Copy Cat - Thin Mint Recipe

Copy Cat - Thin Mints

Do you love those iconic Thin Mint cookies? 

Look no further than this recipe to make your own at home.

Shared by JJensenSC

My Recipe Notes:

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour 

• 1 C. sugar

• 1/2 C. cocoa powder

• 1/4 tsp. salt

• 1/4 tsp. baking soda

• 3/4 C. butter or vegan margarine
• 3 Tbsp. milk
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp. pure peppermint extract
• Chocolate Coating
• 4 C. semisweet chocolate chips
• 
2 Tbsp. butter or vegan margarine 

• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract

Directions

Use a food processor to blend dry ingredients, by pulsing. Add margarine, milk, vanilla, and mint extract and pulse until well combined. Scrape out dough, knead until all the ingredients are well incorporated, and chill in refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours, till mixture is firm.

Preheat the oven to 350° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. When dough is ready, roll balls about as big as a heaping teaspoon, and press them, one by one, onto the baking trays, leaving about 3 inches of space around each. Flatten each to about a quarter inch thick and bake for 12-15 minutes. Roll a heaping teaspoon of cookie dough into a ball and place onto prepared baking sheets, leaving about 3 inches in between each ball. Cool on rack completely.

Couponing, Freebies and Rebates For Week Jan 27th.

Free sample of sun dried tomato hummus and  almond corn chips while shopping.
Made for a great FREE LUNCH BOX SNACK!

South Beach Diet Bars 

Sale price- $2.99

I had 4 coupons

$3/1 South Beach printable coupon
MC Taco Seasoning - 3/$1.00
I had 1 coupon.

- $0.50/2 McCormick Taco or Mexican Seasoning Mix, exp. 2/24/13 (RP 01/27/13 #2) coupon gets doubled at checkout

Kikkoman Steak Marinade $0.79
I had 4 coupons.
$1.00 off any Kikkoman pruduct printable
All Free after coupons

Birds Eye Steamfresh Vegetabes - $0.99 on sale.

I had 2 coupons 

$1/1 Birdseye Item printable
 FREE after coupon

Coffee mate Creamers 16 oz - $1.66

I had 10 coupons

$0.55/1 Nestle Coffee-Mate Liquid or Powder Creamer Product printable coupon gets doubled at checkout.
$0.56 each after coupon

Friendship Sour Cream, 16 oz - $1.34

I had 2 coupons

$0.55/1 Friendship Dairy Product printable
 $0.24  each after coupon

Heluva Good Dips,12 oz - $1.69

I had 4 coupons

$0.75/1 Heluva Good Sour Cream Dip, exp. 1/31/13 (SS 12/02/12 R)
 $0.19 after coupon

Hormel Party Tray, 28 oz - $9.99

$3/1 Hormel Party Tray Coupon
and use $3/1 Hormel Party Tray SR eCoupon
$3.99 each after coupon & eCoupon

I bought 4 my daughter took one for her lunch before I took the picture.
YoCrunch Yogurt - $0.60 on sale
$0.25/1 YoCrunch Cup printable. coupon gets doubled at checkout.
 $0.10  each after coupon

French's Spicy Brown Mustard - $1.39 and $1.59

I had 8 of these making it 59 cents each.

$0.50/1 French's Spicy Brown or Horseradish Mustard, exp. 3/31/13 (SS 01/20/13 R) coupons get doubled at checkout
I had 4 of these. making it 39 cents each
$0.50/1 French's Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce coupons get doubled at checkout.
 

Welch's Fruit Snacks - $2.00

$0.50/1 Welch's Fruit or Fruit & Yogurt Snacks printable coupons get doubled at checkout.
 $1.00 after coupon

Barilla Micro Pasta Meals - $1.99 on sale.

I had 8 coupons so I got 8 - 4 of each Flavor.

$1/1 Barilla Microwaveable Meals printable
 $0.99 after coupon

I got $3.50 in cantalinas towards my next shopping trip.
It's like having cash in my pocket!

A the last of 3 - $4 rebates came in the mail making my purchase of 2 x 1 Pack of  6- AAA Fuji batteries on sale for $2 a pack FREE!!!!!!!!

Tuesday To Do's

It's a chilly Tuesday here and it has been raining for 2.5 day straight. The sun is coming out and everything has grown inches from the rain. I am very excited about this. The big kids are off to school. One early because she had chorus this morning and the other on time via bus.

Now that the house is quiet some what , I still have my 5 yr old preschooler who is home preschooled and will need his lesson, yet I sit here thinking what I should place on my to do list and pray I have the energy and strength to keep up with my normal to do's since I am still fighting and awful chest and sinus cold along with still healing from my radiation burns from my cancer treatments. Depression has shown it's ugliness along with headaches such two nasty side effects from my post cancer medications.

