Chocolate Oatmeal Coconut Cookies

Now that it's "back to school" time for the kids
I thought this recipe might be a great way to say
"Welcome Home Kids" from a hard day at school.
This is a chewy yummy recipe that is from Ardys
Smith's collection in a recent Taste of Home article.

The blend of Coconut, Oatmeal, brown sugar &
a small piece of a Hershey's Bar is "soooo delish"
(as Rachel Ray would say) Those flavors just
mesh together for a Chewy Yummy Treat for the kids
.....or us (if we get there first) Maybe just set some aside
for a treat for yourself .

Anyway these would be perfect anytime. They
are crisp but chewy. The only change I would make
would be to add some nuts (walnuts or pecans....
whatever you or your family likes best)

Actually these taste so good you even could make these
without the chocolate on top (but in every life some
chocolate must fall.....right?) Even if it's on a cookie.....

RECIPE

1 c. butter softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. quick-cooking oats
1 c. flaked coconut
5 milk chocolate candy bars
(1.55 oz. each)
3/4 c. chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light
& fluffy. Beat in the egg & vanilla. Combine the flour,
baking soda & salt; gradually add to creamed mixture
& mix well. Beat in oats & coconuts.... & walnuts if you
want them.

Roll into 1" balls. Place 2" apart on ungreased
baking sheets. Bake @ 350F. for 10-12 min. or until
lightly browned. Break each candy bar into 12 pieces;
press a chocolate piece into the center of each warm
cookie.

Make sure to have some cold milk close by.
ENJOY them with your kids!!! Make a special
moment together & take time out of your busy
day for the most important thing in life......
your family..........

Quilling for Scrapbooking, Cards, & Ornaments

This is a sample of what "Quilling" is.........

It's definitely a lost art....It's quite beautiful &

unique all at the same time.

It's the "Art" of rolling thin strips of paper,

to form a shape, thus a design....& making

it into something..beautiful...like Betsy does.

Betsy K. is our "Quilling Elf" and we will have

a nice selection of her quilling to choose from @

Santa's Gift Shoppe Boutique (Dec. 4th, 5th)

****Want to get on our mailing list so you

don't miss out on free giveaways....free

raffle prizes, etc.??? Leave an email for me @

Santasgiftshoppe1@hotmail.com & I'll send

you one a few weeks before Dec. 4th.......&

you can get in on all the fun.

As seen in the above photos...there are words

for handmade cards or phrases to make a

scrapbook page "POP".

Tip***You just take a bit of glue....put it on

a toothpick...put it on the quilling and

place on the pg. or card you want it to go &

hold for a few seconds......It's done...

The Snowflake Ornaments are really pretty.

They glisten as the light hits them.

There are many "smaller quillings" to choose from

such as teacher items, seashore, nature, hearts,

etc. They would add alot to a "scrapbook page" or

"handmade card"....

The prices are lower than reasonable...especially

the smaller items...when you look at the stores (they

charge so very much more for the same kind of items)

Most "Quillings" now....are in museums dating back

from the 19th century...but it's coming back...

Thanks to people with a love of creativity and have

the patience to make them....It's a time consuming

art...as are most hand crafted items made with LOVE.

Its origin... dates back to the 16th century...
but some believe it started long before that.
The items that have been found...suggest that.....
monks & nuns started it to duplicate ornate metal
designs (they had seen) but had to make them out

of edges of paper because of the cost..... So, now

you know a little more about Quilling than you probably

wanted....but as Martha would say "It's a Good Thing."

One-Stroke Ornaments

One of my Passions is One-Stroke Painting..

These are Hand-painted One-Stroke

Ornaments....that will be @ my Home

Boutique (Santa's Gift Shoppe

Boutique)

If you are going to be in the Fresno/Clovis

area of California (Dec. 3rd & 4th, 2010)

come join the fun/Prize Giveaways too!

*** IF INTERESTED IN COMING TO

THE BOUTIQUE email me @

santasgiftshoppe1@hotmail.com

& I'll email you directions & include

you on our GUEST LIST.

