Review: Betty Crocker No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites

     Not going to lie, this Friday has been one of those days. Yesterday afternoon, I had a moment of clarity about some things that have been going on in my life. This clarity has made me realize some things about some of the main relationships in my life that either need to change or that need to be stopped. I've been dealing with one of them since last night/this morning & it has been emotionally draining hence why I don't have a brand new recipe. I will have one next Friday though.

Until then, I wanted to share a product that I reviewed as part of one of the Influencer networks I belong to. I could choose from any Betty Crocker product & I chose to try the No-Bake Cookie Dough Bites. I picked the Birthday Cake & the Cookies & Cream flavors. Below is how to make them. They are super easy & didn't take more than 15 minutes to make.

In the box, come the mix that is the Birthday Cake batter. I emptied that into a clean bowl.

In a different bowl, you combine 8oz softened cream cheese & 1 tbsp of butter. You microwave this until the butter is melted (I did it for 45 seconds). Once the butter is melted, you still the two ingredients together.

 Once the butter & cream cheese are mixed, you add it to the birthday cake mix.

When all three ingredients are mixed together, you get a cookie dough ball.

From the dough you can make 18 bites (or less if you want them larger). I placed them on an baking sheet after they were formed. I then sat them to the side.

After the bites are made, you take the white chocolate chips that were included & melt them in a bowl. I melted these for about 30 seconds or until the chips are completely melted.Once the chips were melted partly, I stirred it to smooth it out. 

Finally, I drizzled the white chocolate on the cookie dough bites. Once all the chocolate was used, I placed them in the fridge until they become hard (it was about 1 hour).

The end result is on top. Between the two, I liked the birthday cake better than the cookies & cream. These are great if you just want a taste of something sweet or for a party.

I'm finally going to play with this handpie maker I have this weekend along with reading & finishing my last courses. Until next week, Peace & blessings, everyone have a great weekend & be safe.

Thoughtful Thursday

          I can't believe its' already Thursday. This week has flown by for some reason. Not sure why but I've forgot what day it was again. There's not really anything to update. Just the usual, getting my certifications done for all the courses I'm taking for fun, trying to not slack at life, & weighing my options about moving to Wordpress. Other than that, here are some thoughts/quotes for today:

Tomorrow, I'm going to post another recipe. It maybe food or it maybe a drink recipe. Who knows at this point. Peace & Blessings, everyone. Be safe out there & have a great Thursday.

Recipe: Watermelon Feta Salad

     A few years, when I worked at a country club working in catering/as a bartender in the 19th hole they used to make a salad similar to this. The difference between the one that the club made & this one is that they did it on skewer instead on in a bowl. It is a super easy & quick side. Here is how I made mine:

First, I cubed four slices of watermelon in a bowl. It was about 2 1/2 cups worth.

I then added 2 tbsp of Chia seeds & 1 tsp of salt. I've been really into Chia seeds for a while for some reason. I mixed that together to get the salt evenly dispersed. 

To that mixture, I added 4oz of feta cheese. After that, I mixed all the ingredients together.

Below is the recipe card for my version of this salad:

If you want to try another take The Southern Source has one I would suggest trying. Until next week, Peace & Blessings. I hope everyone stays safe & have a great weekend!!

Thoughtful Thursday

     Happy Thursday. Is anyone else trying to stay out of the heat or is it just me? I'm worried about what July & August are going to look like. Usually, when its' this hot in June in Alabama, late summer ends up worse. Not sure if it's even possible for it to get more humid than it is now. Hopefully, it'll cool down sooner later (that's a big maybe). 

Outside of dealing with the weather, I'm working on content for the next few weeks, writing an article for a copywriting job I applied for, making a list of things I need to do/want to talk care of before the end of the month & some other self-improvement things. Until then, here are some quotes & thoughts for today:

I've decided on Fridays, I'm going to start posting recipes that I've made in the last few weeks. I'm going to be posting one tomorrow. Peace & Blessing, all.

Relaxation Tips during Trying Times

Via

     Between all of the things going on in the world & many of our personal lives, I think we all need to find ways to relax. Mental health issues have become a topic of decision during this time. I know that I talked about why you should try therapy one one post. There are some people though who do know how to relax or take time to help themselves. Today, I'm going to talk about some relaxation tips. I do some of these on the regular while some I'll be trying out.  Below are some suggestion from Heathline & Verywellmind. 

-Breathing Exercises : Can be used anywhere & anytime. These are easy to do & work fairly quickly. 

-Meditation: Good for developing positive attitude. Long-term practice can aid in reducing stress.

-Exercise: Exercise is a great way to release stress and blow off steam. It can aid in relaxation as well. 

-Supplements: A number are used to benefit in helping reduce stress & anxiety including, Lemon balm, Ashwagandha, Green tea, & Valerian. *Some supplements can interact with medications or have side effects, so you may want to consult with a doctor if you have a medical condition.

-Reducing caffeine: Caffeine can be healthy in moderate does. However in high doses, it can increase anxiety. If you are jittery or anxious, it is suggested you cutback or out your intake.

-Writing/journaling: Write what you're grateful for can move your thoughts from the negative happening to the positive aspects in life.

-Socializing: Right now this one is tough at the moment. Spending time with friends have been found to release, oxytocin, a natural stress reliever. Both genders are found to suffer from depression & anxiety if they are lacking social connections.

-Practicing Mindfulness: A few ways to practice mindfulness include mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, & yoga. 

Sources: 16 Simple Ways to Relieve Stress & Anxiety & Top 5 Tips for Relaxation and Stress Relief

If anyone tries any of these tips, I would love to know. Peace & blessings, have a great day & stay safe, everyone!!

Recipe: Beer Cheese

   Happy Friday! This is going up super late on this hot Friday but better late than never. I made this  recipe for the first time last weekend. It turned out so good, that I'm actually going to make it again either tonight or sometime tomorrow. Below, are the step by step recipe along with pictures & the ingredients:

Recipe:

Heat butter until melted on medium heat.

Whisk flour & mustard into pan with butter.

 Change heat to medium low heat once roux is made. Add in the beer & milk slowly.

 Cook for 3-5 minutes on low until sauce is thickened. Whisk in cheddar until melted.

This is the end result of the beer cheese.

I served it with these soft pretzel bites that I bought at the store. 

I think since I've gotten back into cooking again, that I am going to start posting more recipes again. If there are any recipes or ingredients you would like to see me make something with, let me know. The rest of the weekend is going to be me reading more books & working on blog post since I really didn't get time to myself to do that this past week.

Until Monday, peace & blessings. Be safe & have a great weekend!!!

Thoughtful Thursday

     Happy Thursday! Can't believe that it already July & half the year is over. To say that it has been a crazy six months is an understatement. I'm going to try to post more this month. We'll see how that goes. I'm going to post a dip recipe tomorrow since I was not able to post it yesterday. My plans this weekend are to go ahead & set up all my post for the rest of the month along with my social media for it. Outside of that I plan to catch up on reading all my book. That's one of my post for next week: all the books I read in June & my review of them. Other than that here are some thoughts/ quotes for today:

The recipe that I'm going to post is something that I've never made before. I actually turned out pretty good. I'm excited to share it with all of you. Until tomorrow, peace & blessings everyone.