So, I think it’s pretty safe to say I am obsessed with the Hunger Games.

Loved the books so much I own “real” books and the kindle versions, saw the movie twice so far (there is way more to come – Seriously, Peeta, *Swoon*), ordered a couple t-shirts, and I can’t get enough of the Un-Official Cookbook. I want to make every recipe in there. Well, maybe not the ones that involve squirrel.

I might need an intervention.

But first we will have cookies.

Big Softie Ginger Cookies, from the un-Official Hunger Games Cookbook

These cookies are soft and chewy and wonderful ginger/spice flavor. Not to mention they smell amazing!

Here’s the recipe straight from the book:

“This is a cookie that is as soft and gooey as Peeta’s affection for Katniss, and is likely one Katniss has smelled during her many walks by the bakery. (The Hunger Games, Chapter 4)”

Yields 2 dozen cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tbsp orange juice

1/4 cup molasses

4 tbsp white sugar

Tips from your sponsor:

There’s a reason for every step in this recipe! The tablespoon of orange juice helps bring out the ginger flavor. Meanwhile, because the molasses tends to make the dough sticky, refrigerating the dough makes it easier to shape into balls before rolling in sugar and baking.

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. In a large bowl sift together flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

3. In a separate bowl, cream together the butter, 1/2 cup white sugar and the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then stir in the orange juice and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Chill the dough for 1 hour in the refrigerator.

4. Place the 4 tbsp of white sugar in a small bowl. Shape chilled dough into gumball-sized balls, and roll them in sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart on un-greased cookie sheets.

5. Bake 8-10 minutes in preheated oven. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy! And if you are a fan of the movie and of baking, you should get the cookbook (no they are not sponsoring this post). Not only is it fun to capture some of your favorite moments from the Hunger Games trilogy with food, but some of the recipes are amazing! Like these cookies. And the Chocolate cake.

And the Honey, Goat Cheese and Apple Tart from the Mellark Family Bakery. Oh, I am so making that today!

Yep, definitely need an intervention.

~ Sandy

3/30/2012: And the winner is……..

Congratulations Aymie!!! Please fill out the contact us form on the website to collect your prize!

Thank you to all of you who entered.

I love what I do, but the best part is sharing it with all of you, so thank you for “liking” us on Facebook.

__________________________________________________________________

3000+ fans on facebook?

Well, that is cause for celebration!! {insert Happy Dance}

I am thankful to each and every person who found the Firefly Confections page on Facebook and clicked the like button. I am even more thankful that you have stuck with me, encouraged me, commented on my pictures and shared your own baking stories.

And that is why I am giving you a chance to win this:

That’s right! A gift Certificate worth $75 to be used on your next order from Firefly Confections.

All you have to do is leave a comment telling me what you would order with your gift certificate.

*must be 18 yeas or older to enter, and I apologize but this is open to US residents only.

*Not redeemable for cash and Not transferable.

*The gift certificate covers your order up to $75, any thing over that amount is the responsibility of the winner.

*Can NOT be used for multiple orders.

*The gift certificate is valid for 1 year, and at least 3 weeks notice must be given when placing your order (please allow for more time if you plan on ordering something for peak seasons such as holidays and graduations)

*the winner will be contacting me directly, so don’t get any ideas about printing the gift certificate!

*1 winner will be chosen at random (via random.org) and announced on Friday Morning March 30th and will have until Monday April 2nd to fill out the “contact us form” to receive their prize before a new winner is drawn.

If I have not covered something, and you have questions – please don’t hesitate to ask!

Good Luck and May the odds be ever in your favor (Sorry, I am still on a Hunger Games high)

~Sandy

 

My kids and I, plus some friends, went to see Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax yesterday.

The kids have been excited for days about this, and I must say, were not at all disappointed! The bright colors and musical numbers not only held there little attention spans but taught them a valuable lesson about conservation. It was funny, smart and wonderfully created. I may or may not have cried a little. (oh, who are we kidding, I totally cried)

And of course to celebrate seeing the movie, I made Lorax mustache cookies!!

I also made these:

Being touched by the message in the movie, and wanting to do something for the environment (because every little bit makes a difference), I have decided to sell off this pack of cookies and donate the money to the World Wildlife Fund. Not only that, but I will also be matching the donation with my own money.

The recipient will get the cookies shown above (3 Dr. Seuss’ the Lorax, 3 Lorax faces, 1 last Truffula seed, and 2 mustaches on sticks) and I will also include a bag of cotton candy and some lollipop sticks, which make super cute Truffula trees:

The Cost of this Lorax pack is $50, with free shipping. Sorry, this offer applies to US residents only.

