Cream Cheese Filled Snickerdoodles

Hello, my name is Sarah... and I failed miserably.

My kids, the husband, and myself are obsessed with all things Snickerdoodle.    Muffins, cookies, you name it.

I saw a pin for the aforementioned Cream Cheese Filled Snickerdoodle.  My mouth watered, my heart raced.  I was hooked.

I attempted.  And failed.  And I don't know why.  I do know that I will try again, and use the same recipe from the fine folks over at Cookies and Cups and hope for better success.  Have you made these with any degree of success?  And if so, what as your trick?  Have you had a spectacular fail in the kitchen?  Want to share?

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup room temp butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• Filling
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla

1. Make the cream cheese filling by mixing the cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp vanilla. I used my hand mixer for this.
2. Cover the cream cheese mixture and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 400°
4. Cream butter and 1 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy.
5. Add eggs and 1 tsp vanilla. Mix until combined.
6. On low speed mix in your flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. Set dough to the side.
7. In a small bowl combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon, set that aside as well.
8. Remove the cream cheese mixture from the refrigerator.
9. For each cookie you will need 2 flattened balls of dough, 1 Tbsp each. (The flattened disk will be approx 2″ in diameter)
10. Place 1 tsp of the cream cheese mixture on top of one of the flattened dough disks. Then place the other flattened dough on top of the cream cheese. Pinch the edges together to seal.
11. Carefully form into a ball and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on a plate as you finish making each and refrigerate. Before baking the cookies they should chill for 15 minutes.
12. When the dough is chilled bake on a parchment lined baking sheet 2″ apart for 8 minutes.
13. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Makes approx 24 cookies

Sopapilla Cheesecake

Hello, my name is Sarah... and I have a confession to make.  I have made this dessert for YEARS, and had no exact recipe or name.  Thank you, Pinterest, for solving both of those problems.

This recipe is divine.  Need a breakfast pastry?  Here ya go.  Need an easy dessert?  This fits the bill.  Need some comfort food?  You have been saved.

Thanks to My Yellow Umbrella for fulfilling a void in my life.  (Isn't that a great name for a blog, by the way?)

Ingredients:
-2 cans pillsbury butter crescent rolls
-2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (softened)
-1 cup sugar
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1/4 cup butter (melted)
-Cinnamon & sugar

Instructions:
Unroll and spread 1 can crescent rolls on bottom of un-greased pan. Combine softened cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. Spread mixture over crescent rolls. Unroll and spread remaining crescent rolls over mixture. Spread melted butter over the top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes.

Green Onion

Hello, my name is Sarah... and this left me speechless.

I use a TREMENDOUS amount of green onion in my cooking.  I love the pop of flavor and color they add to everything.  Yes, they are inexpensive at the grocery store, but FREE is better, right?

The next time you buy a bunch of those yummy green things at the store, DO NOT throw the white parts away.  Stick them in a glass with water, and place them in a window that gets sun.  Voila!  They grow very quickly, and require no green thumb.    Just change out the water periodically, and you are good to go.

Thank you to the fine folks over at Homemade Serenity for the tip, and the images below.

Chicken Carbonara

Hello, my name is Sarah... and the husband can't make a food decision to save his life.

So when he asked me to make chicken carbonara for Valentine's Day, I pretty much had to.  I honestly can't remember the last meal he requested.  I headed to Pinterest to search for a recipe.  I ended up pinning the second one I found.  COMPLETE SUCCESS.  The husband declared it an eleven on a scale of one to ten.  That isn't even possible.

Thanks to the good lady over at Everyday Occasions.  Her site is adorable.

Chicken Carbonara Recipe
serves 4... generously

2 chicken breasts
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 teaspoon of Black Pepper
1 teaspoon of Sea Salt

2 tablespoons of sea salt
1 pound spaghetti

4 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 cups of whipping cream
6 large egg yolks
1 cup Parmesan
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped

Prepare the chicken by placing the breasts on a baking sheet, drizzling with olive oil, salt & pepper.  Roast for 15-20 minutes (depending on size and thickness of the chicken) at 425 degrees.  Meanwhile...

Heat water to boil for pasta.  Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt to the water.

