Oatmeal Cream Pies

This was my first recipe made in our new gas oven. I have never used a gas oven before so I was a little worried about how these might turn out. The oven also doesn't notify you when it's preheated... I just had to guess. Apparently I guessed correctly because these cookies came out amazingly. Every little bite has a warm and inviting taste of cinnamon, boy is it great! Did I mention our new house has a dishwasher? It's probably the best thing about this house... as you can imagine we always have piles of dishes. Not anymore! I've already used the dishwasher twice since Monday. It sure is a time saver. Now I'll have more time to whip up some awesome recipes for you all! Now get in the kitchen and make these yummy oatmeal cream pies!

Ingredients (cookie)

1 egg

1/2 cup butter, softened 

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 and 1/4 cups quick oats

Ingredients (cream filling)

7oz. Marshmallow Fluff

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

Directions

Preheat oven to 350º F. Cream together egg, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl. Once combined add in the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, sugars, and oats. Mix until well blended. Drop by tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until light brown. Cool on a cooling rack.

In a large bowl combine fluff, powdered sugar, and vanilla to make the cream filling. Once well combined drop spoonfuls onto bottom of 10 cooled cookies. Place the other 10 cookies onto of the cream filling and enjoy!

Yield: Approximately 10 sandwich cookies

Root Beer Float Rice Krispies Treats

When I think about summer I think about ice cream trucks, bonfires, grilling, and endless happiness. My favorite summertime treats are mostly cold and refreshing. I love an ice cream cone heaping with creamy strawberry ice cream (but I hate when it melts all over my hands). I love watermelon, lots and lots of watermelon. I love grilled chicken and corn on the cob... One of my favorite treats though happens to be root beer floats. There is just something about the way the creaminess of the vanilla ice cream and the cold refreshing root beer taste after a long Summer day. I wanted to change it up a little bit... I wanted to be able to take those same great flavors with me everywhere I go. I wanted to be able to eat a root beer float anytime, anywhere. That's when I thought about a root beer float Rice Krispies treat. Try this recipe... you will thank me later.

Ingredients (Vanilla Ice Cream Layer)
3 tbs. butter
3/4 bag of marshmallows (10 oz. bag) (approximately 27 marshmallows)
1/2 small box vanilla pudding mix (approximately 1/4 cup)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups Rice Krispies Cereal

Directions
Prepare a 8x8 inch or 13x9 inch pan with shortening; set aside. In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add in marshmallows and vanilla extract once the butter has melted. Stir until you have a thick marshmallow sauce. Slowly stir in vanilla pudding mix. Once combined remove from heat and stir in the Rice Krispies Cereal. Using a greased spatula press mixture into prepared pan; set aside.


Ingredients (Root Beer Layer)
3 tbs. butter
3/4 bag of marshmallows (10oz. bag)
2 tsp. root beer extract
3 cups Rice Krispies cereal
food coloring, optional (8 drops red, 4 yellow, 5 green)

Ingredients (White Chocolate Drizzle)
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions 
In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add in the marshmallows and stir until you have a thick marshmallow sauce. Stir in the root beer extract. Once combined stir in your (optional) food coloring. Remove from heat and mix in the Rice Krispies cereal. Using a greased spatula press root beer mixture into same pan as before on top of the vanilla ice cream Rice Krispies layer. Cool on the countertop for approximately 30 minutes.

Once the Rice Krispies have cooled, melt the white chocolate with the vanilla extract. Once melted pour into a small ziplock bag. Cut off a corner of the bag and drizzle the white chocolate over the Rice Krispies Treats. Allow white chocolate drizzle to harden and enjoy!

If you're loving this Rice Krispies Treat recipe check out my other two popular flavors:

Lemon Supreme - this happens to be my favorite :)

Peanut Butter Fudge Chunk  - boyfriend's favorite (go figure)

Printer Friendly and an Update!

My blog is now officially printer friendly. If there's a recipe you would like to print just scroll to the bottom of the post and find the green print button and go all printer happy!

I will officially be returning this Friday! A bunch of new amazing recipes will be headed your way. I can't wait to share them all with you!

Update: When will I be returning?

12 hours... that's approximately how long we have to get out of our old place and into our new place. At least we won't be without a place to stay. Anyway... my life right now consists of boxes stacked everywhere. It's rather annoying. We will be moving into our new place Sunday into Monday morning... so when will I be back?

I know I'm probably over my head saying this but I hope to bring you a new recipe Friday, May 25. 

See you all then :)

Where have I been?

As some of you may know I am currently attending college at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. You're probably wondering what that has to do with anything... well it's actually the main reason why
I've been missing in action these past couple weeks. The semester is winding down with only two weeks left and everything has become very hectic. Between prepping for the last exams before finals and packing up to get ready to move in two weeks I have not had much time for anything else.

The stress alone from cramming for tests has been driving me wild. On top of college stress, there's the moving stress. Right now we're living in a 3 bedroom townhouse across from campus. In two and a half weeks we will to moving out because it's the end of our lease. So what's the problem? Well our new lease for a house a little further away from campus doesn't begin until after the other people currently living there move out. "So aren't they moving out the same day you're moving out of your current place?" I WISH! They only have to be out that Sunday... we have to be out that Saturday.

Some of you may not see this at that big of a problem but my boyfriend and I aren't normal college students. We own a couch and a love seat and lots of other big furniture. If we didn't have so much stuff I wouldn't mind staying in a hotel for a night... BUT we might not even get to move in the day they move out. They're re-carpeting our new place and painting... and cleaning. Why can't we get an extension on our current lease? Well... our landlord is a money hungry...

Anyway... so once this semester ends and I finally get situated in my new place I will be more than happy to start giving you delicious recipes again! Sorry for the rant... I hope you understand :)

Love,
     Karissa

I hope to be back at this soon!! I miss all your wonderful comments <3