Tag: recipe

Life

#BloggersforSandyHook

Jessica Smith

The blogging community is coming together tomorrow to post cookie recipes, craft tutorials and tributes to the Newtown community in the wake of last Friday’s tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. If you have a blog, this is my invitation for you to join in.

#BloggersforSandyHook

Christmas, Craft Projects, Holiday

Painted Salt Dough Ornaments

Jessica Smith

Remember the salt dough ornaments from Sunday? Well, if not, let me refresh your memory.

BAM!

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Carrie, Amy and I made a bunch of these ornaments at our last craft night of 2012 and I hung a few on my tree right away. I also saved a bunch to paint. And, amazingly, I painted all of them on Tuesday night after work! I guess when no television shows are new it’s much easier to motivate yourself to work on crafts.

I broke out my Martha Stewart metallic silver paint that I used like a crazy person this summer (silver mirrors, silver chests, silver everything!) and a teeny tiny paint brush and started to paint different ornaments. I made three snowflakes out of the silver, adding ribbon to hang them on the tree by. I also painted a few with reds and greens. I painted a lot of ornaments last night.

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I accented this snowflake with red dots using the tip of a small nail head.

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Then I painted this little mitten. So cute!

I’d show more, but they are all gifts for people who might be peeking! You get the idea anyway.

One last thing… if the world ends tomorrow, nice knowing ya! 😉 Happy almost Mayan Apocalypse and happy Thursday.

Recipes

My Bake Off entry: Cinnamon and Sugar Cream Cheese Rolls

Jessica Smith

Today was our 2nd (sort of) Annual MarComm Bake Off at work and I made the most delicious dessert ever: Cinnamon and Sugar Cream Cheese Rolls. They are a recipe from my Great Aunt Dorothy and they are like crack. My sister Emily is always in charge of making them for the holidays, but I figured I’d take a go at them for the competition.

If you want to try this amazing recipe out, you won’t be disappointed. In fact, you’ll be addicted and will likely start making them every year, too. Good luck — it’s a tough addiction to fight, so I wouldn’t bother if I were you.

Ingredients:

  • 1 loaf of white bread
  • 16 ounces of cream cheese
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup butter
  • Powdered sugar

Directions:

  1. Combine cream cheese, sugar (3/4 cup), egg yolks and vanilla in a bowl and mix with a hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
  2. Cut the crust off of the bread (discard crust, as well as heels of loaf) and roll each slice flat with a rolling pin.
  3. Spread a thick layer of the cream cheese mixture onto the flattened bread, then roll the bread into a little log.
  4. Optional: place on a baking sheet and refrigerate overnight .
  5. Combine cinnamon and sugar (1 cup) in bowl. Melt butter in a separate bowl. Dip each roll into the butter, then roll in cinnamon and sugar mixture. Place back on backing sheet.
  6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes.
  7. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Let cool, then enjoy!

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Back to the Bake Off…

The competition was fierce, with nine desserts in the running. Check out these mouth-watering treats. Mmmmmm. Can you say “sugar coma?”

When all of the votes were tallied, we had three winners. Drum roll?

1st place winner of the golden pie plate: Rachel *cheers*

2nd place winner of the silver whisk: Julie *applause*

3rd place winner of the bronze cookie cutter: MEEEEEEEEEEE *And the crowd goes wild! (Or, at least I did.)*

I’m pretty sure one of the first things I said was, “Dana is going to be so proud.”


Man, what a fun day. Try out the recipe. It is officially award-winning 🙂

Also, a big “hey girl, heyyy” and thank you to my coworker Amy for organizing this much-needed afternoon of fun. You’re the best.