Snickerdoodles

Growing up I was never a huge fan of any kind of cookie besides a chocolate chip one or my grandma's ice box cookies. My aunt would always make her famous snickerdoodles and I never really cared for them, but as I got older and started to like so many more things I started to love these!  They are soft even days after cooking and delicious! My friends ask me to make these all the time, which is why I made them tonight.

Here is the recipe which makes about 4 dozen cookies.
1/2 cup crisco
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 3/4 cup flour
2t cream of tartar
1t baking soda
1/2t salt
1t vanilla extract

3tbs sugar
1/2 tbs cinnamon


I took lots of pictures just for you!!
First you cream the butter, crisco, and 1 1/2 cup of sugar with a mixer.  I am too unpatient to wait for the butter to soften so I stick it in the microwave for about 12 sec before I mix it in.

Next you will beat in 2 large eggs.

It looks about the same, but with a yellow tint to it. Now you need to add the dry ingredients. My aunt said to sift in the dry ingredients, but I never do this.  I use a shortcut that my mom taught me when I was little.  She would just make a little bowl in the flour and then mix the dry ingredients with a spoon before beating it again.  Hey it saves a bowl from getting dirty.

Now you need to mix in the flour with a mixer for at least 2 minutes or until a dough like ball is forming.  At first there will just be a lot of chunks of dough, so you need to keep mixing until the dough starts to stick together.

I love eating this dough, so becareful that you dont get addicted just like I am :)

Now for my secret ingredient! My aunts original recipe does not call for vanilla extract but I think adding a teaspoon makes the cookies so much better. Mix the vanilla in at the very end.

In a seperate bowl mix 3tbs of sugar and 1/2 tbs of cinnamon.  I normally never measure my cinnamon sugar mixture so you can eyeball it and taylor it to fit your taste.

In my aunt's recipe she puts the dough in a loose ball, covers it with plastic wrap, and puts it in the freezer for atleast an hour.  She says it is much easier for her to roll the dough after doing this but I never put the dough in the freezer and still dont have a problem rolling the dough.

I make 1 1/2 inch diameter balls of dough.

Now roll it into the cinnamon and sugar mixture until the ball of dough is completely coated and place on a greased cookie sheet.

The cookies don't grow that much as they cook, so you can place them fairly close together.  I only place them 1/2 to an inch apart.  Make sure your oven has been pre-heated to 375 degrees F.  My oven is old and cooks really hot, so I set my oven to 350 degrees F. I have made these cookies in a newer oven and cooking on 375 works well and you only need to bake the cookies for 6 mins.  DO NOT OVER BAKE.  The cookies do not get very brown, if you wait for them to brown then they are burnt haha

This is what my cookies look like after 5 minutes. If you notice the cookies are still mounded in the middle.

After 6 minutes the cookies are perfectly round, and level so you know they are ready.  If you stick a finger in the cookie if will feel like it is still kind of doughy, but trust me they are done.  The best way to tell that the cookie is that the bottom of the cookie is no longer doughy.

This is after 6 mins

They are ready!! Pull them out and plop them on the counter so that the softness will sink into the cookie.  Place them on a wire cooling rack or paper towels (laid out on the counter) so the cookies can cool.  Once they are cool, they will firm up and be ready to serve!!

I hope you enjoy these yummy cookies and share them with your friends :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies (with cornstarch)

If you are anything like me, then you are constantly on the search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have been looking for years for a recipe for a chewy, moist, melt in you mouth cookie recipe. While this recipe hasn't stopped my search for the perfect cookie, it has slowed it down quite a bit. These cookies aren't perfect, but boy are they yummy!! The corn starch is really quite amazing. It makes these cookies so moist and chewy while not being too overly sweet.
The batter is delicious as well. Mmmm mm!!

The recipe calls for bittersweet chocolate chips, but I used semi-sweet ones instead. I just couldn't imagine bittersweet chocolate making a yummy cookie.

This recipe makes the most perfect looking cookies ever too!!

I mean look how great these look!!

My Dad is a diabetic and I felt bad making such lovely cookies that he wouldnt be able to enjoy  with me so I decided to try and use this recipe but make them sugar free. So I used the same recipe but I exchanged the Sugar for Splenda and the brown sugar for the Splenda brown Sugar Blend then used some sugar free Hershey's Chocolate Chips. My Dad loved them and they look almost exactly like the sugar filled cookies. Usually when I make him a sugar free version on something, you can definitely tell that it is sugar fee and it usually looks a lot less appetizing, but that is so not the case with these cookies. Just see for yourself below....

See, they look just as yummy with out the sugar.

My overall rating of the recipe is that while they are not as sweet tasting as I would normally like a cookie to be, they are really delicious and are the absolute perfect texture.  I will be making these again for sure!

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

It has been forever since I have done a post and my dear dear sister is the one who has put up the last few posts.  So this last week I have been busy pinning away, at work :), and making a few things at home.  I should be posting something every day for the next few days.

Lets get started with one of my favorite things in the whole world: Oreos! I pretty much have an entire board dedicated to desserts that are made of Oreos. When I saw these oreo cheesecake cookies I knew I had to try and make them.


