Graduation Cookies & Family Time!

This weekend was my younger cousin Sam's high school graduation!  So the whole family was in town to go to his party.  I said I would make some cookies, so I just wanted to share some with you!  I made sugar cookies, brownies with fudge icing, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and peanut butter.  You know... the basics!  

All the cookies are wrapped up and ready to go!  

When we get together, we always like to get a picture of all the cousins with Gramma.  My one cousin was coming to the party later, so unfortunately he was not in the picture.  I guess I will have to photoshop him in later!  :-)  

There is the High School Graduate in the gray shirt.  Congratulations Sam!!!  Have fun in college!

Just playing a little Corn Hole with Jeff, my sister Gail and brother in law Dave.  It was SO hot this day!  We got a little burnt and only played for a little because we wanted to go back in the shade.  Oh and I hate to even add this, but Jeff and Gail beat Dave and me.  And I mean they beat us really bad!  It wasn't Dave's fault... it was totally mine!  :-/  I don't think I even scored us any points.  Looks like someone needs some more practice! Oh well... it was fun and that's all that really matters right?!

Here is my family!  

Left to right:  My brother in law Dave, sister Gail, Dad, Mom, me and Jeff.  

And Bailey was of course with us, but she had to stay home.  No dogs allowed at this party!  She loves the country though... so much room to run around and lots of birds, bugs and animals to chase!  

On Saturday night, we let Bailey meet the chickens for the first time.  And let's just say they will never meet again!!  My mom has 8 chickens and one of them happens to be named Annie.  :-)  

Well, as soon as the chickens were close enough, Bailey pounced and chased Annie for a few scary seconds.  Luckily Annie got away, but Bailey was right on her tail!!!  It would have been really sad for me if Bailey killed Annie of all the chickens!  I got to pick which one was Annie when they were only 2 days old! Thank goodness she didn't!  But she sure did have fun chasing them!  ;-)

I hope everyone has been enjoying the beginning of summer!!  I had a really nice weekend with my family!  My sister lives in Boston so it is always nice when we are all in town together!  

Fast and Easy Mozzarella Sticks & A Roadtrip With The Dog

Hi there!  Last weekend my hubby had to go away for work, and I was headed back to PA after Easter.  Bailey was going to have to go to a kennel for the weekend and neither of us wanted her to go there.  After all, she was a rescue dog and was so sad when she was in the shelter.  She is such a happy dog when shes with us and we didn't want her to think she was going back to the shelter... even if it was just for the weekend.  I think I am turning into a very protective dog Mama!  Haha.  I'm a little crazy...

So I decided I would just bring her home to Pittsburgh with me.  I wasn't too sure if I would even be able to do this since we would be driving over the border.  But after some online research and talking to someone who had done the same thing, I realized I should have no problem taking her with me.  I "doggie proofed" my car.  I put towels down and then put a sheet over the whole back seat.  I wasn't really too worried about my seats getting ruined, but I just wanted to make a nice little cozy place for her back there.  Her smaller bed went back there too.  And of course some toys!

We headed out on our 7 hour drive.  Bailey was really good in the car.  I was a little unsure about how often I would need to stop for her to stretch and go to the bathroom.  So on the way down, we stopped 3 times.  She didn't go to the bathroom once.  I guess she was a little nervous about the long drive.  

The first half of the drive she moved around a lot.  She wasn't too sure what she should do, but started to relax half way through and just laid down and slept most of the way home.  

When I looked back and she was sleeping like this, oh my... My little heart just melted.  She looked so cute!  I know... some of you may be thinking I sound crazy talking like this about a dog, but I don't have kids so she's my baby!

We have to drive on the turnpike for a good hour and a half or two hours.  As soon as you get off, there is a rest stop.  With these "No Pets" signs all over the place.  It was the only rest stop for a couple hours and you can't let your dog out?!  I don't think so...  I parked right in front of the sign and took her out for a walk.  As long as you clean up after your dog and they are on a leash I see no reason for not letting pets get out of the car.  Oh well.  

Once we got off the highway, I was able to open the window because she LOVES sticking her head out of the window.  She probably stood there for the last hour of the drive!  Haha.  You can notice all the drool marks on the window!

Ahhh... finally we got home!  I live out in the country so there were a lot of other animals for Bailey to see and try to chase.  She was on a leash but that didn't stop her from trying to get all the horses!  Here she is barking at the horses going down the road.  

Bailey's favorite thing... trying to catch the birds at the bird feeder!

And her big stick she found... and loved!

We always say that she gets this from me, or that from the hubby.  Well... she hates getting her picture taken just like her dad!  I guess who can blame a dog though... they don't have a clue about pictures!

She loves to jump up on the door when she wants to come inside.  It's so cute!

