Pennies on a Platter

Buttery Buttermilk Biscuits

Nikki — Wed, 16 May 2012 05:01:59 +0000

Rarely do I complain on the blog about my new living situation here in Mississippi. I’m not even sure I have shared much about it with you. Here’s the long story made short: We owned a newer 2,600 square foot home in California, located in a safe cookie cutter neighborhood. The house had a large kitchen, walk-in pantry, island, etc, then we sold it at a loss when we moved to Mississippi. In order to be able to save money and recover from that loss, we are now temporarily renting a 1300 square foot townhome, that is owned by the seminary where Ben teaches. The location isn’t very appealing since on one side of the street you have to watch out for pot holes and the other side be aware of bullet holes. And, I have the tiniest kitchen ever.

I’m not telling you this to complain about it, because it has been a surprisingly pleasant experience and such a blessing. I forgot how nice it is to pay cheap rent. I also forgot how nice it is to live in a neighborhood with such great community! We are outside everyday playing with the seminary students’ kids, and I’ve made invaluable friendships with their moms. So, no complaints (to share with you, at least) on the living situation…

…up until a few weeks ago, when I checked out the local farmers market.

I found out that our town has a farmers market, and we went. Downtown Clinton is actually very cute and kind of college town-ish, so we really enjoyed just the atmosphere of walking around the store fronts. After our enjoyable day, guess what I found out? The farmers market is only once per month. What a tease! That is my complaint.

At my one time visit to the once-a-month farmers market, we bought some locally produced honey. I actually don’t like honey. I’ll eat it mixed into recipes, but not by itself or drizzled and spread on biscuits, toast, etc. Bleh. I keep trying it, and it gets me every time. But, since the hubs loves it, I promised him I would make some fluffy buttermilk biscuits to accompany his honey.

Everyone has their preference on biscuits. Some like them flat, some like them 10 feet tall (okay, a bit of an exaggeration) and some like them just from a refrigerated can. This recipe is the favorite in our household, where the biscuit just crumbles on the outside yet somehow holds together from the fluffiness of the inside. They are completely buttery and so light and flaky, which just makes them unparalleled to any other recipe I’ve tried. My only complaint here is they disappear too quickly!

Buttery Buttermilk Biscuits

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 9 servings

Serving Size: 1 biscuit

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 Tablespoon baking powder
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8 Tablespoons cold butter, diced right before using
1 cup cold buttermilk

Arrange the oven rack in the center of the oven, preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking sheet with butter, oil, or cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender, your hands, or two knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal and none of the pieces of butter is bigger than the size of a pea. Be careful not to overwork. Using a rubber spatula, fold the buttermilk into the flour mixture just until all of the flour is moistened.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead lightly two or three times until the dough comes together (but should still be somewhat crumbly.) Gently pat the dough out until it's a 6-inch square. Cut the dough into 9 squares.

Place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until light golden brown and firm to the touch, about 12 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Store in a zipper bag on the counter. Reheat in a 350 degree preheated oven until warm for optimal texture the next day.

Source: Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible

http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/05/16/buttery-buttermilk-biscuits/

Mediterranean Wrap

Nikki — Mon, 14 May 2012 05:01:17 +0000

Earlier this year, when I was in Orlando, I fell in love. In fact, it was love at first bite. I’m talking about the Mediterranean wrap I ate at Au Bon Pain in the Orlando airport. I ordered it for lunch when I arrived at the airport, and I ordered it again when I was leaving a few days later. Immediately, I knew I had to recreate it at home and here it is.

If you like biting through a soft tortilla or flatbread, into a mouthful of flavor, then you will absolutely love this. The wrap is filled with fresh ingredients and a zingy pesto, then finished off with a sprinkle of my favorite…feta cheese. And, if you have all of the ingredients on hand, you can easily put this together for a fast lunch or healthy dinner, within minutes.

