.reese's chip peanut butter cookies.

everyone in my family knows that my dad is partial to strawberry shortcake. we all love when his birthday rolls around so that my mom will make it and we can all sink our forks into this super moist untraditional birthday cake. having lived far away from my family for the past few years, i miss being at home on my dad's birthdays. while it goes without saying that i miss the familiarity and comfort of my family, i selfishly also miss that cake. with my dad's birthday rolling around again, i told my mom that i wanted to bake him cookies because it is what i'm most comfortable shipping at this point. she offered me two flavor suggestions: strawberry and reese's cups. this was an either/or before you start gagging.

lately, i've seen advertisements for a new product in the reese's brand of products. while it is my belief that you just can't go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter, you can go even more right with it for sure. oh reese's geniuses, you've done it again. their newest creation is a smaller version of their mini-cups. from the moment i laid eyes on these, i knew i had to create a recipe that gave them center stage.

so when my mom brought up reese's cups for my dad, it was a divinely flavorful intervention. here is the recipe i created below:

ingredients
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar (set 1 tsp aside for topping the cookies)
1 large egg
1 stick of unsalted butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup quartered reese's minis

directions
this recipe yields two dozen cookies and can be easily manipulated to make more or less. you've just got to use a little math.
a. preheat your oven to 350°F.

b. in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment or with your hand mixer, cream the butter and both sugars until they look fluffy. then, in order, add your egg, vanilla and peanut butter. continue to mix.

c. sift together the flour, baking powder and salt before adding it to your batter. mix it in until everything is just combined.

d. take your mini reese's and quarter them with a knife. fold them into your prepared batter. with a small scooper, plop a small amount of dough into your hand and roll into a ball before placing on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. if you find this process to be sticky, keep your hands wet with cold water. flatten the cookies with something from your cutlery drawer or just use the palm of your hand. pinch a little bit of granulated sugar over each cookie to lightly sand the top.

e. bake the cookies for 16-17 minutes. do not overbake; even if they do not look quite done at 17 minutes. after removing the first batch from the oven, let the cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack for cooling. repeat with your second dozen.

as i began to prepare the batter for these rich cookies, my eyes kept wandering over to the bag of mini reese's and i found myself rushing through the beginning steps in order to get my hands on these babies.

after mixing and sifting and scraping and measuring, the magic moment was upon me. i almost ran over to the orange bag sitting pretty on the counter. instead, i carefully...ok no, i ran. after ripping it open, my hands did the talking as they popped one little mini reese's into my mouth and then there was no turning back. i dare you not to eat them when you're making a recipe like this.

folding the reese's chips into the batter gave off such a peanut buttery aroma. this cookie is not for the weak of peanut butter heart. when they came out of the oven, i waited about forty-five seconds before i pinched off a bite of one. after they cooled and i took the time to properly eat a whole cookie in its finished form, i discovered that the peanut butter part of the mini reese's basically melded right in with the peanut butter in the batter. now, i'm not saying there's anything wrong with this as they were delish. however, if you want to really have the reese's stand out, a plain sugar cookie might be a better base.

i guess i really am my father's daughter because strawberry and reese's are my favorites too. again, it's an either/or.

.wedding hair trilogy.

when i was in pre-school, charm bracelets defined the word charm for me because i found them utterly irresistible. with their neon colors of the eighties and endless variety of trinkety charms, how could i not be in love? granted, most of them were traded with other girls for lip gloss or whatever they had in their cheap, child-sized purses. from there, it was jelly bracelets, then slap bracelets, and whatever happened to be the latest trend at the time. in my adolescent punky days, there was probably more metal and spikes than my mom cared for, but hey, a girl still had to accessorize.

my favorite go-to style tip is to accessorize. no matter what you find in your closet, what you add from your shoe basket, dresser or jewelry box can really give your look a signature. something as simple as adding a statement piece necklace to an otherwise simple top can create a totally different look. this is a topic i could wax-girlie about for probably hours on end. however, what i want to talk about today is how a girl like me could possibly narrow down how to accessorize my hair for my most special wedding day.

