White Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies

August 30, 2018August 29, 2018 / Jodi / 47 Comments

White Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies.

Last weekend we went to a Hawaiian Lua Party and Pig Roast.

Hubby “signed me up” to bring a dessert.

I had fun searching for a new cookie creation that could tie into the theme.

I found a recipe at Delightfulemade that included coconut and macadamia nuts that I slightly adapted.

Not only did they suit the theme, they were DELISH!

Not wanting to go to the grocery store, I needed to improvise on white chocolate chips. I happened to have some White Chocolate Cupcake Hershey’s Kisses left over from something, so I chopped them up for the white chocolate chips. YUM!!!

Next time I make these, I might try toasting the coconut first to step it up even one more notch. (Let me know if you make and try toasting the coconut first!)

I know coconut is one of those things people typically LOVE or HATE.

Haters can hate, but lovers…. you’re gonna wanna make!

Here is the recipe:

White Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies

Servings: 5-6 dozen
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Ingredients:

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, softened
2 8-oz. blocks cream cheese, softened
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
5 cups flour
2 1/2 – 3 cups chopped white chocolate or white chocolate chips
2 cups sweetened, flaked coconut
1 cup macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions:

Cream butter and cream cheese with electric mixer. Add sugars, and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, vanilla, and coconut extract mixing until combined.

Add salt and baking soda, followed by flour, mixing until combined. Add white chocolate, coconut and macadamia nuts to the batter, and mix until incorporated.

Chill dough for several hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Make golfball-sized balls of cookie dough. Place on baking stone or cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven when beginning to turn golden brown. Press down on each cookie lightly to flatten. Cool for 10 minutes on baking stone before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Aloha!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

P.S. I am nuts about this adorable kitchen sign my DIL made for our McKinneyX2designs shop! Such a sweet gift for the bakers in your life!

A Merry Grinchmas Celebration

December 26, 2017December 25, 2017 / Jodi / 64 Comments

A Merry Grinchmas Celebration.

As I sit by the fire late Christmas evening – basking in the warmth and glow of a wonderful Christmas holiday spent over the past week or so with many of those I love most, I feel so grateful. The house is quiet, except for the dishwasher running, the fire crackling, and a holiday movie playing in the background.

I’m feeling peaceful and content.

There is nothing like the excitement leading up to Christmas, and I loved hosting three dinner parties three days in a row (and that’s not counting one the weekend before). But there is also something very special too about the days that follow Christmas….

The calm afterglow… The snuggling in… The nesting… Looking at pictures… Smiling at the memories.

Movies, books, leftovers, jammies…

Today, I want to share a fun party we had this past Saturday, the eve of Christmas eve, with our McHendy family.

My bestie, Jill and I decided we wanted to surprise our families with a theme, so we created a McHendy Grinchmas Celebration.

A Happy Whoville feast –

complete with Roast Beast (Beef Tenderloin),

Who Mash (Mashed Potatoes),

Grinch Greens (Sauteed Fresh Green Beans with garlic),

and Cindy Lou Who Salad (Crisp Greens, Tart Pomegranate Seeds, Crunchy Pecans, and Creamy Goat Cheese).

This feast was preceded by some fun appetizers earlier in the day, including Grinchy Green Deviled Eggs,

Grinch Santa Hats,

and a Tortilla Wrap Christmas Tree.

And it was followed by a tiered tray of Grinchmas Cookies,

and plenty of other sweet treats.

Each guest received a little favor bucket that included a green ornament with a tiny red heart and lime green and red candies,

as well as a Grinch beanie hat (which we all wore for a fun family photo – with the exception of hubby who wore a full furry Grinch onesie!)

The games planned took a different twist than intended, but ended up being just as fun!

There were sleigh rides and races,

I Spy the Who Hash,

and boxed games around the cleared dinner table.

Guests of honor

adorned the powder room and office doors.

And as we ate and played and talked and laughed and cried, we celebrated being family in every true, authentic sense of the word. And we reminded ourselves that “Merry Christmas doesn’t come from the store. Maybe Christmas perhaps is a little bit more.”

