Grandma Julie's Chocolate Chip Cookies {Recipe}

Ty's mom is a wonderful cook and baker. I don't think there is anything she can't make. I was a bit intimidated the first time I had to cook after finding out how much Ty loved his mom's cooking. First off I do not love cooking but I do enjoy baking. I remember the first time I made one of his mom's cookie recipes (it wasn't this one) they looked different than his mom's and I could see in Ty's face they just weren't the same even though he was being sweet and telling me they were just fine. lol. Seriously I told myself after that I will never make one of her recipes ever again because I just can't compare to Betty Crocker, people. Well then seven years later I finally decided to take another stab at one of her recipes and it was her famous chocolate chip cookies. I mean a chocolate chip cookie is all the same right?! Wrong! These are heaven. I mean really. If you don't believe me just try them! I was very excited when mine came out fantastical just like hers. I started making them almost every week and gave them out to people. I also probably ate 3 dozen on my own. You need them in your life....soooo you are lucky enough that I am sharing this secret recipe with all of you. 

Ingredients

3/4 cup Brown sugar

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup shortening

1 stick butter

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups flour 

1 bag of your favorite chocolate chips

Directions

1. Cream together sugars, shortening and butter

2. add remaining ingredients leaving the flour for last and mix 

3. then mix again after adding the flour 

4. add chocolate chips

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes 

I am telling you it is the cinnamon that totally makes these so unique and your house will smell quit amazing. Now go and enjoy...oh and all I have to say is YOU'RE WELCOME!!!!

I would love to have you follow me on Instagram

@WHITNEYULRICH

to see all my fun pics, my real life, fitness, fashion ideas

and sneak peaks of what I've been working on

Make sure to check out my other social media sites and follow along
 {links below}

Buttercream frosting & some cake to go with it {Recipe}

I made these cupcakes and a fun batman cake for my little M's 3rd birthday party which was all about superheroes and I was getting a lot of compliments on the cake so I thought I would share my secrets with you. I love me some box cakes they are fast and easy and I am all about that, but I have found through trying different things for a while the best concoction to making them much more scrumptious and moist. Nothing like a moist cake! mmmm.

Ok so here is the secret you are going to follow the recipe on the back of the box but replace the oil with the same amount of butter {softened at room temperature} and replace the water with milk or buttermilk {I used 2%}. Then the same amount of eggs the box says. Then you are going to mix it all up, and bake as directed. I promise just those two easy replacements {of ingredients you have in your fridge anyway} will make your cakes and cupcakes so much better!

Oh man can I just say that funfetti cake batter is my weakness. My mouth is watering just looking at this and with the butter and milk it is pure heaven I tell ya.

Ok now that was easy peasy now onto Julie's homemade butter cream frosting. My mother in law, Julie, used to make wedding cakes and all sorts of birthday cake and she is so fabulous at it seriously I used to love when I was at her house when she was making them. So fun to watch. Anyway her buttercream frosting is so so yummy and it is what I make when I am making cupcakes so here ya go...enjoy:

{Ingredients}\
-1/2 cup shortening
-1/2 cup margarine
-2/3 cup milk
-1 teaspoon vanilla {I actually put in more because I love vanilla}
-Enough powdered sugar for the consistency that you want. You will want to get a 2 lb bag but you wont use the whole thing. 

{Directions}
Mix your shortening, butter, milk and vanilla with your beaters until well blended then you are going to add your powdered sugar one cup at a time mixing your frosting between each cup. Keep adding powered sugar until it is the consistency you are wanting. 

I found these adorable super hero prints HERE. Then I just simply cut them out and taped them onto half of a striped paper straw. And there you have a super cute easy cupcake topper. Perfect for that super hero birthday party.

 
It is safe to say they were a success the kids and adults all liked them, But most importantly the birthday boy was in heaven

I made this guy with the same recipes. Cute right! I was pretty proud that I did this all by myself. Plus a cute cake is fun but its really all about what it tastes like. Am I right?!

These recipes are linked up HERE

Not just a housewife,   Me and My Boys, Adventures of a DIY mom
 Snap, Sew Much Ado, The Trendy Treehouse, Someday Crafts,

Lil Luna, Sugar and Dots, Southern Lovely, Rolled up Pretty,

 

You can find M's superhero birthday post HERE and the Superhero cape tutorial HERE.

 You bet I had some left over cold cake for breakfast the next morning. Why not. I ran it off later :)

Pin Pin pin! Don't forget to pin for later. And go and make yourself a cupcake. You know you want to!

