la la la lavender!

Summer is like Christmas sometimes with all the birthdays, grad parties and weddings that typically occur around this time, except instead of how on Christmas you get to give everything out on one day, it's spread out onto three months!  I'm not complaining, I find it a real confidence booster to find the *perfect* gift for someone.  It really IS so much better to give than to receive!

Ok, so a few weeks ago I talked about the fun grad gift I made.  This week, we're on to a summer birthday, namely my sister in law.  She's into lavender.  I found a great etsy shop called Simply Lavender that sells lavender syrup!!  I know, I never would have thought of lavender in a syrup, but apparently it's quite delicious in lemonade and over crepes. I purchased the lavender and lemon lavender flavors for the gift. 

Secondly, it dawned on me that I had planted some English Lavender in our garden this year!  I didn't have enough to make a bouquet as I had hoped for her, so I went a-looking around the old world wide web for some baking ideas and found this recipe for Lavender Scented Sugar Cookies.  It calls for one tablespoon of dried lavender leaves, so I cut off the few lavender stems I had and turned them upside down to dry!  I also took the tip from the review to make the simple sugar cookie icing recipe flavored with lemon.  To make these gluten free, I substituted the 2 cups flour for 2 cups of Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten Free Flour plus a half teaspoon of xanthan gum. They turned out beautiful! (And tasted good too!)

What summer gift ideas do you have?

better than martha

This week is cookie theme week at 7Sisters, however I (following diligently on my Christmas calendar) was ahead of schedule and posted on mine last week (oops!) . You can find that fun post (with hilarious story and recipe) here. A quick gluten free tip to my fellow anti-wheaters out there... I gave some of the girls a cup of Bob's Red Mill all-purpose gluten free flour mixed with a tea of xanthan gum for them to bake my cookies. I'm so glad they were all up for making me a gluten free version of their cookies (or caramel, YUM) and took on the challenge, ALL of their cookies taste WONDERFUL!!! Thank you sisters!! :)

♥J described the cookie exchange perfectly in her post earlier this week. I can't say enough about having such wonderful encouraging friends who you know will pray for you and lift you up day by day! So thankful for all my wonderful friends, near and far. :)

Not wanting to deviate from the theme however, I wanted to share what I learned this year about cookie exchange packaging. Because, let's be honest. Sometimes it IS what's on the outside that counts....in this case at least.

So, below is my easy-to-follow, no-fail, six-step guide to memorable and delectable Christmas cookie packaging. Hopefully next year I will really be able to raise the bar using these tips instead of solely relying on a store bought Martha Stewart brand! I did raise the bar from my packaging last year, but I can always do better!

L to R, top to bottom: Nel, Mar, Jenn, J

#1. A Catchy Container
You can use a Christmas box, a bell jar, a fancy Chinese take-out box, a tin, (even a Martha Stewart basic box is a good place to start!). At the 7Sisters cookie exchange, the containers were as different as we are! Not only is your pretty container a great way to present your cookies, but the giftee can re-use it in their decorating the next year, store Christmas ornaments in it, etc. etc. And using a pretty container doesn't mean you have to break the bank. You can find these for as little as a dollar at craft stores, particularly if you wait till closer to Christmas Day when everything is marked off! The Dollar Tree is a great place to find tins, and if you were feeling really creative, you could even buy the plain brown cardboard boxes found at craft stores for cheap and mod-podge them!

L to R: J, MJ

#2. Ribbon Wrap
Whether you tie it in a big bow on top, or a simple knot to the side, a pretty piece of ribbon always gets things looking more festive. And it doesn't even have to be ribbon either! Get creative and use some Christmas colored string or thread. If you crochet or knit, save your scraps or leftover skeins and use those to decorate your cookie container!