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Wizard of Oz Party

November 5, 2017November 4, 2017 / Jodi / 86 Comments

A Wizard of Oz Party.

Yesterday, I shared a recipe for Butterscotch Haystacks that I mentioned I made for a Wizard of Oz Party. Today, I want to share some more of the super simple treats I prepared for our little group of 11 ADULTS who decided we wanted to watch the Wizard of Oz together.

I prepared a salami, cheese, and olive tray in the shape of the infamous Yellow Brick Road.

And oh what a joy it was to answer my cell phone at exactly the assigned start time of our little party to be asked to come outside…..

When I stepped out onto the porch in the dark and looked into the driveway, a group of seven silly, sweet friends had their arms linked together in a row and came skipping up to the porch singing, “We’re off to see the Wizard… the wonderful Wizard of Oz…” as if they were on the yellow brick road.

I knew we were in for a fun night! One friend dressed as a scarecrow and another in the “outfit” she wore when she saw the movie for the first time – jammies, a blanket, and pig tails!

We had Bugles “Tornadoes” to dip and munch….

along with Potato Sticks “Scarecrow Straw” and Cheese Curls “Lion Tails.”

There were Hershey’s Kisses “Tin Man Hats”

and bowls of Skittles and Dark Chocolate M&M’s “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

We gathered at the bar first for drinks and toasting to get the evening started, then made our plates and settled into comfy seats (some even on the floor) to watch the classic we had discussed weeks before talking about how scared, yet fascinated we were as children. (Notice even Charlie – peeking from front bottom right below – and his friend Gemma hunkered in.)

For almost two hours, we were mesmerized as if we were children, yet noticing so many more things as adults. We sang along and recited phrases. We laughed, we gasped, we recounted childhood memories…

It was a silly theme and reason to get together, yet somehow turned into a sincerely authentic experience…

Maybe I’m still on the Brene Brown buzz of vulnerability and courage to be oneself after reading her latest book, Braving the Wilderness, but I woke up the next morning (granted a bit fuzzy from a wee bit too much wine), but feeling completely joyous and connected and complete.

What would life be like without friends? I hope I never have to know.

And remember……….

“You’ve always had the power my dear. You just had to learn it yourself.”

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Child Gift-Giving: WANT, NEED, WEAR, READ

April 2, 2017March 29, 2017 / Jodi / 42 Comments

Becoming a first-time grandma recently, along with several of my besties, has caused me pause to consider child gift-giving.

It is sooooooo easy to get carried away and spoil – especially these first ones.

So I was thinking it is time to establish the “trend” for hopefully lots more grandie gifts.

I have read several places a good rule of thumb to simplify child gift-giving is to consider four categories:

Want
Need
Wear
Read

Consider gifts in the four categories – buying one of each: One thing they want, one thing they need, one thing to wear, and one thing to read.

Well – let’s see if I can stick with this…

In the meantime, my bestie’s first grandchild turned one, so going with a fish theme (just because I thought it was fun), I made the above little T-shirt for him (to WEAR), bought him some bathtub fishing toys (I think he would WANT to play with), some socks (I’m sure his mama could say he NEEDs), and the Dr. Seuss Book “One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish” (to READ).

Happy Birthday Ben! I hope the years don’t continue to go as fast as this first one did!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Brunch & Bubbly Bridal Shower

March 13, 2017March 13, 2017 / Jodi / 68 Comments

I had the joy and privilege of hosting a Brunch & Bubbly Bridal Shower for my bright and bubbly daughter-in-law to be this past weekend.

I had fun decorating and preparing for our girly party!

Thanks to Matron of Honor and beautiful sister, Laura, and loving, gentle mom, Pat for co-hosting with me.

(And a super special thanks to my BFF Jill for taking all of these photos as well as helping with anything else needed while I was busy hosting.)

Liz was surrounded by the love of her Mom and three sisters…

and there is another beautiful girl on the way to add to this gang!

