LOTS of squealing going on in our house. . .

I hope you'll forgive this non-food related post, but this seemed like something blog worthy.

We're invited to a Halloween costume party and, of course, the first place I decided to check for ideas was Martha Stewart's website.

I started searching the section called "Your Best Halloween Costumes"...costume pictures sent in by readers.

And.
There.
He.
Is.

MY SON!!! On Martha's website!!! Oh, the screaming!

"J....YOU ARE ON MARTHA'S WEBSITE!!!"

deep breath. deep breath. deep breath. Is this what it feels like to win the lottery?

Thanks for letting me share. :) He's the traffic light (I think slide #12.)

Pumpkin season has begun!

It's official; it's pumpkin season. From the first sighting of the Starbucks Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins in September to the last day of November, this is my favorite baking (and eating) season.

I am a chocolate girl, but something about pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg...ooooo, it just makes me so happy!

Let me introduce you to my new love....Pumpkin Cream Cheese. For pumpkin lovers, THIS is how to start the day!

{I promise that little ♥-shape was an accident...the cream cheese loves me back apparently.}

Pumpkin Cream Cheese
(I found this idea at Gina's WW Recipes and adapted it b/c I didn't have agave or pumpkin pie spice.)

8 oz cream cheese, softened (1/3 less fat, ok)
1/2 c canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 & 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
4 TBSP brown sugar

Beat all ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate.


The great news is that you can make this and enjoy it all week. You know....this has me thinking about Pumpkin Spice Diet Killers. Hmmm.....

{Oh, and Starbucks...in case you are listening...can we please have the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin year-round? Pretty, please?!?}

Where I Shop. . . .Works For Me Wednesday

This week for WFMW, I thought I would share some of my favorite places to shop. This list is by no means exhaustive (I spend WAY too much time searching around for baking supplies). Also, these shops are not compensating me in any way for the mention.

Cookies & Baking:

Baking Supplies:
(Of course, Sur La Table and Williams-Sonoma are top hits on my GPS.)

• Layer Cake Shop...one of the two cutest online baking shops around!
• King Arthur Flour


• Bake It Pretty...the other of the two cutest baking shops around. Wait until you see the mustache cookie cutter I ordered from them!
  
• Sugar Craft (They basically have everything you need, although their site navigation is not my favorite. I've ordered lots of sanding sugar here.)
• Make-a-Cake (local)

Cookie Cutters:

• Copper Gifts
• Foose
• Little Fox Factory

Boxes & Shipping Supplies:

• Half Price Boxes of Houston (local)...several locations, the nicest owners!

Labels & Business Cards:

• this & that (etsy)
• Moo

Grocery Stores:

• HEB (in my humble opinion, the BEST chain in the area)
• Hubbell & Hudson (awesome gourmet market in my neck of the woods)
• Central Market

Everything Else:

• Amazon

Non-baking

Gifts:

• etsy (there is something neat about buying handmade and you can find something for everyone here!) Some of my favorites: Strawberry Luna, Made by Girl, My Lavaliere, and Saintly Silver.
  

Photography:

• Lucky Horseshoe Photography (local)...I may be a little biased when I say I love this photographer and she takes amazing photos of kids; she is my sister. But take a look at these pics of our son...they are my favorites, ever!

(Cook)Books & Music:

• the library (I'm a big believer in "test-driving" cookbooks.)
  
• Amazon (Great prices, free shipping over $25. What's not to love?)
  

Happy shopping! Be sure to check out the other Works For Me Wednesday posts at We Are THAT Family and you can find my WFMW archives here.

Kick {cancer's} Butt Cookies: LiveSTRONG with a Taste of Yellow 2009

This is my second year to participate in LiveSTRONG with a Taste of Yellow event hosted by Winos and Foodies.
LiveSTRONG with a Taste of Yellow is a blog event for wine & food bloggers to raise awareness of cancer issues and share stories. It is an official LiveSTRONG DAY (October 2nd) event.


Last year, I made Yellow Rose Sugar Cookies in honor of my mom, Gayle. You can read it here, and I'd love it if you would.

Thinking about this years' event, I kept coming back to the fact that cancer makes us warriors. All of us....doctors, nurses, researchers, fund raisers, families, and PATIENTS....we're all fighting.

That made me think of these cookies. They're feisty, they have a bite...they kick butt.

{They are also lemony, buttery and highly addictive. A perfect grown-up cookie!}

Here's to all of you warriors out there...go forth, kick butt...enjoy!

Kick {cancer's} Butt Cookies
(modified from King Arthur Flour's Citrus Sizzlers)

1 c unsalted butter (2 sticks)
1/2 c sugar
2 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 TBSP grated lemon zest
1 egg
2 & 1/4 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
sanding or regular sugar for dipping

Preheat oven to 400. Line cookie sheets with parchment.

Cream together the butter and the sugar. Beat in juice, zest and egg.

Combine the flour, pepper, salt and baking soda. Add to the butter mixture and beat on low until the dough comes together.