Keep them as a keepsake for yourself or

give them as a gift to someone else..

They make a lovely gift.

****WANT TO LEARN HOW TO

PAINT ONE-STROKE???? Donna

Dewberry shows you how....

HERE IS A LINK TO PAINTING

ONE-STROKE****CLICK HERE

Chocolate Mint Walnut Brownies

I have had such a Great response........to the

Chocolate /Mint Brownies I posted in July

I thought I'd post another one ..........but this

recipe is a lot Faster...& Easier......

These are one of the food items that will

be at my house at the Santas Gift Shoppe

Boutique coming up..(Dec. 3rd & 4th 2010)

These taste incredible........Mint & Chocolate

just are the BEST combination together....

I found this recipe on the back of a Brownie

Mix a very long time ago..and every time I make

them for an event or party....they always are a

hit......So, now you can get all the compliments

by making these little gems.....

Recipe

1 box "Duncan Hines" 21oz. Brownie Mix

(Chewy Fudge) Follow instructions

on the back of the box

1 16 oz. can vanilla frosting

a few drops Green food coloring (to your preference)

or ("icing colors" Kelly Green) a toothpick dab

a few drops of Peppermint extract flavoring

1 c. walnuts chopped in lg chunks (optional)

1 c. chocolate sprinkles (optional)

Follow directions on brownie mix for "fudgy"

brownies (be careful to read about metal/glass

pans vs. dark & non-stick pans...timing is a

little different)......

While brownies are cooling in the pan.....take

the can of frosting and put it in the microwave

(about 10 sec or so) to make it more spreadable...

***You do not want it liquidity....

****You can do the next step right in the can if

you want to......

Add a few drops of peppermint extract and

a few drops of green food coloring/or toothpick

dab of kelly green "Icing Colors" to the can of

frosting & stir until you get the green you like...

After brownies have completely cooled....spread

frosting with a "beveled spatula" (this is the

Best kitchen tool to spread frostings I have

found......It looks like a bent long knife without

the sharp edges..)

Add chocolate sprinkles on top (if desired)

Look at both photos (above) to see which you like

better...Enjoy......

Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies

Don't these look good??? When I saw them

I knew I had to give the recipe a try...It's adapted

from Cook's Country but the recipe has gone

through a few changes....I increased a few of the

ingredients so the recipe would turn out better...

The recipe makes approx. 20-24 cookies.....

(granted....not too many but well worth it)

Recipe

1 c. flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. salt
8 Tbsp. butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
1 lg egg, separated, plus one more egg white
2 Tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. pecans.....chopped fine
(you could also use walnuts)
20 caramels, approx. (I used Kraft)
4 Tbsp. heavy cream (I used reg. cream & it
was fine)

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets
with parchment paper or Silpat liners. (These

liners are 1 of the "Best Kitchen Items" I have

found...they are from France & make clean-up

a breeze)....Combine flour, cocoa powder, & salt

in bowl...set aside.

With a mixer on medium high speed, beat butter
& sugar until fluffy....(abt. 2 minutes)
Add egg yolk, milk, & vanilla and mix until blended.
Reduce speed to low & add flour mixture until
combined... Refrigerate dough until firm, (at
least 1 hr.)

Whisk egg whites in another bowl until frothy. Place
Pecans in another bowl.......

One at a time, roll dough into 1" balls, dip in egg
whites, then roll in pecans.......(This is a bit messy
but it's worth it)..........Place balls 2" apart on
cookie sheets. Using a teaspoon measure, make an
indentation in the center of each ball (like a thumb-
print)

Bake until set.....about 10-12 min. (mine took 12)

Meanwhile, microwave the caramels & cream in a
bowl, stirring occasionally, until smooth....(abt.1-2 Min)

Once cookies are removed from the oven, gently
press existing indentations with teaspoon measure
once again. Fill each with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon caramel
mixture..... Cool 5 min. then transfer to wire rack &
cool completely........Enjoy these.... they are delectable.....

Monte Cristo Sandwiches

I was thinking about what to have for dinner
tonite....I wanted to make something light....but filling..