First things first – the Bubbly!

and a toast to the bride-to-be.

Friends and family attended.

Families mingled meeting and getting to know each other…

and several generations shared in the joy and love.

New moms and great grandmoms…

and moms with babies on the way,

and moms who get to share ❤ .

Then there was brunch.

Where we served a buffet of Chicken Salad on Sliced Crostini, Crispy Veggies with Hummus, Fresh Fruit and Honey Walnut Brie, along with…

Mini BLTs served on Heart-shaped biscuits,

Loaded Deviled Eggs,

and a Strawberry Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese and Candied Pecans.

Aunt Kathy made the MOST amazing cupcakes I’ve every tasted! Strawberry Lemon with Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting,

My friend, Pam who makes the most amazingly beautiful sugar cookiedoodles, made these gorgeous and delicious treats that we served along with my cookie pops.

The guests brought and shared amazing gifts for our newlyweds to be.

We played a few games. Pretty simple ones really… Like guess the number of corks and gave away prizes when a timer went off during gift opening.

Some sweet and funny stories were shared when guests filled out a “Mad Lib” story…

and then chose to share with the group.

And then the groom-to-be (my son, Nick) arrived with flowers, smiles, and a tight hug.

Favors of Homemade Lavender Sugar Scrub were given to guests as a thank you before leaving.

A kiss and an “I love you” at the end of the day, but the beginning of a lifetime. (with a little bit of sweet granddaughter drool on my shoulder)

It was a great day to celebrate a great young lady!

Love you Liz!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Thanks Jill!

Party Supplies:
Toasting Flutes for Mimosa Bar
Juice Carafes for Mimosa Bar
Tissue Paper Tassel Garland
Tissue Paper Pom Poms
Tissue Paper Honeycomb Balls

A Valentine Couples Camp Party

February 13, 2017February 12, 2017 / Jodi / 55 Comments

This past weekend, a gang of our bestie couple friends got together to celebrate love and friendship.

My McHendy “sister,’ Jill, and I collaborated to plan what we called “Valentine’s Couple Camp.”

Those of you that have been hanging around here at TheCreativeLifeinBetween for a while might remember our first Couple Camp Weekend Retreat that I posted about here.

Unfortunately, we missed a year… I guess weddings, babies, life… got us too involved. But when Jill called a couple weeks ago and said we should do another Couples Camp for Valentine’s Day, I was all in and offered to host at our home.

And so we did.

Bubby and Glenn were assigned appetizers, and boy did they rock the theme! Check out all the ways you can make food into hearts!

I created a special “Love Potion” cocktail to toast the beginning of our time together. I mixed 1/3 Grand Marnier Signature Collection No. 2 Raspberry Peach with 2/3 champagne and garnished with a fresh red raspberry. Yum!

Jill is our illustrious “camp” activities director. After a silly group photo,

Jill and I sent the rest of the gang to the bar, while we laid out the all the materials for everyone to create their own “Love Shack” out of chocolate graham crackers and candy (a Valentine gingerbread house of sorts). Everyone was given a flag to name their Love Shack and 20 pennies to distribute into shot glasses after everyone finished and presented their masterpieces to vote on the best.

We had some serious creativity going on. Check it out!

Hubby made his into “Camp Happy Beginning” reminiscent of the early days of love and not having much but feeling like everything is a rainbow …. or something like that… if you can imagine…

Mary made hers into “Mary’s Cozy Cottage” decorated with a comfy couch and chairs and a big colorful outdoor patio…

I was much busier laughing and taking pictures under the guise of “hosting” to focus too much on mine, but came up with this pretty lame “McKinney Love Shack.”

Bubby lovingly created the “McKinney B&B.”

and her Glenn created “Glen’s Gang Bang Getaway.” No explanation here. You can use your own imagination.

Jim cracked us up with his creation. Simple, but with a funny and politically-inspired statement. His “American” themed love shack had three characters involved… “I’m a Russian” on his way to the love shack, “Himalyan” in the love shack, and “He’s a Finnish” leaving the love shack…

Jill’s was a fabulous “Jill’s Sweet Shack” with a candy paved lane.

