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Well it is that time of the year when the grass gets a little bluer out in the great state of Kentucky and you hear the sound of hooves hitting the dirt. That's right, it's Derby time! And what better way to start off than with pie? Derby pie is a hit each year with those in the area and has grown in popularity as the years have gone by. Now, this isn't the real Derby Pie. That recipe is a closely guarded secret of it's original creators. This is my own take on it. One that my family gobbled down and I hope yours will as well. So, break out your pie pan and your mixer, don't forget your hat and let's get to it. 1/2 Cup Salted Butter, Melted 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar 1/2 Cup All Purpose Flour 1/8 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon Pinch of Ground Nutmeg 2 Large Eggs, Room Temperature 2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 2 Tablespoon Kentucky Bourbon or Tennessee Whiskey 3/4 Cup Semi-Sweet or Dark Chocolate Chips 1 Cup Well Chopped Walnuts 8 Inch Pie Crust (if using 9 inch, incre...

Well my hubby is finally home after being gone nearly 2 months. He spent all this time working at a temp position to help keep our family afloat after his position was removed from the company. Lay offs suck. Especially when you moved cross country for a position that was supposed to last at least 2 years and ended up lasting only 10 months. O.o Can't exactly blame the company on that one but still, to spend all that money to move us, train in and such. Then to put him in a temp position and he do the job above and beyond only to lay him off seems like a big waste of company funds. ~shrugs~ Anywho, kids missed him, I missed him. We spoke every day but it just isn't enough. Needless to say it sucked but you know what? Doesn't matter anymore. He is home safe and sound and in the end that is all that matters. Him coming home marked an upswing for baking in this house, lol. Come on. This is a home for food. He's a Chef, I'm a baker. He comes home after two months being ...

It's Valentine's Day! And what better way to show your love than with cookies!!! Forget the chocolates! Chocolate chip cookies are a must!  These quick and simple cookies are sure to please. They roll out thin, bake perfectly and taste wonderful. Sugar cookie easy, chocolate chip taste and the crunch of a shortbread all wrapped into one. Decorate and share with the one you love! (Or yourself, yum yum!) Recipe is not originally mine but has been tweaked a little. 1 1/3 Cup Butter, Unsalted 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar 1/2 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar 1 Extra Large Egg Yolk 2 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract 2/3 Teaspoon Salt 3-3 1/2 Cup Flour 1 Twelve Ounce Bag Mini Chocolate Chips Cream the butter until soft Add in both sugars and beat until smooth Add egg yolk, as well as the vanilla and salt, and mix until well combined Add flour one cup at a time and mix until just combined. Stop adding when dough forms. Some days you will need 3 cups, some days more, some less. Fold in chocolate ch...

Yeah, been a while since I posted a recipe or much of anything but here we are. Things are still hectic but did these for the kids today and figured I would share the yummy goodness! This recipe was not originally mine but has been tweaked a little to better fit my personal tastes. It is a very simple recipe and now you can create those wonderful large soft pretzels you get at the mall or the fair at home anytime you want! I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does! Recipe: 6 Teaspoon Yeast (or 3 squares. I prefer quick rising to cut down on time.) 15 Ounces Warm Water (110-120 F) 1 1/2 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar 6-8 Cups All Purpose Flour 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar 2 1/4 Teaspoon Salt 1 1/2 Tablespoon Oil Crisco 1/2 Cup Baking Soda 4 Cups Hot Water Kosher Salt Directions: In a bowl combine your yeast, 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar and water. Mix until everything is dissolved and let stand 10 minutes or until bubbly and creamy.  In a large mixing bowl sift together the remaining...

Well it has been a few weeks since I have managed to make a post. I hope everyone has had a wonderful start to the new year and had just a great Christmas and/or Holiday Season in general. Out here in the Gibson home we did but it was bittersweet. My husband found out right before Christmas that they were terminating his position with his employer. Not that they were firing him but just removing the job completely. Needless to say it has been a hard month to deal with that reality. Thankfully the job lasted till December 31st, which he spent part of the time on vacation (paid) and the other part in training with the company in various places.  He spent 2 weeks doing nothing but traveling up and down the west coast. Not fun but you do what you gotta do to keep going. Now we are in January and he has been sent to a temp position in another state for the next 30 days, alone. Hopefully he will find a new job before the 30 days is up. If not, we have back up plan on top of back up plan ...

Oh dear god....I cannot believe that I am finally done. I have been working what feels like an eternity trying to get a bunch of cookies done for family back on the east coast. Everything from Vanilla Sugar to Dark Chocolate to Spritz and even Peanut Butter. A little bit of everything for the folks back home. I really wish I had had more time to make more and send out to even more people but between a time crunch and finding out the hubby's position at work is no more come Jan 1st, things are getting much tighter around here. (Thankfully though he has a temp position with the company down in Oregon for a month to help give us time for him to find a perm one and to move. So fingers crossed people, we need a Christmas Miracle for this family.) Anywho, back to cookies! Finally finished them last night. They were all dry this morning, so spent the last 4 hours wrapping them up in plastic wrap, bubble wrap, padding, boxes, then in more boxes.... Ugh! Well over 100 hand decorated cookies...

Well here we are, just a little over a week till Christmas and many all over are running around like Chickens with their heads cut off. I am no exception. Thankfully though I have one more thing crossed off my - GET DONE NOW! - list. The Polar Express Cake for the 1st Grade Classes Christmas Party. Just gonna leave you with some notes on it and pictures. I am BEAT. Cake - Second design since I could not get the cake pan I needed in time. Flavor - Vanilla and Chocolate Fudge swirl Frostings - Chocolate and Almond Butter Creams Icing - Royal Vanilla Fondant - Vanilla and Chocolate Train - Molded out of Dark Chocolate Luster - Gold and Silver Lusters Disco - Red Dust