12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Day 6

White Chocolate Chip Molasses Cookies
Preheat Oven: 375 F.

• 1 stick butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons ginger
• 1 cinnamon  
• 1/4 teaspoon cloves
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 bag of Nestle White Chocolate Chips

1. Cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
2. Add egg and molasses and mix again.
3. Add baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and flour and stir until mixed completely.
4. Add chocolate chips and mix to incorporate.
5. Use a small spoon to portion out the dough onto the cookie sheet.
6. Bake in a 375 degree F. oven for 10-12 min.
7. Enjoy!

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Day 5

Holiday Brownie Bites
Preheat oven: 350 degrees F.

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1. Cream butter and sugar together in a mixer or large bowl.
2. Add vanilla extract and eggs to the mixture and stir again.
3. Add baking powder, and cocoa powder to the mixture and stir again.
4. Add flour and stir on high for 2-3 minutes, until the mixture becomes a lighter brown color.
5. Butter and flour a baking dish and add the brownie mixture to the dish, spreading the batter evenly.
6. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes. 
7. Test to see if brownies are baked completely by inserting a clean knife or tooth pick to the center. If it comes out clean the brownies are done, if not put them back in the over for an extra few minutes.
8. Once your brownies are cool, gently remove the crust and roll the brownies into balls with your hands.
9. Roll the balls into confectioner's sugar, cocoa powder, sugar, or sprinkles .
10. Enjoy!

Check out my video on how to make these delicious Brownie Bites below! 

12 Days of Christmas Cookies: Day 4

Peppermint Swirl Cookies
Makes: 2 dozen cookies
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

• 1 cup of butter
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 30 drops of artificial food coloring

1. Cream together butter and sugar in a mixer.
2. Add peppermint extract and the egg.
3. Add 1 teaspoon baking powder and 2 1/2 cups flour, stirring after each cup.
4. Divide the dough in half, placing one to the side and the other back in the mixing bowl.
5. Add 30 drops of red artificial food coloring to the dough in the mixer and mix well.
6. Roll out the white portion of the dough on a floured countertop with a rolling pin (If the dough it too warm and sticky, cover it in Saran Wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for an hour).
7. Loosely roll the white dough into a roll and set aside.
8. Roll the red portion of the dough onto a floured countertop mimicking the size and shape of the white portion of the dough you previously rolled out.
9. Unroll your white cookie dough on top of your red cookie dough, fixing any crack or tears with your fingers, then roll the two layers of dough together with a rolling pin.
10. Gently, but tightly roll both layers together, creating a swirl shape. 
11. Place a pile of sprinkles on a cookie sheet or tray and roll your cookie rolls into the pile, covering the dough with sprinkles.
12. Wrap the cookie rolls in Saran Wrap and place in the refrigerator for a couple hours of over night.
13. Once the dough is cool, cut the cookies with a piece of dental floss or a sharp knife (It is important to use a sharp knife and cold cookie dough, so the swirl pattern does not get smushed). 
14. Place cookies on a cookie sheet and back in a 350 degree F over for 7-11 min. 

Check out my  video on how to make these delicious Christmas cookies below!

Let's Make Pico de Gallo Salsa

Hi everybody! Welcome to my first blog post! I am so excited to start my foodie adventure and I hope  everybody will enjoy the ride with me.

So, here's a little about me. I'm just your average twenty-something finally making time for what I love to do: cooking and baking. I'm definitely not a professional, but I've always been the person in the group to cook for everybody else and enjoyed it. In college, I loved getting together for potlucks and later at my job, I was always the one to bring in homemade cookies or brownies. 

I hope to use this blog (and perhaps some vlogs) to share my passion and to learn some new recipes along the way. I would really like to blog about some of my own recipes/adaptions as well as "test out" some great recipes I have pinned on Pinterest. So, if you have any suggestions fell free to leave me a comment!

Without further a due, my first recipe is for my own Pico de Gallo. I started making this salsa when I fell in love with a similar pre-made Pico de Gallo at a local grocery store. I wanted to make it myself as a less costly alternative and now, almost seven years later and after many trials, I think I have perfected my own adaptation of the recipe. This is definitely one of my most requested dishes and I make it for pretty much every summer family function or potluck party. The leftovers can also be used as a filling for omelets, which is super delicious. I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients 
4 large tomatoes or 6-7 smaller tomatoes
1 cucumber 
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper (optional)
1/2 red onion 
1 garlic clove
1  lime or about 1/4 cup of lime juice
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions
1. Cut up all vegetables into small chunks 
2. Stir vegetable, add lime juice, salt and pepper to taste
3. Ready to eat immediately or store in refrigerator over night