Recently I got turned on to a really cool site called http://foodgawker.com/

It sometimes help me answer the daily question "What's for dinner?...  There are beautiful pictures of all kinds of food and beverages. Today I came across this recipe for Basil Lime Cookies that I think sound delicious.  I'm going to give them a try.  I read that they taste like a Margarita, and there's nothing wrong with that!

 

 Basil Lime Cookies recipe from Big Fat Baker 

• 1 stick unsalted butter at room temperature
• 6 ounces (3/4 cup plus 1 tbsp) sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Zest of 1 lime
• 3 tbsp very finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 7 ounces (1 3/4 cup) flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line the cookie sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
2. In a stand mixer (or hand-held mixer) cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.
3. Mix in the egg, vanilla, zest, and basil. Mix together until fully combined.
4. In a separate bowl sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Then mix into the butter mixture until combined.
5. Roll 1 tbsp of dough to make a little sphere. Repeat with remaining dough. Place about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets.
6. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies/oven.
7. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for a few minutes

What a little sun will do...

A couple weeks ago, this is what life on my street looked like.  This is before we lost power for two days (we were lucky, some people lost it for as much as two weeks).  This is also before the ice storm and before our governor declared Washington to be in a state of emergency.  Well, there's still a lot of clean up to be done, even in our own yard we have tons of branches down, and one is about 25 feet long!

Well today was a different story...It was beautiful and sunny!  I got out of the house and soaked it up.  'Went to a really good lunch with my Aunt Sheila and then did some bead shopping at Shipwreck.  We both found enough goodies to fill a little bag and went home inspired by our little treasures and the bright sunny day.  It can be so re-charging to get out and enjoy the first sunny days after a crazy winter storm.  It's supposed to be sunny again tomorrow, so my plan is to open the curtains, turn up the tunes and create!  The downed limbs can wait!!!

Bead Soup Blog Party

Today I received my bead soup from my blog party partner, Lara Lutrick, and I love them!  They are in a  happy color pallet...To me they look Springy/Southwest, and I think I will have fun creating a unique and beautiful piece with them.  Lara makes beautiful lampwork beads that anyone would be proud to work with.  You can visit her blog at http://www.lutrick.blogspot.com/, and her Etsy site at http://www.etsy.com/shop/Lutrick.  Here's a photo of the pretty beads I get to work with...