Soft, chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies loaded with oats and creamy peanut butter, these cookies will satisfy all your cookie lovers!

A stack of oatmeal peanut butter cookies on a cooling rack. — All your cookie lovers will be happy with these delicious cookies!

Hey there! It’s Deb stopping by again from Bowl Me Over. Today I’m sharing one of my favorite cookie recipes. This Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookie Recipe has been in our family for years and passed down to me from my Grandma.

Tried and true family recipes are the best don’t you agree?

These cookies are crispy around the edges. Sweet, chewy and delicious! If there is a peanut butter lover in the house, they will love these cookies!

An Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookie with a bite taken out of it! — I dare you to eat just one!

I was paging thru our family cookbook last week and because my hubby has a BIG sweet tooth, I knew I needed to make these cookies! Dan is my official taste tester and has the most discerning pallet.

And he immediately grabbed a handful and went back into his office.

Yep, they definitely passed the Dan taste test! ?

Shopping list for Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

old fashioned oatmeal
brown sugar
butter
eggs
sugar
peanut butter

The cookies are really easy to make!

Directions to make Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

cream together the sugar and softened butter
add the peanut butter, eggs and vanilla – mix again
sprinkle with salt, baking soda and oats thoroughly combine
scoop out cookie dough, shape into a ball and roll in sugar
bake until crispy on the edges, but still soft and chewy

Raw cookie dough balls being rolled in sugar. — Before baking, roll the cookie dough in sugar and place on the baking sheet.

This recipe calls for softened butter, but what if you forget to taken the butter out of the fridge?

Ways to soften butter

Leaving the butter on the counter for about 30 minutes will soften it.
Cutting the butter into small chunks will help it to soften more quickly
Setting the butter over a warm water bath will also soften it.

I prefer to leave it on the counter. By the time I gather the ingredients and preheat the oven, the butter is just about ready to use. I’ve tried microwaving butter for those times I forget and have found it melts it too much and then you’re starting over.

Is the sugar bath optional?

Before baking I roll the cookies in sugar and then lightly press them down with a fork in a criss-cross pattern. Is the sugar bath optional?

Yes, I suppose so, but it makes for such a delicious crispy cookie!

These cookies come out perfectly every time and it makes a ton! About 60 cookies, so it will definitely fill up your cookie jar!

Stacks of oatmeal peanut butter cookies — This makes about 60 cookies!

I have plenty of other great cookies on the blog – Pecan Sandies, Butter Cookies, Butterscotch Cookies and more! All tried and true recipes that we’ve made in our family for years!

Swing by the blog to check them out! I hope you really enjoy this recipe, I know we do!

If you make this cookie be sure to tag me on Instagram @bowl_me_over or with #bowlmeover – share your pictures, I’d love to see them!

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

Soft, chewy Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies loaded with oats and creamy peanut butter, these cookies will satisfy all your cookie lovers!

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar (plus 1/4 cup to roll dough in)
1 cup butter (softened)
2 eggs
5 cups oatmeal (old fashioned)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
1 cup peanut butter (you can use creamy or crunchy peanut butter)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Using a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and butter.
Add the peanut butter, eggs and vanilla – mix again.
Sprinkle in the salt and baking soda. Add the oats thoroughly combine.
Add the reserved sugar to a small bowl .
Using spoons or a small ice cream scoop, scoop out cookie dough, shape into a ball and roll in sugar.
Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crispy on the edges, but still soft and chewy.

Debra Clark blogs over at Bowl Me Over where she shares her love of all things in a bowl! Soups, stews, salads, Buddha bowls, ice cream you name it! Comfort food that is delicious and full of flavor. Most meals are quick and easy!

You can also connect with her on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

OK, so know it’s only August, but I am already getting super excited for fall!

For one, I am so done with this awful heat…ugh. But I am also excited for pumpkins, apple cider, crisp mornings, and of course fall décor.

For some reason, in August I get really excited to start decorating my home and yard for fall. In fact, this whole week I’ve been glued to Pinterest looking for fall themed decorations I could get for my home.

I am so excited to share some of my favorite fall themed home décor items that I’ve found this week with you! So let’s get started!

