sourdough crustini’s, but there was simply no way my family was doing without them. We love fall here, not just for the baking, but for the cooking of favorite recipes and the seasonal activities- Fall Festivals, watching football games, going for nature walks on our property, driving down the Natchez Trace to look at the pretty leaves, raking up our own batch of pretty leaves, yard work and prep that is soothing in its traditions. Ever since my girls were little they have helped my ready our yard and porches for winter. This year will be no different. With one exception: they are bigger and filled with more stories and memories. Fall is a busy, happy time here and I hope it is for you and yours.  Do you love Fall as well? What is your favorite Fall activity? Share your love with us! 



• 1) 17.5 ounce peanut butter cookie mix
• 1) 8 ounce bag English toffee bits (found in baking aisle of most grocery stores)
• 3) Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2) Tablespoons water
• 1) Large egg

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In large bowl mix oil, water and egg in peanut butter cookie batter until no longer grainy.
• Gently fold in toffee bits.
• Shape dough into 36 small balls or make drop cookies like I did by gently sliding off tablespoon-size dough balls onto parchment paper.
• Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes for regular size cookies, or 9-11 minutes for large cookies.
• Allow to cool.

Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies 

Baking season is in full swing at our house and as December elbowed out November, I pulled out this tried and true drop cookie recipe. I clipped this from the local Williamson County Parent magazine in 2005.
You are going to love these simple, yummy cookies! Our plate didn't look like that for long.
The very best part is this is a no egg recipe so your kiddies~ and you can eat the dough!
Stir up a batch of fun and happy memories today with your family. Enjoy!

The Basic Chocolate Chip Drop Cookie

Ingredients:

Directions:

I've also baked up a few dozen Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Cookies which turned out really well I think in large part because I used dark brown sugar.

What is your favorite cookie recipe? Please share!

• Butter Vanilla Sugar
• Oatmeal Scotchie
• Brown Sugar Oatmeal
• Double Peanut Butter
• Triple Chocolate Chunk

Summer Fruit Bowl!