maybe i need to rephrase the sentiment of narrowing down because some people would argue that three hair pieces doesn't exactly fit that statement. like i said, i've always been one to love those little extras. being that our wedding was an expression of our love and reflected who we are as people, that encompassed my fashiony side. without further ado, let's take a walk on the style side.

i knew i'd be seeing my soon-to-be husband before our ceremony for that private moment where we could take in the joy of the day between just the two of us. since he's known me, he has come to expect me sticking a flower pin in my hair for random occasions. as much as i like to be daring in style, he really leans towards simplicity. so, i didn't want his first view of his bride to be anything as dramatic as a peacock feather or tiny top hat. a flower would remind him of the girl he dated for almost four years. a couple of months before the day, i made my own flower hairpiece with a plain metal barrette, some hot glue and a slightly altered flower from a local craft store. it was the perfect piece for our day in the garden.

Swept Away Studios

after strolling through the garden together and meandering back to our hotel where the wedding party waited, he and i kissed goodbye and i went back to the room with my girls. amidst a frantic swirl of make-up, hairspray and heels, i gently took the flower out of my hair in exchange for what i would wear to actually marry my life's partner. traditionally, women for decades have made that momentous walk down the aisle with their face gently shadowed by a bridal veil. i would be no exception. with a long engagement of eighteen months, there were many things i exchanged and changed my mind on throughout the planning process. my vintage-inspired bird cage veil, however, was the very first purchase i made after i said yes to his proposal. the day after our wedding, my brand-spanking new husband told me he did not expect to see the veil after seeing me earlier in the day without one and i think that one little accessory twist made a memorable impact. (although, he had a little trouble figuring out what to do when he was allowed to kiss the bride with that netting in his way.)

Swept Away Studiios

transitioning from our garden wedding under a beautiful, blue sky to our celebratory reception indoors, i wanted to make one final hair transformation. some brides change dresses between ceremony and reception, but i chose to change accessories (again). i knew with the group of friends and family that we had with us that day there was no doubt we'd have a ball and i wanted something fun to reflect in my hair piece. after much perusing through store after store on etsy, i finally came across a feathery, yet still vintage, number that was precisely what i was looking for. like donning a powerful cloak, this fun feathered accessory did just the trick. i've never smiled so much in my life. was it really the hair piece that made this happen? (ok, of course not.)

Swept Away Studios

but, there is something to be said about when you're happy with your look, you wear it all over your mood.

Swept Away Studios

.have some more and s'more.

if you're pretty much anywhere right now, it is at the very least slightly hot outside. so the idea of sitting around a bonfire may a little less than desirable. however, that doesn't really help alleviate a craving for s'mores now does it?

the last recipe i'd like to share from our memorial day cook-out is so versatile that i think it is a perfect fit for any time of year. it is the type of fun treat that can be made in mass quantities or can also be put together a few at a time for a fun snack or dessert at the family dinner table.

without further ado, here is my recipe for s'more pops!

ingredients
hershey's chocolate candy bars
big marshmallows
graham crackers
popsicle sticks (optional)

directions
start by figuring out how many s'more pops you want to make. i started with just a few to practice. i melted 3 mini-hershey bars in a bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds. the chocolate will not look melted when you pull it out, but will quickly turn smooth once you start stirring it. for my larger party batch, i melted one and a half packs of mini-hershey bars. the nice thing about using the little guys is that you can easily add a small amount at a time as you go.

in a small sealed sandwich bag, i pounded some graham crackers into crumbs and poured them in a separate dish. then, i grabbed my popsicle sticks and rammed them into each marshmallow. as a side note, this may the perfect sweet recipe to let out some negative energy. pounding, crumbling, shoving...and all for a scrumptious cause.

working quickly so that the milky chocolate stayed smooth, i took each marshmallow and really just pushed them around in the chocolate. my first attempts aren't as aesthetically pleasing because i was swirling the marshmallow in the chocolate and that caused dripping. the pushing process made for a neater pop.

once i had all the chocolate i wanted on the white puffiness, i dipped the very top of the chocolate end in graham crackers.

while preparing these, i used a block of styrofoam to stick the s'more pops in while they dried. once they made their debut at the cook-out, they were a quick hit. they're the type of delicious nostalgic dessert that had our guests wanting some more and some more and s'more.

