Cream-Filled Chocolate Sandwiches

Here's the cookie we made from the Martha Stewart's Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share. I'm not sure what the copyright law is about posting the recipe online so if you want the recipe just email me or leave a comment and I'll email it to you. Hopefully you'll enjoy them as much as we did. One quick tip, the recipe calls for unsalted butter but you can use regular butter just cut the salt from the recipe. Enjoy!

C is for Cookie

Recently my beloved purchased the Martha Stewart's Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and to Share for me. So far I've only made 1 cookie from the book but I do plan on baking more. I have mixed feelings about Martha Stewart but I have to admit her company has so many great ideas. Notice I said her company not just her. Anyway, I'm looking forward to baking these delectable delights and my family is looking forward to eating them.

Happy Birthday Princess!

This weekend our little Princess turned 5! Can you believe it? She's grown up so much, especially in the area of nurturing. She's so willing to take her little sister by her side and show her how to put their toys away, fold their laundry, color and so many other things. I love the way she's so sweet to everyone she meets. With her big brown eyes filled with joy, she'll just walk up to you and give you a big hug! What a blessing she is to us!

So this year she decided she wanted a Disney Princess Tea Party. It was perfect for her, she's so sweet and girly. Our Princess started to plan her party over a month ago. It was the beginning of March and she says, "Mommy, it'll be my birthday soon, we need to start planning now. So here's a list of what I want at my party...". Hmm..wonder where she gets that from? Funny thing is, she can't write yet so her list were just pictures. She had balloons, cake, presents and some stick figures drawn. I asked her, "Who's that honey?" she said, "They're servants Mommy. I want servants at my party." I chuckled and said, "I think you mean servers, love. Not servants." "Oh yeah, I forgot". Needless to say, we didn't have any "servants" but we did have a group of gals so willing to help us that day. Thank you Nana, Star, Chanette, Gena & Cindy!

The festivities started as the Princesses would arrive. They were brought over to the craft area where they made their very own crowns.

When all the guests were there, we headed over to the backyard where the table was set for tea.

After lunch, we headed back inside where our special guest, Snow White (a.k.a. Cindy) lead the games.










After the games , each princess took a picture with Snow White to put in the frames they made during craft time.

When it was time to blow out the candle, each guest was greeted with a Chocolate Cupcake topped with Sprinkle's Strawberry Frosting and sprinkles.

photo courtesy of Jean

The adults endulged themselves with Coconut Cupcakes topped with super yummy 7 minute frosting and toasted shredded coconut...yummmm.

photo courtesy of marthastewart.com

During cake time, Snow White read a couple of Disney stories to the girls. Then it was time to open the gifts. After that, free play until their parents came and picked them up. It was such a memorable day!

For more photos click here.

To be perfectly honest, I don't know who had more fun, me or Our Princess!

Award Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was asked by a few friends to post this delicious cookie recipe from allrecipes.com. It's so yummy and makes a lot of dough. So you can make a few dozen now, refrigerate the rest, then bake more later. One of the things I've also done is put the dough in a Ziploc bag (the one with zipper closure) when I want to store it. Then when I'm ready to make more all I have to do is snip the bottom and squeeze the dough out (you might want to let the dough sit for a bit once out of the fridge so you can squeeze it). This is lots of fun to do with the kiddies.

INGREDIENTS

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

PREP TIME - 15 Min

COOK TIME - 12 Min
READY IN - 1 Hr 40 Min
YIELDS - 6 dozen

Happy Baking!

Al's "AHH YEAH" Biscuits

Whenever we go out to eat the usual question a couple would ask each other is, "Where do you want to go?" My answers vary from McDonald's to STARA (local Indian restaurant). Al's, on the otherhand will always be, "Red Lobster". Why Red Lobster? Because he just loves those cheese biscuits! We'd go there just for the biscuits. So I told him that if I was able to make the biscuits at home would that make him happy? He responds with an, "Ahhhh yeah". I was able to find a recipe so close to the cheese biscuits you'd think you were at Red Lobster looking at the giant fish on the wall. I keep the ingredients on stock for those emergency biscuit cravings. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do:

INGREDIENTS
2 cups buttermilk baking mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS
-Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
-Combine baking mix, milk and cheddar cheese in mixing bowl. Beat with wooden spoon till soft dough forms.
-Drop dough by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
-Mix butter and garlic powder and brush over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

PREP TIME - 10 Min
COOK TIME - 10 Min
READY IN - 20 Min
Yields - 10 - 12 biscuits

Happy cooking!

Thin Egg Pancakes

Egg Pancakes?! To be honest I was a bit bit apprehensive about trying this recipe from allrecipes.com but I just had to try it. The results...they taste very similar to crepes.

My mom especially liked these. She said they remind her of her childhood. Every now and then when she comes over she'll ask me to make her some, even if it's in the late afternoon. The smile on her face when a stack of these are made just for her is worth putting this recipe in our family favorites list. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS
5 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a bowl, beat eggs until foamy. Add milk. Stir in flour and sugar just until blended. Add butter, salt and pepper. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into a hot greased 8-in. skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove and keep warm. Repeat; stack pancakes with waxed paper or paper towel in between.

PREP TIME - 5 Min
COOK TIME - 30 Min
READY IN - 35 Min
YIELDS - 4 servings

Recipes Coming Soon!

For years I've been asking for a Kitchen Aid mixer with no hope in sight. Then last Christmas to my surprise, Al and my mom bought me one! Yay!!! Since then, I've been working on expanding my culinary skills. I've tried a variety of recipes from different resources and I'll be posting some of our family favorites here. So be on the look out for them. Feel free to try them out if you'd like.

Happy Cooking!