Friday, March 29, 2013

Foodie Friday: Perfectly Chocolate Ch Chip Cookies


Hubby's Favorite Cookie =)


Ingredients


  • 2-1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
  • 1/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine , softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  •  eggs
  • 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips or HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
  • Directions

    1. Heat oven to 375°F.
    2. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips. Add nuts, if desired. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
    3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. About 5 dozen cookies.

      PAN RECIPE: Prepare batter as above. Spread batter evenly in greased 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake at 375°F. for 20 to 22 minutes or until cookie begins to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars. About 48 bars.


Wednesday, March 27, 2013

WIP Wednseday: Scrapghan

Using all of my Yarn Scraps I started making this last Summer and as I get additional scraps of yarn I make new squares. =)

I think it will end in a blanket...maybe...



Friday, March 22, 2013

Foodie Friday: Mint Chocolate Delights




Ingredients


Directions

PREHEAT oven to 325° F.

COMBINE flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by well-rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 11 to 13 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

FOR MINI MINT CHOCOLATE DELIGHT COOKIES:Prepare dough as above. Drop by well-rounded measuring teaspoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed and centers are set. Makes about 7 dozen mini cookies. 






Wednesday, March 20, 2013

WIP Wednesday: The project formerly known as Project X

Haha. Blanket for Hubby!!
This was titled Project X on Ravelry the entire time I was making it.

I have no prior "in progress" pics bc I didn't want Hubby to find them!
 Total surprise!
I started it Jan 18 2013
It now measures 75in X 45in, 105 rows. 
He is in the process of determining if he wants it longer.

I obviously can't take a blankie pic without a cat...

Everytime he left the house I was hookin 
(that sounds bad...lol) 

And daily after work

It originally had an appendix I had to cut off or it would have been even wider.
I miscounted my beginning stitches and was not about to rip the chain stitch out...

I picked these colors bc it's the Paint Scheme of his NASCAR driver's car


I think I need to make an M&M inspired one next...




Not this one...


hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Friday, March 15, 2013

Foodie Friday: Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Original NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies




Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Dark Chocolate Morsels
  • 1 cup chopped nuts*

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION: PREHEAT oven to 350° F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet): Increase flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 tsp. water with flour and reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

* If omitting nuts, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. 


Wednesday, March 13, 2013

WIP Wednesday: Pea Coat Scarf

Hubby got me the most beautiful Pea Coat for Christmas! 
I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!
He and Q had me play a Hot and Cold game to find it.
It was in the Closet of course, as to not ruin it.
Can you believe it was in there several days prior to Christmas???
I go in that closet frequently but it was all the way to one side mixed in with spring coats. 
It's nice to have a "for good" coat LOL

So I made a scarf to go with it! 
I have some fluffy earmuffs from Kohl's that pair well with the Coat and Scarf.
I tried to take a photo of myself in it, but our mirror is weird in the dining room so it turned out funny. 



 So I had Spaz model it instead. Isn't he so handsome! 


Details:
66 inches x 4.5 inches, K hook, 
Alternating Single Crochet rows with a double crochet, single crochet rotation. 
Started Jan 19 2013, Finished Jan 21 2013
Vanna's Choice Yarn in Charcoal 

Monday, March 11, 2013

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Ahhahahahaha

When you see the headline "Danica Patrick got hit in the head with a rock," your first thought is, "Who threw it?" (Our money would be on one of the Busch brothers. Maybe Tony Stewart.)

Here's the whole article from Yahoo! Sports
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nascar-from-the-marbles/danica-patrick-got-hit-head-rock-230306834--nascar.html

That's great- not that she got hit by a rock but they are blaming the Rowdy Busch Brothers...Tony only throws helmets...


Friday, March 8, 2013

Foodie Friday: Peanut Butter Reese's Pieces Cookies


My new favorite cookie!!! These were SOOOO good I need to make them again soon...

Ingredients: 

1 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 ounces Reese's pieces

Directions:

1- Beat peanut butter, butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until creamy.
2- Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended.
3- Combine flour, soda, and salt in small bowl.
4- Gradually add to butter mixture, beating well.
5- Stir in Reese's Pieces.
6- Drop by tablespoons onto lightly greased baking sheets.
7- Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Read more at: http://www.food.com/recipe/peanut-butter-reeses-pieces-cookies-342485?oc=linkback





Wednesday, March 6, 2013

WIP Wednesday: Infinity Scarf

This worked up so quickly there was no WIP pics.
I started and completed relativly quick LOL



I was told he looks so En Vogue- I must agree with that assessment!! 


I had been dying to use this yarn I bought a year ago- it is so soft! 

It's Cryastal Palace Yarns Poof

How'd you sneak in this photo shoot! 




Monday, March 4, 2013

New cookie cutters

I see more Sugar Cookie Dough in my future!!

These are from Williams Sonoma...after Christmas they went on sale 75% off and I got free shipping!!
I wasn't paying 19.99 for them...but 5.00 I can do LOL


These also went on sale 70% off at Target online, Free Shipping.
 Don't be jealous Calvino LOL
I like that they came with those presses to make indents in the cookies.
I totally LOVE the Hat! 

Friday, March 1, 2013

Foodie Friday: PBCC Cookies





Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 2/3 cups (11-ounce package) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels
  • 1 cup chopped nuts  **I didn't use this**

Directions
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. **DO not over bake**

PAN COOKIE VARIATION:
GREASE
 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above. Spread into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack.

FOR HIGH ALTITUDE BAKING (5,200 feet):
INCREASE 
flour to 2 1/2 cups. Add 2 teaspoons water with the flour; reduce both granulated sugar and brown sugar to 2/3 cup each. Bake drop cookies for 8 to 10 minutes and pan cookie for 17 to 19 minutes.

SLICE AND BAKE COOKIE VARIATION:
PREPARE
 dough as above. Divide in half; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. Shape each half into 15-inch log; wrap in wax paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375° F. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.