So, I have a little story to tell you. It’s all about the time when I made cookies and sent them to other bloggers. Sounds fun, right? It was all part of The Great Food Bloggers Cookie Swap of 2012.

When you are baking for other people, other bloggers especially, there is a slight bit of pressure to make sure your reputation for cooking good food stays in tact. You really want everything to turn out perfectly. You do not, let’s say, want to accidentally put banana flavored instant pudding in your cookie dough when it’s supposed to be French vanilla instant pudding. You also do not want to realize you made the mistake until after you’ve put the cookies in the mail, come home and snatched your first bite of said cookies. No, no you don’t. (more…)

Is it possible to find happiness in a cookie?

When that cookie is a Rainbow Tie-Dyed Sugar Cookie, the answer is a resounding yes!

There’s even more joy found when the whole family gets in on the action, piecing off dough and contributing to the giant, multi-colored log of psychedelic cookie dough.

Makes me happy. How about you?

Complete instructions, including a fabulous sugar cookie recipe, can be found on the blog, Baked Bree.

Don’t you just love the vibrant colors? I highly recommend AmeriColor gel paste. You won’t find a better product out there, in my opinion!

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If you haven’t noticed by browsing Pinterest or your favorite food blogs lately, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. It seems the entire internet has erupted in a fit of red and pink!

I wouldn’t say I love Valentine’s Day. I learned long ago, after a little phone chat with a famous TV Doctor, that piling up huge expectations on your loved one for Valentine’s day is not the greatest idea in the world. I found that even though my husband treats me awesome, does really nice things for me all the time, does the laundry, helps with the kids, works really hard so I can stay home to work and care for our kids, helps clean house, buys me nice things, runs errands, deals with my occasional high maintenance moodiness, helps out with dinner, etc, etc, etc. I was often becoming disappointed on the one day out of 365 that he wasn’t quite hitting the mark.

Seems a little backwards, doesn’t it? Don’t get me wrong, I think it is fantastic that there is one special day out of the year to go out of your way to show someone you care about them, but putting all your expectations and hopes on that singular day is not what it should be all about. Look at what your Valentine does for you every other day of the year and I imagine you’ll find they measure up beyond what a dozen roses or a new necklace would be worth.

I’m pretty lucky that my Valentine is a simple guy. His favorite cookies, a bowl of ice cream and a back rub and he’s a happy camper. So, this is why I’m presenting to you my simple Valentine’s day recipe… my husbands favorite cookies. Soft & Chewy Vanilla Butter Cookies are exactly what their title says. They may not be red, heart shaped, or elaborate but sometimes keeping it simple is the best way to hit the mark.

Recipe: Soft and Chewy Vanilla Butter Cookies

You might think it is ironic that these butter cookies don’t actually have butter in them. I’ve tried experimenting with butter and have found that I can’t get the same softness and chewy texture with butter as I can with butter flavored Crisco.

• 1 cup Butter Flavor Crisco
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ tablespoons water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon butter flavor extract (optional)
• 3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat together Crisco, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, water, vanilla and butter-flavored extract until well mixed.
3. Add the flour, baking soda and salt to the mixing bowl and mix well.
4. Cover and refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.
5. Roll dough into 1 inch balls; slightly flatten and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
6. Place in preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until light brown. (Do not over bake. The key to these cookies is to take them out when they still look slightly under cooked. Allow them to cool and firm up on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack.)

It just dawned on me that of all the years I’ve been blogging, I have never shared our absolute favorite recipe for cutout sugar cookies. I think the reason is, I never have an end picture. Either it’s dark by the time we are totally done decorating or we’ve eaten them all already, but for some reason, this recipe has never graced the pages of Dine & Dish.

You are ok if I share the recipe with you without an end picture, right? Will you take my word that this recipe yields sweet, buttery, perfectly soft sugar cookies? Actually, I do have an end shot in this post for Milk and Cookies Cocktail that I created for Simple Bites. Looks good, right?

