{Strawberry Cookie Bars}

When I see fresh strawberries at the grocery store in the spring, these bars are the first thing I think of. And then I make them all summer long until the prices of berries go up and the quality goes down.

My friend Liz gave me this recipe a few years ago, and it quickly became one of my favorite treats.

These bars are different from anything I’ve ever eaten. The texture is amazing, and the mixture of flavors is divine! Every time I take them somewhere, people ask me for the recipe.

And no one can believe it when they find out how easy and quick they are.

{Strawberry Cookie Bars}

1 large tube refrigerated cookie dough*

8 oz. cream cheese

1/3 cup sugar

1 T cocoa

2 cups Cool Whip

2 cups sliced strawberries

1 cup chocolate chips (mini are best!)

*Now listen up, friends…I’m not usually one to use store-bought dough, for any reason. But I’ve tried this recipe with homemade cookie dough and it wasn’t as good! Trust me on this one and just

fork out the dough for this dough:

Preheat oven to 350. Spread the cookie dough evenly onto a cookie sheet.

{Note: If you use a big cookie sheet, you will end up with bars that are firm enough to hold in your hand. If you use a smaller one, you will have a softer bar that is more messy. Both ways are delicious…it just depends on what you’re going for.}

Bake cookie dough for 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, and cocoa and beat until smooth.

Stir in Cool Whip.

Spread mixture evenly on top of cooled cookie layer.

Top with sliced strawberries and mini chocolate chips

{I never measure these…I just sprinkle until it looks just right}.

Refrigerate until serving.

Strawberries, cream cheese, and chocolate…

OH, MY!

--Tammy

*Click HERE to see the lovely linky parties we participate in!*

 

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{We're Guests at Snips & Spice!}

We're guest posting at Snips & Spice today!

Here's a little preview of what we're sharing in celebration of Cupcake Month:

Stop on over to see all the fun cupcakes, and while you're there...
 be sure to check out Malory's amazing skillz.
We've been friends for years, and I can say first-hand that she bakes, sews, knits, crafts, and quilts like a professional. She's a perfectionist...big time...and it shows!
Oh, and guess what? She made her own wedding cake. For reals!

--Tammy

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{Our Favorite Meatloaf Recipe}

Ooooh, look at those. Yum!

We have a few of our favorite recipes we will be sharing with you over the next week.

Today, it's the most delicious meatloaf ever.

{MEATLOAF}

1 1/2 lbs Lean Ground Beef

2 Eggs, Beaten

1/4 cup Ketchup (plus more for tops)

3/4 cup Herb-Seasoned Dry Bread Stuffing Mix (Pepperidge Farms)

1/2 Package Dry Ranch Dressing Mix

6 oz can French Fried Onions

1) Preheat oven to 350

2) In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well

3) Shape into a single loaf and fit into a 9x5 inch loaf pan or split evenly into smaller portions and fit into a mini-loaf pan (as pictured)

4) Smother the top with additional ketchup

5) Bake, covered loosely with foil, for 50-60 minutes or until meat is thoroughly cooked.

(If using a mini-loaf pan, check after 45 minutes, as the mini-loaves can cook a bit quicker)

6) OPTIONAL YUMMINESS:

Sprinkle on additional fried onions during the last 5 minutes of baking

*be mindful of over-baking, as this can cause the meatloaf to dry out quickly*

Try it!  You wont be disappointed.

Enjoy!

-Annie

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Giveaway {WINNER}

Thanks to everyone who entered our giveaway and let us know you are still around!

Our randomly selected winner is....

Congrats, Arya!

This basket of goods will soon be headed your way:

Please email us at PeppermintPlum[at]Hotmail[dot]com with your name and address.

Hooray!

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{Chewy Chocolatey S'MORES Cookies}

There have been some really great S’Mores-themed goodies all over blogland this summer. I decided to try the idea with my favorite chocolate cookie recipe, and man, they were yummy!

These are a great way to celebrate the last few weeks of summer.

Here is the basic recipe:

{Chocolate Cookies}

1 1/2 sticks butter

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter and sugars, and then add eggs and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients. Roll into small balls and place onto greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.