In a large saute pan, brown pancetta on medium high heat until crispy.  Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs and whipping cream.  Set aside.  Do not begin to make the rest of the sauce until the chicken has finished roasting.

Add pasta to the boiling water.   Shred the chicken with a fork.  Add minced garlic and chicken to the saute pan with pancetta.  Cook on medium for 1 minute heat chicken and saute garlic.

The pasta should be just about ready.  Remove it from the boiling water (I recommend tongs!) keeping the cooking water in the pot, and place it directly into the saute pan with the chicken and pancetta.  Reduce heat to low.

Pour egg and cream mixture over the hot pasta and stir continuously until the sauce thickens.  If you need more liquid, add a small amount of the pasta cooking water.  Add parmesan cheese, chopped basil and some black pepper and toss together.  Serve immediately.

Homemade Laundry Detergent

Hello, my name is Sarah, and YES, you read that right. I made laundry detergent.

Why might you ask?  Because I could.  Isn't laundry detergent at the store perfectly acceptable?  Why, yes, it is.  However, when I am stuck at home for what seems like the 997th day in a row, I need a freaking project.  Yes, I could clean out the pantry, or the cabinets, but why should I do that when I can make LAUNDRY DETERGENT?

I had seen several friends pin a link to this blog with a "recipe" for making your own laundry detergent.  I was intrigued, and did a little research.  The "recipe" produces a TON of detergent for under $15 dollars.  My offspring have really sensitive skin, and all of the ingredients were approved for them.  Heck, I will give it a shot.

1 box of Borax

8 boxes of baking soda

4 bars of grated Castile soap

Thanks to http://www.thehenpen.org

Mix all of these ingredients together, and ta-da!  You have a tremendous amount of powder laundry detergent.

It has worked well in my washing machine, and the husband said, "Our clothes smell cleaner.  Did you do something different."  He then rolled his eyes at my new skill set.    

You can add a few tablespoons of your favorite essential oil to fragrance the detergent.  I was not able to do that with the aforementioned skin issues, but plan to make a separate batch for cleaning towels and bedding.

Quick and Easy French Bread

Hi, my name is Sarah, and I have a love LOVE LOVE relationship with bread.    I tried going low carb once, and my husband was ready to trade me in.

Well, lookee there.  A pin for a recipe for French Bread.  Sounds perfect to go with my Sin Dip or Crock Pot Potato Soup.  Since the husband was returning home from a camping trip, I made this ridiculously easy bread while I waited for him.  He walked in and attempted to eat it prior to the Super Bowl party we were headed to that evening.  I ended up hiding the two loaves from him.

http://keephomesimple.blogspot.com

• 2 1/2 Cups Warm Water
• 2 T. Yeast
• 2 T. Sugar
• 1 t. Salt
• 3 T. Oil
• 6 Cups Flour

Add yeast, sugar and water together into a large bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.  Then add salt, oil and flour and knead together.  Place a towel over the bowl and let it rise for 15 minutes.  Roll out and separate into two loaves.  Place on a greased cookie sheet.  Make small, diagonal slices in the dough.  Bake at  375 and bake for 25-30 minutes.  

While it bakes, find a good hiding spot.  

Crock Pot Potato Soup

Hello, my name is Sarah and I love potatoes and crock pots.

What is that pin I see?  A healthy crock pot potato soup?  I will give it a shot.

http://www.recipe-diaries.com

Such a simple recipe.  I was a little skeptical that it would have any flavor, and as always I was concerned about texture.

Oh, how wrong was I!  I am proud to admit I under-estimated myself and this recipe.

The spouse is a little under the weather, despite the fact that it is his birthday, but this soup plus tomorrow's post seemed to patch him up just fine.  Check back tomorrow for another amazing comfort food.

30 ounce bag of frozen, shredded hash browns
42 ounces of chicken broth
1 can of reduced fat Cream of Chicken Soup
1/2 cup of chopped onion
1 block of reduced fat cream cheese.

Dump all of the above in a crock pot on low.  Wait 6-8 hours, drooling over the smell, and enjoy!  We topped ours with some shredded cheddar and chopped bacon.  I am already looking forward to leftovers.  I NEVER say that.