I can’t take credit for this recipe. Long before I started Dine & Dish, I hung out over at AllRecipes and Recipezaar (now Food.com). This was one of the first cookie recipes I tried from AllRecipes and it is our go-to cutout sugar cookie recipe each holiday season! If you need a solid cut out sugar cookie recipe, you can’t go wrong with the one I’m sharing today. Happy baking!

The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies (From AllRecipes)

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

I’m so excited for the cookie baking stage of the holidays to begin. Last year, one of my favorite cookie creations were these Cinnamon Roll Cookies with Vanilla Glaze. How can you not love a cookie with a cinnamon roll twist? So good!

When Pillsbury sent a call out to a few bloggers to turn a favorite cookie recipe into one that can be made using their Pillsbury sugar cookie dough, I jumped on board. I love making the cookies from scratch but am also the first to love a good shortcut when it’s available.

These Simple Cinnamon Roll Cookies are so easy… just a few ingredients and quick to make, you’ll want to make sure you make room on your holiday cookie tray for this tasty treat.

Disclosure: I was compensated by Pillsbury for my time and ingredients to create the recipe. All opinions expressed are my own.

Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the outlandish, especially when it comes to kids. I forget that to get smiles on their faces, it doesn’t always require something big and grandiose.

In this day and age of elaborate kid parties, parents determined to outdo each other and hyped up hoopla, take some time to do something simple for your kids. It is often the most simple of things that get the biggest smiles!

I saw these Chocolate Dipped Oreo Cookies on a Stick over on Pinterest, which led me to the Hip Hip Hooray site.  Being the creatively challenged person that I am, I needed a little more direction (my cookies kept slipping off the stick). Chery from TidyMom came to the rescue by sharing this tutorial over on SheKnows.  Once I figured these out, it was approximately 10 minutes from start to smiles from my kids.

A little more fun than just plain Oreos, these Oreo Cookies on a Stick are a simple way to have some fun with your kids.

Oreo Cookies on a Stick

You’ll need:

• Oreo Cookies
• Melted dipping chocolate (I actually used vanilla almond bark, because I had that on hand)
• Sticks
• Sprinkles

For full instructions head over to She Knows and check out their simple tutorial.

I’m optimistically looking in my pantry and trying to figure out ways to get rid of all the hot chocolate mix I stocked up on during the frigid winter. My hope is that spring is here to stay and I won’t need to warm the kids up when they come in from playing outside with hot chocolate anymore. Of course, it just got done snowing, but I’m still eternally optimistic.

I’ve made Frozen Hot Chocolate, which is such a good warm weather treat. I’ve also seen Hot Chocolate popsicles , which are on my list to make as well. But what about baking with hot chocolate mix? Surely hot chocolate mix would be a perfect addition to cake or cookies?

Lucky for me, I stumbled across a recipe on Baked Bree that gave me a great starting point for some pretty amazing cookies. I made a few minor changes and the end result was hot chocolate in cookie form with marshmallows… perfect for the hot or cold months.

Pssst – don’t forget to head over to the Giveaway for the Kitchen Aid Pasta Press attachment!

Recipe: Hot Chocolate Cookies with Marshmallows (Inspired by Baked Bree)

• 2 sticks butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup hot chocolate mix
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups mini marshmallows

1. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until well incorporated.
2. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, hot chocolate mix, salt and baking soda.
3. Slow add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture. Mix until well blended.
4. Place by rounded teaspoon onto parchment lined baking sheets.
5. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until slightly firm.
6. As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, begin topping with marshmallows.
7. After cooling for a few minutes on the baking sheet, move to wire wrack until completely cool.
8. (I even went as far as to use my small kitchen blow torch to “roast” some of the marshmallows – yum!)

It was great while it lasted…

I know it was only yesterday that I was claiming my true love for all things snow. Yes, I threw around the word “Happiness” and how I was “present” with my kids. I even said “beautiful” and “Kansas” in the same sentence, which I believe is a first for me. Well happiness schmapiness…. that was yesterday and this is today and today, I am sick of the snow. I loved it for all of 24 hours and now I am 100% done with it, thank you very much. It can go back to Antartica, or where ever the heck it belongs because I am through.

