I bake weekly and this chocolate chip cookie recipe is my favorite. I have made these cookies for years and I don’t remember where I originally got it. At this point, I have committed the recipe to memory. ingredients 1 2/3 C bread flour 1 2/3 C cake flour 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 1/4 C unsalted butter room temperature 1 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 1/4 C light brown sugar 1 C sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla 16 oz chocolate chips (I use Ghirardelli) directions Sift together flours, baking powder/soda and salt. Set...
Misc Tips and Topics
Panko Chicken Recipe
With the temperatures getting cooler in Chicagoland, it is great to have a tasty alternative to grilling. This Panko Chicken recipe doesn’t disappoint! My sister, Colby, taught me how to make this – but, she still makes it the best! ingredients Chicken breasts halved, length-wise 2 eggs All Purpose Flour Lemon Panko Bread Crumbs Butter instructions
Amazon Prime Deals | October 2023
Today and tomorrow are crazy with suggestions on how to take advantage of Amazon Prime. I am sharing a few of things I use or am buying myself with the hopes these will bring you value! (Disclaimer – These are were available at the time of this post! And, I earn a small commission if you purchase! It doesn’t cost you anymore but helps support my blog!) BISSELL PORTABLE CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY CLEANER I have used this little machine so many times to clean the couch, chairs and spots off the carpet! It works really well and so portable! Cheese...
Puzzles are Smart Home Decor! | Cavallini Papers & Co. Favorites
I heard solving jigsaw puzzles improve your short term memory and visual spatial reasoning. And, problem solving skills and IQ improve as a result. I verified this on the internet so it must be true. So, sign me up! I have to say I cherry pick my puzzles. I tend toward puzzles that shy away from a lot of a single color or pattern or puzzle pieces that are too small. I happened upon a vintage “travel” puzzle by Cavallini & Co Papers a couple of years ago and these puzzles ticked the box on how I enjoy puzzles. The...
Bow Tie Pasta Fruit Salad
This salad is super simple to make (really assemble) and a crowd pleaser! My friend, Chris, shared this recipe with me earlier this summer and I made it several times since. It is sooo refreshing and easy make! INGREDIENTS Bow Tie Pasta (I use Barilla) Strawberries Green Seedless Grapes Blueberries Poppyseed Dressing (I love Brianna’s Rich Poppyseed Dressing) ASSEMBLY Cook the bow tie pasta as per the instructions on the box. While pasta cooks, wash and cut strawberries and grapes into smaller pieces. Add the cooled pasta to the chopped fruit. Add dressing to cover ingredients. Add more when eating...
DIY Paint Booth (Using PVC)
If you’ve painted with a sprayer, you know overspray mist is messy! Recently, I painted cabinets in a large kitchen and there was lots of spraying and the potential for a lot of overspray and dust! For this project, I made the effort to build a booth to contain the overspray. It was really quite simple! Materials 3-Way PVC Fittings (8 needed, this is a pack of 12)) 1 inch 10 ft pipe ( I purchased 8, bulk price) 2 mil Plastic Sheeting Clamps Saw (I used my miter saw but anything will really work) PVC Cuts (4) 7 ft...
Wedding Welcome Sign
I’ve been working on lots of wedding decor items and it’s been so fun! Last week, I finished up this welcome sign that pulled inspiration from lots of places. Acrylic My future daughter-in-law wanted an acrylic sign, so that’s where we started! I ordered this frosted piece of acrylic from Home Depot. It is 24” x 36” and was the most expensive material in the project ($47), but not too bad! I have heard you can get clear acrylic and sand it to get the same effect as the frosted acrylic. The frosted is more expensive than clear. I’ll will...
Wedding Shower Balloon Arch
What’s a wedding shower without balloons? To be honest, this is something I wanted to try and knew my son’s wedding shower would be the perfect occasion. Balloon Arch Stand The balloon arch would be freestanding in the wedding shower event space. Meaning, there would be no good place to attach the balloons, apart from a “stand”. I did a test run on the arch and stand and discovered it would be best to build a stand with two sides and one top pole. I used PVC pipe for the sides and top; 90 degree elbow fitting to attach the...
Wedding Shower Favor
This wedding shower favor was a big hit this weekend! Candles can be a crowd pleaser especially with a decorative container and a scent selected by the couple. I found these antique sherbet dishes at an antique store. Fortunately, there was an ample supply and I was able to get a discount!! The dishes were originally $6 each and I purchased them for $3. We made a sample candle to ensure the glass would withstand heat. My son and future daughter-in-law selected a scent that was a favorite to my mom so it offered a special meaning. My son is...
Green is on Trend in 2022
Each year, there are many articles on 2022 color trends and I love pouring over these. Porch Day Dreamer has a great post on 2022 color trends, including cabinet color trends, which is an extension of the overall color trends. “Green” is on trend for 2022 and I’m loving it! I love color and tend to introduce it in a measured way. Think decor such as pillows, curtains, throws, artwork, etc. I have been a bit more brave with my investment properties by incorporating color in bathroom and kitchen cabinets. This has been so fun! In my most recent renovation...
Favorite Projects of 2020
As I look back at the projects from 2020, it was hard to pick my favorites – but, my picks were centered around things I made for family and/or things I learned along the way. Here’s a quick recap! PROJECTS FOR FAMILY Little Cooper made his debut this year and was definitely a highlight for 2020. This quilt weaves the old with the new. The bins directly below are for little Cooper’s nursery. These tired pieces were given new life and a new home for family. Or, this side table was just built from scratch for my daughter. Loved working...
Three Tips To Manage Project Overwhelm
You are not alone in having some nerves around starting a new project — especially if the project is big or involved or requires new or different tools and skills. Believe me, I have been there many times and have managed through the overwhelm using these strategies. Chunking If project-size has moved you into overwhelm, chuck the project into several smaller phases and tackle these one at a time. For example, a bathroom renovation could be chunked into (1) demo; (2) plumbing (3) tile; (4) painting; (5) vanity installation; and, (6) lighting. The individual phases are not likely as daunting....