Homemade Tagalongs

     I'm not sure why the Girls Scouts only come to your door with their cookies once a year. I really wish they could come more because I could keep them in business. Those Tagalong cookies are my very favorite. Chocolate, peanut butter, and shortbread all in one. It's pretty much the best thing ever.

    I have a friend who shares my love for these cookies. We were both at Dairy Queen about every other day when they had the Tagalong Blizzard. It wasn't pretty...but it was delicious. She sent me this recipe for Tagalongs that you can make at home. I was a bit skeptical that they would be as good, but I have to say I was impressed. These were great the first day, even better the second day, and I nearly made more when they were finished off on the third day. Seriously, they are that addictive!



2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp kosher salt

3 cups flour (take out 6 Tbl if using white whole wheat like I did)

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Chocolate candy coating

• Cream together butter and sugar. Beat until smooth. Add in the egg. Add vanilla and beat until smooth.


• With mixer on low, add in salt and flour. 


• Shape the dough into a long cylinder, about 2-3 inches in diameter. Wrap in waxed paper and freeze for at least 25 minutes. 


• Preheat oven to 350*


• Slice the dough into thin disks and place on baking sheets, about a half inch apart. They don't spread much while baking.


• Once you have made about 30 cookies (or you could make them all---like I said they are amazing!) wrap up the rest of the cookie dough and freeze for another time.


• Bake the cookies 8 minutes or until just starting to set. 


• Place on a cooling rack and cool completely. 


• Mix together the peanut butter and powdered sugar. Form into small disks and press onto the cookies. I coated my hands with powdered sugar for this step, because it was a little sticky!


• Melt the chocolate and coat the cookies. Let set before enjoying.

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Sweet Tooth Friday

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Sweets for Saturday

Chocolate Chip Pancakes

     If you have been following for a while, you know we really love our pancakes and waffles. We eat them every Friday morning. Lately, since my husband got a new job, I make huge batches and freeze the extras so that he can let me sleep in eat them before he goes to work. For an on-the-go breakfast, Heat a frozen pancake in the microwave and top with peanut butter. Fold up like a taco, and get on your way.
     Usually, I just make plain pancakes, but I went all out last week and added mini-chocolate chips. I hate when you bite into a chocolate chip pancake and all you taste is chocolate. Don't get me wrong, I love chocolate! I just don't want to eat something that sweet and rich for breakfast. Mini chocolate chips were the perfect compromise. You still taste the chocolate, but it's note overpowering the whole pancake.
     In addition to the chocolate chips, this particular recipe includes oatmeal. This makes me feel less guilty about serving pancakes to my two year old every Friday! They are super filling and mostly healthy.
     If you want to freeze them....Cool completely and layer wax paper between each pancake in a resealable freezer bag.

3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbl baking powder
1 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups milk
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 Tbl brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/3 cup mini chocolate chips

• Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. 
• In a different bowl, mix the milk, oatmeal, sugar, and vanilla. Stir in the eggs and then add the flour mixture a little at a time. Stir in the chocolate chips. Stir until just combined. 
• Coat a griddle (or skillet) with spray. pour about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. 
• When the edges are cooked and little bubbles form in the middle, flip the pancake over. Cook until golden. 
• Serve with syrup or peanut butter. 

Check out these other pancake recipes on my blog:
Cinnamon Chip Pancakes
Blueberry Cheesecake Pancakes
Best Ever Pancakes
OOPs Pancakes
Cornmeal Pancakes
Blueberry Pancakes

Finally, Mashed Potatoes

     I don't know about you, but I can never make mashed potatoes! They are either too lumpy or too runny. No flavor or too much salt. I just can't seem to get it right.
     Finally, a couple of weeks ago I found a recipe that works for us. Of course, I changed it a little...and we love it! They are just the right amount of seasonings and texture.
     I found the recipe in a PTO fundraiser cookbook from the school where my Mamaw used to work. I love that cookbook!
Estimated cost: potatoes $0.50, milk $0.07 $0.57

 4 potatoes, 
1/2 cup milk, 
1-1/2 tsp salt, 
1/4 cup butter, 
1/4 tsp pepper
....and my own addition: chopped chives from our garden

• Peel and quarter potatoes
• Cook in boiling water, covered, for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain
• Mash with potato masher or mixer. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. 
• Serve hot.

Meatfree Monday #5, Tomato Basil Alfredo Pizza

Yup! She's kissing a fish!

     I hope you all had a fantastic 4th of July. We were out of town visiting family, so I wasn't able to get my Meatfree Monday post in. We had such a good time, and Miss E got to see fireworks for the first time. She also had her first wienie roast, smores, and went fishing for the first time. She had so much fun!
     The holiday is over now, so we are getting back into the swing of things. This weeks meatfree recipe, was so easy. My husband actually made it which tells you how easy it is...those of you who know him understand. I left directions and came home to dinner...I should do that more often.
     He went out to the garden, and picked some fresh basil. The tomatoes aren't ripe, so we used store bought. We had alfredo sauce and pizza dough in the freezer. I didn't leave very detailed directions, but he did follow exactly what I put. I might have arranged things a little differently, but I'm a little more particular with symmetry and appearance than he is. To each his own.

The point is that it came out delicious and was so easy and cheap to make. It was supposed to be a near copy to our favorite pizza (The Bazbeaux Special), and it was pretty good. We used fresh tomatoes instead of sun-dried.

1 pizza dough
alfredo sauce
fresh basil
sliced tomatoes
mozzarella cheese

• Place dough on pizza stone. Our recipe requires that you cook it for about 5 minutes before adding toppings, but if you are using your own dough follow those directions.
• Spread alfredo sauce on top of dough.
• Sprinkle shredded cheese or fresh mozzarella over the sauce. Top with basil and sliced tomatoes.
• Bake until golden.

Meatfree features of the week...
a small collection of my favorite meat free recipes that I come across as I search the web each week. All the recipes that I post from various blogs will be stumbled to bring a little extra love to their posts...and if you happen to be one of my featured recipes you can grab my "I was featured on Meat Free Monday" button for your post.

Heirloom Tomato Sandwich from Gina's Skinny Recipes

No Fuss Foccacia from Sweet As Sugar Cookies

Southwestern Pasta Salad by Debbi Does Dinner

Southwestern Bruschetta by Cooking Creation