But Todd stole the show with his outhouse-themed love shack complete with cut out crescent moon doors.

We assigned Mary the entree knowing she would make all of our tummies happy, and she did not disappoint! In fact, we were so into her amazing stuffed shells, meatballs and spare ribs in homemade Italian sauce, I forgot to photograph it! Thankfully, she left a few for us to enjoy for dinner the next day, so I took a quick photo of our leftovers. Which, by the way, tasted just as magnificent! Thanks Mar!

I made a simple salad and sliced up some fresh bread to accompany Mary’s entree,

and we gave another toast to friendship!

I had fun preparing for our guests by tidying up the guest rooms,

including a quick convert of the nursery with an air mattress bed,

and placing heart-shaped Dove Red Velvet Chocolates on pillows.

I set the table with red plates and chocolate heart treats…

and even little heart shaped spoons!

Aren’t they adorable!

I was assigned dessert, so a chocolating I went. You already know about my chocolate-dipped wafer cookies and Ultimate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookies which I had out, but I also made a bouquet of chocolate-dipped strawberries,

and the most amazing and simple No Bake Chocolate Ganache Cookie Crust Tart I saw on another blog.

I’ll share this recipe soon. It is seriously amazing and uses only a couple simple ingredients!

We talked the guys into playing Couples Scattegories and had fun staying up late drinking and talking until later than any of us ever stay up.

Hubby made omelets to order the next morning after we all awoke… later than we usually get up.

What a joy to have such wonderful friends to share time and our home with!

And quoting Jill from last time, I once again share:

“I recommend that all of our friends coordinate a Couple’s Camp weekend. Great fun. Lots of laughter. Many life stories shared. And the realization that life long friends and connections are priceless! So go make some memories!”

Thanks for the memories dear friends!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

A Hot Air Balloon Themed Baby Shower

October 4, 2016October 3, 2016 / Jodi / 52 Comments

Oh what fun we had this past weekend celebrating the anticipation of the sweet baby girl we are awaiting with a Hot Air Balloon Baby Shower!

I made these miniature hot air balloons using super inexpensive 12″ white paper Chinese lanterns that I attached to quart-sized cardboard pulp berry baskets with wooden skewers and embellished with all the pink ribbon, yarn, sequins, buttons, lace, or pearls I had in my craft stash. I added a tiny battery operated tea light to each basket and hung and placed them all over the house.

It was such a collaborative effort of all the girls involved. Check out this amazing Aunt Squad surrounding the beautiful momma to be!

We had a hot air balloon cupcake cake,

Hot Air Balloon Cake Pops in a puffy white cloud,

and Hot Air Balloons, clouds and cherubic baby faced sugar cookies.

The favors were made using Eos Lip Balms to thank our guests for sharing their time and love with us.

A Hot Air Balloon banner with baby pictures of the mom and dad to be as babies themselves was a nostalgic trip down memory lane.

An Extra Large Basket Lady Pole Handle Wicker Storage Basket with pink and white balloons tied to it was filled to overflowing with children’s books guests brought in place of cards to start a wonderful library for baby.

The books were requested by a special insert in the invitation, and the overflowing abundance of new and extra special, well-loved books from people we love will be so cherished.

The time and love put into gifts blew us away. A very special Gram blessed Mom and Dad to be with this amazing handmade Hot Air Balloon quilt.

We also had a Hair Bow Boutique…

where guests were invited to create a hair bow (or two or three – like sweet Ella did) for baby.

And they surely blew us away with their talent and love.

Instead of a guest “book,” we had guests add their fingerprint and name to a hot air balloon watercolor painting that can hang in baby’s nursery as a sweet reminder of all who shared in her special party.

