Bonn Bonn Baby

IMAGINE your baby staying dry after a spill.
IMAGINE your baby quickly dry after wetting the sheet.
IMAGINE baby staying fresher.
IMAGINE life easier with BonnBonn Baby.

Really! Bonn Bonn Baby has created baby products - you know...those everyday items that become stained, unsanitary and wet from all the spit up and blowouts from baby - that actually pull away moisture from baby and offer antimicrobial protection, too. Genius! Not only are they practical, they are simple and modern in design. Check out their line of products here. Another great gift item for mom-to-be!

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Changing the world one tee at a time.

Andira donated school supplies to children living in endangered rain forests across Central and South America and had them illustrate what they see occurring around them. Each Andira Rain Tee features their thoughts and illustrations and the child’s name.
Sadly, as show in “Tree of Life” which displays a tree crying leaves that symbolize its tears, may of these children witness the destruction of their rain forest homes each day.
For every Andira Rain Tee sold, a child involved in Kids Saving the Rain Forest, Costa Rica will receive a tree that they can plant in an area of rain forest that has been destroyed.
The Rain Tee Collection Changing the world one tee at a time.

The Flipper toothbrush holder is a cute little creature that grips your child's toothbrush, keeping it as free as possible from germs. The idea is that by covering the bristles of the toothbrush, you prevent bacteria from spreading from one toothbrush to another when they are stored in close proximity.

The recipient of three international awards for its design, Flipper comes in a number of cute animal shapes. Choose a different one for each member of the family and enjoy the added benefit of making toothbrushes easy to identify, reducing the spread of germs through accidental toothbrush sharing.

Happy shopping

While cruising the net for cool picks this evening, I happened across Tot Rocket, a Cafepress site selling shirts for the whole family. The minds behind the gear describe themselves as specializing in hip baby clothing with style and attitude. With shirts for baby that say exactly what baby is thinking (Naps are for Pussies), Tot Rocket has me wondering why the hell I didn’t think of that? And, even though Father’s Day is a few months away, I know my guy would be thrilled to recieve a Sexy Dads Do Diapers shirt.
xoxoxox
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Snowballs

These tasty treats are also well known as Russian Tea Cakes and Mexican Wedding Cookies.

Yield: 30 Cookies

1 cup Butter
1/2 cup Powdered sugar
Pinch Salt
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped fine
1 tsp Vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups Flour

1/2 cup Powdered sugar, sifted.

Put butter and powdered sugar in a mixer with a paddle attachment, and cream them together until smooth. Add the pinch of salt and vanilla extract and mix.

Slowly add the flour until the dough comes together. Now fold in the toasted pecans mixing well. Let dough chill for 1/2 hour in fridge.

Roll the dough into small balls and place on a parchment lined or sprayed baking sheet. Bake at 350 F until cookies are golden brown about 12 minutes. When done remove from oven and let cool. After the cookies are cool roll them in sifted powdered sugar to completely cover each cookie. Enjoy.

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Whole Wheat Chocolate Chip Cookies

Nothing is more delicious than a warm, chewy chocolate chip cookie. Using whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose makes this a contender for the best-tasting cookie ever!

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
2 cups Gold Medal whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips (2 cups)

Heat oven to 375 F.

Mix sugars, butter, vanilla and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chips. Feeling a little nutty? Go ahead and add 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts with the chocolate chips.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

Lemon Crumb Bars

1 (18 1/4 oz.) package lemon or yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
3 egg yolks
2 cups finely crushed saltine crackers (1/4 lb.)
1 (14 ounce) can Eagle® Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/2 cup ReaLemon® Lemon Juice from Concentrate

Preheat oven to 350°. In large bowl, beat cake mix, margarine and 1 egg with mixer until crumbly. Stir in saltine crumbs. Reserving 2 cups crumb mixture, press remaining crumbs on bottom of greased 13x9-inch baking pan.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.

With mixer or wire whisk, beat 3 egg yolks Eagle Brand and ReaLemon. Spread over prepared crust. Top with reserved crumb mixture.

Bake 25 minutes longer or until set and top is golden. Cool. Refrigerate within 2 hours. Cut into bars. Store covered in refrigerator.

Lavender Shortbread

¾ cup (2.25 oz) icing (confectioner’s) sugar
1 tbsp dried lavender
140g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 tsp lemon zest
1¾ cup (8.5 oz) plain all-purpose flour
3 large egg yolks
1 cup granulated sugar (for coating)

Preheat the oven to 180°C.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk the confectioner’s sugar and lavender together in a bowl.
Add the butter, lemon zest and lavender/sugar mixture to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix until smooth and light in colour.
Add the flour and mix until well combined.
Add the egg yolks and mix just until the eggs are fully incorporated and a mass forms.
Form the dough into a disk and chill in the refrigerator until firm (about 30 minutes).
Roll the dough out to 1.5cm thickness.
Cut the dough with a cookie cutter.
Toss each cut cookie in a bowl of granulated sugar to coat.
Place the sugar-coated cookie on a parchment lined pan.
Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until slightly golden around the edges.