.whimsical ribbon style.

with our memorial day cookout, i themed everything in traditional reds and whites. but, i wanted to add a pop of color and decided yellow would be that perfect splash of lemonade sunshine. in fact, the sun was to hold a leading role in our cookout and i expected it to receive a standing ovation. a simple decorating trick i used with a friendly price tag involved three key steps.

first, hit your local craft store when they're having a fifty percent off sale on rolls of ribbon like i did. now, if your cashier happens to be extremely rude like mine was, immediately call someone when you get to your car and detail the entire event to vent yourself to calmness.

for the second step, find your best pair of scissors to cut your ribbon into the desired length. the length will depend on where you plan to add a little fabric flare. for me, it was on the back of my dining room chairs that would be scattered about for our guests. once the ribbon is cut, you're over half way there! (two-thirds to be exact- hey, i like fractions.)

lastly, tie the ribbons on and go for a little randomness when doing this. i didn't want to have a pattern to my varying colors so that every chair would be different. and there you go, a whimsical look that is sure to brighten up whatever your event may be. happy party styling!

.strawberry cake forever.

to clear my conscience, i need to be honest right up front. i cheated on you. for many years, we had such a special relationship, really formed our bond in a back yard in seattle. you were so sweet to me and that makes admitting this that much harder. oh raspberry, there is now another. a new favorite. i'm sorry.

for so long now, my berry affair was raspberry all the way, my top fruit pick above all else. i've always loved strawberries and blueberries, but there was a unique bite to the raspberry that allowed it to hold the top spot for such a long time. however, i was right in the middle of baking this cake when a revelation washed over me. i love strawberries, i've always loved strawberries and it is the type of fruit that i will love forever and ever. strawberries have such a subtly, soft sweetness that makes it impossible to resist for me. not only do i enjoy the fruit on its own, but i also veer towards strawberry-flavored anything.

the deep red hue of this berry couldn't be more stunning for our memorial day cookout. with that, i set out to make martha stewart's strawberry cake and you can see the recipe here:

Ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pie plate
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 pound strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 10-inch pie plate. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a medium bowl.
Put butter and 1 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk, and vanilla.
Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Transfer batter to buttered pie plate. Arrange strawberries on top of batter, cut sides down and as close together as possible. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.
Bake cake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Bake until cake is golden brown and firm to the touch, about 1 hour. Let cool in pie plate on a wire rack. Cut into wedges. Cake can be stored at room temperature, loosely covered, up to 2 days.

making the batter felt natural and almost robotic. there was nothing particularly different about it compared to most batters i have blended. nevertheless, the smell of the cake as it began to take shape from a hodgepodge of dry and wet ingredients was still a gratifying scent.

while i had halved strawberries before, i had never hulled them. at first, i tried scraping the centers out after cutting each berry in half and then realized this would take me quite a bit of time with a whole pound of these. so, i had to try a different, more time-efficient method. i chopped the stem end off each berry and then made a circular path down into the center of the berries with my knife and removed the hull that way. from there, i split the berry in half.

as the recipe suggested, i laid each one cut side down and they looked beautiful atop the anxious batter. once in the oven, i hoped my cake, all-done-up in my pie plate, would turn out to be scrumptious.

after removing the finished product from the oven and letting it cool, i sifted some confectionery sugar on top and it drifted down like a light flurry on a beautiful field of strawberries. the beatles have a song, 'strawberry fields forever' that may start climbing on my list of favorite beatles songs just because of its delicious subject matter.

i cut the cake into unforgivably small slivers in order to have enough for our cook-out guests. in the future, i'll just bake two because this was one delicious red devil that should be eaten in indulgent amounts.

