Monday, July 28, 2014

S'mores Cookies



Ingredients

  • 10 graham cracker sheets, finely ground in a food processor (or store-bought graham cracker crumbs)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 5 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 tbsp water

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine ground graham crackers, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, set aside. In a large bowl, whip together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until lighter and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Stir in egg and vanilla. Slowly add in dry ingredients and mix until well combined. Scoop out 1 tbsp dough at a time and form into a ball, then place onto greased baking sheet. I found it a little difficult to form the balls because the dough is so crumby, but it bakes nicely into a solid cookie. Flatten dough balls slightly and bake 9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, generously butter a jelly roll pan and spread miniature marshmallows in a single layer on the cookie sheet. Heat oven to broil and toast marshmallows (do not walk away from them) for about 30 seconds - 1 minute until golden. Remove from oven and using a buttered spatula, scoop marshmallows over tops of cookies. The center marshmallows browned first, so I took the pan out of the oven, used the golden marshmallows, and returned the rest to the oven for a bit as not to burn any marshmallows. 

In a small microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine chocolate chips, butter, and water. Microwave chocolate on 50% in 30-second intervals stirring after each interval until melted and smooth, Pour mixture into a small ziploc bag or piping bag. Cut a small tip off the end and drizzle over cookies. I actually used a Wilton #2 tip to have more control over the chocolate. Store cookies in an airtight container.

Adapted from Cooking Classy

Thursday, October 24, 2013

10 Fall Desserts

  1. Apple Monkey Bread Bites / via Musings
  2. Chai Pumpkin Spice Thumbprints / via Pass the Sushi
  3. Caramel Apple Cupcakes / via The Recipe Critic 
  4. Apple Almond Tart / via Parade
  5. Apple Cinnamon Sugar Cookie Bars / via Recipe Chatter
  6. Apple Cider Cupcakes / via Lehigh Valley Live
  7. Pumpkin Snickerdoodles / via Six Sister Stuff
  8. Deep-Dish Pumpkin-Meringue Pie / via Martha Stewart
  9. Pumpkin Spice Fudge / via Aunt Peg's Recipe Box
  10. Pumpkin Swirl Brownies with Pecans / via Completely Delicious 

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

15 Songs for Fall

Have you ever noticed there are songs that just sound better in the fall? Whether you're driving, windows down, the crisp air hitting your face or cuddled up with your favorite book and hot chocolate, autumn somehow makes these songs are the essence of the season.

1. "Awake My Soul" - Mumford and Sons



2. "This Boy" - James Morrison



3. "On The Way Home" - John Mayer



4. "Emmylou" - First Aid Kit



5. "Airplanes" - Local Natives



6. "Able" - Needtobreathe



7. "Won't Be Home" - Old 97's



8. "Open Season" - High Highs



9. "The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)" - Ryan Bingham



10. "For the Widows in Paradise, for the Fatherless in Ypsilanti" - Sufjan Stevens



11. "Love Is All" - The Tallest Man On Earth



12. "Riverside" - Agnes Obel



13. "November Blue (Live)" - Avett Brothers


14. "Messages" - Xavier Rudd



15. "Furr" - Blitzen Trapper



Keep in mind this is a very subjective and very fluid list. My "autumn" playlist on iTunes changes every-other day, but these are the songs I come back to time and again when this season rolls around.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

You Are Loved

At one point or another, everyone feels lost. They feel as though no one cares, no one is there, no one loves them. That is not true.


John 3:16 / For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life

Isaiah 53:5 / But he was pierced for our offenses, crushed for our sings, upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, but his stripes we were healed

1 Peter 5:7 / Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you

Ephesians 2:4-5 / But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love he had for us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, brought us to life with Christ

Romans 5:8 / But God proves his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us

1 John 4:8 / Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love

Psalm 103:4-5 / He surrounds you with love and compassion, fills your days with good things

Romans 5:5 / Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts

Psalm 103:13 / As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on his faithful

These are only a few of the endless verses that show God's love for us at all times

Hello, World!

Here I am embarking on a new adventure. I have few plans as to what will fill the infinite pages of this blog beyond little tidbits from my life.

I dabble in many hobbies and have varied interests, which hopefully keep you interested along the way. I love lists of any kind: favorite things, helpful tidbits, to-do, bucket lists - that list itself goes on and on.

Since I have never been able to keep up with a day-to-day journal (despite countless efforts), I figure I can document my life in this digital format, taking you all along for the ride with me.

Well, away we go...