Baking Extravaganza Part 2: Halloween Cookies

This post is a bit delayed but I figured I would write “part two” to my baking extravaganza I had a few posts ago…click here.

Anyway, long story short, I decided to take the leftover ingredients I had from decorating my cupcakes and make cookies. I followed a pretty basic sugar cookie recipe and then tried to add some fun twists for Halloween (but more just to use my left over candy because I CANNOT leave it in the house or I will eat it all=ZERO SELF CONTROL!)

First, I decided to make “thin mint sugar cookies,” but called them ghost poop cookies when I sent them to my brother (he’s 7 and I had to make it somewhat Halloween-ish/scary). Next, I made M&M cookies…they were pretty difficult to make because I had to put the M&Ms in the cookies mid way through baking, and for those who are challenged bakers like me finding the right time can be difficult. Anywho, I decided to call them “monster cookies” because of the big M stamped on the M&Ms. Pretty creative, huh!?

Then, I got fancy. I decided to whip out my food coloring. Since orange is not supplied in the food coloring kit, I had to use advanced chemistry. I mixed some drops of red with some drops of yellow and got a beautiful orange color.

For the first batch of orange cookies I placed two marshmallows in the dough right before I put the cookies in the oven. I thought the marshmallows would melt and make a nice gooey center, however, they shriveled up and actually ended up looking kind of like…boobs. Weird, I know. It was definitely not my intention, but I went with it and called them “goblin boobs.”

For the second batch of orange cookies, I added chocolate sprinkles to the dough and baked them. They turned out like I had hoped. I thought ahead for this baking experience and had addressed boxes sitting on my kitchen table. I bagged the cookies, put them in the boxes, and drove them to the post office. I hope my mail recipients enjoyed their Halloween treats :)

This little piggy went to market...aka the podiatrist

Good Morning! It is B-E-A-UTIFUL here! The temperature is a brisk 59 degrees and the sun is shining bright. I love days like these, it feels like FALL!

On gorgeous days such as this I love to exercise outside...maybe go for a run or a nice walk. But today, I am confined to the couch.

You see, when someone is blessed with a big toe like mine (ugly and huge with the smallest toenail EVER) he/she is prone to a painful little thing called an ingrown toenail. Now this may sound relatively minor, but let me tell you, they are PAINFUL little jerks! And I had one until this morning.

I knew when my toe blew up even bigger than its normal size, which is already weirdly and embarrassingly huge, I should probably visit a podiatrist. So this morning, Jagger and I headed over to see the doctor (Jagger stayed in the car, but was there for support none the less). He told me that I had an ingrown toenail and that he had to cut it out.

I told him to go ahead and perform the little surgery, so he started to numb my toe. That is when I had a quick spell of nausea followed by the feeling of either fainting or having to run to the bathroom. Luckily, he left the room for a minute to grab something and I was able to regain my composure (and not spew all over his office thank God).

Once he came back in the room he told me to close my eyes, did his thing, and bandaged me up. I didn’t feel a thing so that was good. I left the office and drove myself to Starbucks to get a treat for being so brave and such a good patient (like my mom did when I was little and had to get shots).

And now I’m home, sitting on the couch, writing this blog. Exciting, right!? I’m definitely going to milk this injury at least for a day…after all, the doctor told me take it easy after such a major toe operation ;) I am telling Mickey that the doctor told me to tell him that I need foot massages and probably can’t stand up long enough to cook dinner. We will see if he believes me J haha

Super easy and fun Halloween Treats!

As I mentioned in one of my last blog entries, I love fall...and I especially love Halloween!! To get in the Halloween spirit, I decided to bake some yummy Halloween treats. Originially I planned to bake the cupcakes, decorate them, and send them home to my family. However, I was obviously was not using my brain because there is no way I could send the cupcakes without them being ruined in the mail. Therefore, I baked all 48 cupcakes and have been giving them to the neighbors (while keeping quite a few for ourselves...oink oink).

These guys are super easy to make and are really fun. Little kids would easily be able to help make these edible critters.

To make the bat cupcake you will need:
-Chocolate cake mix
-Chocolate frosting
-Mini marshmallows
-Chocolate creme oreos
-Andes Mints
-M&Ms

Bake the chocolate cupcakes according to the recipe on the box. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost them with chocolate icing. Cut a chocolate oreo in half and place them in the cupcake as wings. I cut an Andes Mint in half and then into triangles as the bats eyebrows but that isn't necessary. Place two M&Ms for the eyes and pull little pieces of mini marshmallow off to form into fangs.