{For S’Mores Variation}

Break up some graham crackers into 1-inch pieces, and stick two into the sides of the top of each cookie, at an angle. Break up a Hershey bar into the pre-scored rectangles, and then break each piece in half. Stick one in the top of each cookie, also at an angle, so you have a little cavity to put a mini-marshmallow right on top without it rolling off:

Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes.

Enjoy!

-Tammy

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We're Back + a {GIVEAWAY}

Hello, lovely readers!

We are officially back to blogging.

We've had a great Summer so far and we are happy to be back to share some of our ideas with you.

We'd like to thank all of you for sticking with us during our break, and what better way is there to do that than with a

GIVEAWAY!

I picked up a few extra items during my last IKEA visit (which I am lucky enough to have within 2 minutes from where I work) so I could put together this sweet giveaway basket... and by sweet, I mean AWESOME!

Check out the goods:

Perfect for a patio picnic during the last, hot days of Summer.

(The basket is included as well.)

This is not a sponsored giveaway.  We just love cute IKEA products and wanted you to have some, too!

Would you like to WIN?

(of course!)

Just leave us a comment letting us know you are still around and would like to win.

Simple as that.

Comment entries will be accepted until midnight (MST) on Thursday, August 25th and a winner will be chosen Friday morning.  Please be sure to leave a way for us to contact you if you are the lucky winner!

THANKS, EVERYONE!

And..... good luck!

- Annie + Tammy -

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{A Bloggy Break....}

Please excuse our lack of posting lately.
 LIFE

has completely gotten in the way!

:)

Kids.  The end of school.  Work and then more work.

You know..... the fun LIFE stuff.
Until things become a little more clear and well rounded for the both of us, PEPPERMINT PLUM

will be on a slight break!

Thank you to our always-loyal readers...we know you understand the reasons for this small interruption in crafty goodness!

We will return as soon as possible.

THANK YOU

~ Tammy + Annie ~

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{Front Room Improvements}

I thought I'd show you a few changes I've been making to my front room.

First of all, I replaced the curtains.

I was more than tired of the red regal tassled beauties (circa 2002), and searched patiently for something a little less attention-grabbing at a great price.

After a couple months, I found these new panels on clearance at curtainworks.com for a really great price...$20 for both with free shipping. I then found the rod on clearance at Jo-Ann for $10.

So for just $30 I transformed the room!

The height of the new panels really makes the room feel bigger and more to scale with the vaulted ceilings. I also love the slight lustrous finish and the dark green color.

Here is the rest of the room:

I moved the ironwork art from above the window to above the candle table/temple picture to give the display some much-needed height.

I've collected various candlestick holders from thrift stores and department store clearance aisles, in a variety of shapes and sizes, and I spray painted them all black.
I had to really use my imagination a few times to see the "potential" of them...

Case in point:

I know my decorating style includes a few quirky objects scattered around the house that people might think are ugly, but they just make me happy, so they stay...

Case in point:

This little teapot called out to me from a thrift-store shelf a couple years ago, and I've displayed it in a few different places. But it finally found its home when I "planted" a dollar store fern in it.
I don't know why I love it, I just do!

:)

I also moved the trunks to that wall on the left (see this post).
See the cedar chest under the window?
It was my mom's "hope chest" and she brought it to me last time she visited.

I have big plans for it. But I'm not sure what they are yet!
I can't decide what color to paint it.
I've gone from black to white to grey to red.
Any suggestions? 

 I still see this room as a work in progress, but little by little it is turning into a room that I love.

--Tammy

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{Garage Sale Finds}

It's Garage Sale Season!

Here are my finds from this past weekend:

This red coral pillow was $1.

It still had the original price tag on it for $19.

It smelled fresh and clean and came from what I could tell was an immaculate home, so I snatched it up.

It looks great on my wooden rocker.

I'm a bookworm.

I love decorating with books. Especially beautiful old books.

So when I found these delightful

1952 children's U.S. history books

at 3 for a quarter, I didn't even think twice.

Bonus:

My 9-year-old  son thinks they look great and can't wait to read them!

