Fabulous Cookies & Awards!

Good Wednesday morning everyone! Thanks everyone for participating in another contest. These are too much fun for me, so look for another giveaway next week. Okay, here is the winner of the last basket:

Alex and Pam. Who said: We ate at Siam Cuisine last weekend in Wichita, KS and it was the best Thai food we've had. YUMMY. Our new favorite. And, hi Alex! I am glad to have a 10 year old reader! E-mail me at priscilla91@iowatelecom.net so I can get your prize out to you.

In case you were wondering, Olive Garden is my favorite restaurant. And, here is a recipe for some amazingly delicious sugar cookies we love. They are light, fluffy, & not hard at all. Hope you enjoy them!

"Sour Cream Sugar Cookies"

1 cup butter softened

1 cup sour cream

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla (I use almond instead)

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. soda

4 tsp. baking powder

5 cups flour

DIRECTIONS:

Cream butter and sugar. Add sour cream and mix, Add eggs and vanilla. Sift dry ingredients together and add gradually. Mix well. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Roll dough out 1/2 inch thick on well floured surface (may be a bit sticky so flour well). Cut out round cookies (I used the top of a glass). Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Frost when cool. Makes 4 dozen.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

3 tsp. vanilla (or almond)

6 cups powdered sugar

12 oz cup cream cheese, softened

A few tbsp. of milk (may need more depending on consistency)

DIRECTIONS:

Mix all together.

Onto the awards. Jodi over at Live Today, Cherish Yesterday, Dream Tomorrow gave me this "your blog is fabulous" award. Thanks so much Jodi! I am going to pass this onto:

• Cristine at Cristine Cooks. I love Cristine's blog, and I love how she posts delicious recipes every day.
• Mel at Made By Melissa. Melissa has a great blog and her pictures of her food are super!
• Pam at For The Love Of Cooking. Pam has one of the best food blogs around. Her recipes are so yummy!
• Lisa at Jersey Girl Cooks. I enjoy reading each of Lisa's posts and her food looks delicious!

Joan over at 3 Girls, Me, And A Recipe gave me this "butterfly award". Thank you so much Joan, getting awards are the best! I am going to pass this onto:

• Sarah at Mrs. JY Cooking. I recently found Sarah's blog and I am enjoying it. She recently had a bridal shower and her menu looks super delicious!
• Jessica at Turkey Cookies. I love reading each of Jessica's posts - her writing is fabulous!
• Cristine at Cristine Cooks. Can you tell I love her blog??
• Nicole at Test Kitchen Recipes. Nicole has delicious looking recipes and I look forward to each of her posts.
• Teresa at A Blog About Food. Not long ago I discovered Teresa's blog and I am enjoying reading each post.

See you next with a easy but utterly delicious recipe & snowboarding pics! Happy Thanksgiving!

Winners & My Guitar Recital!

Happy late Sunday evening everyone! Thanks to everyone for entering the contest. Reading your favorite movies was a blast! So, here are the winners:

#1) Winner of the Pomegranate Juice coupons: Topher (Chris)

#2) Winner of the basket: Lsjaeger

#3) Winner of the basket: Brunettebaker

#4) Winner of the basket: Cold Cocoa

#5) Winner of the Yoplait Kids Package: Laura Allmon

If you are any of the above winners, e-mail me at priscilla91@iowatelecom.net, so I can get your prizes out to you.

Wish I had more prizes to give out to you guys but, if you didn't win stay tuned, there will be more contests coming up!

Thanks to everyone for your well-wishes on my guitar recital! It went better than I could have expected. I played "He's A Pirate" off Pirates Of The Caribbean. I love that song! My favorite music to play is worship music, the chording is something I really enjoy. (Hope that answers your questions Jodi)! :)

Here are some pics from the day - enjoy!

My sister Lisa, who was also in the recital. The ones below are of me.

Amazing cookie recipe coming next! Stay tuned!

Some Yummy Cupcakes & A Giveaway!

So, I decided to do my next countdown starting in December on my "Top 10 Appetizers". That's the majority of what you guys voted for and it makes sense with Christmas and New Years coming up.

Anyway, here are some delicious cupcakes that are so easy to make! Even without the frosting, they are moist and yummy.

**Giveaway at the bottom**

"Jeweled Pumpkin Gems"

Ingredients:
1 package (18-1/4 ounces) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
3 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 to 2 cans (12 ounces each) whipped cream cheese frosting

DIRECTIONS:
In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, pumpkin, eggs, oil, cinnamon and baking soda; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Fill paper-lined miniature muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 350° for 12-16 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Spread with frosting. Yield: 7 dozen. **I made regular sized muffins and jumbo size muffins, about 1 dozen from each.** GIVEAWAY:
Okay, one winner will be receiving "6" different coupons including Yoplait Kids Yogurt, Pillsbury Savorings Flaky Pastry Bites, & Cocoa Puffs Combos. To enter leave me a comment telling me what state you live in. Deadline is Saturday at 4'clock p.m. CST. Enjoy!

-Picture simply a example-

#8 & Brownies!

#8. So, Pecan Balls are #8. Depending on who you ask in my family - others would rank these higher. But since I am doing the ranking here, they come in at #8 (did I say 8 too many times)??:) With a cup of coffee or tea and these - your breakfast will be oh-so yummy!

"Pecan Balls"

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup finely chopped pecans

Powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat butter in large mixing bowl with elctric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 sec. Add granulated sugar & salt, beat until combined. Beat in vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Stir in pecans. Shape slightly rounded tsp. of dough into balls size of large grapes. Place 1-in. apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8-9 minutes or until bottoms just begin to brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Roll in powdered sugar.

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These brownies are really good, just look at the pictures....need I say more???

"Favorite Frosted Brownies"

Ingredients:
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons baking cocoa
3 cups confectioners' sugar
Decorating sprinkles, optional

DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Spread into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. For frosting, in a mixing bowl, beat the butter, milk and vanilla; add cocoa. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread over cooled brownies. Decorate with sprinkles if desired. Yield: 12-15 servings.
My brother waiting with you guys for #7 too.

Fall Cookies & Questions!

Yummy. I heart these cookies. The secret to these is not overbaking them. They taste so good soft with frosting inbetween.

I have a question for my readers......I have been getting traffic off of stumbleupon but I can't find the link to my blog - could someone give me that link? Or, how do you find your baked goods on stumbleupon?

And one more question...I am wondering who all my readers are & have any of you guys tried my recipes?

"Chocolate Sandwich Cookies"

2 devils food cake mix

4 eggs

2/3 cup oil

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl, lightly beat eggs and oil together. Combine into cake mixes in large bowl. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet. Flatten softly with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. Leave on pan for 3-4 minutes before removing to wire rack. Cook completely before frosting with cream cheese frosting between two cookies.

"Homemade Buttercream Frosting"

1/2 cup butter, softened

3 cups confectioners sugar

2 tbsp. milk

DIRECTIONS:

Beat butter. Add confectioners sugar and milk.

***You may need more powdered sugar or more milk to reach the consistency or taste you like**