what's for dinner tonight....

I saw this last week on someone's blog... don't remember where or who. SO, I went to my trusty best friend Pinterest, and searched for baked chicken spaghetti, and wha-la! The original recipe from the Pioneer Woman. www.thepioneerwoman.com - So, I ran out this evening got the ingredients I didn't have, and it looks like it's gonna be a baked spaghetti kind of night. Yumm-o can't wait!

I love cozy days at home. Especially in the Fall because there is something guilt free about naps, and good cozy comfort foods, and curling up and cuddling with a good book and a dog by your side. That is my idea of a good day!

Happy Friday, hope you are having a lovely start to your weekend!

Yum!

I'm not a baker. Not even a little bit. It's not that I can't do it, it's more that recipes take too much attention for me to stay feeling creative. There are a few things I bake, over and over, and mostly it's because they are easy and super delicious so they keep me coming back for more!



While reading the Farm Chicks blog I saw this recipe for Peanut butter chocolate bars... oh MY! You had me at peanut butter!

These little sweethearts are going to make me break out the kitchen aide and the measuring cups and make us something YUMMY!!!

Don't they look so good?
I'll let you know what we thought after I get these babies made!
If you can't wait the link is above (click on highlighted text) so you can make them now!

my favorite easy apple recipe...

Okay, so after you had to listen to all of my 'venting' and 'belly aching' yesterday I decided you deserved a little treat. So, I am sharing with you my most favorite easy apple recipe. I have been making this recipe for YEARS, since I was in 4H way back in the day.... that was a loooonggg time ago. It's really good. Really easy. Really comforting, and kind of one of those fake-out dishes that really tastes like you spent way more time and effort than you have. (love those!)





So Here it is...

Apple Crisp

4c. sliced apples
2/3c. brown sugar packed tight
1/2c. flour
1 stick butter
1/2c. quick oats
3/4tsp. cinnamon
3/4tsp. nutmeg

(use this topping for any kind of crisp you want just substitute apples for what ever fruit you like... I've made this with blackberries, marionberries, & peaches - it's all good!)

Place apples in a 7 by 9 inch greased pan. Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl with wooden spoon until crumbly, and sprinkle over apples. Bake at 375 degrees or until brown and crumbly.

(you can easily double or even triple this recipe for a larger groups of people... also you can bake individual crisps in ramekins for petite desserts! Serve with vanilla icecream or fresh whipcream and oh, yeah...)




I finally bought one of these today... oh my gosh, had I known what I was missing, well, I wouldn't have done 50lbs. of applesauce in August without it. It's awesome! I'm not one for a lot of gadgets and gizmo's in the kitchen, or recipes for that matter, but these two are worth trying! Hope you enjoy. Happy apple season!

day three on Maui...

Day three of our trip on Maui, just so happened to be our 10th wedding anniversary. We contemplated what we wanted to do on our day, and after some thinking we thought we wanted to do something we would really remember (rather than just a day being lazy at the beach). Two and a half years ago when we visited Maui, we came across a restaurant called Pacific'O. We fell in love. It was the most amazing food, in the most amazing setting. We became regulars during our visit, and got to know the wait staff pretty well. After visiting with them we found out that they are the only restaurant on the island that has a farm that is dedicated only to growing food for them and their other restaurant I'o. Not only do they farm almost all of their foods, they are also grow all of their foods organically, and sustainably. Really cool! Anyway, we found out that they do tours of their farm. Unfortunately that trip we didn't have enough time to go, but we knew if we ever visited again that we would really love to visit their farm. So, this time we did! We spent the morning of our anniversary touring their lovely 8 acre farm where they grow their own coffee, stone and tropical fruits, and many many veggies! After the tour, we enjoyed a terrific lunch prepared by the farm's on chef. It was delicious, and so much fun!

Later that day, we did get to spend some lazy time on the beach, swimming, and sunbathing. After we were done loafing on the beach, we enjoyed a romantic dinner at our favorite restaurant EVER... Pacific'O. If you are ever in Maui, GO! I can't stress to you how wonderful it is! So, that was day three of our trip, it will definitely be remembered always! For more info check out their websites... HERE

canning & preserving...

This year one of my summertime goals was to do some preserving and some canning to build a stocked pantry full of good, whole, local fruits and veggies for the rest of the year.

