On the 1st day of cookies your Tawny gives to yoooouuuuu!

...A recipe I found on the inn-terrrr-webs!!!

  I collect recipes on my laptop in my favorites file like a squirrel hiding nuts for winter, the only problem is that 80% of the time when I'm pacing around my kitchen wondering what to feed this brood of mine I never think to check that file marked "Recipes to try" Dur!

Last year I had a get together that I was invited to at the very last minute, like... seriouly. 1 hour before the party started I saw the text message on my phone from that afternoon inviting me to a very impromtu Holiday gathering.

I went into a panic. I wanted to find something that I could take along with my Dirty Santa gift that the other ladies would enjoy, and make me look like a Martha clone!
       She bakes! She Shops! She has a full time job and is a mother of 4!  She is AMAAAAZING!

I remembered saving a recipe the night before that I had thought would be super yummy IF I replaced the premade cookie dough mix with my own... so I rushed home to whip up some cookies!

photo credit The Girl Who Ate Everything blog

 

 

 

   Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Ingredients:

 

3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup butter, softened 1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 egg 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 box (4 serving size) pistachio instant pudding and pie filling mix 1 cup dry roasted salted pistachio nuts, chopped 1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped   Directions:   In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add Pudding Gradually blend in the dry ingredients, cranberries & nuts. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks. recipe was adapted from Betty Crocker These cookies were amazing!! Not only the perfect color for christmas! But the sweetness, and nuttiness combined with salty tart... oh my yum!

Dont forget to sign up HERE to join the Cookie Exchange on the 15th!

Happy Holidays, Friends!
Be Good to Each Other!
 

3rd annual Cookie~Palooza!!

Its that time of year again!

 

 

 

Here is how is works...

 

From Nov. 24th thru Dec.15th  I will be sharing my favorite Christmas cookie recipes and treats, on Dec. 15th we will have a blog party of the sweetest proportions! Join in on that Saturday to share across the blog verse your favorite Christmas cookie (recipes included) for a blog type cookie exchange!

 

All you have to do is: 

 

... Leave a comment on this post with your name, blog link and email to sign up for the cookie exchange on the 15th, I will add your name to the side bar for easy party hopping the day of!

 

... Grab a cookiepalooza button for your side bar, and then on Dec. 15th join us and and share your recipe! Link your party here the day of !

Its that easy!!!

 

<a href="http://dailyicing.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="Daily Icing" src="http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r250/badablingg/cookie3-250a.jpg"/></a>

Hope to see you all there!

 

 

Be good to each other!

Happy Holidays!

For today I am Thankful {& a Thanksgiving treat...}

Thanksgiving.

Here we are.

Yay.

I'm not really "into" Thanksgiving normally... and this year is really no exception.
I mean... I LOVE the food prep... pulling out the old recipes, the smell of turkey & stuffing & putting up the tree.
 But for some reason each this time each year I get the holiday blues.
 I hate it. I fight it. but each year mid November I feel that familiar sad, creep in, and here we are.


But I am forcing myself to find something to be grateful for each and everyday. 


So... For TODAY, I am Thankful...

for my husband. ♥
for my kids, both biological and otherwise
for my family
for my health
for my home
for this new adventure
for learning new things about myself
for my friends
for my talents
for my customers
for fuzzy slippers
& blankets
for my kitty
for turning 36 yikes!
for my little "hippie" car
for the mountains
for chocolate cake
for coffee!
for strawberry lip gloss
for my bloggy pals
for yoga pants
for sunrises in Vermont
for twinkle lights
for The Walking Dead
& The Real Housewives...
for my fridge
for my dishwasher
for instagram
for chilly walks holding hands
for pine cone collecting
for the smell of gingerbread
for getting to see my son in exactly 30 days!
for my heater working
for the opportunity to have to much to be thankful for!

  This Thanksgiving is extra strange being away from friends and family... we would normally be preparing for days to have friends and family fill every nook and cranny of our little house in Oklahoma... Adults covering every free inch of sitting space and the living room floor, balancing plates on knees, the men cheering on The Cowboys, the ladies gossiping and preparing for big shopping adventures, and the kids all together in a bedroom eating turkey between taking turns at blowing up whatever zombie GI Joe was attacking on the xbox.
  This year its quiet. Its just us minus 1. and my heart isn't in it.

I hope all of you have a fantastic holiday... I really do! Have a great one for me. Hug your loved ones extra tight for me. give kisses on cheeks and laugh and tell jokes. fight if you have to. just BE with them. :)

Here is a very very simple Thanksgiving recipe for you.... my granny made this EVERY YEAR and for EVERY Holiday.  I have always liked it, but this year... I love it.

Its originally called Ambrosia Salad I think... but growing up we always just called it Pink Stuff... my Granny will tell you she tried to make "Green Stuff" one year but no one would touch the stuff. So Pink it stayed!

I don't really have a good photo of "The Stuff"

so I nabbed one off of Pinterest... so you get the idea

 

 

Ingredients:

 

1 tub Cool Whip (16oz)

1 can crushed pineapple drained (small can)

1 tub (8oz) cottage cheese

1 package strawberry jello

 

 

Directions:

 

Mix together

Chill

 

Seriously. That's all.

 

My granny says that "other people" add mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries, and walnuts. I think that's crazy, but whatever floats your boat!

 

 

I wish you and yours a fantastically blessed Thanksgiving!

 

And I hope you guys are getting ready for the 3rd annual COOKIEPALOOZA!!

 

I cant wait! Lots of great recipes and tips for you guys plus a giveaway!

 

 

I will have bloggy buttons and other info on Friday!

Be Good to Each Other!
♥