Tuesday, December 21, 2010

THE BESTEST OATMEAL COOKIE EVER!


Well, I think it's the best!  It's my most favorite homemade cookie EVER!  


It's been so long since I found the recipe, but I'm pretty sure I got from Martha . . . Martha Stewart that is ;o)

Can you see the bits of dried cranberries, chocolate chips and toffee?
 Mmmmmm!

Oh, it's so much more than just an ordinary oatmeal cookie.  It's loaded with chocolate chips, dried cherries and toffee bits.  It's crispy on the outside, and soft and chewy on the inside.  It's the bestest oatmeal cookie ever!



The Ingredients:

1-1/2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1-1/2 cup oatmeal (quick oats)
1 cup dried cherries*
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips*
1 cup toffee bits
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg 
1 tsp vanilla

The Directions:

Cream butter and sugars.  Add egg and vanilla.  Sift flour and baking soda together.  Gradually add to creamed butter and sugar mixture.  Add oats and remaining ingredients.  Batter can be dropped by rounded tablespoon, or wrap logs in wax paper and chill 2 to 24 hours.  Slice and 1/2 to 3/4 inches thick and bake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.
*Can substitute dried cranberries for cherries, and milk chocolate chip for semi-sweet chips.


When I first started making these cookies, dried cherries were so hard to find and were expensive, as were the toffee bits.  I had to go to a cake supply store to get them.  

Wow! I can hardly believe Christmas is just 3 short days away.  The past few weeks have flown by.  I thought by getting all my decorating done early, I'd feel like I had more time to get the little extra things done.  Of course, it hasn't worked out that way.  I think I may have added too many items to my list resulting in me feeling the same way I do every year . . . wishing I had 
one . more . week . . . 

Hope you all are ready, or at least darn near ready!




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Friday, December 17, 2010

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CUPS


This recipe came from my friend Beth.  Super easy, but even better, rich and creamy and yummy!

9 oz white chocolate chips
8 oz semisweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups peanut butter

{makes about 60 cups using mini papers}

Heat white chocolate and 3/4 cups of the peanut butter over medium low heat until melted and smooth.  



Spoon enough into bottom of each paper liner - about a 1/4 of inch or so.  
Refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.  



Aren't these cute?  They're from Martha's line.


Meanwhile, melt the semisweet chocolate chips and remainder of peanut butter over medium low until smooth.  


Add this chocolate mixture over the cooled, firm white chocolate peanut butter.  




Some of them are packaged up and ready for gift giving.  I do have to leave some here for the boys.  They love 'em!




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Saturday, December 11, 2010

THE VIEW FROM MY WINDOW

It's December 11th, and I'm still decorating.  Well . . . maybe just a little bit.  Mostly just tweaking and fluffing.  As much as I love decking the halls for Christmas, I really enjoy adding some cheer outside the house just as much.  


We have a big bay window in our family room.  Since we're in that room a lot, I really like to have the outside view just as nice and festive as the views inside.  I decided not to take in this particular dining set that's outside by the pond.  Frankly, there's no room to store it!  We have two outside dining sets and a lounge set.  This is an older set anyway, so I'm not too worried about it being out in the weather.  But I did want to spruce up 
~ quite literally! ;o) ~ 
our view out there.


A nice stroll around the property "pruning" some of the evergreen trees gave me enough branches to created these swags.  


Bows were made from jute upholstery webbing. 




There's that beat-up, junky wheelbarrow!  
I still haven't let Hubby have his way and drag it to the curb ;o)


I placed a green spot light under the tree so at night it illuminates the tree along with the garden flag and wheelbarrow to make the view at night just as festive.


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Friday, December 10, 2010

FOR YOUR HOLIDAY ENJOYMENT


If there's a single person out there who hasn't heard or seen these guys
ENJOY!

I personally can't get enough.  They're fabulous!  
The story of how they got together is pretty interesting as well.

The Twelve Days of Christmas


The Christmas Can Can



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