So far here's what I've got done:
7 quarts peaches
8 pints peaches
2 batches of raspberry freezer jam
2 batches of blackberry freezer jam
1 batch of strawberry freezer jam
10 quarts of gravenstein applesauce + bunches of small containers for lunches
1 flat of blueberries frozen
1/2 flat of blackberries frozen


Here's what I still want to do:
more applesauce
more peaches
pears
tomatoes??? - if I ever get any off my 10 plants :\

This whole canning and freezing, and preserving business is new to me, but I have to say it's kind of fun! (I especially like that it gives my mom and I an excuse to spend time together in the kitchen!) I feel like I'm learning something that will be able to benefit my family for a long time to come! I still have a lot to learn, but so far, I like what I've done! What do you like to can and preserve???

Keeper of the Home, put together a great guide to canning and preserving check it out here... if you're like me and your new to all of this, you'll love this guide, it is really helpful!

delicious...

Our Family eats a lot of granola, especially one that we love from Trader Joes called Organic Grannies Granola... the only problem is that it's almost $4 a box, and a box doesn't last very long in our house between 4 people sharing it. So, while on my quest to stay dedicated to being an Organic family, I have been trying to figure out ways to 'do it myself' if you will... While making homemade applesauce the other day to put in the freezer for the winter, my mom reminded me that I had taken home Grandma's old food dehydrator when we were cleaning her basement out earlier in the summer. So, while cutting up our 25lbs of Gravenstien Apples for our applesauce we decided to dry some at the same time. That got us thinking about the Granola we love, it has dried apples and other goodies in it. I said out loud I wish I knew how to make homemade granola... and my Mom says 'you know you can make granola in the dehydrator too'. Ahhh, no, mom I'm new at this...

So, we found a recipe, and the results are DDDDDelicious!!!!! You must try this! So, here is the recipe so you can try it yourself! :)

Homemade Grannies Granola

*we made ours with organic ingredients, but you wouldn't have to... but you should ;)

5c. Organic Rolled Oats
3/4c. Organic Brown Sugar
1/2c. wheat germ
1/2c. chopped dried apple
1/2c. organic or local honey
1c. raisins
1c. chopped nuts (we like walnuts)
1/3c. salad oil
1tsp. pure vanilla
3/4c. melted organic or local butter
1tsp. cinnamon
Combine ingredients in large bowl with wooden spoon.
Spread onto dehydrator
(I'm pretty sure you could do the same thing in baking sheets in the oven)
dry @ 145 degrees until crunchy (use fruit roll sheet attachments w/dehydrator)
I dried mine for about 9 hours, but keep checking it until it's the texture you like.
Crumble up granola and put into an air tight container for storage!

Wa-La your own Granola!

Monkey Bread...

Ingredients
3 or 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup sugar (can easily reduce to 3/4 cup)
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon
splash of vanilla
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour



Method
No need for a mixer for this recipe. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the mashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour last, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.


In our house banana bread isn't called banana bread, it's called Monkey bread. We call it that because our little Monkey Meritt LooooooVVVEeeees Monkey bread! She equally loves to make Monkey bread with Mama! Squishing the banana's is her favorite part! My favorite part is that this recipe is so easy and fool proof that having a little helper make this recipe with you, is easy and fun!

So, if you love you some banana bread like we do, give this easy recipe a try! After all it is Monkey approved! ;-)

waffles...

Ahhhh, yes this is the way a Monday morning should start. As I type this, I am laying in bed blogging & drinking coffee, while my awesome husband is in the kitchen making homemade buttermilk waffles while wrangling Meritt! Yes, this is the life. I could get used to this. What a way to start the week! I hope the whole week goes this good! I hope that you are starting your Monday off with something equally fantastic!

updates all around...

Thursday afternoon we did our watercolor art, inspired by Georgia O'Keeffe. It was really fun, and amazingly relaxing to be outdoors with the girls painting. I think they turned out pretty great! I'm thinking these will find frames and become pieces of art in the family room!



Bella has decided that our new little boy will be named "Buddy". She kept calling him that all day yesterday, as she hadn't decided a name, and I think it stuck! He is SOOOOOO cute, and did awesome last night. Bella stayed outside by his side a whole 4 and a half hours yesterday afternoon. Even through 3 major downpours. She just rigged up umbrellas all over the pen. I think she's getting a taste of motherhood!:) She has been so good. It's fun to watch!




Lastly, I just wanted to report that I did make the homemade granola bars that I posted the recipe for last Friday, and they were a big hit! The whole plate was gone in two days. The biggest fan although wasn't the kids, but Papa. I think he ate more than anyone!

