Messy Jessy’s 1st Annual Sweet Treat Exchange – The Purpose

19 Dec

The Purpose

(This is part of 3 posts.  Click here for the first post and here for the second.)

We got to laugh.

We got to eat some good food.

We got to take home some really good treats.

And we got to make a difference in the life of others.

Together 17 women and 1 man pulled their resources, each giving what they could and if they could and we raised $130.

 

We bought a goat and 2 chickens.

Goats nourish hungry children and families with healthy milk, cheese, and yogurt. Chickens provide fresh eggs that are rich in protein and nutrients, and extra eggs and chicks can be sold to pay for basics.  To learn more about what one goat and two chickens can do for a family, click here.

We also were able to give to help mothers in Afghanistan.

Every 30 minutes, an Afghan woman dies of childbirth-related complications. In fact, tragically, almost half of all deaths of women age 15-49 in Afghanistan result from complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Most of these deaths could be prevented with increased access to maternal health services.  To learn more about what just a little less than a dollar a day can do for other women, click here.

To see how you can make a difference both in the United States and around the world, visit World Vision’s Gift Catalog.

My hope is that someday me and a bunch of women from the Midwest will have built a school.  Till then maybe we’ll just start with this or this.

 

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Messy Jessy’s 1st Annual Sweet Treat Exchange – Brunch and Exchange

19 Dec

The Exchange & Brunch

(This is part of 3 posts.  Click here for the first post and here for the third.)
 

In case you’ve never been to one, it’s pretty simple.  Each guest makes their favorite treat.  I went with treats instead of cookies because … well, for one, my mom CANNOT make cookies to save her life and she’s not a lone.  Plus there are so many yummies out there that get looked over that aren’t cookies.  You decide how much each guest should bring; I chose 2-3 dozen.  Then guests come and exchange and take home a little bit of everything.  Next year I think I’ll ask for 3-4 dozen and let us sample while we are there.

I, along with the help of a friend and my mother, provided some brunch like food for the women to enjoy as they chatted and looked the treats over.  We also played a trivia game which came with prizes, had a door prize, and had prizes for the prettiest, the easiest, the most creative,  and most adventurous.

Ice cubes in the shapes of gloves, snowmen, snowflakes and stocking hat

How about some gingerbread men (sugar) with your coffee? Thanks to my mom for coming over the night before and helping create.

Grinch Punch

Delicious egg casserole by Meagan with Honey muffins and jam, and Banana Nut Crunch Muffins, and Caramel Corn

And of course, the cutest little chef of all

Who could not for the life of her stay still... and she's off to the kitchen ... watch out Rachael Ray!

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Messy Jessy’s 1st Annual Sweet Treats Exchange – The Idea & The Invite

19 Dec

So a dear friend told me I should blog about this little party I had.  I shrugged my shoulders and acted all “why would I do that?”  Truth is it was a good idea; it just seemed weird to me to write it.  It feels a bit like shining a light on me.  But I must confess after reading her very nice blog post about it, it really is a good idea and I need to do it.

‘Cus maybe you’ll get to thinking … thinking how you can have a little fun, enjoy friends and food, and make a difference in someone’s life all at the same time and without ever leaving your own kitchen (well… except for supplies).

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The Idea

(This is part of 3 posts.  Click here for the second post and here for the third.)
 

Born out of boredom, echoes of depression due to health problems as a result of pregnancy, labor, and childbirth that seemed never ending, and out of figuring out how to transition from working to staying at home and while loving it (the home thing), still missing the other thing (working).

I needed a project.  I needed a goal.  I needed something to accomplish.  I needed something to do.  I needed something that got me out of myself.  I needed something that got me out of the house or got people in my house.  I needed some laughter.  I needed some hope.  I needed to make a difference.

And so Messy Jessy’s 1st Annual Sweet Treat Exchange was born.

My Cindy Lou inspired outfit for the day - one of the few times I'll be in this much pink

The Invite

How The Grinch Stole Christmas was my theme.  I am thinking that each year I’ll have a different theme and will find ways to involve the guests more in this.  Just not sure how yet.

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Sugar Cookies Attempt 1

15 Dec

So I about a week ago I decided that I was going to try to make the perfect sugar cookie.  Perfect according to my husband’s taste buds. Since then I’ve looked at a couple sugar recipes from my cookbooks and online; I’ve even had a recipe sent to me and been given suggestions.

This afternoon I started with the soft sugar cookie recipe from one of my cookbooks and stole the idea of adding milk as an additional ingredient (milk) from this online recipe.

