Monster cookies

No flour! Just oats!

1/2 cup salted butter

2 cups creamy or chunky peanut butter

1 cup granulated white sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

4 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 cup chocolate chips (or whatever chips you have in your cupboard. Last batch had mini kisses, milk chocolate and peanut butter chips)

1 cup M&M's plain chocolate candies

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cream together peanut butter and butter then add in white sugar. Mix well.

Mix in the eggs and vanilla.

Mix in the oats and baking soda.

Stir in the chocolate chips and M&M's.

I used one of those ice cream scoop for cookie batter things and made 6 cookies per sheet. I always use parchment paper or silpats, less oil and mess.

Add a few more m&ms on top to make them pretty.

Bake for 12 minutes in my oven, might be less or more for other ovens. Just don't over bake them.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes as transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes a lot of cookies, depending on how big you make them.

Rainbow Jello Bars

I found these while wandering on Pinterest. It took me awhile to figure out HOW they did it as the link I found only showed me a picture. I figured it was just a lot of gelatine, jello and patience.

I bought the jello and gelatine, the weather co-operated and got down to about -25 and I went to town.

1) Mix up your first colour. I went with Grape because I hate the smell of artificial grape and I wanted it out of the way first. You mix it like you're making shots (no really). Mix the jello 3/4 cup boiling water to dissolve the powder. Add one package of gelatine and add your cold water once the powder has dissolved.  Pour this mixture into your pan and let set. Either in the freezer or just pop outside into -25 and the magic happen even faster! DO NOT LET IT FREEZE. Frozen jello has an awful, awful texture.
2) Mix up the white part. I used sweetened condensed milk, a lot of gelatine and hot water.
I dissolved 3 packages of gelatine into the hot water and mixed in a can of eagle brand. Pour this mixture over the first layer of jello and allow to set. You don't need a lot. In fact pour a little into the tray and then tilt the tray this way and that to cover the jello. If you have white mix left over, no big deal, you just need enough to create a definition between the colour layers.
3) Repeat step 1 with the jello mix and allow to set
4) Repeat step 2 with the white mixture and allow to set. Alternate between jello and white mixtures until your tray is done.
5) Once completely set cut out into bit sized pieces and serve on a tray. I threw out the edge because they had frozen and were gross.

They look so pretty and kids love peeling them apart.

The Wild Kratt Birthday

My kids seem to love the obscure. Wild Kratts aren't wildly known, sure some people might remember them from Zaboomafoo fame and there are kids who love the show, but they're no Ninja Turtles or Spiderman.
t wanted a Wild Kratt party this year. Of course there are no Wild Kratt treat bags, table clothes wrapping paper or decorations so it was a scratch endeavour.

I made creature power suits for the kids to wear. They're just felt from the fabric store that I used a vest in the house to trace a rough pattern onto.  I cut them out, sewed the arms and the sides together to make a pullover vest of sorts. Then I used heat bond to iron on the embellishments. Super easy.

I printed out a bunch of things from the PBS website www.PBS.org

And the cake!

I took pictures as I went so if anyone else wants to try it and just seeing the finished result on Pinterest doesn't help, I hope this will!

I made a sheet cake (used white and chocolate cake to make a zebra cake) I cut a V at the top as the neck and 2 small "arm holes".

I covered the entire thing with lots of chocolate buttercream icing. I used it to smooth out inconsistencies and round things out. I used my kitchen aid with the dough hook to knead the fondant into a workable clay.

I rolled out the fondant as thinly as I dared. I made sure it was a lot bigger than the cake, to trim off the edges as needed. I used a lot and I do mean A LOT of coconut oil to keep the fondant together and pliable.

I rolled the fondant onto the rolling pin and then onto the cake.

I smoothed the fondant down and tucke it to be smooth. I used a thin non serated knife to smooth the top and sides and then cut away the extra.

I sprayed a little more coconut oil to keep the fondant from breaking or cracking. Then I started on the colours.

I had white fondant which I mixed gel colouring into. 

I did the blue first. I fished out cups, lids, bowls, cookies cutters until I found circles the right size. I cut the shoulder blocks and side blocks by hand. 

I applied the fondant while soft and it stuck just fine.

I used the same knife to smooth the fondant down and clean up the edges.

I cut the letters by hand as well. I just brought up the PBS website and followed as best I could the basic look of the font. Not perfect, but close enough.

I used another random round thing in my kitchen to cut the yellow circle. I also pulled a bunch of animal cookie cutters or and had t choose his favourite. It was a bear, but he called it a honey badger. (too much Wild Kratts).

I used a little white buttercream icing in a ziplock bag (corner snipped off) to finish the creature power disc. I stuck the bear/honey badger on with the icing and called it a day! He loved it!