Best Valentine Butter Cookies - EVER! Seriously!

I'm nibbling on one of these delectable little nuggets as I type this (well, the crumbs are falling onto the keyboard - I'll just send the dog in to lick it up in a sec ;)

If you like butter (and who in their sane mind doesn't??) - you'll salivate at these!  I'm serrrr-eeeee-aaassss!

I thought on first glance they were just another sugar cookie, but oh no - more like a shortbread cookie.  I've made 3 batches of these bad boys.  Planned to make just 2, but then I tasted one, and it was all over from there.

They call for lemon zest, which I didn't have - so I substituted lemon extract.  The lemon gives just the right amount of zing to them - you'll die!

You can find the recipe on the February 2010 issue of Southern Living - or just click HERE.

So, I also decided that my kids weren't going to school on Monday with store bought little paper valentines from the drug store (which I'm beginning to think they would have preferred!) - so we (which means "me" actually!  kids only remotely supervised this project, which doesn't really make it "their" project, now does it?  dummy me - they could have written their names on the paper ones and been just as happy, but oh, no!  "Crafty Mom" decided that they needed something a little "different!" o well.) made these little fortune cookie valentines from felt circles.  They have cute little sayings in them like:

"I'm so fortune-ate to have you as a friend"

and "Hugs, Kisses, and Best Wishes"

and "Give me all your candy or I"ll kick you in the knees" (oops! not that one, really.)

I followed the link from Martha Stewart HERE.

I found it a little hard to keep the candies inside, so I ended up hot glueing the edges shut in a few places.  

All in all, I think they turned out pretty darn cute!  

Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

A Quickie Christmas Season Update

 Quickie blog posts are about all I can get in these days with the Christmas season upon this household!  A trip to Starkville, Mississippi for Thanksgiving, my little guy getting new glasses, a visit from my parents, and chance to talk to the Big Guy before Christmas Eve.......

Posing on the Natchez Trace

My girl took this one  - pretty good, huh?

Thanksgiving Fun :)

Visiting with the Big Man!

The little guy got new glasses

Visit from Indiana Grandparents last week :)

I'm still sewing like crazy, filling orders and making gifts for my friends and family.  A Carrot cake is cooling on the stove, getting ready to become Cake Balls for a party Saturday.  Refrigerator repair man is making his way back to the house for the second time in the past month (frig sounds like a jet airplane coming in for a landing).  Then, off to 3 Christmas parties this evening....... whew!

Pumpkin Scotchies - The Cookie Recipe

Well, after mixed reviews at my house (was I going for a crunchy cookie - and these are more like Pumpkin Bread Cookies - a softer consistency), I decided to take these to the Fort Worth Arts Goggle Saturday night as my contribution to the snack table.  (Pumpkin Spice Cookies also came along....maybe I'll post that recipe too a little later).
These little Pumpkin Scotchies were snatched up pretty quickly, with audible "Mmmmm's..... and Oooh's....) - so, here is the recipe:

Pumpkin Oatmeal Scotchies 

(From Mommys Kitchen - a great blog for everyday cooking)

1 1/4 cp all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cp butter, softened

3/4 cp. sugar

3/4 cp. brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar)

2 large eggs

1 cp canned pumpkin (I used a small can)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used Mexican vanilla - yumm!)

3 cps quick oats

1 package Butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in small bowl. Beat butter, sugars, eggs, pumpkin and vanilla in large mixer bowl.  Gradually beat in the flour mixture.  Stir in oats and butterscotch chips.  Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheet.  Bake 7-8 minutes for chewy cookies or 9-10 minutes for crisp cookies (I baked for 12 minutes and still got chewy cookies).  Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes - then remove to wire rack to cool completely.  (Personally - I inhaled my fair share while still warm! - yumm!)




Hope you enjoy them!  Would love to hear how yours turn out!

Rhubarb Cake Supreme - Total Yummy, Sweet, Goodness!

