Chocolate Charm Cookies

Merry Christmas to one and all! I have been celebrating the right way! I have been in the kitchen for most of the time I have been home. Currently, I am watching my little sister and mom stir the chicken and noodles and put the dinner rolls in the oven. The kitchen is filled with all kinds of wonderful smells. I just wish I had a latte in my hand...damn you Pawhuska for being so rural. Oh well, life goes on.

I am sharing a recipe with you all. It is called, "Chocolate Charms." They are just a little ball of chocolate heaven and I think they are easy enough for anyone to make them. It is a cookie that is acting like a truffle, don't know if anyone will understand that, worth a try.

Chocolate Charm Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract(optional)

Directions:
1. Sift together flour, cocoa, and salt into a bowl.
2. Place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.Beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add sugar, and beat about 2 minutes more, until very light in color and fluffy, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add vanilla, if using. Add flour
mixture, and combine on a low-speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula if necessary, until flour is just incorporated and dough sticks together when squeezed with fingers. Form dough into a flattened disk; wrap in plastic. Chill until firm, at least, 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
4. Using a spoon, form dough into 1-inch balls; place on prepared baking sheets. Bake until firm, 20-30 minutes ; rotating halfway through. Cool completely on wire rack. Dust with cocoa powder just before serving. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Look at these precious little things, right before they go into the oven.

Finished product! All dusted with awesomeness!

Well, one round of presents is completed. My family was up at the crack of dawn to watch Jack tear into presents. After that, we all enjoyed some Christmas pancakes, another family tradition. Now we are in the kitchen waiting on the rest of the family to arrive... I wish they would hurry because my stomach is growling....and they just walked in! Party time!

In My Orange High Heels

It's official, I am a college graduate!  I can't say that I feel an overwhelming sense of "I am a grown up now."  Who knows, maybe I will gain that feeling over time...

Graduation went flawlessly, I am so happy with how everything turned out.  My two best friends were not going to be in town, so I had this bright idea.  What if they could decorate my cap, so that way it was like they were there with me.  They did just that, Kayla and Kristin did a wonderful job.  It was covered in orange sequins and rhinestone--just screamed Lindsey and I could be spotted from a mile away.  Next on the list, orange high heels.  I  almost gave up on finding them because it seemed like I have tried every possible store.  Kristin came to the rescue again--she knew right where to go.  I found the perfect pair of orange high heels for my graduation!  Also, I did get to celebrate with family and friends, what more could a girl ask for?

 

How wonderful is that?  I kept my hat too, I want to do something cool with it? Shadow box maybe?

The OPI burlesque collection "The Show Must Go On" and my newest addition!  My beautiful graduation present from my parents!  I never wear rings...this is the only exception.  I might never take it off!  It is very special to me.  My dad gave it to my mom when she was 19!  Isn't that adorable? 

I feel like I have checked a lot of things off of my to-do list.  It is nice to have that accomplished feeling, just puts a smile on your face.  I just can not believe I am done with school, it is crazy how fast time goes by.  Now its time for Christmas!  I am ready to make gingerbread cookies and eat a lot of wonderful food during the holidays.  I do enjoy that the most about Christmas, it is nice to celebrate with a family who all holds the same feeling towards the Christmas season.

Well, I feel like that is almost everything that has been going on in my life.  I am happy with how things are playing out.  Still searching for a job, but I feel like I am getting closer to that! 

Cupcake Recipe Testing

Last week I purchased that new wonderful cupcake cookbook and I could not wait to dig into it.  So, I picked out three new recipes and decided to take them on.  I am really impressed with the outcome.  I think they turned out really well.

 

My all time favorite a lemon cupcake with lemon icing garnished with lemon zest.  I have such a weakness for anything lemon.  There is just something about it, I love the feeling you get when you take your first bite.

Next, a simple vanilla cupcake with lime frosting topped with coconut. Very interesting flavors this little cupcake has.  It takes your taste buds for a whirl.