Monte Cristo Sandwiches came to mind...........
These are sooo good.......I was first introduced
to these little babies years ago in a Make-a-Mix
Cookbook.......I then found them again at Disney-
Land (in the Blue Bayou Restaurant) at the
Pirates of the Caribbean Ride.

They're the best....especially with the homemade
Boysenberry/Strawberry Jam (one of the
jams that will be at Santa's Gift Shoppe Boutique
Dec. 4th & 5th this year)....You've got to try them..
This is my own take off of them......The flavors of the
luncheon meats, cheese, confectioners' sugar, & jam
blends together and melts in your mouth.....Yumm!!!!

RECIPE
12 slices white bread
6 slices ham
6 slices turkey
6 slices Swiss cheese (original recipe says 12 but 6
tastes great)
Mayonnaise to cover 12 slices of bread
1 c. Complete Pancake Mix (original recipe uses
Make-a-Mix batter...but this is easier I think)
1 c. milk
2 eggs

Take 2 eggs, milk, & pancake mix and beat until
smooth.... Set aside....

Take 12 slices of bread and spread mayo on each.
Place a slice of Swiss cheese, ham & turkey on each.

Cut off crust (save for birds, or freeze for stuffing)
on all sides....and cut into 2 diagonal pieces for
each sandwich.....

***You can use a skillet @ 350 degrees or a
frying pan & put it medium to hot (just keep
an eye on it) Put some butter in a warm frying
pan so sandwiches will not stick.

Dip each triangle sandwich into egg mixture.
Place in frying pan or skillet. Watch carefully
until done (a minute or two) on each side or
until swiss cheese is melted.

To Finish: Garnish with confectioners' sugar
& jam on top of each sandwich.....

Tip: To make confectioners' sugar look like
a dusting....use a shaker or very small strainer
& tap sides as sugar is placed over sandwiches.

They are great for brunch, lunch or dinner.....

Fast/Easy Salmon Fillets

This is a Fast/Easy Dinner....I buy A Wild

Salmon Fillet Slab (usually at Winco or Food

Maxx for about $6.00) It feeds about 3-4 persons

(depending on the size you want)

I start with a frying pan warmed up (so that you

will not have to use very much canola oil) I use

the oil decanter (in the above photo) I love it.......

It's one of my favorite kitchen items.....I got

it at Linen 'n Things but I'm sure they sell them

(for about $4-$5 at any Kitchen store)

Recipe

1 large salmon fillet (salted/peppered)

1/4 c. Parsley (fresh or I used dried parsley flakes)

1/4 c. lemon juice (I used lemon juice in a bottle)

1 lemon (sliced for garnish)

1 sprig dill (for garnish) optional

I sprinkle a few slots of canola oil over the frying
pan and because it's hot just swing the oil around
in the pan to cover the bottom of it....

TIP: (A large salmon fillet will cut into

smaller pieces easier after the fish is cooked)

Salt & Pepper the fillet...Sprinkle some parsley

flakes in the pan and place the salmon fillet on top

(Fleshy side down) for a few minutes to seer juices

in....flip over (I use a pancake turner) on the skin

side & fry a few minutes more....

At this point I add some lemon juice &

continue to finish the fillet until done....Flipping a

couple more times (Not very much longer)

until done......

TIP: Roll the lemon on the counter a few times

back & forth before cutting & it will produce

more juice.

***The salmon is done when it FLAKES

when a fork is put to it....Enjoy!!!! It's

delicious.......

My Craft Room (organized for a change!)

Sorry the pictures aren't the best!!

I thought I'd give you a look at a seldom seen
sight....One of my craftrooms/workrooms...organized &

clean..before the Christmas production moves in...

and the elves get going in full production mode..

THIS IS THE BEFORE PICTURE..
and soon there won't be anywhere to walk or see any
workspace on the tabletops.

I hope to have a BIG Christmas in July
GIVEAWAY...& maybe give you some
ideas for Christmas/or show some projects
I'm working on.

Anyway MAKE IT A GREAT DAY TODAY!!!!