Homemade Samoas Cookies

Posted on April 7, 2011 by

45 Comments

 
Samoas Girl Scout cookies have always been my favorite. I only bought one box this year and they are already gone. So over the weekend I decided to make my own Samoas cookies. The apartment smelled like caramel all weekend.

Homemade Samoas Cookies
Toasted Coconut
1 bag sweetened coconut, toasted
 • place coconut on a baking sheet and bake at 325degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Be sure to stir the coconut half way through. 
     
Scottish Shortbread Cookies
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 cup butter
1 tablespoons vanilla
2 cups flour
• Place butter and powdered sugar in a bowl and beat until it is light and creamy. Add vanilla and beat until well combined. Add flour and beat until combined. Place dough in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
• Place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to about 1/8 of an inch in thickness. Using a round cookie cutter stamp out your cookies. You can even stamp out the centers if you wish. Place your cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet.
• Bake 10-12 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Great Grandma\’s Homemade Caramel 
4 tablespoons salted butter, more for greasing your pan
1.5 cups heavy cream
2 cups sugar
1/2 cups corn syrup
pinch of salt
1.5 teaspoonsvanilla extract

• Grease a 9 inch square glass baking pan with butter.
• Combine all ingredients except vanilla in a LARGE saucepan over medium low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves.
• Continue to mix until the candy thermometer reads 235 degrees.
• When it reaches 235 degrees stir in the vanilla and pour into prepared pan.

Assembly
• Spread some caramel on the tops of each of your cookies. This helps the caramel coconut mixture adhere quickly to the cookie.
• Mix the rest of your caramel as well as your coconut together. Spread this onto each of your cookies.
• Let cool for 30 minutes, before you dip the bottoms in chocolate (I didn\’t do this because I do not like chocolate) and strip the top.

Shortcuts
•Instead of making your own shortbread cookies, buy your favorite shortbread cookies such a Lorna Doones.
• Instead of making your own caramel buy caramel apple dip.

the many mani\’s of march

Posted on April 4, 2011 by

34 Comments

 {Almost in Love by Duri}
 {Baby Bluemers by Dashing Diva}
 {Caitlin by Zoya}
 {Don\’t Think Twice by Duri}
 {Dove by Zoya}
 {Stick on Leopard print by Broadway}
 {East Side Envy by Dashing Diva}
 {Forget me Never by Duri}
{I Lilac Nothin\’ by Dashing Diva}
 {Peachy Keen by China Glaze}
 {San-Tan-Tonio by OPI}

What\’s your favorite polish hue for spring?

xo

Five Things

Posted on April 1, 2011 by

25 Comments

 
{a vintage vanity}
 {decorative soap}
 {waiting on the bloom of flowers}
 {spring potpourri}
{OPI\’s Femme de Cirque Collection}

Spring into your beauty routine

Posted on March 31, 2011 by

24 Comments

 
Brush Up: Did you know you need to clean your makeup brushes at least ONCE a Month! Seriously you do, and if you haven\’t shame on you.
• side note: here is how I clean my brushes I squirt a small amount of shampoo in a cup (baby shampoo works best, but any \”high-end\” shampoo – bedhead etc will work also) fill with warm water and dip my brushes in and then take out and work my fingers into the brush so that they are clean thoroughly. I rinse them with luke warm water and place on a towel to dry.

That\’s so last year: Have sunscreen or products with SPF in them that are over a year old? Toss them. When sunscreen goes bad it makes you susceptible to getting burnt and also leaves your skin vulnerable. This could lead to sunspots, cancer, wrinkles and all the things you should avoid.
• side note: Usually you can tell when your makeup has gone bad because the color, smell or consistency will change. Mineral makeup usually doesn\’t go bad.

SPFin\’ it up: Wear it embrace it love it.
• side note my favorite include: Dermalogica extra rich faceblock spf 30 or bareMinerals SPF 30 Natural Sunscreen

Oil Spill: While thick creams work in the winter they are just not what you want on your face during the summer. Unless clogged pores are your thing. During spring you should try an oil-free product that is light weight, moisturizes and won\’t cause break outs.
• side note my favorites include: bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Moisturizer or Dermalogica Barrier Repair


A natural glow: Lady Gaga says \”I was born this way\”, and she\’s right we are all gorgeous so why not embrace your beauty. Lighten up your load when it comes to foundation, eye shadow and blush this season.

 Pop!: Straight from the runway to you it\’s time to give your lips an electric pop this season. Search for bold colors to pamper your pout. Definitely invest in a peach, mango or tangerine shade as well as a pink or coral.


 xo what is your spring beauty routine?

ps I have a giveaway going on

Baked Cake Donuts

Posted on March 29, 2011 by

43 Comments

  

Baked Cake Donuts
Ingredients
1 cup flour
1/3 cup sugar
1.5 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon cold butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg

donut glaze:
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and work it into the dry ingredients with your fingertips, until the mixture looks like sand. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, mix together the buttermilk, vanilla and egg. Pour into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Spoon into a greased doughnut pan
• Bake for 15 minutes.
• Let cool and mix together glaze ingredients. Drizzle glaze over doughnuts and top with rainbow sprinkles if desired.

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