White Chocolate Cherry Chip Cookies...

I made the most wonderful cookies today! I decided to try an experiment with some mixes I had. These are semi-homemade (love that term). I took one bag of Betty Crocker Snickerdoodle mix (minus the cinnamon suger) and one bag of Betty Crocker Sugar cookie mix, two sticks of butter, and two eggs and mixed in the mixer. Then I added one bag of dried cherries and a half of a bag of white chocolate chips. (you can add more or less of each as desired). Mix it all up and spoon onto pan, cook at 325 for about 9 minutes until the edges turn brown. YUMMMMY!

I love fall. 

Have a great Sunday!!

Yummmy.....

Found this yummy sounding recipe today. I am off to pick the little one up from Preschool, but when I get back, there will be a little sugar cookie, pumpkin, chocolate chip experiment going on. Hope it turns out well. 

 

Have a great Fall Day!!!!

 

Pumpkin Cookies....

Hello. Hope your Tuesday is going great. Just browsing on Pinterest before I start laundry and thought these look yummy.  Might have to try them out today. They are courtesy of 

Allison @ www.houseofhepworths.com

Have a great day!

 

Pumpkin Cookies:
Combine:
1 Cup Shortening
3 Cups Sugar
Add:
2 eggs
Mix in:
1 large can pumpkin (30 ounces)
Now add:
1 tsp. vanilla
5 cups flour
And then add:
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. nutmeg
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Now, bake @ 350 for about 10-12 minutes. Let cool & then ice using the following Cream Cheese icing.
Cream Cheese Icing:
Combine:
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
Gradually mix in: 2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Blend until smooth. Store in the refrigerator after use.
Recipe courtesy of Allison @ www.houseofhepworths.com

Fall Pictures...

Friday was our annual Fall Picture Outing. (not sure what else to call it). My best friend and I take our girls out and take fall pictures of them and us. This year we tried to incorporate lots of props. It was great. It was also a few days before her birthday, so I wanted to do a fun lunch as well. It was perfect. As soon as we got there we were surrounded by about 8 deer. We were quiet and set up without much sound (not easy for two kiddos) and they hung out with for a bit. It was the best day!

 

Happy Fall Monday

Hello, Happy Fall! I had a wonderful weekend, how about you? Friday, we went out with friends and took pictures. All the leaves were beautiful. I will be posting those pics soon. Have to get them organized. Then Saturday, we decided to take a quick trip into the big city and my Husband surprised me with an impromptu visit to Ikea. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but my hubby hates the place, so for him to suggest it means alot. That or he was just craving cinnamon rolls. ; )

I will post the goodies I found there soon too. Too much to get done, and not enough time. But my slower Fall weather is definatly helping things along. 

Need more coffee now. Yum!

Have a great day!

Thursday Afternoon Inspirations...

Hello. Happy Thursday. I am just messing around in my craft room. Finishing up some projects and thought I would take a quick blog break. That is, in between laundry and dishes of coarse. I love these soft pastels. So fresh and bright.  I am already feeling bogged down by Orange and the season has just started. Need more beige's and grey's. Hope your days great!

Thinking about Winter...

 

Today was a very chilly morning. Usually this kind of chilliness gets me curled up on the chair, with coffee in hand, watching TV. However, today I started looking at Pinterest and found some great ideas for Winter Decorating and Crafts. I thought I would share. I love the crispness in the air lately. I have to admit, I am hoping for lots of snow this year. Last year we had none, which is very unusual for us. And while I loved the mildness at the time, I did not like the fire danger and constant smoke haze in the air. So I would rather have the cold icy white, than the alternative. 

Hope your day is great!

; ) 

Moose..

Yesterday, we headed out early to do some shopping and we were treated to the wonderful viewing of two bull moose, just outside of town. This is very unusual. We never see them here in town. I was so excited. I have lived on the edge of moose country for almost 18 years and finally I get to see some. 

I feel so lucky!

Have a great day!

; )

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins... Yum!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins plus 12 mini muffins

ingredients:

1 15 ounce can 100% pumpkin
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup mini semi sweet chocolate chips, optional
1/2 cup chopped pecans, optional

directions:

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray muffin pans with cooking spray.

2. Bring pumpkin, ginger, cinnamon and cloves to a simmer in a medium saucepan, stirring occasionally, until puree thickens about 5 minutes. Pour into a mixing bowl & allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Whisk in brown sugar and oil, then slowly whisk in eggs.

3. In a separate bowl whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until just combined.

4. Stir in chocolate chips & pecans, if desired. If your pumpkin mixture is too hot when you add the chocolate chips you'll get gorgeous melty chocolate swirls  in your muffins instead of chocolate "chips". DELICIOUS either way!

5. Divide batter among the muffin cups and bake until golden and cooked through, about 10 minutes for the mini muffins & 13 minutes for the regular sized muffins.

*P.S. I don't bake these muffins in cupcake papers. I was taking them to a brunch so I put them in the cupcake papers to be easier to transport & serve.

Dont these just sound wonderful!   I have got to make these today. 

YUMMY!

Have a great Saturday!

Friday Catch Up Day...

Happy Friday!!! Today is my catchup day. I have a very long list of to-do's, both fun and not so fun. One of which is this yummy apple crisp recipe. 

 

 

4 large or 5 regular granny smith apples

1 1/2 C. packed brown sugar

1 C. white flour

1 C. oats

1 1/2 sticks salted butter (softened)

2 tsp. cinnamon

*cut up apples into chunky bite size pieces about an inch wid with skin on an put into greased 9x13 GLASS casserole dish... it makes it more moist and cooks the apples quicker. 

*mix ingredients together- butter will be lumpy, but you can cut it with a couple butter knives to help.

*pour over apples and smooth out.

BAKE: 375

TIME: 20-30 minutes

*eat warm or cooled. with vanilla icecream or without.

 

I am also hoping to get some great crafts done with the kids, do some scrapbooking, finish and put away laundry, make some fun fall banners, go for a walk and see the leaves falling, watch movies with the kids, work on my crocheted blanket, and just plain relax. It has been a long time coming since school started. It seems like we go and go and go... oh well. Time to slow down

 

Have a great day!!!!

 

; ) 

Party Planning...

I about a month, my baby girl turns 4. This year she has asked for a Lalaloopsy Birthday party. So ofcourse I am on the hunt. I love searching for fun birthday decorations, but I like to think I am thrifty as well. However, I may have to splurge on the ferris wheel cupcake holder... oh my! How cute is that. I just have to justify using it for everyones birthdays from now on. 

Hope your day is great!

; )

Happy September!!!

Happy September 5th! Hope your day is going good. I am typing with cold fingers because I left my windows open last night and it got down in the 20's. Brrrr. But I LOVE it. This is my favorite time of year. I have started to pull out my fall decor. I want to get it all out and do an inventory before going shopping for more. We are heading to the big city in a few days and I don't want to get caught up in all the fun decor ideas until I know what I have. So many fun things happen in the next two months, I cant wait. Enjoy your Wednesday!!!

; )