Friday, January 2, 2026

Craving Cookies? Try These Shortbread Recipes Tonight!

With a simple, three-ingredient recipe and Scottish origins, shortbread cookies are an incredibly popular dessert. Today, there are a number of different ways to prepare this buttery, crumbly cookie, each providing a different take on the classic recipe. Here are three unique shortbread cookie recipes.

Super-Easy Shortbread [Food.com]
If you don’t have much time to bake or you simply want to create a more traditional style of shortbread, this is a great recipe to try. It uses the standard ingredients of butter, sugar, and flour, and the golden color around the edges makes each cookie taste perfectly browned.

Shortbread Cookies Recipe & Video [Joy of Baking]
If you’re a more visual learner, this video recipe will show you exactly how to prepare rich shortbread cookies for your friends and family. It also includes a chocolate dipped version that teaches you how to create a semisweet chocolate coating on one half of the cookie.

Great-Aunt Annie’s Traditional Shortbread [Martha Stewart]
Martha Stewart’s classic shortbread recipe uses higher quality versions of the usual staple ingredients. Unsalted butter, confectioner’s sugar, and cake flour give this cookie recipe a rich taste and a pie-like shape that’s cut into wedge pieces.

Easy Chocolate Pretzel Bites

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Put a piece of foil on a cookie sheet and lay out however many pretzels you want to make. After your pretzels are laid out, place a candy melt on each pretzel.

After you’ve placed a candy melt each pretzel, put it in to the oven. Baking time will vary based on your oven and what type of chocolate you use. I’ve had it take less than a minute, I’ve had it take two minutes. I’ve never had it take too much longer than that, so stay close and watch for the candy melts to start getting melty. You don't want them to completely melt, you just want them to warm up enough to soften so that you can place M&Ms on each.

Have your M&Ms ready so that you can place them onto your chocolate pretzels the moment the pretzels come out of the oven. Just lightly drop an M&M onto each candy melt, and gently press into the chocolate. Remember, they will be hot, so watch your fingers! Let them cool and give time for the chocolates/candy melts to set up. If you are really in a hurry, pop them in the fridge for a about 20 minutes. Otherwise they take around one to two hours for the chocolate / candy melts chocolate to set up so that they are firm.

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Chess Squares

1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
4 cups (1 lb) powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 300 and spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray. Mix cake mix, melted butter and one egg to a soft dough. Press into the bottom of the pan. Mix powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and remaining two eggs until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Pour on top of crust. Bake at 300 for 40-50 minutes until top is golden brown.

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Creamy Garlic Mushrooms

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 – 20 minutes
Yield: 2
Ingredients:
8 oz or 225 g whole white mushrooms
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of cream cheese (you can also use low fat variety)
1 teaspoon of fresh or dry herbs, such as tarragon, basil, parsley
salt & pepper
1 teaspoon of Olive Oil

Instructions:

  1. Heat a pan with a teaspoon of oil and add the mushrooms and garlic on medium heat. Stir and toss until soft and a little liquid is released from the mushrooms. If the mushrooms do not release any liquid, add a couple of tablespoons of milk or broth. (Sometimes, depending on the season, mushrooms can vary in juiciness!)
  2. Then add the cream cheese and combine. Add the herbs and season to your taste with salt and pepper.
  3. TIP: To avoid the cream cheese from splitting, you should make sure the heat is not too hot, if you are not sure, remove the pan from the heat whilst you add the cream cheese, combine well, then return to a gentle heat until the sauce is bubbling gently and heated through completely. As you know, any cream products have a tendency to split or curdle if you add them to any high temperatures, so do not turn the heat up!!
  4. Serve straight from the pan, or you can transfer to an oven dish and place in the oven (covered) to keep warm until you are ready to serve.

TOP TIP! Some other ways to change this recipe up :

  • Add some chopped bacon.
  • Sprinkle some grated cheese and or breadcrumbs over the top and place under the grill/broiler until golden and melted.
  • Add some onion with the mushrooms.

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Follow These Steps to Help Make Recycling Easy at Home

Whether you already recycle at home or you want to turn your household into a more environmentally friendly space, it helps to learn a few essential facts before you begin. Follow these simple steps for creating an efficient and effective recycling setup at home, and learn to make it easy as well.