Thank you for your support, for reading and for following

Make sure to check out my other social media sites below

 I would love to follow back

{Links below}

Cupcake Banner {Tutorial}

I am headed to St. George this week for a little mini Spring break Vaca with my little family. So excited. Ready to soak up some sun. But before I hop into the car, jam out to some tunes and hopefully enjoy the road trip {praying for the boys to be happy in the car, thank you Ipad} I want to leave you with this really fun cupcake banner tutorial so you can get bakin and makin this weekend.

I have been loving all the beautiful cake banners I have been seeing this past year. I love the simple cakes with the fun banners. But I wanted to kick it up a notch and since I have a deep love for cupcakes {like I am obsessed with the Sweet Tooth Fairy and could eat a cupcake everyday mmmm kind of LOVE}I thought I would try out a mini cupcake banner. I actually made it for an event/benefit that I went to last weekend,  but it turned out so cute and I had some suggestions on a tutorial after I posted the picture on instagram. I just had to share it with you. How fun would it be to make little cupcake banners for a first birthday party, for a baby shower, for a wedding photo shoot, or just to give to a friend just because. I mean who doesn't like to receive a just because cupcake? Well, I can only speak for myself here, but if you want to make me one I would NOT decline :)

Remember this pretty picture I took of my cupcake from THIS POST? I got to be apart of the Ivory Homes birthday Celebration and along with it there was a cupcake contest to benefit a charity of my choice. The Charity I chose was Primary Children's Medical Center. That place just holds a special place in my heart. I tear up just thinking of all the good they do for all the sweet little ones in need. So to decorate my cupcake I knew I wanted to do a banner. I brought the banner I made and added some simple colorful sprinkles that reminded me of children.  It is still going on and I would LOVE your vote! You can vote simple by liking my picture on Instagram and repinning my picture on Pinterest.

Now on to the tutorial. Because you are going to want to make these for everyone now. Perfect thank you or I love you {just sayin}.

{Supplies I used}

-Cupcake {homemade or bakery/store bought}
-Frosting {If you are making these yourself}
-Sprinkles if you would like
- Banner {I just made my own in Picmonkey}
-Twine
-Glue stick
-Tooth picks {the perfect size for a cupcake}
-Scissors

{What I did}

First, I made my banner. For this particular banner I was making it for a benefit charity so I did the PCMC {Primary Children's Medical Center} and had Intermountain Health Care logos on the sides. I just made mine in picmonkey. Some really cute banners I would do for a friend or loved one would be:
-LOVE
-Thank you
-Mom
-Friend
-hope
-happy
etc
You don't have to even make them in picmonkey you can simply type out your message in Microsoft Word in your favorite font and just print it out on whatever color paper you would like. Easy Peasy lemon squeezy

So then You are going to cut them out into strips

Fold the strip in half

Then you are going to cut out a triangle at the bottom of the strip so that it looks like a flag. I love this look for banners but you could also cut it at a point going downward for a triangle banner look. Different look just as cute. 

Do this to your whole message

Next you will take your glue stick and spread it all over the back of each flag

and then place it over the twine and fold it over so that the front and back stick together and hold the flag in place over the twine. Do you see it coming together?! Oh the cuteness!

Now you will tie each end to a toothpick

All done! How easy was that and it dresses up a cupcake so so beautifully. The colors and possibilities are endless. I did this one a little more bright, fun and kiddish to go along with the Primary Childrens kiddish theme. But I am wanting to make one more girlie and pretty for a friend, one more vintage and elegant for a photoshoot and one themed for my little man's first birthday this summer.

Then place your adorable banner right into your cupcake and give it to someone, display at a party, or use it for a photoshoot! They will love it I promise. Doesn't the banner just complete it! Now it is beautiful and it tastes amazing.

I LOVE cupcakes it is kinda a problem :) and yes I am without makeup here I must really like you if I am willing to show you my true self.

Can't wait to make some more. To see them follow me on Instagram. Do you want a Cupcake from me? You might just be that LUCKY

Now go! Go make some cupcakes! Give! And make someone's day. oh and bring one to me for giving you this awesome tutorial and idea. HAPPY BAKING and DECORATING!

A banner similar would also be cute on something bigger like my Cream Cheese Strawberry Pie I made HERE. 

Linked up HERE

 House of Hepworths, Shabby Creek Cottage,

Two Yellow Birds Decor, Somewhat Simple, 

 The Shabby Nest ,Chic on a Shoestring Decorating,

 Tatertots and Jello, Whipperberry, Fingerprints on the fridge, 

 Nap time Crafters,

Thank you for the support, for reading and for following

Don't forget to follow me on my social media sites as well (links Below)