Lace Dress

One Amazing Dress, Four Colors

This lace dress from Dress Barn is the perfect anytime dress. It can be dressed up or dressed down and can be worn for a variety of occasions. In the pictures below the dress was worn for Easter, Girls Night, Graduation, and a Wedding. This dress is flattering on any shape and the lace has a bit of stretch so that it is extremely comfortable for long periods of time.

Dress Barn

Fall Fashion

Here are two different fall styles. One look is styled with a white blouse, mustard colored sweater, faded jeans and brown boots. The jewelry added is a gold and brown necklace. The second look is styled with a green plaid shirt, brown tank top, dark jeans, and brown boots. The jewelry included is a brown necklace. These looks are great for early fall or late fall.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are one of the easiest and most liked desserts among children, teenagers, young adults, middle aged adults, and older adults. It is basically a foolproof dessert that is guaranteed to make everyone happy. Here is one of my favorite recipes to use. I generally bake for 9 minutes for a  chewy cookie but if your gang prefers theirs a little more crisp then just leave them in for a few more minutes. You can also vary this recipe by mixing several types of chocolate chips for a unique cookie.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter flavored crisco
2 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
4 tbsp. milk
2 tbsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups flour
2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3 12 oz bags chocolate chips (semi sweet or milk chocolate)

• heat the oven to 375* and place cooling racks on the counter
• combine the Crisco, brown sugar, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl and beat using a hand mixer at medium speed until blended.
• beat the egg into the mixture
• combine the flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. then mix into the creamed mixture until blended.
• stir in the chocolate chips by hand
• drop rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets a couple inches apart
• bake 8-10 minutes for chewy cookies, 11-13 minutes for crisp cookies
                                      DO NOT OVERBAKE
• cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before placing on the cooling rack

*makes 7-8 dozen cookies depending on how big you choose to make them

Brownies with Sprinkles

I was craving some brownies the other night and didn't have a box mix. So what did I do? Make them from scratch! Turns out they are super easy to make and way yummier than the box mix. Here is the recipe that I used. :)  Hope you enjoy them as much as I do!



Chocolate Brownies


1 1/3 cup flour
2 cups sugar (or a little more if you like them extra sweet)
3/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla

Heat the oven to 350*. Use two separate bowls, In the first bowl combine all of the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt). In the second bowl combine the wet ingredients (oil, egg, vanilla).  Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix together until just combined. (do NOT use a mixer) Spread the mix in a 9x13 pan. Top the brownie batter with colorful sprinkles of any kind. Bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Blackberry Cobbler

Blackberries are the fruit of the summer. One great way to eat blackberries is to make a cobbler. This recipe is super easy for anyone to make and it tastes delicious especially with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I hope you enjoy!

Blackberry Cobbler

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1 16 oz package of frozen blackberries (you can also use fresh blackberries or any other frozen berries)

Directions

• Melt the butter in a 2 quart casserole dish (in the microwave)
• Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and milk in a small bowl, mix well
• Pour the flour and sugar mixture over the butter

                     ****Do NOT stir****

• Spoon the blackberries over the batter

                      ****Do NOT stir****

• Bake at 350* for 45 minutes until golden

Snickerdoodles

Snickerdoodles are one of my favorite kinds of cookies to make. They were also one of the first that I learned how to cook. They are super easy for beginner bakers and super easy to whip up on a time crunch. They also make the perfect bite size cookie.  Hope yall enjoy! :)

Recipe:
2 3/4 cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup shortening (I use 1 stick butter flavor Crisco)
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
Cinnamon sugar mixture 

To make the cinnamon sugar mixture for the outside of the cookies start with a good size amount of sugar and then add shakes of cinnamon until the mixture is a light brown. There are no exact measurements for this :)

1. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a bowl
2. In a mixing bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. Then add the eggs and beat well to mix.
3. Slowly add the dry ingredients and blend
4. Chill the dough in the fridge until it is easy to handle.
5. Turn on the oven to 350*
6. Roll the dough into small balls (3/4 inch across) and dip into the cinnamon sugar mixture
7. Place balls on a baking sheet and bake 10-12 minutes until lightly brown





Reference: My First Cookbook, 1972, My First Cookies

Graduation Look

I just graduated from the University of Arkansas. For my graduation I went with a fit and flare white lace dress from Dress Barn. Then I accessorized with red jewelry from Versona.