Which means the total donation amount to WWF is $100.00

Now, since there is only one pack of cookies available (as this was not my original plan when I made them), if you are interested please leave a comment below and I will choose someone at random on Friday morning, and mail the cookies out then.

**Please note that by leaving a comment you agree to pay the $50, knowing that it will be donated to WWF**

And please check out the Lorax – it’s a wonderful movie with a terrific message for audiences of all ages (no, they are not sponsoring this post). I also recommend checking out hp and the Lorax on Facebook. It’s a quick and fun when to educate your kids (and yourself) on easy ways to conserve.

Enjoy!

~Sandy

 

 

It’s Valentines Day.

And so far my day (actually my last several days) have been spent surrounded by pink hearts and tiny cards, construction paper and chocolates, and messes. Oh the messes I have cleaned up this week.

And if you have children you understand that cleaning when the little darlings are home is like trying to brush your teeth while eating an Oreo cookie! It is virtually impossible. So I have given up. And instead I made cupcakes to reward myself and tell me (and them) (but mostly Me) how much I love me (I mean them) (but mostly I mean me).

And there is something about Valentines Day that screams the need for Red Velvet cupcakes like no other day of the year.

These moist little cakes aren’t too sweet and pair wonderfully with a cream cheese frosting.  Top with heart shaped sprinkles and they are the perfect way of telling someone, including yourself, to “Be Mine”!

Red Velvet Cupcakes from Martha Stewart, click here for the recipe

Cream Cheese Frosting

2 – 8oz packages of cream cheese, room temperature

2 sticks of unsalted butter, room temperature

1 tsp vanilla

about 6 cups confectioners sugar

* Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.

* Add Vanilla and blend.

* Gradually add powdered sugar until you reach your desired consistency.

Enjoy, and Happy Valentines Day!

~ Sandy

***And the Winner is #41 (thank you Random.org), Bailey, who wrote: “My favorite part of V-day is the day after!! i buy lots of goodies on sale and have an “after v-day day” with my husband!! ” Bailey, please fill out the contact us form so that we can send you all your goodies! Thanks to everyone who left a comment, and don’t worry if you didn’t win. There will be a giveaway for Easter too!***

I like you.

So I am going to give you stuff. Lot’s of stuff. Lot’s of cool, “sweet stuff” made by some really fabulous ladies. Just in time for Valentines Day. That way you can share your stuff (not that stuff, this stuff) with the people you like.

Got it?

Good.

As the winner of the Big Sweet Giveaway you will win:

From me -

* A 1/2 lb of my Salted Caramels, in a decorative Valentines Day paint can – which you can give to your “Sweetie” or be greedy and eat them all yourself.

* A Set of 4 Heart Shaped Wilton Cookie Cutters, perfect for making Valentines Day cookies or for cutting everyday food into special snacks (my kids love when I cut their PB & J sandwiches into shapes)

* And the Martha Stewart’s Handmade Holiday Crafts book, which has great ideas for decorating and gifting giving at any holiday!

From Karen’s Corner (a.k.a my Mom’s store as soon as I find someone to create an Etsy shop for her) -

* 6 of the Sweetest, handmade cards you will ever see. In an age of of texting and emails, I bet there is someone who would love to receive actual mail from you!

From The Sweetest Affair -

* Give flowers and candy in one for Valentine’s Day! A gift that says “Sweet Love” with this small red paper flower and cherry cheesecake lollipop bouquet. The bouquet includes 6 lollipops with 1lb. of individually wrapped hard candy in a round bubble vase. (I have been lucky enough to get one of these bouquets and they are fabulous!)

Find them on Facebook: here

From Tag Me Chic -

*A set of 6 cupcake/food flags &  a set of 6 gift tags. A sweet little way to dress up any dessert or gift. And check out her etsy shop – they are super-affordable!

Find them on Facebook: here

From Skylar Raine -

* A $20 gift Certificate! Awesome. Skylar Raine offers the most fabulous hand made accessories for you, and in spring of 2012 they will be offering equally fabulous accessories for your home.

Find them on Facebook: here

And last, but certainly not least, from AndersRuff -

* AndersRuff trys to include a vartiety of versatile designs to their collections to help the modern hostess add a personal touch to everything from parties and events to simple treats for the classroom. And they are sending the lucky winner a complete set of their Sweet Valentines Day collection. Everything you need to host the perfect V-Day party, from candy wrappers to gift tags, they have taken care of it!

