Shamrock Butter & Chocolate Cookies

Yummy little butter cookies in the shape of Shamrocks with green sugar and a chocolate coating on the back just might make the little Leprechauns in your house happy.

 Shamrock Cookies

Recipe by TJ All Recipes.com and also @Pattie T

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 eggs (I thought about using 2 eggs but just followed the recipe)
few drops food coloring, if desired
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
2. Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla and food coloring of your choice. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
3. Place dough in a pastry bag fitted with a number 4-S tip (the S means 'star'), and pipe out in 2 inch bars on greased baking pan. (Can also be piped into rosettes or other shapes)
4. Bake for about 5 to 7 minutes. Put baked cookies together with jam, frosting or melted chocolate.  

My changes:

*  I used a cookie press instead of putting dough through a pastry bag.

*  I dipped the backs of the cookies in melted chocolate and allowed to harden on baking racks.
This recipe is similar to my Spritz cookie recipe that came with my cookie press.  Click the photo below that recipe.

Spritz Cookies

AJ is A-OK

Can't say I read Race Pages magazine frequently (or ever), but this issue really held my interest.

The bottom right corner of the cover is the reason...

 There is a four page article about AJ (Jared's daddy) and his love of drag racing.

 AJ in his 98' Mustang

Click each photo to enlarge.  Above photo is AJ and Erin (our oldest daughter) and dog Cede.

AJ showing John his 89' Mustang back in 2002.

This was his street car and we could hear the rumble long before he turned onto our street!

Looks like a love for racing began as a little guy!

♥
AJ is way more than A-OK in our book...
we love him to pieces!

Springtime in Paris

John took a vacation day yesterday and we headed to Paris.

Springtime in Paris

at the

2011 Philadelphia International Flower Show.

It was filled with gorgeous displays

and it was filled with people!

We took the High Speedline in to the city, boarding at the second station from south Jersey and the train was full.  We stood and held tight as each stop filled with more and more passengers.

Shoulder-to-shoulder, we all made our way past innumerable blooms in all their glory.

I can't begin to imagine how many photos were taken ~ the loveliest and choicest specimens were on display for all to enjoy.

Fanciful carousel topiaries delighted those in the courtyard.
The Philadelphia Flower Show is the largest indoor flower show ~
33 acres!
It attracts 250,000 visitors and brings $61 million economic impact to the city.

 It was hard to find an open area to step back enough for a photo but toward the end we were able to snap a few of each other.

~*~

Linking to Cindy@My Romantic Home for Show & Tell Friday

Personalized Bookmarks

I am always looking for gift ideas that are personal and useful.

These durable bookmarks fit the bill for many occasions.

They are made as a Microsoft Word document, printed and glued to a piece of card stock that was edged using a paper punch, laminated at Staples and finished with a ribbon.

The possibilities are endless... Photos, monograms, quotes,  and verses are just a few ideas that you can use to create a special keepsake.

Here is what I did, step-by-step:

1)  Open New document in Word.

2) Adjust the right margin to the desired with of your bookmark remembering that the decorative border will add width to the finished size.

3) Click Insert Picture to take you to your photo files.

4) Choose your picture/image.  Repeat if you want to add additional images as I did above. (I added the letter 'L' and then the scrolls above and below the letter)

5) Add your desired text. It might be a favorite verse, quote or commemorate a special occasion or date.

6) I like to enter a few times to create an empty area at the top of the bookmark for a ribbon.

7) Highlight the entire design that will be encompassed by a border.

8) On the Toolbar, click the border icon and select Borders & Shading from the drop down list.

9) Scroll down to the style border you like best.
10) You can also pick a color by clicking directly below the Style tab.  I like to use a color that matches the paper stock I will use to back the bookmark.

11) When everything looks just like you want, Print your bookmark.  Trim leaving a small border.

12)  Cut a piece of card stock in a complimentary color.  A straight edge is very nice and masculine.  I used a paper punch for the fancy scalloped edge for the girls.

13) Using a paper hole punch, punch a single or double hole for a ribbon. (I think a single ribbon is more masculine and the bow is more feminine.

14) At this point, the bookmarks can be finished simply by adding a ribbon.  If you would like to make them more durable, take them to Staples to have them laminated.  You can fit at least three bookmarks on a sheet and it costs $1.00 a sheet for lamination.  A bargain, I'd say!  After lamination, trim them apart being careful not to cut too close so the front and back piece remains sealed.

15) Finally, add a ribbon!

~*~

I used images graciously shared by Karen on her amazing site, The Graphics Fairy.

As you can see from my photo file, I save lots of images from this site!

Thank you, Karen!

Cousins

Happy Birthday, Karen!

I Love You! As always, we had a great day with you!

Growing up together

ps... Happy Birthday to John (Karen's husband) too!  A sweet guy and dear friend!