{RECIPE} Large Chocolate Chip Cookies

For my friend Rory's birthday he requested chocolate chip cookies. I like to try new chocolate chip cookie recipes all the time. I've recently used this recipe from Smitten Kitchen to make large cookies. I slipped the cookies in glassine bags and that's an easy party treat to go. 

{HOLIDAY} Valentine's Day Breakfast

My sister showed me this recipe for Double Chocolate Waffles in the Our Best Bites cookbook. Topped with a homemade berry sauce. In fact the recipe was created for a Valentine's Day breakfast, perfect!

Make the table special with flowers and a little love note on each plate. I used wrapping paper for a quick plate mat and you don't need much more decor then that, especially since we set up in the back yard. And turns out the kids don't really care they just want to inhale the waffles.

{BIRTHDAY} My Mom's 60th - Sparkly Dinner Party

We spent the day celebrating! It was a really fun day. We went to Pho for lunch and saw the movie War Horse. For dinner we decided to make dinner at home, stir fry to be exact. It was a really fun night at home. We cooked dinner together, Jane whipped up her Oatmeal cake, and we played games around the dining room table. I think it's just the kind of day my Mom wanted for her birthday. I'm so happy I could be home to help celebrate!

My dad added googly eyes to an orange at set it at my moms plate. So awesome!

{RECIPE} Gingerbread Men

I made gingerbread men and delivered packages of them to friends last week. I wish I had had enough red gum drops for the pant buttons but most of them ended up with a snow flake sprinkle. These cookies are easy! And so soft and delicious.

Holly’s Gingerbread Boys with Chocolate Pants

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

1 egg

4 ½ cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. powdered ginger

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

Cream shortening and sugar. Stir in molasses and egg. Mix in remaining ingredients. Cover. Chill about an hour.

On a floured board roll ¼ inch thick and cut with small size gingerbread men cutters. Place on parchment on a baking sheet and bake at 375 for 5-8 minutes. Cool on a rack.

Dip in melted chocolate chips (melt barely, and carefully in microwave—chocolate burns easily. Could also use dipping chocolate etc.)

{RECIPE} Christmas Braid

Its been a tradition in our family sine 1975 (that's long before I was born) to make Christmas Braid. My mom would make it for all of our neighbors and for our family too. We enjoy it on Christmas morning as part of breakfast. Our neighbors love it and its since become part of their Christmas traditions too. I think most people that try it think the filling is apple pie filling but is actually pineapple! Delicious!


Christmas Braid

Mountain Fuel -- A Metcalf Christmas Tradition since 1975

Dissolve in a large mixing bowl:

2 Tbs. yeast

1/2 cup warm water

Add:

1 cup warm milk

Stir in, beating until smooth:

2 cups flour

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground cardamom

Mix in to make a moderately stiff dough:

3 to 3 1/2 cups flour

Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and satiny, about 10 minutes (or knead in bread mixer). Place ini a buttered bowl, turning buttered side up. Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours. While dough is rising, make the filling and let it cool.

Punch dough down; divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion (one at a time) into 12x9 rectangle. Spoon lenghtwise down the center 1/4 of the pinapple filling (recipe follows).

Slash dough on each side of filling into twelve 1" wide strips--careful not to cut all the way to the filling--leave about 1/2 inch. Weave these strips across the filling in the following manner: starting at the top criss-cross the first two strips on either side. Press ends into the opposite sides of bread, and seal the ends so the filling doesn't ooze out. Repeat the criss-cross and pressing action until you reach the end. being careful to seal the end as you did the top.

Lift the braid carefully on the prepared cookie sheet, gently stretching a little to slightly expose the filling.

Brush each braid with a mixture of 1 egg yold and 2 Tbs. milk--try not to get it in the filling, just on the dough.

Cover and let rise until double, about 10-15 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Drizzle with Glaze (recipe follows)

Pineapple Filling:

Combine in a medium saucepan:

2 (20 ounce) cans of crushed pineapple, well drained

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

4 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Cook ovr medium flame, stirring constantly until the mixture is thickened and clear. Boil and stir an additional 2 minutes. Cool.

Powdered Sugar Glaze:

Combine in small mixing bowl and beat until well blended:

2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tbs. Milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

May decoate with sprinkles. May be frozen and heated.

{RECIPE} Thanksgiving Pies

Pie is arguably the best part of Thanksgiving. My mom likes to try new recipes but there have been a few stand out favorites. A couple of my sisters and I each help with a pie and maybe compete for prettiest and tastiest pie.

Thanksgiving circa 2009

Thanksgiving circa 2008

Our favorite Chocolate Cream Pie - recipe here

And here is a recipe for Gingerbread Pumpkin Pie The ginger crumble on top is to die for!

What is your favorite pie for Thanksgiving? Or do you prefer a different dessert? I tend to take a small slice of each cause I just can't decide which I want more of.

{RECIPE} Apple Galette

Oh, you're looking for a really easy apple dessert? I've got one! Apple Galette from 3191 Miles Apart. And it's a breeze to make.

{RECIPE} Easy Pumpkin Bars

This is a traditional Recipe--good old-fashioned goodness.

For best results use home-baked pumpkin puree rather than canned.

Easy Pumpkin Bars

2 cups all-purpose flour (I did 1 cup white, 1 cup whole wheat)

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 2/3 cup sugar

2 cups (or 1 15 oz. can) pumpkin puree

4 eggs

1 cup cooking oil (or applesauce)

3/4 cups chopped pecans -- optional

1 recipe cream cheese frosting (see below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl beat together sugar, pumpkin, eggs, and oil with an electric mixer on medium spped. Beat in the flour mixture until well mixed. If desired stir in pecans.

Spread batter in an ungreased 15x10x1 inch baking pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick isnserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Prepare cream cheese frosting. Spread over top of cooled bars. Cut into bars. Store in refridgerator. Makes 24 bars.

Cream Cheese Frosting: in a large mixing bowl combine two 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup butter, softened; and 2 tsp. vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medum speed until fluffy. Gradually add 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, beating until smooth.

{RECIPE} Jcrew + Soup

Do you ever throw a party and want to dress for the food? Do you get inspired by the colors or feeling of the menu? I can't help but look at these soups and want to pair them with an outfit. So I did...J Crew Fall Lookbook + delicious soups.

Tortilla Soup

Thai Pumpkin Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup

{PARTY} You say Tomato. I say Party.

Homegrown tomatoes, nothing better! Here is a tasty looking tomato recipe in case you were looking:
I've always wanted a set of chargers and thought this Crate and Barrel one was sleek but earthy:
How about this sale tablecloth at Anthropologie? Wouldn't the above chargers look good on that?
Summer is coming to an end quick. Any parties planned? Sometimes it just takes a good recipe to inspire something.

{RECIPE} Summer Berry Desserts!

Now is the time to bust out your favorite berry dessert recipes. Don't these images make your mouth water? Blueberries are in season July and August so get em now! I dream of being a really good pie maker, maybe I should start practicing.... Blueberry Slab Pie

Mini Pies
Peach Blueberry Pie
Vanilla Fruit Cake