Crunchy Coconut Cookies

Kid Tested and Approved!

I remembered, super last minute, that I needed to bring a dessert to a party.  I popped a quick look in the pantry and came up with these cookies.  So easy (as they start with a bag of cookie mix) and so so so tasty!

What you need:

1 bag of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix

5 T butter (soft)

3/4 cup Shredded Coconut (unsweetened)

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla bean paste (a must for your pantry!)

1/4 tsp pure almond extract (optional, but lovely)

1/4 tsp sea salt

raw sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

 Combine all of the ingredients listed above (except the raw sugar) 

and use a small kitchen scoop.  I end up creating 2 dough balls from

each scoop (this is a small, roughly 2 tablespoon scoop).  So, if you do not have

a small scoop, roughly size out a heaping tablespoon for each dough ball.

Then roll the tops of the dough in raw sugar, gently pressing the dough

to create a disc.  Place cookie dough discs, sugar side up, on a parchment

lined baking sheet (you will fit about 20 small discs on a standard size sheet)

Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden.

Allow cookies to cool and then you will have delicious, 3 bite cookies

that are crispy and crunchy on the outside and a little bit chewy on the inside.

Trust me, these will be a crowd pleaser!!

xo.

Ghostly Pretzel Rods & Cookie Headstones

I am in charge of dessert for Logi's kindergarten class Halloween party, and I decided I would create a graveyard of cupcakes and top them with frosting and Oreo cookies crumbled into dirt.  and then top the dirt with gummy worms, ghosts and headstones.  Very spooky and Very tasty!

 I buy bags of melting vanilla chips online.  I am certain you

can find at any baking supply store. 

Use a glass or stainless steel bowl, over a pot of water 

(only a few inches of water, as the water should never touch the 

base of the bowl) on medium heat.  Stir often.

Keeping the the double boiler on medium heat, I switched out bowls

and started melting some standard dark chocolate chips.

I used a spoon to coat the pretzel rods (broken in half, as I am going

to stick them in cupcakes and full size would be maj overkill). Then

set dipped (and dripped off, into bowl of coating) pretzels on a 

parchment lined tray to fully set up.

Melted dark chocolate.  Be responsible, don't like the bowl!

After melted turn the heat off, but leave over the warm water until

you are ready to transfer.  The best thing about working with melted 

chocolate, if it starts to harden, pop it on the heat for a minute and it

will quickly melt again!

I bought single layer cookies (this cookie is usually sandwich cookies,

so I was excited to find them as singles)  I placed them plain side up, on

a parchment paper lined tray.

Transfer the melted dark chocolate to a bottle. 

 They aren't perfect, but sure did turn out cute! 

 I used too many vanilla chips, so placed the excess melt on a piece

of parchment and spread out with a spatula to set.  I then broke

it up into bits and popped in a freezer safe bag and into the freezer for

a later date bake session. 

I will certainly post a picture, once these little goodies are plopped 

in the cupcake graveyard!!!

Final Product!
They were scrumptious and adorable!
Use my recipe for frosting, at the beginning of this
post, and use green gel to get the 'grass' then crush
Oreo cookies for the 'dirt'.

 So easy, cute and tasty = Halloween success!

Logi's 5th Birthday Party!!!!!

Let me start by saying I am so excited I get to share these photos, as we thought we would never recover the photos from the camera!  Long and boring story, but the end results of photo recovery were pure victory!

My sweet baby girl turned 5 this month and she wanted to have a party in the park behind our house.  Her only requests were sports, face paint, pinata, tie dye and cheese balls.  Such easy requests to fulfill!!!

All about the goodies!  Vanilla cupcakes topped with 

my no fail frosting and strawberry hats joined a heaping 

pile of rice crispy treats, sea salt chocolate chip cookies a few

 other goodies ready for the little and big kids!

A bowl of cuties certainly balances out the load

of cakes and candies!

 Cheese balls!  They were a must on Logi's short 

list of requests.  The bowl they are sitting in is the large

bowl in a set of 4 melamine nesting bowls (with lids!)

that I picked up at Costco.  They have a lovely, vintage

look to them, with all the practicality of melamine!

 

My past life in event planning and catering always 

comes through on the treats table!!

I topped the chocolate cupcakes with m&m candies,

logo side down.  Logi really wanted 'tie dye' at her 

'sports party' so I tried to pull in color, wherever 

I could.  This was a quick and cute way to doll

up the cupcakes (and distinguish them from the 

vanilla cupcakes.)

