Happy Birthday :)

Today is my 21st birthday! Anyone out there celebrating their birthday today? I love birthday buddies!

After class/studying/work (womp) I'm going out to dinner at Abuelo's in Roanoke! YUM! I can't wait!

 I only wish that Steven could be here. Although his birthday is the 30th, so we'll celebrate together then!

I think as my birthday gift to myself, I want to get a blog design! Any suggestions for a site with inexpensive, pre-made templates? I have a couple sits bookmarked, but I'm sure there is a cute one out there I don't know about!

Back to the holiday blog challenge with Neely! Today is...

Day 5: Holiday Dessert/Treat Recipe

Gingerbread Snowflakes

Found this on Pinterest, but the recipe courtesy of the one & only Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon finely ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsulfured molasses
• Royal Icing
• Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.
2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. Cut into snowflakes with a 7- inch snowflake-shape cookie cutter. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
4. Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
5. Put icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as Ateco #7). Pipe designs on snowflakes; immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar. Let stand 5 minutes; tap off excess sugar. Let icing set completely at room temperature, about 1 hour.

I am a HUGE fan of gingerbread!

**Everyone go check out Ashley's monogrammed apron giveaway! I think the pink one is a-dor-a-ble.

xoxo,