Foodie Goodie | Spooky Cookie Pops.

Just a few more days 'til Halloween! Are your kids excited to go trick-or-treat-ing this year?
My little man is, as always. He's so looking forward to filling his pumpkin basket to the brim with all sorts of candies and sweet treats.

Now if you're thinking of making some kid-friendly desserts for Halloween, here's a recipe for you. These Spooky Cookie Pops, made with oats, chocolates, and raisins, make great giveaways for the little monsters knocking at your door.

Spooky Cookie Pops

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6-ounces (1 cup) semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2-1/2 cups quick oats
1 cup Sun-Maid Natural Raisins
3 dozen craft sticks or popsicle sticks
Decorating glaze (recipe below) or 1 tub vanilla frosting
Colored icing tubes or pens

Procedure:
1. Heat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Combine butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla; beat until well blended.
3. Stir in melted chocolate, flour and baking soda. Mix well.
4. Mix in oats and raisins.
5. Space sticks 4-inches apart on baking sheet.
6. Drop a rounded 2-inch ball of dough onto the end of each stick.
7. Butter the bottom of a glass, dip in flour, and gently press cookie dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Repeat with remaining dough.
8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
9. Cool on pan 3 minutes.
10. Remove with spatula to cool on wire racks.

Decorating Glaze:
1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup milk
1 pound (about 3-1/2 cups) powdered sugar
1. Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add milk.
2. Gradually whisk in powdered sugar. (Sift sugar first if it is lumpy.)
3. Stir vigorously with a fork for 3 to 4 minutes until mixture turns white and opaque. Mixture should be thick, smooth and pourable; add ore milk or sugar if needed.
4. Working quickly before glaze stiffens, generously spoon glaze over cookies allowing excess to run off edges.
5. Let set until dry to the touch. Decorate.

As seen on Sun-Maid Raisins website.

Foodie Goodie | Valentine Cookie Pops.

Ah yes, Valentine's Day. It's that time of the year again.
Flowers and chocolates become abundant, Cupid, hearts, and all things red can be found everywhere, and businesses make a killing from lovebirds and romantics who dish out tons of money to celebrate or profess their undying love.

Now if you're the kind of person who likes giving gifts with a personal touch, here's something for you. It's an easy-breezy cookie recipe with ingredients that don't cost too much, either. Moms (or dads) can even try making this with their kids. I bet the little ones will have lots of fun decorating this sweet treat!

Valentine Cookie Pops

Ingredients:
1 package (16 oz) Pillsbury® Ready To Bake!™ refrigerated sugar cookies (24 cookies)
24 flat wooden sticks with round ends
1 1/4 cups vanilla creamy ready-to-spread frosting
Assorted small candies, or candy decors or nonpareils, if desired
10 yards red curling ribbon

Procedure:

1) Heat oven to 350°F.


2) On ungreased cookie sheets, place cookie dough pieces 2 inches apart.

3) Into side of each piece of dough, insert wooden stick 1 inch, overlapping wooden sticks as necessary.
4) Bake 12 to 16 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.



5) Let it cool for about 2 minutes before removing from cookie sheets. The allow the cookies to cool completely for about 10 minutes.
6) Spread frosting on one side of each cookie; decorate with candies.
7) Tie 18 inches of red ribbon into bow around each stick next to cookie.Wrap in clear cellophane if desired.

As seen on Pillsbury Recipes. Shared with Food Friday and Food Trip Friday.

And because it's Valentine's Day, here are some fun facts that are too interesting not to share.

- South Koreans have a romance-related day for every 14th day of the month. For February 14th, the day recognized as Valentine’s Day in many countries around the world, women give chocolate to the men. In the same way, men give candy to women on March 14th, which they call 'White Day'. Those that do not receive any candy drown their sorrows on April 14th, mourning being forever alone. This day is referred to as 'Black Day' and singles go to eat black noodles at a restaurant. These noodles represent the woe of singleness.

- 73% of people who buy flowers for Valentine’s Day are men, while only 27% are women; 15% of U.S. women send themselves flowers on Valentine’s Day.

- Approximately 110 million roses, mostly red, will be sold and delivered within the three-day Valentine's Day time period. 

- The most fantastic gift of love is the Taj Mahal in India. It was built by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan as a memorial to his wife.

- In the U.S., 64 percent of men do not make plans in advance for a romantic Valentine's Day with their sweethearts.

Happy Hearts Day, folks! Have a good one! And I mean that in a wholesome way. :)