We made it back to Canada safe and sound a few days later.  She loved having so much room to run in the country though!  And she slept pretty much the whole ride home!  Sorry... I know that was A  LOT of dog pictures!  :-)  

Now for the food....

These Mozzarella sticks are SO easy and fast to make!  And they are only a few ingredients.  

Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredients:

• 4 string cheese
• 1/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
• Dash of Paprika
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 can pizza sauce, or tomato sauce of your choice
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Directions:

1. Cut the string cheeses in half.
2. Place bread crumbs and spices in a bowl, mix.  And the egg in another bowl.
3. Heat a frying pan over medium heat.  Pour the oil in so that it just covers to bottom of the pan.
4. Dip the cheese sticks in the egg mixture, and then the bread crumb mixture to coat.  Repeat a second time if you like.  
5. Heat pizza sauce or tomato sauce until hot.  
6. Fry the mozzarella sticks until golden brown on all sides and remove from pan immediately.
7. Serve the mozzarella sticks with the sauce while still hot.  
8. Enjoy!

So delicious and these take 10 minutes or less to make!  This recipe is very easy to double or triple too!  This is such an easy appetizer to make.  We gobbled these up pretty quickly and you will too!  

Cinnamon & Sugar Bread

Hi there!  I know I have not been posting very much lately.  I managed to leave the battery and charger for my camera somewhere, and luckily was able to have it sent to me but it took awhile to get here.  So I have not been able to take pictures for almost 2 weeks!  But I am back and have lots of pictures now.  So today I wanted to share with you some bread that I made.  

Cinnamon and Sugar Bread!  YUM!  We made this bread at the bakery that I used to work at.  And there is this restaurant by my house that I love their cinnamon french toast!  So many different ways to enjoy this bread too!  I eat it just sliced while it is still warm out of the oven, toasted with butter, as french toast and especially as bread pudding!  

Cinnamon & Sugar Bread

Use this bread recipe.  

For the cinnamon sugar mixture, I mixed 3 tbsp. sugar and 1 tbsp. cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside.

Directions:

• Follow the directions for mixing the dough. 
• Proof in a bowl for 1 hour in a warm spot. 
• Turn the dough out onto the counter and press the dough into a rectangle.  (Picture below)  I use a 9"x5" loaf pan and I make the dough line up with however wide my pan is.  I just use my hands to press the dough into a rectangle, but you can use a rolling pin too!
• Sprinkle all the cinnamon sugar mixture onto the dough and spread out.  Leave an inch at the top without any cinnamon sugar so it will stick together once you roll it up.  
• Start rolling the dough from the opposite end, tucking and rolling tightly into a log.  
• Once you have rolled it all the way up, pinch the dough together at the seam.  
• Place the dough seam side down in the cooking sprayed pan.  Eggwash the dough.
• Preheat oven to 400 °.
• Let the dough proof for 30 minutes.  
• Bake for 30 minutes or until the internal temperature is 190°. 

Cinnamon & Sugar mixture

Dough pressed into a rectangle.

Cinnamon mixture on the dough leaving the inch border at the top.

Start rolling up the dough.

Pinch the dough together so it stays together while baking.

All set to go in the pan.

Dough placed seam side down.

After 30 minutes of proofing.

Once the top of the bread has started to brown, I insert the thermometer into the side and continue baking until it reaches 190°.

Actual temp 178°, Set temp 190°... not quite done!

Cooling on a rack.  

Mmm... ready to enjoy!  Use this bread to make Bananas Foster Bread Pudding... amazing!

And I had to throw in a couple of dog pictures!  Bailey just turned 1 year old on Monday.  The card we got her was made out of raw hide and had edible ink on it!  What a great idea.  And she LOVED it!  I got it from Walmart and it was only $1.50!  She doesn't seem to like too many kinds of treats, but she loved this!  

Birthday girl :-)

Oh and by the way... I only took the picture of her with the ribbon bow.  I took it away from her right away because I knew she would want to eat it!  She liked to try and eat everything these days.  

We went to the dog park yesterday and she had a blast!  I think she is still tired today because she isn't her normal crazy self.  Just moving a little bit slower today.  But I don't mind considering she normally has a TON of energy!  

A little bit of everything

Hi there!

Well, since getting our dog Bailey last week, I have not been doing too much baking.  I have made a few loaves of bread (which I am really getting into!) and I made some yummy chocolate chip cookies because they are one of the hubby's favorites.  

I am back in Pittsburgh for a bit.  I had to get a physical as a part of my immigration process.  You can only get the physical from a doctor that they approve of.  And it just so happens that there are only 2 doctors to choose from in the state of Pennsylvania!  Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.  I am lucky that I live in Pittsburgh so it was relatively close.  It would suck living in the middle of the state and having to travel hours just to go to the doctor!  But I got my physical yesterday and headed home.  

