Blake's 5th Birthday
So my girl is 5!!!!! I can't really believe it but it's such a fun age and we are all loving every minute of life right now.
She's totally into gymnastics. makeup, high heal shoes, animals, and writing right now. We're looking forward to learning to ride a bike and learning to play golf thissummer.
So as for birthdays........I totally nipped those costly, fancy, kill-yourself parties in the bud! We now honor birthdays with true love. Simple homemade cakes, family time, a favorite activity and a few gift!
Its been such a blessing to all involved! And this year we celebrated with white cake, sprinkles, Neapolitan ice cream, balloons, grandparents,breakfast in bed;which is a tradition for us, and new jump ropes, pool floats, a balance beam and a fancy gymnastics lesson!!!! Life is good at FIVE!
She's totally into gymnastics. makeup, high heal shoes, animals, and writing right now. We're looking forward to learning to ride a bike and learning to play golf thissummer.
So as for birthdays........I totally nipped those costly, fancy, kill-yourself parties in the bud! We now honor birthdays with true love. Simple homemade cakes, family time, a favorite activity and a few gift!
Its been such a blessing to all involved! And this year we celebrated with white cake, sprinkles, Neapolitan ice cream, balloons, grandparents,breakfast in bed;which is a tradition for us, and new jump ropes, pool floats, a balance beam and a fancy gymnastics lesson!!!! Life is good at FIVE!
OUR FAVORITE BIRTHDAY CAKE
1 white cake mix
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
5 egg whites
1 cup sprinkles
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flower 3 10 inch cake pans and set aside. In a mixing bowl beat all ingredients together until nice and creamy and no lumps are formed. Gently stir in sprinkles. Pour batter evenly into the three cake pans and tap each pan a few times on the counter and bake 20- 25 minutes on bottom shelf with an empty cookie sheet on the top rack. This will help the cakes to cook with a flat even top.
Allow cakes to cool 10 minutes in the pan before removing to complete cooling on rack or countertop.
OUR FAVORITE FROSTING
1- 2 pound bag of powdered sugar
1cup softened butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1tsp. Butter flavoring
1/3- 1/2 cup milk
Beat all ingredients together using an electric mixer for about 5 minutes adding more milk if needed to get desired consistency.
1 white cake mix
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
5 egg whites
1 cup sprinkles
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flower 3 10 inch cake pans and set aside. In a mixing bowl beat all ingredients together until nice and creamy and no lumps are formed. Gently stir in sprinkles. Pour batter evenly into the three cake pans and tap each pan a few times on the counter and bake 20- 25 minutes on bottom shelf with an empty cookie sheet on the top rack. This will help the cakes to cook with a flat even top.
Allow cakes to cool 10 minutes in the pan before removing to complete cooling on rack or countertop.
OUR FAVORITE FROSTING
1- 2 pound bag of powdered sugar
1cup softened butter
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1tsp. Butter flavoring
1/3- 1/2 cup milk
Beat all ingredients together using an electric mixer for about 5 minutes adding more milk if needed to get desired consistency.
We've already pulled out the sidewalk chalk.
Spring decor is out and the windows are open!
And this is our typical evening, spent at the ball park.
12 Days of Cookies
On the eighth day of cookies we made cookies just like grandma's, White Chocolate Molasses Cookies......
My sweet grandma has always been the type of cook that can take a little of this and a little of that and make something perfect! She even said once that if your using a recipe, you're not cooking from scratch. She has always made molasses cookies, and really thinking about it I'm not sure why. Because really children don't typically like that blackstrap flavor. Whatever her reason was I may not know, but I do know that now whenever I see a molasses cookie I always think of her. And now when I make molasses cookies I've found that dipping them in white chocolate makes them just a little more kid friendly too!!!
Molasses Cookies
3/4 cup butter
1cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1egg
1tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. clove
1cup melted white chocolate
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and cream together butter, sugar, and molasses. Continue to beat and add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and spices until well blended. Roll dough in tablespoon size balls and coat in sugar. Bake for 8 minutes and allow to cool before coating cookies in white chocolate.
My sweet grandma has always been the type of cook that can take a little of this and a little of that and make something perfect! She even said once that if your using a recipe, you're not cooking from scratch. She has always made molasses cookies, and really thinking about it I'm not sure why. Because really children don't typically like that blackstrap flavor. Whatever her reason was I may not know, but I do know that now whenever I see a molasses cookie I always think of her. And now when I make molasses cookies I've found that dipping them in white chocolate makes them just a little more kid friendly too!!!
