My First Etsy Order!

 

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I just package my first Etsy order today. I will be shipping to Philadelphia tomorrow! Inside is a wine tote and a little note from me! I hope she will use this bag to bring wine to dinner parties or summer concerts! I hope she enjoys!

Happy Birthday- EARTH

Every week when I go to the grocery store I try and bring reusable bags to put my groceries in. 9 times out of 10 I will bring large bags for my groceries , but what about the produce? I try and reuse the plastic veggie bags but I am looking for a new way to bring home veggies. If anyone has a idea, let me know. Check my etsy shop for grocery bags for sale!
www.jujugoods.etsy.com


A little birdy told me...


I had this plain gray shirt and wanted to spice it up a little. During my last trip to Portland, my sister and I went to a really cute craft store near her house, I found this cool iron on transfer. I decided to use the transfer on this shirt, I think it looks pretty cute! What do yo think?

A Easter Find!




For the past two months every time I go to the grocery store I have so good by resisting the temptation of the Easter Candy! My favorite, the Cadbury Mini Eggs. They only come out once a year and then they are gone! The other day I gave in and went to KMART and bought a HUGE bag of the dark chocolate Cadbury mini eggs. I also found this really cute little candy dish for Easter! It was such a steal, $3.27! WOW! I was so happy!

Melt in your mouth...not in your hand!



Last night I was looking through Elinor Klivans book called, "The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook and I was drawn to the recipe for Chocolate Chip Filled Melting Moment Cookies. I was drawn because of the ingredients, I wanted to see how the batter would end up. I have only used cornstarch when cooking Chinese food it usually helps thicken a sauce or helps homemade marshmallows not stick to one another. So, using 3/4 cups of cornstarch in a recipe really made me want to try!
As you can see, the cookies did not have much color. The filling was a butter cream frosting with chocolate. I have to admit, they turned out pretty yummy! Easy to make and kind of fun, making the hash pattern on the cookie! I think these would be good with cinnamon, or hazelnut.
Here is the recipe that I used:

Cookies:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cake flour
3/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temp
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla ( I used 1.5 teaspoons of vanilla, I LOVE vanilla)

Filling:
1/4 cup unsalted butter room temp
1/4 powered sugar
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips ( I used regular sized chips and chopped up)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper

Sift flours, cornstarch, baking powder, salt and set aside

In a large bowl, beat butter, and powered sugar until smooth about 1 minute.
Scape sides down and add vanilla mix until blended.
On low speed add flour mixture until just blended.

Roll a level tablespoon of dough between your palms to form a ball. Place cookie on baking sheet and space two inches apart. Using a fork flatten cookie to leave impression on the cookie.

Bake for 30 minutes until bottoms of cookies are light brown. Cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet and transfer to wire cooling sheet.

Make the filling:
Mix butter, sugar and chocolate together with wooden spoon and spread about a teaspoon or more on the bottom of one cookie and put another cookie in the filling to form a sandwich.

ENJOY!

Rice Treat


So I was watching tv the other night and a commercial about Rice Crispy Treats came up. WoW, advertising works! Ever since I saw the commercial, all I wanted was a Rice Crispy Treat. So, I decided since I am babysitting tonight I would bring over some for the kids since its almost Easter. I can remember as kid making these with my sister. I think this was one of the first baking experiences I had as a really little kid with my sister. The only ingredient that I did not add to these was butter! I thought to try and cut some calories! What is your first baking memory?

Brownie Points!


The other night after dinner both John and I were needing something sweet. Of course there was nothing in the pantry so I decided to make home made brownies. These brownies were fudgey, moist and supposedly lower in fat. I used a recipe from Alice Medrich's book, "Cookies and Brownies"
I highly recommend this book. I have used it so many times that the pages are falling out! Here is the receipe:

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

41/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa (non alkalized)
3/4 cup granulated sugar ( used just under 3/4, I ran out of sugar!!)
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I added because I love walnuts in brownies)

8 inch square pan , lined across the bottom and 2 opposite sides with parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350, position a rack in the lower third of the oven
In a small bowl, mix the first three ingredients and set aside
In a medium saucepan , heat butter until melted, remove from heat and add cocoa
Stir in sugars, add egg, egg whites and vanilla. Stir about 40 strokes, until smooth. Add flour mixture, stir until incorporated.
Put batter into pan and bake 15-18 minutes. The brownies will be done when toothpick is inserted and center comes out with a little batter, thickened and gooey.
Cool on rack
Lift brownies out of pan with parchment paper and cut in 16 squares.

I actually was able to get more than 16 squares, because I like the brownies really small.

ENJOY!