Search This Blog

Pages

Thursday, March 30, 2017

GRASSHOPPER SUGAR COOKIES

When a girl needs a chocolate fix, you've gotta find something that's really going to satisy that craving, and oh boy these babies are just the ticket!

Moist and thick chocolate sugar cookies, covered with a fluffy mint frosting and topped with an Andes Mint drizzle.  Hello!!
So good....this recipe makes 48+ cookies, so needless to say I have a ton in my freezer right now.  I thought I'd pull some out for our Easter brunch in a couple of weeks.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
3/4 cup powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. water
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
5 ½ cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder 
½ tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. salt

Frosting:
1 cup butter, at room temp
4-5 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. mint extract
optional:  green food coloring

Drizzle:
½ cup Andes mint candies, or check to see if your baking aisle has mint chocolate chips, they would work just as well.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.  In a large bowl cream together butter, oil, 1½ cups sugar, powdered sugar, water, eggs, and vanilla
2.  In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.
3.  Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until combined.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
4.  Uncover the dough.  Place remaining ¼ cup sugar in a bowl.  Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.  Roll dough into golf ball size balls and place on the baking sheet 3-4 inches apart.
5.  Use the bottom of a tall glass cup for pressing the cookies.  Sprinkle water on the bottom of the glass then dip into the sugar.  Press cookies to about ¼ inch thickness.
6.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes (mine worked great at 9 minutes).  They should be slightly undercooked. 
7.  While the cookies are baking or cooking, prepare the frosting.  Cream the butter for 3 minutes until very light and fluffy.  Add the powdered sugar one cup at a time until desired consistency and sweetness is reached (I used 4 cups of powdered sugar).   Mix in the mint extract and green food coloring.
8.  For the drizzle, melt the candies in the microwave (in a baggie) for approximately 45 seconds on high power.  Snip off the corner and drizzle over the frosted cookies. 

To store...place cookies in a cookie tin and chill in the freezer for a couple minutes.  Top with a layer of waxed paper and continue the process.  

Enjoy!

recipe c/o:  lecremedelacrumb.com

Wednesday, March 8, 2017

MATERNITY SASH

I was tickled when a former bride of mine (I made her wedding veil) recently contacted me to make her a maternity sash.   She and her husband are expecting their first child soon.   Ryan wanted to wear a sash to show off her growing baby bump at the baby shower being thrown in her honor this coming April.

She gave me an idea of the colors and style she was looking for and let me take it from there.  I always appreciate when I'm given the latitude to let my creative juices flow!!
handmade 
This was fun for me....knowing that Ryan was looking for blue, grey and white, I started pawing through all my goodies and found a really good variety of supplies.  The only thing I needed to get was the 2" ribbon for the sash itself.   From there, I started putting my vision into action.

I knew I wanted a large flower for the focal point.  So I began there and then branched off with other ideas.  This centerpiece flower is comprised of a number of layers of grey lace, white embroidered netting and white polyester fabric cut into a floral shape and sewn together.
handmade
store bought
I decided to make several types of fabric flowers to add some variety.  The blue flowers are made with ribbon, using a couple different techniques, and the white one is one of my faves to make.  It involves melting the fabric over a candle so the fabric curls under the heat.


I had two other store bought versions of flowers that I ended up incorporating as well.   The finishing touch was the use of some blue beaded trim that I used to frame the flowers.  I love the way it added some sparkle to the piece.

I'm looking forward to getting a couple pictures from the baby shower with it on Ryan !


Wednesday, March 1, 2017

SLOW COOKER EGGS FLORENTINE

This is a tasty recipe made right in the crockpot which is ready in about two hours time.  This past week, I put all the ingredients in the crockpot, went to the Rec Center to catch an exercise class, and by the time I got home, I had a wonderful hot and protein packed meal waiting for me!

INGREDIENTS:

1½ cups cheddar cheese, grated and divided
9 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup white bread, cubed (approximately 2-3 slices)
1 cup fresh button mushrooms, sliced
½ cup green onions, thinly sliced
6 eggs
1½ cups milk
½ cup heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

Lightly coat the slow cooker with cooking spray.  Scatter half of the cheese in the bottom of the slow cooker, and layer the spinach, bread, mushrooms and green onions over the cheese.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, cream, salt, pepper and garlic powder until thoroughly combined.  Pour the egg batter over the layered mixture.  DO NOT STIR OR MIX. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.

Cover.  Cook on High 1½- 2 hours.

Enjoy!

SPECIAL NOTE:  The first batch I made, I used our old avocado green crockpot (I know many of you know the one I'm talking about).  If you use that variety, it will take about 3 hours to cook.  The newer versions which are wider allow the ingredients to spread out and cook faster. 

recipe c/o:  getcrocked.com