Happy Saturday all...
Hope you have a fabulous day!

can't wait to try these!

Saw these on another blog... 365 Days In My Life

I love the fact that with this recipe you could easily adapt it to fit your family... just like she did by substituting the dried fruit for chocolate chips! I am going to make these with organic ingredients as a substitute for buying store bought organic granola bars. (they are pricey and my kids can eat a ton of them!) So, I am keeping my fingers crossed that my kiddo's love this recipe! I'll let you know how it goes!



OATMEAL BARS
4 cup dry oats
1 1/2 cups flour (I used all whole wheat)
1 c. brown sugar (I used regular cause thats all we had)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup applesauce (you could use 1 cup applesauce and omit the oil, I'm pretty sure)
1/4 cup oil
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups dried fruit (raisins, craisins, dried cherries, etc) (we used chocolate chips instead of dried fruit for added sweetness and since my kids hate dried fruit LOL)


Mix dry ingredients. Whisk the eggs, applesauce and oil together, add to dry. Spread in a 13X9 greased pan and bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until lightly brown.

kid approved...

So, we've been eating totally organically/sustainably/locally for about 6 months now. Through this journey of really committing to this new lifestyle, we've had to try a lot of different brands/foods/kinds of things to figure out what we like, and more importantly what my kids will not only eat, but get excited enough about to give a thumbs up to!

I'm not sure how many of you out there reading this care about any of this... but I thought I would share a few of the things (brands/foods/kinds) that we have found to be kid approved!



These are my kids favorite snacks... They love them. They come in a big variety pack we buy at Costco. 4 different flavors... Meritt loves the coclate (yes coclate, not chocolate) bunnies!




It's hard to keep kids hydrated this time of year, when it gets warm. Especially when we are all on the go so much. My kids are great water drinkers, but sometimes it's fun to have something else. These honest kids juice drinks are great! They are organic and they have about half the sugar as regular kids drinks. Best part: kids love them!



Okay, so this one was our biggest battle in our house. We have been (me the most) long time lovers of the "blue box" Mac and Cheese. You know the kind I'm talking about. My kids actually like this Annie's brand better, and with a little bit of tweaking to the instructions on the box.... I am happy to say there won't be anymore of that other "blue box" Mac and Cheese in our house again!




Those of you out there that are locales will know about Tillamook cheese. Located just west of us on the coast. Tillamook cheese is a long time favorite in our house! Love their cheese, yogurt, and ice cream1 Best of all, it's fun to go to Tillamook and tour the cheese factory where our cheese is made, and while you're there you might as well enjoy an ice cream cone!



So, I have to admit right off the bat, Organic Milk is EXPENSIVE. But, it is so worth it, especially if your kids love milk like mine do! This is the absolute best milk I have ever drinken. (I promise!) In fact it's so good we go through it like it's going out of style at our house!




You were probably raised on some kind of sugary filled peanut butter - like most of us were. (I know I was) This switch took me a little while... although my kids and hubby loved this stuff right off the bat! Few ingredients, low sugar, basically ground up peanuts... I am pretty sure that's what we should have been eating all along! :) Doesn't quite taste like what you are used to, but once you get used to it, it's really good!



Yum, Dave's Killer Bread. So, good... So good for you! Try this if you haven't. Filled to the brim with good for you organic whole grains, the taste and texture are amazing. My kids go through a loaf every few days. Crazy!



Baked goods has been a HARD one. Have you ever looked at the ingredients in most cake/brownie/muffin mixes. They are awful. Tons of stuff that we shouldn't be eating. Lots of man made, genetically engineered, crap. But, let's face it, not many of us have time to bake from scratch all the time... but who can live without any sweets??? Not I, said the fly. My kids love to help bake with these easy mixes. Best part... they only have good ingredients (not claiming they are totally healthy or will make you thin) but they are made with whole ingredients that don't fill you up with stuff that shouldn't be inside of you.


There you have it. Some of the yummy stuff that our pantry and fridge is always filled with. Stuff that I know my kids will not only eat, but be healthier because of. Go try some and let me know what you think!!!

Food for thought...

When I have shared with people the changes that my family has chose to make about going organic. The no. 1 thing I hear is how expensive it is, and how hard it is to go organic. While I do agree, that the cost is definitely higher and it is a bit more time consuming than eating main stream foods... I still think it is so important. So, I went looking for an article to explain some of the more important foods and facts to focus on, even if you just want to get your feet wet with this lifestyle!

This article came from... growingagreenfamily.com
If you get a chance check out their website!


