30 October 2014

Reminders and Save the Date!

Good morning, friends! I hope it is a beautiful morning where you are, too!! Just a quick post with a couple reminders!



That's right,  next Thursday I will be adding a new recipe to an incredibly gifted group of fellow Bloggers!  There is still time, if you want to join in on the fun! We have grown, already! As a matter of fact, I think we have almost double from last month!  So, if you want to join in you can either contact me or e-mail Miranda at miranda@cookiedoughandovenmitt.com and request to join the Peanut Butter Bash Facebook Group! The first Thursday of each month we will post a dessert using Peanut Butter and a mystery ingredient! 

One other piece of news to share, not one that should be surprising, but more of a gentle reminder. 
Yes, it is this weekend!!


I am hoping to be back later today to share another fun little project I just finished up for my sister! Have a wonderful Thursday!
Blessings always
Theresa


file under: Fall, Autumn, daylight savings, #pbbash, cooking, decor, 

25 October 2014

New Blog Look & A Blessed Day

Good Morning! Well, It feels a bit strange, here. For those of you who are new, I have just radically overhauled the look of my Blog! And, for those of you who have been with me for quite awhile, what do you think?

I have received more than a few comments and/or e-mails that Shoestring Elegance's "old" blog background was dark, and perhaps very difficult to read, especially for those of you who were viewing from Mobile devices. So, I dived in and changed to a lighter background with dark print. 



I'm feeling a bit like a fish out of water! Very new and different for me to get used to. With that said, I'm not sure I am done yet! The trials of being an OCD'er!  I would love your feedback about the change. It is far more for your reading pleasure than for me, personally. 


None the less, today is a wonderful day! Yesterday and today I have been honored and Blessed with the task, of once again, handling Decor for my church's Baptismal Celebration dinner!! So once again with great pleasure, I got to play with roses, I mean, arrange some absolutely beautiful roses for the tables at the celebration dinner! Aren't they stunning? Who would not want to play, ahemm, arrange such beauty?!!  

I hope you you all enjoy the new look, here! Please let me know in the comments.  I am off to finish up with my decor for the celebration. I hope you are all enjoying a beautiful Saturday! Oh my goodness, I almost forgot to tell you, IT'S RAINING, here, this morning!!! Gonna definitely have to do some dancing it, while I can! :)
Many Blessings to you all, and much gratitude for you taking time to come over for a visit! I appreciate you all so much!
~Theresa

Sharing with:



By the way, if you were wondering, the beautiful new header on my Blog was created by and offered free, from the extremely talented Linnea, at Vintage Made For You.



file under: Fall, Autumn, decor, faith, roses, beauty, new blogs, blog looks, headers, templates

24 October 2014

Shoestring Is Under Construction! Please be Patient!

Shoestring Elegance is getting a new, and hopefully, Reader-friendly look! 

"Under Construction"


Please be patient with me, while I turn a few more screws and make some adjustments.


Thank you,

~Theresa

02 October 2014

Dipped Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies "Peanut Butter Bash"

Good Morning! I was recently asked if I was interested in joining a cooking challenge group.  The challenge was,  to join a Peanut Butter plus an additional ingredient recipe link up event.  I love to cook and enjoy a good challenge, so I thought, why not? This, now, from this point forward, will be  called "The Peanut Butter Bash". I get to ink up with some other awesome Blogging ladies and cook and share what we made. Kind of exciting! So, here is the hitch: the additional ingredient! This month, I must say, was fun for me, because I picked "CHOCOLATE" to be the additional ingredient for the month. We are going to be doing this on a monthly basis. Every month, on the first Thursday, Peanut Butter and another ingredient. Wish me luck , My Friends.



Each of us wrote a normal Blog post, sharing a recipe with you! The difference this time was to all agree on a theme, and we did! I think you will Love to know that all of our recipes include Peanut Butter and Chocolate! Yumm!  I have worked on and fine tuned a recipe that I think you will really enjoy. I like it. My family & friends enjoy it, too. I hope that you will enjoy it, too!

