Kisses + Caffeine

Sharing my journey as a mother, wife, homemaker, Jesus girl, entrepreneur and all things in between!

The ALDI Cookies that Broke the Internet

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My mother in law has run an ALDI in a small Indiana town for as long as I have known her. We have always loved ALDI because of it (and their AMAZING prices!), but over recent years they have really grown in popularity and numbers. I had no idea the true following that was out there, though, until this week!

See, my sweet Mom-in-law’s store was up for a major remodel this month, and to celebrate, she asked me to make some ALDI cookies for her employees and bosses to enjoy at their grand opening. A true cookie-lover, I was so excited for the task and we set to planning something fun and unique right away!

Well let me tell you, I finished them and posted them on social media, like I always do, and they went viral! Apparently there are a lot of ALDI Nerds (they call themselves that…check out their group HERE!) out there that take this sort of thing very seriously. If you have never had a post go viral, it can be a bit overwhelming but also really exciting! So, all that to say, CONGRATS ALDI on your ever-growing popularity, and congrats Mama Debbie on your fantastic new store and famous cookies! 

If you’ve never shopped at ALDI, find your closest location HERE and go check it out! You won’t be sorry!

(Since so many have asked, to achieve that metallic look on the quarters, I used THIS AIRBRUSH and THIS SILVER DUST diluted. I highly recommend!)

Cowboy Cactus Cupcakes

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Sharing these from months ago! (Prego life! I’m so behind on…everything). A friend had me doing some western themed treats for her kids’ vacation bible School (see the others here and here), and we decided to do some Cactus Cupcakes! I’ve been wanting to try them forever, and this was the perfect excuse. We did vanilla cupcakes with vanilla frosting again, but I dipped them in graham cracker crumbs for a sandy look. Then I simply piped buttercream cacti in groupings on top and added a few little details to some. Easy peasy and so sweet! You will def be seeing more cacti from me!

Delicious Homemade Sandwich Bread

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I’m a serious sucker for some good homemade bread! Turns out, you don’t need a bulky bread machine to make delicious sandwich bread at home, and it’s actually way easier than you think! I have had this recipe for…forever. I honestly don’t even remember where I got it from, but its a go-to favorite around here. Not only does it taste fantastic, but there is the added bonus of saving money and cutting out preservatives that you would find in store-bought bread! 

I’m dropping the recipe below. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Homemade Sandwich Bread

  • Servings: 20
  • Difficulty: easy/moderate
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Ingredients:

  • 2 packets active dry yeast
  • 2 cups warm water
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup oil (I use vegetable)
  • 6 1/2 to 7 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, dissolve the yeast in the water. (you could mix by hand but I prefer to use my Kitchenaid Mixer with the dough hook attachment).
  2.  Add the sugar, salt, eggs and oil and mix just until combined.
  3. Add 3 cups of the flour and mix until smooth.
  4. Add enough of the remaining flour to form a soft dough.
  5. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead about 5 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
  6.  Place the dough in a greased bowl (I use my mixer bowl, washed of course), and cover with a towel. Put in a warm oven* and let rise for one hour.
  7.  Remove the bowl, punch down the dough and divide in half.
  8.  Place one half of the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll like you would a pinwheel. Pinch the ends together and place into a greased loaf pan (as a baker, THESE are my favorite!). Repeat with the other half of the dough. 
  9. Place these back in the warm oven (you may have to re-warm it a little), cover with a towel and let rise for another hour.
  10.  Once your loaves have risen, bake at 375 degrees for approximately 25 minutes.
  11. Remove from the oven and brush the crust with melted butter to keep it soft.
  12. Slice and enjoy!!! We love it with fresh apple butter in the fall!
 
*To “warm” the oven, I usually will preheat it to 200 degrees while I am making the dough, but turn the oven OFF before placing the dough in to let it rise!

Real life pic- trying to photograph fresh bread with a hungry toddler nearby! 

A Promise We Can Stand On

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I don’t know where you are in life, friend. But I personally have been in a pressing season. There are days when I have wondered if things would ever get better, or if God would ever say “yes” to the pleas of my desperate heart. 

And then I read this truth in 1 Peter, and it is a promise that we can stand on. God WILL restore. He WILL confirm. He WILL strengthen. He WILL establish. We just have to wait, as hard as that wait may be. I have felt this through fertility struggles, financial struggles, friendship struggles, broken seasons in my marriage, the list goes on. And time and again I can recall His faithfulness. Things will get better if we can simply cling to this truth, look for the lesson in the pain, and wait on the Lord. 

I needed this reminder today. God is not dormant and His timing is perfect.

