Fancy Card

I've been catching up on some housecleaning  straightening (I don't know how my craft stuff ends up everywhere when it has its own room) and creating some goodies for a new gig that I'll tell you about later this month.  The weather is beautiful today - lots of sun, for a change!

I want to share that Chocolate Mint Brownie recipe I mentioned awhile back.  It's from 100 Best Holiday Cookies.  I don't think we've baked  much from this cookbook, but based on the brownies, I think we need to be using it a lot more!  I have to say, hands-down, these are the BEST brownies ever and I've been looking a long time for a homemade brownie to love.

1 C butter

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

1 1/2 C granulated sugar

3 eggs

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp mint extract

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 C flour

Preheat to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour 9" square baking pan.

Melt butter and choc in double boiler.  Remove from heat and beat in sugar, eggs, salt, mint, and vanilla until well blended.  Stir in  flour.  Spread batter in pan.  Bake 35 mins. until top is firm and edges begin to pull away.  Cool completely.

Frosting:

Beat 6 tblsp butter, 1/2 tsp mint extract, and 2 drops green food coloring at medium speed until fluffy.  Add 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/2 C at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in 2 to 3 tblsp milk, one tblsp at a time, until spreading consistancy is reached.  Spread over cooled brownies.

Drizzle with chocolate glaze (1/3 C semisweet choc chips and 2 tblsp butter melted in microwave).

Yummy, yummy, yummy! 

This fancy card is made with some wonderful digital images from Made by Janet.  I love silhouettes and find it very hard to resist them when I find them!

Paper Issues new challenge is Tape It Up!  I've just got some washi tape from Impressions, so I'll have to get right on my contribution for the challenge.   Also, we've got a great deal - if you want to shop at Paper Issues and get a discount of 20%, just use the code chouxchoux at checkout!   Have a wonderful week!


Monday Linky:  Make It Monday

Happy Halloween (on the LARGE side) and RECIPES

Are you having fall weather where you are?  We've had some gorgeous days lately.  I see that next week the highs are in the 60s and I'm really looking forward to that!  

This Halloween card is a little on the large side - about 10 inches tall!  I picked up a package of Halloween goodies at Michaels and this coffin was part of it.  I decided to turn it into a card.  I think I LOVE black glitter!  It is just sooo pretty... Love this glittery black bat! 

I sewed  a pocket on the inside so that two Halloween suckers could be popped in for a sweet treat. 

Now, let's talk desserts!   I mentioned in my previous post that banana pudding might be my favorite dessert.  Now, I 'm not talking anything that comes out of a box!  We made cute individual banana puddings in mason jars for my party a couple of weekends ago.  Love how they looked!   We also had perfect chocolate cake cupcakes filled with icing that looked like a candy corn.  And, of course, we had our famous sugar cookies.  When certain people RSVP the first thing they say is "Are you having your sugar cookies??"  I think I would be in big trouble if I answered No!    Mika and her husband were at my party taking pictures.  She has a wonderful cooking blog and all of our delicious party recipes are posted today on her blog, Mika's Pantry.  Be sure to check it out!

Recipes and Paper Issues

Hi!  I'm at home today, because Oklahoma is having blizzard conditions!   When the wind gusts, it blows straight across the windows.  It's really pretty looking out from inside, but it's hazardous out there!  The party Sunday was so much fun, great turnout, lots of orders to keep me busy over the next months.  Several people inquired about recipes, so my friend Mika, who has a cooking blog, Mika's Pantry, has posted all three recipes:  Oreo cupcakes, Sugar Cookies, and Mini Strawberry Tarts. 

 Yummy!  When you visit Mika, take a look at her new blog...especially the darling avatar that makes her look like a Disney princess! 

This sweet nutcup is one of my projects for Valentines this year.  Over at Paper Issues, the topic is Valetine projects, so I'm linking this up there.  One of the things I recommend if you make one of these, is to use two nutcups...it's a lot sturdier.

  I used a mixture of vintage forget-me-nots and brand new roses to fill in the nutcup.  The little couple is so sweet! 

 If you're in Oklahoma today or somewhere else where the wind chills are below zero, I hope you're home and warm! 

Party!

The party Sunday was so much fun! Good friends, meeting new friends, and good food! And cute things to see, too! Several people asked for recipes. So, head over to Mika's Pantry. She's got a great food blog, where Dennis and I get some of our dinner ideas. She's got great pictures of the food layout and all the recipes that Dennis and I put together. Even if you weren't here, you might be interested in Snickerdoodle Cupcakes, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars, and Maple Sugar Cookies. I think she's even got a few pictures of my display, too. This is one of my goodies I had at the party - a Christmas Countdown Tin. I placed a vintage santa and a bottle brush tree on top and covered it all with packaged snow.

The countdown is easy to change. Just unclip and change the number. The numbers are housed in this little box, which fits in the tin for easy storage.
The lid of the tin is easy on and off, so adding a treat or a special note every day is super easy!
Ho, Ho, Ho! Who's ready for Christmas?