Organic foods do more than help keep toxins out of our soil, water, and air. They also keep dangerous toxins out of your family’s bodies and help keep farmers (and farmers children) safe which yes is better for everyone’s health in spite of recent news that claims otherwise. Organics better support a local economy and are a good purchase because you’re showing companies and the government where your Eco-priorities stand. Lastly, if more people purchase organics prices will go down (simple supply and demand) so your purchase can help other families to be able to afford organics.



That said, right now, organic versions of foods do tend to be priced somewhat higher than conventional, so if you only have so and so dollars set aside in your budget for organics, you may as well put those dollars to the best possible use. Following is a handy list of the foods you should always try to buy organic before others…

Veggies & Fruits — in any form (canned, jarred, fresh, frozen, dehydrated, etc.)

When buying produce I tend to go by the Dirty Dozen list first. The Dirty Dozen list is made up of produce that has the largest concentrated amounts of pesticides. The current Dirty Dozen includes…

Peaches (worst)
Apples
Sweet Bell Peppers
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Kale
Lettuce
Imported Grapes
Carrots
Pears
Other produce consider buying organic at all times include…

Edamame (soy beans) + soy milk + soy formula + tofu
Potatoes — all colors and varieties (including frozen like Tatar tots or french fries).
Spinach
Lemons, oranges, and limes or other citrus when used for zest



Dairy products + eggs:

Dairy products and eggs contain large amounts of growth hormones. Also, organic versions of dairy and eggs are more beneficial for your health. I always buy organic milk because my son drinks a lot of it. I also try to always buy organic cheese, milk, and yogurt, because Cedar also eats a lot of these items. I’m more flexible on items like butter, cream cheese, and ice cream because we don’t consume as much of it, although when I find a decent priced organic alternative I will buy it. Note: before you buy organic dairy read – choosing sustainable dairy and can you trust organic dairy products?



Meat and poultry:

There are pesticides found in meats and poultry because cows and other animals eat feed grown in heavy toxic chemicals, but the main reason that studies and most experts say you should buy organic meat is because of the dangers of hormones, antibiotics and additives. To avoid both pesticides and unnatural additives, you should always buy organic meats and poultry. That said, organic meats are super expensive, so another option is to simply eat less meat which is more healthy anyhow. Note though, if you exchange meat for soy based products, you should buy those in organic form too, because soy is a high pesticide offender.



Baby food: Infants and young children are far more susceptible to the dangers of pesticides than adults. Every bite of food your baby has should be organic – and honestly, since they eat small amounts, this is an affordable area, especially if you make your own homemade organic baby food – bonus, it’s VERY easy to make homemade baby food, I promise.



Grains: According to Safe Food, grains (along with animal products and wine) show the most pesticide residue of all food products. However, other studies show that whole grain breads have more pesticides than white because whole wheat bread, “Uses the entire kernel, so can contain more pesticides than white bread, which is made using only the inside of the kernel.” (Source – pdf). Another study shows that bread is a top kid affecting food, because little ones tend to eat a lot of it. Quite a few pesticides are found in rice (a grass not grain, but here we’ll call it a grain) and rice products. Pasta, another grain, picks up its own fair share of pesticides.

Basically, grains is one of those categories where you should buy organic of any item you eat a lot of whenever possible. The good news is that organic rice, pasta, and grains are actually not much more expensive that their conventional counterparts – especially if you purchase them from the bulk section of your grocery store. Bread is the one exception here, and usually runs considerably higher cost for organic, but you can still afford it if you get a natural store name brand, i.e. Whole Foods brand or Trader Joes.

In a nutshell:

It’s a lot to digest but really, you don’t want your kids eating pesticides. Studies show that feeding children organics does result in extremely smaller amounts of toxins and other nasty junk in their bodies. Also, I know it can seem overwhelming, because organics can cost more, but with budget changes you can afford it. Soon, some tips on how to make those budget changes so that your family can afford organic foods.

Which foods does your family buy in organic form?



Share and Enjoy

i love this show!

Have you watched this show on ABC?

It's great!

Friday Nights, ABC 9pm

Check it out!

Changes are being made out there, I love it!

changes...

It has been exactly one week since Matt and I sat down to watch Food Inc. as you probably gathered from the last lengthy post, it did profound things to us. I understand that not all people will have the same reaction that we had to this. I also understand, as in all things, everyone has their own point of view on the subject. But, since seeing as this is MY blog, and the only person's views I can really speak to our MY own. I thought I would share some of the changes that have taken place, since last I posted....