Find them on Facebook: here

These gifts are valued at (a combined total): $127.99

Now here are the rules:

* Leave a comment telling me your favorite part about Valentine’s Day.

* Like” me, and all of my Hostesses (except Karen’s Corner as she doesn’t have a FB page yet) and leave a comment telling me you did so. That gives you up to 5 extra entries!

* The winner will be drawn on Wednesday February 1, 2012 and it will be posted on the top of this blog post, on my Facebook page and on twitter (follow me on twitter @sandysbaking). The winner will have until end of business day February 2,2012 to fill out the Firefly Confections “Contact us” form with their shipping information before a new winner is chosen. I know that seems harsh but I want to make sure all of my hostesses have enough time to ship their items to arrive before Valentines Day. So Don’t forget to check back on the 1st!!!

* Prizes are as listed, no substitutions.

* Open to legal US residents only, ages 18yrs of age or older.

* No purchase is necessary and the odds of winning are based on the number of entries (up to 6 total per person)

GOOD LUCK!!!!

~ Sandy

PS – Thank you so much to all of my hostesses, for donating their time and talent to this giveaway!

 

 

I am a Chobani yogurt addict. Seriously. It’s my favorite snack. I currently have 5 different flavors of “fruit on the bottom” cups in my fridge, not to mention the large containers of Vanilla and plain non-fat. (And no they are not sponsoring this post.)

It’s not just great for snacking, but I also use it for making smoothies, dips and in a lot of my favorite baked goods.

Like these pancakes:

These pancakes are moist and light and thanks to the greek yogurt, they are packed with protein so you don’t get that hungry feeling an hour after you eat them. FYI – They’re so good my 4yr daughter asked for them again today!

Chobani Pancakes

1 1/2 cup (12oz) Vanilla 0% Chobani Greek Yogurt

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

3/4 cup milk

* Combine dry ingredients.

* Whisk wet ingredients, pour into dry mixture. Stir just until combined.

* Over medium – high heat, scoop 1/4 cup batter onto skillet. Flip pancake when bubbles appear.

* Cook until golden brown.

Enjoy!

~ Sandy

When I told my BFF Taryn (of Taryn Lisa Photography) that I was making Black Bean Brownies, she officially boycotted my blog until February. She is not a fan of my healthy baking and firmly believes that if I am going to make brownies they should taste like brownies! (4 years later and she has still not forgiven me for making the spinach brownies in the Jessica Seinfeld cookbook).

And you might wonder how, being that I am a baker, I could not want to make full fat, full sugar, full deliciousness recipes, all the time? Trust me I do want to make them. All. The. Time. Seriously, I actually dream of cookies. But I realize that not everyone can eat these things. So I am more than willing to experiment in hopes of finding that perfect combination of healthy and delicious. Even if it means being boycotted for a month. I promise Taryn, all regularly scheduled sweetness will return in the next couple of weeks.

Which brings me to the Black Bean Brownies.

A facebook follower mentioned that she was on a newly restricted diet – no gluten and low sugar – and missed eating desserts of all kinds. I felt a challenge to create something that she could have safely within her diet and still feel satisfied her sweet tooth.

I think these brownies work nicely. Black bleans replace the flour therefore making them gluten free, agave sweetener replaces the sugar keeping the glycemic index low, and the flavors of dark chocolate and coffee make you feel as though you are enjoying something more decadent than just a “healthy brownie”. I topped mine with a cookie scoop (1 heaping tbsp) of low-fat vanilla frozen yogurt, and it was truly delicious.  Even my husband agrees, though he did mention that they were not nearly as big as the picture lead him to believe. True. They are small, but trust me – they are satisfying.

Black Bean Brownies

(adapted from a recipe found on allrecipes.com)

1 (15.5 ounce) can black beans – drained and rinsed

3 eggs

3 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

1/4 cup good quality cocoa powder (I used Ghiradelli, unsweetened)

1 pink of sea salt

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup Agave sweetener

1 tbsp espresso powder

1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

* Pre-heat oven to 350. Spray an 8×8 inch square pan with cooking spray.

* Combine the black beans, eggs, oil, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla, agave, and espresso powder in a blender, blend until smooth. Pour the mixture in prepared pan and sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.

*Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top is dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides of the pan.

(aprox. 100 cals, 4gr fat, 15 carbs, 10gr sugar, 3 gr protein per serving. More if you top it with a tbsp of your fav. icecream, as I did)

Enjoy!

 

It’s Wednesday and I won’t bog down your mid-week crisis with a bunch of chatter.  I know it’s been rough, getting back into the swing of things after a lovely holiday break. Don’t worry. Friday is just around the corner.

