Reindeer Cookies….perfect for baking with kids!

I had the privilege of baking these tasty cookies with my talented cousins! They are such wonderful little bakers….take a look for yourself!

 It’s the perfect cookie to bake to get the holidays started!

 In order to make these cookies, you must first create the simple cookie dough

Next, its time to assemble these darling Reindeer Cookies

Make a large and small circle out of the dough to create the face of the reindeer

Add the antlers by placing the pretzels on the larger circle of dough

Add M&M's to create the eyes and the nose

 Kids can easily assemble the reindeer face!

ready to be baked...

The kids are happy to be putting them in the oven-the quicker they bake the quicker they can eat them!

Baked and ready to be enjoyed!

Time to enjoy this kid-made treat!

Reindeer Cookies 

Author: Brenna Bowers

Serving: about 20

 

Ingredients for the Cookies

1 cup butter (2 sticks)

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

2 ¼ cups flour

½ tsp salt

½ tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking soda

Extra Ingredients for the Cookies

Small Pretzels

M &M’s

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla until well mixed. Add in dry ingredients and mix completely just until combined.

Spoon out a 1 ½ Tbs scoop of cookie dough and roll into a ball. Slightly flatten the dough to about ¼” thickens and place on a greased cookie sheet. Spoon out a ½ Tbs scoop of cookie dough and roll this into a ball and flatten to about ¼” and place the corner on the large flattened circle of dough.

On the larger circle of dough, place two pretzels about 1” apart to create the “antlers”. Place two M &M’s as the eyes on the larger circle of dough under the antlers and one M &M as the nose for each reindeer cookie.

 Repeat this process until all the dough is gone.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. (You will have  placed the m&m's and pretzels on before baking- so when you pull them from the oven they are ready to eat!)
Enjoy these cookies with a glass of milk- just as Santa would do!

Brenna's disclosure:

I learned an important lesson- watch those kiddos closley as they will keep dipping their little fingers into the yummy dough ending up with a BELLY ACHE!

I caught him red-handed; not once but 6 times!

Superfood Green Monster Muffins...

I know what you are thinking…. “Come on Brenna! Let’s be real here and make something tasty!”

Well let me reassure you that these are, TASTY LITTLE GREEN MONSTERS!

These muffins were created for a few purposes:

1) to be a tasty treat

2) to be a healthy snack

3) to use up our bananas- that are quickly over-ripening

Check out the hunks of banana!

This recipe not only utilizes your old bananas but also has a serving of veggies and healthy ingredients that are necessary for your body's daily needs.

This recipe offers benefits including:

Spinach adds Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium

Banana adds Vitamin B6, Potassium

Flax Meal adds fiber and Vitamin E

Cinnamon improves energy and circulation

Blended Spinach

Dry ingredients

Wet ingredients, before the addition of the blended spinach

Batter placed into muffin tins, two-thirds full

Crumble Topping placed on the batter before baking

This is what it looks like after baking....see how it has risen!

Superfood Green Monster Muffins

A healthy muffin with spinach and ripe bananas

Author: Brenna Bowers

Makes:10 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 Tablespoons flax meal (optional)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup brown sugar *

¼ cup white sugar*

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 Tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon maple flavoring

1 cup packed baby spinach leaves

3/4 cup ripe banana, mashed (2 small ripe bananas)

1 egg

1/4 cup Greek yogurt

1/4 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Crumble Topping:

1 Tablespoon brown sugar

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoon wheat flour

1 Tablespoon quick oats

1 ½ Tablespoon butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:

Muffin:

In a small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients including the wheat flour, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, brown sugar, white sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Stir until mixed evenly.

In a blender, add the oil, lemon juice, honey, vanilla extract, maple flavoring, and spinach. Pulse until it is a puree (adding the mashed banana only if the mixture is not wet enough to mix properly).

In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed banana, egg, and Greek yogurt. Mix in the spinach puree and walnuts. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined, stirring as little as possible. Place into a muffin tin that has either been greased with oil spray or lined with muffin liners (fill only 2/3 full).

Crumble Topping:

Combine the dry ingredients and add in the butter pieces. Using a fork, press the butter into the dry ingredients to form a crumble mixture, about the size of a pea. Sprinkle on top of the muffin batter.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for about 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

*Sugar Substitute/Reduction: I found that when making this recipe for kids they preferred the recipe with a 1/4 cup of both brown and white sugar for the perfect sweetness. But recipe also comes out wonderful with the following substitution:

 Substitute ¼ cup white + ¼ cup brown sugar for 2 Tablespoons of honey + ¼ cup white sugar.

This will result in muffins with just a hint of sweetness but really cuts back on the sugar intake.

 Now go get into the kitchen and whip up some Green Mosnters! Don't let the color get the best of you, they are delicious, I promise!!!