My parents have a pretty good sized garden in the back, and have always had several Rhubarb plants that have thrived there year after year.  The starts came from my Aunt Ruth I believe - probably in the 70's is my best guess (maybe 60's?  Mom?  Amanda? do you know?)  

So, each summer I like to eat a little bit since I can't find it here in Texas.  And...if I ever did find it - I doubt I'd want to pay the price for it.  My guess is it would be expense, and not taste nearly as good as it does fresh from the garden. 

So, without further ado, I'd like to share the recipe we used this summer:

Rhubarb Cake Supreme

Here's what you need:

6 cups rhubarb cut into 1" pieces

1 3 oz. box strawberry Jello

1 cup sugar

1 package yellow cake mix

3/4 cp. butter, melted

1 1/2 cup water

Start by cutting the leaves off the top of the rhubarb (unless you bought it from the store - then the leaves are probably already removed).  Discard the leaves.  Wash the stalks and cut them into 1 inch pieces.

Place the rhubarb in a 9x13 inch pan.  (Good job for little helpers!)

Mix the dry Jello with the 1 cup of sugar.  

Sprinkle the Jello and Sugar over the Rhubarb.  (Nothing complicated here folks!)

Sprinkle the cake mix over the Jello/Sugar mixure (Again, easy-peasy!)

Now, drizzle the melted butter over the cake mix. (Staying with me?)

Pour the 1 1/2 cups water over that and pop it into a 350 degree oven.  Bake for 35-40 minutes.

This is the cute little oven we used at my parent's house.  It's not an antique - but sure is cute, huh?

And, Voila!  Here you go - Rhubarb Cake Supreme - extra delicious with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top.  Hope you likey!

Beauty in Blogging

Can it be? I've won an award?! It is Academy Award week.....hmmm

.....well, it's not a little gold guy, but hey! I'm still honored!

Bellies to Babies presented this award to me....lovely blog I must say......check it out for some really beautiful photos.

Here are the rules of the award:

1. Thank and link the person who gave you this award.

2. Pass this award on to 5 blogs that you think are fantastic.
3. Contact blogs and let them know they've won.
4. State 7 interesting things about yourself.

So....5 blogs that I think are fantastic... Blogs that I may or may not have a little blog crush on.....Blogs that I think are well deserving......Blogs that are beautiful creations which have sprung forth from the minds of the some of the most creative, ambitious, did I say beautiful? humans beings ARE....

"drum roll please, and the Award goes to......."

Shoe Closet Life

Lavender and Limes

The Creative Crate

Stop Staring and Start Sewing

Funky Finds

And now 7 interesting things about myself. Well, I don't know how interesting they are, but here goes.

1. I worked at Walt Disney World during college in the Magic Kingdom at the Mad Hatter shop, sewing name on the back of Mouse Ears.

2. I worked in Yellowstone National Park during and after college at Roosevelt Lodge, riding horses, driving draft horse teams, drinking beer, and hanging out with my future husband!

3. I spent a semester of college living and studying in Dundee, Scotland

4. I love to bake (cookies), read books (Twlight - duh!), go to the movies (anything but horror), and listen to music (all kinds - right now in sort of a folksy, alternative mood)

5. I can wiggle my ears

6. Might like to move to California and be a Yoga instructor to the stars one day...."aaaoooommm...."

7. ummmmm.......I am really struggling here to think of something....

I'd love to be able to play the guitar and sing (with a voice that doesn't curl peoples' toes)

Banana Nut Bread - from Aunt Bernice

I absolutely love fall - and I love this banana nut bread. This particular recipe came to me from my Great Aunt Bernice. Hope you like it too!Banana Nut Bread

1/2 cp. butter

1 1/3 cp. dark brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs, unbeaten

2 cp. flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cp. sour cream

1 cp. ripe, mashed bananas (I use 3 bananas)

1 cp. chopped walnuts

Cream together butter, sugar, vanilla. Add flour, soda, sour cream, bananas and walnuts. Mix well.

Pour into 1 large loaf pan or 4 small loaf pans.