Father’s Day Tool Set Cookies

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I know Father’s Day is long-gone but I NEEDED to share these with you guys! I wanted to do something extra special for the dads this year. A good dad is truly the unsung hero of parenting and they deserve the best! After lots of brainstorming, I decided a realistic tool set was the perfect dad gift! My own daddy is not local, so I couldn’t send him a tool box, but you better believe he got tools! 

The boxes are hand cut using a template that I designed, and then finished with a woodgrain effect done in royal icing. 100% edible!

I had so much fun creating these little masterpieces! 

Supplies used for this order:

Tool set cookie cutters
Silver Luster Dust
Royal Icing
No Spread Sugar Cookies

We Have Some News!

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We posted these images on our social media a few weeks ago, but life has been so hectic that I hadn’t gotten to share with the rest of you! We are right about 14 weeks with our newest little love, and we are over the moon excited! This time around was a total surprise, and adjusting our home and family to two (briefly) under two will be a whole new journey. But we are so thankful that the Lord is blessing us with another to love. Check out our sweet announcement!

Sprinkles are from HERE!

Bun and Oven cutter are from HERE!

How precious is this Big Sister?! You can order this shirt at my Etsy shop!

Pumpkin Banana Bread with a Cream Cheese Swirl

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We’ve had our first glimpses of fall this weekend, and this mama is SO ready! I love summer, but I am looking forward to pumpkin and apple everything, football, cool weather, leggings and boots! It is my favorite! 

I’ve had my FALL Candles burning for the last few days, and decided on a whim yesterday that the can of pumpkin in my pantry was begging to be used. So Addie and I settled in to create a new recipe. And you guys…this stuff is GOOD. You need to make you a loaf or two ASAP. It is super moist and flavorful, without being overpowering. Try it! You won’t be sorry!

Pumpkin Banana Bread with a Cream Cheese Swirl

  • Servings: 10-12
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

For the Bread:

  • 1 Cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
  • 2 Large Eggs
  •  1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  •  2 over-ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I just used canned!)
  •  1 tsp baking soda
  •  3/4 tsp salt
  •  1 tsp pumpkin pie spices
  •  2 cups all purpose flour
For the swirl:
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  •  1/8 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg yolk (yolk only!)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
  1. Preheat your oven to 300 degrees and grease a 9″ loaf pan.
  2.  In the bowl of your mixer, combine the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until well incorporated.
  3. Add the banana and pumpkin and mix well.
  4. Add the baking soda, salt and spices.
  5. Last, add the flour, gradually, mixing to incorporate as you go. Make sure you scrape the sides of your bowl! 
  6. Pour batter into your prepared loaf pan.
  7. In another bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the swirl and mix well. I used a small mixing bowl and my handheld mixer (mostly because I didn’t want to wash my mixer bowl just for a topping! 🙂 ) 
  8. I took the back of my spoon to create a little “well” the length of the loaf in the top of the pumpkin mixture. You could skip this step, but I felt like it helped me to swirl better. 
  9. Pour the swirl mixture over the top of the bread mixture, and then use a butter knife to create a swirl. It’s totally okay to dig down just a little!
  10. Pop that sucker in the oven for 60-80 minutes and enjoy your house smelling delicious! You will know it is done when you can insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out clean! 

 

 

 

Slice and devour! I had a piece while it was still hot because I couldn’t resist. I also had a piece for breakfast this morning, cold, and it was equally as amazing! I like to put a tiny bit of butter on mine, but it was so good by itself too! 

“Pot” Party Cookies!

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Confession…when a client asked me if I could do toilet themed cookies to celebrate the completion of a friend’s bathroom renovation, I scratched my head a little. It was definitely the most unique request that i have gotten to date. But once I got my wheels turning, I was inspired! 

I had a custom cutter made (the toilet) and she suggested we add some tools. (Grab the tool set cutters here). A touch of glam and some funny bathroom quotes and voila! A set that I am stinking in love with! Who knew toilets could be so pretty?! 

I actually want a set of shiny gold and pink tools! How pretty did those turn out?

I love a good challenge, and these were just that! My client loved them, and I had a blast doing it!

Easy, Cheesy Spinach & Black Bean Enchiladas

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Hello, my name is Katie and I am addicted to Mexican food. I’m not joking…I could eat it 5 days a week. I have been wanting something a little different though. And in my efforts to sneak more veggies into our toddler’s diet, these seemed like a great idea! 