I spotted this cute teapot from the road and knew it was going to be mine...that is, if it was less than 5 dollars.

Lucky for me it was only $2!

I love it.

I'm always on the lookout for these memo boards to use for hair bow storage.

We have a lot of bows at our house.

You'd think I had a dozen daughters, but I have only two. 

My girls have never gone a day in their lives without a bow in their hair (you think I'm kidding, but no).

This is only about 1/3 of our collection.

So when I found this one still in its original packaging, I tried to strike a bargain with the seller. I offered $1.50, and she accepted!

It never hurts to try.

All in all, I'd say it was a very successful start to Garage Sale Season for me.

Here are some tips for you mommies out there:

You can go garage saling (I'm declaring that a real word) with your kids.

• Pack a lot of different kinds of snacks and some toys you wouldn't usually have in the car. I like giving them new stickers or notebooks with fun pencils that will keep them happy. And don't forget the sippy cups.

• I wait for a parking space that is right by where I'll be browsing, and I leave my kids in the car with the windows down so I can hear them and they can hear me. If I can't get a parking space right next to the driveway, then I wait for one. It's SO worth it to not have to get your kids out of the car and battle with them while you're looking for treasures. Also...if the sale goes deep into the garage and I'm forced to go inside where I can't be near or see my kids, I don't go in. No treasures are worth risking my family's safety.

• I also involve my kids when I'm looking for sales. They have competitions to see who can find the signs, and they love helping me look for the arrows to tell me where to go  (hopefully they won't take you to an octopus). The first one to actually spot the sale is the big winner! Sounds lame, but it works for us.

• The more fun you can make the whole adventure, the longer you can be out treasure hunting on Friday and Saturday mornings!

If you have any more tips, please let me know in the comments.

Have fun out there!

--Tammy

 

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{Happy Mother's Day}

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{Make Your Own TWIX}

I have always loved me a TWIX bar.

I may or may not have eaten one every day for lunch in 7th grade.

So...when I came upon a few different recipes for homemade TWIX bars I knew I had to try them out! I have since made these many times and have tweaked the recipe to my liking.

They really do taste like the real thing...maybe possibly even a little better!

{TWIX BARS}

48 Club Crackers (a few more than one sleeve)

1 c. graham cracker crumbs (one sleeve)

1/3 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/3 c. milk

1/2 c. butter

Topping*:

1 1/2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/2 c. vanilla baking chips

* Most recipes call for milk chocolate chips. I have tried milk and semi and I thought both were good....but one day all I had was 1/2 a bag of semi, so I decided to add vanilla chips to them, and it turned out to be the perfect combination for my taste buds! I do it this way every time now.

Place one layer of Club Crackers in a lightly greased 13×9 casserole dish.

Use your food processor or blender to make graham cracker crumbs, and pour into a heavy sauce pan. Combine remaining ingredients into pan and heat over medium heat until it comes to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 5 minutes (continue to stir). It should look (and smell) like caramel.

Carefully pour mixture over crackers.

Immediately place another layer of Club Crackers on top, pushing them down into the caramel mixture gently.

 Melt chocolate chips in microwave (on high in 30 minute second increments [thanks to a reader for pointing out that mistake!], stirring between each), and pour on top of crackers.

Refrigerate until cool, and then cut and serve.

Enjoy!

--Tammy

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(BLOSSOMS FRAME + printable for Mother's Day}

Looking for a quick and easy Mother's Day gift?

Well, look no further...

I found this unfinished frame at Michael's for $1.00.

I spray painted it glossy black, hot glued a few simple rosette blossoms made from fabric scraps (see a great tutorial here) and some loose pearls, and inserted a quote that will have meaning to our mom.

One of her favorite songs is "I Often Go Walking," a song we often sang as children at church around Mother's Day. Annie used her mad skillz to turn the last line of the song into art, so I printed it out and framed it. I then used some fabric scraps to hang the frame from.

I think our mom is gonna love it!

(I told her not to read our blog this week, so shhhhh....)

--Tammy

* * * * * * * * *

Here's the quote image if you'd like to print/use it for yourself:

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