Happy Independence Day! Now, Have some S'mores Cookies!!

S'mores Cookies

Ok, a few days have passed since the 4th, but better late than never! And for these cookies? They are sooooo worth waiting for!


There really isn't much to say about these except, "ooey, gooey, yummy, scrumdidlyumptious!"


S'mores in a cookie form. What more could you ask for in a cookie? I really can't answer that. Chocolate, more chocolate, graham cracker crumbs, and marshmallows. I think I've said enough.


I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth of July! There is still plenty of time to make these the rest of the summer, or a couple of times.


This recipe comes from one of my favorite food bloggers Baked Perfection.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs


1 1/2 cups unbleached flour


1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 dash of cinnamon




2 cups mini chocolate chips
2 cups mini marshmallows
2 Hershey Bars, chopped small


Cream butter, adding both sugars and vanilla. Add one egg at a time. Mix in the dry ingredients, adding the mini chocolate chips. Drop spoon fulls of dough on an ungreased cookie sheet. The cookies will spread so be sure to leave at least an inch to an inch and a half between each cookie. Bake for 8 minutes, pull the cookies out and push in 3-5 mini marshmallows, and about 4 pieces of the chopped Hershey bars. Bake the cookies an additional 3-4 minutes. The marshmallows will puff slightly and brown, and the Hershey chocolate will be melty....mmmmmmmm!


Share, if you choose to. :) Enjoy! I have no doubt that you will.

Changes to my shop, and making what I love

You may have noticed some changes to my Etsy shop. I have began to make handbags! I have been wanting to make these for a while, and I finally had the opportunity to begin. They are turning out exactly how I pictured them in my mind, and I'm really happy with them. Now, to find the time to continue making the others that I have ideas for. The shop will continue to sell bags: Yoga Bags, Handbags, Clutch Purses, and Tote Bags.

I will also continue to sell scarves! I love, love, love scarves. They are so versatile, and really exude style and flair to your everyday outfit. Dress it up, or dress it down; they really add an oomph!

 

I have also started selling some of my items at local consignment shops! They have really been encouraging and excited to have the Its Sew Lola items. Article Consignment here in East Sac has really went the extra mile in posting photos on their Facebook page, and in their newsletter. I'm really excited to be there! Also, Trezhers in the Land Park area here in Sacramento has some of my items as well! I'm getting such great feedback, and I'm keeping really busy to keep up inventory in all areas! 

Just wanted to share some updates! Hope you are enjoying your summer so far.

Balsamic Rosemary Chicken

Yum! Chicken is such a versatile meat. It really can take on different marinades to create a multitude of dishes. Chicken is always great in the summer, and I love the smell of chicken on the barbecue. However, this is not a barbecue recipe. Sorry. It is however, so dang good and so simple! This is a great go-to recipe when you have company coming or if you need something to impress, without a lot of work. This recipe came from Giada Leurentis. I really like a lot of her recipes, her cooking is so simple with such great flavors. So enjoy!

Balsamic Rosemary Chicken

Start with the marinade. I like to let it marinate during the day, at least 5-6 hours.

1/2 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Honey
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Soy Sauce
Rosemary
5 Garlic Cloves, minced
Package of drumsticks, about 12-15

Marinade:

In a medium sized bowl combine all of the ingredients except the chicken. Whisk the liquid marinade to combine the ingredients. Pour the marinade into a large ziplock bag. Add the chicken into the bag, zip it up, and gently move around the ingredients into the bag to cover all of the chicken. I usually put the closed bag of chicken into a bowl to prevent possible spills or, who knows! Marinade the chicken for about 5 hours in the refrigerator, checking on it every so often and move around the chicken to marinate all pieces equally.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large baking sheet, lined with foil (really important!) lay out the chicken and bake until the skin of the chicken is nice and caramalized and dark in spots. About 30-35 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the remaining marinade in a small saucepan. Bring the marinade to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 15-20 minutes. The marinade will become a thicker sauce to brush over the cooked chicken.

When the chicken is done, take it out of the oven and brush the sauce over each piece about 2 times.

Serve and enjoy!

Featured Item in an Etsy Treasury!

Yoga bags. 


They have been my latest venture in the sewing world. I love that I can create something from an idea in my head. Sometimes it turns out, and sometimes not so much. The yoga bag idea came to me as I was looking to explore new types of bags to make. I had never made a yoga bag before, and I didn't have a pattern. In fact I had not made a bag with rounded ends since middle school in my home economics class. (A looong time ago) So, why not make my own pattern? After about of week of sewing and seam ripping, cutting, re-sewing, and more seam ripping I finally got it right!


I tend to make things more difficult than need be, in all aspects of my life... But the feeling I get after something great turns out from my own idea, and the execution, is addictive. I posted the first yoga bag that I made on Etsy as a trial. Just to see the response and desire. Well, two days later I sold the first bag! A new record for me! Thus came the collection of yoga bags I have so far on Etsy. I would like to make more, and different variations...even some for men, but not so "cutesy." 