#3. Personalize
Nel had the most beautiful red birds on her fancy take-out boxes that matched her tags, it was so sweet! She used her cricut machine, but you could use anything from a pretty sticker, to a sweet monogram chipboard letter, to a fancy jingle bell tied to the ribbon. Whatever says "hi, this cookie box is from me, and you'd probably be able to guess it without me even signing my name" :)

L to R: J, Mar

#4. Tag it
#4 ties in with #3 and may even be synonymous in some cases. Take Mar for example, her personalization was all about the gift tag. She painstakingly printed and cut out each of our blog monikers to use on her tags! I can tell it's from her from how she tied on her ribbon (more on that below), and it was in a very sweet tin. If you have gorgeous handwriting like many of the sisters you can hand write your tags, but if you're more like me with a hideous Hancock, you could go the Mar route and print your tags! Don't stop there though, you can mount the tag on pretty paper, or even some shiny tin foil backed by some sturdy cardstock! Remember, your tag and your personalization is going to be your handmade stamp on the cookie package. Make it memorable! (It's funny that I'm thinking of this all now, after the fact, I could have done much better on my boxes - I will blame part of it on an unforeseen size issue of the first Martha boxes I got and then being in a flurry to put them together 15 min before the cookie exchange! eek! Better luck next year, I WILL top myself!)

L to R: Mar, Jenn

#5. Ease of Opening
Ok, so you probably weren't expecting this category, but consider this; you receive a beautifully packaged cookie container from a friend. It looks SO beautiful that you imagine you would just faint at the sight of the cookies that could be inside. But it's so tied down with ribbon that you can't! What to do?! That's why I've included this category. After all, when you get right down to it, it IS about the cookies. Right? Or am I contradicting myself now? Anyway....As you can see from the photo on the left above, Mar had an ingenious idea for her ribbon (and also cost-saving as well, since you use less ribbon in this scenario!)- she tucked the ribbon under the top of the tin and taped it to the underside to keep it in place. Genius! The packages this year were great on this category, the jars were so easy to open and take a look at, the boxes and tins opened in a flash, allowing for easy drooling onto the cookies, and etc!

L to R, top to bottom: Jenn, MJ, J, Nel

#6. Cookie Presentation
So, your giftee just easily opened your cookie container after oogling the packaging. But what do they find? Why, perfectly placed cookies, of course! Use mini cupcake sleeves to hold fudge, and as ♥J did, wrap candies in wax paper. Stagger your cookies if they are in a box to allow for easy and delicious viewing upon opening. Throw some Hershey Kisses in the mix if you have some gaps. Add pretty tissue paper to the bottom, and make sure to use wax paper between layers if you think your cookies will stick together! Be careful about putting strong contrasting flavors together (such as mint fudge and chocolate chip cookies- the chips in the cookies will take on the mint flavor). My Martha Stewart boxes were nice and deep, and I had some extra room after I put the top piece of tissue paper on, so I folded a lovely origami ornament to place on the top of the tissue paper, to be a surprise, and the first thing seen when opening my box!

Speaking of being all wrapped up, the poor Marshmallow had an incident with a pesky icicle and a persistent licker. He is healing quickly, but could use a little love this week.
Did anyone else participate in a cookie exchange this Christmas season? If so, please feel free to link to a photo/blog in the comments, I would LOVE to see and gather more ideas! I sure do need em to keep up with my sisters! :)

Merry Christmas Eve Eve Eve!!

Linking to:

Little Bit of Love

Our Christmas cactus is now flowering the first year ever!!!! This is a cutting from a plant that is almost 70 years old!!!!

Our Vintage tree....as requested....

The recipes from this years annual cookie exchange...ENJOY!!!!

Chocolate Orange Peanut Bark

Chocolate Crackles

Chocolate Crackles

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (substitute rice flour for gluten free)
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Set aside, and let cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.

2. Mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

3. Divide each piece into 16 (1-inch) balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners' sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

4. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers up to 3 days.

Chocolate-Orange Peanut Bark

(makes about sixteen 3-inch pieces)

1 navel orange

1 pound bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 1/3 cups coarsely chopped unsalted peanuts (about 5 ounces)

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1. Line a 12 by 17 inch rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; chill. With a vegetable peeler, remove zest from the orange in long pieces (reserve the orange for another use). With a sharp knife, cut zest into very fine strips, about 1 inch long.

2. Place chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water; heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth. Mix in half the zest and peanuts. Immediately pour onto prepared sheet, spread into a 10 by 12 rectangle, about 1/4 inch thick. Sprinkle with the remaining zest and nuts and the salt.

3. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. To serve, break into pieces. Bark can be refridgerated up to 3 days.

cookies ♥ cookies ♥ cookies...

From dollhouse to cookie frenzy over here at 7sisters, i'm kickin' off our crazy cookie week...and timing couldn't be perfect-er! (know it's not a word...just go with me) Christmas is only 7 days away...wow! what a coincidence! there's 7 of us! and if you're in a bind for a quick recipe that's been tried and true...look no further...'cause these are the best of the best!

(this year sister Mar hosted our exchange ♥ this beautiful centerpiece was on her island)

Every year (this was our 3rd) the 7 of us have been together for a cookie exchange/ornament make & take (this year it was minus the make & take...too stressful...oy) and while in years past it's been fun...this year was my fav...not only cause i think with each year that passes the cookies/packaging/presents get bumped up a notch...but because with every year that passes, we grow closer together...we're goin' through life together...we're watching the kids grow up together...we're waitng for new kids together...we're laughing about old ladies and eyedrops, fabric softner and yarn dolls gone bad together (love ya jen)... the blessings, the heartaches, the laughter...and everything else in between... and in the midst of all that i feel closeness, like we really are true sisters in our Christ...He has truly bonded and shaped us together in a way nobody can...and oh i know...life changes, things change, seasons pass...but to have even 1 sister in Christ to call my own is precious... so to have 7♥ is of the Lord...love ya girls....

palmiers (or angel wings) from Ina Garten

brown sugar n' spice cutouts from Bake @ 350'
(one of my new favorite-ist blogs :)

milk chocolate florentine cookies from VeryBestBaking @ Nestle

homemade caramel from giverslog.com
(perfect for the gluten free sisters in your life :)

an check out these soooo-cute free tags
(and lots of other fun printables) from IS•LY

printable apple stationary set from Creature Comforts

crafted during our party...glittered acorn ornaments!....
gotta love the acorns...check out this version at Creature Comforts

linking to...

Fa la la la la...

Part 1: The Abominable Marshmallow

I hope those who follow the Marshmallow (he's blushing) haven't been missing him too much around here! To make up for it, I can't help but share these adorable photos of my doggy love.


You're probably wondering what kind of shenanigans would bring about this sleepy face, snuggled in a warm blanket;
(aka the cutest face ever)

Well, it involved a whole lotta this;


Which causes this:

also known as the Abominable Marshmallow Dog

And my favorite, the icicle stache:

Is it sad that he has a designated "melting spot?" We put a towel down in front of the heater in the bathroom and tell him it's "melting time" hehehe.

How can I not love him?

Just had to give a big shout out to the Marshmallow this week. He's been extra snugly lately during cold winter nights!


And on to... Part 2: Cookie exchange cookie making!!

I made hazelnut crisps and peppermint wafers. (To make regular cookie recipes gluten free, I substitute the flour 1 for 1 with Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour plus a tea of xanthan gum).

Okay, funny story time. Picture this: I pulled out all my ingredients for the hazelnut cookies and got started mixing my ingredients. I had my two eggs on the counter, and had just put the first two ingredients in my mixing bowl (butter + brown sugar) to begin. In my right hand, I have my trusty hand-held Kitchen Aid mixer and in my left hand, my beautiful OXO mixing bowl. As I began mixing, I saw out of the corner of my eye one of the eggs about to roll off the counter! In an almost cartoon-esque scene, I went to stop the rolling egg with the elbow of the arm holding my hand mixer. This meant the hand-mixer came out of the bowl (while still on) and was splattering brown sugar and butter mixture all over my kitchen! As I realized this was happening, I put the mixer back in the bowl and tried to grab the still-rolling egg with my left hand that had been holding the mixing bowl steady. However, with no hand holding the bowl, the bowl started twirling across the counter as the mixer (talk about an itchy trigger finger) was still going, dragging my right arm along with it! So you can imagine me... the mixer going in my right hand with the bowl twirling across the counter ready to drag the rest of my body with it, brown sugar and butter mixture flying everywhere, and my left hand trying to reach across my right hand for the getaway egg in one big frantic scramble while I screamed "No! Help! HELPPPP!!!"

