Coupon network

I just printed coupons on http://couponnetwork.com/ It was super easy to print coupons, I really like the way it is set up... Worth a look before you head to the grocery store!

Girl Scout Cookies

If you love Girl Scouts Cookies, Check these out! They are homemade recipes I found on two great sites! I'd love to hear comments about how they turned out for you...  
Homemade Thin Mints
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2010/03/cakespy-homemade-thin-mints-girl-scout-cookies-recipe.html
serves about 36 cookies
Ingredients:

For the cookies:

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup cornstarch

6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1/3 cup milk (any kind)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 tsp peppermint extract

For the dark chocolate coating:

10 ounces dark or semisweet chocolate (I used Hershey's Special Dark)

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.

2. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look slightly curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.

3. Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 to 2 hours (I did mine overnight), until dough is very firm.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F.

5. For the most authentic texture, slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick (they will not be as crisp if they are thicker, but they're still delicious) and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you don't have to leave too much space around each one.

6. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

7. Prepare the coating. While the original recipe suggested preparing it in the microwave, I did mine on the stovetop by combining the chocolate on butter in a medium saucepan on low heat, stirring frequently until the mixture was melty and fully combined. The texture will be thicker than a chocolate syrup, but not so thick that cookies can't easily be dipped and removed. You can put the chocolate mixture back on heat as needed to keep the coating smooth and easy to dip your cookies into.

8. Note: Per the recipe I adapted, this can also be done in the microwave: in a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45 to 60 secnds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syup and fudge for a thin coating. (Note: Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.)
9. Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.

Homemade and All-natural Thin Mint Recipe Chocolate Wafers:
http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/001370.html
 
Ingredients:
8 ounces organic butter, room temperature

1 cup organic powdered sugar, (I use Wholesome Sweeteners brand)

1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract

1 cup cocoa powder (I use Dagoba's cacao powder)

3/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt

1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

Chocolate Peppermint Coating:

1 pound good quality semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

natural peppermint oil to taste

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350. Racks in the middle zone.

Make the cookie dough: In a mixer cream the butter until it is light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar and cream some more, scraping the sides of the bowl a couple times if necessary. Stir in the vanilla extract and then the salt and cocoa powder. Mix until the cocoa powder is integrated and the batter is smooth and creamy, sort of like a thick frosting. Add the whole wheat pastry flour and mix just until the batter is no longer dusty looking, it might still be a bit crumbly, and that's o.k. You don't want to over mix and end up with tough cookies.

Turn the dough out onto a counter, gather it into a ball, and kneed it just once or twice to bring it together into once nice, smooth mass. Place the ball of dough into a large plastic bag and flatten it into a disk roughly 3/4-inch thick. Place the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes to chill.

Rollout and bake: Remove the dough from the freezer and roll it out really thin, remember how thin Thin Mints are? That's how thin you need your dough, about 1/8-inch. You can either roll it out between two sheets of plastic, or dust your counter and rolling pin with a bit of flour and do it that way. Stamp out cookies using a 1 1/2-inch cutter (this time I used one with a fluted edge, I've done hearts and other shapes in the past). Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool completely on a baking rack if you've got one.

Make the peppermint coating:

While the cookies are in the oven you can get the coating ready. I use a makeshift double boiler to melt chocolate (a metal pan over a saucepan of gently simmering water), but I know many people who swear by melting chocolate in the microwave. Slowly melt the chocolate, stirring occasionally until it is glossy and smooth. Stir in the peppermint extract. If you think the chocolate needs a bit more peppermint kick, add more extract a drop or two at a time - but don't go overboard.

Finishing the cookies: You are going to coat the cookies one at a time and then gently set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to set. Drop one cookie into the chocolate and (using a fork) carefully make sure it gets fully coated. Lift the cookie out of the chocolate with the fork and bang the fork on the side of the pan to drain any extra chocolate off the cookie. You are after a thin, even coating of chocolate. Place on the aforementioned prepared baking sheet, and repeat for the rest of the cookies. Place the cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to set. They will set at room temperature, it just takes much longer, and I prefer them straight out of the freezer anyways ;)

Make 3 or 4 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter desserts

I love Peanut Butter!  If you do too, check out these great dessert recipes.  I saw an article about the Pioneer Woman in a magazine.  I decided to check out her website.  Its awesome.  Its full of delicious recipes! Check out some of her recipes below, then head over to her website thepioneerwoman.com

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie



http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/06/another-pie/

Ingredients


FOR CRUST

■25 whole Oreos

■4 Tablespoons Butter, Melted

PEANUT BUTTER FILLING:

■1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter

■1 package (8 Ounce) Softened Cream Cheese

■1-¼ cup Powdered Sugar

■1 package (8 Ounce) Cool Whip, Thawed

Preparation Instructions

Crust:

Crush the Oreos until they’re fine crumbs. Pour melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 7 minutes, or until set.

Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Filling:

Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth. Add in the thawed Cool Whip and beat mixture until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.

Pour filling into crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Warning: This is ultra, ultra-rich. Cut small slivers—your guests will thank you!

Monster Cookies



http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2010/09/monster-cookies/
Ingredients


■2 sticks (1/2 Pound) Butter (salted) Softened

■½ cups White Sugar

■1-½ cup Brown Sugar, Packed

■2 whole Large Eggs

■1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract

■1-½ cup All-purpose Flour

■½ teaspoons Baking Soda

■1 teaspoon Baking Powder

■2 teaspoons Kosher Salt

■1-½ cup Oats (either Quick Or Regular)

■½ cups M & M's (more To Taste)

■½ cups Pecans, Chopped (more To Taste)

■¾ cups Chocolate Chips (milk Or Semi-sweet)

■½ cups Peanut Butter Chips

■2-¼ cups Rice Krispies

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream butter with sugars until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat.

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add to mixing bowl and mix till combined. After that, add in remaining ingredients in whatever quantity you prefer. Add more nuts if you’d like, or more M & M’s, more peanut butter chips or chocolate chips.

Add Rice Crispies at the very end, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix!

Use a cookie scoop to scoop balls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake until golden brown, then allow to cool on a rack.

Serve with glasses of cold milk.

Cookie Dough and Candy
My sister in law told me about these.  So easy to make! Perfect for Bake Sales and school celebrations...



http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/01/cookie_dough_and_candy_/

Ingredients


■Refrigerator Cookie Dough

■Miniature Chocolate Candies

Preparation InstructionsSlice the cookie dough into 1 to 1 ½ inch slices. Lay the slices on their side and cut them into quarters. Place each quarter into a greased mini-muffin tin. Peel the wrapper from as many pieces of candy as cookies you’re going to make. (Don’t be afraid to try different combinations of candies and dough.)

Bake the cookie dough in a 350-degree oven for just a few minutes, about 6 to 8 at the most. You’ll want to take them out just when they start to turn golden.

Almost as soon as you pull the warm cookies from the oven, begin lightly pressing one piece of candy into each cookie. The warmer the cookies, the better. They’ll grab onto the pieces of candy and work their magic, making the candy nice and soft and melty. And ridiculous.

When they’re all done, carefully remove from muffin tins with a spoon and arrange on a nice decorative platter.

Michaels coupons (Sunday, Feb. 27th, 2011- Saturday, March 5th, 2011)

Here are the current Michaels coupons that are out... The members only coupon is good till March 6th, 2011
http://www.dealigg.com/story-Michaels-Coupons-Michaels-Coupon-Code