Cookie Monday

Have you been to the recipes section of Meg's blog yet? Everything is delicious. EVERYTHING. Last week I hopped over to grab her Chicken Enchilada recipe for the millionth time (seriously a family favorite!) and realized I needed to test her Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies... like, soon!

Today we made the lazy sheet pan version. I used butter rather than shortening, cause it's all I had, but like I said- I needed them! So mine probably weren't nearly as good as Meg's. But no one's complaining.

Yep, that would be my belly holding up food.

Try these!
You're welcome.

36 weeks

{BIG.}

{little.}

Cookie Monday

alternately titled: Everything's better with...

I've said it before.
I LOVE VANILLA SUGAR.
In everything!
Everyone needs it in their pantry.

I had a mild panic attack today when I realized there was no chocolate in the house; not a single semisweet morsel. But as I raided the cupboards, the three big tubs of peanut butter I just bought (I love a good deal) stared me right in the face- seemingly a satisfying alternative. In cookie form of course.

Vanilla makes them over-the-top yummy.

Peanut Butter Vanil-licious Cookies

1 stick unsalted butter, room temp
2/3 cups light brown sugar
2/3 cup vanilla sugar, divided (or plain granulated if you must)
1 cup creamy peanut butter (I use Skippy Natural)
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt


Preheat oven to 375.

Cream butter, brown sugar, 1/3 cup vanilla sugar, and peanut butter until light & fluffy, about 5 minutes. Incorporate egg & vanilla extract; mix well.

Sift together flour, salt & baking soda. Slowly add dry to wet mix. Scrape down bowl & beat until just mixed.

Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets, and bake 8-9 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheets for a few minutes before moving.

The other 1/3 cup of vanilla sugar is for dipping. Dump warm cookies (top side-down) into a bowl of the sugar, then carefully transfer to a wire rack until fully cool. If you can wait until they're fully cool to eat one (or three).

makes about 32.


Side note:
I only gained ONE pound in the last 3 weeks, so I think my body's trying to make up for it. This whole batch of cookies may be gone tonight.
Next appointment is next Thursday (37 weeks). We're getting close!

living in our swimsuits...

...and speaking of swimming, I've got some fun pool party
inspiration at Oh My Handmade Goodness today!

instant summer dress:

$2 Old Navy tank
+

some fabric scraps, thrown together
+

a little shirring

+

a yo-yo.

{inspired by noodlehead}

likes this.

I loved this quilt so much, that I knew it was going to be the way to go for Baby 'C's newborn quilt. I'd been saving up bits of fabrics for a while now, just waiting to be cut up and sewn together. The quilt top is done, and will be sent off with batting and backing to the longarm quilter today.


I love how it turned out. That doesn't go for all the members in our household. In fact, this quilt has been a huge topic of controversy around here for the past few days. [quote: "Don't you have any sports or surfing fabric?"]

Yeah, so I'm having a boy, and yet I still managed to use a plethora of polka dots and a few vintagey florals. There's no pink! There's no purple! I think a newborn blankie should be bright, cheery, and visually stimulating. I really like this combination!

I'm not a fan of stereotypical "boy" or "girl" themes (until they're old enough to have opinions, at least!)... especially when it comes to fabric. And don't get me started on character bedding {*shudder*}, which kids are sure to outgrow in 5 minutes. I will admit, shopping for boy fabric is HARD! I recently bought a ton of yardage for Chayse's quilt & pillows, and it was waaaaaay more challenging than Chloe's! And no, there are no flowers involved.

So Cole will get a masculine quilt one day. But for now (while Kevin panics over the possibility of his baby quilt scarring him for life), how am I supposed to know whether he'll like dinosaurs or baseball or tractors or surfing?
***
Cookie Mondays has taken the plunge and joined facebook! If you "like this" come be a fan! I'm excited about the Discussions tab... together we can tackle the issues... like, "Who thinks Cole's quilt is too girly?"