Harvest Wall Sign

Can’t you just see this cute sign hanging up in your kitchen? Adding this adorable harvest wall sign will really bring the fall theme into your home. Found here: HARVEST WALL SIGN

Rustic Pumpkin Hanging Welcome Sign

Isn’t this welcome sign so cute? This sign would look so good in an entryway (or you could also hang it on your coop for an adorable fall decoration! Get it here: RUSTIC PUMPKIN HANGING WELCOME SIGN

Autumn Harvest Farmhouse Garland

Add a southern fall charm to your home with this gorgeous farmhouse garland. It would look stunning in any room in your home and will bring a cozy autumn feel! Found here: AUTUMN HARVEST FARMHOUSE GARLAND

Autumn Harvest Farmers Market Bucket

I LOVE these fun farmers market buckets! I think they add the perfect rustic appeal to any room in your home. You can use these to display fresh sunflowers for a beautiful fall feel. You can get them here: AUTUMN HARVEST FARMERS MARKET BUCKET

Farm Fresh Pumpkin Wall Sign

The vibrant color of this gorgeous sign is sure to brighten up your home and remind you that it’s fall! This sign would look perfect in your kitchen (or it would be an amazing decoration for a chicken coop!) Get it here: FARM FRESH PUMPKIN WALL SIGN

Oval Distressed Metal Serving Trays

Use these antique serving trays to display all of your fall baked goods! Everyone will want to try some! You could also leave these beauties on your countertop and display flowers and fresh fruit (or mini pumpkins!) to add a rustic fall appeal to your home. Get them here: OVAL DISTRESSED METAL SERVING TRAYS

Perfect Pumpkin Picks

I love these pumpkin picks because they can be added to an existing arrangement or vase to add a fall feel to your home! Found here: PERFECT PUMPKIN PICKS

Rustic Iron Pumpkin Décor

These rustic iron pumpkins would look fantastic on your mantle, or anywhere in your home. They’re guaranteed to bring a rustic fall feel to any room. Found here: Rustic Iron Pumpkin Décor

Are you planning on decorating your home for fall? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

So everyone (even homesteaders) needs to dress up nice sometimes.

And sometimes you might just want to put on a little bit of makeup before going out for the day. I’m not the type of girl that won’t go out without makeup on. In fact there are probably more days I don’t wear makeup than I do! But sometimes it’s nice to get a little bit dressed up and wear a little bit of makeup.

I love beauty products, but I don’t love some of the ingredients that are in those products! Have you ever taken the time to look at the ingredients in your makeup products? I can’t even pronounce half of them!

I love using natural products, but I’m also not made of money. And natural makeup can get pricey, real fast. So I’ve done my research and I want to share some of my favorite natural makeup products that are reasonably priced.

One great option to conventional makeup products is to make your own!

And I think that’s amazing! But, I also don’t have a ton of spare time on my hands, so making my own makeup can be pretty difficult.

So today I wanted to go through some of the makeup products that I use all the time that have good ingredients and are all cruelty-free.

Most (if not all) of the products I will talk about today are cruelty free which is amazing! I love that most of the companies that produce the products I use are very careful about the impact they have on animals and the environment.

Before I get in to some of the products that I use, I do want to recommend that you check out the Environmental Wellness Group (EWG).

They have a website called Skin Deep that rates makeup products based off of their ingredients.

This website gives you an overall rating of the product on a scale of 0-10 (0=the best, 10=really bad) and it breaks down the effect that the ingredients can have on the body.

You can search a makeup product and read about all of the ingredients in that product. The ingredients are rated based on scientific studies about the effect of that product on the body (including if it causes allergies, cancer, or reproductive issues).

I love that the EWG provides consumers with the information necessary to make an informed decision about the products that they are using!

It’s an amazing resource and I check all of my products on this website before I buy them, so that I know if that product has good ingredients, and if they test on animals.

Another recommendation I have is don’t immediately discount a makeup product just because it’s a drugstore brand. There are actually many drug store products that have good ingredients and don’t test on animals.

Before we get started you should know that all of these products are products that I have used and have worked for me. I’m not a dermatologist and I always recommend that you choose any product carefully and make sure you do some research before you start using it on your skin!

Alright, so let’s get started! The first product I wanted to talk to you about is my foundation.

As a teenager I had acne-prone skin, and so to compensate for that I would cover my face with foundation. I was using a makeup brand that I hadn’t done any research on and I remember being so frustrated that my skin wasn’t getting any better over the years.

Fast forward to my early 20’s when I started learning more about ingredients in makeup. I decided to switch to a natural foundation and within a couple of months a lot of my acne had cleared up! Personally, I think that there were ingredients in the old brand that I was using that were causing the acne, and once I switched to a brand with good ingredients my acne cleared up!

The brand I use now is Lauren Brooke Cosmetiques. I use their creme foundation and I absolutely love it! It smells amazing and the ingredients are great! I will say this definitely isn’t a full coverage foundation, but it evens out my skin tone and covers minor blemishes.