Roll dough into tablespoon-size balls; place on lined sheet. Gently flatten each ball slightly, using the bottom of a glass that has been lightly moistened and dipped in sugar. (I used yellow sanding sugar.)

Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on racks.

Who is keeping you company?. . . .Works For Me Wednesday

Here's a question for you....who keeps you company while you are baking/sewing/crafting?

I do a lot of my baking at night, after the kiddo is in bed. At night...Jerry & Elaine, Frasier & Niles, Deborah & Ray and the Girls & the City keep me company. Reruns are great because I've seen them all and I really don't have to lift my head from decorating to see the TV.

But during the day, I have to have some music on, and I must be able to sing along...loudly and out-of-tune! :)

{And here is where I need your help because these are hopelessly out of date! Luckily I have some mix-masters in the family who keep me current with mix CD's}

My favorite belt-'em-out-baking music:

• Domestic Science Club
  by Domestic Science Club...if this doesn't make you want to bake in pearls and heels, I don't know what will. Folksy, funny & sweet...perfect!
  
• Breakaway
  by Kelly Clarkson...I am a little embarrassed because I feel too old for this CD, but, oh, it's a great one for belting! :) The UPS man actually asked what I was listening to one afternoon. Poor guy...I'm sure with the music cranked and all the singing, he was NOT expecting a mom to answer the door!
• Julie Roberts
  by Julie Roberts...twangy, sassy, it's my kind of country.
  
• The Beatles 1
  by the Beatles...all of their #1 hits. How did Ob-la-di, Ob-la-da not make it to #1 is my question.
• Fly
  by Dixie Chicks...putting all politics aside, a great sing-along, belt 'em out CD. I cried the first time I heard it. Something about those harmonies and seeing them play in Dallas before they were famous. Cowboy Take Me Away one of my all time favorites.
• Worrisome Heart
  by Melody Gardot...came out in 2008, so it's a little modern. :) This sounds old-fashioned to me, more mellow...it's great!

Alright readers...help me out here! What music works for you while you are busy creating ?

Same Bat Time, Same Bat Channel

I was truly, truly nervous about these Batman cookies!

A sweet lady wanted Batman cookies to give to her grandson on his birthday. Character cookies make me jittery. I was really hoping the kid was into daisies...those I can do. :)

So, here's how I went about creating Batman cookies.

1. I searched the internet for Batman pictures...mainly of action figures.
2. Then, I got out my superhero cookie cutter and started tracing lots of outlines in pencil.
3. Next, using my child's crayons (or map pencils, whichever I could find), I colored in the designs.
4. Once I had a pretty good idea, I made notes as to which color icing I needed to outline (O) and fill (F).

I'll admit, the hands look a little Fonzie-ish...maybe Batman is saying "AAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY!"

{Boy, I am really dating myself in this post. 35 and older only to get the references here!}

Making these did make me want to rent all of those old Batman TV episodes. I remember watching the reruns after school. I really think my son needs to see them.

Na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, na, Batman, Batman, Batman!
(Click above to hear!)

One more thing....yes, I am aware my Batman cookies are wearing no pants. I just couldn't get those undies to look right. He's wearing a REALLY BIG BELT. ;)

If you're looking for more cookie ideas for boys, try these:

• superheroes
• baseball
• soldier boys
  

A shout-out to Mandy. . .

First, let me say, I see my inbox is full of emails and cookies questions and I promise I will respond very soon! Here's my excuse...my husband & I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary this week with a trip {alone!} to Austin.

{Insert blurry picture of happy couple here.}

So, the reason for this post if to give a BIG shout-out and thank you to Mandy of Home with Mandy. Mandy is a food blogger from Austin. I've followed her blog for a while now. She doesn't fool around with silly stuff like decorated cookies, Mandy makes real food like Perfecto Pot Roast and Potato Rolls and Pork Dumplings with Ginger Dipping Sauce. So when we made our plans for Austin, I knew just who to bug for restaurant recommendations. :)

Mandy, well, Mandy rocks! Not only did she give a few suggestions, she gave us a serious list of places to try. We could have stayed in Austin a week. But here's why hubby & I ended up toasting Mandy over our anniversary dinner.

We started at Jeffrey's for drinks and appetizers, pommes frites (french fries to you & me). Wonderfully friendly, adorable bartender (Brian) and yummy drinks & fries.

Then, on to the BEST MEAL OF MY LIFE at Hudson's on the Bend. Seriously, I almost cried during dinner...it was so incredible. The starter...Lobster Bisque...it was perfection. You know those beer helmets? If Hudson's offered a lobster bisque helmet, I'd be wearing it right now. The meal just continued in it's perfection....espresso, chili, chocolate rubbed smoked elk, crunchy trout, and chocolate mousse with legs of fudge {yes, legs of fudge}!!!

You see why Mandy is my new best friend?

I won't bore you with any more of our "foodcation" as my husband called it, but it was wonderful. Once I come off my "Austin high" (and fit into my jeans again), I'll be back answering emails and getting back to WFMW. Until then....here's me saying "hi."

Did I mention that I love Mandy?