Today, we were snowed in from school again, which is always great with me because I do love having my kids home. Instead of getting all sappy and all lovey dovey with the outdoors like I was yesterday, we stayed inside. We did not leave the house all day and today, we did what makes mama happy, which was spent time in the kitchen baking up yummy treats. I was still present with my kids, having fun, but I wasn’t out freezing my tail off in the process.

So yes, I am fickle and maybe a tad bit indecisive and lead by emotion sometimes, but as my daughter likes to say “That’s how God made me”. Maybe I’ll like the snow again tomorrow. Or maybe not. I do know one thing… these cookies using Hershey’s Toffee Bits will be on my love list for a long time to come!

Recipe: Hershey’s Toffee Bits Cookies (from the back of the Toffee Bits package)

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1-1/3 cups (8 oz. pkg.) HEATH BITS ‘O BRICKLE Toffee Bits

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with parchment paper.
2. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in toffee bits.
3. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

I have a sick little one this week, so most of our normal Christmas traditions have gotten pushed to the wayside as we simply try and keep up with getting her well before the big man in the red suit shimmies down our chimney. One such tradition is our annual Christmas picture, which hasn’t gotten done because I don’t think anyone wants to see a little cute puker with great big bags under her eyes.

So, in lieu of our annual holiday picture, our family of gingerbread took center stage to stand in for the Doyle picture and Christmas greeting to my Dine & Dish friends.

Thank you all so much for your support and friendship over this past year. I personally want to wish you a Merry Cheery Christmas and a new year full of inspiration, blessings and love. Happy Holidays!

I have used the Gingerbread cookie recipe from Sandy over at the Whistlestop Cafe for the past four years and will most likely never try another gingerbread recipe as this one is spot on. The hair on our family of gingerbread was inspired by my friend Bridget at the blog Bake at 350 (and she got her inspiration from Martha herself). The icing recipe comes from another lovely friend of mine, Amanda at the I Am Baker blog. And yes, I am the worlds worst cookie decorator, especially when compared to these talented friends, but I’m okay with that. I leave the too pretty to eat cookies up to them!

Sometimes as food bloggers, we try so hard to do something original or out of the ordinary with our recipes that the plain recipes… the classic recipes… get overlooked. As much as I love a touch of special, I also have to admit that some of the most basic and simple recipes are my favorite.

These chocolate cookies, for example, won’t stand out to anyone as being unique. It is a chewy, chocolate cookie. Delicious and extraordinary in flavor, but there is nothing special about this recipe. This cookie won’t make it on a list of most interesting cookies. It won’t win awards for the most unique blend of flavors, but I can guarantee you that it will win smiles from each and every chocolate lover who tastes them.

Sure, I could have added a sprinkle of sea salt on the top to make them stand out. I could have sandwiched a layer of french vanilla caramel in between them for that extra ounce of ooomph. Even better… I could have drizzled salted french vanilla caramel on top of them for the biggest punch of wow, but I didn’t. You see, these cookies… these tender, soft, chewy, chocolaty cookies, don’t need help from a fancier supporting cast. They, my friends, can handle the spotlight quite well on their very own. Take a taste and see… sometimes plain can be the most extraordinary flavor of all.

The recipe is after this  short, fun video with Linda Stahl, baking authority for Hershey’s test kitchens. Linda personally answered some of my most pressing questions about the ins and outs of Cookie Exchanges. This chocolate cookie is one of my contributions to an upcoming cookie exchange with friends…listen to Linda’s advice on how else to make a cookie exchange successful!

Recipe: Extra Special Chewy Chocolate Cookies

• 1 1/4 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened Hershey cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs then add the vanilla
3. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; gradually mix into the creamed mixture.
4. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined cookie sheets
5. Bake 9 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies will be soft and still look slightly doughy
6. Let set and cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes then remove from sheet onto wire rack to cool completely