I got home and looked at the paper they gave me(it was one of those papers where there is a couple of sheets and you write on the top one and it transfers to the rest).  Well... I realized that the doctor was supposed to have me sign after he filled everything out.  And I did not sign.  Sigh... So I drove almost 2 hours round trip just to sign the piece of paper.  Better that I caught it now, and not after they already sent it in to the immigration office.  That would have been a major delay!

The drive wasn't a total waste though.  I stopped at Walnut Street in Shadyside (a trendy little area close to Pittsburgh) to do a little shopping.  I got some mini cupcakes at a bakery called Prantl's.  They are known for their Burnt Almond Torte.  I got Burnt Almond, German Chocolate, Chocolate Sour Cream and Red Velvet. I didn't have my camera so I have no pictures!  :-(  But they were yummy!

Last night, there was a crazy lightning show!  It lasted for hours.  It didn't rain at all while I was still awake, but it had rained over night.  I took some little videos with my camera.  They barely do it justice, but I thought I would share.  It was so cool to watch!  I love a good thunderstorm!

Oh, and please don't mind the tv noise in the background!

Now that we have a new dog, I had to get us all new Easter baskets!  This little one in front is hers, and then there is one for my hubby and me!  We have other baskets, but they don't match.  I have my Easter basket from when I was a kid (my Mom gave it to me a couple years ago) and I waited too long last year to buy Jeff one, so all I could find was a bucket!  Haha, so he had an Easter bucket instead of basket.  But since this will be our first Easter since we have been married, I wanted to get new baskets.  These actually were a gift from my Mom.  We saw them at Michael's the other day and we had to get them!  Haha.  

We saw them when we first walked in.  We had checked out, and as we were walking out we saw them again.  So we had to go back and buy them.  I love that they are such pretty Easter colors!  

I stopped by Grove City Outlet Mall the other day.  It is a huge outlet mall about an hour north of Pittsburgh.   I got this purse from Fossil.  I love all the different fabric used and the colors are perfect for Spring and Summer!  I recently went from a big purse, to a smaller cross body purse.  I don't usually change my purse too often because I normally keep a bunch of stuff in there and it takes too long to switch.  But then, I found that sometimes I couldn't fit everything into the small purse.  So... this is my new purse.  I love it!

I also LOVE stopping at the outlets.  It is conveniently located right along my drive from Pittsburgh to Canada.  Such great values.  Sometimes you find things from the season from the year before, but everything is priced so well that what does it really matter?!  I do a lot of my clothes shopping there these days!  I actually recently saw a shirt at the J Crew there for $20 that I bought almost a year earlier at the J Crew at the mall for $50.  I mean c'mon now!  The exact.same.shirt.

Oh, and I had to put some pictures of Bailey on here!  She loves to sit on the couch like this and look outside.  Whenever one of us leave, she either waits by the front door or sits on the couch and watches out the window for us to come back.  

I mean, this is so cute right?!

She is such a sweet dog, but she can be quite a handful too.  First of all, she doesn't like to go outside by herself.  We have a small fenced in yard.  Enough room for her to run around and play a bit, but she wants someone out there with her.  The past few days, she will wait for us to walk out the door before she will so we don't trick her by shutting the door as soon as she goes out, and we stay inside.  She is very smart!  Haha.  Also, she just wants to be with someone 24/7.  It has been almost 2 weeks that we have had her, so I get that it's still new, and she didn't come from a good home.  But boy, can she be exhausting!  And I know this is nothing compared to having kids!  

But for now, she is my kid.  It's funny, because at night I lay on the couch and my hubby sits in a recliner.  The dog loves the couch, so she will lay with me most of the time.  The hubby sometimes gets a little sad that she won't come sit with him.  He is so good with her.  He will lay on the floor with her, but most times she just wants to be around me.  I tell him it's just because there is much more room on the couch, so we can both sit on there.  But I have been back in Pittsburgh for awhile, so he is getting some good bonding time with her!  

Here are the Chocolate Chip cookies that I made the other day.  So yummy!  I will share the recipe with you soon.  I left it in Canada so I have to get it first!  :-)  

Last of all, here are a couple pictures of my Mom's chickens and their eggs.  She got them last summer when they were just a day or two old, and right before Christmas they started laying eggs.  Now, my parents get between 5 and 8 eggs a day!  They always have lots of fresh eggs and even give them to neighbors and family because we can't eat them all!  She has 8 chickens in total.  4 of which are called Easter Eggers, and they lay different colored eggs!  Each chicken will have their unique color of eggs.  They can be green, blue or pink.  All of hers happen to lay green eggs, but they are have their own, unique shape and color so she can tell whose eggs are whose!

The chickens running around the yard!

Lots of eggs in her basket!

Anyways, that has been a little of what I have been doing instead of baking lately!  I love to bake, but also love so many more things.  I like that I can share those parts of my life and hobbies on here too!  

Hope you have a great day!  Come back soon!