Mediterranean Wrap

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 whole wrap

4 soft tortillas or flatbread (I use sun-dried tomato flavored flatbread)
Sun-dried tomato pesto
Hummus
Field greens (lettuce)
1/4 seedless cucumber, diced
Grape or cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
Kalamata olives, sliced in half
Roasted red pepper strips (from a jar)
Feta cheese, crumbled

Lay the tortilla or flatbread on a clean counter. Spread about a tablespoon of sun-dried tomato pesto over the surface of the bread, leaving about a 1/2-inch at the edges. Repeat with a tablespoon or two of the hummus. Top with a small handful of field greens, followed by an even layer of the cucumber, tomatoes, olives, roasted peppers and finally the feta cheese. Tightly roll the wrap and lightly press to secure. Carefully slice in half with a slightly diagonal cut. Repeat with the remaining bread and ingredients. Serve immediately.

http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/05/14/mediterranean-wrap/

DIY Homemade Chocolate Wafers

Nikki — Fri, 11 May 2012 05:01:08 +0000

I have big plans for these cookies. Not only are chocolate wafers amazing as is, they can be used in many variations. My first batch of these were kept in the freezer, waiting for me to munch on them…pretty much daily…until they were gone. Then, I went crazy and made these…

The hubs gets excited when he comes home from work and finds something like this in the freezer. Homemade vanilla ice cream sandwiched in between chocolate wafers? I won his heart all over again. He ate all three of them, leaving me not even a crumb, but then told me they were goo-ood.

The store-bought chocolate wafers can be pretty pricey, so I’m ecstatic to have a homemade recipe. Next week I’ll share another way I put these cookies to use. But, until then, consider making these soon and mashing them up into your ice cream, dunking them in some coffee or milk, or go the extra step and make an icebox cake! Then, again, you can just do what I did and savor them slowly one by one.

Homemade Chocolate Wafers

Prep Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Yield: 4+ dozen cookies

1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup milk

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.

Combine the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until incorporated. Pour in the milk and mix until just combined.

Transfer the dough to a clean workspace and form into two 1+1/2-inch logs. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat. Use a serrated knife to slice the cookie dough into 1/8-inch discs, working with one log at a time and keeping the other in the fridge until ready to slice and bake. Place the discs on the prepared baking sheets.

Bake for 8 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Allow the cookies to cool on the pans for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Note: These cookies can be frozen.

Source: Adapted from Zoe Bakes

http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/05/11/diy-homemade-chocolate-wafers/

Pepper Jack and Double Olive Pita Pizza

Nikki — Wed, 09 May 2012 05:01:01 +0000

When I came across this recipe to test, I didn’t have high expectations. A pizza that was heavily topped with olives? Hmmmm…it didn’t sound all that amusing. But, was I proven wrong! Surprisingly, the combination of the pepper jack cheese, two different kinds of olives, and a sprinkling of diced bell peppers really works into one great olive pizza!

The original recipe calls for a thin crust pizza dough, but I couldn’t steer my mind away from making individual sized pizzas over some homemade pita bread. Plus, what a great use of the pita bread that was starting to get a little too old in my freezer! You can definitely use store-bought pita bread, too. These little pizzas are thrown together within minutes and appear on your table-top in no time!

Pepper Jack and Double Olive Pita Pizza

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1 individual sized pizza

4 pita breads
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced
1/2 cup green olives, sliced
1/2 yellow or orange bell pepper, finely diced
1 cup shredded Pepper Jack cheese
4 basil leaves, thinly sliced (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Spread the pizza sauce over the surface of each of the pita breads. Top with the olives, peppers and cheese. Bake on a baking sheet or stone for 5 to 8 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Garnish with basil, if desired.