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White Chocolate Cashew Macadamia Butter Cookies

White Chocolate Cashew Macadamia Butter Cookies

2 C AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 C packed light brown sugar
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 C cashew macadamia nut butter
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 C white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat butter with sugars until light and fluffy. Add the cashew macadamia nut butter, vanilla, and one egg and mix until evenly incorporated then add the second egg.

Slowly add in the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough is almost evenly mixed then add the white chocolate chips and mix until the dough has mixed evenly with no streaks of flour remaining.

Using a large ice cream/cookie scoop (#16 size), scoop about 1/4 C of dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll each scoop of dough into a ball and gently press each ball of dough down until they're about 3/4 in thick. Bake at 350 degrees F for 14 - 15 minutes. The cookies will be lightly browned on the edges but they should be a little underdone in the center. Let them set on the sheet for a minute then gently lift them to a cooling rack.

Makes about 18 to 20 cookies.

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Flaky Black Sesame Cookie

3/4 C AP flour
1/2 C white whole wheat flour (if you don't have it AP flour is fine)
4 Tbsp cold shortening
4 Tbsp cold butter
1/4 C sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp black sesame seeds
3 - 5 Tbsp ice cold water
1 - 2 Tbsp raw sugar

Mix the two flours, sugar, salt, and black sesame seeds until everything is evenly combined. Cut the shortening and butter into cubes and scatter them in flour. Make sure your shortening and butter are very cold. Use a food processor and pulse the butter with the flour until the mixture looks crumbly and the butter pieces are no bigger than a pea. Alternatively use a pastry cutter or two forks and cut the butter into the flour.

Start with 3 tablespoons of water and scatter it over the mixture. Pulse in the food processor slightly until the dough comes together. If it still looks dry add a little bit more water (I used a little over 4 tablespoons). If you're doing this by hand, scatter the water over the mixture and fold with a spatula and press the crumbs together until the dough starts to come together.

Form the dough into a flat disc, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least an hour or in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Flour your work surface and roll out the dough into a rectangle until it is about 1/4 inch to 3/8 inch thick. Scatter raw sugar on top of the dough and gently press in. Cut into 1 inch by 2 inch portions and place them on a baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are golden, about 25 to 30 minutes.

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Green Tea Cream Cheese Swirl White Chocolate Brownie

Brownie base
8 Tbsp butter (1 stick), cut into 1-in pieces
5 oz. white chocolate, chopped
2 eggs
5 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3/4 C flour

Cheesecake swirl
8 oz bar of cream cheese, room temp
1 egg
3 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp green tea/matcha powder
About 2 tsp of water, hot but not boiling

Preheat the oven to 325ºF.

Mix the green tea powder with a bit of hot water to form a paste. Mix the cream cheese, egg, and green tea paste until smooth. Taste a bit and see if it's strong enough.

Melt the butter with the white chocolate. Mix in the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and flour (and baking powder if you want to experiment with it). Whisk until smooth but do not over mix.

Line a 8 x 8 square baking dish with a sheet of foil (with overhang for easy lifting) or grease and flour it. Pour in half of the white chocolate batter. Then drop half of the cream cheese mixture on top in spoonfuls. Top the batter with the rest of the white chocolate brownie batter, then finally add the remaining half of the cream cheese mixture on top. Use a knife and swirl the brownie and cream cheese together to create a marbled pattern.

Bake the brownies at 325ºF for 40 - 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs. The center should be almost set. You don't want the toothpick to come out clean because that would mean the brownies have overbaked. Cool in the pan for 5 then lift the brownies out and cool to room temperature. They're best served cold so chill them in the fridge for about 3 hours.

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Latte Cheesecake bars

• Cooking Time: 20-24
• CRUST
• 2 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter melted
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• FILLING
• 2 tbs heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp instant coffee granules
• 2[8 oz] pkg cream cheese softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• TOPPING
• 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 350

Mix crumbs melted butter and cinnamon and press onto bottom of an ungreased 13x9" baking pan[you must use this size for the bars to turn out properly]Combine 2 tbs whipping cream and coffee granules in a small bowl Let stand 5 min until coffee dissolves Combine cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl Beat at med speed scraping bowl often until creamy Add coffee mixture eggs and vanilla Beat well scraping bowl often until well combined Pour over crust and bake for 20-24 min or until center is nearly set Cool on wire rack 1 hour Place 1/3 cup whipping cream in a 1 qt saucepan Cook over med heat until whipping almost comes to a full boil Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted Spread over cheesecake Refrigerate until chocolate sets at least an hour better overnight.

