Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies

We baked some Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies this weekend and they were deeeelicious.  But before we got going, we ran into a little snag...we ran out of butter and the recipe calls for 1/2 cup of it! I already had the crisco shortening and thought about just using all shortening but then I spied the butter converter for Filippo Berio Olive Oil on my fridge and thought, "hmmm...I wonder..."  To convert it, all I needed was 1/4 + 2 T of oil.  I mixed it in and hoped for the best.  The results were fabulous! These cookies are SO good!  I am including the recipe below for your enjoyment.  The best part?  Well...you can freeze them! Yes! Freeze them and no need to thaw.  Believe it or not they taste delicious and are a fabulous treat on a super hot day!

Ingredients

• 1 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter (I used 1/4 C. + 2 T. Filippo Berio Olive Oil)
• 1 1/2 cups peanut butter
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups quick cooking oats
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. In a mixing bowl, cream the shortening and peanut butter. Add the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla; mix well.
3. Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt; add to the creamed mixture and mix well.
4. Drop by the rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Flatten with fork. Bake for 12 minutes or until done.

3 Pepper and Onion Spaghetti using Filippo Berio Olive Oil

3 Pepper & Onion Spaghetti

So, this is what it is supposed to look like when it's finished.  It is SO tasty and wonderful and is the perfect dish to serve when you need to make something quick but delicious when company is coming over!

Ingredients

• Salt
• 1 pound spaghetti
• 3 tablespoons Filippo Berio extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, 1/2 palmful
• 1 large red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 2 Cubanelle peppers, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced
• 1 red chile pepper, seeded and thinly sliced, or 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 large onion or red onion, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
• 3 to 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can crushed Italian tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, shredded or torn

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium heat. Salt the water, add the pasta and cook to al dente.

Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel seeds and stir for 1 minute, then add all the peppers and the onions. Saute for 8 to 10 minutes, then add the garlic and season with salt and pepper, to taste. When the peppers and onions are tender, add the wine and stir for 30 seconds, then add the stock and tomatoes. Reduce the sauce for 7 to 8 minutes.

Drain the pasta, drop it into the skillet, and toss it with the butter and the sauce. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl, sprinkle with a little cheese, top with the basil, and serve immediately.

(Onions being sauted in Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Kick Butter With Filippo Berio Olive Oil

I was just thinking how wonderful it is that I have a magnetic chart on my fridge that allows me to substitute olive oil for butter.  It came in my Filippo Berio BzzAgent kit and I'd love to share it with you! This is an excellent chart that will allow you to switch yourself and your family over to a healthier lifestyle! 

For additional information, go to FILIPPO BERIO'S website.  You can acquire some great recipes while there!

Filippo Berio Olive Oil Bread

With my bottle of Filippo Berio I received from BzzAgent my husband and I tried a recipe I've been DYING to try for months!! This bread is SOOOOO good, you'll want to eat it as a meal! If you try it, make sure you let me know how it tastes!! And to help you get started, I have a $2.00 off coupon on any Filipo Berio Olive Oil! Let me know where to send it! 

• 1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons Filippo Berio olive oil
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Chopped green olives and onions to garnish

1. In a large bowl mix together the warm water (110 degrees), yeast, sugar, salt, and olive oil. Stir in 2 cups of the flour in order to make a soft ball. Knead in additional flour so that dough is soft and not sticky. Place kneaded dough in a medium size greased bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size.
2. Punch down dough, and form into ball or loaf shape. Place onto a greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle on olives and onions to your desire.  Cover and let rise for 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until golden brown.

Here is my latest campaign for BzzAgent.  I am apart of the Neutrogena Cosmetics campaign.  I received everything shown above but today I'm going to focus on the Revitalizing Lip Balm.  I received three different colors in Sunny Berry, Healthy Blush, & Petal Glow.  Out of the three, my favorite is most definitely Sunny Berry.  It has a nice hint of color and it is not overwhelming.  The product leaves your lips feeling very silky smooth! The other two colors are a bit too light for my skin shade which is light to medium.  My daughter has olive undertones so Healthy Blush and Petal Glow look a lot better on her! One thing my daughter really liked about the lip balm is the fun funky tube.  It is wider than most lip balms and provides a much better coverage.  The thing I really liked is that while it gives you that touch of color without overkill, you are actually protecting your lips with SPF 20. This product is so easy to apply and has a wonderful berry scent.  

