The Best EVER Banana Cake

I know, the title says "cake" and here I am showing a picture of cupcakes. Here's the story:

Several months ago at a family gathering I saw a cute, white frosted cake. No one had yet partaken, and  so I watched closely for someone to take the first slice... not wanting to be overly-eager to dig into this cake I was having good vibes about.

Finally, when I took a bite... mmmm!! I KNEW that this was a recipe I absolutely HAD to track down (just like I did with THIS one).  I've made it several times, and it doesn't disappoint! A few weeks ago, I was assigned to bring a dessert to a dinner party. I was so busy that I handed the recipe over to my husband to make. He did, and holy cow, now he's a celebrity cook among that dinner group! Of course, he got all the recognition :)!

I've had this on my checklist to share here for a while, and finally decided to make the cake recipe into cupcakes. I loved them as cupcakes, but honestly, even more as a cake. The ratio of frosting to cake is PERFECT! As cupcakes, I haven't quite perfected it. So, definitely make it as a cake... your taste buds will party.  Then, try cupcakes later too, if you want.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups bananas, ripe, mashed
2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 1/8 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups buttermilk

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 oz package cream cheese)
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Garnish:
walnuts, or whoppers

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. Grease and flour a 9X13 pan OR two round pans.

3. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside.

4. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

5. In a large bowl, mix butter and sugar til light and fluffy.

6. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in vanilla

7. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.

8. Stir in banana mixture.

9. Pour  batter into prepared pan, or pans. Bake for 1 hour or until done.

10. Remove from oven and place directly in freezer for 45 minutes (makes the cake very moist).

Make frosting

1. Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth.

2. Beat in vanilla (1 tsp)

3. Add powdered sugar. Beat on ow speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.

4. Spread on cooled cake.

5. Garnish  :)

It's DEFINITELY worth making!

XO,
Nancy

Themed Meals

 

I have always loved to plan parties for my family.  I remember starting planning holiday fun when my two oldest were 5 and 2.  That was a magical age. I stayed at home all day with my girls and we didn't make a lot of money, so I remember trying to create Holiday Fun for us.  It started to become a tradition and my girls loved to see what would happen on holidays.  Even when I went back to work outside the home they still loved when I would create Holiday Fun for them, even if it was on a much smaller scale. 

Pinterest has so many ideas for themed meals, parties and activities. So if you feel in the mood to create some Themed Meal Time check out our pinterest board and some of these food ideas we have done in the past.

Holiday Parties.......

Heart Shape Party Food for Valentine's

14 Heart Shape Foods

Green Party- St. Patrick's Day

Breakfast

 Green Eggs and Ham, Green Oatmeal or Lucky Charms

Lunch

Picnic Lunch- Leprechaun Switch

One year we made a picnic lunch. Picture on the left. 

When we came back from running errands to go on our picnic

 our lunch had been turned green by the Leprechaun.

Rainbow Snack

 

Holidays are probably the easiest to create a Themed Meal for.

Have you heard of National Food Holiday Days.  Pick a day and check out this website and you can create your meal around the National Food Holiday.

Did you know.......

March 14th is National Potato Chip Day?

March 25th is National Waffle Day.

March 26th is National Spinach Day.

March 28th is Something on a Stick Day.

Themed Meals for PRESCHOOLERS

Preschoolers love themed meals and can be especially easy to create. 

Use a book for Inspiration:

Try using shapes to create lunch whether it is a orange for a circle, pizza for a triangle

or using a cookie cutter to cut heart shape PB and J's.  

Your PRESCHOOLER will love it!!! 

Pick a letter for the day and make a lunch using that letter. 

C: Carrots, Celery and Cucumbers, Crackers and Cheese, Clementine, Craisins,   

Themed Meals for

MOVIE NIGHT

Polar Express Movie Night

Teen Beach Movie Night

Beach Party

Themed Meals for

Sports

Football Party

The ideas are endless just think of a fun day you want to celebrate and then begin planning!!