Bake at 350 for about 35-45 minutes. (Shorter cooking time for small pans, longer cooking time for large pan).

Let me know if you try this recipe. I just love it - and the kids love it too. Not to mention it gets me points with my hubby, but only if I include the walnuts ;)

I also tend to underbake it a bit - just me, but I don't like my baked goods anywhere near over done.

Happy fall everyone!

My Salvation - Butter Cream Frosting with Pink Sugar Crystals

I'm counting on these to get me through the night. Can't tell you how much of the pink stuff I licked off the spatula last night as I decorated these babies. My tongue is still pink.Cuppie Cakes are baked, craft supplies ready to go, Hannah Montana movie ready to play, doll sleeping bags done, junk food purchased, just have to order the pizza and we'll be ready to rock and roll for one 7 year old slumber party! The boy is excited too - that could be scary for the girls. Hubby is dove hunting - he says he'll be home around 9-10pm....if I were him I think I'd stay away (of course I'd be shopping, or drinking a pumpkin spice latte from my fav coffee stop, not killing little helpless birds, but whatever floats your boat).

Happy Birthday baby - hope you have a fun slumber party!

Rhubard Crunch.....Yummm, Yummmmm

I love Rhubarb and I can't get it here in Texas, so I love to eat it when I go home to Indiana in the summers. My mom has it growing in the garden - loads of it, so we grew up eating loads of it each summer, or so it seems. Here is a recipe that I made while home during July - you might like to try, if you can get your hands on rhubarb.

Rhubarb Crunch

1 cp flour
3/4 cp rolled oats
1 cp brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Mix until crumbly. Press 1/2 of the mixture into an 8x8 inch pan.
Cover with 4 cups chopped rhubarb.

Mix together the following in a medium saucepan:
1 cp sugar
1 cp water
2 TB corn starch
Cook until thick and clear. Add 1 tsp vanilla. Pour mixture over rhubarb. Top with the rest of the crumbs.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hr.
Serve warm with ice cream.

Hope you enjoy!

The "Happy Fly Cake" and my girl is "6"!

My sweet boy has labeled this the "Happy Fly Cake", and I made it! I AM proud of myself. I showed you all the craft club cake and cuppy cakes I made using Anna's recipe several weeks ago - but this was my first attempt at a go it alone, full fledged birthday cake - for all the world to see. It was totally time consuming (2 full days), but worth it.

I would like to thank the Academy - ....no, really I'd like to thank Anna for your cake knowledge, Susan for maintaining the cell phone line during production, and Shannon for moral support!

She had a crafting party at Joann's yesterday with several of her closest girl friends. They made the cutest fabric covered memo boards to hang in their rooms.

Happy 6th Birthday Sweet Pea! Hope you loved your day - I love you!!!!!!

We took our girl to Dallas on Saturday to pick out her American Girl doll. We had promised her a dolly on her 6th birthday. After some consideration, she picked out Kit. Such a cute store - the dolls really are nice. I love the fact that there are books about each doll as well. We all had a good time, kids had fun (#1 girl about laughed her pants off at her brother who stood in the middle of the store and TOOK his pants and shoes off for the the whole world to see what, we don't know!) Finished the trip off with dinner at Cheesecake Factory - YUM.

Oh Yeah....Momma Likey! (Frosting, that is.)

Ooh, that buttercream frosting tastes soo good! What sort of world would this be without the decadence of butter. Forget that nasty margarine, shortening, oleo goo. Just enjoy the real stuff, that's what I say anyway. (Until I step on the scale).
My girl decorated these............
After Craft Club the other night, and feeling more confident in my decorating skills, I made these cuppy cakes for Supper Club. I've told you all about Craft Club - well, supper club is similar. Four of us in my neighborhood get together once a month and bring an entree that we have assembled and frozen ahead of time - enough for 4 families. It's not as bad as you might think - first of all, we all have similar sized families (ex. no growing teenage boys, just 2 parents and 2 little people). We also put the dinners in 8x8 Pyrex dishes, ready for the oven after defrosting. That makes plenty for a family of 4, and often times we eat the leftovers another night.
Each of us has a different category - either chicken, beef, vegetarian, or chef's choice plus dessert - that was me this month. We also supply the recipe. That way you can take a red marker and put a large X through it if you hated it (just kidding, anything I didn't have to think about preparing at 5:30pm in the evening with 2 munchkins hangin on my leg tastes out of this world!) - You may just not want to prepare that meal again for your in-laws (or........ you might, depending on your level of "likey, likey"). You also get to try a variety of foods and might find something that your whole family loves - in that case take your red marker and put a big Heart around it.

