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Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies

July 26, 2010 By Kate 16 Comments

Have you picked up your copy of Better Breakfast – 110 Breakfast Recipes yet? Don’t forget, the sales price of $3.97 ends Thursday. Order yours today!

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found the memories that stand out strongest in my mind and that evoke the most emotion from me are ones that are also tied to the sense of smell. The smell of a rainy day…the smell of the lobby at the Polynesian hotel in Disney World…the ocean. Each of those unique smells is tied to its own unique and powerful memory for me.

But perhaps my strongest smell-based memory is of the independent, small-town bakery where my mom and I used to stop for all kinds of freshly baked goodies. Maybe it’s because bakeries like that one seem to be becoming a thing of the past, or maybe it’s because those breads, cakes and cookies really were that good, but nothing can set off an emotional memory for me like that smell of freshly-baked bakery goods.

One of my favorite things about this particular bakery was that I also got to choose a free cookie. There were so many choices! They were just normal-sized cookies, not the pound and half ones you’re most likely to find today, but what a treat they were. My favorite was always the Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies. The sweet crunch on the outside paired with a soft chewy center was just too good to pass up.

Feeling slightly nostalgic the other day, I decided to see if I could re-create those cookies to share with my kiddos (after hiding a few just for myself). I’m glad I didn’t put that idea aside in favor of leaving the memory untouched. The cookies were heavenly and the scent while they baked was heavenly. It didn’t quite match the one in my memory, but if I closed my eyes really hard, I could feel like a 6 year old holding my mom’s hand while I selected my favorite cookie at our bakery. And that’s really the best part!

Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies

  • 1/2 c. butter, softened
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 t. vanilla extract
  • 1/2 t. almond extract
  • 1 3/4 c. flour
  • 3/4 t. salt
  • 1 t. baking powder
  • 1 3 oz. jar rainbow sprinkles

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and extracts and beat for 2-3 minutes, until combined and smooth.

2. In a small bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add to the mixing bowl and beat just until completely combined.

3. Pour the rainbow sprinkles into a bowl or on a plate. Roll about a tablespoon of dough into a ball then roll through the sprinkles. Place on a cookie sheet and repeat until done.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

I was able to get 2 dozen cookies and I began running low on the sprinkles for the last few cookies. If you like lots of sprinkles, you may want to have a second jar on hand just in case!

This post is being linked to Tasty Tuesday at Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed With Grace.

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Ebook Launch ~ Better Breakfast – 110 Breakfast Recipes

July 26, 2010 By Kate 15 Comments

The launch of this ebook has been a long time coming. Just ask my husband! I think he started to believe I’d never get it done since I’ve been talking about it for months. But at last – it is done! And I’m so excited to tell you about it.

Better Breakfast – 110 Breakfast Recipes – $7.95

It is so easy to get in a breakfast rut. Well, how about a little inspiration to help you break out of that rut? That was my vision as I wrote Better Breakfast – 110 Breakfast Recipes. There is no reason to have the same breakfast day in and day out with all these options that will help you get your day off to a better start!

The ebook is broken down into 7 categories:

  • Muffins & Quick Breads
  • Other Baked Goods
  • Pancakes, Waffles, French Toast & Crepes
  • Oatmeal & Cereals
  • Smoothies
  • Skillets, Casseroles & Pizzas
  • Under 10 (or so) To The Table

And many (almost half) of the recipes include photos!

The Better Breakfast Ebook is regularly priced at $7.95. Click here to pick up your copy.

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Tex Mex Pork & Beans

July 25, 2010 By Kate 1 Comment

Have you picked up your copy of Better Breakfast – 110 Breakfast Recipes yet? Don’t forget, the sales price of $3.97 ends Thursday. Order yours today!

Even though we are all big fans of bean-based meals, they’ve kind of fallen out of our regular rotation. I think I have a tendency to really latch onto what we are all enjoying at the moment and make it so often that we all just get tired of it. It’s definitely not the smartest move and you’d think I’d pay attention to that repeating cycle a little more closely so that I could avoid it again. You’d think…but you’d be wrong! What can I say? Sometimes it’s just easy to get in a rut and stay there.

Anyhow, back to the beans. We’ve done without them as part of our main dish for long enough now that everyone was excited when I told them about the dinner I was planning. I do feel very fortunate to have a family that gets excited over such simple and frugal meals!

This Tex Mex Pork & Beans was just bursting with flavor. The spices were a good combination, but I think what threw it over the top was simmering the pork with beans and sauce all day. It definitely gave the whole dish a rich and developed flavor. Plus, since this dish needs to simmer all day, it’s perfectly stolen moments friendly and allowed me to spend the day outside with the kiddos.

Tex Mex Pork & Beans

  • 1 T. oil
  • 1/2 onion, diced
  • 1/2 green pepper, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, diced
  • 2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
  • 1 1/2 c. fully cooked black beans (or 1 can, rinsed and drained)
  • 1 1/2 c. fully cooked chick peas (or 1 can, rinsed and drained)
  • 1 lb. pork, any cut will work (I used 2 large bone-in pork chops that I had leftover in the freezer)
  • 1 15 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 c. beef stock
  • 1 T. chili powder
  • 2 t. cumin
  • 1 1/2 t. salt
  • 1 t. black pepper
  • 1/8 t. crushed red pepper flakes
  • Cheese for garnish, optional

1. Heat oil in a stock pot or large sauce pan. Add onion and green pepper. Cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and jalapeno and cook an additional 3 minutes. Pour beans into pan then add pork. Pour tomatoes, tomato sauce and beef stock on top. Carefully stir in the seasonings.

2. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer at least 4 hours (or really, as long as you want. Mine simmered about 7 hours.)

3. Shortly before serving, remove pork and let cool. Shred or cut into cubes and return to the pan. Stir over medium-high heat at a slow boil for about 10 minutes, until sauce thickens to desired consistency.

4. Serve over rice, in a tortilla or with tortilla chips. Garnish with cheese, if desired.

I think this could be made quite successfully in a crock pot also. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it works for you! Also, you could definitely swap out the beans for your favorites.

Stop by $5 Dinners for the $5 Dinner Challenge.

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