Beau says..........

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Favorite Holiday Songs

Don't Christmas songs just put you in the holiday mood! I just added my favorite Christmas song to my playlist.....Silver Bells. Leave a comment naming your favorite Christmas song and telling why (if you want to) and I'll add it to the playlist. I think it is the Christmas and holiday images evoked by the lyrics of Silver Bells that makes it my favorite.

I've been working on......

Christmas gift tags!!! What fun to take vintage pictures and get creative with glitter and glue.....here are some of the ones I made.



My next glitter and glue adventure will be handmade Christmas cards....starting today!!!

WEDNESDAY - FILLED COOKIES

These cookies are a family favorite, passed down from my great-grandmother, and are a Christmas tradition on my side of the family (although I've noticed that one of my stepsons seems to like them quite alot too)!

P.S. Santa LOVES these cookies!!!

FILLED COOKIES

Preheat oven to 350*. Spray cookie sheets with non-stick spray.

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs

Mix together and add 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. soda, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, 1/4 tsp. salt. Chill dough before rolling out.

Filling:

1/2 lb. dates,
1/2 cup chopped nuts (we use pecans)
1 cup sugar

Put ingredients in heavy saucepan and add water to cover. Cook until soft. Cool before filling cookies.

After the dough is chilled, roll out on a lightly floured dough board and cut into circles. You will need two circles for each cookie. Put a spoonful of the cooled filling mixture in the center of one circle. Cover with another circle and press edges together with a fork or with your fingers. You can make these cookies as small or large as you like; ours are about 2-3" in diameter. Bake until lightly brown, about 10-12 minutes.

Clipart from Clipartheaven.com.

Tuesday - Tequila Cookies - Just for the fun of it!

Tequila Christmas Cookies

1 cup of water
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
1 tbsp le mon juice
4 large eggs
1 cup of nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle of Tequila

Sample the Tequila in a large glass to check quality. Take a large bowl, and check the Tequila again, to be sure it is of the Highest quality. Pour one level cup and drink. Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.
Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point, it's best to make sure the tequila is still ok, so try another cup. Turn off the mixerer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the fallen fruit and cup up off the floor. Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, just pry it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the tequila to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Check the Tequila. Now shift the lemon juice and strain the nuts. Add one table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find. Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 350 degrees and try not to fall over. Put the bowl through the window, finish off the Tequila and make sure to put the dirty stove in the dishwasher.

CHERRY MISTMAS TO ALL!

MAKE MINE PINK COOKIE EXCHANGE

TEA COOKIES

This recipe was given to me by Sharon Stout, a lady I had the pleasure of working with in Oklahoma City in the late 1970s. They are a delicious shortbread type cookie and are wonderful with a cup of your favorite hot tea.

Mix well: 1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Add: 1 T. water
3 tsp. baking powder
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt

Roll out on floured board and cut with cookie cutter. Bake at 375* until lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Makes 4-5 dozen small cookies.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

EASY TAMALE CHEESE DIP

This recipe is a hit with my family, especially the men, and it's super easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

2 lb. box of Velveeta cheese
1 can tamales, unwrapped
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilis

Cut Velveeta into chunks and place in a microwave safe bowl. Add Rotel. Microwave until cheese is melted, stirring at 3 minute intervals. Add tamales and stir until smooth. Keep warm in a crockpot on low setting. Serve with tortilla chips.

Note: This can also be made in the crockpot.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

CHEESE BALL

This cheese ball is a family favorite....my mom makes it for us every Christmas and it is delicious!

Ingredients:

2 - 8 oz pkg. cream cheese
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
1 glass olive-pimento cheese
1 heaping tsp finely chopped onion
1 heaping tsp. finely chopped bell pepper
2 tsps lemon juice
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Dash salt

Mix all ingredients together, form into a log or ball and roll in chopped pecans. Serve with Ritz (or your favorite) crackers.