Sugar Cookie Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp cream of tartar
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg (original calls for 1/4 but I was nervous about the taste for my husband)

Frosting Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 3 cups confectioners’ sugar (why do we say this instead of powdered?)
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 2-4 tbsp hot water

Kitchen Tools

  • 2 mixing bowls
  • Mixer
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Cookie sheet
  • Cookie/Ice Cream Scoop/Teaspoon
  • Knife

Baking Directions

First the cookies,

I decided to get all my ingredients together ahead of time.

This seemed to really help with clean up and less time searching for something or having to reach in the back of a shelf mid-mixing.

To soften butter, set out ahead of time and let get to room temperature.  I find that slicing it up when I remove from the fridge seems to help it come to room temperature quicker though this could just be a mind trick.  :)

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Note:  I think this happened b/c my butter wasn’t soft enough.  I got impatient and didn’t plan well in time.  No biggie, just had to un-goo everything and slow down the process a bit.

2. Beat in the eggs, vanilla and almond extract.

3. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, vanilla, nutmeg, baking soda and salt.

4.  Gradually add to wet mixture.

5.  Drop rounded teaspoon size balls onto ungreased baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes.  I found the lesser time kept the less dry (though none were dry), more doughy but still done.

6.  Cool completely.

And now the frosting, 

1. Combine butter, sugar, and extract together.  Add 2 tbsp of water and mix.  Keep mixer down in bowl and don’t bring up and around, just slowly move through sugar.  This minimizes the powdered sugar from dusting your counters and you.  :)  Add more water as needed for the consistency you want.

And now I just wait for the husband to taste and rate ‘em.

2.  Frost cooled cookies.

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The Gauntlet Has Been Thrown

5 Dec

My husband loves sugar cookies.

I mean, he absolutely adores them.

Scott is an amazing husband.  He is a laid back man, not prone to excitement and who prides himself on his ability to control himself in just about every situation which makes for an interesting, never dull, dynamic when married to me.

There are a few things though that act as his personal kryptonite: white yellow cake with no icing, Oreo cookies, and sugar cookies.

If they are in the house he eats them without restraint.

This is where he lets loose.

I find it cute.

I find it a relief to see even him forget himself …

and indulge …

recklessly …

impuslively …

without thought.

Okay so it’s just sugar cookies but I got to take the “wild side” where I can find it.

But,

and this is a big BUT,

he prefers the store bought kind.

Not a bakery.

Not from the bakery section of a nice, local grocery store that is known for its sweet treats.

Sugar cookies from the local Wal-Mart.

In a box, in an aisle.

He prefers those to homemade straight from the oven with homemade icing.

He feels the same way about brownies which I sort of get.

But sugar cookies?

Cookies in general are always way better homemade.

So the gauntlet has been thrown.

I am on a mission to find a recipe for sugar cookies that will knock the socks off of Scott.

I want a cookie recipe that will have a plate of cookies gone before the night is over.

So … what makes a good sugar cookie recipe?

 

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Guest Post: Frosting for the Cause

25 Nov

 

I am so excited to share a post I did for Frosting for the Cause today.  It’s in tribute to my mother, in celebration of who she is, being 9 years cancer free, and for her her delicious banana puddin’, which of course has my own twist on it.

Here is just the start …

This past year I’ve grown an obsession with baking.  Baking things I find.  Baking things I create.

My husband just shakes his head when I bring home a new cook book.  How many is too many?  At one point should I seek professional help?

I’m not sure exactly where this new found love came from.  My mother can’t make cookies to save her life.  She often came to class parties with a bag of Oreos.  I always thought it was because she worked at home and outside the home and there simply wasn’t enough time in the day.  As I look back now, I realize it probably had more to do with the fact that she really couldn’t bake a batch of cookies without burning them.  Ever.

Head on over to Frosting For the Cause to read the rest …

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It’s the little things … OR what to do with left-over apple pie filling

23 Nov

So last Saturday I made these tasty treats.  The recipe makes 8 and since my husband doesn’t eat fruit, I decided to only make 6.  2 for my mom.  2 for my dad.  2 for me.  I didn’t think any of us needed to eat another one and add to our waistlines … no matter how good they turned out.

But now what to do with the left over pie filling?

Monday morning, I got creative.

I used a basic muffin recipe.

Threw in the apple-pie filling.

Added 1/2 a cup of peanut butter.

And WALA!

Peanut Butter-Apple Pie Muffin!

I’m pretty stoked with this little spur-of-the-moment creation. 

And the moms at Moms’ Group seemed to enjoy them.

It’s the little things in life that get me excited.

Now if I could only have come up with a breakfast creation for the little bit of pastry dough I had left. 

Suggestions anyone?

 

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