They seriously came together in minutes and had so much bang for your buck as far as taste is concerned! You could add some shredded chicken to up the protein, or sub wheat tortillas to make it a bit more healthy. I was working with what I had on hand. 🙂 I took the original recipe (here) and modified it to work for our family!,

Spinach & Black Bean Enchiladas

  • Servings: 5-6
  • Difficulty: easy
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Ingredients:

Sauce:

  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup salsa verde (I bought mild in a jar, but you could use hot or be fancy and make your own!)
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped

Filling:

  • 1 TBSP olive oil
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can corn, drained
  • 8-10 oz. fresh spinach (I actually added a few extra handfuls because I wasn’t using chicken)
  • 6 green onions, chopped
  • 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 1 Tablespoon cumin
  • 8–10 large tortillas
  • 1 1/2 cups Cheddar or Fiesta Blend cheese.

Instructions:

  1. Preheat Oven to 375.
  2. Spray a 9×13 dish with cooking spray.
  3. Heat 2TBSP olive oil over medium heat in a small sauce pan. Add the flour and cook for about a minute, stirring constantly. Add your broth and simmer until it thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in the Greek yogurt, salsa verde and cilantro and set aside.
  4. In a pan, heat the remaining TBSP olive oil and cook your spinach until wilted. 
  5. Combine the corn, beans, onion, cumin, spinach and 1/2 cup of cheese and mix well.
  6. Pour enough sauce in the greased dish to cover the bottom. 
  7. Fill each tortilla, roll and place tightly in your  dish. I was able to fit 10 enchiladas in a 9×13 pan.
  8. Pour the remaining sauce over the enchiladas and top with another cup of cheese (or get crazy with it…its up to you!)
  9. Bake for about 20 minutes, until your sauce is bubbling and your cheese is golden and crispy.
  10. Let them stand for a few minutes before serving.

 

These were a legit plate licker!! The toddler even approved, with all of that veggie! And they were excellent reheated for lunch the following day.

Have you tried these?? Let me know in the comments!

“Giddyup” Western Cookies

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The same client that had me do these adorable cowboy hat cupcakes, was gifted these cute little cookies by her sweet mom to take for another VBS dessert! I pulled several different “Giddyup Junction” elements and was able to whip these right up! 

I absolutely LOVE doing detail work! The boots are probably my favorite part!

Materials Used:

Silver Luster Dust

Cactus Cookie Cutter

The rest came from this set. 

The HorseShoe is just a “U” letter cutter!

 

Taco ’bout some cookies

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Tacos are basically life, right? I mean who doesn’t love Tacos?? If you don’t, you’re a monster…kidding! But really how cute are these taco cookies? They are the perfect dessert for any fiesta party!

These are just simple sugar cookies using my No Spread Sugar cookie recipe, and all decorations are royal icing! 

Hadley’s Pool Party

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I had the most fun doing these cute pool party cookies for Hadley’s birthday! Her mom made sure to let me know that Hadley doesn’t love pink, so we focused on bright, summery colors for a fun look! I’ll drop a link to the cutters used for this order at the bottom of the post!

Cutters used:

Sun: Get it HERE

Life Raft: Get it HERE

Plaque: Get it HERE

Beach Ball: Get it HERE

The bubbles are just the middle piece from the Life Raft!

Cowboy Cupcakes

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Okay  but really…how adorable did these turn out?? A client of mine requested some “cowboy” themed dessert for her kids to take to VBS. We needed something relatively simple due to the quantity and turn around time, but that still packed a wow factor! Their theme was Giddyup Junction, so naturally cowboy hats were the perfect go-to! 

We kept the cupcakes simple- vanilla with vanilla signature buttercream (all kids like vanilla!). But the hats? You guys want to know the secret here? A Pringle dipped in chocolate, topped with a Rolo! Seriously?? Seriously! I piped some red royal icing around them to finish them off. Just look at them, like a cute little army of cowboys ready to take on the world!

A Letter to My First Baby Girl

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My sweet baby girl. My first born. My precious rainbow baby. I have so many emotions about you and I as I go through this season of growing your younger sibling. They will be every bit as loved and cherished and celebrated, but you will forever hold a special place in my heart. 

I know this addition will grow us and change us. There is a part of me that is so excited and there is a part of me that is breaking and sad for you. It will no longer be just you and me and daddy. And I worry that you won’t understand. I worry that you will think mommy doesn’t cherish you as much, but sweet girl I will. You have been the best teacher, gracious and sweet and patient while Mommy figures it out. You have allowed me to grow and learn so much not just about motherhood, but about myself. And I just know you will be the most amazing big sister, and the best little helper.

So I won’t rush this time that we have left, just you and me. We will savor and cherish every day. Every moment. Every bedtime snuggle and every good morning kiss.  I will eat up your smallness and take it all in, because I know in just a few short months you will seem so big. I will do my best to soak in every moment of you being my tiny baby. Thank you, my girl, for being the best that Mommy could ever wish for or imagine.

Love,

Your Mama

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