Today is the last day our chosen recycling guy comes and picks up our recycling before we move. He has been great! I love that he pretty much collects anything. We don’t have to separate any kind of plastics, metal or glass. Chris takes it all. He also takes all paper and cardboard. I just keep the stuff in bins in the garage and every two weeks he stops by and picks up whatever I put out on the curb for him. What I love the most is that he does this to help the environment, he’s made that his life. He makes a lot less money than the big garbage company that will come—but they only take a few certain items. I LOVE recycling. I never used to even bother. But why not?
I get so annoyed on garbage collection days when I’m out for my morning jog and I see how much stuff people are throwing away that could be recycled—which is shockingly a TON of stuff. I’m not a big “Save the planet” activist, but I have become a firm believer in recycling—because—why not? It doesn’t take much time and it really does feel good to know all the junk that we’d at least be throwing in a landfill is being recycled if it can. If you live in the Lawrence, KS area, I strongly recommend you checking out Chris’ Sunflower Curbside Recycling. If you decide you can’t afford his minimal monthly fee, you can always take your things to your local recycle center for free.
Off my high horse, the reason for this post is really to share with you a cookie I created this morning to give to Chris when he comes by for the last time to thank him for his service. I think it’s a mighty good cookie!
Have you ever noticed on the boxes of cereal that there are usually recipes on the back or sides? I like looking at them. Sometimes I’m inspired to try them. I had to laugh about the latest though. I very seldom buy store brand items of really anything. I’ve just found that I like name brand things better. That said, I recently bought two boxes of store brand cereal—because I’m not the one who will be eating it and the kids don’t seem to care. On the box of cereal is a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that have some of the cereal added. All it says on the front of the box is “oat cereal”. It is really a spittin’ image of Life Cereal. Now I’ve seen on box recipes where they list one of two of the ingredients and say “store brand” chocolate chips or “store brand” butter, etc. This recipe has every single item listed saying “store brand” I’m leaving the name of the store blank, you could insert your favorite grocery store name and get the idea. But EVERY item, sugar, brown sugar, butter, peanut butter, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking soda, cereal and chocolate chips ALL say you should use the “store brand”. It cracked me up. I hate to tell you “Store Company”, but I never buy your brand of EVERYTHING! But you did make up a pretty good little cookie that I took off and totally adapted this one from. So thanks.
Toffee Caramel Delight Chocolate Chip Cookies, adapted by Katrina, Baking and Boys!
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Skippy Natural)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (150 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (75 grams) Fiber One Caramel Delights Cereal (my addition)
1/4 cup (60 grams) milk chocolate toffee bits
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Cream butter and peanut butter together until smooth in bowl of electric mixer. Add the sugars and beat together for 2 minutes. Scrape sides of bowl. Beat for another minute. Add egg and vanilla and continue beating for one more minute. Scrape sides of bowl again.
Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and beat just to combine. Stir in by hand the cereal, toffee bits and chocolate chips. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes (I did 9 minutes). Let sit on baking sheets for about 5 minutes. Remove to cooling racks. Makes about 3 dozen.
I saw this Fiber One cereal in the store a few weeks ago and decided to try it out. It is super sweet. I would never guess that it’s a fiber filled cereal! I would not be able to just have a bowl of it for breakfast. I like munching on a handful here and there. But thought they’d be really good thrown in a cookie. And it IS really good! This Fiber One cereal has 9 grams of fiber per one cup serving. It tastes like a sweetened, caramel-y version of a graham cereal. Hmmm? Maybe I’ll play around with a S’mores/crispy kind of bar.
Throw some cereal in your next cookie! ;)