Source: Adapted from Sargento

http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/05/09/pepper-jack-and-double-olive-pita-pizza/

Full Disclosure: Although I’m in partnership to test and review Sargento recipes, I only share with you the ones that I truly enjoy and will make again. This post was sponsored by Sargento, but the opinions expressed about this recipe are my own.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Bar Dessert

Nikki — Mon, 07 May 2012 05:01:12 +0000

This, my friends, is one of our favorite desserts. It’s a favorite for Ben, because he is in love with anything that has to do with chocolate and peanut butter. It’s a favorite for me, because I also share a love for the chocolate and peanut butter combo, but more importantly, this is one heck-uhva easy, yet impressive, dessert!

Living in a community with many young families, TONS of children and even single men and women who live on the seminary campus, we often entertain or are invited for dinner. Typically, I like to be in charge of dessert. Being in the south now, I feel I need to have a dessert ready that grabs at anyone’s sweet tooth. With our busy schedule, I do not always have time to spend an hour or two in the kitchen, baking up a treat, so it’s nice to have quick and easy recipes like this on hand. But, the thing about this one is that everyone is super impressed! I sometimes don’t want to tell them how easy it is!

You can go all-the-way homemade with this, but then that takes away from what I love most about it. With the use of ice cream sandwiches, chocolate syrup, peanut butter and COOL WHIP whipped topping, this dessert fixes up in a jiffy! Just two layers of these ingredients, placed into an 8×8 pan and then frozen for 1 hour, will provide you with a spectacular chocolaty treat and gain back minutes for you to spend with your family.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Bar Dessert

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 9 - 12 servings

Serving Size: 1 slice

8-ounces chocolate syrup
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
12 - 18 store-bought (rectangle) ice cream sandwiches
8-ounces frozen COOL WHIP whipped topping, thawed
1/2 cup chopped peanut butter cups

Heat the chocolate syrup in a microwave-safe bowl for about 1 minute. Stir in the peanut butter until smooth; set aside.

Layer half of the ice cream sandwiches on the bottom of an 8x8 square baking dish. Evenly pour half of the chocolate-peanut butter sauce over the top. Spread with an even layer of half of the COOL WHIP, then sprinkle with half of the peanut butter cups. Repeat the layers (sandwiches, chocolate sauce, COOL WHIP) ending with another sprinkle of peanut butter cups. Cover loosely with foil and freeze for at least 1 hour. To serve, cut into squares.

*Note: This recipe can be doubled, using a 9x13-inch pan.

Source: Recipe inspired from AllRecipes

http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/05/07/chocolate-peanut-butter-ice-cream-bar-dessert/

Full Disclosure: As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received coupons for free COOL WHIP Whipped Topping and a stipend. Sponsored posts are purely editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers do not produce the content.

What you add makes it. #coolwhipmoms

Cinnamon Chocolate Pound Cake

Nikki — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:00:09 +0000

Otherwise known as “Mexican Chocolate Pound Cake”, this just might be the dessert you’re looking to serve this Cinco de Mayo. But, consider it also as a breakfast option. Last Saturday morning, during a visit to Starbucks, I ordered their (unfortunately seasonal) Cinnamon Chocolate bread that was very similar to this. And, yes, I ate it for breakfast with my coffee. Like this cake, it was densely rich with chocolate and a hint of cinnamon, while moist in texture.

Ben and I have been snacking on this cake all week. After sending a generous portion to the family of eight next door, we still had plenty left (more than half) to fatten us up. So, every evening for the last few days has consisted of a Frasier marathon on Netflix, with a slice of this chocolate cake. Did I say every evening? Don’t tell Ben, but I just might have had a slice every morning after he left for work, too.

Cinnamon Chocolate Pound Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Yield: 16 servings

Serving Size: One 1-inch slice

8 ounces semisweet chocolate baking squares, chopped
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1/2 cup chocolate syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
Powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a tube or bundt pan; set aside.

Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 1 minute and 30 seconds, stirring every 15 seconds until the chocolate is melted and smooth; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter on medium high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the sugar, beating for 5 to 7 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, fully mixing into the batter after each addition. Stir in the melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla extract until incorporated.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. With the mixer on low-speed, alternately add the flour then the buttermilk to the butter/sugar mixture in 3 to 4 stages, starting and ending with the flour. Blend well after each addition. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a long wooden pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then invert the cake out from the pan onto the wire rack and allow to cool completely (about 2 hours). Once completely cooled, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into 1-inch slices.

Source: Adapted from a Southern Living postcard

http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/05/04/cinnamon-chocolate-pound-cake/

Five-Minute Banana Ice Cream with Biscoff Swirls

Nikki — Wed, 02 May 2012 05:01:26 +0000

You read that title right. In fact, it might take you less than five minutes to make this ice cream. We first introduced this quick and healthy banana ice cream recipe in Chunky Monkey form last summer. But, for the last few months, instead of loading it with walnuts and peanut butter, I’ve simply swirled in some of the infamous Biscoff spread. It’s divine. My neighbors think so, my in-laws think so, my husband thinks so, and my toddler thinks so.

So, why does this ice cream only take five minutes? Because all you need to do is throw frozen banana slices into your blender or food processor, then puree until smooth. The consistency is like ice cream, everyone is fooled, and you have a nutritious dessert. You could eat it naked (I mean with clothes on and without the Biscoff, sheesh!) but why not throw in some of that yummy delicious cookie spread to sweeten things up? And, hey, it’ll appeal to your dairy-free and vegan friends, too. Impressive.

Five-Minute Banana Ice Cream with Biscoff Swirls

Yield: 4 servings

Serving Size: 1/2 cup

Frozen banana slices* from 3 medium bananas
A few tablespoons Biscoff spread (creamy or chunky)

Toss the frozen banana slices into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add the Biscoff spread, to taste, and pulse until evenly swirled in. Alternatively, you can just stir in the Biscoff spread with a spoon. Serve immediately.

*Recipe Note: To freeze the bananas, cut into 1-inch slices, then freeze in a single layer on a parchment or wax paper lined baking sheet for 2 hours. Transfer to a freezer bag and store until ready to use. This method keeps the banana slices from sticking together, which helps to puree more evenly.

http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/05/02/five-minute-banana-ice-cream-with-biscoff-swirls/

Layered Mediterranean Dip

Nikki — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 05:01:05 +0000

Last weekend, Ben’s parents came for a visit and I wanted to make a couple of healthier recipes for their enjoyment. Although I didn’t get a chance to make everything I planned, I did ensure that this hummus based dip hit the table, alongside a falafel dish. I was waiting for their visit before trying this recipe for the first time, and after trying it once, I’ve already made it twice! It is that good.

There are many things I love about this dip, from its fresh veggie loaded ingredients, to its gorgeous presentation. But, I think my favorite attribute is how adaptable the recipe is to accommodate your taste or to simply use up what you have on hand. The first time I put this together for Ben’s parents, I followed a combination of both Annie’s and Natalie’s recipes. A few days later, I made it again for an event at the seminary, but adapted it so I didn’t have to run to the store and buy a bunch of ingredients again. For example, I had some basil pesto to use up, along with sun dried tomatoes. The basil pesto gave it more of an Italian flair, but that’s not a bad thing in my opinion!

If you’re too intimidated to make your own hummus and cilantro pesto, or you just don’t have time to do it homemade, there is nothing wrong with using store-bought of both. You can serve this dip with some sliced vegetables, pita bread or pita chips. I personally even love eating it with a spoon. But, that’s just me.

Layered Mediterranean Dip

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Yield: 12 servings

For the pesto:

1 1/2 cups fresh cilantro leaves
2 cloves garlic, halved
1/3 cup olive oil, divided
2 Tablespoons pecans
2 Tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

For the rest of the dip:

Hummus, any flavor (use my favorite, or yours)
Seedless cucumber, chopped
Red onion, diced
Sliced Kalamata or black olives
Banana peppers or pepperoncini peppers, chopped
Grape tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
Crumbled feta cheese

For the pesto:

Combine the cilantro, garlic and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor and process until a rough paste forms. Add the pecans, pine nuts and cheese then process until well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. While the processor is running, slowly pour the remaining olive oil through the food chute and process until smooth.