In the mean time have a Muffin. You’ll feel better.

How about a Pumpkin Cranberry Muffin?

I got this recipe from the Jillian Michaels “Master Your Metabolism Cookbook”. (Yes I am trying to master my metabolism, and NO it does NOT want to be mastered!).  And while they are not as sweet as your typical muffin, they are full of healthy fats and studded with antioxidant packed cranberries.  I sliced them in half and spread a little organic honey on them (Sorry Jillian, please don’t hurt me). Add a cup of coffee and it’s a great way to start you morning and get you through the rest of the week.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

(Source – The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook)

1 can (15 oz) Pumpkin puree

1/2 cup Coconut Milk

1/2 cup Maple Syrup

1/2 cup *Olive Oil (*I used 1/3 cup canola oil and 1/4 apple sauce)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 3/4 cup *Unbleached White Whole Wheat Flour (*I used 1 3/4 white all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour)

1 tbsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Cinnamon, ground

1/2 tsp Ginger, ground

1/4 tsp Cloves, ground

1/8 tsp Nutmeg, ground

1/2 tsp Salt

1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

About 2 tbsp raw pepitas for topping

Makes 12-14 muffins.
* Heat oven to 425.
* Spray a muffin tin with olive oil or line with paper cups.
* In a large bowl, whisk together pumpkin, maple syrup, oil, coconut milk, and vanilla until well combined.
* In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt.
* Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and stir until just combined. Fold in the cranberries.
* Spoon mixture into prepared tin. (Optional: sprinkle tops with a few pepitas)
* Place in oven and reduce heat to 375. Bake until done, 30-35 minutes.

Enjoy!

~ Sandy

Shared with:

Sugar Bean Bakers Linky Party

Show of hands – How many of you have eaters remorse?

Yeah, me too.

I have plowed all the way through the Halloween candy and didn’t stop until I hit a fruitcake coma. Seriously people, we are talking 2 months of total indulgence.

And it was delicious.

Okay now show of hands, and let’s be honest, how many people are wearing their “fat pants” every day because no other pants fit?

And because of that I have decided to do a month of healthy blog posts.   Don’t worry all SUGARB (that’s what I call the Sugar Carb love. You know like Brad + Angelina = Branjelina. Sugar + Carb = SUGARB. ) recipes will return in February when as a baker I MUST makes sweets for the sweet. But until then, the SUGARBs are on lock down, and the Healthy recipes are getting dusted off.

We’ll start today, with this Broccoli Cheese Quinoa Casserole.

I found this while searching pinterest for healthy cooking inspiration (you can follow me Here) and since I have a Costco size bag of Quinoa thought I would give it a try. I modified it only slightly.

Linda @ Eating Well…Living Thin also has a recipe for Quinoa pudding (like rice pudding but with Quinoa) that I think I might try.  Brown rice pudding, from Jillian Michaels, is first (next week).

Anyway, this casserole is delicious and it makes a wonderful side dish to chicken.  All the chewy nuttiness of the Quinoa, combined with the melty cheese and crisp broccoli, yum! Even the kids loved it.

Broccoli Cheese Quinoa Casserole

1-10 oz can condensed light, Broccoli Cheese Soup

1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise

2 tablespoons milk

1 1/4 cups reduced fat shredded cheese (cheddar, colby-jack, etc)

1/2 teaspoon sugar or 1 packet of splenda

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups cooked broccoli

1 1/2 cups  COOKED quinoa (see note)

Feshly grated Parmesan cheese

 

*To cook quinoa:

3/4 cup quinoa

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 teaspoon salt
*Rinse quinoa in a fine sieve until water runs clear.  In a small saucepan combine the quinoa, water, and salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Cook for 18-20 minutes, or until fluffy and the white ring/tail is visible.  Fluff with a fork.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat a shallow (8×8 in or 5-6 cups) casserole dish – or individual ramekins – with vegetable cooking spray.

In a large bowl combine the soup, mayonnaise, milk, shredded cheese, Splenda, & pepper, until well mixed. Stir in the quinoa and broccoli.
Spoon mixture into prepared casserole.  Sprinkle on a couple tablespoons of Parmesan and bake for 35-40 minutes (20-25 minutes for ramekins) or until bubbly on the edges and golden. Makes 8 generous 1/2-cup servings.

Enjoy!

In addition to eating healthier I also added get back to the gym, have more patience with my kids, be more on time, and learn to relax, on my list of resolutions.

What are your resolutions for 2012?

~Sandy