Our Newest Family Member.......Beau

Hi everyone.....meet Beau, the newest little boy in our family! Doesn't he look sweet? My husband calls him our "miracle dog". Beau was abandoned about half a mile from our house and came to us one afternoon about a month ago covered in ticks and fleas and very, very hungry. I called the nearby neighbors to be sure he didn't belong to anyone and after no one claimed him he became our little boy. He immediately got a good bath and annointed with tick drops and a flea collar and has been my little shadow every since. I took him in to the vet for a check over and found out he is about 6 months old and a full-blood Jack Russell terrier. Beau is very well-mannered and is already housebroken and has claimed his spot on the foot of the recliner or the bed (when he isn't IN the bed, completely under the covers and at the foot of the bed). As you can see in these photos, Beau was very lucky to find a family to love him.

Christmas Stocking Blog Swap

Thanks so much to Michele for the beautiful stocking she created and sent to me filled with the goodies shown in the picture. This was my first blog swap and it was so much fun!

The Littlest Spooks!

This little skeleton and witch are our grandchildren, Landon (2) and Evee (3), all dressed up to go trick-or-treating.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

This is a "family recipe" that I consider to be a comfort food. Strangely enough, all of the women in our family love it, but none of the men care for it at all. So when my mom and daughters and I are together we always make our version of Tuna Casserole to enjoy.

TUNA CASSEROLE

1 can tuna, drained
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup sliced green olives w/pimientos
3 T.flour
1 to 1-1/2 cups milk
2 T. butter or margarine
Salt and pepper to taste

5-6 white potatoes, boiled and mashed with milk, butter, salt and pepper.

Saute chopped onion in butter or margarine in skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in flour and add milk slowly until the consistency of gravy. Add salt and pepper to taste.Add tuna and sliced olives and stir well until heated through. Remove from heat.

Spray casserole dish with Pam or similar spray. Pour gravy mixture into casserole. Spoon mashed potatoes to cover top of gravy mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and bake at 350* for about 20 minutes to heat through. Serves 5-6.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

This week's recipe is a little different....you can't eat it! But in the spirit of getting ready for the holidays I thought this fun project might be one you would enjoy.

CINNAMON ORNAMENTS

Ingredients:

1 c. cinnamon
1 c. applesauce
1 T. white glue

Mix together until it forms a ball and can be rolled out with a rolling pin without being sticky. Before rolling, sprinkle counter with cinnamon to keep dough from sticking to the counter. Cut with cookie cutters in the shapes you like (I like stars). Make a hole for hanging in the top of each ornament with a straw or ice pick before baking. Dry in a 150F oven for about 3 hours, turning halfway through. They will shrink as they dry. After dry and cooled, thread ribbon or gold cord through the holes for hanging. Cinnamon ornaments will keep their fragrance for several years and can be refreshed with cinnamon fragrance oil.

Autumn on the Farm

Here on our farm it is starting to finally feel like autumn. Because we had a dry summer this year our leaves aren't turning the beautiful rusts and golds that we anticipate each year. But still it is nice to feel the cool, crisp mornings and evenings as we sit on the front porch and enjoy a warm cup of coffee. I took the picture looking down the road from our house last Fall when all the trees were changing color and we had a beautiful autumn. This is the road where I take my (almost) daily walks and it is really a treat when the air is cool and the scenery is so beautiful.

About a mile east of us is an old country cemetery that we like to visit now and then, especially on cool autumn days. It is called the Wright Cemetery and there are several generations of some of the families who have lived in this area for as far back as my husband can remember buried there. There are also a few headstones belonging to fallen soldiers from World War I and II. It has a very calm, peaceful feeling that I enjoy.

This is one of the prettiest autumn sunsets that I can remember seeing and I was lucky enough to get a picture of it from our front yard. The sunset itself has the rich colors of autumn spread out like a painter's palette ready for an artist to take up a brush and paint the leaves on every tree. I think some of the things I missed the most when I was a city girl were the beautiful sunrises and sunsets that were hidden behind high-rise buildings.

And what fun is autumn if you can't jump in a big pile of leaves.....or bury your big brother in them!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

15-Minute Chili

I got the original recipe from a wonderful healthy-living website called SparkPeople and adapted it to my family's taste. This is a quick, easy and delicious main dish your family will enjoy now that it's starting to get cooler outside!

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 16 oz. can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 16 oz. can northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 24 oz. can chopped stewed tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 cup salsa

1. In a large pot, brown turkey with chopped onion.
2. Add beans, tomatoes, garlic, chili powder, and salsa to turkey mixture. Cook until hot.
3. Top with a dollop of sour cream and serve with cornbread if desired.

