Chocolate Crackle Cookies

I decided to share today a recipe that I recently discovered that is fabulous. These are called Chocolate Crackle Cookies, and are absolutely yummy chocolately goodness! I modified the recipe slightly, but it is complete in its entirety here:

Chocolate Crackle Cookies:

1 1/4 c.      packed light brown sugar
3/4 c.        Crisco
1/4 c.         butter
1 1/2 tsp.   vanilla
2                 large eggs, beaten
2 c.             flour
6 T.            unsweetened cocoa
1/ tsp.        salt
1/2 tsp.      baking soda
1 c.              chocolate chips
1/3 c.          granulated sugar
1/3 c.          powdered sugar

Honestly, I mixed all the ingredients together in my Kitchenaid mixer, minus the granulated and powderd sugars. Place these in seperate bowls and set aside. After the dough is mixed (add the choc chips by hand to not chop them up too badly) place in a bowl and refrigerate for at least an hour. Roll into small ball shapes. First roll in granulated sugar, then repeat with the powdered sugar.

Place 2" apart onto lightly greased cooking sheet ( I just sprayed with Pam lightly).
Bake 8-10 minutes at 375* and enjoy. Easy and fairly quick as well!!

If you have any new recipes, post a link! I would love to share any goodies!

Easy Corkboard redo!


It's been awhile since I have posted anything. Anyways, I have been reading on a lot of other blog's lately about a corkboard redo. I have a corkboard that sits above my desk, gets some use for school activities and such for the kids and I, but it is not pretty. In fact, It. Is. Ugly. I attempted some time back to paint the frame with leftover silver spray paint, but it really was not much of an improvement.

Here's a before shot, for comparison~
(and forgive me, the pictures were taken with my droid, which is often uncooperative.)

Plain, plain plain. After a trip to the fabric store, I chose a darker grey fabric that I really liked. The curtains in my little computer room are a super light grey, and I wanted to stay within that for now. I did take the advice that  an interior decorator named  Bryn posted at her lovely  blog  of ironing the fabric beforehand.

I used my staple gun, and started stapling the fabric upon the back of the board, not needing to pull it tightly just yet. (almost for got to mention I removed the hanging hardware. I stuck it in the box of tacks so I wouldn't lose it).

So my next step was the corners. I decided to spread the fabric to each corner and staple down, so the effect from each side would be smoother.

After I made my way around, I began to pull it tighter. I saw on a few blogs they recommended using spray adhesive, but I assume since you pin things to it, that I may not actually need it. =) Just continued stapling my way around and finishing the corners as I went.

Next, came the fun part. I started adding in the nailheads. I began by putting one in each corner. I didn't want to actually have to measure to make it evenly spaced. I then added a nailhead in between each set of tacks, towards the middle. I just worked my way around, adding in between 2 tacks everywhere I went.

Continued till I had a number of the nailheads I actually liked for the board. and voila! Done! 

All I had left to do was re-add the hanging hardware that I had originally taken off, just 2 little metals hooks that were nailed in. I really love how it looks, so much nicer that looks at the cork!! What a quick redo, took less than half an hour, counting ironing. Love it.

The Breakdown:

$2.44           grey fabric remnant

$1.59  X 2   black nailhead type fabric tacks from the fabric store

_________

$5.62      

I love a quick update that is so cost friendly! I already owned the staple gun and many boxes of staples leftover from hanging christmas lights.

Have you tried a redo like this?  What did you do differently/the same?