NUTTY COCOA KRISPIES FOOTBALLS

I have never been invited to a Super Bowl Party (or a book club or bunco group, for that matter).  It may because I don’t care for football (gasp!). So I have to make my own fun for Super Bowl LVIII (or at least the commercials), which will include Nutty Cocoa Krispies Footballs.  If you, however, have been invited to a Super Bowl Party, and bring these little treats, they will be intercepted quickly.  Hope your team wins!

Pro tips — (1) Mini marshmallows melt quicker than regular-sized ones (duh); (2) Jif peanut butter is my favorite and is not as sweet as some other brands; (3) You have to work quickly to form the footballs.  I find it best to dump the mixture in a 9×13 baking dish sprayed with cooking spray, and spray my hands as well.  If you leave the mixture in the pot, it will turn to mortar (trust me); (4) when piping the stitching, don’t let perfect be the enemy of good; (5) they look great nestled in edible Easter grass (which I know everyone keeps on hand just for such occasions).

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NUTTY COCOA KRISPIES FOOTBALLS
Author: 
 
Ingredients
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 10-ounce package marshmallows
  • 6 cups Cocoa Krispies
  • ½ cup creamy peanut butter
  • Prepared vanilla frosting*
Instructions
  1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Stir in peanut butter. Remove from heat. Add Cocoa Krispies and stir until well coated. Working quickly (and I do mean quickly), shape mixture into 3-inch footballs. Use prepared icing to pipe on stitching (a ziploc bag with the corner snipped works just fine if you don't have or don't care to use a piping bag and piping tip).
  2. *You can make a frosting by mixing 1 cup of powdered sugar with ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and 2-3 tablespoons of heavy cream (just enough to make it piping consistency -- if too runny, add a little more powdered sugar).

Are you ready for some footballs?

 

YIN YANG COOKIES

We found this awesome dragon mask years ago at an antique show.  It watches over us.  It also begs the question “why”?

The Lunar New Year is this weekend, and it’s the Year of the Dragon.  Years of the Dragon include 2024, 2012, 2000, 1988, 1976, 1964, 1952.  The dragon is an auspicious creature in Chinese culture, and symbolizes power, honor, luck, and success.  People born in Dragon years are said to possess “natural courage, tenacity, and intelligence.”  I’m skeptical.

Inspired by the dragon mask, a fun way to celebrate the Lunar New Year is with these easy Yin Yang cookies, especially if you’re feeling courageous, tenacious, and intelligent this Year of the Dragon.  Yin-yang, according to dictionary.com, “refers to a concept originating in ancient Chinese philosophy where opposite forces are seen as interconnected and counterbalancing,” and “is commonly represented by the yin-yang symbol, a circle made up of black and white swirls, each containing a spot of the other.”

wikipedia

The recipe begins with a package of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie cookie mix:

Prepare the dough, add cocoa powder to half, then have fun shaping the cookies.  Use large chips, if possible, for the best looking results.  Practice your lion dance while the cookies are baking.

5 from 1 reviews
YIN YANG COOKIES
Author: 
Serves: 2 dozen
 
Ingredients
  • 1 pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz.) Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie cookie mix
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 teaspoons milk
  • 24 semi-chocolate chips
  • 24 white chocolate chips
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place cookie mix in a medium bowl. Stir in butter and egg until a soft dough forms. Place half of dough in a separate medium bowl and add cocoa and milk, mixing until thoroughly combined.
  3. To form cookies, form a 1-inch ball from plain dough. Form a second 1-inch ball from chocolate dough. Shape each into a comma shape, and nestle the two doughs together on an ungreased cookie sheet, with the tails pointing in opposite directions. Space cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Place one white chocolate chip in the center of the rounded part of the chocolate dough, and one semi-sweet chocolate chip in the center of the rounded part of the plain dough. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until set and beginning to brown at edges. Cool briefly on sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Can you feel the opposite forces?

Which do you prefer — yin or yang?