Cut into bars.

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Espresso Chocolate Brownies with Crystallized Ginger

Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 40 minutes
Makes 16 squares

Ingredients:
½ cup/125 g unsalted butter, softened
4 oz/125 g good dark chocolate (I used Lindt 70% cocoa extra fine dark chocolate)
3 tbsp espresso powder
2 cups/440g brown sugar, firmly packed
4 eggs
1 cup/155g all purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
2/3 cup pecans, coarsely chopped
½ cup crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped
3 oz/90g dark chocolate, chopped
3 oz/90g white chocolate, chopped

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F/190°C.

2. In a large heavy saucepan, combine butter 4 oz of chocolate and espresso powder. Stir frequently over low heat until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and add the brown sugar, mixing well until it is all blended.

3. Using a wooden spoon, beat in the eggs one at a time. Each egg should be completely mixed in before adding the next one. Add flour and salt and beat until combined. Fold in the nuts, ginger and the rest of the chocolate.

4. Prepare an 8”/20cm x 8”/20cm x 2”/5cm baking dish by lining it with buttered foil. Bake the brownies for 40 minutes or until the top cracks slightly and the cake pulls away from the sided of the pan.

5. Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a rack until the brownies are completely cooled - at least 30 minutes before cutting them into squares.

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yield: Makes 30

To get a neater slice, chill the bars first.

Ingredients

Crust

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 11/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Filling

• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans

Preparation

For crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9x9x2-inch metal cake pan. Using electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and egg yolk in bowl to blend. Add flour and salt; beat until moist clumps form. Gather dough together. Press dough over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Bake crust until golden, about 20 minutes. Cool.

For filling:
Combine first 4 ingredients in medium saucepan. Bring to boil, stirring until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Boil filling 30 seconds. Remove from heat; mix in vanilla, then nuts.

Pour hot filling into crust. Bake bars until filling is bubbling in center, about 15 minutes. Cool bars completely in pan on rack (filling will become firm). Chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 hours. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.) Cut into 30 bars.

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Chocolate Mint Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 6 tbsp Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tbsp milk
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• dash salt
• dash baking powder
• icing sugar, for garnish

Filling

• 1 egg white
• 1 3/4 cups icing sugar, sifted
• 2 drops to 3 drops peppermint extract

To Assemble

1. Beat butter until smooth and fluffy. Sift together icing sugar and cocoa powder over butter and beat in. Stir in vanilla, egg yolk and milk. Add flour, salt and baking powder to cocoa mixture and blend until incorporated. Shape dough into disc, wrap and chill for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 325° F. On a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 1 ½-inch circles and transfer carefully to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until cookies can be lifted easily away from the parchment. Allow to cool on baking sheet.
3. For filling, put egg white in a bowl and beat in icing sugar, a few tablespoonfuls at a time, until a soft dough forms. Turn dough onto a surface dusted with icing sugar. Knead in remaining icing sugar and peppermint extract, until dough is no longer sticky.
4. To fill cookies, roll a teaspoon of dough into a ball and flatten a little. Sandwich between 2 cookies and press together to push icing to edges. Continue until all cookies have been filled.
5. Cookies can be glazed with chocolate to finish or dusted with icing sugar.
6. Yield: Approximately 2 dozen cookies

Source

Margarita Cookies

Margarita Cookies
Adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Sablés au Citron

Makes about 50 cookies

2 sticks (8 ounces; 230 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (70 grams) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
2 teaspoons tequila
Grated zest of 2 limes
Grate zest of half an orange
2 cups (280 grams) all-purpose flour

Coating:
Approximately 1/2 cup clear sanding or other coarse sugar
2 teaspoons flaky Maldon sea salt*

1. Put the butter in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat at medium speed until it is smooth. Add the sifted confectioners’ sugar and beat again until the mixture is smooth and silky. Beat in 1 of the egg yolks, followed by the salt, tequila, grated lime and orange zest. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, beating just until it disappears. It is better to underbeat than overbeat at this point; if the flour isn’t fully incorporated, that’s ok–just blend in whatever remaining flour needs blending with a rubber spatula. Turn the dough out onto a counter, gather it into a ball, and divide it in half. Wrap each piece of dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

2. Working on a smooth surface, form each piece of dough into a log that is about 1 to 1 1/4 inches (2.5 to 3.2 cm) thick. (Get the thickness right, and the length you end up with will be fine.) Wrap the logs in plastic and chill for 2 hours. (The dough can be wrapped airtight and kept refrigerated for up to 3 days or stored in the freezer for up to 1 month.)

3. Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

4. While the oven is preheating, work on the sugar coating: Whisk the remaining egg yolk in a small bowl until it is smooth and liquid enough to use as a glaze. Mix the coarse sugar and flaky salt well and spread the mixture out on a piece of wax paper. Remove the logs of dough from the refrigerator, unwrap them, and brush them lightly with a little egg yolk. Roll the logs in the sugar, pressing the sugar/salt mixture gently to get it to stick if necessary, then, using a sharp slender knife, slice each log into cookies about 1/4 inch (7 mm) thick. [Deb note: To get the sugar/salt mixture to stick better, I moved the log over to a piece of plastic wrap, and in the sort of technique you'd see a sushi chef use to shape a roll, use the plastic to press the sugar in by wrapping it tightly.] (You can make the cookies thicker if you’d like; just bake them longer.) Place the cookies on the lined baking sheets, leaving about 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) space between them.

5. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until they are set but not browned. (It’s fine if the yolk-brushed edges brown a smidgen.) Transfer the cookies to cooling racks to cool to room temperature.

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S'mores Bars

Ingredients:

S'mores Bars

• whole graham crackers (about 14)
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup 2% milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 2 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chunks
• 3 cups mini marshmallows

Directions:

S'mores Bars

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F and grease a 9-inch square pan. Line pan with parchment paper so that paper hangs over two sides of the pan. Line bottom of pan with a single layer of whole graham crackers (about 4 ½ crackers).
2. In a saucepot, melt butter and stir in brown sugar, milk and vanilla until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in graham cracker crumbs (this will make a soft paste). Spread half of the graham mixture over the cracker-lined pan. Sprinkle with a third of the chocolate chunks and half of the marshmallows. Top marshmallows with another layer of whole graham crackers and spread remaining graham mixture over top. Top with another third of chocolate chunks and the remaining marshmallows. Finish with a last sprinkle of chocolate chunks and bake for 12 minutes, until marshmallows have browned. Cool completely before slicing.
3. S’mores Bars can be stored in an airtight container for 3 days.

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Berry Blast Chocolate Truffles

Ingredients:

Berry Blast Chocolate Truffles

• 8 oz white chocolate, chopped
• 1 oz pink coating chocolate (found at specialty cake stores or bulk stores)
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 2 bags raspberry tea

Coating

• 5 oz semi sweet chocolate, chopped and melted

Directions:

1. Melt chocolates, butter and tea bags over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring until melted. Squeeze out tea bags gently and discard. Cool mixture to room temperature, then beat with a whisk to make a little fluffy, then cool in the fridge for about an hour before making truffles.
2. Cold hands are good for this task (run your hands under cold water for a minute, if needed). Spoon small teaspoonfuls of chocolate filling and roll into balls. Place on a baking tray and freeze for 30 minutes. Dip truffles in melted chocolate (using a toothpick) and place on a clean tray. Once the coating is set, dust with icing sugar or cocoa powder.

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Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended.

3. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended.

4. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time (for giant cookies) or a tablespoon at a time (for smaller cookies) onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

5. Bake larger cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or 10 to 12 minutes for smaller ones (check your cookies before they’re done; depending on your scoop size, your baking time will vary) in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on rack

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Almond Butter Cookies

• 10 tbsp unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup pure almond butter
• 1 x egg white
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp rum extract (optional)
• 1 1/3 cups pastry flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 24 x whole almonds

Chocolate Nut Butter Filling for Almond Butter Cookie Sandwiches

• 1/3 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
• 1/4 cup toasted almond butter

Directions:

Almond Butter Cookies

1. Preheat oven to 350 °F.
2. Cream butter and sugar together until smooth. Beat in almond butter and egg white and stir in vanilla extract and rum. Sift in pastry flour and salt and combine until dough is soft and smooth.
3. Roll cookies into 1-inch balls and place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Press a whole almond into center of each cookie. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes on the center rack of the oven until cookies lightly brown around edges. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.

Chocolate Nut Butter Filling for Almond Butter Cookie Sandwiches

1. Prepare cookies as above.
2. Beat chocolate hazelnut spread and almond butter until smooth. Spread on the bottom side of an almond butter cookie and sandwich filling between another cookie, pressing gently.

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Reader Submitted

These yummy sounding Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies were sent in by reader Char Tupone, I cant wait to try them out!

