Chocolate Caramel Espresso Chews

• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 1/2 tsp espresso powder
• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 pack rolos

Glaze

• 1/2 tsp espresso powder
• 1-2 tbsp hot water
• 1 cup powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Combine 1 tbsp milk and 1 1/2 tsp espresso powder in bowl and set aside
3. Combine butter, sugar and brown sugar till combined.
4. Add espresso mixture and eggs.
5. Add flour, cocoa and baking soda.
6. Stir in pecans.
7. Shape dough into 1 1/4" balls.
8. Place balls into mini muffin pan.
9. Bake 6-8 minutes
10. Press one rolo in the center of each cookie.
11. Cool 10 minutes in pan, run sharp knife around the edges to remove cookies from pan.
12. Cool on wire rack.
13. Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle glaze over cookies.

Kisses Peanut Butter Blossoms

• 48 hershey kisses
• 3/4 cup peanut butter
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Remove foil from kisses.
3. Beat shortening and peanut butter till combined.
4. Add  sugar, brown sugar and beat till fluffy.
5. Add egg, milk, vanilla, flour, baking soda and salt.
6. Shape dough into 1" balls. Bake 8-10 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and place kiss in center of each cookie.

Paula's Oatmeal Cookies

This is a Paula Deen recipe. The only change I made is her recipe includes raisins. I used dried cranberries.

• 1/2 stick softened butter
• 1/4 cup veg. shortening
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmet
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1 cup quick cook oatmeal
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream butter, shortening and sugar till combined.
3. Add egg and beat till combined.
4. Combine all dry ingredients and then cream into mixture.
5. Fold in oatmeal, cranberries, walnuts and vanilla. Blend well.
6. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto cookie sheets.
7. Bake 12-15 minutes.
8. Drizzle with brown butter icing.

Brown Butter Icing

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. In a small saucepan heat butter over med heat until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
2. Remove saucepan from heat.
3. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla.
4. Stir in 2-3 tbsp of water to make icing the consistency to drizzle.
5. Drizzle over warm cookies.

Nutella Cookies

Got this recipe from Tasty Kitchen, I added s'more sprinkles that I got at Michaels. 

• 1 cup nutella
• 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Blend all ingredients till combined.
3. Form into 1" balls.
4. Place on cookie sheet.
5. Press down firmly with bottom of glass
6. Bake 7-8 minutes till set.
7. I added the sprinkles as soon as they came out of the oven.

Buttery Spritz Cookies



• 2 sticks softened butter
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Beat butter and sugar till combined.
3. Add egg, vanilla, salt and flour.
4. Place in cookie press.
5. Decorate cookies with sprinkles.
6. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Chocolate Filled Snowballs

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• hershey kisses
• powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla till blended.
3. Stir in flour and nuts.
4. Shape dough around kisses
5. Place on cookie sheet.
6. Bake 12 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and roll in powdered sugar.

Toffee Crackle Cookies

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chocolate toffee pieces
• granulated sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350.
2. Combine butter, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. Beat in egg and vanilla.
4. Stir in flour and toffee pieces.
5. Shape into 1 1/4"balls and place 2" apart on cookie sheet.
6. Dip bottom of glass in sugar and flatten each ball to 1/4" thick.

Bake 16-18 minutes. 

Snickerdoodles

These are one of my favorite cookies of all time. I use a Better Homes and Gardens recipe. This recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies.

• 1 cup softened butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon

1. Cream butter and  1 1/2 cupssugar, add baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Beat until combined.
2. Beat in eggs and vanilla till combined.
3. Beat in flour until mixture is combined.
4. Cover and chill dough  about an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 350.
6. In a small bowl combine cinnamon with 1/4 cup sugar.
7. Shape dough into 1 1/4" balls.
8. Roll into sugar mixture to coat.
9. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
10. Bake 10-12 minutes until bottoms are lightly browned.
11. Cool on wire racks.



Cookie Packaging Ideas

Just wanted to share two different ideas to wrap up cookies. I used a basket and red cello and decorated with a bell and green ribbon, the personalized  card is from shutterfly.



I used a cookie tin I bought last year on sale and a cookie bag I got at Michaels. Also decorated this one with the personalized card, bell and green ribbon.



Peanut Butter Cookies

These are one of my favorite cookies, I've been making them since I was little and they are always on my list of cookies to make for Christmas

• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/4 cups brown sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 3 tbsp milk
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• 1 egg
• 3/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine peanut butter, shortening, sugar, milk and vanilla till well blended.
3. Add flour, salt and baking soda until combined
4. Drop teaspoonfuls 2" apart and make crisscross with fork
5. Bake 7-8 minutes till set
6. Cool completely.

Chocolate Chip Cut Out Cookies

I drizzled white chocolate over the top of these after they were cooled. Figured it would dress them up a little for the holidays. These are great for any holiday since you can use any shape cookie cutters. Got this recipe from Nestle.

