Caramel Mocha Turtle Cookies #Folgers #ad

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Folgers for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

In this family, we love our coffee. Some prefer to add milk, cream, and flavorings---others are fine with having it black. One thing we all agree on is that our coffee must have a rich flavor and be easily accessible. For days when there's just not time for the prep and clean up involved with brewed coffee, we can enjoy Folgers Instant Coffee and have our coffee in an instant.

One of my favorite comfort rituals is making a hot drink and a small snack to enjoy while I read. I love the taste of coffee and chocolate together and Folgers Instant Coffee quickly provides that rich flavor I crave. Last week, I made these Caramel Mocha Turtle Cookies---the perfect sweet treat to enjoy with a hot cup of Folgers Instant Coffee. Check out my recipe below. 

Have you ever added instant coffee to your baking mix? One tablespoon of granules gives a bold flavor to cakes, brownies, bread, and cookies. 

I began with a simple chocolate cookie recipe, adding in 1 TB of the Folgers Instant Coffee granules. I love this recipe because the cookies are crisp on the edges and chewy in the middle---perfect! To get that crispy/chewy texture, make sure to chill the dough one hour before baking it. This will keep them from spreading too much and will help you achieve the perfect cookie.

Next, I melted a bag of unwrapped caramels, mixed with 2 TB of heavy cream. I like to use a double boiler for this job, but you can melt them in the microwave, too, as long as you stir them often.

Finally, I drizzled the caramel over the cookies (very messily!) and sprinkled on some chopped pecans. The caramel cooled quickly and the cookies were ready to enjoy in minutes.

Not only can I enjoy rich, hot Folgers Instant Coffee in an instant, but having a scrumptious treat on hand, like these Caramel Mocha Turtle Cookies, makes for a sweet relaxing time in the midst of a busy day.

Caramel Mocha Turtle Cookies

1 c. flour
¼ c. unsweetened baking cocoa
1 TB instant coffee granules
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
½ c. butter, softened
½ c. brown sugar
¼ c. sugar
1 egg
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
11 oz. bag caramels, unwrapped
2 TB heavy cream
1 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350º. Mix the flour, cocoa, coffee, soda, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Using a mixer, mix the butter, sugars, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients. Cover dough and chill one hour. Scoop dough onto a prepared cookie sheet (I like parchment paper best for these) and bake 8-10 minutes. The middle of the cookie should look slightly under-baked. Let them cool completely on a wire rack before topping. When you're ready for the topping, chop the pecans and set aside. Then melt the caramels and cream, stirring until smooth. Drizzle the caramel over the cookies and immediately sprinkle on the pecans. The caramel will cool and firm up quickly.

How do you enjoy Folgers Instant Coffee? Do you make a cup to drink while more coffee is brewing or keep it on hand for an afternoon one-cup treat? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to check out these Folgers recipes.

Spring Comes to NW Arkansas

Good Morning! Spring has sprung in the South---as evidenced by our super humid week so far and 1:00 am tornado warning last night! Whew! Thankfully, everyone in our area is safe---even if a little sleepy!

I hope everyone is having a beautiful week! Thanks for stopping by The Homemaking Party!

Homemade Chicken & Noodles {Chicken & Dumplings} --- Frugal Family Recipe

There are a few things that will always remind me of Leo Coller. One of them is homemade chicken noodle soup. My husband has always raved about his dad's homemade chicken and noodles and it doesn't matter how many variations I come up with, I never have made it, "just like Dad's". Still, this recipe gets lots of compliments around our table, even from Jamie, so I suppose I'll have to just let his Dad be the chicken noodle king and I'll live happily in his shadow!

Before I give you my recipe, here are a few tips concerning the preparation of this delicious comfort food:

The process of making this homemade soup is actually very simple, but the fact that it's all homemade makes me feel all Ma Ingalls-ish. It's a great low-cost recipe that feeds a large family. I suggest grabbing several of these whole chickens when you find them on sale and just storing them in the freezer. Sometimes you can get them for as low as .60 a pound---which would make your whole meal cost less than $5 for about 12-15 servings.

Do you have a pastry blender? I suggest purchasing one. I use mine all the time for biscuits and other easy bread recipes. Any time a recipe says "cut in butter using two knives", use a pastry blender instead. You'll save time and serious annoyance. {I'd love to hear from someone who has successfully turned this mixture to "pea-sized crumbs" using two knives. I've got to know your trick!}

I never worry about cutting uniform noodles. I just roll out the dough to about 1/4" and cut through it quickly with a pizza cutter. Super easy!

De-boning the whole chicken will give you enough meat for 12-15 servings. Some people only use white meat in their chicken noodle soup, but I say, "bring on the dark meat!" If you really must only use white meat, stick the rest of the bird in a large freezer bag and store it for making homemade chicken stock or broth later on.

Here's my recipe for Homemade Chicken & Noodles. Let me know if you give it a try!

Homemade Chicken & Noodles

1 whole chicken
3 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. salt
6 TB butter
3 TB chicken bouillon 
2 c. milk

salt and pepper, to taste 

Put the chicken in a large stock pot and cover completely with water. Bring to a boil, then continue cooking chicken for one hour, or until cooked through. I like to turn it over now and then, and poke it with a fork to make sure it's getting done all the way through. When cooked, remove the chicken to a platter to cool.

While chicken is cooking, make the noodles. Start with 2 c. of flour in the bowl. Add 2 tsp. salt and 4 TB of butter. Use a pastry blender to mix it up until it's the size of small peas. Add 1 cup HOT water and and 1 1/4 c. of flour to the mixture. Stir and work the mixture until a soft dough ball forms then break off about a third and roll it out to about 1/4" on a floured surface. Cut the dough into strips using a pizza cutter. If the chicken is done at this point, remove the chicken and begin adding the noodles, one at a time, to the still boiling water. If the chicken is still cooking, layer the noodles on wax paper and continue rolling them out. They'll be fine on the counter for awhile until the chicken is done.

Before adding the noodles to the pot, add the bouillon and salt and pepper to taste. Then, drop the noodles, one at a time, into the boiling water. Add 2 TB butter and continue cooking. Whenever the chicken is done, add it in, too. Continue cooking until noodles have been boiling for at least 15 minutes. Then, add the milk, turn off the burner, cover the pot, and let it sit for about 1 hour. {Don't forget to taste the broth before serving to make sure it's just right!}