Yesterday on Etsy this yoga bag was featured in a treasury! My first featured item! It's a great feeling to know that some body out their in "internet-land" admired my work enough to add it to their collection of items. It was also added to the Pinterest board Yoga Finds, Online Yoga Stores! 


       LARGE Yoga Bag Tree and Cherry Blossoms in Mustard Handmade

The Etsy treasury can be viewed here:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTU5MDEzNjZ8MjcyMjg2MjI2MA/cape-cod-kwassa-kwassa?index=0

Well, I'm off to have some more coffee and get started on making more bags. A new yoga bag, in fact, will be posted on Etsy today. Thank you for the support, and keep checking Its Sew Lola on Etsy for new styles of yoga bags, and handbags coming soon!

Luscious Lemony Bars

Lemon. Shortbread. Powdered Sugar.
What could be better on a Saturday in May? Uh, eating them!

I have made these lemon bars quite a few times, and they are always a success! Anyone who loves lemons can appreciate the buttery shortbread crust, and the sugary tartness of lemons. Mmmmm.....


I love when my kitchen smells like lemons. Every time I make these it conjures up nostalgic feelings from my childhood when we picked lemons and oranges from the trees in the field. The oils of citrus rinds seem to mist the air, leaving a fresh scent unlike any other. My mom used to put a half of a lemon in the garbage disposal, and for a few times of running it the smell of lemon would linger in the kitchen. I still do this today. 


So let's get to the good stuff...the recipe! I LOVE shortbread. Love it! The shortbread crust in  this recipe adds such a great texture and buttery flavor to the custardy lemon filling. Yum! is all I can say. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Luscious Lemon Bars
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 9x13 pan.


Make the crust first. This will need to cool before you put the lemon filling on top of it to bake it. 


Crust:


2 sticks unsalted butter, slightly softened. I like it to be just a little chilled.
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour
1/8 tsp salt

• Cream the butter sugar together. 
• Add the flour 1 cup at a time with the salt. Mix on low. 
• The dough will be crumbly at first, as it mixes it will start to form a crumbly ball. Soon the dough will start to form and the sides of your bowl will "clean" the sides of your bowl. This is exactly what you want. 
• Gather the dough into a bowl, wrap in saran wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.

Catch up on an episode of Grey's Anatomy, or similar drama.


I find that this dough recipe is almost too much for a 9x13 pan. So I usually break off about a small handful. Exact measurements do not apply here. Just a guesstimate.


Take the dough out of the saran wrap and break off pieces spreading them around your 9x13 pan. Begin pressing the dough into the pan, making sure to evenly press and build up the sides at least 1/2". I usually use the bottom of a small drinking glass to press it evenly. 


Bake 15-20 until lightly browned. Cool on wire rack. 


**Don't let this get too brown, watch it at the 15 minute mark for the coloring. Remember, you will be baking this once more so you don't want it to be too dark by the end result. 


Now it's time to get to the puckery goodness...

Filling:


6 eggs
3 cups sugar
2 tbs lemon zest
1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 8-9 small lemons, or 6-7 large lemons)
1 cup flour
Powdered sugar for dusting

• Get your zest first by using a small grater, or zester. It is always easier to get your zest before you cut the lemons. 
• Juice the lemons. (I actually love this part!...I know, I need help)
• Whisk the eggs (this is what makes it so creamy and custardy....my mouth is watering as I write this) adding the sugar 1 cup at a time. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and then the flour. Mix this well so all the flour is incorporated. 
• Your crust should be cooled by this time. Pour the filling over the crust and bake 30-35 minutes. Again, begin to watch this at 30 minutes so it doesn't get too brown. 
• Cool on rack, and refrigerate for a few hours.
• Before serving dust with your desired coat of powdered sugar. 

Serve and enjoy!

For a different variation, before baking add an even layer of coconut over the filling. This is also soooo yummy! (If you like coconut) The sweetness of the coconut adds an added texture and flavor. Really good too!

This is an adaptation from Ina Garten's Lemon Bar recipe.

Well, hello!

I just wanted to give a quick hello to those that are viewing this blog! Thanks for stopping by. As you can see I am still in the construction phase, and I will be posting more things soon. But for now, welcome! 


To see more of my items, and my sense of style and creativity visit my shop on Etsy at www.etsy.com/shop/itssewlola


Have a wonderful day!
Gabriela

Hello! 


Welcome to Its Sew Lola's blog. I know, I know...everyone has a blog these days. I have had a few in the past, and lost interest. But alas! I am here to stay for this one. I'm feeling a little pressure to write this first post though. Not because I am a horrible writer, rather I feel this is the beginning of a new venture for me. Why would you want to follow me? Who cares, right? Well, I'll be honest. I can't answer that right now. What I can say is that I love to be creative. Even more, I would love to share my ideas, thoughts, and projects with you...whoever "you" is out there. So, stay. Read. Laugh. Try out a few new recipes. Whatever your purpose is to follow me, I'm sure we will be lovely friends. So, I'll talk to you soon friend! 


~Gabriela

(and Lola)