A Few More Favorite Things

Happy Monday and Happy Spring Break!
Today is the first day of my son's spring break, and we've been having a good time. We started off by sleeping in a bit, pancakes for breakfast, Star Wars Angry Birds on the iPad, coloring on a huge piece of butcher paper, backyard fun, lunch, chocolate chip cookies, bath-time, and now nap-time! Whew! I thought I'd use this little break and write about a few of my favorite things.
As I mentioned in my last post, chocolate and butter make the top of my list, so it seems only right that I share with you my very favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe and a few of the supplies I love to use when baking cookies.
1. I LOVE having large cookie sheets to bake on. I have 4 of these baking sheets and I bought them at Sam's Club. They are perfect for cookies and can also be used for sheet cakes because they have a 1 inch lip all the way around.

2. Parchment Paper is a must-have in my kitchen! Have you tried it? There are a couple of different brands available here and I like them equally. Parchment paper helps cookies to brown evenly, but what I love most about it is that it keeps me from having to clean my cookie sheets!

3. Cookie scoops are my BFF. I use both of the scoops shown in the picture below on a frequent basis. The larger is perfect for big, fat chocolate chip cookies. The smaller is just right for, well, smaller cookies. Rocket science, right? Anyway, these scoops are from Pampered Chef, and they are great. Scooping your cookie dough helps the cookies to be uniform in size and to bake evenly.

4. I really like having a cooling rack for my cookies and cakes. This cooling rack, also from Pampered Chef, is a great kitchen tool. After allowing the cookies to set for a minute or two, I remove them to the cooling rack, then I'm ready to scoop more dough onto my parchment paper-lined cookie sheets.

And, last but certainly not least, is my very favorite Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe!!!
INGREDIENTS:
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla (I used homemade vanilla extract, another one of my favorite things!)
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup 60 % dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. In a metal mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of your mixer, cream together both sugars and melted butter. Add the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk and beat to combine. Mix in the dry ingredients until just blended. Add in the chocolate chips until just combined. Using your cookie scoop, drop even scoops of dough onto your cookie sheets and bake for 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies. When I use my larger scoop, it takes every bit of 15 minutes for my cookies to bake. Remove from oven and let cookies set for 1 minute, then remove to a cooling rack. Eat and Enjoy!
~Jennifer

Favorite Thing #2

So Jen blogged about her love of her Kitchen Aid mixer and I couldn't agree more.  I love my mixer too!  Today, I will be sharing some of my favorite cleaning supplies.  BORING....right???  WRONG!!!!  I don't think anyone always loves the process of cleaning (I admit, I do sometimes), but no one will argue that having a sparkling clean bathroom, or an organized closet doesn't make them feel more at peace.

This isn't a knock off Pinterest post.  I 'm not going to be teaching you how to make your own laundry detergent and carpet cleaner.  Instead, I'm sharing some of my favorite - GASP- store bought supplies.

Here they are....

1.  Favorite all purpose cleaner is  Watkins Lemon Cleaner.  You can find it at Target.  It does a great job of getting rid of grime, but the best part is the smell!  I'm a sucker for anything lemon.  It reminds me of spring and summer.

2.  Favorite carpet cleaner is Basic H from Shaklee. It's not advertised as a carpet cleaner, but as a great all purpose cleaner.  It is both!  Shaklee is sold through independent distributors (if you need a name, I've got one).  I've used it on carpets, upholstery, sinks, counters, and mirrors. It's non-toxic and it's WONDERFUL!!!!  And you can't beat the price!  It's $16 per bottle, but it's super concentrated.  Mine will last me about a year, and like I said, I use it for everything!


3.  Favorite scrubber is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser.  It really is magic!  It shines up bath tubs, gets rid of soap scum and marks on walls.  It cleans tennis shoes great, and even your oven.  Try them!  You can buy them in bulk at Costco.  

Happy Cleaning!!!!

~Emily

A few of my favorite things: Baking Necessities

Hello Readers! Tonight I want to share with you a few of my favorite baking items:

1. CHOCOLATE
2. HEAVY CREAM
3. SUGAR
4. BUTTER
5. MY TREADMILL

Ok, I guess most registries do not include treadmills, chocolate and butter, but maybe they should.

First and foremost, I LOVE my Kitchen-aid Mixer. I have the 5 quart artisan mixer, with the standard paddle attachment, dough hook, beater, and I have an extra mixing bowl. Not only is this mixer good looking, but it gets used on a regular basis in my kitchen. I have been mixing up decadent cakes and chewy cookies, whipping cream to top chocolate pies, and kneading pizza and cinnamon roll dough with this bad boy for nearly 10 years now....and it's still going strong. That, my friends, is a good investment. Should you put it on your registry? You bet! You might just have a group of hostesses go in together on the mixer, an adoring grandma, great aunt, rich uncle, etc. who wants to spend the big bucks on you and your fiance, or....you may be able to get it at a discount because it was on your registry. In my case, my husband and I received enough Dillard's gift-cards that we were able to purchase the mixer after our wedding. Woohoo! A few years later, I received a second mixing bowl from my sweet mother-in-law, and it has been awesome! I highly recommend having a second bowl, it makes things so much easier when baking, as you will often need to switch back and forth between bowls of ingredients. Definitely check out the various Kitchen-aid mixers that are on the market, as they come in a wide array of colors and there are several design options, as well.
**This has not been a paid advertisement, although I welcome the thought.

