Simple Girl

It's fun to experiment with new and creative recipes, but sometimes perfecting a classic has its own sort of satisfaction.  I've been baking these cookies since high school and after starting with the recipe in my mom's 1960's Better Crocker cookbook, I tweaked and I tweaked until it came out just the way I wanted it - crispy on the outside; soft and chewy on the inside.  To make cookies the size of the ones you drool over in the bakery window, an ice cream scoop measures perfectly. Limit your batch to six on a tray. This will leave lots of room for expanding!  And by all means, use parchment paper. It will make you a happy, happy person. Not that you'll need any more reasons to be happy once you bite into this deliciousness. This basic dough is the same one I use for my Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Cakes , my Chocolate Chip Cookie Cupcakes , and coming up soon - Monster Cookies! Don't you need a big glass of milk right now? The...

The great thing about shopping at Costco is that when you  the kids just have to have Nutella, you are forced into buying a jumbo 26 ounce twin pack.  Fifty-two ounces.  That's a lot of Nutella!  Then your mind starts working..... Nutella and banana sandwiches..... Nutella frosting..... How about some Nutella banana bread? Look.  Even the bread looks happy! The key to the Nutella swirl is incorporating the Nutella into a cup of the batter and then swirling. Breakfast never looked so good! NUTELLA SWIRLED BANANA BREAD Wet Ingredients: 3 ripe bananas, mashed 1/2 cup canola oil 3/4 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 3 Tablespoons milk 1/2 teaspoon vanilla Dry Ingredients: 2 cups white whole wheat flour (or all-purpose) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a non-stick 5x9x3 inch loaf pan.  In a large bowl, beat bananas until smooth.  Add oil and sugar.  Beat until s...

In case you're wondering where I've been the past few weeks.  I've been at home.  Doing homework.  OK, maybe not actually doing homework (although that would have been easier).  I've been sitting at the kitchen table encouraging homework.   Two weeks before the end of the trimester,  I realized that my straight-A, extremely responsible Fourth Grader had neglected to turn in the majority of her homework.  It's a new skill they're working on in Fourth Grade.  Independence. And no reminders. This wouldn't have been so bad, but it came on the heels of a personal proud moment of mine. Purging. I'm not very good at that. But on this particular day, I was stunning. So for days on end, we sat at the kitchen table, re-creating all the work that was done and gone.  Math worksheets. Journal entries. Science crossword puzzles. History assignments. It all left me feeling somewhere in between being the worst mom in the world for no...

Did you see these cute little Peep Heart Marshmallows at Target?  They made the perfect addition to some Valentine's hot chocolate this morning.  Ahhhhh...... I love life's simple pleasures! Happy Valentine's Day! xo Rachel

The key to surviving a Minnesota winter, it turns out, is not snuggling under a blanket and sitting by the fire.  The key to surviving a Minnesota winter is bundling up and playing outside.  This includes ice skating.  Every single person in the north owns a pair of ice skates.  It's required by state law.  And the winter ritual of taking one's skates to get sharpened at, say, Hisdahl's, a converted house with gingerbread trim, makes it quite apparent that, Dorothy, we're not in Georgia anymore.

If you are from The South, especially near New Orleans, there's a good chance you've eaten a King Cake.  King Cakes are traditionally eaten during Mardi Gras, the period between Epiphany and Lent.  The cake is a brioche-style cake similar to a giant cinnamon roll with a delicious, sweet glaze. To understand the significance of the King Cake, you need to backtrack.  To Christmas.  That's right.  Just when you thought you finally got your last ornament tucked away.  It's back!  If December 25th is the First Day of Christmas (thing Partridge in a Pear Tree) then January 6th is the 12th Day of Christmas.  On the Christian Church calendar, this day is also known as Epiphany, or King's Day.  King's Day is the day when the Christian Church celebrates the Wise Mens' (or the Three Kings') journey to see baby Jesus.   The King Cake tradition in the United States is believed to have begun with French settlers around  the year 1870...

 You might remember these super cute Owl S'mores from Amy at Living Locurto.  Well, since I'm still in love with owls, I decided to update them for Valentine's Day! Just a few switcheroos on the ingredients, and you have the perfect Valentine's treat! I know my kids are going to love them! THIS POST MAY BE LINKED TO:  MONDAYS :    MADE BY YOU MONDAY ,   FLOUR ME WITH LOVE ,  MANIC MONDAY ,  OUR DELIGHTFUL HOME   TUESDAYS :  TALENT SHOW TUESDAYS ,   TEMPT MY TUMMY TUESDAY ,   TRICK OR TREAT TUESDAY  , GET YOUR CRAFT ON ,     MANDY'S RECIPE BOX    WEDNESDAYS :   WORKS FOR ME WEDNESDAY ,   GINGER SNAP CRAFTS ,     THURSDAYS : ,  STRUT YOUR STUFF ,   FULL PLATE THURSDAYS  ,   CHIC & CRAFTY PARTY , FRIDAYS :   I’M LOVING IT ,  FOODIE FRIDAY ,  FOOD ON FRIDAYS ,   T ATERTOTS AND JELLO ,       SHINE ON ...