Makes 4 servings.

Shadow is a winner!

My cat's a winner! Shadow was selected as "Cat of the Month" at Janet's Creative Pillows blogspot this month. Yesterday a package arrived in the mail for Shadow that held all sorts of goodies! Several yummy samples of catfood for him to enjoy, toys and even a brush to keep his coat nice and shiny.....what a nice surprise this was! Thank you Janet!!!

A little bit about Shadow.....he is a "farm cat" who loves roaming our farm but always comes home to eat and sleep. Shadow weighs about 25 lbs. but meows like a squeak toy which is really funny to hear coming from that big body!

Be sure to check out Janet's website and see all of the beautiful pillows she creates at Janet's Creative Pillows.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Baked Potato Soup
Serves 2

2 leftover baked potatoes, skin removed
3 cups milk
2-3 T. flour
1 T. margarine
Dash of salt.

Melt butter in a medium size saucepan. Add flour and salt, and then add milk slowly. How much flour you add will determine how thick your sauce is so you may have to adjust the amount to your liking. Cook until bubbly, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add baked potatoes that have been cut into chunks. Top with any or all of the following: sour cream, chopped green onions or chives, shredded cheese, bacon bits.

Serve with a tossed salad and enjoy!

I've Been Tagged!

I was tagged by Christine at Two Sisters Bath and Body, and now I'm supposed to tell seven things about me that you don't already know and then tag seven other people. Hmmmm...well, here are seven pieces of trivia about Debbie's cozy cottage world!

1. I have 12 grandchildren ranging in age from 5 months to 15 years!
2. I have worn several hats in my life.....I worked for the local newspaper when I was in highschool, was a secretary for Getty Oil Company, worked as a medical transcriptionist for 20+ years, have been a teacher for 12 years, and own an online boutique.
3. I live on a farm in Arkansas where we raise cattle and donkeys.
4. I am a night-owl...I can stay up all night working on whatever my current project is, but don't do this very often because I usually have to get up for work the next day.
5. I believe in God, but I also believe in reincarnation.....I think God will keep sending me back here until I get it right!
6. Some of my best friends are online friends.
7. In my next life I would love for interior decorating and design to be my fulltime job!

So, now it is my turn to tag seven people.....check your email to see if it is YOU!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

MA BARKER'S PECAN PIE

This recipe is contributed by my friend and colleague, Julie Nelson....thanks Julie!

Here is what Julie says about her pecan pie: "It's the one I baked for a restaurant in Fayetteville (AR), Coy's Place. It was also requested for Tyson Foods Christmas party one year...that about killed me!! 25 pies in 1 day!!"

3 eggs
2 cups Gold Medal flour
1 c sugar
3/4 c Crisco
1 cup white Karo
1 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter
1/3 c water
1 cup chopped pecans

Mix flour and salt. Add Crisco and cut into flour mixture. Add water and mix together until it forms a ball. Put in 9 inch pie plate.

Beat eggs with mixer in a bowl. Add sugar and beat 30 seconds. Add Karo and beat 30 seconds. Add stick butter and beat 30 seconds. Add pecans and beat 30 seconds. Pour pecan pie mixture into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 for 55 minutes. DELISH!!
(Easy way to make the pie crust is in a food processor.)

My newest obsession.....altered art!

I have been looking at altered art for awhile now and collecting bits and pieces to make something but I was never quite sure what it would be. Well, last week I decided to give it a try. I started with an old wooden cabinet door and a page from a vintage children's book and went from there. What I ended up with was a piece I call "Let us crow old together".

This piece is the love story of two crows who come from different "backgrounds" (read the handwritten note to the left of the nest), but are deeply in love (read the love note above the crows). They are watching over their three little pearl eggs and surrounded by shiny red apples and autumn leaves. The piece is embellished with vintage buttons, ribbon, glitter and paint. I have to say that I really had a good time working on this and plan to do more altered art in the very near future. To read more about this piece and see another photo you can go to my website.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

MEXICAN CASSEROLE
Serves 4-6

This recipe has been around for years, but here is my family's rendition of it.

