If you were at our most recent MOPS meeting, you may have tried the yummy Samoa bars brought by Laura Stout. She was kind enough to provide the recipe and her modifications from the original recipe.

INGREDIENTS:

• ·         12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate + 2 oz for drizzle
• ·         1 tsp coconut oil* (optional)
• ·         35-40 Fudge Stripe cookies (original recipe was Lorna Doone shortbread cookies)
• ·         14 oz bag of caramels
• ·         3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• ·         3 Tbsp water

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.        Line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.

2.        Melt 12 oz of semi-sweet chocolate over a double boiler or in the microwave. (Laura added the coconut oil to help the chocolate melt better).

3.        Spread the melted chocolate to your desired thickness on the baking sheet.

4.        Top your warm chocolate evenly with Fudge Stripe cookies.

5.        Place baking sheet in freezer while you do the next steps.

6.        In a non-stick skillet on medium-low heat, toast coconut, stirring occasionally. This will take about 10 minutes or so, but be watchful because once it starts to brown it happens quickly! When the coconut is toasted, set aside.

7.        Meanwhile unwrap all your caramels and place them in a medium saucepan along with 3 Tbsp of water over medium-low heat.

8.        Stir continuously until the caramel has JUST melted. You don’t want to over heat the caramel, as it will make it hard. Immediately fold in your toasted coconut.

9.        Remove your chocolate from the freezer and spread the caramel/coconut evenly on top.

10.     Melt your remaining 2 oz of chocolate using whatever melting process you prefer and drizzle over the top of the caramel/coconut.

11.     Put back in the freezer for 5 minutes to set the chocolate.

12.     Cut and enjoy! Store in an airtight container.

Here is the link to the original recipe:

http://cookiesandcups.com/samoa-bark/

Just a reminder that it is, in fact, Girl Scout cookie time! Both Janette and Laura have girls that are in Scouts and would be happy to get help you get your fix cookies. I am not sure how long the order time is, so you may want to email them to let them know your order.

It is also Super Bowl time! Dig out your favorite recipes and forward them to me at dawn (dot) contreras (at) gmail (dot) com or even better, bring them to us at MOPS so we can enjoy the deliciousness. Our next meeting is Thursday, February 12th. We start at 9:30 am, so be there before then to get some snacks and drop off your kiddo(s) with Ms. Denise in childcare.

Broken, Bruised, or "Brush it off!"

When your kiddo has fallen and is crying like this, do you know what to do?  How do you know when to go to the ER and when to tell them to "stand up and brush it off?" When is a cut deep enough to need stitches?  How can you tell if a bone is broken or just going to leave a nasty bruise?

Come to MOPS this Thursday to find the important answers to all these questions and SO much more.  We'll have a seasoned Red Cross expert who also happens to be a mom! Come with any and all questions, and she will have prepared topics to teach as well.

What: MOPS
When: Thursday, Jan 22nd
What Time: 9:30am...try to arrive a few minutes early if you need childcare
Who: YOU!
Where: Erin Presbyterian Church, 200 Lockett
(Park next to the playground and enter the double doors there.)
Why:  Food, Fun, and Finally getting a minute with other adults

*Bring something yummy to share and MOPS will provide the coffee...AND then give the recipe to Dawn so she can share it through the blog!  (See previous blog post for details.)

*Bring your dues if you can ($30 if no childcare is needed or $35 if you use childcare)

See you there!

Introducing-Tried and True Recipes

If you are anything like me, you have a Pinterest account with hundreds of recipes and you’ve tried maybe…….20 or 30. There is just not a lot of time to try new recipes that we aren’t sure are going to work out. Plus, it can get a little pricey to buy a bunch of ingredients and then have a recipe flop.

Sooooo, we are trying a new addition to the blog-Tried and True Recipes. 

We have had some yummy treats at our MOPS meetings and get togethers. If there is a goodie that you enjoyed, let us know! We will get the recipe and put it on the blog for all to enjoy. OR if you have a recipe that you love to make and that gets rave reviews, tell us and we will share it with the world. Or at least those that see this blog J

Please email the recipe or your request to dawn(dot)contreras at gmail(dot)com or you can just write it down and hand it to me (Dawn) at our next meeting.

This rich, buttery treat is one that I have made for years. I will bring it to our next meeting (Thursday, January 22 at 9:30) so you can try it out.

Saltine Toffee

2-3 sleeves of saltine crackers

1 Cup of butter

1 Cup of brown sugar

1 bag of chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)

¾-1 Cup of chopped pecans (toasted almonds are good too)

-Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

-Line a cookie sheet with foil, then line cookie sheet with saltines on top of the foil. You will probably have to break some crackers to cover the foil.

-Combine butter and brown sugar in saucepan. Bring to a soft boil and boil for 3 minutes.

-Pour butter/brown sugar over crackers and spread to cover completely.

-Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

-Remove from oven and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. Spread melting chocolate to cover the sugar/butter/cracker goodness.

-Top with nuts

-Cool completely in the fridge. Once cool, cut or break into pieces and remove from cookie sheet. 

MOPS Make-Up- THIS Thursday!

So, we all like each other so much (and we like Julie's clever crafts!) that we can't stand to not see each other.  Therefore, we have rescheduled last week's meeting that was canceled.

We are meeting THIS THURSDAY...like, in 2 days...January 15th for a make-up meeting.  Same time and place as usual. Bring food to share if you feel inclined. Bring dues if you can ($35 with childcare $30 if no childcare is needed).

Make-up, get it?  Okay, not funny. 

For future reference, here is our MOPS cancelation policy: 

 If Knox County schools are delayed an hour then so is MOPS (push us back to a 10:30 start). 

 If the schools are delayed 2 hours or canceled than we are canceled as well. 

Boo. MOPS CANCELED TOMORROW.

Ceri said it best: Boo, MOPS is canceled tomorrow due to Knox County being on a 2 hour delay.

See you all on Thursday, January 21st for our wonderful Red Cross speaker, Mary Franklin.

Stay warm!

New Year for New Friends AT MOPS

It's a new year with new (or repeat) and optimistic resolutions.  Why not make joining MOPS and getting plugged into a community of fun-loving moms part of your goals for 2015?! Oh, you had already planned on doing that?  Fantastic!

We'll kick off 2015 with a meeting this Thursday, January 8th at 9:30am at Erin Presbyterian Church.
(Hey, maybe we could all have the resolution to actually get to MOPS on time in 2015.  And anyone who aims to lose weight this year, feel free to bring all your left over holiday treats to MOPS.  We'll gladly help you eliminate the calories that are currently lingering in your home.)

See you there! On time...maybe. ;)


P.S. I have an idea- how about we do our White Elephant gift exchange in January next year or do another one in a couple weeks because I definitely got some presents that I can't wait to re-gift to someone else.

P.P.S.  As a friendly reminder- new year means dues for MOPS.  See Jannette or Alicia for info on scholarship if funds are tight. No mom has a reason not to join.