Mouthwatering Chocolate Chip Cookies...

After the birthday party, I had many requests for my chocolate chip cookie recipe. It has taken me awhile, but finally I am posting it! It is another one of those recipes that has been in my family for years. The only problem with this recipe is that it makes 6 dozen. So, I don't advise making them, unless you are planning on giving half a way, which is usually what I do. If you don't give them away, they are so yummy you will eat all 6 dozen and gain weight! You could attempt to half the recipe, but I have found in baking that doesn't work so well, it alters the chemistry and they don't quite taste the same. The ginger snap recipe also got a lot of inquires, you can find that recipe here.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 12-13 minutes. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

-3 cubes butter or margarine

-3 large eggs

-2 TBSP vanilla extract

-2 cups chocolate chips

-1 1/2 cups sugar

-1 1/2 cups brown sugar

-6 cups flour

-1 3/4 TSP baking soda

-1 3/4 baking powder

Cream the sugars and the butter until smooth and a light color. (This part is key, really make sure they are blended, it makes the cookies.) Add eggs and vanilla extract and mix together. Add dry ingredients and mix. Add chocolate chips and mix a final time. Drop spoonfuls or use a cookie scoop and scoop onto cookie sheets.

ENJOY!

Around the Town Tuesday featuring.... The Sweet Tooth Fairy

What a wonderful Holiday season we enjoyed! While we spent some time out on the town, we were able to stop into a cute new bakery~~ The Sweet Tooth Fairy. What a darling little shop, and they have a little bit of everything!

There were Cupcakes galore...


brownies...

lemon~bars...


and the very popular cakebites...


Did I mention that there were Free samples~~sitting out, waiting to be sampled? My kids enjoyed one of everything, before I caught them.

I enjoyed a delicious frosted vanilla sugar cookie.

What will you enjoy when you visit?

The Sweet Tooth Fairy
1140 Fort Union Blvd
Midvale, UT

Last Minute Neighbor Gift Idea: Homemade Candied Almonds

Even though I rack my brain and try to make a list of every neighbor/friend I want to give a small holiday goodie to, I still am bound to forget someone. Then my doorbell rings and it is my cute neighbor with a treat for me and I am scrambling to find something to give in return. It always happens this last week before Christmas too, so whip up a batch of these homemade candied almonds to have on hand for a quick exchange! I actually made these this year for some of my neighbors who have to have "gluten free" due to allergies. One of the BEST parts about making these is the smell, it will make your entire house smell like Christmas with the yummy cinnamon smell. These are way cheaper than the ones you buy in the mall, I get the 3 pound bag of almonds at Costco, I think it is around $10. This recipe requires a lot of stirring, I recruited my strong husband to help.

I got this recipe from allrecipes.com, I have included a TON of pictures, I wish I would have these, I had to learn how to do this recipe the hard way, by ruining a batch, boo. If you just keep stirring this recipe is SIMPLE.

Candied Almonds

1/2 Cup water

1 Cup white sugar

1 TSBP ground cinnamon

2 Cups whole raw almonds

Combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon in a saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil; add almonds. Cook and stir the mixture until the liquid evaporates and leaves a syrup like coating on the almonds. Pour the almonds onto a baking sheet, lined with wax paper. Separate the almonds using a fork. Allow to cool for 15 minutes.

****The "syrup like coating" is misleading, keep stirring, you want them to be dry and have a crystallized coating. Below is the recipe in photos.

Mix your ingredients and bring to a boil....
Add the almonds and keep stirring...
It will start to thicken a little, keep stirring....
More stirring....
This is what I thought is a syrup like coating would be, DO NOT STOP HERE, KEEP STIRRING...
The sugar will start to stick to the bottom of the pan, that is OK, you're not done yet, even when it looks like this, KEEP STIRRING....

When your almonds look like this, you are done!

Pour them onto your baking sheet and let them cool....

I had some decorating bags that I decided to put them in....

I think they worked well, I made sure to tie a bow over the logo, so you don't see it. I found some cute cone ornaments I had bought at IKEA last year to put them in.

I think they turned out cute, and they were yummy!!
Merry Christmas, 5 days left!!

Peanut Butter Fudge

It's Arizona.
It's HOT here.
We don't turn on the oven.
But...

My kids still want some "home-baked" goodness every once in awhile, and so do I :). This recipe is great because it's all stove-top and fridge. (Just how I like to do it in the summer time!)

The ingredients:

1/2 C. Butter
2 C. Brown Sugar
1/2 C. Milk
1 C. Peanut Butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 C. powdered sugar

Normally I don't cook like this. I'm a "scoop from the bag" kind of gal, but I wanted to show off my VINTAGE china. Isn't it special?




Melt the butter in a medium sized saucepan over medium heat,



When butter has melted, add brown sugar and milk,



bring it all to a rolling boil, set your timer, and stir it FREQUENTLY for two minutes.



After two minutes turn off your stove and add your peanut butter and vanilla.
Mix slowly until peanut butter is melted and mixture is smooth.



Carefully pour your peanut butter mixture into a mixing bowl. Add your powdered sugar, and mix until smooth and creamy.



Press into a glass baking dish. I use 8x8 for thick fudge squares, and 9x13 if I want thinner pieces.




Refrigerate for 1 hour, then cut into bits and enjoy!



**Be sure to RUN 2 extra miles in the morning, because you won't be able to have just one piece!**