car cookies

I saw this instructable for dashboard baking and thought it was a great idea!  it's an idea that's been around for a while, but somehow I've never seen it.  anyway, it's WAY too hot to bake anything in the house from May-October, but I could go for some baking in the car.  it's an oven that's already always going, and your car smells like fresh baked cookies, so I just had to try it and see.

I grabbed some chocolate chip cookie dough and set up my car for baking.

 

I did a pan by itself, and one with the reflective sun screen thing around it just to see if it made a difference.

 

after 1 hour this is how they looked and the 150°F was holding steady - couldn't really tell a difference between the two pans.

 

after 2 hours they looked a little more cooked, but not quite done yet.  I think the pan with the reflector looked slightly more done at this point.

 

after 3 hours - no real difference between pans - temp still holding.

I pulled them out at 4 hours because they didn't look like they were changing anymore, and I needed to use the car.  I was hoping to see the brown bottoms like in the Instructables picture, but they just looked more dried and had these air pockets underneath... which kinda puzzled me.  they had a caramelized texture/flavor on the outside but were chewy on the inside, and they didn't feel or taste under-cooked.

I think if I wanted a more traditional cooked cookie I'd just put my toaster oven out on the patio and bake them that way if I didn't want to heat up the house in the future, but it was a cool experiment and they still tasted just fine - we ate them all that afternoon!

ninjabread men!

I saw this kit at World Market and just had to get it :)  I love unique cookie cutters and these were just too cool!  I can't wait to make them.  I'm not a big fan of ginger, but I'm thinking I could do molasses or just plain sugar cookies, too.

 

maybe we'll make a gingerbread dojo, too!  I've never made a gingerbread house and every year I tell Matt we have to make one (I figured he'd be on board with something that he can build and then eat) but we never end up doing one :(  I need to practice and get good at them for when the kiddos are older. 

Easter!

I made bunny cookies for Easter this year with these clever edible googly eyes I saw online a while ago.

I did mine with candy melts and sprinkles instead of black pearls (not really sure where to get those) but I think next time I'll look for the pearls because the sprinkles are so small and lightweight that they stick to the candy melts I used as a base and they require a good shake to make them googly again if they sit for too long and it gets too warm. but, overall I think they're too cute!

I found a dozen favor boxes at the Dollar Tree to put the fronts and backs in and I made little tulips to put on the fronts of the boxes since they're kinda plain. I displayed them on a plastic tray and bowl I glued together for my last luncheon.

I used some clear plastic bowls to add some height to my egg platters as well.

I love how my purple deviled eggs came out, and they were so good! definitely making these again.

I made a couple of banana rolls for dessert. I always forget how much we love this, and I usually have at least 6 bananas in my freezer, so I don't know why I don't make it more often!

I decorated my swing outside with a couple of flower garlands for a place to take some family photos before the rain came.

I'm usually terrible about taking pictures when I host something, but I'm trying to be better about getting more pics of the stuff I make and the people that were there.

it was Leo's first egg hunt and he did really well. he was reluctant in the beginning but once he got the first one he was enthusiastic about finding more. we had to help by pointing them out to him, but once he saw one he'd run over and grab it and chunk it into the basket! so cute :)

advent calendar

I totally went in a different direction than little boxes like I was planning on doing for my advent calendar when I saw these pictures!

I found a hanging basket hidden in the lawn and garden section that I hung from my kitchen light, took some gold floral wire and wove little swirls around it, hung some fillable ornaments from ribbon with number tags on them, and loaded it down with candy, cookies and some other surprises for Matt and Leo :)

I ran out of time (I was still working on it last night!) so I just pinned the ribbon with some decorative straight pins I made a while back.

it's not quite what I had in mind, but I still like it. maybe next year I'll decorate the ornaments so they looks prettier, find better ribbon and put Velcro or some other closure on them, and have a better design of how they hang. they look sorta jumbled to me, but I was trying to make them look random... I dunno. it was fun to make and it'll be fun to eat on all month long!

cookie review

I recently tried Kroger's The Truly Awesome™ Homestyle Chocolate Chip Cookies through a Bzz Campaign I participated in. they sent me TWO free boxes of cookies and some coupons. I was so excited to try these "tastes like home made" cookies.

" Exclusively available at Kroger, Fred Meyer and Ralphs stores (the Kroger Family of Stores), a wholesome, irresistible chocolate chip cookie your entire family will love. "

when I opened the box the cookies were twice the size of normal store bought cookies, (gotta love a big cookie!) but there were only 8 to a box, and I imagine because these are marketed as "wholesome" they cost more than a normal name brand cookie. I have yet to go buy any, so I don't know that for sure yet... but I often don't frequent Kroger because they're more expensive. Anyway, these didn't taste any different than Chips Ahoy. I was expecting a home-made-type of cookie, but these were dry and crumbly - not a milk-dunking cookie at all. I was disappointed by that, but the cookie itself was good for a store-brand product. I'd eat them again (assuming the price is right) but not if I was wanting a cookie that tasted like it was baked from scratch.

Christmas goodies

last year was Leo's first Christmas, but he didn't really know what was going on so it felt like it didn't count. we took advantage of that and didn't get him anything O:) he did get clothes and practical things, but nothing fun. this year I think he'll enjoy it, which has made me get more into the shopping and planning mode which has seemed to fade for me the last few years.

I've been wanting an advent calendar with surprises to put inside, but all the ones I like are pricey, and all the diy ones I've seen online seem too disposable. I want something hardy that we can keep for years and I like the wood kind that have doors that open up. I haven't looked around at the craft stores yet to see what sorta unfinished wood stuff they have that I can make something with, so I think I'll need to do that soon so I have time to work on it before the 1st!

while browsing through the toy section at Target Leo spotted a smart phone. his eyes lit up when I handed it to him, so I had to get it... even though he already has a play phone.

I was looking for a See & Say for his birthday, but the only one I was finding in stores annoys the crap out of me. the search continues for a different one for Christmas. an old one like what I had growing up would be fun to find. we'll see.

I've been wanting to get these non-skid rubber sole socks for Leo for a while. he's starting to toddle around, and he slips pretty bad in just his socks, but regular shoes seem to be holding him back because his feet are so big - he's already in a 5! I saw the sneaker print pair in passing the other day so I grabbed them up.

since I can't give him traditional chocolates and hard candy in his stocking I'm going the snack route and getting him some vitamins and regular gummy fruit snacks. he also loves the little Chips Ahoy mini cookies. might sneak a few of those in there, too ;)

I thought I might put them in a Boon ball or some other cute snack container, or maybe find something holiday-ish that might double as a toy or ornament.

he LOVES to swing and going out in the backyard, so I'm hoping to find (or make) a simple swing set for the backyard to put a cool swing in.

I know his grandparents will spoil him, so I'm trying to limit myself on what we get him. he seems to enjoy non-toy things still so I might just wrap up a few toys he's forgotten about just so he can rip into them Christmas morning. he's been into boxes lately - putting things in them and pulling stuff back out - so that's another option that will last for just a little while and can be thrown away and not stored! it's more about having fun than what ya get, right? :)