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (leave out if using salted butter)
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth (5 mins). Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Do not over-mix.
Mix in the quick oats and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

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MAC

I am a huge fan of MAC not just for their makeup but for the good they do for the world.

Since 1994, the M·A·C AIDS Fund continues to provide funding to non-profit HIV/AIDS organizations and programs for basic needs such as food, clothing, housing or shelter (short-term or transitional); direct services related to healthcare, social services, transportation (medical visits, outpatient visits and other social services), and health-related recreational activities, and programs that bring HIV/AIDS education, awareness and prevention to the public attention.

For more information, please visit www.macaidsfund.org.

Post Secret

I'm addicted to gossip, i can admit it. I'm constantly perusing the latest gossip magazines and grilling my friends about their love lives. Thats why I love Post Secret, random strangers sending their deepest secrets on homemade postcards, endless hours of entertainment.

Thick, Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is a half recipe. It makes a couple dozen standard-size cookies. (I get more because I make them tinier.) I always feel like I’m swimming in cookies when I make the full volume, but if you’re feeding a crowd, go ahead and double it.

1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 ounces) butter, softened
2/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt (I often use a half teaspoon, but I like more salt in my baked goods)
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt together. Stir this into the butter/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, raisins and walnuts, if using them.

At this point you can either chill the dough for a bit in the fridge and then scoop it, or scoop the cookies onto a sheet and then chill the whole tray before baking them. You could also bake them right away, if you’re impatient, but I do find that they end up slighly less thick.

The cookies should be two inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake them for 10 to 12 minutes (your baking time will vary, depending on your oven and how cold the cookies were going in), taking them out when golden at the edges but still a little undercooked-looking on top. Let them sit on the hot baking sheet for five minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool.

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Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground clove
1 cup quick-cooking oats
2 cups chopped pecans
2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment or a Silpat (rubber nonstick baking mat). Using an electric mixer, beat the butter in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla, and beat until well mixed, about 3 minutes. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove in a separate bowl. Add half of the flour mixture to the butter with the mixer on low speed. Once the flour has been incorporated, add the second half. Stir in the oats, pecans, orange zest, and chocolate chips. Drop the dough, by the tablespoon, onto the cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven and cool the cookies on a rack. Store at room temperature in a cookie jar or other airtight container.

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Super cute Alert

MooseMouseCreations

It's easy to see that I love Etsy, there are so many cute and unique shops there, and i have wasted many an afternoon just browsing along. Every now and then though I come across something really great, a shop that has a selection I just cant live without, today I found one of those...
MooseMouseCreations features handcrafted items that are so ridiculously cute you'll want them all, coupled with fantastic photgraphy this store is truly one of my favorites.

April Recipe Challenge

This months recipe challenge is cookies!
Do you have a great chocolate chip cookie recipe? Or maybe you're famous for your nanaimo bars?
We want to hear from you send your cookie recipes to housewifeheaven@gmail.com or post them right here.

Etsy Finds Easter Edition

When I think of Easter, it's all bunnies, all the way. (With some chicks and adorable eggs thrown in for good measure!) Put on your best church hat, get out the chocolate eggs and get inspired by these easter treasures! Bunny Rabbit Tote available in 6 colors $10 Rainbowswirlz Little Bunny Foo Foo Stamped Sterling Silver Stud Earrings $9.95 Elizabeth Jewellery Organic Easter Bunny Blanket Buddy Available in 7 colors $24.95 Sweet Memories Quilts Easter Sugar Cookies $4 TSCookies

Lil Chatterbox

Yes, we all know that your little baby girl is not only an adorable lil chatterbox, but an absolute princess.
So, why not dress her like one, without overdoing it?
Nothing says cute like a stylish, handcrafted wool felt hair clip.

These hair clips are too cute to pass up.
Put it on your adorable babies and toddlers as a very practical accessory as well as a fashion statement.
These work whether your lil chatterbox is playing house at home, or before she debuts at the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant.

Whether you want to or not, you’ll definitely catch some ooohs and aaaahs.

HexBug

What more could you want from your own micro robotic creature? The all new family of HEXBUG Micro Robotic Creatures is coming to your neighborhood to entertain and amaze you.

HEXBUG feels its way around sensing objects in its path and avoiding them. And it can even hear! You can control where it scurries through a hand clap, loud noise or table slap. The robotic bug will travel forward until it hits an obstacle or hears a loud noise. It will then backup in a half circle and then move forward in a different direction. HEXBUG comes in five distinct shapes and colors.

Crawling bugs

Bump sensor feelers help it avoid obstacles

Change its direction by clapping or making noise

Fits in your hand

Batteries included

Width 2.34" x Height 1.3" x Depth 2.66"