Yesterday I made bread and breakfast muffins. Today my daughter requested pancakes to be made and froze. She likes to heat them up and serve herself in the morning.

I need to clean my son's room and organize it so his new bunk bed can be set up on Thursday. He doesn't know yet that he is getting a big boy twin bed. He is going to be so surprised and so happy. Me on the other hand will be filled with tears as I see my little boy, my last one, so tiny to me, sleeping in a big bed not his toddler bed no more. I wish often they could stay small just a little longer than they do.

Gardening-

hmmmm not much here today since my wonderful husband helped me weed and plant on Saturday before the rain. We planted 8 basil, 2 boxwood basil, 2 rosemary, 4 dills, 1 orange, 1 apple mint and a row of butter leaf lettuce. The rhubarb and the asparagus is coming up that we planted a week ago. That is very exciting.
I do have 2 apple trees to relocate that are still small so I guess I will do that for gardening. I was thinking one on each side of the stone steps leading to the berry and herb garden would look really nice in the backyard.
Maybe if the yard dries up enough I will cut the grass in the afternoon.

Crafting-

I am hoping to work on my hand quilting and finish up the area in the hoop. This would finish one of the many blocks on the Oak Quilt and I will be able to move the hoop over. I do need to take time this week to get the April B. O. M.'s done because May is just around the corner.


Chores -

Bible lesson
bill paying
laundry
dishes
cleaning of the kitchen table and counter
sweeping and washing of the kitchen floor
putting away winter blankets from the living room and placing out the summer ones.
decluttering the living room floor from toys and vacuuming
cleaning the 2 bathrooms
feeding the animals including the chickens
and making dinner.

One thing that is nice is that archery for my oldest is cancelled today so I don't have to play taxi today and I get to just stay home and keep chugging along but I do have to play detective today and find the missing Boy Scout day bag.

Well let me begin my day and I will report back later.

Mama Oak

Spring is here and so it's time for change and a renewal.

Good Morning!

Welcome Spring and Spring like weather! I am glad to see you. Spring is the season of rebirth and new beginnings and ending my cancer and moving forward with healing makes this perfect timing but then again all is perfect timing with the Lord.

How to do you all plan to renew and refresh your homes and lives this week?

Even though my hot water decided to poop on me last night and hot water is key to laundry and dishes and such there is still so many things that can be done and organized. <3

Today's to do list.

Part 1- 8:30 to 11
Clean off kitchen table.
Take all the clothes out of my daughters room and fold neatly by category on kitchen table.
Bring up my daughters clothes bins from the basement.
Put away fall/winter and replace with spring/summer.
Place clothes all back neatly.
Donate those that are now to small.
while listening to my Bible studies and Cole does is preschool work.


Part 2 - 11 to 1
lay out plastic for weed control in upper garden
plant cold weather crops.
fertilize
lay out plastic for night time cover to protect from frost.
Take pictures as I go. Really looking forward to hopefully a wonder crop this year to can and freeze.

Part 3 - 1 to 3
fold and put away the laundry in the living room and vacuum and wash living room rugs and downstairs area rugs
turn fan on.

Part 4 - 3 to 4:30
make dinner
exercise for 30 mins

This should take me from now till 4:30pm.

Then the evening will be devoted to my husband and kids. Except for some down time before bed hand quilting on my quilt.

How are you spending your day? Do share!

Are you dressing the way you should be?

When you get up in the morning what do you wear?

Are you in sweats or lounge pants all day and a tee? Are you in jeans and a sweatshirt?  Don't get me wrong, yes jeans are ok for a busy mom but a nice shirt and no stains and holes in your jeans please. Do you do your hair at all and apply a little make up? If not, why aren't you!

When we first meet our husbands we took hours and even shopping trips to pick out the perfect outfit for him to see us in. Our hair was done. Our make up was perfect. Not saying we have to be like this ever minute of the 24 hours day but let's be honest with ourselves. Who wants to come home to a ugly slob?
You may say " he married me unconditional" Yes I agree with you but please, you would not like a stinky, dirty slob of a man for your husband. Is it not nice when he just comes out of the shower all shaved and smelling good of colone and clean nice clothes on. Don't you just want to hug him and sniff him during the hug! You need to keep yourself at least nice and clean and somewhat attractive too.

Exercise, watch what you eat, do your hair, get out of those fuzzy slippers and stretchy pants! I bet you will feel much better about yourself with more energy and less house wife blues. It's just plan good not only for your marriage but your health too!

