02
Feb, 10

Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies

DSC_9168
I must say that this is indeed one of the best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes that I’ve tried!  The Full recipe and baking instructions can be found at All Recipes, but below are a few minor changes that I made and it worked out great!  Oh, did I mention that they are soft and hearty?!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour  {I added about 1/4 cup more flour for altitude since baking can be difficult in the Mile High City}
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted  {I used the Country Crock Spread and they came out oh-so-soft}
  • 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract  {I know this seems like a lot, but it is indeed delicious}
  • 1 egg
  • 1 egg yolk {I don’t know why the egg & yolk are separated in this list, because the baking instructions don’t tell you to separate the egg.  I just put the whole egg in and it worked fine}
  • 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips  {I did 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips and 1 cup chopped walnuts.  You can also try dried blueberries, cranberries, coconut, etc.}

Be sure to visit All Recipes for the baking instructions!  Enjoy!

20
Jan, 10

{Humpday Tutorial} Coffee Stencil

I stumbled across this adorable Coffee DIY Stencil at How About Orange and I think it would be a nice touch on Valentine’s morning, don’t you?!  Info on how to accomplish this is found here.  How About Orange also shares a link to Amazon where you can order coffee stencils if you’re not up to making your own!  This would probably wok well with hot chocolate too.  Fun!  Let me know if you have tried this or if you do try it.  Thanks!

09
Dec, 09

Humpday Tutorial {Blushing POM Holiday Cheesecake}

I do love pomegranates and the health benefits that they offer, so that’s why I’m sharing yet another delectable recipe from the chefs over at POM Wonderful!  This recipe makes about 12-15 servings, so that makes it a great treat to share with those you love this season.  Visit the site now to get the full recipe!  Enjoy!

07
Dec, 09

POM Velvet Cupcakes

Here is yet another tempting recipe from POM!  They are genius over there, because what kid (or adult) would pass up this fantastic cupcake?!  No one!  Visit POMwonderful to get the full recipe!  Enjoy!

02
Dec, 09

Humpday Tutorial {POM Granita}

Tell me that this doesn’t look fabulous!  It’s an easy and healthy way to entertain guests this Holiday season.  This would be perfect for my girls at our 4th Annual Cookie Swap this year!  Visit the amazing POM site for this recipe and many others!


image via POMwonderful.com

25
Nov, 09

Humpday Tutorial {POM Cream-Filled Chocolate Roll}

I talked to my grandma today and she wanted to make a Cream/Jelly Roll but couldn’t find her recipe for that special batter.  My grandpa found a recipe on the Food Network website, but as you might know, it can be a very slow loading site…  So, I decided to look around and see what I could find.  I found several recipes that looked like they might work for her, but this POM Cream-Filled Chocolate Roll stood out to me in particular because it’s something that I’ve never seen before!  I had to share it with you for this weeks Humpday Tutorial.  If you try it (and I hope you will), please let me know how you like it!  I’d love to hear.  Pomegranates + Chocolate + Cream filling = Perfection!  Pomegranates are full of great antioxidants and you mix that with chocolate, so you get a win-win situation.  Enjoy!  And have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Image via POMwonderful.com

11
Nov, 09

Star Spangled

As you know, it’s Humpday Tutorial time and in honor of Veterans’ Day and the upcoming Holiday Season, I thought a cookie recipe would be great!  Now, this is not just any cookie recipe, it’s a HEALTHY Brown Sugar Almond Star recipe from Heart Healthy Living!!

This recipe makes about 36 (3-inch) cookies and only takes approximately 6 minutes to bake each batch!  Easy-peezy!  You can decorate them however you want and with whatever you want, be creative.  We do a Cookie Swap each year (this will be our 4th Annual) and this would be a great recipe for that too!  So grab your apron and your bakeware and make these great cookies today!

04
Nov, 09

Humpday Tutorial | What a pair…

Ginger and Pears seem to make quite the pair in this delicious recipe from Art Esprit.  I came across this recipe yesterday and was thinking that it would be a fabulous new dessert to add to the Thanksgiving table this year.  Click here for the recipe! I just love the fact that she created this recipe to use the over ripe pears… no wasting is great!

19
Oct, 09

Gone to the dogs…

I was talking on the phone with my mom last night and she was telling me about something she had seen on TV about healthy dog treats.  She had told me that you can give dogs green beans, peas, carrots, and even bananas!  This got me thinking more on the topic of healthy dogs & treats at home.  I found some great sites with recipes and tips to keep your dog fit and healthy.  These recipes would be a great activity to do indoors this winter with the kids!  Enjoy!

**Oh!  Before I forget, it is very very very important to remember to never ever give dogs grapes or raisins because they could be fatal!!!  Chocolate can also be fatal and you should never give dogs real bones, because they can splinter and your dog could choke!  Alcohol and hops are bad for dogs too, so don’t share that beer with them!**

Paw Rescue {A great list of food warnings and kitchen safety for your pets.  This site also has a great list of toxic foods too!!  Please take a moment at read}
*Toxic Foods and items for you dogs and cats (and other animals):

Fatty foods, chocolate, grapes, raisins, real bones (because of splinters), alcohol, bread dough, milk, salt, salty pork products, organ meat, tuna can be bad for cats hearts (I had no idea), avocado, tomatoes, nuts, rhubarb, onions, citrus fruits, too much soy is bad, caffeine, cough medicine, cigarettes (don’t smoke around them or leave your butts on the ground to be eaten, sponges (they like to chew them), self cleaning ovens let off toxic chemicals to any animal and may be very harmful to dogs/cats/birds/etc., and don’t let your dog drink from the toilet because if the germs don’t make your dog sick the chemicals will.

Dog Treat Cookbooks {Recipes for dog treats}
Bull Wrinkle {Recipes for dog treats}
Banana Carrot Muffin Dog Treats {A great recipe good enough for you to eat!  It has carrots and honey in the mix!}
Fruits and Veggies That Are Good For Your Dog {A list of fruits and vegetables that your dog can eat!  Just remember to cut up all fruits and veggies into bite-sized pieces so your dog doesn’t choke!!!}
The Real Owner {Explains the health benefits of veggies for dogs}

If you find any other great sites with animal recipes and/ or safety tips, please share with us in the comments section!  Thanks!

15
Oct, 09

Earwax Swab Halloween Treats

When I found these Earwax Swab Halloween Treats at Saucy’s Sprinkles this morning, I just had to share them with all of you!  What a creative and fun idea for the kids.  I mean, let’s face it, we all know that they’ve taken a taste of their own earwax before… this will just taste better.  All you do is pop two marshmallows on each end of a lollipop stick and dip them in butterscotch!  Easy, right?  The Q-tips box helps the look too! Enjoy!