We have gone a whole week almost completely organic, & local.

It feels Awesome!

After watching Food Inc. we started researching...

Researching places to buy local meats, cheeses, veggies and fruits, and also different places to buy organic, local, and whole foods. Also, looking into one of our biggest questions, what do you do when you need to eat out? Turns out there are several good options (restaurant's) locally that do local, organic, grass fed, sustainable... etc.

Yay that was good news! Especially since one of my most favorite places was on the "good list" - Burgerville!!! Woo Woo, a girl cannot live without Burgerville!

Anyway, here is a list of places that we have found that meet all or some of the criteria...

Burgerville (A Northwest fast food Chain, serving local, fresh, sustainable foods)

Costco (lots of great organic available at bulk prices)

Corvallis Co-Op

The Grocery Outlet (again tons of great organic stuff at discount prices)

Corvallis Indoor Market

Bald Hill Farms

High Heels in the Barn (a blog that I think is just great!)

Trader Joes

Whole Foods

Life Source Natural foods (Salem, Oregon)

Who knew there were so many choices to choose from. Plus, there are tons of others I haven't even listed. These are just a few that have gotten my attention this week. I will let you know as others come along!

Making this commitment to our family feels great. I'm sure there may be times that it isn't always possible to follow it just right, but even the effort makes a big difference. Before our family was about 50% organic, local, and sustainable... mostly for a few reasons: expense, laziness, and denial that the food we were eating wasn't "that bad". We've never been unhealthy eaters. I wouldn't say. But, the commitment to not fill ourselves with chemicals, and man made and engineered foods, makes me feel like we are not only giving our kids a gift that will be long giving, but that we are honoring our bodies, and the land and animals that God has given us. I really feel like this is the way it's supposed to be. Yes, it takes a bit more effort, time, and yes even money. I can honestly say I really feel it's worth it. The funny thing is, I've found, is that when you fill your kitchen with good healthy foods, that's what you eat. When the cupboards are bare, and the fridge is lonely, that's when we got ourselves into trouble. So, making a bit more effort to plan ahead, as in most things, pays back big rewards!

Some of the things we're working on for the future are:

• Planning our Garden (this is something we've done for years, but this year it will be more intentional) I will also be gardening 100% organically, which I am excited to learn more about.


• Buying our meat locally from local butcher's... we are thinking about 1/4 of beef, 1/2 a pig, a few organic free range chickens, and are still looking into turkey (looks like it's a seasonal thing).


• Canning (now that the basement is almost done, I can finally get a freezer, and area to store pantry goods... so come summer I will be canning all kinds of things!)


• Learning more, more about label reading, more about what's good, what's not, what you should buy organically, and what doesn't really matter... basically educating ourselves, so we don't fall back into laziness, and ignorance!


• The possibilities of our own chickens (yes, you can have them in the city,... and no I haven't gotten the OK, so we'll see)


• Farmer's Market and Local Farms... looking forward to more things being in season. (Again, we have always gone to Farmer's Market as well as local farms, but we will be utilizing these resources more as we go forward!)

Well, for now... that's where we're at in this journey. Have you made any changes? Have you watched the film? What's your perspective... I'd love to start a conversation! Watch the film if you haven't... it's eye opening!

Have fun along the way, get the kiddo's involved. Mine have so enjoyed trying some new foods, visiting interesting markets, and even seeing some farm animals along the way! Make them part of the discussion, they might just surprise you!

eye opening...

In Food, Inc., filmmaker Robert Kenner lifts the veil on our nation's food industry, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that has been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government's regulatory agencies, USDA and FDA. Our nation's food supply is now controlled by a handful of corporations that often put profit ahead of consumer health, the livelihood of the American farmer, the safety of workers and our own environment. We have bigger-breasted chickens, the perfect pork chop, herbicide-resistant soybean seeds, even tomatoes that won't go bad, but we also have new strains of E. coli—the harmful bacteria that causes illness for an estimated 73,000 Americans annually. We are riddled with widespread obesity, particularly among children, and an epidemic level of diabetes among adults.
Featuring interviews with such experts as Eric Schlosser (Fast Food Nation), Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma, In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto) along with forward thinking social entrepreneurs like Stonyfield's Gary Hirshberg and Polyface Farms' Joel Salatin, Food, Inc. reveals surprising—and often shocking truths—about what we eat, how it's produced, who we have become as a nation and where we are going from here.

