"Eat The Cookie...Buy The Shoes"

"Eat The Cookie...Buy The Shoes", a great summer read by Joyce Meyer that I have been enjoying.  It's a book for women about "giving yourself permission to lighten up".  It's a very spiritual and inspiring book that reminds us gals, "Fun and enjoyment are needs in our lives, and we can't be healthy without them".

I took Joyce's advice...I stumbled on these darling shoes (on sale of course).  They were the last pair in my size, so of course it was meant to be that they were waiting there for me...and I made a batch of these "oh my goodness - very naughty cookie bars".  I don't know what else to call them except naughty!  Pure bliss in one bite!

They were also the perfect dessert for my family...my husband loves chocolate chip brownies, my oldest daughter prefers Oreos, my youngest daughter is partial to chocolate chip cookies...and let's face it, I'm addicted to all three of them and I'm not even going to try and deny it.

Naughty Cookie Bars

Inspired by Joyce Meyer

"Eat The Cookie...Buy The Shoes"

1 tub refrigerated pre-made cookie dough (or make your own)

1 package Double Stuff Oreo cookies

1 box, family size, brownie mix (plus ingredients needed to prepare)

1/2 bag mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with parchment paper.

Spread layer of cookie dough evenly over the parchment paper.

Place rows of Oreo cookies on top of the cookie dough.

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions.

Spread the prepared brownie mix over the Oreo cookies.

Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the brownie mix.

Bake at 350 degrees approximately 30- 45 minutes.

Depending on your oven, start checking it after 30 minutes

and brownies are baked through.

One Year Ago: Spinach, Chicken, Bacon Pizza

Two Years Ago: Snickerdoodles

Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones

This past weekend was my 18th wedding anniversary.  Last year we had the fortunate blessing of being able to take our family to Mauni Lani Resort in Kona for a special, beautiful anniversary week.

With all our unfortunate weather we have been having this month, it has made me yearn for Hawaii even more this week.  Our first morning we woke up on the island, my husband and I treated ourselves to a taste of Hawaii with Kona coffee and chocolate chip coconut scones.  I have been desperately craving them since.

Last year's Kona coffee and anniversary scones.

Well, I was determined this week to bring back some of those tastes and wonderful memories of our family vacation to us this week.  I started off this weekend with creating my own Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones.  Oh dear heaven, they were amazing!!

Chocolate Chip Coconut Scones
Adapted from Joy The Baker
(makes 12 scones)

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons raw or granulated sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
1 large egg
3/4 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons buttermilk
1/2 cup shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

buttermilk and sugar for topping, before baking

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place shredded coconut on parchment paper lined baking sheet

and toast in the oven about 8 to 10 minutes.

Keep your eye on the coconut, it browns quickly.

Remove from oven when toasted and let cool.

* Heat oven now to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Toss the cold butter into the flour mixture.  Using your hands,

quickly work the butter into flour mixture, breaking it up with

your fingers.  Some butter bits will be the size of small pebbles,

 and some will be the size of oat flakes.  Set in the refrigerator for a few minutes.

Whisk together buttermilk and egg.

Remove the flour and butter mixture from the refrigerator and

add the coconut and chocolate chips.  Whisk together.

Make a well in the center of mixture.  Add the buttermilk

mixture all at once to the well.  Use a fork to bring the wet and 

dry ingredients together.  Mixture will be shaggy.

Lightly flour a work surface and dump the shaggy dough mixture

onto the counter.  Bring together the dough with your hands into

a 1-1/2 inch thick disk.  Use a 2-1/2 inch square pastry cutter to

cut out scones.  Flour the cutter if it starts to stick.

Place scones about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.

(I used the same sheet that I toasted the coconut).

Brush with a bit of buttermilk and sprinkle a few pinches 

of granulated sugar.

 Bake scones for 14-18 minutes, until golden brown and cooked

through.  Remove from oven and serve warm.

Aloha!!!