 

Valentines Day

So what do you do when you are alone on Valentine's Day? You have a blast with your girlfriends! This year for Valentines I went to dinner with some girlfriends of mine and then we indulged ourselves on a chocolate fountain. This was the best way to have fun and to not worry about having a date. Here are some pictures of our night.

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

 

 

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups butter flavored Crisco
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 2 tablespoons vanilla
• 6 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

 

 

Procedure:

• Heat the oven to 375*
• Combine sugar, Crisco, beat at medium speed until blended
• add eggs, sugar, syrup, vanilla
• beat until blended and fluffy
• combine flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a separate bowl
• gradually add flour mixture to creamed mixture at low speed until blended
• drop rounded teaspoons on to an ungreased baking sheet 3 inches apart (I use a small ice cream scoop)
• (sprinkle with colored sugar if desired)
• bake for 10-12 minutes- DO NOT OVERBAKE
• cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack

~If desired you can also frost the cookies with buttercream frosting


Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

Oatmeal Craisin Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups craisins (or more depending on your liking)
1 1/4 cup quick oats
1 package white chocolate (I prefer almond bark)

• Heat the oven to 350*
• Beat the butter until creamy, gradually add in the sugars, beat well
• Add egg and vanilla, mix
• Combine flour, soda, powder, and salt
• Gradually add flour mix to butter mix
• Stir in the craisins and oats
• Drop onto a cookie sheet (small scoop)
• Bake for 9-11 minutes
• After they are cool, melt the white chocolate or almond bark and drizzle over the top

Stain-Glass Cookies

Stain-Glass Cookies 

(adapted from  Food Network Magazine)

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 sticks of butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
several colors of hard candy (I  used Jolly Ranchers and Dum Dums)

1. Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl
2. Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add in the flour mix, beat until incorporated.
3. Place bowl into the fridge until it gets cold and firm
4. Separate the candy by color and break the candy into small pieces. (you can mix different types of candy)
5. Line baking sheets with parchment paper
6. Roll out the dough on a counter covered with flour and cut out with shapes (cookie cutters). Then transfer to the baking sheets and use a smaller cookie cutter to remove the inside. Then fill the shapes with candy pieces.
7. Bake cookies 1 pan at a time at 350*  for 12-15 minutes
8. Let cookies cool before removing from the baking sheets.

Holiday Dress

That  Dress Tho....

 

I found this awesome purple lace holiday dress at Dress Barn. It is sassy, fun, and flirty while still being modest. It is definitely a go to dress for every special occasion. Here are a few pictures from when I wore it the first pic was girls night out, the other two were from a Christmas Banquet. It can be worn when it is warm as well as if it is cold. I added a fun cheetah print jacket to it since it was cold.

 

similar

Pasta E Fagioli Soup

Pasta E Fagioli Soup

 

I am a big fan of Olive Garden and an even bigger fan of soup, salad, and breadsticks. I found a standard recipe for Pasta E Fagioli and then tweaked it and I think it is a pretty good copy- cat of Olive Garden's.

1 pound ground hamburger
1 pound Italian sausage
2 cups frozen vegetable blend
2 cans Hunt's garlic and herb pasta sauce
4 cups water
2 cans red kidney beans
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon basil
1 cup elbow macaroni (uncooked) (or other small pasta)
3 tablespoons parmesan cheese

brown the meat in a skillet and drain
in a large soup pot combine all the other ingredients (except pasta) and bring to a boil
reduce heat and simmer for 1 hour
add pasta the last 10 minutes of cooking
cook until the pasta is tender

Super Super Yummy :)

Christmas Season

Since it is December and Christmas is almost among us I thought I would take a few minutes to reflect on my favorite things about the season.


1. My absolute favorite thing about the season is that we get a chance to celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ.
2. Spending time with family.
3. Christmas Baking- everything from fudge to cookies to chocolates
4. Christmas Sweaters- I prefer to call these tacky because they are not ugly but sometimes they are just a little bit tacky.
5. Christmas Parades- They are just a blast!
6. Gingerbread Houses- Now I don't know about you but I don't really like gingerbread but I love to build and decorate the houses. I love that you can buy so many different kinds these days. I would like to try and do a homemade one sometime but the boxes are just so convenient.

