I love being a mom, especially a mother of growing teenage boys! Between trying to get them out of bed in time for school, daily reminders to get their homework done, daily chores, laundry, and family dinners it keeps me beyond busy and active, and that doesn’t include all the extracurricular activities and driving them all over town. But let’s not forget the after school snacks!! How can kids eat so much? They never seem to get full. The minute they get home from school, they are like ravenous wild beasts raiding the kitchen grabbing everything and anything they can find to eat!
As a busy working mother, I’m always looking for ways to make life a little easier for myself and my family. If I can make it ahead of time, prep it, freeze it or teach my kids to make it themselves, then that’s always a win!
My kids love Cookies (who doesn’t, right?!). Fresh baked, right out the oven, hot gooey, and filled to capacity chocolate chip cookies.
I had great fun cooking in our Thermador kitchen this week and even more fun having my awesome son Quinten there to help me. Having access to a top of the line kitchen and fantastic Bosch mixer was just a highlight to my day!
We decided to make two of Quinten’s favorite after school snacks:
Chocolate chip cookies and pizza sticks.
I love my Bosch; it’s truly one of my favorite small kitchen appliances with an 800-watt motor and 6.5-quart bowl capacity I can really whip up massive amounts of anything to keep my hungry little men happy!
We made a triple batch of one of my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes.
Just simply triple the ingredients and follow these simple instructions for the most delicious cookies EVER!!
My Favorite Chocolate chip cookies:
To your kitchen mixer add
¾ Cup Butter
¾ Cup Butter Flavor Crisco
Gently mix butter together until creamy
Add
1 ½ Cups Firmly Packed Brown Sugar
1 Cup White Sugar
Mix on Medium Speed for approx. 4 minutes. Using a spatula scrape down the sides of the bowl
Mix for an Additional 4 Minutes. The mixture will be soft and fluffy.
Add
¼ Cup Milk
2 Tbsp. Mexican Vanilla
2 Eggs
Add eggs one at a time mixing for about 1 minutes after each egg is added.
In a separate bowl Combine
3 ½ Cups flour
2 Tsp. Salt
1 ½ Tsp Baking Soda
Mix dry ingredients together so they are well combined.
If making a triple or larger batch and you’re using your Bosch Machine change paddle to the dough hook at this time.
Slowly add ¼ of the dry mixture at a time to the batter using only the pulse mode pulsing 3 to 4 times as to not over mix the dough.
When the dry mixture is fully combined remove the dough hook and mix in 1 full bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips using a wooden spoon or spatula.
Bake each batch on 350 degrees for 7-9 minutes
Or roll into balls and freeze until ready to bake.
Cheesy Pepperoni Pizza Sticks:
Ingredients
1 Tube Pillsbury Pizza Crust
40 Pepperoni Slices
10 Mozzarella Cheese Sticks
2 Tbsp. Butter
½ Tsp. Garlic Powder
½ Tsp. Dried Oregano
Optional Marinara sauce for dipping.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 Degrees.
- Spread Pizza Dough out on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll out and cut into 10 equal size rectangles.
- Arrange 4 slices of pepperoni on each rectangle of dough and top with the mozzarella stick.
- Roll up the pizza dough, enclosing the cheese stick and pinching the edges closed.
- Melt the butter and add the garlic power add oregano. Brush the pizza sticks with the butter mixture.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
- Enjoy warm with a side of marinara sauce.
These simple and delicious recipes are sure to please every member of your family.
Enjoy your kitchen and kids. Make them together and watch them disappear into big smiles.
Life may not always go as planned. But don’t worry! There’s a Boulevard solution.
-Linsey Smith
Furniture Buyer & Designer