Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies

Well I'll be a monkey's uncle, Valentine's Day is Sunday!

I made these cookies and shipped them out with my fingers crossed that they would make the journey across the country safe and sound. Just a little shout out to the parentals thanking them for loving me and for all they do to support me =)

Here are some things that I love, in case I forget:

My parental units

My friends

Snow

Thunder

Storms

Fireplaces

Sweatpants

Baking

Cookies

Frozen yogurt

Down comforters

Friends on DVD

Margaritas

Nacho night

Dancing

Ballet

My stepmom's pizza

Jilly, my puppy dog

Running

Dinner time

Spider solitaire

Being silly

Sore muscles

Dark nail polish

The train that goes straight from Queens to Brooklyn (oh, wait! It doesn't exist! You MTA douchbags...)

Blogging

Swimming

Red wine

Christmastime

Fuzzy boots

That's all I got for now! Happy Valentine's Day on Sunday!

Doughnuts and a Blizzard

Woo hoo hoo hoo! Did we get some snow yesterday or what?! It looked to me like it ended up being about 12 inches in Queens. And everyone on my way to work this morning was shoveling. Suckers!


I, luckily, don't have to shovel because I don't own my apartment. That's why I get to call the shovelers "suckers". Also, just because I'm nice!

I trecked my way into work yesterday for a full hour before they closed our office. Que suerte!

I got the chance to get out to the park by my apartment and take some pictures. There were some people out tubing, sledding and building snowmen.



My favorite though, was the people who were out for a run.

Let me repeat myself: OUT. FOR. A. RUN. IN A BLIZZARD! Are you nuts?? I wanted to slap them and shove a doughnut down their throats.

Anyways, after I trudged myself home from work, I found it to be an excellent opportunity to make doughnuts. That pesky Pioneer Woman put it into my head earlier this week. It's not my fault.

I definitely can't explain the doughnuts any better than she can, so you can go there to see the step by step tutorial she put together. What a kewl gal.

But before you click over, emmerse yourself in the deliciousness:


And oh boy oh boy! Were these dudes delicious! I was pretty proud of my success, but I didn't even realize how proud I was allowed to be until these disappeared a full .2 seconds after I set them out at work. Such a fun project for a snow day!

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip and Cinnamon Cookies

It's pretty hard to write this with the blizzard taking place outside my window right now. Literally. We are supposed to get up to 18 inches of snow! I've never seen that much in my life! More on that tomorrow...

Today: Cookies! (typical)

These are good peanut butter cookies, especially the day off. They are crisp on the outside and wonderfully chewy on the inside. I think the consistency of these cookies were perfect. Next time I may up the peanut butter content, because, lets face it: I'm a peanut butter lover. The cinnamon is definitely apparent and it such an interesting spice to find in peanut butter cookies. I really liked it though!

Peanut Butter, Chocolate Chip and Cinnamon Cookies

Adapted from Martha Stewart's Cookie Book

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.

Put the butter and peanut butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until combined, about 2 minutes. Add sugars; mix 2 minutes. Mix in eggs. Gradually add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and vanilla until well distributed. Refrigerate dough until slightly firm, 15 minutes. 

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Space balls 2 to 3 inches apart on baking sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake until golden, about 13 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks to cool. 

Mighty Kate CD Release

No sweets for today. Actually I have some but I am withholding because I have the power. Mwhahahah!

Just kidding. Actually, my awesome voice teacher, Katy Pfaffl, had a CD release show last night for her new album "Mighty Kate".

A little background on Katy: she basically taught herself how to sing and how to play the guitar, piano and violin. AND how to do several at the same time. It's nuts! I had to turn around and say to my friend in the middle of a song that it is unnecessary for someone to have that much talent. Especially someone so tiny! She told me to shut up and listen to the rest of the show.

I obeyed and was mesmerized by Katy's talent and love for what she does. It was so much fun to see her presenting and rocking out to her music. If you want to check out her album, it's available on I-Tunes.

What is my friend Whit's response to Katy's new album? Thumbs up! And that means a lot because her thumb is freeeeezing from the icy temperatures here!

Superbowl Cookies

Unlike most other bloggers out there, I, being the splendiforous person I am, post superbowl recipes AFTER the superbowl. It's my way of being a rebel.

And don't even think its because I procrastinate too much to make things ahead of time! Cause that's not the reason and even if it was, I would never admit it (except I would and it is).

I made these cookies with the usual recipes. And Spice even helped me decorate this time! Although I think she thought it was too stressful and I'll probably be on my own decorating from now on!

Cookie Recipe

Royal Icing Recipe

Spice and I journeyed to Hoboken, New Jersey to watch the superbowl at Spice's boyfriends' apartment. That pretty much came down to Spice, me and 10 boys. It was a good time =)

Once the boys sat down, they didn't move other than to refuel on food, of which there was a ton!

Spice and her bf gave a thumbs up to the Saints in the second half. Don't tell them they look adorable. I never do. =)

The boys seemed to enjoy my cookies. Just look at what Ryan is thinking here. And ignore the fact that I totally made it up.

Lastly, I had an epic adventure back home after the game last night. I'll share the hoola hoops I had to jump through to get to my front door later this week!