Lovin' From the Oven

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year, fellow blogosphere! I took a teeny weeny break from blogging after my 12 days of cookies and I’m not one bit sorry about it. I got to spend time with my family and friends while baking my little heart away. I hope you guys had a wonderful and safe holiday season! Here are some pictures of my usual Christmas baking. Once you start with the cookies, everyone expects them year after year. I guess that’s how traditions start and I don’t mind it one bit! This year, I made oatmeal toffee, chocolate chip, snickerdoodles, andes mint, and white chocolate macadamia nut cookies (the two cookies without a link will be on the blog later this year!).

I’m excited for 2014– There’s so much to look forward to! Moving back to LA, a wedding, a honeymoon, DF graduates, DF takes the bar, older sister’s wedding… we just started the year and our schedule is already jam packed! Before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s do a recap of 2013:

  • I got to work with some AMAZING brands through my blog this year. Some of them include: Betty Crocker, Chinet, Eagle Brand, The Pampered Chef, Pillsbury, Peeps, Grandma’s Molasses, Philadelphia Cream Cheese, and Rodelle (just to name a few)! I am so grateful for every opportunity that I’ve been given am truly blessed to have worked with such wonderful companies. THANK YOU!
  • I had my very first blogger trip, thanks to Medjool Dates. I couldn’t have asked for a better mid-week getaway. The group of bloggers that they brought together and everyone involved touched my heart in a way that I couldn’t have even imagined. I’ve never had a deeper appreciation for the blogging world and the date farming industry as I did in September.
  • Not only did I have my very first blogger trip in 2013, but I also had my second. I got to attend the Pillsbury Bake-Off in Las Vegas thanks to Smuckers! I got to see the Bake-Off up close and personal while being behind the scenes. I’ve never marveled at an event quite like I did there. This was a very humbling experience for me and I couldn’t believe that I was lucky enough to be a part of it all.
  • My DF and I traveled internationally together for the first time to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. I learned that traveling with him is pretty much like traveling with a child. I have to keep all of his papers/passport in order or he’ll lose it, but it’s extremely handy traveling with someone that speaks Spanish. We got to parasail for the first time and also realized secluded vacations are not for us. We like to be on our feet and explore, not be stuck on an island.. no matter how nice it is!
  • Speaking of my DF, we got engaged and took some engagement photos! I guess that’s kind of a big one.
  • I entered my very first contest and….. WON! That’s right folks, I won a trip to London from the Mystery Ingredient Blogger Showcase . I may not have won when they announced the winners, but after some investigating and technical glitches that occurred through the voting process, they ended up awarding two grand prizes. Thank you so much for all of your help voting and spreading the news for my Macaroni and Cheese recipe. I truly couldn’t have done it without you. Now my DF has an awesome graduation present! Also, that will definitely be my last voting contest that I enter. I felt like such a spammer during the voting period. Sorry I spammed you guys so much!!
  • I purchased my wedding dress… more on that whole process later. 🙂
  • I experienced my first mani/pedi in my whole 26 years of living! Thank you Smuckers for again, spoiling me on my blogger trip.

All in all, I couldn’t have done this without my readers. Thank you so much for your continued support throughout the year and for following along on this little ol’ blog of mine. I appreciate each and everyone one of you!

xoxo, kim

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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oatmealcookies My DF’s cousin and his girlfriend came up to visit a couple of days ago and we made plans to go have dinner at a restaurant in San Francisco. My DF and I rarely cross the bridge just for dinner, but we figured it’d be fun to try something new and explore the city a little bit instead of being little hermits. We ended up at Bix, a brick-walled restaurant hidden in an alley way with live Jazz music. oatmealcookies-3 I’m not gonna lie, I’m usually a little intimidated by fancy-schmancy restaurants. You know what I’m talking about–the ones that ask you if you prefer a black or white lap napkin. The ones that have a “bread crumb” guy to scrape off all the extra scraps of crust lying on the table. The ones where the customers are all wearing $600 shoes and $1000 suit jackets. I’m much more comfortable in a “ma-and-pa” restaurant. I like it when the hostess knows everyone’s names. I like seeing the regular grandpa sitting in his usual booth drinking his cup of joe. I like having freshly made muffins and fried chicken rather than a filet mignon in a balsamic reduction with caramelized pears (Okay, I don’t know how that would really taste… I just made that up). Point is, I’m a simple gal. oatmealcookies-4 Although Bix had that ritzy environment, the entire experience was nothing but inviting. The meal came out extremely fast and the waiter was joyful and friendly. When we finished our meal, he promptly brought out the dessert menu. Looking over options like vanilla creme brulee, buttermilk panna cotta with plums and ginger, and french butter pear & concord grape sorbet, how was I ever going to make a choice? I was completely torn between the bananas foster with dark rum and vanilla ice cream or the chocolate brioche bread pudding. When the waiter came out to take our dessert order, I asked for his advice. Do I want the bananas foster or bread pudding? After debating it with me back and forth a bit, he recommended the bread pudding. I went with the bananas foster because I wanted ice cream. When dessert was brought out, he surprised me and gave me both! The bread pudding was on the house. I couldn’t believe it. It was like I just won the lottery! The waiter must have known how much I loved dessert from the five minute debate going back and forth on which dish I should get. oatmealcookies-2 It’s little actions like that that can make someone’s day. I try and do that whenever I bring cookies and treats to my crew! Come and share your stories about random acts of kindness with The Best Part from Folgers. The Best Part is an online community that’s dedicated to brightening your day—every day. How? By spreading optimism, one share at a time. The Best Part posts inspirational stories, encouraging quotes, good news and other upbeat items on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram—and encourages fans and followers to share that optimism with their friends. Because when optimism is shared, it grows, making an even more positive impact on our world. Check out what others are sharing on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. As for these cookies, it’s a pretty standard oatmeal raisin cookie recipe. Nothing to write home about, but they sure do satisfy any sweet tooth cravings.

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Serving Size: 2 dozen

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup raisins

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cream together the butter and both sugars. Mix in the egg and vanilla.
  3. Gradually stir in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt until just combined.
  4. Fold in the oats and raisins. Make sure not to overmix.
  5. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto baking sheet.
  6. Bake for 11 minutes.
https://lovintheoven.com/oatmeal-raisin-cookies/

Day 12: Sugar Coated Nutella Cookies

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nutellacookies

Day 12 of my 12 days of cookies:  I’ve saved the best for last… sugar coated Nutella cookies! We all know how popular the chocolate-hazelnut spread has gotten over the past couple of years. I’m definitely on that bandwagon. My fiancé still eats it by the spoonful out of the jar when he thinks I’m not looking.

nutellacookies-2

These cookies are light, buttery soft, and sweet. Unlike most Nutella cookie recipes, you can actually taste the chocolate hazelnut with every bite. If you don’t like your cookies as sweet, then I’d forgo rolling the dough in sugar and baking them as is. Recipe from Living Eventfully.

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Day 12: Sugar Coated Nutella Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup Nutella
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • sugar for rolling cookies in

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. Cream together the butter, both sugars, and Nutella. Add the egg and vanilla.
  3. Gradually mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  4. Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  5. Shape the cookie dough into 1 inch round balls. Rolls the dough balls in sugar and place the cookies 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet.
  6. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookies sheet for about 5 minutes.
https://lovintheoven.com/sugar-coated-nutella-cookies/

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