Friday Favorites!

July 22, 2011

Today, I thought it would be fun to tell you about a few of our favorite things, along with some interesting factoids about us that you may or may not have known. :) Let's get started!

My favorite fantasy vacation destination: TAHITI! It seems to be in its own little world; maybe not equipped with the most advanced of technologies, yet it offers so much more. Perfect weather year-round, stunning views of hills/mountains & the ocean, overwater bungalows, cocktails on the beach: what more could you ask for? Well...if you ask Corey.....

Apparently, my sweet husband likes blizzards and subzero temperatures better because he would rather vacation some place like Alaska. Boo.

Give me this 30-day streak of 100 degree heat anyday over the ridiculous snow & ice. I am just not a fan of having to wear 5 layers of clothes to walk out and get the mail. Besides...I can't have a tiny sports car and drive around in that mess. Corey, on the other hand, likes the cold climates better because it gives him an excuse to do donuts in his 4x4 truck in a Sam's parking lot until it gets stuck and he has to have help digging himself out (remember this Jonathan?)

We do, however, agree on our favorite date night restaurant (which we can be seen stuffing our faces at any given day of any given week): ZIO'S!

Fresh bread & an awesome spice/herb/oil mixture for dipping; artichoke spinach dip; salad with the most amazing ranch dressing I've ever had; chicken alfredo lasagna; spinach artichoke pizza; spicy chicken fettucini; chicken canneloni; manicotti; tomato florentine soup; the OREO MOUNTAIN. Excuse me while I go run 3 miles to prepare for our next date night here, which is in T-minus 1 day :)

Here are some of my personal favorite recipes that I promised:

This chocolate chip cookie recipe was recently published in the OEC News magazine, which reaches over 40,000 people (You can read the story that goes along with it here: http://www.okcoop.org/community/archive/2011/June.pdf, scroll down to page 11).

Dad's Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 C. Sugar
1 C. Brown sugar
2/3 C. Butter (softened)
2/3 C. Shortening
2 Tsp. Vanilla extract
2 Eggs
1 Tsp. Baking soda
1 Tsp. Salt
3 C. Flour
2 C. Chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, butter, shortening, eggs & vanilla extract. Mis for 3-4 min. until all ingredients are blended well. Add salt & baking soda. Slowly add flour. Continue to mix for another 3-4 min. Stir in chocolate chips. Form dough into 1 to 1 1/2 in. rounds and place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 min. Let cool & store in air-tight container

The following cake has won first place in a dessert contest at work. Keep in mind I work with several ladies whose passions are baking (one even has 2 published cookbooks!). My grandma gave this recipe to me out of a Paula Deen magazine. It's easy to change up too, if you like different candy bars. With that being said, here is the :

Butterfinger Cake

Ingredients:

1 box Devil's Food cake mix (and ingredients for it)
1 jar Caramel topping
1 can Sweetened condensed milk
1 large tub Cool Whip
6 Butterfinger bars, crushed

Prepare cake according to package directions. Let cool. Once it has reached room temperature, poke several holes all over the top of the cake with the end of a wooden spoon. Mix sweetened condensed milk & caramel together and pour over the cake, making sure it reaches all of the holes. Add 3 crushed Butterfinger bars to the top. Chill well. After cake has chilled completely, spread cool whip over the top & sprinkle crushed Butterfinger bar on top of the cool whip. Voila!

This also works well if you replace the caramel topping with warm peanut butter and replace the Butterfinger with crumbled Reese's. :)

Lastly...

Country Apple Dumplings made with Mountain Dew

Ingredients:

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled & cored
2 (10 oz.) cans refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 C. Butter (2 sticks)
1 1/2 C. white sugar
1 Tsp. ground cinnamon
1 Tsp. vanilla extract
1 (12 oz) can or bottle of Mountain Dew

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. Cut each apple into 8 wedges & set aside. Separate crescent roll dough into triangles. Roll each apple wedge in crescent roll dough, starting at the largest end. Pinch to seal & place in baking dish. Melt butter in saucepan & stir in sugar, cinnamon & vanilla. Once thickened, pour over dumplings. Pour Mountain Dew over dumplings. Bake 35 to 45 min. or until golden brown.

My awesome co-worker Patti Rogers introduced me to these dumplings and they are to die for! Super easy to make, too.

I'll leave you with some more of our favorite things. Till next time <3!