Last, a coffee cupcake, coffee buttercream, with a dark chocolate dust, topped with a chocolate covered coffee bean. Bliss!  Heaven!  Awesome!  It's like having the perfect coffee cake, but it's a cupcake instead.  If you are interested in the recipe, I can post that for you too. I just don't have my cookbook handy or I would.

The Ranchers Club’s In Stillwater

Do you like steak?  Do you have a sweet tooth?  Well, we should be friends because I do too!  This weekend a lot of good food was consumed. Taking some off time from the social scene never hurt anyone, it did me some good.  I blame it on my small business management class-I had a huge project due today and that consumed most of my time. It is now dead week and I have some free time!  It's time to celebrate and I plan on doing so; especially since this is my last dead week of my college career.

Friday night I went to dinner with my adeepi family, however, we were missing one g little, Lynna.  Ranchers Club was the dining location.  We had the most wonderful dinner and ate like Kings, well I guess Queens.  We ate like the little Queen B's that we are.  I will let you just look at the pictures. (I am sorry if you hate pictures...but I think it makes reading more fun).  It's like reading a little kids book again; one of my personal favorites--Rainbow Fish, just so you know.

 

Please take not that this t-bone is almost as big as my face, medium rare--one word=perfection. And don't  kid yourself, I ate the whole thing.

 

Then we decided to order a dessert for the whole table, in addition to what we already had.  It was a wonderful apple thing with ice cream on top.  It was like a funnel cake almost....well minus the powder sugar.

Kayla, Kristin, and Ciara had this one, it's a dark chocolate goodness!  It was so rich that portion was just enough

I decided to be different (imagine that) This was mine, all MINE! It started off with milk chocolate, then to peanut butter, then the a dark chocolate.  Then how could you forget the dark chocolate edible art?  What is not to love about this whole situation.  Sheer bliss!

Haul Out the Holly!

Christmas music has been on blast nonstop today.  It has made it more bearable.  My two tests are out-of-the-way and I couldn't be happier about it!  Who doesn't love a little Christmas cheer?  If you answered me, I don't like Christmas Cheer... a) turn that frown upside down or b) stop reading now, trust me.  Now Playing: "We Need a Little Christmas Now" Glee Cast

Haul out the holly;

Put up the tree before my spirit falls again.

Fill up the stocking,

I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now.

For we need a little Christmas

Right this very minute,

Candles in the window,

Carols at the spinet.

Yes, we need a little Christmas

Right this very minute.

It hasn't snowed a single flurry,

But Santa, dear, we're in a hurry;

So climb down the chimney;

 

Look it's Santa! I know him, I know him! ( the great thing about this picture, I saw this yard decoration and thought it was a perfect photo opp.  I don't even know the people.  I am sure they didn't mind, right?)

Speaking of Holly, in 5th grade I had a show heifer and her name was Holly.  She was the most wonderful black Maine heifer.  Who else has noticed that Target had the best black Friday/Christmas commercials?  That blonde lady is to die for, she is a nut case!  I love her!  We would be friends...I like shopping and crafts!

Cupcake Confessions

This week is stressful for me and I am sure every other college student out there.  I have three tests and working on finishing up a project that is due Monday. One test got out of the way this morning, small business management. It went well, so that is a sigh of relief. After lunch I went back to studying...my brain was stuffed full of information. I had to take a break.

Now it's time for a little confession. I am a little odd, yes I know. What you are about to read may or may not surprise you. I decided to go into Hastings, I went directly to the cookbook section and just sat there. I grabbed every cupcake cookbook I saw. Like a little child on Christmas morning, eager and excited I flipped through the pages looking at all of the wonderful creations. This made me feel at peace as if all was right in the world for those 30 minutes . I also made a purchase and have another that I still have my eye on. I just couldn't justify buying two today. I will have to reward myself another day.

Since next week is dead week, maybe I will have time to dive into this! Fingers crossed! I am taking another study break.  Although, I am about ready to wrap up this evening and call it good.  It has been a very long day and I am so looking forward to this weekend.