Warm Artichoke Dip.

Here is a super delicious dip you have to try. It's quick and easy. This is the dip I took over to Cynthia's for Pie Day. Thanks to my BIL and SIL I have a new dip.

Spread out evenly, I used a 1 1/2 quart dish.  

Artichoke Dip

1 block of cream cheese
Medium size jar or can of Artichoke hearts quartered {probably the size of a soup can} more or less if you want.
small can of diced green chiles
2 heaping scoops of mayonnaise
garlic salt to taste
Three cheese blend {we use the Raley's brand that comes in a tub, maybe 6 oz.}

Mix everything together and sprinkle with shredded Parmesan cheese. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes then turn on the broiler for 5 minutes to melt and brown cheese on top.

You can serve this dip with slices of sourdough bread, tortilla chips, or any type of crackers. It's so yummy when it comes straight from the oven. Usually if you make right before it stays pretty warm in the dish for awhile.

You must try this one out. It's so good, you won't be disappointed. My BIL and SIL bring it to all our family functions. I am not sure where they got it from. Give it a try and let me know what you think:) Please let me know if you have any questions. I know sometimes my descriptions can be a little vague.

Pie Day.

This years Pie Day didn't turn out so good for myself. My apple pies didn't quite turn out the way I wanted them to. The poor little tops got a little roasted. I think next year I am going to try another recipe and go with the traditional crust instead of the crumbly crust I usually do. They still tasted good but with just a little crunchy top:) Other than that Pie Day was GREAT. It was a good day hanging out and eating. Lots of snacky foods to go around.

The boys I guess were fairly good. They were a little crazy the last half we were there, that's probably because Easton fell asleep on the way there and stayed asleep once we got there for about an hour. They have issues with listening but what 2 and 4 year old don't?!

 Cynthia and Rebecca.

 Vicky {Cynthia's Mom}, Shari {Cynthia's Step-Mom}, Bob {Cynthia's Dad}

 Easton passed out. No pictures of Cameron of this time. He wouldn't sit still long enough for me to take a picture.

 Food.....YUM.

 A super yummy dip I made. I stole the recipe from my BIL and SIL.......so good. I will post it hopefully tomorrow.

 Pies

 More Pies

 Cynthia and her cookies

 Rebecca and Joe watching Monsters Inc.

Cynthia made some Pumpkin Pie Bites she got from Pinterest. I thought they were good but she said they weren't sweet enough. For the recipe click here.

I think maybe next year I might try and mix it up and make something new. I am not sure what, maybe a new pie I have never made before. Who knows, we shall see. With two toddlers and a new baby around I am not sure what I will be able to get done:)

Saturday Sweetness + Random.

I made these cookies a couple weeks ago. Of course I got the recipe from Pinterest. I just can't get enough Pinterest or Foodgawker. A pregnant lady like myself {if you missed that post click here} should not be looking at food on Pinterest or Foodgawker, everything looks so good and makes me super hungry.  That's just like watching the Food Network. I love Diners, Drive-in, &  Dives, everything looks amazingly good.

Ok so back to the cookies. This is my new favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. By far the best I have ever tried baking. They are SO soft. You will have a hard time not eating them all.

The pictures really do not do justice. These taste just as good when they are a couple days old. In fact I just made some the other day and we only have a like 4 or 5 left.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

1 egg 

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

2 cup all purpose flour 

2 tsp. cornstarch 

1 tsp. baking soda 

1/2 tsp. salt 

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips {I used a bag of the chocolate chunks}

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Cream together butter and sugars until fluffy and light in color. Add egg and vanilla and blend in.

3.  Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chunks.

4.  Drop dough onto a prepared baking sheet {I just used a regular old tablespoon} Bake for 8-10 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. The tops will not brown, but do NOT cook longer than ten minutes {When it says do not cook longer than 8-10 minutes DO NOT cook any longer. I had to throw out a few because I had to tend to my crazies and they got a little brown....not good}

5.  Let cool, on the sheet, on a wire rack for five minutes.  Remove from baking sheet and let cool completely

Recipe courtesy of Kelsey @ Apple a Day

Ok time for some Random Notes.

I finally picked up my first couple Christmas presents this last week and a couple more today. Feels good to get a couple things scratched off the list.  We {Ryan and I} usually go shopping on Black Friday and I am sure we will this year too but some of the stores are opening at 10pm on Thanksgiving and Midnight....that is just crazy! I can assure you we will not be out at that time.  

