Happy Easter!

This year I made my kiddos' Easter baskets! I had been meaning to make these for the last several years, but some how never managed. When I was a little girl my mom made a version of these baskets, so these bring back memories. 

Supplies: embroidery thread (I like the thicker), balloons, Mod Podge (years ago mom used sugar water, I tried starch this time around and it did not work very well), ribbon and other embellishments, hot glue gun/sticks.

• start by blowing up your balloons. 
• soak the embroidery thread in the Mod Podge.
• Tie the end of your string around the knot at the opening of the balloon and carefully start wrapping it. Be prepared because this is messy and a little annoying. The string has a tendency to slip until you really get going with it.
• After it is wrapped, add more Mod Podge to ensure that the strings are soaked all the way through. I hung mine from a light fixture until they were dry. 
• Once they dry, you can pop the balloon and and get to work cutting a hole in the front. I also pushed the bottom in on mine so that they'd stand upright.
• Lastly, have fun decorating!
• The following pictures that detail some of the steps.

I think that these 

turned out really cute! 

Happy Easter!

and Remember...

He is Risen!

xoxoxo

Josie

Valentine Cupcakes

 I completely forgot about posting a pic of these cute little cupcakes! My daughter wanted to make cupcakes for her boyfriend for Valentine's Day, so we got out my beloved kitchen aid mixer and got to work.

Recipes are from my Betty Crocker cookbook.

Cocoa Fudge Cake:

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups of sugar

2/3 cup cocoa

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cups buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla ( I recommend real vanilla)

2 eggs

heat oven to 350 degrees

beat all ingredients on low for 30 seconds, scrape down sides of bowl

beat on high for 3 minutes

Creamy Cocoa frosting:

1/3 cup butter softened

1/3 cup cocoa 

2 cups powered sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 tablespoons milk ( I used about 5)

The hearts are made from candy microwaveable wafers. 

I put them in an icing bag that was microwave safe. 

Then I drew heart shapes on wax paper. 

After they have hardened, you can easily remove them. 

Roses from her beau!

Happy Belated Valentines Day!!!

XOXO 

Josie & Anna

StoneGable: Pie In a Jar

Doesn't this look YUMMY?!


 Follow the link below to get instructions for a scrumptious 
dessert that is perfect for the 4th of July!


StoneGable: Pie In a Jar

XOXO

Josie

Some of the Most Beautiful Words I know....

For God so loved the world

that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 (NIV)

He has risen…

 just as

He said.

Matthew 28:6 (NIV)

Those are some of the most beautiful words I know!  

The thought of how much He loves us brings tears of joy to my eyes!

I've posted some of the Easter images caught around my house for this Easter Celebration! I didn't get to do as much decorating this year as I had wanted, but I thought I'd share the little that I did get to do. I've also posted some recipes! I hope you enjoy them! 

5 Cup Easter Salad

Mix one cup of each ingredient and then chill in your frig. Super easy breezy! 

Shredded coconut, mini marshmallows, mandarin oranges, crushed pineapple, sour cream.

Hint: I have found that it is better to add the marshmallows about 15 minutes before serving so that they don't get soggy.

Macaroni Salad

16oz of macaroni ( cook as directed on package)

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese (sharp)

2 1/4 cups of mayo

1 1/2 cups of sliced green onions (with tops)

1 cup sweet pickle relish

1 jar (5 3/4 oz) of green olives (don't drain)

1 1/2 cups sliced celery

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Mix all ingredients adding the macaroni last. Chill at least 4 hrs.

Deviled Eggs

6 hard boiled eggs

2 T. mayo

1/8 t salt

2 t sweet pickle relish

2 t. prepared mustard

1 t. sugar

Mix egg yolks with other ingredients. I use my mini food processor for mixing so that the mixture is smooth. Pipe into eggs and then sprinkle with paprika. Yummy! I love these eggs! They go fast around our house!

Sugar Cookies

(I got this recipe from my Betty Crocker cookbook ~ My kiddos love them)

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter, softened (don't use margarine)

1 t. real vanilla

1/2 t. almond extract

1 egg 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cream of tartar

Mix powered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and egg. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for about 3hrs. I usually keep mine in the frig for about 30 minutes. If you used margarine it will need to stay in the frig for the 3 hrs.

Heat oven to 375. Divide dough in half. Roll out and cut into desired shapes. Bake about 7-8 minutes. 

I then use Cookie Glaze to top off cookie. Mix 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 T. warm water, and 1 t. light corn syrup. If needed add 1t. at a time of warm water until it is the desired consistency.

I then take each cookie and lay it face down in the icing. Gently lift and place back on the cookie sheet. This makes the icing on the top of each cookie to be perfectly smooth. It gives the cookies a bakery look! Make sure that the icing is completely dry before you layer them on your platter.




I can tell my kiddos have gotten older when I look up in the cabinet and realize that my jello jiggler Easter egg mold has not been touched! How sad! It used to be one of the first things I did! 

Speckled Easter Eggs

I've learned over the years not to spend a bunch of money on 
Easter baskets because they end up torn up and tossed away! 
These came from the Dollar Tree!
 I spent $3 and I think they are pretty cute!

I hope you had a wonderful Easter!


XOXOXO


Josie

Speckled Easter Eggs

These eggs are super duper easy to make! First, hard boil your eggs by placing them in a pot of water. Bring the water to a rapid boil. Turn off heat and cover eggs. Let stand for 30 minutes and then drain. Shock eggs with cold water so that they'll quit cooking.

Next, prepare your colored water bath for you eggs. Add 1 T. of vinegar to 1/2 cup of water. Add your food coloring. I chose blue for this year's eggs. I love blue!!

Then take a wet toothbrush and dip it in dark gray craft paint. Use your thumb to gently rub the bristles allowing paint to flick onto the eggs.

Happy Easter!

XOXO

Josie

Oil painting to Christmas Card!!

This is Joey's latest oil painting. It makes me want to snuggle up with a hot cup of cocoa!! We had cards printed with the picture on the front and used them as our Christmas cards this year! They turned out so cute!

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! 

xoxo

Josie

Chocolate Cake with fresh raspberries

This year for our Christmas Eve get together I made a 

chocolate cake with ganache icing. 

The cake was super moist and yummy in the tummy!  

Recipe:

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup water 

1 1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla 

1/2 tsp baking power

2 eggs

4 squares (1oz each) 

semi-sweet chocolate,

melted and cooled slightly

Heat oven to 350. Grease and flour pan(s).

Beat all ingredients on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds.

Beat on high speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 3 minutes. Pour into pan(s)

Bake until cake tester inserted comes out clean, rectangle 40-45 minutes, rounds 30-35 minutes; cool.

 This cake recipe is from my Betty Crocker cookbook. It was a wedding gift to me and I love it. 

I have used it so much over the years that the pages are stained and torn!

Ganache

follow this link for the ganache icing recipe that I used

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/chocolate-ganache/

Joey and I hanging out at Uncle Jon's Christmas Eve!

My gang is all here!

"The Couples"

Happy Baking!!!!

XOXO

Josie