I have $2.00 off coupons for those who are interested in trying these fantastic lip balms! 

Quaker Oatmeal Squares Crunch

You may just have to make a batch for yourself BEFORE you make one to share with the family.  You won't be able to help yourself!  

 

QUAKER OATMEAL SQUARES CRUNCH

• 8 cups Quaker Oatmeal Squares Cereal (1 whole box)
• 2 cups pecans , coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup brown sugar , firmly packed
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 4 tablespoons butter (margarine ok)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)  

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 250ºF. Spray 13 x 9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Combine cereal and pecans in pan; mix well.
2. In large microwaveable bowl, combine sugar, corn syrup and margarine.
3. Microwave on HIGH 1 minute 30 seconds; stir. Microwave an additional 30 seconds to 1 minute 30 seconds or until boiling.
4. Stir vanilla and baking soda and optional salt into sugar mixture. Pour over cereal mixture; stir to coat evenly.
5. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Transfer to baking sheet, spreading mixture in even layer. Cool completely; break into pieces. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

NEW CAMPAIGN: Filippo Berio® Olive Oil

I love to cook and use ingredients where the flavor will stand out for my husband, Julian, who happens to have a weak sense of smell. His lack of smell totally stinks (pun definitely intended) because it inhibits his ability to taste food as well as we do. One thing I really love to use is olive oil. It has such a strong, nutty flavor and that is one thing Julian can taste.

I was selected to participate in a BzzAgent campaign for Filippo Berio® Olive Oil. The kit should arrive in a week or so and when it does, you can be sure that dinner that night will be Italian! I'm looking forward to experimenting with this brand of olive oil. I haven't tried it before, so if any of you have, I'd love to hear from you! I'll be posting some recipes soon!

NEW CAMPAIGN: Quaker® Oatmeal Squares

BzzAgent sent me a new item to try and this time it hit a HOME RUN!! Why? Because we're talking FOOD! I love food! In fact, my entire family loves food. Thank goodness we have decent metabolisms or we'd be in big trouble!

I got to try Quaker Oatmeal Squares and let me tell you, they are so good you have no idea they're good for you! I ate one bowl (a little over the recommended amount but not by much) and it filled me up for nearly three hours. The taste is so delicious. It is has a light brown sugar flavor that isn't overwhelming and the crunch is fun!! It didn't tear the roof of my mouth up (which crunchy cereal tends to do). I highly recommend this cereal for those looking for something healthy, tasty and different!

If you'd like to try a FREE sample box of your own box (small one serving size), please visit their FACEBOOK WEBPAGE.

New Campaign: Garnier B.B. Cream

Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream

Pros: Has SPF in it. Not greasy feeling. Smell isn't too bad. Long lasting.

Cons: Only comes in 2 shades. Product kind of thick, feels a bit dry when you wear it.

I was so excited to try the Garnier B.B Cream. I heard so many mixed reviews, I wanted to be able to draw my own conclusion. As soon as the package came, I opened it up and started inspecting the product. The first thing I noticed was the size of the bottle. It's pretty darn big for the price! I'm a bit fair so the coverage is perfect in fair/medium. The BB cream went on smoothly and was easy to apply. I liked how it gave me an extra glow. I did notice that it went on thick, though light, but my skin felt pretty dry after. I found that if I moisturized BEFORE applying the BB cream, it feels much better.

What I really like as well is that you aren't getting a heavy foundation. It's a heavier tinted moisturizer, that will even out your skin tone and give you a nice dewy look.

I received this product through BzzAgent. If you would like to try new products like me, visit www.bzzagent.com

Also, I have $1.00 off coupons for those of you who are looking for a well covering, moisturizing foundation!!