Next Wednesday is Pie Day. It's a tradition my Best Friend's Mother started a few years ago.....Click here for the first post about Pie Day. A bunch of us get together the day before Thanksgiving and bake pies for Thanksgiving. Cynthia and her mom usually bake some extra and drop them off at a Loaves and Fishes. And Joe {Cynthia's BF} will be there again this year....YAY Joe, he will be in charge of the crazies so I can get some baking done.  There will be a post about this years Pie Day for sure;) For last years Pie Day click here.

This is what I am tackling today. I have mail and shit piled everywhere. I sit down for a couple minutes and don't know where to start so I just get up and walk away. I also walk away because Easton's little nosey ass is always trying to climb up and touch everything. In fact as I am typing this he is on the chair with me screwing with the damn printer. But today I have to clear it off. We get so much junk mail, more than half of this crap is going straight to shred box.

Ok off to eat, shower, and clean this desk. 

I want to thank everyone for all the well wishes and kind words about Baby Mink #3.....so very sweet of you all.

Oh and go make those cookies, you won't be disappointed!

Pie Day Update



We had a busy weekend so I am just now getting around to posting some pictures and recipes from Pie Day. I won't post the Apple Pie recipe since most people have their recipes for that, it's pretty easy to make and almost always turns out good. The cake that I made is my Grandmother's recipe....Better Than Sex Cake, I have also seen it has Better Than Almost Anything Cake. Both the pie and cake turned out great.



Apple Pie....it may look a little funny but it tasted great!

My cook book 

This is the Apple Pie recipe, I just love this cook book.

Better Than Sex Cake

Ingredients:

1 box of german chocolate cake mix

14 oz. can Eagle sweetened condensed milk

14 oz. bag Kraft caramels (these are hard to find. This year I used an 11 oz. bag of melting caramels and they worked just fine. Anywhere between 10-14 oz of caramels should work fine)

3/4 cup butter
1 cup walnuts
12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350



Better Than Sex Cake



Directions:

Make cake mix according to directions on box.
Line 9x13 pan with parchment paper. It doesn't have to be perfect. Usually one long piece will work, just makes it easier to remove when all done cooking.
Pour half cake batter into pan and bake at 350.
Melt caramel w/milk and butter.
After cake cools pour caramel mixture on top of cake then add the nuts and chocolate chips then pour remaining cake batter on top, bake for about 20 minutes.

Cut into small or large squares to serve.



The best part of Pie Day this year was I got my very own apron. Everyone who participates on Pie Day always gets an apron made by Miss Vicky. They are the best aprons. She does an amazing job. I was so excited, it made my day, heck it made my week!  Thank you so much Vicky....I love my apron!!!!!

Pie Day was so much fun. It's always great to visit with good friends around the holidays and see some friends that you don't get to see often**wink, wink Misty**

Thanks to Cynthia's BF Joe I was able to bake my pie and cake. Joe was on baby patrol most of the time so without him I probably would have only ended up baking a pie, so Thank you Joe:)



All the girls with their aprons
Dawn, Misty, Me (Jessica), Vicky, Rebecca, and Cynthia



Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving. I know we did.

p.s.....it took me forever to write this post. I have a crazy toddler who does not share with his little brother.



Rebecca and Easton









Pie Day

Years ago my BFF's mom, Vicky, started a tradition......PIE DAY. What exactly is pie day? Pie day is the day before Thanksgiving and it's spent baking pies. Over the years its become more of a social event where a few of us get together and hang out. Vicky has been doing this as long as I can remember being friends with Cynthia.

I have been looking forward to pie day for awhile now. Since Cynthia doesn't live in town anymore we rarely get a chance to hang out and she is bringing her boyfriend, it will be good to see him since he doesn't make it up with her all the time. It will be a great day just hanging out and baking. This year will be my  first year actually baking something. In the years past I always had to work, then I was 9 months pregnant with Cameron and didn't feel like baking, the year after that I had to watch Cameron and make sure he didn't destroy anything, and last year I was  9 months pregnant with Easton. But this year I am going to do it. I figure there will be enough people there to watch my little devils to make sure they don't break anything plus after having the second baby you get really good at multi-tasking.  I will post recipes and pictures later tonight or tomorrow of my master pieces, lets hope they turn out:)

This week has been busy so far and it's not slowing down any. The kids and I had to do some grocery shopping on Monday, which is always an adventure. Then yesterday my mom took the kids and I to Jon's Incredible Pizza. Most people refer to that place as a Chuck-e-Cheese on crack. It was super busy because school is out plus it was wet and cold. Of course today is pie day and then we are going out to dinner with some friends later tonight, tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we have to make the rounds, and then Friday is..... well black friday. Don't know if we are going out or not. I am sure we will. We have so much to buy we have to shop all the deals.

Well I have to get busy and dig up my recipes to make sure I have everything.

Happy Pie Day!