1. we were carving pumpkins (again... the first developed a bug/mold problem in a ridiculously short amount of time. About 2 days. This is what comes of 90 degree weather + humidity in late October.)
2. We are tearing down part of our house. So there are jackhammers and sledgehammers and dust and concrete debris and all sorts of other things little boys love.
3. We made monster cookies - pretty much the best little boy cookies ever.
First, we mixed up the dough. Even two 5 year olds cooking couldn't make my kitchen as dirty as the chaos outside :)
Then I scooped the batter out for them and they made monster faces using Reese's Peices (you can also use M&Ms, but I liked the orange-black-yellow color scheme.
Either way, the finished product was delicious! I doubt the trick-or-treaters will complain.
I stole this recipe from my mother-in-law... these are one of my husband's favorites.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
3 eggs
2 cups peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 1/2 cups quick oats uncooked (may also use old-fashioned for a different texture)
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate morsels
1 cup (or more) M&Ms or Reese's or other candy coated chocolatey bits of goodness.
In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugars. Add the eggs, peanut butter, and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Add the oats, soda, and salt. Beat on low until just combined. Add chocolate chips. At this point, you can also add the M&Ms, but I like to let the boys make faces.
Scoop VERY LARGE scoops onto a cookie sheet. You can use a 1/4 cup measuring cup for this, or a melon baller, giving each cookie 2 scoops. Drop the dough about 3 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Spread out M&Ms and let the kids make monster faces.
Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes (depending on cookie size). The outside edge of each cookie should be light brown.