 

 

White Chili

White Chili

 

3 cans of white chicken
1 can chopped green chilies
1 cup salsa (I prefer medium)
2 cans of white beans drained
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cans chicken broth
2 cans of white corn
1 cup of onions
Enough garlic salt to taste

1 cup monterrey jack cheese
1 cup sour cream

1. Simmer first 9 ingredients  for 1 hour
2. 10 minutes before serving the chili add the last two ingredients (cheese, sour cream)
3. Serve with chips or crackers (optional)

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

 



 Nothing says fall like a big ol bowl of soup. This is my favorite recipe for Taco Soup. I modified the version that my mom always made. :) Hope you enjoy!

 

1 ¼ lbs ground beef                                              1 chopped onion
1 ¼ package taco seasoning                                 1 package ranch dressing mix
salt to taste                                                            pepper to taste
1 can corn undrained                                            2 cans stewed tomatoes blended
1 can rotel tomatoes                                             1 can green chilies
1 can pinto beans, drained                                   1 can kidney beans, drained
1 ½ cup tomato juice

1. Brown the ground beef and onion
2. Add other ingredients
3. Bring to boil
4. Simmer 30 minutes
5. OPTIONAL: serve with cheese

Brown Beans and Ham

6 Quart Crockpot Brown Beans and Ham

 

3-4 pound ham (bone in, not sliced)
2 pounds of dry pinto beans
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon minced onion
salt and pepper to taste

1. in a large bowl place dry beans and fill bowl full of water. Allow the beans to soak for 3-4 hours.
2. drain the beans and rinse
3. spray the inside of the crockpot with pan spray
4. place ham in center and pour in beans around
5. fill the rest of the crockpot with water
6. add in the seasonings (Don't add too much salt or pepper until it is almost finished)
7. cook on low for 20-24 hours
8. taste and decide if it needs more salt or pepper
9. take out the ham and remove the bone, then cut or tear the ham in chunks.

A great side item for this dish is sweet corn bread!



*Serves 8

Chili

Mom's Chili Recipe
Serves 6

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 32 oz. can tomato sauce
1 14 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
2 15 oz. can chili beans
1 package mild chili seasoning
1 package hot chili seasoning

1. in a skillet brown the ground beef and drain
2. in a large pot combine all other ingredients and bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer 1 hour.

or if you use a crockpot

1. brown the beef in a skillet and drain
2. combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours

My favorite way to eat chili is with a little bit of shredded Colby-Jack cheese mixed in and instead of a spoon I use Fritos to dip in my bowl and eat. Super Yummy!

Tinkerbell

For Halloween this year, I decided to dress up as Tinkerbell. I do not normally dress up but I had the opportunity to go to three different events so I decided it was worth it to come up with an outfit. I found a shirt that I liked and then made a tutu tulle skirt. Then my dad helped me out and made my wings.

 

 

 

 

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Old Fashioned Apple Pie Recipe

 

 

 



7-8 large apples (peeled, cored, diced)                               1 cup sugar
2 ½ tablespoons flour                                                          1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg                                                           Dash of salt
2½ tablespoons butter                                                         2 premade pie crusts (boxed, refrigerated)



1. Preheat oven to 400*
2. Stir sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl. Pour over apples mixing to make sure all are coated.
3. Unroll and place one of the pie crusts into a pie pan.
4. Fill the pie crust with the apples. Arrange the apples into a small mound with the center being  slightly taller than the outsides.
5. Cut butter into small pieces and place evenly over the apple cubes.
6. Roll out the second pie crust and place on top of the apples and squeeze the top crust and the bottom crust together at the edge to seal the pie. Then make slits on the top of the pie to allow for steam to escape. (Like example on bottom- happy fall yall) You can also try a lattice pie (example below) or one where you use a cookie cutter and cut pieces out and arrange on the top of the pie (example above)
7. Cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil so that it will not brown to fast (make sure to not cover the whole pie).
8. Bake for about 1 hour. Remove the foil 10 minutes prior to removing the pie from the oven.