The BEST Homemade Frozen Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Is there anything better than warm cookies right of the oven? My boys are obsessed with my homemade chocolate chip cookies, but it's not always convenient to serve them straight from the oven. That's why I love having frozen balls of chocolate chip cookie dough "ready to go" in the freezer. If you haven't tried this little trick, you are missing out!

I start by mixing up my favourite chocolate chip cookie dough recipe. You can find the full recipe here.

I use a cookie scoop to place balls of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet covered with a sheet of parchment paper. Then, I cover the cookie balls with a piece of plastic wrap, and place them in the freezer until frozen... about 4 hours or overnight. 

You can find the inexpensive cookie scoop I use here. (affiliate link)

When the cookie balls are completely frozen, they can be placed in a freezer bag until you are ready to bake them. (Cookie dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months if it is wrapped well.)

When you are ready to bake the cookies, just place the frozen cookie balls on a cookie sheet, and bake like you normally would... adding a couple of minutes to the cooking time. They are soooo delicious!

I love this process for making chocolate chip cookies, but you could use it with other recipes too. 

It's so wonderful having cookie dough in the freezer "ready to go". It's perfect for surprise visitors, after school treats, and school lunches.

Give it a try. I guarantee you won't be disappointed!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like this recipe for oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

Pantry Pancake Mix... with free printable tags

When it comes to cooking for my busy family, I love a good shortcut. It's always helpful to have ingredients for quick meals in my pantry, so this "make ahead" pancake mix is wonderful. It's great to have on hand for making a quick breakfast before school... and the leftover pancakes can be cut up and popped in a thermos for a simple school lunch.

To make pantry pancake mix:

Mix the following dry ingredients in a bowl, and use a funnel to put the mixture into a jar:

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 white sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 tsp salt

Then, add a fun tag to the jar. 

To print the tags I designed: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

When you are ready to make the pancakes:

1) Dump the contents of the jar into a bowl.

2) Add:

• 1/4 cup melted (cooled) butter.
• 2 cups buttermilk (or 2 tbsp vinegar and enough milk to make 2 cups)
• 2 eggs

3) Stir (just until most of the lumps are gone).

4) Add approximately 1/4 cup batter to a buttered/heated skillet.

5) Cook pancakes on one side until bubbles appear, and then flip.

6) Cook the other side until lightly browned.


We serve our pancakes with maple syrup and fruit, and they are delicious!

Pancakes are fantastic served fresh, but you can make them ahead of time and freeze them too. 

Let them cool, put them in a freezer bag, and place them in the freezer. When you are ready to eat them, pop them in the microwave for about 30 seconds or reheat them in the toaster.

I absolutely love having this homemade pancake mix in my pantry. It's simple to make and the pancakes are light and fluffy.

My kids love pancakes, and I love a good shortcut, so this pantry pancake mix is perfect for my family. What's in your pantry that you couldn't live without? Do you have any good mealtime shortcuts to share? I'm always looking for new ideas.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Find more family friendly recipes here.

How to BBQ Donuts

Summer is the perfect time for sparking up the BBQ, but grilling isn't just for meals, it's wonderful for desserts too. For years, I have read about people grilling donuts, but I never got around to trying it... until a few week sago. Let me tell you... grilled donuts are easy to make and they did NOT disappoint!

Step 1 - Buy a box of glazed donuts. We tried chocolate and plain, and the plain were much better. I've heard it works well with old fashioned sugar donuts too. That's next on our list!

Step 2 - Clean your grill really well. You may even want to turn it up really high to burn off any nasty bits of food.


Step 3 - Place donuts on grill (over medium heat).

Step 4 - Cook a couple of minutes on each side. Watch them closely. You want the glaze to caramelize, and you want grill marks... but you don't want them to turn black. You'll want to use tongs and a spatula to keep the donuts from breaking apart.

The donuts will be slightly crispy on the outside, and warm and soft on the inside. You can eat them plain, or you can top them with ice cream and a bit of chocolate sauce.

Grilled donuts were a big hit in my house, and we will definitely be making them again. If you give them a try, let me know what you think.

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also enjoy the campfire treats here.

THE BEST Homemade Ice Cream Sandwiches... from a cake mix!

Summer is synonymous with ice cream, and there is nothing better than a homemade ice cream treat. Today, I am sharing a recipe with you that is easy to make and totally delicious. You are going to love these homemade ice cream sandwiches (made with the help of a cake mix).