I make these Soft Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies several times every year, it has become a Family favorite for us. I don't really remember how I got it to this recipe, other than to say, I probably started at some point with a recipe that I wasn't completely happy with and just change amounts and removed and added some ingredients until I came up with this. I hope you enjoy them!

So you start of with creaming
1/2 cup of butter (I prefer unsalted, but that's up to you)
3/4 cup & 1 Tablespoon of Chunky Peanut Butter (Natural or Organic works real well here, but it's not necessary)
I cup packed Brown Sugar
1/2 cup White Granulated Sugar
Get this well combined and add
2 Large Eggs, one at a time
then, add 1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Tablespoons of Corn Syrup, I use Karo's (this seems to help the cookie stay a little chewier, as         opposed to crunchy)
2 Tablespoons Cold Water
Blend on Medium for about 90 seconds, scraping your bowl a couple of times.


In a separate bowl, Combine 2-1/2 cups of All Purpose Flour (I use Gold Medal, but again, you can decide for yourself on that)
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 full Teaspoon Baking Powder
& a small pinch of salt, if you don't think your peanut butter is salty enough



With your mixer on low, add 1/2 cup of your dry ingredients, until well incorporated. Save the last 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour mixture to add 1-2 cups of chocolate chips (depending on your personal preference)  I use a cup and a half in mine.


Especially, these ones, because I am going to dip one side in Melted Chocolate. Yep that's what I said, even...more...Chocolate!

When your batter is complete it resemble the picture to the left. Cover it with Saran wrap and place in the fridge for 30-45 minutes.






Once they've chilled, roll approximately 2-3 teaspoons of batter into  ball and then roll in granulated sugar.  ( Don't you love that little picture of the ball of dough in the sugar? I don't know why, but it just makes me smile) Back to the recipe.
Put on cookie sheet and press flat to about 1/3 of an inch thickness.  For this size cookie,
I like to bake them on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet @ 350-360 degrees F.






                                                                 The end result  should look something like this!
 (Can't you just taste them?!)

If you want to dress them up, or just push their yumminess over the edge, you are gonna want to dip

them in Chocolate!

This is much more easy than most people think. But, it certainly will give them that wow factor if you are taking them somewhere or serving them for dessert.

Melt 1 cup chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon Crisco or other non-tasting oil, in a pyrex bowl over a low heated pot of water. Make sure you stir right away, because it really only takes a minute or two.



So, after all your hard work, I hope you will be quite pleased to have something like this to show from your Labors!  I know I always am.  Just make sure you have plenty of people around to help you eat them or you could get yourself in big trouble! So, that's it for me! I hope you enjoy this recipe and will give them a try! But, If they are not your cup of tea, you may want to pop over to one of the other ladies entries.


Thank you so much for spending time with me here today.
I Hope you are having a wonderful week and looking forward to a great weekend!
Blessings, Always,
~Theresa

Do you want to join in the Peanut Butter Bash fun?  If so, email Miranda at miranda@cookiedoughandovenmitt.com and request to join the Peanut Butter Bash facebook group! The first Thursday of each month we post a dessert with peanut butter and a mystery ingredient. This month’s ingredients were peanut butter and chocolate. Lots of fun and lots of calories!


Here are the other peanut butter and chocolate creations!








I'll also be sharing this recipe with:
Pamela @ From My Front Porch To Yours     Nici @ Posed Perfection Savvy Southern Style Imparting Grace    Moore Or Less Cooking    French Country Cottage    The Life of Jennifer Dawn  All Things With Purpose   Rooted In Thyme   Nancherrow's Fridays Unfolded   My Romantic Home The Charm of Home   DIY Vintage Chic   Create With Joy    The 36th Avenue   Nifty Thrifty Things It's Overflowing   Treasure Box Tuesday with Yesterfood


This Recipe was Featured By the Incredibly talented Gator Mommy, here!
Weekend Recipe Link Up Party


File under: Chocolate, cookies, peanut butter, dessert. sweets, treats, Nestle, toll house, baking, #pbbash #chocolate dipped #peanutbutter #cookies