1/2 birthday party

I threw my husband a surprise half birthday party. 

He got 1/2 a cake, 1/2 a birthday card, 1/2 the presents and 1/2 working party hats.
Just another reason to celebrate! 

Frozen Fruit Salad [recipe]

My final fruit recipe is a favorite from my childhood. I have such vivid memories of eating frozen fruit salad in white china bowls for Sunday dinner. I love this stuff. I recently made it with all the peaches we had. I am so excited to have a nice stash of it to last us through the winter.

This is what you'll need: 

And this is what you will end up with...

Frozen Fruit Salad
6 cups fresh peaches, chopped
6 cups fresh pears, chopped
1 2/3 cup crushed pineapple
1 lb. grapes
up to 2 cups sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cup orange juice

Mix all the fruit together and then pour sugar over top. Mix well, let sit for about 20 minutes until sugar is dissolved. Then add juices and stir well. Freeze in ziploc bags or freezer containers. Makes 16 cups.

To eat, defrost for just a few minutes. You still want it chunky and frozen.

fruit pizza

Next up...fruit pizza!

Before summer is officially over, I've got to share this fruity treat with you. It's called fruit pizza and it's delightful. It's not just for summer, but since fruit is always better in the summer, I suggest you making it before fruit is out of season.

Fruit Pizza (makes 2 cookie sheets)
1 lb. margarine
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
6 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt

Cream margarine, sugar, and eggs together. Then add the rest of the ingredients. (This recipe makes a lot--2 cookie sheets worth. If you don't want that much, divide the recipe in half). Spread the dough on a greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes at 350. Let cool and then spread the cream cheese topping.

Fruit Pizza Frosting
2, 8 oz cream cheese
2/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix together. Top with different fruits like kiwi, strawberries, purple grapes, bananas, mandarin oranges, pineapple.

*If you want it to look like a real pizza, just bake it in a round pan.

peach torte

(don't forget to enter the giveaway here)

 Before summer is too far past, I'm going to share with you some of my favorite festive 

ways to use up that fruit. First up... Peach Torte.

I first tried peach torte back when I was dating my husband. My future sister-in-law made it for us and ever since that day, I have been endlessly waiting to make it myself. I've been waiting for the perfect reason to make it, but I finally just decided that the fact the summer is practically over is a good enough reason. And, we had fresh peaches to use. I'm salivating just thinking about it. And confession, my husband actually made it. So it is a recipe that is easy enough a man can make it!

Peach Torte
3/4 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 cups oats
10 fresh peaches, sliced
1 1/2 cup milk
1 large box  instant vanilla pudding
8 oz whipped cream or cool whip


Melt butter. Add brown sugar and oats. Mix and put in a greased 9x13 pan. (Do not bake). Put sliced peaches on top of crust. Mix milk and pudding together until smooth. Then add cool whip to pudding. Mix well and then spread on top of peaches. Refrigerate until you eat it.

giveaway!!

The news is out...our first baby is on it's way! To celebrate, let's do a giveaway shall we?

My cousin makes the cutest headbands and bows for little girls. I kind of hope ours is a girl so I can have her wear cute hair accessories. (But, if not, I'll still be happy.) This cute one is up for grabs! 

To enter:  (one entry for each thing you do)
1. leave a comment with a piece of baby advice. I will need all the help I can get!
2. visit Bloom Creations and say which is your favorite headband in a separate comment

Winner will be announced Friday, so you have until Thursday at midnight to enter.

Happy Fall!

Happy First Day of Fall! 

Are you as excited as I am?

I can barely wait for the crisp night air, carving pumpkins,

decorating with black and orange, picking out Halloween costumes,

making spudnuts, and all the other festive things Fall brings!

Happy Fall!!

BYU Brownies

It's a shame that BYU had such an embarrassing performance last week against the U. Perhaps the only sweet thing of the evening were the Y brownies I made.

My mom always made brownies from scratch. It wasn't until college that I realized they could be made from a box. But now I know why she made them homemade. This recipe is a winner. And it's easy to make them festive.



Marilyn's Brownies
1 cup melted margarine
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup flour
dash of salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts (if desired)

Cream melted margarine, sugar, and eggs together. Add dry ingredients one at a time. Mix well. Pour in greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes. Top with frosting or powdered sugar.

Brownie Frosting
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup milk
3/4 lb. powdered sugar
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla

Beat all ingredients until creamy. Spread on brownies once they are cool.

*To cut into shapes, use a cookie cutter before the brownies are cool all the way.

Tips for the Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

I learned a few things from the Chocolate Chip Cookie contest.

1. Bake on the top rack of the oven
2. Dough that has been refrigerated usually bakes better
3. When it says "cream butter and sugar", really cream them until they are light and fluffy. It will take patience, but it makes a difference.
4. Don't over bake. Over baking cookies will change the flavor. When in doubt, take them out earlier than later.
5. Picking the best recipe is hard, especially when each recipe is good for different reasons.

PS. Do you want all the recipes that were submitted? 

Chocolate Chip Cookie Contest Winner

So a year ago, I started a search for the best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe. If you don't remember it, this post will refresh your memory.

I am sorry it has taken so long to complete. But with all the other holidays and festive things going on, it took me this long to make all of them. THANK YOU to everyone who sent in a recipe. We have enjoyed making and eating all of them.

I am sure you are all anxious to find out who the winner is, but before I announce it, I have to give you a few disclaimers. First, remember that my husband was the judge of ALL the recipes. He did not know whose recipe it was, to ensure there was no bias. Second, he had a hard time judging them because they were all so different and good in different ways. There was not one of them that was awful. So...his scores, and the overall winner comes from his preference and OVERALL taste, texture, flavor, etc. But, keep in mind, he had likes and dislikes about each recipe.

Even though there is on overall winner, we will be using many recipes in the future according to what we need them for. Seriously, take a look at all of these cookies. Don't they all look amazing?

And now what you have waited for. In order of lowest score to highest...(if there are 2 or more people on the same place, that is because they received the same score.)

8. Cheri Peacock

7. Courtney Astle

6. Annette Bailey and Lynette Sunday and Jenny Flom

5. Amanda Garlock

4. Annette Bailey and Caroline O'Brien

3. Emily Pearson

2. Emily Poll

and the 1st place winnner is...

 Andrea Nelson!!

CONGRATULATIONS! I'll be contacting the winner to send her prize. Come back on Friday to get the inside scoop on what I've learned from all this chocolate chip cookie making. And just in case you don't want to wait that long until you make some of your own, here is the winning recipe.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
1 Tbsp vanilla
3 cubes butter (at room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp.salt
2 tsp. baking soda
4 cups flour
12 oz chocolate chips

Directions:
Blend butter, sugars, vanilla, and eggs. Then add salt, soda, and flour. Then add chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 9-12 minutes, or until desired doneness.

I'll be posting the other recipes too!

Cookie Contest Recipe #11

Hope you had a great Labor Day! We did played hard and worked hard. 

 

This was the final cookie recipe. About time, huh? They were rated a 6.5.

Come back Wednesday for the unveil of the Chocolate Chip Cookie winner!