Happy Halloween

Here's my treat for Halloween. It took me many years to find the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe (just ask my husband). Too many cookies are greasy and flat. This cookie is perfect (in my humble opinion). It's crisp just around the edges and soft in the middle. It holds its shape after cooling and doesn't taste greasy.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 cups flour
12 oz chocolate chips

Mix shortening and butter together. Add sugar and brown sugar; mix well (all the sugar should be dissolved in the fat). Add two eggs, mix until just combined.

Add in vanilla extract. Then add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Drop spoonfuls of dough onto a cookie sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Cookies should barely be golden. Remove sheet from oven and let cookies rest 2-3 minutes. Remove cookies to wire rack and let cool.

***This recipe makes 5-6 dozen (recipe can easily be halved)

***We like to try different combinations of chips (i.e. 1/3 peanut butter chips, 1/3 milk chocolate chips, and 1/3 white chocolate chips)

Butterfly Cake

I have 19 nieces and nephews. I'm very grateful I can live close to 7 of them. A lot of times I'll make their birthday cakes. Erin is my only niece (or nephew) that I've made EVERY birthday cake for.

Here is her first cake:Erin was so sick on her birthday...she didn't even get to try it. I made a box cake mix, but instead of all the eggs and oil I put in baby food. To make the butterfly I used heart shaped pans for the wings and cut the body out of a 9x13 cake.

I love to make birthday cakes for my nieces and nephews. I don't get them presents, but instead make them a cake. Erin can tell you about every cake she's received from me (all six). We've already started talking about her cake for next year :)