For the remaining dip:

Spread the hummus into a glass pie plate, then layer with the cilantro pesto and the rest of the ingredients in the order listed, topping with the crumbled feta. Serve with pita chips, bread or veggie slices.

Source: Adapted from Annie's Eats and Tasty Kitchen

http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/04/30/layered-mediterranean-dip/

Potato, Gouda and Candied Bacon Pizza

Nikki — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 05:01:12 +0000

Wow, it’s been a whirlwind of a week here at our home, and I’m going to leave you this weekend with a whirlwind of a recipe! My friend, Jamie, over at Sweet Tea & Taters (don’t you love that catchy title?) shared this pizza recently and I bookmarked it right away. Honestly, she had me at “candied bacon”. Really? If you never thought bacon could get any better, believe it! Candied bacon is simply brown sugar laden bacon, crisped in the oven until it’s irresistible!

I used my new hand-held mandoline slicer I received from Oxo at FBF Orlando, in order to slice my potatoes very thin. If you do not have this tool, no worries. You can use your knife! But, since you probably can’t get as thin of slices with your knife, then I would recommend nuking your potato slices in a microwave safe bowl for 2-3 minutes before layering on your pizza. Otherwise, as long as the potatoes are super thin, then no need to cook first!

After tasting this pizza and finding out how great it is, it was no surprise to me when I discovered that Jamie’s inspiration came from the same place I found the ever-so-popular balsamic strawberry pizza.

Potato, Gouda and Candied Bacon Pizza

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Serving Size: 1-2 slices

6 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 Tablespoons brown sugar
black pepper
1 pizza crust (homemade or store-bought)
1/4 to 1/2 cup pesto sauce
8 oz (.5 lb) wheel smoked Gouda, shredded
2-3 small red potatoes, sliced thin (mandoline set to 2)
Salt
1 yellow bell pepper, diced

First, make the candied bacon. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the bacon pieces, brown sugar and a generous amount of black pepper in a medium bowl until bacon is coated. Transfer to a baking pan and spread out to one layer. Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and golden. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the candied bacon to a sheet of parchment paper and allow to cool.

Preheat the oven and pizza stone to 500 degrees F for at least 30 minutes.

Roll pizza dough to 12-inch round, on top of cornmeal dusted parchment paper, or pizza peel. Spread a generous layer of pesto on the surface, then top with half of the cheese. Layer the potato slices, then sprinkle lightly with salt. Evenly toss on the candied bacon and yellow pepper. Top with remaining cheese.

Bake for 8 to 12 minutes, or until the crust is golden and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Source: Adapted from Sweet Tea & Taters

http://penniesonaplatter.com/2012/04/27/potato-gouda-and-candied-bacon-pizza/

Milkaholic Baby Shower

Nikki — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 05:01:43 +0000

Last August (yes, that was over 6 months ago), I threw two baby showers that I haven’t had the chance to share with you yet. I planned on giving you a recap in September, but then Labor Day happened, traveling happened, Thanksgiving happened, Christmas happened, and finally, moving to Mississippi happened. Why the delay after that? I simply forgot!

If you’ve been with me since last year, you know that we lived in Southern California when I threw these showers. Both of the showers were held in the Midwest (one in Michigan for my sister, and one in Chicago for one of my best friends). So, you can imagine the challenges I had to face by planning two very long-distance showers, for two different people, within one week of each other! Despite the craziness, it was a lot of fun!