1# extra-lean ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup salsa or taco sauce
tortilla chips
grated cheese (I use colby)

Brown ground beef and onion in skillet over med-high heat until meat is done and onion is tender. Add cream of chicken soup and salsa/taco sauce. Stir together until bubbly, then remove from heat. In casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray, layer meat mixture, tortilla chips and grated cheese. Hint: Bottom layer should be meat mixture and top layer should be cheese. Bake at 350* for about 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is heated.

Serve with tossed salad.


www.countryclipart.com

And the winner is.........

Congratulations! Dolly of From My Cherry Heart blogspot is the winner of my beautiful roses teacup and saucer. The names of everyone who commented on my tea parties were all put in a hat and my husband drew out Dolly's name. So, Dolly....please get in touch with me so that I can get your gift sent to you!

Autumn Leaf Tea Pots and Friday Tea

Two favorite teapots in my collection were made by Hall China in the 1930's and 1940's. They are decorated in the Autumn Leaf pattern and were distributed by the Jewel Tea Company. Here is the story of Jewel Tea and my teapots.

From The Collector's Encyclopedia of Hall China 2nd Ed. Margaret and Kenn Whitmyer

Hall China with the Autumn Leaf decal first appeared in 1933 with the introduction of a large 9" mixing bowl. Hall produced this Autumn Leaf line exclusively for the Jewel Tea Company of Barrington, IL. In the early years pieces were offered to Jewel customers as premiums for the purchase of other products. (Jewel Tea advertisement courtesy of The Collector's Encyclopedia of Hall China )


Since Autumn Leaf developed as a premium line, new items were added regularly, and old pieces were discontinued periodically, giving customers the incentive to buy more products so they could obtain the premiums while they were still available.

The "Rayed" long spout teapot (shown above)was introduced in 1935 as a combination teapot/coffee pot and discontinued in 1942. It was sold for $1.50 in 1935, and is now valued at about $60.00. The Aladdin teapot (shown above) was introduced in 1942. This teapot was listed in a 1960 catalog for $4.25. It continued in production until 1976 It is valued now at approximately $65.00.

All pieces of Autumn Leaf were discontinued in 1976, although some pieces were reintroduced in 1978. At this time 106 of the long-spouted "rayed" teapot (shown in my photo) were reintroduced, and were given by Jewel as awards to outstanding sales people.

The Hall China Company was founded by Robert Hall in East Liverpool, Ohio, on August 14, 1903, and is still operating today.

Thank you for stopping by my Cozy Cottage today. Please leave a comment to be entered in my drawing for my lovely roses cup and saucer seen below:

Tea for Two at Cozy Cottage

Welcome to Thursday tea at Cozy Cottage! Today's theme is "Tea for Two"....remember that golden oldie? Our tea will be served from my pretty pink Camark teapot with pink Camark accessories. I have a variety of sweets for you to choose from.

While you are visiting today take a minute to read about one of my favorite old movies, Tea for Two, starring Doris Day. Just go to this website and you can also hear Doris sing many of the songs from that same movie: http://www.dorisday.net/tea_for_two.html .

Don't forget to leave a comment so you will be entered in the drawing to win my pretty roses tea cup and saucer shown below:

Wednesday tea at Cozy Cottage

"I wish we could sit down together,
And have a cup of tea,
But since we can't
When you have this one,
I hope you'll think of me." ~Anonymous

Welcome to Cozy Cottage! Today's tea is served in a lovely blue Camark teapot with matching candle warmer and stand. Don't the cups and saucers make you think of pretty blue flowers? Your tea choices today are Earl Grey, English Breakfast, and Darjeeling. To accompany your tea choice I offer freshly baked biscuits served toasty warm with homemade blackberry preserves and fresh creamery butter.



My special guest for tea today is my sister-in-law, Bertha Mae. She is a writer and has published a novel, Redemption of Quapaw Mountain in which she brings back to life the isolated Arkansas highlands of the early 1900s and their unique people, culture and mythology. For a preview of her book please visit BeWrite Books at http://www.bewrite.net/merchant2/4.00/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=B&Product_Code=1-904492-38-X .

Our discussion today centers around proper attire for afternoon tea. Luckily, here at Cozy Cottage casual wear is the norm, but that wasn't always so.