The original blogger said that she used parchment paper because the oreos cook quickly. I did not have any parchment paper but proceeded anyway to make them. I did not think that they got too brown on the bottom and I used a dark cookie sheet, too.

This is what they turned out to look like once I made them. 

They were pretty good right out of the oven but they were way better the next day after they cooled off a little bit.  I made them for two of my guy friends, who thought they were great.  One of them actually asked me to make them again last night because he liked them so much.

The only bad thing about these is that they are really rich and taste a lot like cream cheese. So if you are like my sister, Jess, and don't like cream cheese then you will not like these. But if you are like the rest of the world and you like cheesecake then these are definitely worth making!

Did I tell you that these were really quick and easy as well?

Spicy Avocado Chicken Enchiladas

When I came across this link I will admit I was a little skeptical. I have now tried several recipes found on pinterest and to be honest none of them really blew me away. I have only found an handful that I would even consider making again. This however was one that my family and I really did enjoy.
The only change I made to the original recipe was that I used rotisserie chicken to save me lots of time.

These enchiladas have lots of flavor and my only problem that I had with them is that I wished there was more sauce to cover them with. Next time I make this I will use smaller flour tortillas and hopefully that will help with the lack of sauce problem.

No Mexican recipe would be complete without a delicious guacamole! I have a secret go-to for all my guacamole attempts. McCormick Guacamole seasoning packets. You have to buy the McCormick name brand, the others just do not taste nearly as good. Just smash up 4 avocados, stir in the seasoning mix packet, and viola! Yummy, easy, quick, Guacamole.

I also tried out a new Mexican rice recipe and it turned out really good as well. Next time I will add more of the seasoning to the rice to try and spice it up a bit, but over all it was delicious as well.

Overall I think that this is a recipe that you will really enjoy! The photos really do not do these much justice, especially not this photo. (I really tried to make it look pretty!) But I promise, this is something that you and your family will love.

Ombre Nails

Ombre Nails

I have an addiction. This addiction is completely harmless and relatively inexpensive compared to other obsessions and addictions. I, Jessica, am addicted to nail polish. I dont know when or why it started, but it happened and my life hasnt been the same since. I catch myself bored at work looking on pinterest and nail polish blogs to see what new colors and techniques people are using. I know, I have a problem. Now you get to witness my addiction in action....ombre nails.

I started out trying to do the ombre nails with the three colors above but I had nothing but trouble. So I decided to try it with just two this time and see if I could get the technique down. The colors I used are Essie Sure Shot and Essie Tour de Finance.

The link that I found on pinterest showed the color fading from no color on the base of your nail to the darkest color on the tip of your nail. I decided to put down a base coat of a light pink color so that the color would (hopefully) fade from light pink to dark pink. You will have to decide if I actually accomplished that or not.

Then you take a small makeup sponge and soak it in water. Squeeze all the water out of the sponge to leave it only slightly damp. I was too impatient and anxious to start this technique so I forgot this very important step. It was a disaster! So please remember to soak your sponge first.

Next take the makeup sponge and paint two (or 3 or 4) lines of paint on to the sponge. Dab the sponge up and down on to a piece of paper (or onto a paper plate like I did) and the colors should start to smudge together. Then paint on some more paint on to the brush and dab it onto your nail up and down and until you get the look you want.

Your fingers will be very messy because the paint just goes everywhere.

Take a qtip and dip it into some nail polish remover (or acetone) and carefully remove the paint from around your nail.

As you can see my nails sort of look bumpy/texturized. I think this is because I let my sponge get too dry. I probably should have soaked it in water after I finished my first hand.

After I applied the top coat it seemed to smooth them out just a bit, not to mention it made them super glossy.

So what do you think, is this something you will have to try too?

Cake Batter Brownies

Pinterest: Cake Batter Brownies

So I have to admit, when I saw this recipe on pinterest I got all giddy. I recently discovered the pure deliciousness that is Dairy Queen's Confetti Cake Blizzard and this looked like a nice little way to make a bit of that goodness at home.

Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix (or funfetti)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 to 1/2 cup milk
1/4 rainbow sprinkles (if you use a yellow cake mix add these into the batter)
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
sprinkles for the top
icing
Combine the cake mix, egg, and oil. Add in the milk to the consistency you like. (The batter will be thick). Add in the sprinkles, white chocolate chips.

  Pour into a sprayed 9x11 pan.

The cake batter tastes great too :o)

Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees. They should look similar to this when you remove them from the oven.

The post I got this recipe from says that they brownies can be eaten and are just as good without the icing. I strongly disagree. You must have the icing  to make these brownies as good as they are and homemade is ALWAYS better than out of a can! It may dirty a few more dishes and take a little bit longer, but it is always well worth it.

Icing recipe:
1/4 cup margarine or butter softened
2 to 3 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar
food coloring of your choice
Mix all ingredients together until well blended and spread onto the cooled brownies.

Then top with more sprinkles.