Enjoy!
Jan

Sugar Cookie Cupcakes (Oh so good...)

If I had to choose only one dessert that I could eat the rest of my life, THIS would be it. Serious. That good. Yep. Period.

The cake is an old fashioned recipe, and the frosting is a whipped, out of this world taste. I did not invent the frosting or the cake recipes, but I did adapt them and pair them with one another... One of the wisest decisions of my life.

I've made these for many birthday parties and family get-togethers. Finally, here it is written down. Hopefully for the family archives :)!

Cupcakes (Can also be baked as a cake):
Ingredients:
4 egg whites beaten to stiff peaks
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
2  cups granulated sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 cups ice water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, set 24 cupcake wrappers in pans (or prepare pans otherwise)

1. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks and set aside

2. In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes)

3. Meanwhile, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together

4. Add flour mixture and ice water to creamed butter. Alternate wet and dry until mixed in. Do not over mix!

5. Mix in almond and vanilla extracts

6. Fold in egg whites

7. Bake for 18-22 minutes (for 2 8 inch cakes, bake for 30 minutes)


Frosting:
Ingredients:
10 Tb. Flour
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups milk
2 cups butter (I KNOW... but it's worth it!)
2 cups granulated sugar (NOT powdered sugar)

Directions:
1. In a saucepan, whisk flour and milk together.

2. Then, turn on medium heat. Stir CONSTANTLY until very thick... texture resembles pudding. Make sure all the lumps are whisked out.

3. Cool completely (I put it in another bowl and stick it in the refrigerator).

4. When completely, 100 % cooled (or room temperature), add vanilla. Set aside.

5. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Make sure to beat past the grainy sugar stage.

6. Add milk/ flour mixture

7. Beat like crazy.

Try not to snitch the whole thing :).

 I love these so much. The extracts and the colors can vary. Different sprinkles make them fun for any occasion. Here's my Valentine version:

XO, Nancy

Wickedly Good Chocolate Cake

It is no secret that I love chocolate like crazy. Chocolate and I are not strangers at all, we meet up most days, ant this cake is my favorite form of chocolate. Seriously, it's so good it's wicked :)!

Make the cake:

1 devil's food cake mix

1 5.9 oz. package instant chocolate pudding mix

1 Cup Sour Cream

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

4 eggs, beaten

1/2 Cup water

1.5 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Grease 2 -8 inch round pans

Mix all ingredients except chocolate chips

Add chocolate chips after other ingredients are mixed

Bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes.

Cool for 1 hour or more

Make Ganache:

2Tb corn syrup

6 oz. heavy cream

12 oz. dark chocolate, chopped

1/2 tsp.  vanilla extract

On top of double boiler combine corn syrup, chocolate and heavy cream. 

Remove, and add vanilla. Let cool completely.

Make Chocolate Buttercream:

1 Cup Shortening

3-4 T. Milk

1/2 tsp. clear vanilla extract

1 lb. powdered sugar

1/4 - 1/2 C. cocoa

mix until smooth. Spread between layers of cake.

** you can also buy wilton decorator icing and add cocoa instead of making this**

THEN:

Pour ganache over top and let it drip down the sides.

Add fruit, nuts, pieces of candy bar or even

chocolate curls.

Recipe adapted from Make it and Love it

Now, go indulge!

Nancy

Fairy-Fetti Cookie Bites

These cookies may look "little girlie", but I promise that people of every age will LOVE them (and they are so easy to make)! An 8 year old boy was at my house while I was making these and asked what kind of frosting wassandwiched in them. When I told him that it was cream cheese, he said that he knew he absolutely would NOT like the cookie... he ONLY likes buttercream frosting. I let him try a cookie, and then he asked me if I would make a whole tray of them for his birthday (haha).

My little girls love them for tea parties, and boys want them for birthday parties...adults even like them.