I would also highly recommend registering for several glass mixing bowls, cookie sheets, a cooling rack or two, nice spatulas and wooden spoons. All of the above can be found at most retail kitchen stores and at lower price points. Add in a selection of potholders, kitchen towels, and various utensils, and you're sure to receive a well-appointed kitchen gift-basket. You'll be baking up some love in the kitchen in no-time flat.
~Jennifer

A Few of Our Favorite Things Series: Part 1

Is everyone having a good Wednesday?  I know I am!  I finally have some energy after that terrible, horrible, no good, very bad, stomach bug.  The sun is shining (even though it's 30 degrees outside) and my kids are all resting at the same time!

So, last week I put a teaser on our blog that Jen and I are starting a new series called "Our Favorite Things."  I know what you're thinking, and yes, Oprah did steal that from us.  This June my little sister and Jen's little sister are marrying identical twins.  I guess that sort of makes Jen and I related, which is what we've always wanted, and aside from her son marrying one of my daughters, this is how it's going to have to happen :)  Moving on......

Kerri (my sister) had asked me for some tips on registering for her wedding.  And here they are in no particular order, my 5 rules for brides and grooms registering.

1.  Register at a variety of stores.  Stores that have the option of ordering online and shipping. This is so convenient for out of town family and guests who may not be able to make it to a shower or the wedding.  And pick at least one store like Target, Walmart, or Bed Bath and Beyond that are easily found in most cities and towns.

2. Register for items in a variety of price points.  If all you register for is deluxe china, and crystal, you won't be getting a lot of items from your college roomies.  It's important to be respectful of people's budgets.  Giving them the option of buying you a $15 can opener instead of a $75 place setting of china, will make your gift giver feel like they've gotten you something you really wanted because it came from your registry.

3. Register for things that you really want.  You may not get everything off your registry, but you might as well put it on there.  A lot of stores give you the option of purchasing the remaining items off your registry at a discounted price after the wedding.

4.  Ask the department stores what perks they have for you, if you register with them.  For example, Macy's does free makeovers for everyone in your bridal party the day of the wedding.  Keep in mind I'm not a spokesperson for Macy's, so if they've changed their policy- sorry :)

5. Quality matters!!! With some items, it may not matter if they're top of the line, but with some it does matter.  You might not need that 50,000 count Egyptian silk sheet set for $200, but you WILL need a vacuum that can do it's job well.  You may not need that $25 Ralph Lauren bath towel, but you WILL need a blender that works for years to come.  Keep in mind when to splurge on quality and when a less expensive version might do.

Hopefully, this helps some of our brides to be, sisters of the brides, mothers of the brides, grooms of the brides, dads of the brides, dogs of the brides.  You get the idea.

Stay tuned for Jen posting about one of her favorite things next!!!

~Emily

14 Days of Valentines: Day 14- The Greatest Love

I would feel remiss, if in these 14 days of valentine posts, I didn't post about TRUE LOVE.  I'm not talking about the mushy, gushy feelings you have towards your significant other, or your kids, I'm talking about perfect love.  The kind of love that is unconditional, unwavering, and comes from above.  God's love.  He loves us in the deepest way possible.  A way in which we can not comprehend. 

Here are some wonderful reminders of God's great love for His children and the love He expects us to show to others.

1 John 3:3- See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 

1 John 3:16-This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? ¹⁸ Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.


1 John 4:10-This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. ¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. ¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.


And of course we are given a wonderful definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. 
LOVE.....
Patient
Kind
Not envious
Not boastful
Not proud
Not selfish
Does not hold grudges
Not easily provoked
Rejoices with the truth
Hopes
Trusts
Endures


We can make the cutest crafts, whip up the tastiest desserts, decorate the most creative valentines cards, but if we haven't love, it profits us nothing.  Let us practice this perfect love on Valentine's Day and all the days thereafter.  

~ Emily

14 Days of Valentines: Day 13- Fun with a dictionary

A few days ago I was at my friend, Beth's house, and she had some darling decorations up in her home that I wanted to share on our blog.  Her husband is a teacher and he had brought home an old dictionary that he didn't need anymore, and thus her valentine decor was born.

Of course, I'm having technical difficulties, and I can't upload the pictures to our blog page, so if you visit my facebook page (Emily Alex Velez) you can see pictures of her adorable decor.

She cut out strips and shaped them into hearts and strung them onto rope to create a garland.  She also cut out hearts and modpodged them onto mason jars.  And if you know me, you know my love of mason jars.

Despite defacing a book (just kidding, Beth), she is a great example of how to use unexpected resources to create inexpensive holiday decorations.  Good work Beth, thanks for inspiring our readers!

~Emily

14 Days of Valentines: Day 12- Guilt free Valentine Dessert

Here is a SUPER easy way to please your Valentines!

1. Mix one box of any type of chocolate cake mix and one 15 oz can of pumpkin puree.
2. Mix until there are no more lumps.
3. Fill your muffin tin and bake for about 20 minutes at 325.  Makes 12 muffins.

Seriously!  That's it!  They are moist, and (from a non-pumpkin lover's perspective) they don't taste like pumpkin at all.  Shhhhhh......I will feed these to my kids for breakfast.  Make a bunch and freeze them, or give them away.  Can't get any easier than that!  Happy baking!

~Emily