Not having the clothes to wear is not an excuse. With the thrift stores out there and Freecycle you can get many inexpensive pieces for your wardrobe and even free ones. They will add up slowly and surly without breaking the budget.

Not asking you to wear heels or look sexy just clean, nice and tidy for your husband for when he comes home. Show him you still fuss over him. Show him you still care about yourself and care about him. He will be very flattered you even still care.

Don't forget your armor during the day when you do your task for your homemaking. This will keep all those nice clothes clean and stain free. Make a few new aprons (aka armor) to match those new nice outfits.

Honor, please and tend to your husband, home and family as a woman of God should do!

Don't forget to take a few minutes with the lord and write in your journals.

Mama Oak

The Drama Lama comes knocking...Don't let it in!

The Drama Lama has come to my home knocking at my door many times in the last few days. This could have been a real soul sucking, energy sucking, and stressing causing time for me but I am proud to announce that NO I didn't not let the Lama in! I did not react nor add to the Lama's Drama.

With the new year or any other normal day comes great change if you want it. How bad to you want to change your life to the better and follow in the Lord's words and ways. I know I do and I am trying my best to live a Holy life and set a great example these days.

Titus women do not go from house to house spreading gossip. They can listen and support and direct but they do not repeat what they have heard. Such peace has come over me with this way of living. It's really nice to know that nothing you say will service to bite you in the butt in the end. To embarrass you or allow you to look stupid and mean and uncaring if you live this way.

Even the hint or the non direct leaving out names story can lead to assumption and even greater damage! PLUS.... we all know the little saying of what "assume" means! It's better just not to speak at all at times. :-)

Focus on your family and your husband. Focus on your home and your Godly works. Focus on you studies and your hobbies. DON'T focus on others speaking of others.

Remember " you need to pull the log out of your eye before you point out the splinter in someone else's eye!"

Don't forget to write in your journals and spend time with the Lord.

Mama Oak

A New Beginning...2012!

As I sit here thinking of things I would like to chance like, money, relationships, organization to be better and more I am reminded of the things I can not change like my battle with cancer is not over and I have 7 weeks Monday thru Friday of radiation still.

I only hope God gives me the strength and the knowledge to continue with my life and the wonderful ways he has taught me to be with friends and family. My relationship with my husband has never been better in both worldly love and spiritually!

One of the biggest chances that will effect us the hardest is living up to the no credit way of life that God has expressed many times over to be a sin. If that means to live without then that is what God wishes.

I am actually looking forward to a more 1950's way of life then I have been trying to live already.

I hope you all follow along while we go through this very hard process in this 2012 way of life. The outside world with it's un-Godly influences can be strong at times and that is where our strength and prayers will come in handy. You can pray for us too in that we can stay focus and on track. That would be greatly received. <3

Today I started with cleaning out the bill file and setting it all up for a cash only way or life and recording for 2012. I was even able to apply a small amount of money into the savings and on a credit card.  I am hoping to not only build up the savings but take care of all the credit cards once and for all this year.

I have also asked hubby and I will do the same, to record all daily expenses to be reviewed and tracked. This will help with keeping track of un-necessary spending and possible spur of the moment spending because you will think twice before writing it down... at least I know I will.

Well enough said and I hope you follow along like I requested as we go through daily scheduling of chores and money debt recovery and crafts and baking and much much more!

Do not forget to take time with the Lord today and write your blessings and I am thankfuls  in your journal. even the smallest things are Blessings in Life!

Mama Oak

Set Your Goal. Step one.

Have you ever sat back and just looked around at your home and thought of your life and how it ended up? Do you like it or not? Do you just like some of it and dislike the rest? If you have not thought about it then take some time and just do that.

When I did this I learned that God has placed me in a wonderful marriage with great children. I am able to be a stay at home mother and wife, which I truly adore this lifestyle. But, I am unhappy with the way my house tends to be unkempt. That my ability to let go of the clutter is to difficult  for me. It's like a big black hole sucking me in and draining me of life. It causes arguments with my husband. It causes me to be a hypocrite to my children when I ask them to clean their rooms. It causes me to feel embarrassed and to lie by making up excuses to help "  please excuse the mess" which is a sin. It even causes me to be stressed out and late for events.

This is not what I want! I want to feel happy, comfy and content in my home as well as I know you do too!

But how can this happen? How can I create a home environment that is welcoming,, clean, organized and still have time to sleep and breath?

Well it's easy, I just keep telling myself over and over again. " You need to take baby steps and let it all go that you don't need all these things to simplify and organize." Like the Little Engine that could " I think I can, I think I can, I know I can, I know I can..."

I will do this! You can follow along as I break down each area of a mother's daily life, a homemaker's daily life, a wife's daily life. a woman's daily life and a Godly daily life.