A simple game of “Guess the Baby Item in the Bag” had guests brainstorming

on what the heck starts with an “O” or “W” or “H”

while munching on fruit from a hot air balloon fruit tray (which we forgot to get a picture of – 😦 – sorry Jen!) – but looked a lot like this inspiration from Pinterest, as well as Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Sliders and Chicken Salad with dried cranberries and walnuts in miniature croissants, veggie pizza, and Strawberry Spinach Salad.

and yep – we had that yummy Salted Caramel Apple Sangria too!

My heart is surely overflowing!

Balloons are now popped, and the house is back in order. Grandma is still glowing, though, as we await the arrival of this already abundantly loved baby girl.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

PS Thanks to BFF Jill for being event photographer for Grandma-to-be who was simply too overjoyed and excited to even think about snapping pics! What would I do without you!? ❤

A Diaper Pizza Baby Shower Gift

May 1, 2016April 30, 2016 / Jodi / 67 Comments

Yesterday, I went to a baby shower for a sweet young lady who is expecting a baby girl in June.

I’ve made other diaper gifts before, but I’ve never tried a diaper pizza.

It was really quite easy and turned out cute. The theme was Winnie the Pooh, so I gathered every Pooh bear and friends onsie, rattle, teething ring, toy, bib, and pacifier I could find. I then took a dozen Size 1 diapers, gentle shaped them into triangles, wrapped them in a baby wash cloth and taped them on the bottom.

I then tied a different little gift on top of each “pizza slice” and put a little plush Tigger in the middle. I wrote a greeting on the inside of the top of the box, and attached a soft little book as the “card.”

It was a fun way to celebrate and welcome this new little one.

Thanks Luciano’s Brick Oven in Mars for the clean pizza box. (And thanks Chris for getting it for me!)

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Let’s Get Beachy

August 16, 2015August 16, 2015 / Jodi / 58 Comments

This week’s theme at The Paper Players is to make a “Clean & Simple” Beach-Themed card, so for my #PP258 design team inspiration card, I used a watercolor abstract I had made when I was at the beach recently.

I stamped some cute little seagulls on it from the StampinUp Wetlands Stamp Set. Then I simply added a black die-cut “hello” greeting, matted the scene in black, and put on a crumb cake card stock. Voila – a clean and simple “Let’s Get Beachy” card.

Hope some of you will join us this week at The Paper Players with your interpretation of “Let’s Get Beachy!”

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

‘Tis the Season

April 12, 2015April 12, 2015 / Jodi / 41 Comments

Tis the season…

For showers and weddings that is.

And you might know I love a good theme.

So when I received this invitation to our family friends’ shower, I thought it would be fun to repurpose some of it for the card I made.

I gently removed the lace bow and added it to the card I created with vanilla and kraft card stock, a tiny watercolor, and the SU artisan embellishment floral cutout. A simple “love” sentiment was added from the SU Hello Life Stamp set.

I then continued the theme when wrapping the gift.

Instead of wrapping with paper, I used burlap which can be repurposed and was from our son and daughter-in-law’s similarly-themed shower and rehearsal dinner.

I made a big bow with some new kitchen towels that were on the registry, stuffed in a couple wooden spoons (they go with the gift inside), and tied it all together with lace to match.

Off to the shower today to celebrate Charrie and Corey and wish them many years of love and happiness.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

PS I received a very sweet note and invitation from the HUGELY talented Leslie Mahon at InkPaperScissorsStamp.com to enter my card into The Paper Plunge #29 April Showers Challenge. It is a less-known challenge that I am super happy to learn about and participate in. For my card crafty friends – hope you will check it out. If you have created a baby or wedding shower card, take the plunge and play along with us!

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the creative life in between

cherishing the moments and exploring my passion for creativity… through art, photography, food, and writing

theme

White Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies

White Chocolate Coconut Macadamia Nut Cookies

A Merry Grinchmas Celebration

A Wizard of Oz Party

Child Gift-Giving: WANT, NEED, WEAR, READ

A Brunch & Bubbly Bridal Shower

A Valentine Couples Camp Party

A Hot Air Balloon Themed Baby Shower

A Diaper Pizza Baby Shower Gift

Let’s Get Beachy

‘Tis the Season