For us, Supper Club is more than that though - it's just a good excuse to get together with other mommy friends and spend some time together without the kids. We also make each other's lives a bit easier by providing 4 meals/month, in your freezer, ready to go.

I made Chicken with Artichokes and Olives in the slow cooker for my entree this month. It's on the menu for dinner tonight, we'll see what everyone thinks.

Are you part of a club such as this? If so, tell me about it!

Cake Decorating with Craft Club Friends

Anna hosted our monthly Craft Club for August. We learned cake decorating this time! I've always wanted to take a class or learn more about cake decorating, but just never took the time. The colors in these pictures didn't turn out very well - they were much prettier in person.
It's been so much fun spending time with friends and learning something new in the process. I love the fact that by learning something totally new to me, I'm inspired to create new things in my own realm of sewing.

So, maybe if you're in a rut creatively. Just try something new. It jump starts certain sparks in your brain and turns your creativity back on. It also makes you want to head straight to Michaels, Hobby Lobby, or Joanns and blow a wad of money on new supplies!

Anna, thanks for a great evening. I still can't believe how late I'm getting home on these evenings (12:30 AM folks!) - that's pretty late when you've got little ones raring to go at 6am the next morning. But, it's been well worth it.

I hope I can further inspire all of you in sharing my creative outlets. I'm hosting the next Craft Club night - we'll be making aprons, of course! I'll be sure to share the pictures.

"C" is for Cookie, Yee Haw Cowboy!

We were able to spend some good friendly get together time this weekend with several friends of ours from the neighborhood and church. I brought these cookies for everyone and several people had asked for the recipe. So, I thought I'd just post it here for all of you also! Cowboy Cookies are my "go-to" cookies when I need to bake something. The secret to the chewy-ness is the oatmeal, brown sugar and coconut. The secret to the rather large size - I use an ice cream scoop to round them into balls before they bake.

Very Big, Very Chewy, and Oh sooo good! Hope you enjoy-

Cowboy Cookies - Yee Haw!

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups chocolate chips

1 cup shredded coconut

Stir together oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

In a sepatate bowl, blend butter and sugars with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs and continue to beat until fluffy. Blend in vanilla.

Mix in the dry mixture a little at a time (or you'll have flour flying around your kitchen!). Mix in the chocolate chips and coconut.

Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Heat oven to 350.

Using an ice cream scoop, shape the dough into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet about 2-3 inches apart.

Bake for about 10-13 minutes. Don't over bake them! Take them out when the edges are just brown and the centers are just set. Take them out of the oven, and let them sit on the pan for about 5 minutes before you take them off. If you try to take them off before this, they'll just mush up on your spatula, unless you over baked them (like I told you not too! I know this is hard, especially if your little boy is in your bathroom going through your makeup drawer and discovering that mascara is fun to scribble on one's face with - but just set your timer, you'll thank me!).

Also, I use a Silpat for baking all of my cookies. It's awesome - non stick, and preventing a lot of spreading. I also use a cookie sheet with the air flow under it - I think things cook a little slower on it, so be sure to keep an eye on your cookies while they're in the oven.

You can also try different flavors of chips - the peanut butter chips are great too.

Good luck - let me know how they turn out. I wish the pictures could've been a little better - I need a course on taking pictures I think. If only I could inject the wonderful smell - I know you're mouth would be watering!