The Afternoon Tea Gown was first introduced, in the 1840s, by Anna, the Duchess of Bedford. The gowns were fashioned on the styles and times of the day. Tea gowns were constructed in several segments, allowing the hostess to change from the lingerie-inspired overtops to the more revealing off-the-shoulder, lower cut silhouette for the evening hours. Fabrics ranged from elaborate gowns with fanciful hand work of embroidery, beading and smocking to the delicate white handkerchief linens accented with pastels. Since Afternoon Teas were mostly attended by family and close friends, the hostess' tea gown was often uncorseted for the first time in centuries, introducing the casual form of dress our society has adopted to the present day. The fashions complimented the Victorian era from which they were born. The gowns were accessorized with magnificently embellished gloves, parasols, fabulous hats and small handbags. The fashions complimented the Victorian era from which they were born. The gowns were accessorized with magnificently embellished gloves, parasols, fabulous hats and small handbags. Fortunately, some of these beautiful gowns and accessories have been preserved by the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. With increasing difficulty, more can be found at vintage fairs and shops throughout the United States. (http://www.seedsofknowledge.com/teagowns.html)

I hope you enjoyed our tea time today! Be sure to leave a comment so you will be entered in the drawing for my roses tea cup and saucer pictured below.



Tomorrow's tea will be extra special so please make plans to drop by Cozy Cottage again!

Tuesday tea.......a date with the Earl!

Come in and sit a spell here at Cozy Cottage....today's tea is my favorite, Earl Grey. Did you know that the Earl Grey blend is named after the 2nd Earl Grey, British Prime Minister in the 1830s, who reputedly received a gift of tea flavoured with bergamot oil that he liked so well that he now has a similar blend with his own name?

I was in a bit of a rush today preparing tea....so many errands to run this morning....that I didn't have time to prepare our tea accompaniments so I picked up tiny white powdered donuts and mini cinnamon rolls while I was in town. I don't think the Earl will mind this one time and I hope you don't either.

My special guest for tea today is my good friend Sue who lives in New Hampshire. She is a very talented crafter and does beautiful mosaic work on tables and mirrors which she sells on eBay under the user name sueb19. http://search.ebay.com/_W0QQsassZsueb19


Today's tea is being served in a pumpkin-colored Ovenserve dinnerware cup made by Homer Laughlin China. The Ovenserve pattern is my very favorite collection! I began collecting it about 30 years ago and now I have literally hundreds of pieces of Ovenserve! The cups and saucers were a rare find and I only have four of them which I bring out on very special occasions. Produced during the 1930s, Ovenserve dinnerware was the predecessor to the more popular Fiesta pattern that appeared a few years later. If you would like to see more pieces of Ovenserve dinnerware you can go to this website: http://www.ohioriverpottery.com/pages3/hlcline32.html.

As we enjoy our tea today let's take a moment to remember those whose lives were touched on this day in 2001. This is also a time to be thankful that we enjoy the freedom to take tea together both here and in our own homes.

Thank you for coming by today and enjoying tea with me here at Cozy Cottage. Be sure to leave a comment so you will be entered in the drawing to win my pretty roses tea cup and saucer seen below,


and come back tomorrow to see another of my pretty Camark tea pots!

Monday tea at Cozy Cottage

Hello and welcome to tea here at Cozy Cottage! I'm so glad you stopped by today to enjoy my delicious herbal teas....we have a choice of Cinnamon Apple, Honey Lemon, Mint Medley or Orange Spice, each one guaranteed to sooth your soul.

My special guest today is my mom and best friend, Verna. Mom is a retired nurse and lives in Oklahoma. Now that she is retired she seems to be busier than ever as a volunteer at the local museum, member of the PEO club, and being very involved with her church. She and her friend Jim are planning to do some traveling here in the U.S. in the near future.

Tea accompaniments include mouth-watering Asparagus Finger Sandwiches and Cucumber Finger Sandwiches, and for your sweet tooth I have prepared delicious Cream Scones with Currants.

Tea will be served in my lovely lavender Camark pottery tea pot with matching cups and saucers. Camark pottery is one of my favorite collections and if you would like to know more about collecting Camark pottery, here is an excellent reference: http://asms.k12.ar.us/armem/reynolds/index.htm.

While you are here today be sure to leave a comment so you will be registered to win my lovely roses tea cup and saucer set pictured below.