At first I was scared away from this foundation because it was a little out of my price range (over $30 for a small pot seemed like A LOT for a college student) but this stuff lasts forever. It goes a really long way and I typically only have to buy a new one every 8-9 months which is awesome!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bh7y84SBuuW/?tagged=laurenbrookecosmetiques

I’ve also used this tinted moisturizer from Physicians Formula. I really liked it, but it doesn’t have a lot of color options and even the lightest color is too dark for my skin (I’m super pale:) It’s only around $10-12 which is great!

I also use a face powder. My favorite is this pressed foundation from Honeybee Gardens.

Honeybee Gardens is one of my favorite companies to buy makeup from (as you’ll see later in this article, A LOT of the products I use are from them). They have products with good ingredients that are reasonably priced. And all of their products smell like flowers which is AMAZING!

For blush I actually use this one from e.l.f. This stuff is cheap! And it has decent ingredients as well and I believe (not 100% sure though) that e.l.f is cruelty free! This product is rated as a 2 on the EWG which is pretty good!

Honeybee Gardens also has an amazing blush that has great ingredients and looks awesome!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BixlsinA7pF/?taken-by=honeybeegardens

So I don’t use bronzer anymore (right now I’m just embracing my pale skin) but I have tried a bronzer from Physicians formula. They’re rated either as a 1 or 2 on the EWG and they’re light enough that they look natural on fair skin.

Next let’s talk about eyeliner. So I’ll admit that my makeup skills are subpar.

I’m not good at doing my makeup. So there’s NO WAY I could use an liquid eyeliner. That would be a disaster.

I use this pencil eyeliner from Wet n Wild when I want to look a little bit more dressed up. Plus it’s only a dollar. It’s rated as a 3 on the EWG which isn’t bad for a drug store product.

It has always been harder for me to find natural mascaras that have good ingredients.

Most of the natural ones I’ve tried aren’t dark enough for me. Honeybee gardens has a good one if you like the natural look for your lashes. That one is quite dark enough for me, so I normally use the Milani Big and Bigger Lashes mascara. The ingredients aren’t as good as I would like (it’s a 4 on the EWG and I normally don’t like to use products above a 2 or 3) but it is cruelty free.

I also like the Organic Wear Mascara from Physicians Formula. It’s rated as a 1 on the EWG’s website.

Last, but not least let’s move on to eye shadow.

So I clearly love Honeybee Gardens just a little bit too much because all of my eyeshadow is from them as well! Although it’s a little bit of an investment up front, this stuff lasts forever, so it’s worth it!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BikW7x2gRLS/?taken-by=honeybeegardens

What natural makeup products do you use? I would love to hear about them! Share them with me in the comments below!

This month so far has been a notable one – we have ducklings!

Yep, we’ve been testing out a Brinsea incubator (read the review here) and we now have 10 beautiful ducklings of all shades!

A couple were “shrink wrapped” (the humidity fell below 50% so we were keeping an eye on them) but hatched successfully with help, and one egg I’d marked as “likely a dud, but let’s wait and see” hatched a beautiful fawn-colored duckling.

Now it’s time for these guys and gals (hopefully some are female!) to grow up!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmCbGUoluUE/?taken-by=pamperedchickenmama

This time of year in Southern Missouri is perfect for hatching young poultry – it’s VERY hot outside, so we don’t need a heat lamp. During the first week of life and then at night until they’re fully feathered, they stay in the cabin to make sure they’re warm enough.

And I’m pretty sure this flock of ducklings is related to jumping beans, because even though they’re in a brooder (we use kiddie pools, which work GREAT….normally), they kept escaping.

The first week of life, I tucked them into their brooder at night, but every morning, I found them wandering around the cabin!

We have crates around their brooder to prevent escape, but it seems I have some sort of Houdini ducklings.

It’s great to know they’re so healthy, but I wish they would stay put.

We’ve now transferred them to the large rabbit crate I use as a tractor for very young poultry, so at least they now can go outside AND stay safe!

Once fully feathered, we then have the task of building them a super secure coop!

These ducklings and baby chicks are trying their hardest to grow up, which means all sorts of new experiences…..like escaping their brooder non-stop. And running around the cabin….far away from their feeders and waterers.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl_1PV-F0sG/?taken-by=pamperedchickenmama

The ducklings have already taken to water – we haven’t given them their first swimming pool swim, but they’ve been playing in their waterer non-stop.

I can’t wait to introduce them to swimming – it’s still a bit hard to believe we now have 15 ducks (and we’ll have more – I want to do one more hatch before fall sets in).

At any rate, they’re happy and growing up and always ready for some fun!

T’is the season for pumpkins…but do you know why they’re so healthy for chickens?

Do you know how to safely feed them? How about how to get them for next to nothing?