I use my friends at work and at church as my test subjects for new recipes, so I ended up making these for the work pot luck as well. Everyone that tried one just raved about them. I thought that they were really tasty as well, but they were a little bit on the dry side for my liking. I think next time I will add the full 1/2 cup of milk to the batter and see if that helps at all . Over all though, I thought that they were really quite yummy.

My one complaint is that the ones I made looked nothing like the picture perfect ones that were posted on pinterest. I suppose I should be used to this happening because none of the desserts I make ever look as good as I want them too. This is the final product.

These little treats will bring out your inner child as well as satisfy your sweet tooth!

Painted Silverware

Painted Silverware

In every one's life there comes a time that you do one of the most dreaded things in humanity.... you move!  Recently, like a week ago, I had to move from a two bedroom into a one bedroom apartment.  This was not my choice, but was chosen for me by my roommate deciding that she just had to get married to the man of her dreams. Sigh. I mean who does that, especially when she leaves me behind to fend for myself!! (I am actually super happy for her :))

On to the reason why you are actually here. I was lucky enough to benefit from her wedding presents by getting some of her old stuff. One of those things was a set of mismatched silverware.  The only silverware I had were cutting knives, so beggers cant be choosey.  I would like to see you eat cereal with a chopping knife!

So off to pinterest I went, trying to find a way to make all of my mismatched pieces look like they fit together.  When I came across the idea of painting the silverware, I thought I was witnessing pure genius. http://pinterest.com/search/?q=painted+silverware

This is what we did.  (Oh did I tell you that my sister drove 5 hours just to come help me move? She is awesome!)

I just went to a chain supercenter and purchased some spray paint that works on metal and a package of painters tape.

We wrapped the part that goes into your mouth with the tape and tried to make them all uniform.

Let the spray painting begin!! We noticed that we needed two coats.

These are the finished project! I love them.  I used the satin finish spray paint and love them.

The only downside is that I am too scared to put them in the dishwasher because after handwashing them small amounts of paint have chipped off.  But I choose to think that they look vintage now :)

I would definitely recommend trying this.

Chicken Tortilla Bake

Chicken Tortilla Bake on Pinterest

I found this recipe on Pinterest when I was searching for something super easy to make for a pot luck at work today. This looked too good tobe true and everyone that left comments on the recipe just raved about how good it was. So I figured what the heck, Ill give it a try.

The recipe calls for 3 cups of cooked chicken, two small cans of cream of chicken soup, one can of rotel, 12 corn tortillas, and mexican or cheddar cheese. 

You mix the soup and rotel together in a bowl.

 chop up the tortillas in little chunks and pretty much just layer the tortillas, soup mixture, and chicken in a sprayed baking dish then top it off with the cheese. Cover and bake at 350 for 40 mins and then remove the foil and bake another 5 minutes.  Serve with sour cream, guacamole, and chips.

To make this super easy recipe even easier, I used a rotiserrie chicken and I used one large can of soup instead of 2 small cans.

I also layered some of the cheese into the casserole as well as on top of it. I stongly suggest either using one large can of soup or 3 small cans, because I nearly ran out of the soup mixture to cover my chicken and I was using more than the recipe called for.

Here is what it looked like as it went into the oven. You can see that I love me some cheese!

And the finished product. It doesnt look that appetizing I will admit.

My review of the recipe is pretty much this. It is just okay. I made two batches, one to take to the pot luck today and one for my family and I to eat for dinner last night. Basically I dont believe that I will be making it again. It tasted alright, but really only after you slathered it up with some sour cream and some of my amazing homemade guacamole. (My guacamole can make just about any thing taste great!)

The casserole was just too bland for my liking.

The good news is that it was a hit at the work pot luck. I just walked over there by all the food and there is only one little corner of it left in the pan.  So just becasue I wasnt its biggest fan, doesnt mean that you wont love it. Either that, or people are just way too nice...

Picture Frame Necklace Holder

Nothing is worse than having to untangle a mass of necklaces from a jewelry box!  If you are lucky enough to find one that has a few hooks in it, they usually are not made to fit longer lengths of chains.  We love the idea of turning a picture frame into a necklace holder!  My sister already has one, but needed another for all of her fabulous jewelry. 

Supplies needed: Picture frame (better if it is landscape, for maximal necklace space), a package of  mug hooks, and a drill with bits.

Remove everything from the frame and mark where you want the hooks to be placed with a sharpie.  We went with an inch apart.

Next use the drill to bore out holes where you made your markings.  You will need to see what size the hooks are that you bought and use a drill bit that is the same size in diameter. We used a 7/64 for this project.

Make sure you don't drill completely through the frame!

Screw in the hooks. They may stick out through the other side of the frame. This is ok. The glass should still fit. If not make a trip to your local Home Depot or Hobby Lobby and get them to trim your glass pane down a bit. Make sure that all the hooks are curved up.

These are pictures of the finished product! 

This is just such a cute and classy way to display your jewelry and keep it organized.

This project was relatively inexpensive. The frame and hooks were both bought at Wal-Mart for less than $20. My sister actually made this with the help of our awesome father. The poor guy is stuck in a household of women and gets roped into helping us make cutsey things from Pinterest. But that is why we love him most! :)

Here is the link to similar versions on Pinterest, but we like ours the best!