Sweet Finds

Frosted Holiday Trees

Hey Dolls!

How are you?

Can you believe it's already December?

I thought it would be fun to participate

in Jessi's Cookie Exchange

again this year.

 

 I found a "new to me" recipe that

I wanted to share...

 

Frosted Holiday Trees

I know!  It's not much of a "cookie".

But I fell in love with the idea,

and thought it would make a

cute & simple project for

those of you with little ones.

Recipe:

* 1 box Betty Crocker Original Supreme

brownie mix (w/Choc. syrup pouch)

water, veg. oil & eggs called for on brownie mix box

* 2 - 3 drops of green food color

* 1 cup vanilla frosting

* Miniature candy canes (2 in.) unwrapped

* Red & Green candy sprinkles
 

1.) Heat oven to 350 F.  Line a 13x 9-in. pan with foil

so foil extends about 2 inches over short sides of pan.

Grease bottom only of foil with cooking spray or shortening.

 

2.) Make & bake brownies as directed on box for 13x9-in. pan,

using water, oil & eggs. 

Cool completely ( about 1 hr.)

Remove brownies from pan by lifting the foil.

Peel the foil away.  To cut brownies into triangles,

cut lengthwise into 3 rows.  Cut each row into 7 triangles.

3.) Stir food color into frosting.  Spoon frosting into small

resealable plastic baggie (particially sealed).

Cut off tiny bottom corner of bag.  Squeeze bag to pipe

frosting over brownies.  Let your children sprinkle with decors.

  

4.) Break off curved end of candy cane.  Insert straight piece

into bottoms of triangles to make tree trunks.

 

5.)  Serve to your little ones.  Eat & be merry!  : )

Hope you enjoy!

Happy Holidays,

Joanna

Chunks O' Chocolate

Chocolate Truffles


 

Have you had the opportunity to try

any of the Cookie Swap recipes

that are floating around blogland?

On Sunday, I whipped up a batch

of Suzanne's Chocolate Truffles.

Boy are they yummy...

and easy to make!

 

Thanks for posting the recipe, Suzanne!

 

I got a ton of compliments.   :)

 

The girls at the Antique Mall must not

think of me in a domestic way.   tee-hee

 

They kept saying things like...

"You made these?"

"And you added all the little sprinkles?"

 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 

If you are looking for a way to

impress your friends...

 

    Make Suzanne's Truffles!

 

xoxo, Joanna

Holiday Cookies

One of my childhood memories

involves my Aunt Kathy & sugar cookies.

I'm not sure of the details surrounding

the event... I just remember making

sugar cookies at her house.

 

So, I thought it would be fun to

do the same with my God-daughter, Victoria.

I'm hoping in 20- 30 years, she'll remember

all the fun we had baking & decorating

these Holiday Cookies.

 

 

  
She's so cute!  She even wanted

to wear one of my vintage aprons. 

  

We baked the cookies until they were

nice & golden.

  
 Then we all gathered round the table

to decorate them.

 

including the "teenagers".  :)

The final product... 

festive little cookies, if I may say!

And boy, were they yummy!  tee-hee

Sugar Cookies

1 c. butter

1 c. splenda (or 2 c. sugar)

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

4 t. baking powder

3-1/2 c. flour

Cream together butter & sugar.  Add eggs & vanilla.

Sift together flour & baking powder and add to

creamed mixture.  Roll to 1/8" thick on

floured board.  Cut with a floured cutter.

Sprinkle with sugar or frost later.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes

on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Yields: 3-4 dozen

Please visit Scrappy Jessi for additional

"Cookie Swap" recipes.

Happy Holidays,

Joanna

Martha Stewart-ish?

On any given school day,

my daughter is running late! 

Probably pretty typical for a 13 yr. old.

She tries on 2-3 different outfits each morning,  her hair

has to be perfect and she just started wearing

a little make-up.  (but only the soft colors)  :)

All things that take time!!!!

So, I decided to help her out this

morning by packing her lunch, something she

normally does for herself!

Too surprise her, I tried something fun.

Something kinda Martha Stewart-ish or

maybe even Rachel Rey like.

But on a very, very small scale!  LOL

I thought it would be fun to cut her sandwiches

into fun little shapes using cookie cutters.

And I left her a special message taped to her

granola bar!

Truth be told, I don't recall ever making the

twins a cutesy kid lunch when they were little.   :(

But I'm glad I did today...

So, the big question: 

Do you have any fun & creative ideas

for a packed lunch?

I definitely want to surprise her again!

xoxo, Joanna

A New Recipe

Sunday was the last day of our "Birthday Sale" at the Mansfield Antique Mall.  To celebrate, I thought "CUPCAKES" would be appropriate.

So, I decided to try a new recipe...  Super-Easy Cupcakes by Bisquick

Typically, I'm the gal that runs to the grocery store & picks up cookies from the bakery.  Or, if I really feel like surprising the family, I'll buy a box of cake mix!  I rarely make anything from scratch!  :) 

Prep Tim:  15 min.,   Makes 24 cupcakes

Ingredients:

3 cups Original Bisquick mix

1 cup sugar

1 cup milk or water

1/4 cup shortening

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

Favorite frosting, if desired

1.) Heat oven to 375° F.

Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups, or grease and flour muffin cups.

2.) Beat all ingredients except Frosting in large bowl.

3.) On low speed 30 seconds, sraping bowl constantly.  Beat on medium speed 4 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.

4.) Fill baking cups about 1/2 full.

5.) Bake about 15 minutes or until toothpick insert in center comes out clean.   Immediately remove from pan; cool.

6.) Frost and enjoy!

Hence, the name...   this recipe is super-easy.

I had all of the ingredients in the pantry.

This would make a great "back to school" project/party...    what an awesome way to exercise those little brains with some basic math skills. 

xoxo, Joanna