Tasty Tuesday: Creamy Peppermint Patties

We are approaching my favorite time of year, the weeks before Christmas when I get to make all kinds of cookies and candies to give away (and eat, of course!). I have several recipes which I make every year and they are so good, so I will try to share some with you in the next few weeks. First up are Creamy Peppermint Patties. If you like the York Peppermint Patties, you will love these. They are a little bit of work, but so worth it!

Ingredients
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
9 cups confectioners' sugar
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons shortening

Directions
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and extract until smooth. Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating well.
Shape into 1-in. balls. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Flatten into patties.Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until chilled.
In a microwave, melt chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Dip patties in melted chocolate, allowing excess to drip off; place on waxed paper until set. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: about 4 dozen.

Linked to Raising Olives

Fluff Talk Thursday!

This week's Fluff Talk Thurday Topic is sewing your own diapers. Since I have zero experience with this topic and have never owned a decent sewing machine, you should head over to Happily Domestic and see what others have to say it.

Instead, I've decided to review a few of my favorite diapers for you.

First up has been my absolute favorite that I've tried, the BumGenius OS Organic Cotton AIO.
This is the most absorbant diaper I have used. Mr. Lovebug can wear it a good 3 hours without a leak. It is also very trim. I've only had it for about 3 months, so I didn't get to try it on a younger baby. It would probably be bulkier, but I think it still would be very trim compared to most one size diapers. I also really like that the layers seperate so it dries faster than most AIOs. The only down side to these is that they are fairly pricey compared to a lot of other one size diaper, but I think they are still worth it.

My next favorite is a toss up between Bum-Ware AIOs and Grobabys. I love the Bum-Ware because they are really really trim. They are also quite absorbant for being so trim. They come in velcro which doesn't have any back elastic and snaps which does. I usually prefer snaps for durability, but the back elastic on these left such a deep red mark across Mr. L's back that I prefer the velcro on these. It is a much stronger, more durable velcro than on any of my other diapers though and after tons of use, doesn't look one bit worn out. I also love that they come with a brown suedecloth inner which keeps Lovebug dry and also hides any stains that we might get. One down side to these is that they are sized so you have to buy multiple sizes for your baby. Mr. Lovebug outgrew our medium sizes ones a couple months back and I've been fortunate enough to win quite a few giveaways, so (sadly) I have not had a need to purchase the next size up. I really miss not having to stuff diapers though, so I might have to consider selling a few of our pockets to get some larges.I also really like the GroBaby diapers because they use the organic cotton like the BumGenius ones and are really absorbant. They are also quite a bit cheaper since you only have to buy 1 shell for every 2-3 soakers. They are nice to put in the diaper bag because they don't take up near as much room as other cloth diapers do. The soakers also take up less room in the laundry. One downside is that they are bulkier than I like, but I still like to use them around the house when it doesn't matter. And finally, my favorite nighttime diaper is the Blueberry OS Deluxe with an extra hemp insert. These have yet to fail me at night, we have never had a leak and Mr. Lovebug usually sleeps 11-12 hours. They are fairly trim for being a one size and having 2 inserts in, but he only wears them under his sleepers which have plenty of room in them.

I wish I was craftier and could sew my own diaper, but I'm just not. So for those of you who were blessed with the talent to sew, head on over to Happily Domestic to get some great info about it!

Tasty Tuesday! Monster Cookies

Since I've been very thankful for all the monster cookies I've been eating lately, I thought I would share the recipe with you! This recipe makes a HUGE batch, which can be halved, or rolled into balls and frozen to bake later. (I also like to add extra chocolate chips and M&Ms to make them even better!) Enjoy!

1 lb softened butter
3 lbs peanut butter
2 lbs brown sugar
4 c. white sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
8 tsp baking soda
1 dozen eggs
2 c. chocolate chips
2 c. M&Ms
18 c. oatmeal

Mix all together in a HUGE bowl, drop onto cookie sheets in whatever size you like, and bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Fluff Talk Thursday!

This weeks topic: Stinky Diapers!

Beth over a Happily Domestic has a great post about stinky diapers from guest writer, Sherrie, owner of Itty Bitty Baby Bunz. It has tips about how to prevent and treat stinky diapers, so after you read mine, go check it out!

I haven't had too much of a stink issue with my diapers. Most of my diapers and inserts are made from natural materials that don't generally get stink issues, but I have a few microfiber ones that do occassionally have a smell. To prevent the stink from getting in them, I usually put a Downy ball filled with a little vinegar in the wash with my diapers and that seems to do a great job for me. I don't think my detergent (the Costco Kirkland Signature brand) is on any of the recommended detergent lists, but I have never had a problem with it. I also try to hang them out to dry in the sunshine whenever possible. If my diapers do start to stink, I strip them by washing them in hot water 4-5 times and then they are good to go again!

Tasty Tuesday! Eggnog Pancakes

Here's another great eggnog recipe for you to try out!

Eggnog Pancakes

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1-1/2 cups Twin Brook Creamery eggnog
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Directions
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg if desired. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, eggnog and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
Pour batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle. Turn when bubbles form on top; cook until second side is golden brown.