  1. Research local guidelines. Every area has different rules when it comes to recycling, and it is very important to learn your area’s guidelines before you begin. Find out what materials your local recycling facility accepts (for example, some cities don’t recycle glass) and learn when and where pick-up is in your neighborhood.
  2. Add a separate recycling bin. To make separating recyclables easier, add a designated bin aside from your garbage can. Single-stream recycling programs enable you to put all of your recyclables in one bin, but if your city practices a dual-stream program, you’ll have to add separate bins for things like glass, paper products, and plastics.
  3. Recycle less common items. Though many people don’t realize it, you can also recycle things like batteries, automobile fluids, and electronics. Search sites like Earth 911 to learn where these types of recycling facilities exist in your area.

Making Recycling Work at Home [Earth911.com]
Recycling Made Easy With Oliver Heath [Recycle Now]
Residential Waste Systems Blog [RWS]

Cheesy Vegetable Chowder (AKA Broccoli Cheese Potato Soup)

Ingredients

5 1/2 Tbsp butter, divided
1 1/3 cups chopped carrots (about 3)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 small)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
3 1/2 cups peeled and cubed russet potatoes, cut 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick (2 large)
3 cups chopped broccoli florets (from about 2 heads)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 cups milk (preferably 1% or 2%)
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 oz)
1/3 cup finely shredded parmesan cheese (1 oz)

Directions

In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbsp of the butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and sauté 3 – 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds longer. Stir in chicken broth, potatoes and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and cook 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cook 5 minutes longer or until veggies are tender.

Meanwhile, melt remaining 4 Tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk (whisk well until no lumps remain). Cook stirring constantly until mixture begins to gently boil and thicken, stir in heavy cream. Remove from heat and once all veggies are tender pour into the soup and stir. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and parmesan cheese until melted. Serve warm.

Yield: About 6 servings

Snickerdoodle Mug Cake

Ingredients
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup milk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons salted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For layering/topping:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon until thoroughly, completely combined, with no streaks of any ingredients remaining. Blend in milk, butter, and vanilla until batter is smooth. In a 14-ounce (or larger) microwave-safe mug with straight sides, scoop a big spoonful of batter, then sprinkle with a spoonful of cinnamon sugar. Alternate layers, ending with cinnamon sugar.
2. Microwave on high for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, or until cake is done to your liking. Allow to cool for a couple of minutes before serving.

www.fivehearthome.com
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Crispy Black Bean and Rice Burritos

Ingredients

1 can of black beans
½ can of canned corn
1.5 cup mozzarella or Mexican blend shredded cheese
1 cup cooked rice (Optional)
½ bell pepper, chopped
½ onion, chopped
¼ cup cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoons cumin
juice of half a line
8 medium flour tortillas

Click here for instructions.

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How to Clean Your Home Using Fresh Lemons

If you’re trying to cut down on the harmful chemicals that you use in your home, one of the best ways to do so is by cleaning with fresh lemons. This decades-old cleaning trick not only makes your home smell great, it also acts as a natural disinfectant to help rid your home of germs. Here are a few ways to clean with lemons.

  1. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle coarse salt on the pulp. By using gentle scrubbing motions, you can use this natural combination to clean discolored brass.
  2. Scrub the grout from between ceramic tile in the shower by sprinkling lemon juice onto an old toothbrush.
  3. If your microwave looks (and smells) less than fresh, clean it with a lemon. Simply heat ¾ cup of water and two tablespoons of lemon juice just until it almost boils, then let it sit for 10 minutes and wipe with a damp cloth.
  4. Dilute lemon juice in a spray bottle with water and use it to lightly disinfect countertops.
  5. Remove stains and bacteria from wooden cutting boards by rubbing as hard as you like with lemon juice and a scrub brush.
  6. Soak plastic food containers in lemon juice and water in order to remove built-up food odors and stains.

24 things you can clean with lemon [Mother Nature Network]
10 Ways to Clean with Lemon [iVillage]
How to Use Lemons to Clean Your Home [Quick and Dirty Tips]

Oreo Cupcakes

Ingredients

For the cupcakes
1 box of triple chocolate cake mix
1 cup of vegetable oil
1 larger size box of unprepared chocolate pudding
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup of water
About a cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
about 6 very chopped Oreos

For the frosting
1 package of cream cheese, 8oz. at room temp.
4 cups powder sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 container of Cool Whip, 8oz. thawed

Visit www.thenymelrosefamily.com for the full recipe.

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