Happy 30th Birthday!

Today Rob turns the BIG 3-0! Although, he is insisting that the records at the hospital got messed up when he was born, and that today he really is just turning 29 - we'll see about that when Mama Schmitt gets here tomorrow to celebrate ;)

As some of you may know, I met Rob just a few days shy of his 25th birthday (we just celebrated our 5 year "meet-aversary" on Feb. 9th!), and to celebrate these milestones, I've compiled a few of my favorite memories we've had over the last 5 years together.

College Graduation :: May 2006 (Greenville, NC)

Beach Trip :: May 2007 (Topsail Beach, NC)

Right after he proposed :: July 2007 (Raleigh, NC)

Visit to MI for our engagement party :: July 2007 (U of M Campus - Ann Arbor, MI)

Rehearsal Dinner :: July 2008 (Houlihan's - Station Sq. Pittsburgh)

Wedding Day :: July 5, 2008 (Mt. Washington - Pittsburgh)

Honeymoon :: July 2008 (Cancun, Mexico)

Rob's Annual Work Christmas Party :: December 2008 (Pittsburgh, PA)

Christmas in NYC :: December 2008 (Dinner @ Tortilla Flats - Soho, NYC)

Vegas Trip :: March 2009 (Venetian - Las Vegas, NV)

Italy Trip :: July 2010 (Grand Canal - Venice, Italy)

Italy Trip :: July 2010 (Colosseum - Rome, Italy)

Happy 30th Birthday, babe! I love you very much! 

XOXO 

Cookie Recipe :: Santa's Surprises

You're probably wondering why I'm talking about "Santa" in mid February, right? Well, this past weekend I went down to visit family & friends in North Carolina and we decided to bake these "little delicious miracles" as I so fondly named them ;) The "surprise" inside the cookie comes in the form of a mini Snickers. In my attempt to bake (and cook) more in 2011, I asked to learn a few homemade cookie recipes from my Mom, who just so happens to be the best baker in the entire world. Ok, I know, every girl probably grows up thinking that about her Mom, so maybe I'm a bit biased ;) 

Anyways, these cookies have been an annual tradition in our house for many years (even after Christmas has come and gone), so I thought I would share this recipe with anyone who is interested in giving these a try.

 

Ingredients :: 

• 2 sticks butter (softened)
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup regular sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 1/2 cups sifted flour 
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large bag of mini Snickers
• melted milk chocolate, for drizzling 
• powered sugar, for sprinkling

Directions :: 

1. Mix butter, peanut butter, and sugars with mixer (medium speed) in large bowl 
2. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until thoroughly combined - dough should be light & fluffy
3. Sift flour into a separate small bowl 
4. Add sifted flour, salt, and baking soda to large bowl above (mix with mixer on medium speed)
5. After dough is well mixed, cover bowl with plastic wrap - chill in fridge for 2-3 hours
6. Preheat oven to 300*F - unwrap mini Snickers 
7. Remove dough from fridge and divide dough in 1 tablespoon size pieces
8. Roll dough pieces into ball and flatten with hands
9. Wrap each piece of dough around (1) mini Snicker - shape with hands until Snicker is covered completely 
10. Place cookies on a greased cookie sheet (2 inches apart), then bake for 10-12 minutes
11. Let cookies cool on cookie sheet (3-4 minutes) before moving to baking rack
12. Let cookies cool completely
13. Drizzle cookies with melted milk chocolate (Dove milk chocolates work the best!), and then top with a light sprinkle of powdered sugar 

Note ::

• Recipe states it makes 2+ dozen cookies; however, we usually find that it makes much more...usually about 4 dozen.

Enjoy! : ) 

Photo taken with my iPhone.