Ingredients:
cookies:
1 Pkg pkg Funfetti Cake mix
2/3 C shortening
2 eggs

frosting:
1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
4 Tb butter, softened
dash of salt
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Mix the cake mix, shortening, and eggs in mixer until combined.
Shape into balls... big or small. Whatever you like.

Bake for 5-8 minutes. I make them small and bake for 5 minutes.


While cookies are baking make frosting:
Cream butter and cream cheese together. Add remaining ingredients and mix until smooth and creamy. Do not add milk. Add food coloring if desired.

XO,
Nancy

Teen Beach Movie Party

I have two girls that love to watch the Disney Channel and have been counting the days down to the

 

TEEN BEACH MOVIE

So at the last minute, I decided we might as well have a Beach Party and watch the show! We invited our cousins to come over and party with us. I am the kind of mom who either plans  for months for a party or we do it at the very last moment. (I blame my mom for that)  Here is our party!

Here is what we ate.....

Crab Sandwiches

 I got the idea from Be Different Act Normal

Here is how ours turned out.....

Pool Noodles:  Cheese Puffs

Beach Boats:  Deviled Eggs

Beach Cake

It was super fun to decorate a Beach cake.

Beach Party Mix

Gold Fish, Gummy Fish and Pool Noodles (Licorice)

Surf Up!!!

Jan  



Princess Brithday Cake Tutorial

 

We all know that the vast majority of little girls LOVE princesses, and have at least ONE princess birthday party, right? So, it's nice to have a basic way to decorate a princess cake. This is one that ANYONE can do.

Step 1:

Make 2 round cakes, one a size small than the other.

Step 2:

Cover the bottom cake in butter cream  frosting and fondant.

See THIS tutorial for further instructions on how to do that.

With ruler, mark dots one inch apart around the top of cake.

For the rest of the tutorial, click on the read more button:

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

... AND my sister's {elope} wedding...

This is a week that will go down in the history of my life!! Yes, one of those :)! My husband just got a job in Vegas. We're packing like crazy and moving next week...the house is in boxes and shambles.  But, some fantastic excitement overtook the packing frenzy...

On Tuesday night, my sister Stacy called. She was engaged to be married on the 26th of July. She asked me to put the phone on speaker and then announced to my husband and me that she was getting married the next day at 6:00 p.m.

I thought she was joking!!!!!!!!  But, no, she wasn't. There had been a few conflicts with the original date-  an aunt who had planned a family reunion on that day was upset that the wedding would overtake the reunion... and there were a few minor upsets here and there with every other day possible. So, why not get married the next day?!?!

And so they did!!!

Before I go on with the recipe, I must explain a few funny little things that happened.

 To be honest, when I went to bed the night before the wedding, I wasn't sure that they could pull this off. Especially, I felt this way because they planned to marry in the Salt Lake Temple (and no other place).  In our Church, not everyone can just up and get married in the temple. Each couple must meet with their Bishop and Stake President (ecclesiastical leaders) to be sure they are living by the standards necessary to enter the temple. It's not easy to just make everyone's schedule magically cohesive in one day... that's why I didn't really think this would happen the next day.

Oh, but I was of little faith :).

The morning of the wedding, Stacy called me and asked if I could make her a wedding cake that day... in the next few hours.  Haha! Anyone who knows about baking wedding cakes knows that it takes about a week to get the supplies together, bake, and decorate... even the ones that look simple take a long time. I did agree however, that I would try my best to get something together.

Amidst my shambled boxed up house, this Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake is what I came up with. I didn't even have time to get flowers on it, but hey, I only had a few short hours and the supplies on hand to get this together.

All was well after making the cake, and we drove the hour from our house to the Salt Lake Temple. Just as we arrived at the parking lot, Stacy called my phone.  All kinds of thoughts circled in my head. Why would she be calling me when she was supposed to be getting ready for her wedding? Well, well, well...