.super simple party decoration.

want the perfect little pick me up for your party decorations without breaking the bank? i have such an easy, cute little craft that is suitable for any casual event. this flag banner tutorial will have your spirits flying high when you make one of your own.

first of all, go pretty much anywhere and buy a pack or two of napkins in the pattern or color you want your banner to be. you could easily mix and match solid colors and patterns for a fun look. for our memorial day cookout, i chose red and white checkered for that traditionally casual look.

to start the process, i unfolded the napkin and cut it into two equal squares. i went through the whole pack like this and had a pile of squares waiting for me. then, i went through each one and cut diagonals to form a triangle (the little flag). once i had all my triangles cut up, they were still open flaps. so, i took a glue stick and did a quick swiping on the bottom to adhere them together to make one solid triangle.

from there, i took a safety pin (super high-tech i know) and basically stabbed little holes into the top two corners of each. i could get really nerdy here and talk about angles and the type of triangle these made, but who cares anything about isosceles? ok, i do!

now, to string your banner together, you have a few options. i didn't have any string lying around, but i did have something much cheaper and with a refreshing scent- dental floss. now if your guests want to climb on a chair to really inspect your finish product, they'll get a minty fresh whiff as an added bonus.

this whole project probably cost three dollars and a little patience. i know it's one i'll be making again in the future.

.i'm dreaming of a white cupcake.

our cookout was color coordinated and white played a large role. weeks before memorial day, i started thinking about what i would bake for all our friends coming over. the one dessert i stayed consistent in my decision was coconut cake. coconut to me is a really pure white and i think coconut desserts always make for some of the sharpest presentations. my only debate was whether to do a cake or cupcakes.

in the end, i went for cupcakes because i find them to be really user-friendly at events where people aren't seated prim and properly around a table. hey, they're mobile. once i put my finger on what i wanted, i now had to put my hands on the perfect recipe. i'm starting to see a theme in that i have a go-to-gal, ina garten. she draws me in every time with her floury promises and sugary assurances.

for those of you itching to get your hand on the recipe yourself, here it is:

Ingredients
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 extra-large eggs at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons pure almond extract
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk
14 ounces sweetened, shredded coconut

For the frosting:
1 pound cream cheese at room temperature
3/4 pound (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
1 1/2 pounds confectioners' sugar, sifted

Directions
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, add the eggs, 1 at a time, scraping down the bowl after each addition. Add the vanilla and almond extracts and mix well.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In 3 parts, alternately add the dry ingredients and the buttermilk to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry. Mix until just combined. Fold in 7 ounces of coconut.
Line a muffin pan with paper liners. Fill each liner to the top with batter. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until the tops are brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Remove to a baking rack and cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the frosting. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, on low speed, cream together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and almond extracts. Add the confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth.
Frost the cupcakes and sprinkle with the remaining coconut.

for our cookout, i knew i wanted to make a couple dozen of these little pretties, but the recipe told me it would yield 18-20 cupcakes. i had my mind set to just pour the batter a little light in order to stretch it over all 24 liners.

after mixing and whipping and measuring and scooping, i quickly realized i would have more than enough batter to fill not only the 24 cupcake liners, but an additional 12. i've noticed this happening more often than not in most recipes i try.

not only did i have an abundance of these babies, but they were all chocked full of sweet coconut to give a little texture to each and every bite. my husband and i had to obviously try one right away. we only do this for the protection of our guests in case they're awful. (wink)

we both mmm'ed at each bite. i asked him my newest annoying question, 'on a scale of one to ten, where would you rank these?' to which he replied 'a nine.' i'd say that's pretty great. plus, i felt a bit of redemption for my taste buds after not enjoying the last thing i baked.

i also got to use my new larger frosting tip for the first time and loved, loved, loved it. even though the cupcakes were so pretty and pure in their white coconut hats, i figured i'd go ahead and put a flag in it anyway for the occasion.

if you are a coconut fan and try this recipe, you really won't regret it. ms. garten has yet to lead me astray with her mouth-watering creations.