The key to these ice cream sandwiches is the easy to make cake mix cookies.


Ingredients for cake mix cookies:

1 box (quality) chocolate cake mix (I like the Duncan Hines chocolate fudge)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tsp real vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 - 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup sugar (for rolling)


Directions for cake mix cookies:

1) Mix cake mix, oil, vanilla and eggs until well blended. 

2) Stir in chocolate chips.

3) Refrigerate dough for 20 minutes for easier rolling.

4) Roll dough into 1-inch balls, roll in sugar, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet about 2-inches apart. (I like to use a cookie scoop to get uniform cookies... and it speeds up the process too!)

5) Bake at 350℃ for 9-11 minutes. Let cool on tray for 1 minute, and then move to a cooling rack. Store in an air tight container.

To transform the cookies into ice cream sandwiches:

Let ice cream soften slightly, flatten a scoop of ice cream on a cutting board, and place ice cream in between two cookies.

This face says it all!

You are going to want to save this recipe, so I made you a printable recipe card. 

To print the recipe card I designed: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

Have you ever tried making your own ice cream sandwiches? The possibilities really are endless. Pick your favourite cookie, pick your favourite ice cream flavour, squish them together, and enjoy!

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

"No Yeast" Whole Grain Soda Bread

*** Based on a recipe I found here.***

I love this recipe because it's simple to make, it's healthy and it tastes delicious. It's almost a cross between a bread and a bran muffin. It's rustic, hearty, doesn't require yeast or kneading, and you can make it in ONE bowl. My boys are obsessed with this whole grain soda bread recipe... and I can't believe how easy it is!

Ingredients:
4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup uncooked grain porridge cereal (e.g. Red River Cereal)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp baking soda
4 cups buttermilk (or, for each cup of buttermilk: put one tablespoon white vinegar in a measuring cup, fill with milk to the 1 cup line, stir, and let sit for 10 minutes)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 1 large bread pan and one muffin tin (or 2 large bread pans or 2 muffin tins).
2) In a very large bowl, whisk together: white flour, whole wheat flour, grain cereal, brown sugar, salt, and baking soda.
3) Form a well in the centre of the flour mixture, and pour in buttermilk.
4) Just mix until the dry ingredients are incorporated. (The batter is not like a traditional bread dough... it is pretty wet. It is more like a muffin batter.)
5) Fill a muffin tin with batter and a bread pan with the remaining batter (which will make 12 rolls and 1 loaf of bread... or 24 rolls... or 2 loaves of bread).
6) Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes and the loaf of bread for 55-60 minutes.

This is a great rustic bread you can throw together quickly in ONE bowl. There is no kneading, and no waiting for the dough to rise. I love it! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

PS... You can find more of my family favourites here.

Warm and Fudgy Valentine's Day Chocolate Cakes (with only three ingredients!)

Valentine's Day is synonymous with chocolate, and today I am sharing a recipe you are definitely going to want to try this year. You literally only need 3 ingredients and 2 minutes to make delicious warm and fudgy Valentine's Day chocolate cakes. 

To make these quick and delicious chocolate cakes, you'll need: 

• 3 tbsp chocolate fudge cake mix
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp semi sweet chocolate chips

Combine the ingredients in a microwave safe ramekin, stir, and microwave for 50 seconds. 

(Note: Be careful when you remove it from the microwave because it will be hot.) 

You can eat the cakes plain, or you can dress them up. I like mine with a little powered sugar and raspberries, but they are great with whipped cream and sprinkles too!

And, of course, milk pairs perfectly with the rich chocolate flavor.

Check out this short video I made with my boys... and don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for more great recipes, crafts and ideas!

These cakes are perfect for Valentine's Day, but they are great any time of the year. If you love warm and fudgy chocolate cakes, you should definitely give this recipe a try. If you make them, let me know what you think. I'm pretty confident that you won't be disappointed!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find MORE easy and inexpensive 

Valentine's Day ideas 

here.

5 Appetizers that are Perfect for any Party

I'm a huge fan of appetizers... especially at parties. What's more fun than sitting around with friends sampling lots of tasty bites? Today, I am sharing 5 recipes for appetizers that are delicious and easy to make. 