Molasses Cookies
3/4 cup butter
1cup sugar
1/4 cup molasses
1egg
1tsp. vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. clove
1cup melted white chocolate
Preheat oven to 375 degrees, and cream together butter, sugar, and molasses. Continue to beat and add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and spices until well blended. Roll dough in tablespoon size balls and coat in sugar. Bake for 8 minutes and allow to cool before coating cookies in white chocolate.
On the seventh day of Christmas we made super easy cookies; Red Velvet Cookies......
If your like me you may wonder why you even own a couch. I'm serious, many days I never get a chance to sit on it. Between homeschooling, running a business, and being a full time mama it's a busy life. So an easy recipe that is also beautiful is always needed and appreciated.
Red Velvet Cookies
1 red velvet cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. shortening
Mix the cake mix, eggs, and oil together. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes then roll tablespoon size balls of dough. Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes. Remove cookies and allow them to cool completely. In microwave, melt chocolate and shortening for about 30 seconds or until pourable. With a spoon, drizzle rookies with white chocolate.
If your like me you may wonder why you even own a couch. I'm serious, many days I never get a chance to sit on it. Between homeschooling, running a business, and being a full time mama it's a busy life. So an easy recipe that is also beautiful is always needed and appreciated.
Red Velvet Cookies
1 red velvet cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 tsp. shortening
Mix the cake mix, eggs, and oil together. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes then roll tablespoon size balls of dough. Bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes. Remove cookies and allow them to cool completely. In microwave, melt chocolate and shortening for about 30 seconds or until pourable. With a spoon, drizzle rookies with white chocolate.
On the sixth day of Christmas we made Thumbprint Cookies......
But not just any thumbprint cookie we made Cherry Thumbprint Cookies. They are buttery and beautiful!
Cherry Thumbprint Cookies
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sigar
1 tsp. Almond extract
2 cups flour
1 can cherry pie filling
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
few grains of salt
Ceeam the butter, sugar, and extract together. Add the flour and do not over mix.
Roll dough in tablespoon size balls and press a thumbprint into the center. Fill will a cherry and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Do not over bake. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan. Once cookies are cool, stir the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt together. Using a spoon drizzle each cookie with the glaze.
But not just any thumbprint cookie we made Cherry Thumbprint Cookies. They are buttery and beautiful!
Cherry Thumbprint Cookies
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sigar
1 tsp. Almond extract
2 cups flour
1 can cherry pie filling
1 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
few grains of salt
Ceeam the butter, sugar, and extract together. Add the flour and do not over mix.
Roll dough in tablespoon size balls and press a thumbprint into the center. Fill will a cherry and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Do not over bake. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan. Once cookies are cool, stir the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt together. Using a spoon drizzle each cookie with the glaze.
On the fifth day of Christmas we made Snowball cookies........
You may have had these cookies before. Sometimes they are called Mexican Wedding Cookies and have little pieces of crushed pecans inside. I think they look like Snowballs and they are the perfect one bite cookie!
Snowballs
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1tsp. vanilla
2cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
additional powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix butter and powdered sugar, and vanilla together. Stir in flour and salt. Roll tablespoon amount of dough into a ball and fill cookie sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool a few minutes on the pan before removing. Once cookies are completely cool, roll them in powdered sugar.
You may have had these cookies before. Sometimes they are called Mexican Wedding Cookies and have little pieces of crushed pecans inside. I think they look like Snowballs and they are the perfect one bite cookie!
Snowballs
1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1tsp. vanilla
2cups flour
1/4 tsp. salt
additional powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix butter and powdered sugar, and vanilla together. Stir in flour and salt. Roll tablespoon amount of dough into a ball and fill cookie sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Allow cookies to cool a few minutes on the pan before removing. Once cookies are completely cool, roll them in powdered sugar.
On the fourth day of Christmas my mama made Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip cookies.......
My mom had been making these cookies for years, ever since I was little. The whole wheat flour gives the cookies a slight nutty flavor and the brown sugar keeps them very moist.
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips
With a whisk, beat butter and Susan together, add vanilla and eggs. Whisk well. Then stir in dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Stir in chocolate chips. Do not over mix. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Drop dough by spoons full on cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.
My mom had been making these cookies for years, ever since I was little. The whole wheat flour gives the cookies a slight nutty flavor and the brown sugar keeps them very moist.
Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup softened butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 cups chocolate chips
With a whisk, beat butter and Susan together, add vanilla and eggs. Whisk well. Then stir in dry ingredients with a wooden spoon. Stir in chocolate chips. Do not over mix. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Drop dough by spoons full on cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.
On the third day of Christmas we made our favorite Christmas Cookies.....
When I hear of Christmas Cookies I immediately think of frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles and sugar. Sweet buttery cut out cookies that look like candy canes, trees, and snow flakes.
