Homemade Cookie Ornament

Christmas decorating has officially begun in my house and I'm not afraid to admit it! The girls have been really sick lately and they've been feeling a little cooped up. So, for something different to do I decided to teach them how to make non-edible cookie ornaments. My siblings and I used to love them when my mom would use them on her tree....in fact one of us loved them so much we tried to eat them! Not. a good. idea.

We decided to make stars and use baker's twine to hang them. I'm not sure if I want to use them on a tree, or use them in some other way. They even look pretty sitting in a bowl!

This is the recipe I used. So simple and fun.

Homemade Peanut Butter Cake Filling

 I made this cake in preparation to celebrate  Superbowl Sunday with a bunch of my fellow rowdy Giants fans (and some other not -so- Giants fans, but whatever.) Unfortunately, the girls are sick and I will be watching the game from home... cakeless, administering antibiotics. Lucky for me it is hard to be mad at a 2 year old and a 7 month old.

You can use a chocolate cake mix and icing of your choice. But, between the layers I made a peanut butter filling.  It's quite simple to make...you just mix (using an electric mixer) a cup of creamy peanut butter with 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter (softened.) Then you GRADUALLY add 2 cups of confectioner sugar. (This part can get a bit messy.) As you are mixing, add 3-4 tablespoons of heavy cream until you get the consistency you like. You can also add vanilla extract, but be careful because a little bit goes a long way.

I have made this cake twice in a one week period and have not been able to taste it yet!!! Is there anything fair about that???