Happy Valentines Day!

I just LOVE Valentines Day...Ahhhhh.  Here's what I've been up to today--early AM made heart shaped Pancakes--Funny story: I talked to my older sister this morning and she asked me if my Valentines Day breakfast was any fun this year...I told her it was fantabulous because I made heart shaped pancakes and the girls loved it.  She laughed and said she made the same thing.  This afternoon my little sister asked me if I did anything fun today for Valentines day and I told her about the heart shaped pancakes.  She started laughing and said she made some too!  What's funny is that it's not like our mom did this for us growing up.  Sometimes we three just share a brain.  What's even funnier--we are all having the same thing for dinner too--Papa Murphy's heart shaped Pizza's...Hurry there is still time to order one if you are trying to be easy and festive tonight!:)

 The girls about passed out of excitement when they saw what Mommy and Daddy got them for V-Day.  They played with it all morning and only stopped because I told them to come upstairs and help me make: 

 These--Lexie needed to take these to preschool this afternoon so they could decorate them. I tried a new recipe I found off Pinterest--seriously AMAZING!

 Then I helped the girls make these--we aren't going to water paint them yet though--The girls are waiting for daddy to get home and discover their secret messages--some of their sayings are HILARIOUS!!  I found this off Pinterest too--go here to check it out. :)

This is a little something I made my Valentine this year.  Again--found the idea off Pinterest.  Go here.

My life has been so easy thanks to Pinterest.  This Valentines Day was a breeze!  If only every Holiday were as worry free as this one was. :)  Hope you are all enjoying your V-Day as much as we are!  

xoxo,B

Owl Cookies

I've been married for a little over 7 years now.  And you know how after you get married your husband tells you that you need to learn how to cook all his Mom's recipes?  Well, that's what this recipe is!  And truthfully, Ryan's mom is a GREAT cook so I didn't complain--too much ;)  

Ryan's Mom made this with him and his brothers and sisters when they were kids, and we have continued on with the tradition in our family.  Owl Cookies are a great treat the kiddos can help you make and they turn out so darn cute!  Every October our family gets the itch to make these, and I pull out the recipe and try to remember how:)  Last night was that night--and even though I added too much flour--made them a little crumbly:), they turned out as cute as they always do and tasted just as we all remembered!  We have so much fun making these every year, I figured I'd hand out the recipe so you and your kiddos can make them together too!  Here ya go!

2 1/2 c. flour              1 t. vanilla                  

                              1/2 t. salt                   1 1/2 sq. sweet baking chocolate

          2 t. baking powder      1/4 t. baking soda

     3/4 c. margarine         Chocolate chips

1 c. brown sugar          Candy Corn                                                                 

                                                          1 egg

Mix flour, salt and baking powder in a separate bowl.  Cream margarine, sugar, egg and vanilla in a mixing bowl.  Add dry ingredients; mix well.  Divide dough into thirds.  Cover and refrigerate two-thirds.  Melt chocolate in a small bowl in microwave.  (Can substitute chocolate chips for the baking chocolate.)  Mix 1/3 of dough with the chocolate and the soda.  knead until color is even.  Divide dough in half and roll each into a 10 inch long roll.  Roll out the refrigerated dough into 2 rectangles of 10x4 1/2 inches.  Place dark roll onto the rectangle and roll it around it and seal with your fingers.  Repeat with other half.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2 hours.  Slice rolls into 1/4 inch slices and place 2 side by side on the cookie sheet.  Pinch the corners on each upper side for the ears.  Put a chocolate chip in the middle of each eye.  Bake at 350 for 8-9 minutes.  Take out and place a candy corn in the center for the beak.  Then bake one more minute.

See, aren't they darling?

Don't you love the fall?  It does get me cooking more:)  My daughter HAD to bring some to her teacher today--so these make cute BOO treats or teacher treats:) If any of you have some fun fall recipes you'd like to share--email us!  We'd love to have them too!
xoxo, B