Simple Sprinkle Cookies
There\’s a small Italian bakery near my parents house. While they have absolutely amazing cakes, I am a huge fan of their holiday sprinkle cookies. If you know me you know I am a firm believer that anything is better with sprinkles. At a cookie exchange a few years ago one of the girls shared their Italian Sprinkle Cookie recipe with me, and I have been making it ever since. This year I thought I would share the amazing recipe with all of you.
Sprinkle Cookies
Ingredients
1.5 cups flour
1.5 teaspoons baking powder
dash of salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 egg white, lightly beaten
multi-colored sprinkles
Directions
1. Beat butter, and sugar on medium-high for 3 minutes.
2. Add vanilla, almond and egg; beat until smooth.
3. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat until just combined.
4. Use a cookie scoop drop into balls onto a parchment lined baked sheet.
5. Press each ball into disks.
6. Chill disks for 40 minutes (I placed my cookie sheets outside -it\’s freezing out).
7. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
8. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush tops of cookie disks with the egg white and press into sprinkles.
9. Return cookies to baking sheet.
10. Bake for 10 minutes or slightly brown on the bottom (time varies based on oven) rotating the cookie sheet halfway through.
11. Allow to cool before serving.
How To: Properly Wrap a Present
In high school I worked as a sales assosicate at a Hallmark store. While working at the store I learned a lot about presentation, and how to make gifts look absolutely beautiful. Boxes are probably the easiest things to wrap, so if you’re giving an awkwardly shaped gift, putting it in a box first is the easiest solution. The hard edges allow you to create a tidy and professional-look. Here is how Hallmark taught me how to wrap a gift.
Step 1: Place the box face down on the paper, and pull up the short side and secure it with a piece of tape.
Step 2: Fold the other side in about an inch.
Step 3: Secure the folded side to the paper that you already secured down.
Step 4: Turn the present right way up and fold down the overhanging paper against the side of the box that remains exposed.
Step 5: Press in two side folds, smoothing the edges to give a clean finish. Next fold the bottom flap up to cover all the edges creating an envelope effect.
Step 6: Secure with tape. Turn over and repeat the process for the other side.
How To: Make a Blanket Scarf
Blanket scarves have been trendy for the past few years, and it looks like the trend is here to stay for awhile. While roaming around Joann Fabric I found some absolutely gorgeous fabric that would make a beautiful scarf, and decided to buy two yards and create my very own blanket scarf – all you have to do is fray the edges.
Material List:
2 yards of your chosen fabric. I used cotton flannel from Joann Fabrics (7.99 /per yard)
Measuring Tape
Scissors
Needle.
Step 1: Cut down the width of the fabric to 25” wide (x72” long). Use the fabric’s plaid grid as a guide when cutting your fabric to help you create straight, clean cuts.
Step 2: To create on the ends of the scarf, simply remove the fabric’s weft yarns (the yarns that run left to right) along the short side of the fabric. I used a needle to release the yarns. Continue removing yarns until you reach your desired fringe length. I decided on 1 ½” fringe.
Step 3: Repeat step 2 on the opposite end of the fabric. You should now have fringe on both of the short sides of the scarf.
Coffee Swirl Yogurt Bread
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
dash of salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup butter; softened
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt
¼ cup international instant coffee mix (any flavor)
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350.
2. Grease and flour the bottom only of a loaf pan.
3. Mix flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder; set aside.
4. Beat butter, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy.
5. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
6. Beat in flour mixture alternately with yogurt, beating until smooth after each addition.
7. Remove 1 cup of the batter, stir in dry coffee
8. Pour half of the plain batter into the pan.
9. Drop coffee batter by spoonfuls onto batter in pan.
10. Add remaining plain batter.
11. Swirl batters deeply with handle of a spoon for marbled design.
12. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (about an hour).
13. Cool 10 minutes.
14. Loosen sides of loaf from pan and set on a wire rack.
15. Cool completely before slicing.
Movie Review: Second Act
SECOND ACT: SECOND ACT is a comedy in the vein of Working Girl and Maid In Manhattan. Jennifer Lopez stars as Maya, a 40-year-old woman struggling with frustrations from unfulfilled dreams. Until, that is, she gets the chance to prove to Madison Avenue that street smarts are as valuable as book smarts, and that it is never too late for a second act. Starring Jennifer Lopez, Leah Remini, Vanessa Hudgens with Treat Williams and Milo Ventimiglia. Directed by Peter Segal. (STXFilms) This film is rated PG-13.
A few days ago I had the opportunity to see an advice screening of Second Act and decided to take my papa. Taking my grandpa to a movie was an incredible gamble, as he tends to fall asleep watching movies. Falling asleep would be fine if he was silent, but he snores… loudly. I mean, if he would fall asleep in the theater he would ruin the movie for everyone with his loud obnoxious echoing snoring, but he didn\’t snore. In fact, he didn\’t fall asleep. That\’s right my grandpa stayed awake through the ENTIRE movie. I don’t think Second Act could get a better review!
Not only was the movie well written, but it was funny as well. Let’s be honest, we all love a good laugh. Second Act will be playing in theaters come the end of this month and I highly recommend checking it out for a date night or just a night out with girls.
Fashion meets Food 