Crazy Week

This last week ended up being a crazy week, so I'm already slacking on my cooking/baking duties. I'm sorry I'm a little elate on this post. There has been a lot going on this week at work, so I wasn't home much. I did get three of five recipe made, so this next week I'll have to get seven done.
So I made Orange Julius for me and my roommie, but forgot about pics until after we had drank them. We all know what they look like though. I've probably made one for most of you at some point, so if not, let me know and I will make you some.
The other two recipes I made were cookies... my office loves me. I don't want them at my house so I've been taking my baking to work. Anyway, I made Jaime's pudding chocolate chip cookies. They are really pretty easy and really good. The recipe says you can use any flavor pudding, but I stuck w chocolate since I didn't know what to expect. Now I want to try a bunch of different pudding flavors to see how they taste. It's kind of cool to make these cookies, because the dough is super soft. It's not sticky soft, just soft. I don't know how to explain it but it's cool. It also makes a lot of cookies. I tried to take a side shot of the tupperware to show how many and that's after we had eaten quite a few and I had shared quite a few.
The second cookie I made was Heather's cinnamon swirl cookies. They are also really good. They taste like they look...a cinnamon roll that's a cookie. They took a little more effort than the pudding cookies(you have to roll each cookie after dipping one side in cinnamon). They totally worth it though! I actually like them a little better without the glaze, but Elise likes the glaze.
So, those are the recipes this week. I'll get started on my seven for this coming week asap. I also am trying to find the perfect occasion for "African". Those of you who have the cookbook know that it is a special recipe and should be treated as such. So if any of you have ideas for the occasion where African is served leave me a comment.

...and finally, those of you who haven't read my other blog or Leslie's blog, please check out Leslie's blog http://mosslifeisgood.blogspot.com/. She and her sisters are putting together hygiene kits to help those affected by the earthquake in Haiti. They could really use your help. You can donate time, money, or items. Please check out her blog. Thanks!!!

Not a Gang recipe but there are left overs if you come soon.

I've totally been in cooking/baking mode lately. It started w Thanksgiving and Christmas. This last year was a little funny. It just didn't feel Christmasy except for when I was baking some treat. So...I used any spare time I had baking. It hasn't stopped. I got lots of new kitchen stuff for Christmas, so Elise and I have been finding lots of recipes to try so that I can use my new gear. My favorite so far has for sure been my tart pan. It's seriously awesome! The bottom pops out so you don't have to worry about ruining the edges. Tonight I made a Chocolate Tart w Almond Shortbread Crust. I just thougth it was pretty so I wanted to show it. Plus I don't like dark chocoalte, so Elise needs some help eating it. If you have any fun recipes you want me to try out, let me know. I'm kind of lovin this.

Week 1 cont...

Sat evening to finish off what I thought was my five recipes, I made the Cafe Rio Salad Dressing. I kind of love this recipe it's so good and it's pretty easy. All you have to do is chop a few things and then you dump it all into a blender and blend. The hardest part for me was finding a grocery store that had tomatillos. Randomly enough it was a target...how can you not love that place.
Anyway, the Cafe Rio Dressing is pure heavan. We've been eating it on everything. I am considering trying to make a healthier version because of how much I love it. I'll keep you posted if I go down that road. It makes quite a bit though, so it may be a little while.

Week 1

This week, my roomie and I had a movie marathon on Saturday so I made most of the recipes for that. I made Taylor's Rolo Cookies, Stuffed Mushrooms, Raspberry Pretzel Salad, and Best Lemon Cake. I was going to make Queen Stella's punch, but I didn't look at needed ingredients until Friday and didn't have time to go to Pirate O's to get pssion fruit syrup.

So Taylor's rolo cookies are quickly becoming one of my favorite treats to make. They're super quick and easy and they're always a hit. In fact, that's how I got the Qwest guy to give us a discount on our internet...that and maybe being his friend helps. Anyway I decided to include pics of each thing. The cookies are very pretty because I had already put them away.

The stuffed mushrooms were my own recipe, so they were pretty easy. (and as I was typing this I looked to see which kind of sausage I said to use...however I learned that it's not my recipe it's Leslie's so I have not made that kind before...oops!) we'll just move on.

Suzie's Best Lemon Cake was really good. My friend Kim from work wanted to bring something so I told her to just pick a recipe and we could make it together so that I could still count it and she picked best lemon cake. She brought all the ingredients with her including the oil premeasured. The only problem was that there was a little surpirse in the oil...
If you can't see it, there is hair in it. We laughed pretty hard at that yummy treat. Don't worry we didn't use that oil. Anyway the cake was yummy, we were a little unsure if we frosted it right. I've always used glaze type frostings for bundt cakes so it we were supposed to frost it like that you'll have to let me know Sue.The Raspberry Pretzel Jello Salad was the true hit of the party though. Seriously when Elise picked it I though I was way to classy for that. But, like African, I had to make every recipe in the cookbook. And though I seriouslt have enjoyed it and eaten way too much I want to know who came up with this. Chunks of fruit and veggies in Jello is random enough but who though to mix pretzels into the combo? Well whoever they are they were truely inspired (prob by the relief society spirit). Most every one commented how it reminded them of their childhood. Pam wasn't huge on Jello salads so for me it was a brand new experience but a pleasant one. Thank Nick!

And we begin...

So, I know I've told a few of you about this blog but for those I haven't I'll give a quick run down. This Christmas "the Gang" put together our some of our favorite recipes and made our own cookbook.

I thought I was pretty funny and decided I would take a page from Julie and Julia and make every recipe in the cookbook. There aren't many rules except I have to go through at least 5 recipes a week. That's about it...