High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ever since moving to Utah I have not been able to get my cookies to come out anything but flat (and for the most part, hard).  I found this recipe today and had to try it out.  The cookies still came out a little on the flat side, but they were significantly better and softer than anything else I've managed to come up with.  They are delicious....so go ahead, Utahs, give it a try.

Toll House Style High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, stir together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until blended, then mix in the chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed. Drop cookies by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets spacing 2 inches apart.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges begin to turn golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Fruit Pudding

Pudding Fruit Salad (yum!)

1 c seedless grapes
2 can drained chunked pineapple
2 can mandarin oranges
2-3 bananas
2 boxes vanilla instant pudding (3 oz size)
1 12 oz cool whip
2 c buttermilk

Mix pudding powder, cool whip, buttermilk. Add fruit. Chill. Delicious! Add a package
of crumbed fudge stripe cookies for an extra treat. You may also need to add more fruit
b/c it makes a lot of the pudding stuff.

Happy New Year!

I looooooooooooooooove my mom's homemade cinnamon rolls.  What better way to eat your way into the New Year?

And because I'm in a giving mood I'll share the recipe.  The recipe for the actual cinnamon rolls makes 4 dozen.  I cheat now and use the bread maker on the dough setting- makes 12 rolls- perfect for my little family.

Mama Nyholm's Cinnamon Rolls

Mix together and set aside:

2 c warm water (like baby bath)
4 Tbs yeast
½ c. sugar

Mix together:
2 c warm milk
2 eggs
½ c. Crisco (softened)
1 Tbs salt

Mix yeast mixture with milk mixture
Add 7-10 c flour and knead
Let rise 1 hour (covered) or until double in size

Punch down and divide into 4 balls

Roll out into 8x10 inch rectangle
Smear butter, sugar, cinnamon
Roll LONG way (12-14) inches long)
Cut into 12 rolls and place on cookie sheet
Let rise 30-40 minutes
Bake 10-15 minutes, then glaze

Glaze (for 12 rolls):
1 c powdered sugar
1-2 Tbs water or milk
1 tsp butter (soft)
½ tsp vanilla
Mix all together

Candy Cane Mountain

Candy Cane Garden

Merry Christmas!

Happy 30th, Josh!

You know how in elementary school you bring cupcakes to share with the entire class to celebrate your own birthday?  Well, Josh never did that growing up.  Actually, no one in Samoa did that growing up.  This year we decided to bring cupcakes to Josh at work to share with his co-workers to help celebrate.  Chocolate on chocolate on chocolate. Yum.

Jadie Girl

I got to make these cute little "blessing cupcakes" for my niece, Jadie.  Her blessing dress had itty bitty purple flowers on it so I tried to add one to match.