One of the best parts of the holidays, other than seeing your loved ones of course, is all the food.  I tried to stock up on as much free food as I could this break.  Another plus was getting to use my mom’s ingredients to cook.  While I was home, my mother and I picked out this recipe for mini cinnamon roll cookies.  They are adorable and yummy.

Here are the ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1-3/4 cup sugar, divided
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

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Now, roll the dough into 1 inch balls and press them gently on the cookie pan.  If they are too thin they will burn and if they are to thick they run the risk of not getting cooked completely.  Also make sure they are at least an inch apart so they don’t mold together.  I fit a good fifteen on the tray.

Next, they go in the oven at 375 for 6-8 minutes.  I found 9 minutes to be perfect for the oven I was using.  Let them cool and tada!

Perfect.  I had some cookie icing, so I decided to add a little decoration and extra sugar.

For more recipes with Pillsbury products visit here http://www.pillsbury.com/Recipes

Normally, I would be completely fine with making some sweet chocolate dessert.  This week was different.  It was probably a combination of having worked with sweets so much lately and the fact that I have to try on wedding dresses in a couple weeks.  Anyway, I decided to go with a healthier sweet treat: fruit.  Given, fruit pizza is probably not the healthiest thing out there.  At least it is a change of pace.

I made a very simple recipe and only had to buy one item.  Here are the ingredients for the cookie crust:

• 1 Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup butter or margarine

Combine all the ingredients in medium bowl.  Then press dough in greased pan.  (Picture on next page)

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I wanted to make something fall-ish this weekend.  My first idea was to make halloween cupcakes.  However, to make good cupcake, you need quite a few ingredients and since this is a blog about cooking on a budget I decided to go with something easier.  Growing up, my mom worked at a candy shop as a chocolate dunker (no idea what the real term is).  Anyway every year, they made these huge, expensive, chocolate covered apples.  They were covered in nuts and different kinds of chocolate.  I always wanted one but I definitely wouldn’t be able to finish one and it would be a waste of money.  

So I was thinking of this memory when I found this recipe.

So lets get started.  Here are the ingredients.

• 5 Gala Apples
• 1 bag chocolate chips
• 1 bag white chocolate chips
• 1 pkg. caramel wraps

I already had the apples and chocolate chips so a small purchase was all it took to make this easy recipe. 

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I planned to make lots of treats over fall break given I was one of the only people on campus and thought I would have lots of time on my hands.  Unfortunately this was not the case and only had time for one cooking session.  Sad but I am very happy with my choice.  I decided to continue on my love of the chocolate and cream cheese combination (See).  I did have a mishap in the process but, in my opinion, it ended up being for the better.

Ingredients needed for this recipe are:

• 2 8 oz. pkgs. of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil (dependent on brownie mixture)
• 1 box of brownie mix

You can make the brownies from scratch but requires a lot more ingredients if you don’t already own them.  Also, I used fat-free cream cheese, mostly because I would like to not gain weight due to this project.  It tasted just as good.

First you should preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Next step is to make the brownies.  Just add some water, vegetable oil and an egg and mix. Not too difficult. Picture after jump.

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When I told my roommate about this project, the first words out of her mouth were “Please make Oreo Balls!”  Of course I considered many other options to begin my blog with but kept coming back to this treat.  After all, what is better than an easy treat with only three ingredients.  Plus one of those ingredients is Oreos. Who doesn’t like Oreos?  Every college student should know this recipe.  So here we go.

As long as you have a couple bowls, big spoon or spatula and wax paper, you only need three more things:  

• 1 package Oreo cookies
• 1 8 oz. package of cream cheese
• 1 pound dark melting chocolate 

I am pleased to announce I bought them all at walmart for under $7.

Most recipes will recommend you put the cookies in a food processor.  Given I do not own a food processor and my arms are not broken, I did it the old fashioned way. I put 1 row of cookies in a plastic bag.  (See after the jump)

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