Nacho Dip - I love this nacho dip because it doesn't require any cooking. It's simple to throw together and bring to a friend's house. Trust me... the platter will be clean when you leave the party! (Find the recipe here.)

Swiss Cheese Dip - My mom always made this tasty treat when I was little, and it was always a hit. Who doesn't love cheese dips?!?! (You can find the recipe for the warm and gooey cheese dip here.)

Sweet and Sour Meatballs - Meatballs are always a crowd-pleaser, and this sweet and sour version is simple to make and tastes delicious. (You can find the full recipe here.)

Strawberry and Goat Cheese Crostini with Balsamic Glaze - Adding a little fruit to an appetizer makes it lighter and healthier. I love the combination of the creamy goat cheese, the crunchy crostini, the sweet strawberry and the rich balsamic glaze. This appetizer is an explosion of flavors in your mouth. (You can find the full recipe here.)

Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushroom Caps - Stuffed mushroom caps are always a favourite of mine... and this recipe is simple and delicious. You won't believe how easy it is to make this fantastic appetizer. (Find the full recipe here.)

What's your favourite appetizer? I know you won't be disappointed by any of these easy and inexpensive appetizers at your next party.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more recipes here.

Homemade Nuts and Bolts... a DIY holiday gift to give to neighbors and friends

Every year, I make treats to share with my neighbours during the holidays. I love simple DIY gifts that are packaged in a fun way don't you? This year, I filled little jam jars with homemade bits and bites. Today, I'm sharing my recipe (and an adorable packaging idea) for this savory snack.

The best part about this recipe is that you can "change it up" based on what you like. (For example, if you really like Shreddies and don't like Cheerios, you can add more Shreddies and less Cheerios.) As long as you have the same number of "cups" of dry ingredients, you'll be good to go. As a guide, here's what I used...


Ingredients:

7 cups of Rice Chex cereal
4 cups of Shreddies
3 cups of Cheerios
4 cups of pretzels
2 boxes of cheese stick crackers

2 cups of melted salted butter
1 1/2 tbsp seasoning salt
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp paprika


Instructions:

1) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
2) In a large roaster, combine the first 5 ingredients (i.e. all the cereals, pretzels and crackers).
3) In the microwave, melt the butter. Then mix in the seasoning salt, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
4) Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours... stirring gently and thoroughly every 30 minutes. You'll know you are done when the cereal is dry (i.e. all the butter mixture has been absorbed).

You can package the bits and bites in any airtight container, but I put mine in these little 250mL "jam jars". I used curling ribbon to attach gift tags to the jars. Because I used jam jars, my tags had a little play on words. My tags said, "Spreading Christmas Cheer... one jar at a time." Cute, right?

To download the tags I designed: click on the picture below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 4x6 photo.

Don't my little jars look adorable? The treats are delicious too!

Do you have a favorite DIY Christmas gift to give? Or have you gotten one that you absolutely loved? I'd love to hear about it!

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You can find more simple DIY gift ideas here.

"Cookies for Santa" Jars... with free printable tags

Today I am sharing a "sweet" Christmas idea... jars of cookies for Santa. I have the best recipe for delicious cookies and adorable (and FREE) printable gift tags. These cookies jars make great gifts, and they are perfect for baking on Christmas Eve.

Isn't this mason jar filled with cookie ingredients adorable?!?

To make this "Cookies for Santa" jar:

1) Start with a clean 1L mason jar.

2) Layer the ingredients below (patting down each layer before adding the next one):

First layer: 1 3/4 cups flour, 3/4 tsp baking soda, 3/4 teaspoon salt
Second layer: 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
Third layer: 1/2 white sugar
Fourth layer: a 200g bag of red and green M&Ms

To make the process easy: use a wide-mouthed funnel to fill the jars, and make a tool to press down the layers. I attached a round piece of cardboard to the end of skewer and covered it all with tin foil.

3) Print off the cookie tag below, cut it to look like a tag, and attach it to the cookie jar with twine or ribbon. 

To download the tag: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print.

To bake the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Then, beat 3/4 cup softened butter, 1 large egg, and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla in a large mixing bowl until well blended. Add the jar of cookie mix, and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 9-12 minutes.

Isn't this an adorable Christmas DIY? It's a fantastic Christmas cookie recipe, and it's an easy, inexpensive and adorable homemade gift. If you give it a try, let me know what you think.

♥ 
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)