Pizza!

I have discovered a love for pizza and making it at home :)

This was our Halloween pizza part 1

Ingredients:

• Packet of pizza crust dough (I used a store brand packet) made according to directions
• 1/2 Jar pizza sauce (I used Ragu)
• Cheeses and toppings of your preference - I usually use a mix of mozzarella and Mexican cheeses - I like black olives and my husband prefers pepperonis
• Olive Oil
• Garlic powder

After I make the dough and let it rise, I put flour on the pan (with aluminum) before spreading the dough because otherwise it is next to impossible for it not to stick. (I think this might be the type of dough I'm using or the aluminum, nevertheless, I don't mind.)
Before I put the sauce on my pizza, I brush the outside crust with olive oil and then sprinkle garlic powder on it. Seriously makes it tasty and makes up for it being store-brand.
This is a super fast dinner idea (usually about 10 minutes in the oven - depending on your crust instructions) and it's fun if you make different shapes!

This was a Jack-o-lantern that tried to combine our favorite toppings... badly

Have a wonderful day!

~ Sarah

Peanut Butter Blossoms!

It's been almost a year since my last post, so I figured I needed another! No updates from me, but I got a new computer, and uploading pictures just got a whole lot more difficult (no SD card slot!). No worries, I'm working on it.

Today we're making Peanut Butter Blossoms, or Peanut Blossoms.

Don't mind the messy stove!! 0.0

This has been a long-standing tradition for Thanksgiving since I was little, and when I got married, my aunt passed down a recipe book with this included. These are my favorite dessert in the world, and hopefully you'll like them.

I usually don't measure my peanut butter, and my husband is in charge of "eye-balling" what he thinks is 1/2 cup (but is usually about 3/4 cups). This makes my cookies softer than they would be if a followed the recipe, but not everyone likes them like this.

I also usually unwrap the kisses while the cookies are in the oven because it takes almost as long if you're making a double-batch, which I usually am.

Ingredients: (loaded on MyFitnessPal for relatively accurate calorie count per cookie)

• 1/2 c. butter (softened)
• 1/2 c. peanut butter (creamy) 
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. brown sugar (packed)
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• Hershey Kisses - unwrapped

Directions: Preheat oven to 350
1) Cream together butter, peanut butter, sugar, and brown sugar
2) Add egg and vanilla - beat until fluffy
3) Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, then add to egg mixture and mix well until you have cookie dough consistency
4) Shape into small balls and place on cookie sheet
5) Flatten slightly (I usually use a fork because it makes nice lines on the top
6) Bake at 350 deg F for 8-10 minutes
7) Remove from oven and place a kiss in the center of each
8) Bake 1-3 minutes longer or until the kisses are shiny

Try to wait until they cool off before you store them - it takes several hours for the kisses to set up. However, they taste best straight from the oven ;-)

Until next time!
~ Sarah

Here We Go! "Chocolate Pretzels" reinvented

Hello! My name is Sarah and I am a middle school teacher. Specifically, special education math. This means I have small classes of 2-8 students who are all in a self-contained math class for any number of social or educational reasons. I also have inclusion classes where there are 2 teachers in the room with general and special education students.

I also have 2 cats and a wonderful husband of 1 year. We live in a town house and spend a lot of our time hanging out, biking, cooking, or watching/reading science fiction. There is much more to say, but I think you'd be incredibly bored if I kept on.

This blog will mainly focus on cooking, teaching, and travel, though I may add some random music musings as well :-)

Here we go!

My new favorite dessert to bring out when we're having people over is the easiest thing I have ever made. On Pinterest, they were called "Christmas Pretzels" because they were made with red and green m&ms, but I couldn't find any directions. My first try was a HORRIBLE FAILURE (lack of directions), but the second time, they were delicious!

Ingredients: Pretzels wheels (or snaps, if you'd prefer)
Hershey Kisses
m&m's

Seriously. 3 ingredients. All you need is a cookie sheet and an oven. It couldn't be easier.

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 200 (not higher, you will burn the chocolate and it smells!)
Place your pretzels on the cookie sheet (I put parchment paper on mine in case the chocolate escaped)
Put 1 unwrapped kiss on each pretzel

Put in the oven for 4-5 minutes, until the kisses are shiny

After removing the pretzels, place one m&m on the top of the kiss and push down until the kiss has melted into the pretzel. If it only mushes slightly, you'll need to put in the oven for longer, and if the chocolate is completely hard it has burned and will not melt.

Be sure to wait for a half hour to an hour for the chocolate to harden if you don't want a mess on your hands! (Though I usually sneak at least one before that, they still taste great.)
These are great for kids and great for snacking at parties - I made mine for New Year's and for a party I'm having with my students at school.

I hope you enjoyed reading! Let me know if you have any favorite desserts to share!

~ Sarah