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 lg egg yolk
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Cream butter, brown sugar, sugar, vanilla and salt till combined.
3. Beat in egg yolk and flour
4. Stir in chocolate chips
5. Divide dough in half, cover and chill for at least an hour
6. Take one half of dough out of fridge, and roll to 1/4" thickness. Cut into shapes using your favorite cookie cutters.
7. Place on baking sheets and bake for about 9-11 minutes, until golden brown
8. Let cool on wire racks

If desired melt white chocolate and drizzle over cookies.



Smore Cupcakes With Marshallow Frosting

• 2 cups sugar
• 1 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cup boiling water

1. Heat oven to 350 and put cupcake wrappers in cupcake pan
2. Stir together sugar, flour,cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda.
3. Add eggs, oil, milk and vanilla, beat till combined
4. Stir in boiling water
5. Fill cupcake wrappers 2/3 way full with batter
6. Bake 20-24 minutes
7. Let cool and then frost

Marshmallow Frosting:

• 2 lg egg whites
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp light corn syrup
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup mini marshmallows
• 1 tsp vanilla

1. In a large heatproof bowl combine the egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup, cream of tartar and salt.
2. Set the bowl over (but not touching) simmering water in a saucepan and heat mixture, stirring constantly until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is very warm to the touch (about 160*F), about 3 minutes.
3. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. Using an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed, about 2 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, microwave 1 cup mini marshmallows 30 seconds to 1 minute, until puffed, and starting to melt.
5. Add marshmallows to mixture in electric mixer, reduce speed to low and add vanilla. Continue beating (on low) until the marshmallows are melted and frosting is completely smooth (about 3-4 minutes). Use frosting right away.
6. I sprinkled graham cracker crumbs on top and a piece of a hershey bar to decorate.

Set of Thank you cards

Made a set of thank you cards today for my etsy shop. I love making sets of these little cards. They are good to have on hand for last minute gifts or so you don't have to run to the store for a card. I used rhinestones to make the flowers pop and rub ons for the letters.

Personalized Tins

I got these white metal lunch tins in Michaels and decorated with scrapbook paper, stamps and some decorative embellishments.

I stamped the flowers on this second tin to change them up a little.

Craft Room Organization

Figured I would share some of my organization ideas that I have in use in my craft room. To organize my alphabet stickers and rub ons I used a pot and pan rack from Ikea. I change out the different ones I hang from time to time and it makes me use them so much more often.

This is a great idea for scrapbook and photo albums. It helps organize them on a shelf and also lets you know what is inside each album without pulling them out to see. I cut out small circles with my diecut machine and used some of my favorite fibers and ribbons to wrap it around the album.

Note Card Holder

This is a great gift idea, I took a clear box I had, added a handle to make it look like a purse and used scrapbook papers and embellishments to decorate both the box and match the notecards. You can also make a matching set of stationary and notecards and tie a pretty ribbon around them or put in a plain box you decorate.

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

This is one of my favorite times of the year. I love to change up my decorations a little each year. Here are just some of my decorations this year. As this month goes on I will post more decoration pictures. This advent calendar I made by covering up a starbucks advent calendar I had with scrapbook paper and embellishments. This year I put this above my china cabinet and you can also see the small red bows I put up around the house with 3 small ornaments hanging from them.

I also hung up the stocking my grandma made for me for my first christmas. My grandma died when I was 11 and I love hanging this each year because it makes me think of her.

On my living room coffee table I filled a vase with some of my favorite colored ornaments this year. I also mixed it up by adding a small garland with coordinating colors. The candles on the side are plain candles that I embellished with die cut ribbon and brads.

When you walk in my house I have a little entry table that I decorated with some of my favorite Santa's and also a candlelight tree with flameless tealights.

This shelf in my dining room features candles that I embellished with fun tissue paper and heated to set. The tree's I got from Hallmark last year.

Wine Cork Trees

Here is a great decorating idea, not just for Christmas since I left them plain you can leave them up year round. Added these to my etsy shop.

Marble Loaf

A favorite of mine at Starbucks is the marble loaf that I get when I pick up my morning coffee. Decided to find a recipe and try to make my own. Came out amazing and will definitely make this again.

• 2 cups flour
• 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter at room temp
• 1 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 4 oz bittersweet chocolate

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and spray your bread pan with nonstick spray or butter and flour it so the bread doesn't stick to the pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar till combined
4. Add eggs one at a time
5. Beat in vanilla, add 2/3 of the flour mixture, add milk and then remaining flour mixture.
6. Melt chocolate and stir in 1/4 of your batter into the chocolate.
7. Place remaining batter in your bread pan.
8. Scoop spoonfuls of chocolate batter on top and swirl with a knife
9. Bake 45-50 minutes
10. Let cool about 20 minutes, then remove from bread pan and let cool completely.