Oatmeal and "K"raisin Cookies

So!  When Kate was over this past weekend, we took an oatmeal raisin cookie recipe and made it with craisins instead of raisins!  And since these cookies were made by the Kaminski girls - they are now called Oatmeal and "K"raisin cookies!  My sister has a talent for cooking - she has loved it for as long as I know.  I can't even remember - but for one Christmas when she was like 12 years old, my parents bought her a starter cooking set from Emeril.

So, I figured a great little time for us to spend together was making cookies together for a Sunday night dessert while watching the football games.

I used this one cookbook I got from my mom right when I got engaged to Zachary.  It's a bridal edition cookbook from Betty Crocker.   I love love love this cookbook - it is probably my most favorite one.  It explains things so easily for you and helps you really learn how to bake and cook.  It's really great for beginners and for meals for just two people!  I really suggest it as a great wedding shower gift if you are looking for one!

It's special edition from the "Big Red" Betty Crocker cook book!

Kate and I had a lot of fun making the cookies!  See below:

Kate reading off instructions to me in the kitchen and then helping scoop the dough onto the baking sheets!

So here is the recipe that is so so so good:

Ingredients:

2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar

2/3 Cup Brown Sugar

1/2 Cup butter, softened

1/2 Cup Shortening

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 large eggs

3 Cups quick-cooking or old -fashioned oats

1 Cup all-purpose flour

1 1/4 Cup craisins (if you want to use raisins instead - the recipe calls for 1 Cup raisins)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. In a large bowl, beat all ingredients except oats, flour, and craisins with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon.  Stir in oats, flour, and craisins

3. On ungreased cookie sheet, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.

4. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until light brown.  Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

I have to say - these are absolutely delicious!!!!  So yummy and they taste better because of the love put into them!  I had so much fun making them with Kate!  I miss baking with her and my mom!

Yeah for cookies!
xoxo Sarah

Sister Sister!

This past weekend - as I was fighting my cold - my one and only sister Kate came down for our 2nd annual Kaminski sister weekend.  We decided to keep it local in the Chicago area.  We had a lot of fun and did some touristy activities including going to the top of the Sears tower - yes, the Sears tower is now called the "Willis" Tower.

View from the highest building in the Western Hemisphere - and then Kate and I in the glass boxes over the city of Chicago!

After having a fun Friday off of work and having some quality bonding time, we were able to go down tot he city again on Saturday to wish Zach's friend (and mine) Miles a happy birthday and good luck on the move as he heads to Columbus, OH!  We will miss you Miles!

Best friends forever and Zach being silly - Thanks honey :)

Then on Sunday - we were able to just relax watch some football and make some awesome cookies which my next post is about!  

I miss Kate all the time and wish I could see her everyday!  I hope she knows that - she is my best friend and I love her more than anything!

Yeah for Kate!

xoxoxo Sarah

Bakerella's Chocolate Breakfast Biscuits

Hey everyone!

I am so sorry that I have been MIA this past week.  I have been fighting a bad bad cold :(  So it has been hard to just look at the computer and write!  For those that are fighting colds right now - I feeeeel your pain! If anyone has great suggestions on home remedies for bad colds - I think everyone would appreciate your comments!

Anywho!  The other weekend - pre-cold - I made these chocolate breakfast biscuits that I have had my eye on for quite a while!  I got the recipe from Bakerella.  She is more known for her cake pops which are each individually a piece of art - take a look - and prove me wrong :)

Click HERE for the recipe.

This tasty fun sweet breakfast treat is great not just in the morning that you make them - but can be warmed up the next day to eat on your way to work!  It's super delicate and has this French feel to it!

Enjoy this breakfast surprise!

Happy biscuit baking!

xoxo Sarah

Remembering...

This past week was the 2nd anniversary of my Grandma passing away.  She, being the extremely religious woman she was, passed away on November 1st, otherwise known as "All Saints Day."  Just thinking back on her and her life, make me thankful for knowing such a wonderful woman.

Now that it has turned to November, Thanksgiving is coming up.  Of course I love the Black Friday deals and shopping, but over the past couple years I have remember to give thanks for all the wonderful amazing things in my life as well as the trials that have made me stronger.  I am thankful for a loving husband who is my best friend and life.  I am thankful for my amazing family - my mom, dad, sister and of course Beau the dog.  Without them, I would be nothing.  I am thankful for my extended family - the Kaminskis, the Koszalinski, the Campillos, and the O'Haras.  I am thankful for my home and warmth and food.  I am thankful for my job and my husband's job.  I am thankful for being able to see, hear, smell, taste all the wonderful things this world has to offer.  There is so much more I can list as well, but then what would I say I'm thankful for on Thanksgiving Day!?

Take some time out of your day to realize how thankful you are for the things you have in your life.  Be Thankful.  What are you thankful for?

Source: HERE

Happy to be thankful!
xoxo Sarah

Easiest French Onion Dip

Now - everyone might know this secret already, but I did not prior to meeting my husband and his family.  They love love love French onion dip for chips!

All you need are any kind of plain chips - and then to make the dip - one 16 oz. tub of light source cream and one packet of dry French onion soup mix.  Wah la! Delicious!  It's that easy - and that fast.

I recommend using any type of Kettle Cooked Chip and Lipton's French Onion Soup Mix.

Just thought I'd share a fav snack for any get together we host!

Happy Chip Dip making!
xoxo Sarah

Skinny Pumpkin Shooters!

I am so so so excited to share this recipe from SkinnyTaste!  This has turned out as one of my new fav fall recipes - it's quick, easy, and great for a big group of people!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Shooters!!!  Click HERE for the recipe!  We didn't have double shot glasses, so I used these little iced tea glasses I got as a gift from my mom and sister and they worked perfectly!!!

Just the perfect fall dessert for a large group of people!

I made these this past weekend when we had our friends Conor and Morgan over for football on Sunday!  They loved them too!  This recipe literally tastes like pumpkin pie in a glass! I highly suggest making it! It's definitely going to be a fall staple in our house!

Happy Pumpkin!
xoxo Sarah

Skinny Spooky Spider Cupcakes

So to celebrate Halloween this year, I decided to make cupcakes!  I have been doing a lot of recipes lately from the blog SkinnyTaste - so there are going to be quite a few posts from that blog - including this one!

I saw these cupcakes and I thought they were so cute I have to make them!  I didn't have eyes for the cupcakes, but they still turned out really cute and I got a lot of compliments on them in my office!  It is the craziest recipe though for the cupcake - just cake mix, pumpkin, and water!  Easy, light, and soft!

Click HERE for the recipe!

I cute the licorice with a kitchen shears - i'm sure there are black licorice pull n' peels as well!

Happy Halloween Treat Making!

xoxo Sarah