 To make the spider cupcakes you will need:
-Chocolate cake mix
-Chocolate icing
-Chocolate sprinkles
-M&Ms
-Gummy worms

Bake the chocolate cupcakes according to the recipe on the box. Once the cupcakes are cool, frost them with chocolate icing. Sprinkle the chocolate sprinkles all over the top of the cupcake to make the spider's little hairs. Place two M&Ms as eyes and push 4 gummy worms on each side to make the spider's legs.

To make the blue monsters you will need:
-Any flavor cupcake batter
-Blue icing (I bought Betty Crocker's Blue Decorating Cake Icing in the can)
-Twizzlers
-Circus peanuts
-Mini Marshmallows
-M&Ms

Bake the cupcakes according to the recipe on the box. I baked "mini cupcakes" by using a mini muffin tin. If you do not have a mini tin, use your large one and only fill half of the cupcake foil. Once the cupcakes are cooled take them out of the wrapper and place them upside down on two circus peanuts. Use the blue icing and the "flat tipped icing nozzle" to make "long hair" all over the blue man. Place two marshmallows for the whites of the eyes and two M&Ms as the eye color. Cut a twizzler in half and then slice in long ways to make the monsters antennas!

To make the candy topped cupcakes you will need:
-White or vanilla cake mix
-White frosting
-Food coloring
-Candy to place on top

Bake the cupcakes following the recipe on the box. While the cupcakes are cooling, put the white frosting in a bowl and add food coloring to make the desired color. I tried to make a grayish color by mixing a few drops of each food coloring. Place a piece of halloween candy on top to make them look spookier.

 If you decide to make these spooky critters, I hope they turn out boo-tiful!

Jagger just chillin'

I think this picture is just hilarious. He was hot from playing outside and decided to prop himself up on the couch like this for a while...

Oh, how I love fall!

I love fall. It is definitely my favorite season of the year for many reasons. In no specific order, these are the top ten reasons why I love this season:

1.       I love cool air.

2.       I love the colors of the trees.

3.       It reminds me of hot apple cider (yummm).

4.       I love anything and everything pumpkin.

5.       Starbucks brings back fall drinks, like the Salted Caramel Mocha (double yummm).

6.       It’s the start of football season.

7.       I love hayrides.

8.       I love Halloween decorations.

9.       I love trick or treating (still…I went last year)

10.   I love Thanksgiving (and the start of Christmas music!)

(My brother, our labradoodle, and me last year on Trick or Treat)

(My sister-in-law and me at a Vikings game)

God Bless the USA

Last night, Mickey and I went over to our friend's house who also happens to be a Navy SEAL. I have such tremendous respect for him. I am so thankful for all of the sacrifices that our soldiers and their families make to protect our beautiful country. I thank God and pray for the protection of our military men, women, and their families every day. What an amazing group of people.

Recently, I read Lone Survivor by Retired Navy SEAL, Marcus Luttrell.  Every American should read this book. Luttrell recalls the heroic efforts of his teammates who died fighting beside him in order to protect our country.

Caution: once you start this book, you will not be able to put it down.

Click here to watch one of Marcus Luttrell's speeches: Marcus Luttrell Speech

Also, for anyone interested in donating/helping support our military personnel and their families, take a look at Marcus's foundation: Lone Survivor Foundation

May God Bless the USA and all those who have and who continue to fight for our country!

Funny Pup

A funnier video of Jagger’s head turns than the one previously posted…He cracks me up every day! LOVE HIM! (Notice how he sits at the kitchen table on a chair...so spoiled).

Go fetch!

Things that Jagger loves to do:
      1.Play fetch
      2. Swim
Therefore, when you combine the two, Jagger is a REALLY HAPPY puppy.

Almost every day, we take Jagger down to the dock to let him swim. He runs down the dock steps onto the beach then turns and waits for his ball to be thrown. Once his ball is thrown, he leaps and bounds through the water like a wild man! The water around the dock does not get very deep, so he usually- doesn’t have to swim (unless it’s REALLY high tide). He will get his ball, run back up the steps, and drop his ball on the dock for us to throw again.

 

Jagger swimming back to shore after fetching his ball!

His beloved tennis ball.

Ruger also loves to swim, but he swims for different reasons. He has absolutely no interest in fetching a ball. We are almost 100% sure he swims because he is hunting.  You see, Ruger is 6 years old and it has been a while since he went pheasant hunting. Sue thinks that he has learned to hunt other things now, like fish. He will run up and down the dock staring into the water, and will even point when he sees something (such as a fish…). Then, without any thought he will run straight into the water and try to catch what he found. It is extremely entertaining to watch him. It is also amazing how hard wired these dogs are to hunt.

Ruger swimming.

Jagger loves playing with Ruger, but Ruger always tries to get away from him in the water. It is almost like Ruger is saying, “I’m hunting here, buddy, leave me alone!”