Surprise!

Now that the weekend is over, I can finally let all of you in on the little secret I have been keeping!

For several months I have been elaborately planning a surprise 30th birthday party for my dear husband. It involved lies and deception like you have never seen from family, friends, and co-workers...and it was all totally and completely worth it.

My sister and her husband came in from Chicago for a "visit" and then...in a crazy coincidence, Matt's best friend Robert and his wife Laura came up from Indy to stay with us on Friday and Saturday night because Laura's cousin (who is from Cleveland) had a baby and the Christening was on Sunday. Ha! Genius!

Saturday...my sister, Laura, and I headed off to "the gym," which actually meant out to pick up the balloon bouquet and drop it off at a friend's house who was coming to the party. After that, we spent the rest of the day rocking out...ha! Our band was called OMFG. Yeah. I know you're jealous.


All of Matt's friends and co-workers were going to be at Buffalo Wild Wings at 6 p.m...so it took a little effort to get us to leave the house at the exact right time. I also had the dilemma of having to decorate and put out the cake once Matt was out of the house and still beat him to the restaurant. Well, a big huge thanks goes out to Laura...who faked eye troubles all freaking day to get Matt to take her to Walgreen's beforehand for eye drops. That gave my sister, her husband, and I enough time to decorate and get to B-dubs before Matt did! It was perfection!




The best part...he had no idea!







We had everyone over to our house afterward for cake, Oreo Truffles, and games. It was a blast and Matt was so appreciative of his friends for helping him celebrate. I made a cake that looked like his business card...which turned out fantastic! But I don't want to post a picture of his information for all of the world to see. Sorry!


I will, though, let you see the result of all of the baking I have been doing. Here is about 75% of it....getting ready to be assembled last night.


Holy sugar load people! Get this stuff out of my house!

Something Smells Yummy!

Yesterday continued the baking extravaganza in our house! I whipped up some Oatmeal Cookies, finished the Buckeyes, and made Peppermint Bark. Seriously yum people! But my fridge is about to explode.

Oatmeal Cookies: (recipe from Cleveland Plain Dealer, 2008)

2 sticks unsalted butter, chilled
2 cups brown sugar, packed
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 cups quick cooking oats
1 cup sweetened dried cranberries (I omitted these)
1 cup white chocolate chunks

PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees. Cover cookie tray with parchment paper. (Note...you should do this. Even if your pan is non-stick. Trust me. I know from batch #1...it is not pretty!)

CREAM butter and sugar in an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the vanilla and eggs, beat to combine. Sift next 6 dry ingredients together. Stir dry ingredients into the butter mixture. Add buttermilk, stir to mix. Fold in oatmeal, cranberries, and white chocolate chunks, blend well. Drop by tablespoons onto baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart. (Note...you should do this too. They spread out a LOT).

BAKE for 10-12 minutes. Cool on rack for 5 minutes.

**For a little more fun, melt chocolate and drizzle over the top of cookies.


Buckeyes: (recipe from...my mama!)

1 1/2 lbs. powdered sugar
2 sticks butter
1 lb. peanut butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 package semi sweet chocolate chips (I use more than this...I would recommend buying 2 packages)
1/3 square paraffin wax**

MIX first 4 ingredients and shape into balls. Chill (with toothpicks inserted in center) preferably overnight.

MELT wax in saucepan on low heat. Add chocolate and stir until melted. Dip balls into chocolate and chill again until chocolate is set.

**I find the wax to be totally necessary. It helps to thin out the chocolate which makes dipping the balls easier, and it gives the final product a shiny coat. Totally worth it.


Peppermint Bark: (recipe from Food Network)

1 cup crushed candy canes
2 lbs. white chocolate
peppermint extract (optional)--I use it...maybe 1/4 tsp.

PLACE candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller.

MELT the chocolate. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired). Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle).


Tomorrow...the day you have all been waiting for! Christmas decorations!! And of course..THE tree!

It Doesn't Show Signs of Stopping...

Good morning!!

The cake I was working on this week got moved to next weekend...(now leaving me two cakes to do next week...but whatever...) so I moved up my holiday baking! Yum!

Every Christmas I bake goodies for Matt's group of attorneys at work and a few of my co-workers as well. Yesterday's agenda included Peanut Blossoms, Chocolate Haystacks, Salty Chocolate Pecan Candy, Buckeyes, and Gingerbread Cookies.

The Buckeyes and Gingerbread Cookies required chilling the dough overnight....so I will finish those later. Now onto the good stuff!

Peanut Blossoms: (recipe from Kraft Foods)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

2/3 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup granulated sugar, divided

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1-1/2 cups flour

1/3 cup PLANTERS COCKTAIL Peanuts, finely chopped

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

48 foil-wrapped milk chocolate pieces, unwrapped

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Beat butter, peanut butter, 1/3 cup of the granulated sugar and the brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat until well blended. Combine flour, peanuts, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to butter mixture, beating until well blended after each addition.

SHAPE dough into 48 balls, each about 1 inch in diameter; roll in remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE 9 to 10 min. or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate piece into center of each cookie. (Cookie will crack slightly around edge.) Cool on baking sheets 1 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Chocolate Haystacks: (recipe from Kraft Foods)...my family may or may not call these poop stacks. Just a little tid bit for ya from my childhood...

1 cup BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks

1 cup butterscotch chips

2 cups chow mein noodles

2 cups JET-PUFFED Miniature Marshmallows

1/2 cup PLANTERS Salted Peanuts

MICROWAVE chocolate chunks and butterscotch chips in medium microwavable bowl on HIGH 2 to 3 minutes or until almost melted, stirring after 1-1/2 minutes. Stir until completely melted.

ADD remaining ingredients; stir until evenly coated.

DROP teaspoonfuls of the chocolate mixture onto large sheet of wax paper. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm.

Salty Chocolate Pecan Candy: (recipe adapted from Southern Living Magazine)

17.5 oz. bar of milk chocolate
3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
1/4 tsp. salt

BAKE pecans in a single layer on cookie sheet at 350°F for 8-10 minutes.

MELT chocolate bar on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet in oven at 255°F for 5 minutes or until melted. Spread melted chocolate with a toothpick to cover the entire cookie sheet. Sprinkle with pecans and salt.

CHILL for 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces and store in an air tight container in the fridge.

Happy Baking!!