She and Spencer didn't have time to get rings!!! She asked if I would quickly go pick them out some wedding rings right then. YES, you read that right... she was asking me to find a store by the temple, pick out some wedding rings, and bring them back before the wedding was scheduled to start {IN 20 MINUTES!!!}.

Um, my husband has been unemployed for the last 6 months, and we're counting every penny for this move to Vegas. So, we headed as fast as we could to good old Walmart.  I ran like a banshee straight to the jewelry section, asked the kind lady to help me. I found a a beautiful sparkly "diamond" and band for her {$8}, and a nice looking band for him. Then I payed and RAN!!!

We arrived back at the temple just as the wedding was scheduled to start. I was sweating bullets! Luckily we met my other sister and her husband there, and tried to find the wedding room as fast as we could. All the other guests were seated, and looked funnily at us as we walked in so late. Little did they know, I'd just performed 2 small miracles for this youngest sister of mine! I had a definite excuse to be late.

Thankfully, we made it. She was a beautiful and happy bride.

We ended the wedding day with hamburgers at the park... (Remember Father of the Bride?) Every dad's dream come true!

My sister is definitely a bit crazy, but I love her! Congrats Stace and Spencer!!!!!



Now on with the recipe.... you never know when a great and easy recipe like this just may come in handy.
It's good and it's quick!!

Lemon Poppy Seed Bundt Cake
Ingredients:
1 pkg yellow cake mix
2 pkgs lemon pudding
4 eggs
1 cup water
3/4 cup oil
2 Tb. poppy seeds

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour bundt cake pan.
Mix all ingredients together until well mixed... but don't over mix.
Put batter in bundt pan.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour.

Garnish with powdered sugar and berries.... or anything else that would taste good.

(For this "wedding cake" I made 2 cakes, and cut one a little shorter than the other, and then stacked it on top of the other one). I put the part that I cut off in the hole, and then stacked berries on that).

XOXOXO,
Nancy


P.S. When my twins woke up this morning (the day after the wedding), the first thing they both said was, "I want to see Stacy's dress again!"
A good time was had by all :)!

 

Even the boys had fun :).

 

 



Linking to:

Marvelous Mondays
Jam Hands
Mad in Crafts
Craft-O-Maniac Monday


Peanut Butter Cup -- Cake

A few weeks ago I went to a wedding reception catered by Lauralee's {AMAZING} Mother-in-Law.  She made a million cakes that were beautiful and delicious. I  sampled as many as I could, and then stole bites from my husband and kiddos too. Seriously... heaven! The cake I fell MOST in love with was the Peanut Butter one. I begged and pleaded for the recipe, and Lauralee was so kind to get it for me. Here it is, and I promise, it's seriously AWESOME!

Cake Ingredients:
1 box yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup crunchy peanut butter (or creamy, if preferred)
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup peanut butter chips
{**or substitute the chocolate and peanut butter chips for 1 cup Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, chopped}
1 cup water
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
1/4 cup oil

 Frosting Ingredients:
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk or cream
2 tsp. vanilla

Decorating:
Peanut Butter cups
2 oz. chocolate
1 tsp shortening

Cake Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2-  8" round pans. (Or a 9 X 13 pan; or cupcakes).

Combine cake mix, sugar and peanut butter on low speed until crumbly. Set aside ½ C of peanut butter mixture.

 Add water, oil and eggs to remaining mixture.

 Mix at low speed until moistened, then beat 2 min on high.

 Fold 1/4 C chocolate chips and 1/4 C peanut butter chips into batter and pour batter into pan.
{**If using chopped peanut butter cups, fold 1/2 cup into batter)

Combine reserved mixture, remaining chocolate chips and peanuts. Sprinkle evenly over batter.
{**Again, if using peanut butter cups, add 1/4 cup to mixture, then sprinkle}

Bake 40 to 50 minutes - make sure to check at 40.
** For cupcakes bake 20-22 minutes.