Needless to say, my husband ran onto the scene to find an egg splattered on the floor, butter + brown sugar everywhere, and me, waist down collapsed onto the counter. Why didn't I just turn off the mixer??? We may never know. It sort of reminds me of Nel's laundry detergent story, only much more pathetic.
♥J, you are not allowed to launch into a speech about how I should have a Kitchen Aid stand mixer.

After all was said and done, the cookies still turned out pretty awesome. This will be the first year my cookies will look good, taste good, AND have amazing packaging. I like to call it a triple threat ya'll.

I also like to call the cookie on the left Mr Peppermint Pants.

This post makes me want to sing "Joyyyyy to the world!!"

Inspiration from old friends....

Lately I've been on a pretty big cooking kick. I can't help it, our new kitchen is very inspiring!
I'm a pretty simple gal when it comes to cookbooks. I have a few trusty sidekicks that I keep close at hand. The number one cookbook all new cooks should have (in my humble opinion) is the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. The one in red plaid at the end. I can't tell you how many times I've been saved by the emergency substitution list in the back! This is a great cookbook to get you started and experimenting!

Jamie's Dinners is another favorite of mine by chef Jamie Oliver. This book is from my pre-gluten free days, but I can still substitute to get the same yummy results. The recipes' are written in more of a story format but the pictures will make you want to eat the pages!

You Won't Believe It's Gluten Free is a recent acquisition and I would equivocate it to the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook for the gluten free crowd. Lots of basic information that will get any gluten-free wannabe up and going!

As of just a few weeks ago, I was gifted the Local Flavors cookbook as well. Yet another fabulous cookbook for gluten free eaters as well since it focuses mainly on vegetables and Farmers Markets!I saved the best cookbook for last, however. When I got married, an old college suitemate of mine scrapbook-ed an entire recipe book for me! It's beautiful and so much fun to use! It's been one of my favorite gifts received for our wedding!
Above are just a few of my favorite pages from the book. I have been blessed with some amazingly talented friends!

Ok, on to the real reason for this post!I love looking at and receiving food magazines in the mail! Flipping through them, drooling on the pages, earmarking my favorites to come back to, and storing them all in my cupboards!

Whoa, what?!

Yea... when I went to clean out my kitchen cupboards before we sledgehammered them off the walls, I couldn't believe the stacks of cooking/baking magazines I had accumulated. In some of them there was only one page earmarked! In addition, I know I had spent hours scouring them before for that ONE recipe I knew I loved but couldn't remember which magazine it was in! Thankfully Nel saved the day on that one and I was able to retrieve it!

So, instead of storing a huge pile of magazines for a couple of months while we demo'd the kitchen, I painstakingly went through each magazine and cut out the pages of recipes I had loved, put them in a basket, and forgot about them......

Until two weeks ago.

You see, that's where my other old friend comes in! On vacation, ♥J was reminded of me in the scrapbook aisle when she saw a big sticker with her nickname for me on it, "free spirit."

And that's how my "free spirit cookbook" was born! Thanks to two dear old friends- one provided the idea (and a great example!), the other the motivation and supplies to get kickin'!I created a separate scrapbook recipe book just for recipes that I find in magazines. This way I can keep them all organized, sorted, and pretty!Don't let yourself get stuck in a rut! If you're like me, every square inch of space is precious! Don't let it get eaten away by all that "STUFF." Instead of sighing every time you open your cupboard door to find a recipe, keep it simple. Focus on your favorite cookbooks, and if you find you're not using one, have a cookbook swap party with friends! Don't be afraid to doodle in your cookbooks either! I like to use a 5-star rating system in my cookbooks since I'm constantly experimenting. If a recipe is amazing- 5 stars! Just ok is three, and never make again gets a big X! I always write the different substitutions I try (especially helpful when substituting the gluten) or note side dishes that go well, etc. You'll be amazed at how much fun cooking can be when everything is "decently and in order!" You can actually start to have fun with your food!

Now if I can just get my herbs to be a little more hearty for pickin'!