Sugar Cookies
6 Tbsp. butter
1/3 shortening
3/4 sugar
1 egg
1tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1Tbsp. milk
Beau butter, shortening, and sugar together. Add eggs and extract and beat well. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and milk just until ingredients are incorporated. chill dough for 30 minutes before rolling out on a floured surface. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and bake at 375 degrees for 8-9 minutes. Allow cookies to cool before frosting or decorating.
Royal Icing
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
6 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. almond extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Beat meringue powder,water, and extract until peaks form. Continue to beat and add powdered sugar and beat another 4-5 minutes. You may add coloring at this point and pipe or thin out to a pourable Icing.
When I hear of Christmas Cookies I immediately think of frosted sugar cookies with sprinkles and sugar. Sweet buttery cut out cookies that look like candy canes, trees, and snow flakes.
Sugar Cookies
6 Tbsp. butter
1/3 shortening
3/4 sugar
1 egg
1tsp. almond extract
2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1Tbsp. milk
Beau butter, shortening, and sugar together. Add eggs and extract and beat well. Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and milk just until ingredients are incorporated. chill dough for 30 minutes before rolling out on a floured surface. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness and bake at 375 degrees for 8-9 minutes. Allow cookies to cool before frosting or decorating.
Royal Icing
3 Tbsp. meringue powder
6 Tbsp. water
1 tsp. almond extract
4 cups powdered sugar
Beat meringue powder,water, and extract until peaks form. Continue to beat and add powdered sugar and beat another 4-5 minutes. You may add coloring at this point and pipe or thin out to a pourable Icing.
On the second day of cookies we made Layered Shortbread........
I've been making these bar cookies for the past four or five years now, and they are my sister, Maria's favorite with a shortbread crust and a caramel center. Top them with chocolate and store them in an airtight container, they are the perfect make ahead treat!
Layered Shortbread
3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup dark corn ayrup
1 cup brown sugar
2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3cups chocolate chips
2Tbso. shortening
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan. Blend flour, sugar, and Butter together until crumbly. Press into the bottom of man and bake for 30 minutes.
Mover medium heat stir corn syrup, brown sugar, condensed milk and butter together. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Once boiling continue to stir and bring to a simmer for 7-8 minutes allowing caramel to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Remove Shortbread from oven and pour caramel over top. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Once firm, melt chocolate chips with shortening in microwave for 1 minute and then stir, continue to heat for 30 second intervals until melted. Pour chocolate over caramel and refrigerate for aniother 2-3 hours before cutting into bars.
I've been making these bar cookies for the past four or five years now, and they are my sister, Maria's favorite with a shortbread crust and a caramel center. Top them with chocolate and store them in an airtight container, they are the perfect make ahead treat!
Layered Shortbread
3 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup dark corn ayrup
1 cup brown sugar
2 14 oz. cans sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3cups chocolate chips
2Tbso. shortening
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9x13 pan. Blend flour, sugar, and Butter together until crumbly. Press into the bottom of man and bake for 30 minutes.
Mover medium heat stir corn syrup, brown sugar, condensed milk and butter together. Bring to a boil stirring constantly. Once boiling continue to stir and bring to a simmer for 7-8 minutes allowing caramel to thicken. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Remove Shortbread from oven and pour caramel over top. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Once firm, melt chocolate chips with shortening in microwave for 1 minute and then stir, continue to heat for 30 second intervals until melted. Pour chocolate over caramel and refrigerate for aniother 2-3 hours before cutting into bars.
It's been on my heart to share with you some of my favorite family recipes and theirs no better way than with cookies at Christmas time! Please enjoy these recipes and my hope is that one or two may become part of your Christmas favorites too!
On the first day of Christmas we have Peanut Butter Kisses.......
It wouldn't be Christmastime around our house without these little chocolate peanut butter treasures. I keep these cookies around all season long. They are great to serve a pop-in guest, or fill a cookie tin for a sweet neighbor, and so easy to make!
Peanut Butter Kisses
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
additional sugar
Hershey kisses
Mix all ingredients in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon. Roll dough in a 1 Inch ball and roll in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and press a kiss into the center of each cookie. Allow cookies to cool a few minutes on the pan before removing.
Enjoy!
On the first day of Christmas we have Peanut Butter Kisses.......
It wouldn't be Christmastime around our house without these little chocolate peanut butter treasures. I keep these cookies around all season long. They are great to serve a pop-in guest, or fill a cookie tin for a sweet neighbor, and so easy to make!
Peanut Butter Kisses
1 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. vanilla
additional sugar
Hershey kisses
Mix all ingredients in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon. Roll dough in a 1 Inch ball and roll in sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies from oven and press a kiss into the center of each cookie. Allow cookies to cool a few minutes on the pan before removing.
Enjoy!