Jelly Bean Cookies

Today was a great day!  The sun was shining, Alex and I got to sample the menu for our reception, and I got a chance to bake some really fun cookies.

The morning started off like most mornings; with a yummy yogurt parfait.

Today’s parfait included:

• 6oz of Fage Total 0% greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup of Kashi GoLean cereal
• 1/2 of a banana
• a sprinkle of granola
• a healthy spoonful of homemade peanut butter

After breakfast was devoured, Alex and I walked to our respective offices.  It was gorgeous outside!  Spring is most definitely here and I’m more than ready.

At work I plugged away and booked some flights for a couple upcoming trips.  I’m very excited.  There is just so much going on over the next few months!

Eventually, it was lunchtime!

Today’s salad included the following:

• Spinach
• Broccoli
• Beets
• Chickpeas
• Grilled Tuna
• dressed with olive oil and balsamic vinegar

To be honest, this salad wasn’t so great.  The tuna was very undercooked (as you can probably tell from the picture) and most of it tasted very fishy.  I know that sounds like a dumb thing to say but there is such a thing as fish tasting too much like fish, and that’s what happened today.  Oh well, my next “meal” was pretty awesome!

 

Alex and I got the chance to taste a sample of what we’ll be serving at our reception.  I don’t have any pictures because I don’t want to give anything away but I will say that I think our guests are going to be more than pleased with our choices.  Each day I just get more and more excited about our upcoming wedding!

 

After some much-needed relaxation, I decided to bake some cookies.  Even though I’m 27, I was lucky enough to be visited by the “Easter Bunny” this weekend.  What a coincidence that my mom was visiting this past week, no?!  Included in my goodies was lots and lots of Jelly Belly jellybeans.  I love Jelly Belly’s!  If I’m not careful, I can eat my weight in jellybeans, haha.  As I was munching away this weekend, I thought it might be fun to make something with the jellybeans.  Insert Jelly Bean Cookies here!

 

 

These cookies did not disappoint!  The jellybeans added so many fun flavors and the dough was soft and buttery.  If you’re looking for a way to use up the rest of your jellybeans, I highly recommend this recipe.  Heck, this recipe is good enough to justify going to buy a new bag of jelly beans!

 

Jelly Bean Cookies
(adapted from razzledazzle recipes)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup jelly beans

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix butter and both sugars in a large bowl until smooth & creamy.
3. Stir in egg, baking soda, baking powder, salt & vanilla. Mix well.
4. Stir in flour & oats. Mix well.
5. Stir in jelly beans, mix well.
6. Drop spoonfuls of batter about 2 inches apart on a GREASED sheet.
7. Bake for about 10 minutes and allow a few minutes to cool.

Do you like Jelly Belly jellybeans?  What’s your favorite flavor?  Mine is definitely the sour blueberry.  Makes my mouth pucker every time.  Love it!

 

Five Favorites Friday – 3/4/11

This has been a busy week!  It seems ever since Alex and I got engaged we’ve been go, go, go and it’s not even because of wedding planning.  We haven’t started yet!  This coming weekend is action packed too.  My younger brother, Mike, will be running in a track meet here in the city, so my parents are coming to visit.  They’ll get to see Mike run and congratulate Alex and I on our engagement. 

Also, my parents and my future in-laws will be meeting for the first time!  I’m very excited for everyone to meet.  I’m glad Alex and I are able to introduce them now instead of right before the wedding, which could be stressful.  And this gives them time to get to know each other before the big day. 

Because of all this excitement in my everyday life, I haven’t had as much time in the kitchen.  But that doesn’t mean I haven’t had time to read about being in the kitchen, haha.  I still manage to read recipe after recipe all week.  Sometimes it’s just easier to read about all the things other people are cooking and baking instead of doing it yourself, ya know?  Nonetheless, once I have a chance to get back in the kitchen you can be guaranteed I’ll be making some of these recipes!

My five favorites for Friday, March 4th:

1. Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Cereal (from meals & moves)
   If you follow healthy living blogs, you’ve probably heard the buzz around this healthy cereal.  Ashley first posted a new cracker recipe using garbanzo bean flour, which Mama Pea later adapted into a healthy version of Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein Cereal is Janetha’s take on the healthy cereal craze and I’m pretty excited to try it out.  I like that she added protein powder to the mix for extra staying power.  And I’m game for pretty much anything that involves both chocolate and peanut butter!
2. Avocado Hummus (from Live, Laugh, Eat)
   Keeping with the garbanzo theme, the avocado hummus sounds awesome.  I just bought myself a new food processor so I can’t wait to break it in with this recipe!
3. Super Easy DIY Pockets (from Chow Vegan)
   Janetha provide inspiration for this one as well!  During the week, she posted a healthy version of hotpockets.  I liked the idea a lot and it seemed easy enough, so I decided to add it to my list of “things to make”.  Then, as luck would have it, I came across these super easy DIY pockets.  I like the idea of making a quick dough from scratch and then stuffing it with my own mix of goodies.
4. Coconut Dark Chocolate Banana Bread (from The Weather in Cascadia)
   For a while I was making banana bread once a week.  Lately I haven’t had the time, but next time I do, I’ll be sure to use this recipe.  It looks great!
5. Mac Book Pro
   It’s about time I upgrade my computer!  If you have a Mac Book Pro, do you like it?  Do you have any recommendations for me?

What are you plans for the weekend?  Do share!

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