Well, get ready and get on the edge of your seat, because you’re about to discover just how beneficial pumpkin can be to your coop AND your wallet this season.

In this podcast, you’ll learn:

Why pumpkins are a great addition to your flock’s diet (but why they shouldn’t REPLACE their diet)
How to safely feed pumpkin so your flock gets the most benefit
Where to find pumpkins for free and how to ask for them
My recipe for a fall spray to help keep your coop clean and smelling fresh

Links we discuss:

These are the essential oils I use

I LOVE fall! I know once August hits y’all are pulling out your pumpkin spice candles and counting down the days until you can start wearing sweaters. I’m with you!

One of my favorite things about fall is the decorations. I love decorating for fall and there’s nothing better than fall chicken coop decorations.

We’re building a couple of new coops and so I’m super excited this year to be able to try out some of these AMAZING chicken coop decorations!

DIY Pumpkin Vase

I made this pumpkin vase for my chicken coop last year, and you can bet I’m going to make it again this year! It’s a cheap and easy project that is the perfect fall coop decoration! And when you’re done with this decoration your chickens can eat the pumpkins and the mums! For detailed instruction on how to make this cute vase you can read my article right here.

Fall Wreath

I am loving this super cute fall wreath for a decoration for your chicken coop! Here’s a tutorial to make one yourself right here or if you don’t have time to DIY you can buy one right here.

Rustic Welcome Outdoor Sign

I love this rustic welcome sign. It’s so easy to make and you can adjust the wreath based on the season! I’m so excited to make this welcome sign for one of our coops and use a fall wreath! You can find the full tutorial for this welcome sign right here!

Recycled Bicycle Garden Planter

I LOVE this cute recycled bike garden planter that my friend, Adrianne made for her garden! I love that this garden planter can be used for different seasons too! For fall I’m going to fill the planter basket with orange and yellow flowers (and maybe even some pumpkins) to add a super cute fall touch to the area around my chicken coop!

Happy Fall Y’all Sign

I love this sign! I think it’s so fun! I don’t have a tutorial for this project, but it should be simple to make! All you need is a wood board, some paint, and a little creativity!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Ba16z0FlsMI/?tagged=diyfalldecor

Fall Window Box

I LOVE window boxes for chicken coops! We added this cute window box to one of the new coops we’re building here on the farm! It’s so cute and it’s perfect for fall! Looking for more window box ideas? I’ve got you covered. Check out this post with all of my favorite window boxes!

DIY Fall Sign Post

This is hands down my favorite fall decoration I’ve seen! I LOVE this cute fall sign post! It’s quick and easy to make and it will look fantastic outside of your chicken coop! Check out the full tutorial here!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BK3CZgthj-_/?taken-by=refreshliving1

PUMPKINS!

Isn’t this coop adorable! I love how they incorporated mums and pumpkins to give the coop a beautiful fall feel! Even if you don’t have a space like this one to place pumpkins on your coop, you can still place pumpkins around the coop! They’re a super cute and easy way to decorate your coop for fall! (And you chickens can eat them too!)

If you want the plans for this specific chicken coop head on over to my 55+ free coop plans article!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmev5qIFzT5/?taken-by=pamperedchickenmama

Painted Pumpkins

And speaking of pumpkins, you can also paint your pumpkins for a gorgeous coop decoration! I love this hello fall pumpkin!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bao7EUOlBJr/?tagged=diyfalldecor

I also love how simple it is to make this! All you need is a hello fall stencil (like the one below) and some white paint and you’re good to go! It’s a super simple project that makes the perfect decoration for your chicken coop!

Corn Husk Wreath

I LOVE this! Not only is it a very inexpensive decoration for your coop, but it looks amazing! Check out the tutorial to make this corn husk wreath here!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZBkEfyBCwq/?tagged=cornhuskwreath

Metal Cart

I love this cute metal cart because it would be so easy to add some cute fall decorations to! You could fill it with pumpkins or corn stalks and it would look amazing around your coop! You can buy this basket right here.

Fall Signs

I love this cute fall sign! And it’s a simple project that you can put outside of your coop! Chicken coop signs are an easy and adorable decoration that are awesome for any chicken coop!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BmFTQQOljWZ/?tagged=diyfalldecor

Chalkboard Platter Wreath

So clearly I’m a little bit obsessed with wreaths…but I just love how cute they look on my coop door! I love that you can customize the saying on this wreath because it’s a chalkboard! Here’s the full tutorial!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BKng_Rth6Ja/?taken-by=refreshliving1

Well that’s all for now folks. What fall decorations are you going to add to your coop this year? I’d love to here about it in the comments below!