Side note: the polka dot cake stand was a gift I

received from the sweet woman from Zac's office

in Oklahoma, who planned a baby shower for us when 

I was pregnant with Logi. Extra special to pull out on this day!

Even though we were gathering in the park, I wanted

to elevate the feel of the party (let's be real, I could have 

just opened a few bags of chips...).  Popping goodies into/onto

bowls and platters instantly kicks it up a notch.  Creating 

a table with dimension is quick and easy, if you have a couple

white table clothes (or white flat bed sheets) on hand.

Place sturdy boxes under the cloth and allow the folds

of the cloth to build a base (table with varying heights)

to then add in bowls, platters, cake stands, vessels, etc.

It is oh so easy, just takes a bit of planning...give it a whirl for your

next shindig.  Whether you are hosting in your home or in the park.

 

 I placed piles of sidewalk chalk around, but wrote up a big

reminder of why we were all gathering!  Can time slow down,

please.  Just looking at this makes me tear up!

 The sweet little birthday girl!  Tie dye on tie dye works, 

when that is the theme...our sweet babysitter made her the 

"birthday crown" out of pipe cleaners.  My sweet Logan is so kind, 

happy, funny, active and loving. Her personality is one of the 

best I have ever been blessed to know.

 Before friends arrived Logi took some imaginary

swings at the pinata, while Benny sat in the chalk.

I was quite surprised that Logi picked the Hello

Kitty pinata, as it really isn't her thing...until she

explained that it was the biggest and could hold

the most candy.  Clever girl. 

Sweet Benny!  I could just gobble him up!  I realized, long after

the party wrapped, that he was shoved into a 6/12 month shirt. 

Poor buddy looked a hot mess most of the evening.  

Kathy and her grand daughter Mady, of Jester's Entertainment.  They

are always at the Golden Farmer's Market and Logi was so excited

to have them be a part of her party.  They are incredible.  Kathy does

airbrush art on the kids, which is ridiculously amazing!  Check them out!

Logi has the hardest time deciding what to get, when we are at the

farmer's market.  Good thing she got to pick a few, at the party!

A sparkly car!  How amazing is that!  Kathy cuts all the stencils.

How cute is this! 

Pure happiness!

 Real snakes = no good.
Balloon snakes = nearly the cutest.

 In lieu of presents, we asked friends to please bring donations for
the Golden Backpack Program.  I was thrilled with the amount of
donations collected for this wonderful organization!

Goodness, I love her!

Her buddy, who is teaching her how to skateboard...she adores him.

 Sister Sister!  Two of my favorite little kids and such
sweet friends to Logan.

 These two sugars melt my heart!  Second generation friends!

Like a postcard!  You can't fake that excitement!

These to did preschool and preK together.  Total partners in crime!

It isn't a party until bags of beans are tossed!

 Pregame excitement!  I have never seen such a big pile of crazy,
over a pinata!  Crazy...but oh so cute.

 Benny.  Delivering the heat!

Bringing the heat!


Well folks, that's a wrap on Logi's 5th birthday party!
Thank you to everyone who joined us to celebrate!

xo.

Italian Cream Cupcakes, on the QUICK!

I was in a pinch for a dessert and thought I would give a go at making Italian Cream Cupcakes, 

starting with a box of cake mix.  The results were fantastic (and oh so quick), so give this a whirl!

What you need:

box of white cake mix (that will yield a 9x13 pan)

1/2 cup soft butter

1 cup buttermilk

3 eggs

2 T water

2/3 cup shredded coconut

1 cup raw pecans 

Click here for my delish frosting recipe, that must top

these cupcakes. Reserve 1/2 cup of the chopped

pecans to fold into the frosting.

Use a sharp knife to roughly chop the pecans.  If you don't feel like

getting your chop on, pulse the pecans in a food processor.

By hand or mixer, blend the cake mix, buttermilk, butter, water and eggs.

Then fold in the coconut and 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

 

I use a large scoop to plop the batter into muffin papers (I looove

the organic look of these parchment papers I picked up at King Soopers) 

Bake in a 350 degree, preheated oven.  17-21 minutes bake time.

While they bake, make the frosting!!!  Here is the link again. 

Stir in the 1/2 cup of chopped pecans you reserved.

After the cupcakes cool (I always set on a cooling rack for at least

half hour), top with as much frosting as you wish.

Then, ENJOY!!!  

xo.