Learn more about these issues and how you can take action on Takepart.com

Here are 10 simple things you

can do to make a positive change!

1. Stop drinking sodas and other sweetened beverages.
You can lose 25 lbs in a year by replacing one 20 oz soda a day with a no calorie beverage (preferably water).

2. Eat at home instead of eating out.
Children consume almost twice (1.8 times) as many calories when eating food prepared outside the home.

3. Support the passage of laws requiring chain restaurants to post calorie information on menus and menu boards.
Half of the leading chain restaurants provide no nutritional information to their customers.

4. Tell schools to stop selling sodas, junk food, and sports drinks.
Over the last two decades, rates of obesity have tripled in children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 years.

5. Meatless Mondays—Go without meat one day a week.
An estimated 70% of all antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals.

6. Buy organic or sustainable food with little or no pesticides.
According to the EPA, over 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used each year in the U.S.

7. Protect family farms; visit your local farmer's market.
Farmer's markets allow farmers to keep 80 to 90 cents of each dollar spent by the consumer.

8. Make a point to know where your food comes from—READ LABELS.
The average meal travels 1500 miles from the farm to your dinner plate.

9. Tell Congress that food safety is important to you.
Each year, contaminated food causes millions of illnesses and thousands of deaths in the U.S.

10. Demand job protections for farm workers and food processors, ensuring fair wages and other protections.

(this information was taken from the food inc. official website)

Go check out this amazing documentary, as well as their official website:

http://www.foodincmovie.com/index.php

To search for sustainable, organic, local foods in your area go to:

http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?pd=Home

This movie has totally made me want to change the way I live, the way I eat, and the way I feed my kids. It was amazingly eye opening to me, and I hope that you will take the time to watch this film and read and learn more about these important conversations we need to be having. For a long time I have wanted to make these changes, but because of ignorance and laziness have not... but it's time, at least for me and for my family, to make a real commitment! I'll keep you updated with the changes to come at our house. Let me know if you decide to make a change at yours! Please, Please, Please, watch this film!

let the baking begin!

Guess what today is??

Annual Cookie Baking Day!

Let the cookie baking begin,

and the cookie eating go on and on!

Happy Monday.

the worlds BEST sugar cookie recipe...

~Iced Sugar Cookies~

Whisk together thoroughly & set aside:

3 1/4 C. flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Beat on medium speed until fluffy & blended:

2 1/2 sticks butter - softened

1 C. sugar

Add & Beat until combined:

1 large egg

1 TBSP. Milk

2 1/2 teaspoon good vanilla

1 teaspoon good almond extract

Directions:

• Gradually stir flour mixture into butter mix until well blended & smooth.
• Divide dough in half, place between two pieces of wax paper.
• Roll out to 1/4 inch thick.
• Place in fridge on cookie sheet.
• Refrigerate 30 minutes or until cold.

• Position oven rack to the center and preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• Work with one portion at a time and cut cookies into shape and bake 6 to 9 minutes or until lightly brown.

~Buttercream Icing~

Mix together until smooth!

3 C. powdered sugar

1/3 C. butter

1 1/2 teaspoons good vanilla

1-2 Tbs. Milk (may need more to make smooth)

cookies with my sweetie...

What do you do when your little sweetie

comes home with such a lovely card from school?
Invite her to make the worlds best sugar cookies
for Valentine's Day... of course!

While Meritt napped yesterday...

(and thank the lord she did)
Bella and I baked,

heart shaped cookies...

(from heaven)

I kid you not when I say these

are the worlds BEST sugar cookies!

To accompany the worlds best sugar cookies,

the worlds best butter cream frosting!

Mmmmmmmmmmm.

Bella gives them a thumbs up!

Later today,

I will share with you the

Worlds Best Sugar Cookie Recipe!

(Just in case you want to be in Valentine Cookie heaven!)

my new vice...

OK, so the words vice or addiction may be a little strong here...

I have made it almost 30 years without it, and now it seems to be something that well let's just say makes a day a bit... hmmm.... happier! CAFFEINE. I now make regular stops by Starbucks, and our coffee maker (that use to live in the cupboard for when company came by) now has a home on the counter. There could be worse things right?

fresh new dinner idea part 2...

I realize I teased you with my recipe last week, without showing you any pictures. (I made them again, Friday) So, here goes... what should we call these? My mom voted "meat pies"... although honestly they are more vegetable than meat. Hmmm, a kid friendly, clever name, for them, that's what we need, what do you think?