While still warm,  sprinkle with rest of peanut chips and press into cake.

{**And if using peanut butter cups, sprinkle with 1/4 cup}

Frosting Directions:

 Place the butter and peanut butter into a medium bowl, and beat with an electric mixer. Gradually mix in the sugar, and when it starts to get thick, incorporate milk a little at a time until all of the sugar is mixed in and the frosting is thick and spreadable. Beat for at least 3 minutes for it to get good and fluffy.

Assembly:
When cake is cool, spread frosting over one of  the round cakes. Put the other cake on top. (Tops of each cake will be a bit crumbly).  Spread frosting all over cake.

Microwave shortening and 2 oz. chocolate in 20 second intervals until melted.  Put in plastic baggie or frosting bag. Either use a small tip, or just cut the end of the bag. "Scribble" all over the cake. Garnish with chopped Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

YUM!!!

~Nancy

Linking to:  Link Love Thursday   A Glimpse Inside   A Handful of Everything
Redfly Creations   One Artsy Mama
A Peek into my Paradise   Whipperberry,  Weekend Wrap Up Party   The Best Blog Recipes
Family Fun Archives     Six Sisters' Stuff   Marvelous Mondays
Tidy Mom  Jam Hands  Mad in Crafts  Craft-o-Maniac

{The Best} German Chocolate Cake

It's definitely treat week on the porch :). Here's one more to add to the mix!

I have a friend who asked if I'd make a German Chocolate cake for his birthday, and in return he made my family some amazing ribs (which I wish I had the talent to make like he does). I set off to make the best German Chocolate cake ever-- I take pride in those kind of things (or maybe  I just like compliments).

This is the recipe!! (It's adapted slightly from Allrecipes and the Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate Bar box).

Cake Ingredients:
1/2 cup water
1 pkg. Baker's German's Sweet Chocolate Bar
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softenend
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, seaparated
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
{3 - 9 inch round pans}- however, if you only have two; bake 2 cakes, cool; then bake 1 more.

Frosting Ingredients:
4 egg yolks
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 (7oz) pkg sweetened coconut (optional, toasted)
1 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional, toasted)


Glaze Ingredients:
1/2 tsp shortening
1 oz dark chocolate

Cake Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease 3 (9 inch) pans with shortening and flour (VERY important for this cake!!)
Melt German Chocolate bar and water in a small saucepan, stirring often.
While chocolate mixture is melting and cooling, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl mix butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add egg yolks one at a time- beat a bit after each one. (Save the whites)!
Add melted chocolate and vanilla extract.
Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk, beat after each addition. Set aside.
**** DO NOT OVER MIX THIS BATTER OR THE CAKE WILL FALL APART!!!
Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold gently into the cake batter.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes. (Make sure to check at 20).
Cool completely.

Frosting Directions:
Toast coconut for 2 minutes at 350 degrees, and pecans for 3 minutes at the same temperature, set aside. Toasting is optional.

In a saucepan, whisk eggs yolks, milk, and vanilla well.  Add sugar and butter. Cook over low heat until thickened. {Add a bit of cornstarch to reach desired consistency if needed}. Cook time is approximately 12 minutes. Remove from heat.
Add pecans and coconut.  Cool completely.

Glaze:
Heat dark chocolate and shortening in microwave. Set aside for a moment.

To assemble cake:
Spread frosting between first 2 layers of cake.  After adding the 3rd layer of the cake, drizzle glaze down the sides. Then add the remaining frosting to the top.

Embellish cake with chocolate curls for a final touch. Find out how to make them HERE.

Linking to: Someday Crafts Kitchen Meets Girl Southern Lovely

Enjoy!!! 
~Nancy



P.S. If the cake happens to fall apart when trying to get it out of the pan, just turn it into a trifle. It's really good that way too-- just not as pretty :).