The shower theme for my sister was Milk-aholic. She and I are both lovers of milk, and it is a standing joke that when we both are visiting my parents in Michigan (my sister resides in Colorado) my mom stocks up on gallons of milk to prepare for us! So, when I saw this idea for a Milk-aholic themed shower, I knew I had to go with it!

To set the theme, I created the party invitations (pictured above) in my Pages program on my Macbook, then printed them on cardstock, cut them with a paper cutter, and rounded out the corners with a scrapbooking tool I had.

The first thing the guests saw when they walked in the door was this guest book stand. The pictures don’t show it very well, but the idea here was to leave the parents-to-be a message in the milk bottle. I also framed the invitation on this table and sprinkled the surface with baby shower confetti that said “It’s a boy!”

My mom and best friend, Vicki, helped me with the food. Since milk and sweets go so well together, we decided to lean heavily on desserts, while also serving pulled pork sandwiches to round it out. The dessert table consisted of blueberry crumb bars, monster cookies, chocolate brownies, cream puffs, chocolate dipped strawberries and caramel corn. The cake and cake pops (made by Vicki) stole the show!

We set card tables up outside on the back deck and covered with black table cloth, decorated with a milk jug and flowers centerpiece.

I ordered the cake from Oh Sweet. Judy did a fantastic job and custom made the cake exactly how I envisioned! I have to admit, it is very hard to find a decent cake bakery when planning from a distance. I took a leap of faith here, and so glad I did! If you’re in the Grand Rapids area, I highly recommend her!

For the drinks, we served milk and punch. The punch (not pictured) was my favorite concoction of white grape juice mixed with gingerale, kept cold with sliced frozen lemons and limes, along with frozen grapes. The milk was served in large milk bottles I bought from Bed, Bath and Beyond. I gave the choice of almond milk, chocolate milk and low-fat milk. Everyone got their own half-pint sized mason jar with a blue and white striped paper straw. If I didn’t have to travel for this shower, instead of the mason jars, I would’ve used my individual milk jars that I collected. If you throw a Milk-aholic themed shower, I suggest you buy the bulk pack of Starbucks Frappuccino’s from Costco (wait for a $4.00 coupon) and save each bottle. Wash them out and remove the label. From this, I now have 12 milk bottles!

My favorite part of this party were the party favors. I found a template online to guide me through creating my own template for these adorable milk cartons. Since it took me for-ev-er to do this, I decided to share the template with you for free so it can get even more use, hopefully! Print them on cardstock, fold and adhere with double sided tape. Then, stuff them with bite sized cookies (I used Famous Amos.)

Although I’m not a huge game person, we did play a few games. One game I actually made up and I’ve provided the printable template below. (Instructions included.) And, of course, there were lots of gifts. Look how beautiful my sister is above with that adorable giraffe!

Since the shower was over half a year ago, obviously my sister has since had the baby. His name is Evan! Here he is with the cutest Denver Broncos cap I got him for Christmas from Etsy. And, of course, a photo of Evan being held by his proud cousin, Judah.

Angie was already the best aunt ever to Judah, so I have no doubt that she is going to be even a more wonderful mom! Ang, I am so very thrilled that I got to throw this shower for you, and now you are also the mom of a sweet baby boy! I can’t wait to have our sons grow up together and be best friends forever. xoxo!

Vendor and supply information:

White Milk Bottles (center pieces and guestbook table): Bed, Bath and Beyond
Decorations: Party City, Hobby Lobby
Paper Straws: Shop Sweet Lulu
Cake: Oh Sweet
Cake Pops: Vicki Lindsey
Invitations: Pennies on a Platter (free printable)
Milk Carton Party Favors: Pennies on a Platter (free printable)
Milk Carton Party Favors Sign: Pennies on a Platter (free printable)
Cookies & Sweets Sign: Pennies on a Platter (free printable)
Food/Drink Labels: Pennies on a Platter (free printable)
Guest Book Sign: Pennies on a Platter (free printable)
Baby Bottle Scratch Game: Pennies on a Platter (free printable)