Thank you so much for stopping by today and having afternoon tea here in the parlor at Cozy Cottage!

Be sure to come back again tomorrow for my Tuesday tea party.

Recipes for today's finger sandwiches and scones can be found at http://lotsofinfo.tripod.com/recipe/xTS3aspargusfill.htm, http://www.angelfire.com/bc/incredible/xTS3cukesand.htm, and http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_15929,00.html.

Breakfast on the Farm

At 7am we were awakened by a wonderful sound.....thunder and large raindrops hitting the windows! After several weeks of triple digit temperatures and no rain, our grass and hayfields were brown and crisp. A thunderstorm was exactly what we needed to brighten the landscape and our spirits!

We headed to the porch with coffee cups in hand and sat quietly, enjoying the sound of raindrops, first pounding and then settling down to a steady tap-tap-tap, on our metal roof. Shadow the Cat was the first to join us there, ready for his morning petting and purring session. It wasn't long until one by one our houseguests arrived on the front porch to enjoy the cool, breezy morning rain with us. Later, after the shower ended, my husband's sister and brother-in-law rode down on their 4-wheeler to enjoy a cup of coffee on our front porch.

Somewhere along the way breakfast was mentioned and before long my husband and I were in the kitchen preparing a hearty farm breakfast for everyone. Crispy bacon was fried along with slices of country ham, and bread was buttered and toasted in the oven. My husband prepared his "world's best" homemade hashbrowns and fried country eggs to order for everyone. Homemade peach and blackberry preserves were set on the table and another pot of coffee was made ready for our breakfast guests.

Days like this are what weekends are meant for.....spending time with family and friends and counting all our blessings.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Easy Italian Tomatoes

With fresh tomatoes in great supply right now I thought it was a good time to share one of my favorite tomato recipes.

Slice fresh tomatoes in thick slices and place on baking sheet sprayed with Pam or similar product. Sprinkle sliced tomatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper, and a little chopped basil. Top with shredded Parmesan cheese and broil until cheese is bubbly....this only takes a few minutes. Place on serving platter and enjoy!

What I did today........

Isn't this the sweetest little chest to hold all of those items that clutter up your dresser or powder room? When I found this it was an ugly little wooden chest in need of some TLC, but it had pretty little ceramic drawers with roses....yes, ROSES! I took it home, filled the cracks, sanded and painted it pink and VOILA! a beautiful swan was created from this ugly duckling!

If you need to add a little pink to your life, just go to Cozy Cottage Gifts and Decor at www.makeminepink.com and make this little chest yours!

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

MIRACLE COOKIES

I found this recipe years ago in a fundraiser cookbook and it's been my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe since then!


Ingredients:

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla flavoring

Mix all ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Roll into balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten with a fork to make criss-cross pattern. Bake for approximately 10 minutes at 350*.

This makes about one dozen 2-inch cookies.

Pink Chocolate.......mmmm, mmmm good!

glitter-graphics.com
Deep velvety chocolate brown paired with pretty pastel pink....what a luscious color combination! "Pink chocolate" fabrics and accessories are readily available for you and your home (and even for your pet!). I just did a "google" search and here are a few of my favorite finds:

Cozy Cottage Gifts & Decor http://www.makeminepink.com/boutiques/shop/?store=93 has a luscious pink chocolate lap throw made from vintage lace paired with a rose pink cotton fabric.

C’est Chouette http://www.makeminepink.com/boutiques/shop/?store=33 has an absolutely gorgeous tuffet fashioned of pink and chocolate dupioni silk.

Bella Pink Boutique http://bellapink.typepad.com/bella_pink_postcards_from/ has a lovely blog designed in pink chocolate.

So Shabby Pink Boutique http://www.soshabbypink.com/catalog.php?category=31 features
pink chocolate terra cotta pots.

Natasha Burns Artistic Creations http://www.natashaburns.com/catalog.php?item=234&catid=5&ret=catalog.php%3Fcategory%3D5 offers faux chocolate cupcakes with pink icing that look good enough to eat!

Visit these fine shops and all the other boutiques at makeminepink.com for even more pink chocolate items for you and your home (and maybe even for Fifi!).

My #1 pink chocolate find was right here at home! Bryan, Brittney and Bailey Grace