Linking to: Cheerios and Lattes, The Best Blog Recipe

Royal Icing Recipe

I know that royal icing doesn't always have a good reputation. It can be hard as a rock, and sometimes overly sweet. The thing is though, when extracts are added, it can be really good!! There are certain adorable cookies, cakes, and other sweets that would NOT look beautiful at it if it weren't for royal icing. Here's my recipe, and oh does it come in handy. I'll be showing you some ways :).


 Ingeredients:
2 pounds confectioners sugar
1/3 cup + 1 Tb. meringue powder
3/4 cup warm water
1-2 Tb. oil free extract or flavoring (MAKE SURE it's oil free- oil will ruin this icing)
Extra water for thinning down if needed (a spray bottle works AMAZINGLY)

Directions:
1. Mix dry ingredients together with a stand or handheld mixer-
2. Add extracts and water slowly, while mixing.
3. Beat at medium-high speed for 7 to 10 minutes
4. STOP when stiff peaks form. If it's over mixed, it won't work as well.

Add desired food coloring. Thin down when needed with small amounts of water- such as from a spray bottle.

Now get ready to make all kinds of cute sweets!

Nancy

Lollipop Cupcake Flower Garden- with Sprinkles

Lollipop Cupcake gardens are so simple to make...

...and they make little girls really happy!

I've never met a boy who didn't like them either:)!

 They are fun way to welcome in spring or summer, and to celebrate Easter or birthdays.
After watching "Wreck it Ralph" I wished I'd made these for the snack afterward!
 

They're my spin of a Martha Stewart idea I saw.

Find out how after the jump... 
click the "read more" button below...

Winter Hat Sugar Cookies

I have a 'thing' for hats this winter season.  They're fun and show individuality and personality. So, I decided to combine two of my favorite things... hats and sugar cookies.

Not only do they make great Christmas cookies, as seen below... they make a fun treat all through the winter by just switching the color (as seen above).

These are made basically the same way as these soccer ball cookies.

If you want to make your own, here's the way.....
First, make your favorite sugar cookie recipe. I love this one by the girls at Our Best Bites.(Double this recipe for 2 dozen winter hat cookies). They hold their shape well, and they taste good. Perfect combination for these cookies... a sturdy sugar cookie is a must. 

Make the cookies at least a day ahead and freeze them. The cold and the time seem to help keep the cookies stay firm and tasty when decorated. Another option is to make them 2 days ahead and just keep them in an airtight container.


The winter hat cookie cutter can be found on Etsy or Ebay.

Make Glace Icing:
1 bag or 2 pounds powdered sugar
1/2 cup + 4 Tablespoons milk
1/2 cup + 4 Tablespoons light corn syrup
4 teaspoons clear extract (such as Wilton brand)
Gel Food coloring

Mix powdered sugar and milk together. Add corn syrup until just combined. Add extracts. Divide and add  food coloring.

*** Make sure to keep this frosting in an airtight container!!!! If not, it will turn into a cement like substance.
However, it takes 8-12 hours to dry completely when it's on the cookie. (Maybe a chemist could explain why, but I can't... I just know what it does :)).


Put icing in a frosting bag with a #3 tip. Outline all the cookies. It works to outline in white and fill in with another color. Or outline with whatever color you will frost the entire cookie. There are endless possibilities:).

Pipe some icing on to the cookie.

Fill in with a smallish and totally clean paintbrush.

They don't have to look perfect....

Let them dry 4-8 hours.

With desired colors and a #2 or #1 tip make designs...

Fill in where you want...

Let them dry for a few minutes before adding other colors.

Painting designs on the cookie also works, as seen on the green cookies pictured above.

Let them dry for at least 8 hours.

Then stack them, or put them in jars or baggies and the frosting will remain as is.

If you make theses, definitely show them off, or take them to a party. Sharing them makes the work and time worth it!

XO,
Nancy

P.S. This is part 3 in a '3 cookie-recipes-in-a-day series. Read part 1 here and part 2 here.