Oreo Cake...

We are on a chocolate, chocolate chip, Oreo dessert fix here at Relatively Unique! It is also why I am having a love / hate relationship with my treadmill....but well worth it! This cake is delicious....Lil T made it for Sunday dinner and we only had a few slices left over to bring home.

Ingredients
Cake:
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
6 large eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups buttermilk
4 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
30 Chocolate sandwich cookies, coarsely chopped (we used Oreo's)

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
2-6 Tbsp water
1/2 tsp vanilla

Step 1
Preheat oven 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch tube pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Step 2
Cream softened butter and sugar on medium speed until well blended in a mixer bowl. Add eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk, mix until well blended.

Step 3
Fold in flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend until batter is smooth about 3-4 minutes.

Step 4
Pour two-thirds of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle two-thirds of cookie pieces over batter. Top with remaining batter and top batter evenly with remaining cookie pieces.

Step 5
Bake 45 minutes and then reduce oven to 325 degrees F. Finish baking cake until a cake skewer comes out clean, approximately 15-20 minutes.  Cool 10 minutes in pan before turning cake out onto a serving plate.

Step 6
Glaze: Whisk confectioners' sugar, water and vanilla in a small bowl until a drizzly glaze. Drizzle over top of cake with a fork. Let glaze set.

Here is a little tip from Lil Tony on how to prevent the Oreo's from sinking to the bottom of the cake!





Can't wait to see what he wants to bake next! Although I just found out the Kitchen Aid mixer has an ice cream attachment....thinking that it could be dangerous! Happy Baking!

Join me over at Foodie Friday ,  Sweet Tooth Friday @ Alli n Son  and You Made That
for some more great recipes!



Recipe adapted from A Passion for Baking

Weekend Reading...

How are your plans for the weekend? Little League baseball season is on its way and the daffodils are blooming! It must mean spring is here. Maybe I should say almost here, we are having some cold weather in Pa. How are the temperatures in your neighborhood? I love reading the posts of my friends down south, as they share their beautiful photo's and tell of sunny warm days. It reminds me the sun is eventually going to make its way here!

Teresa from Our Southern "Country" home and farm took us on a tour this week of her home. She shared it was one last look before she makes some "really big changes." Her home is beautiful, I am very curious to see what changes she is making.

Alison at Stuff and Nonsense is so sweet and her blog is so much fun to read. On Friday's she has a linky party "Fridays Unfolded."  Every Saturday I am excited to go through the links and find new recipes, craft and decorating ideas all in one place! Did I tell you she lives in Pa? Don't you love when you meet a blogging friend from the same state, area, town?

Paula's blog name says it all, "Sweet Pea" don't you love it!  She shares great recipes, like Peanut butter and Chocolate Eclair Dessert, stenciled her wall, loves to thrift shop! You are going to enjoy your visit at Sweet Pea! 

Melissa at Made in The South was one of the first blogs I followed. She sews and her sewing machine embroiders (so jealous about that)! She is just bought the coolest book and is working on the cutest skirt. She is a true picture of Southern Hospitality, every visit to her blog is positive, intertwined with family and fun ideas. She is one of my favorite reads.

Enjoy! Hope you have some fun planned for the weekend!

Family Room Update...

The plan was to repaint the family room, but that project has been put on hold. I would like to paint the room a creamy beige color and I haven't found a color I am in love with...yet. Still looking! Since the weather is getting warmer, we've moved to the outside projects and inside is going to need to be on hold until next fall/winter. Which is okay, because we have some really exciting projects going on outside and I love being outside.

Do you remember what this room looked like in September when we moved in? This is a photo from the first week at The Pond House... (FYI..the clock is at The Booth, for any locals interested!)

And here we are today...with a new slip covered sofa and chairs (which I love) and new curtains and pillows..

My little side table from Ikea....

Material for curtains from Hobby Lobby 30% off! I kept it simple and sewed panels.

Material for pillows is from Hobby Lobby on clearance for $5.00 a yard.

Spray painted the floor lamp silver to match the other lamps...new shade from Kmart.

A view looking into the den (remember Hello Gravity...it still makes me smile!)...

Have you ever started to re-decorate a room, to only put it on hold?

Join me at:
Wow us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style and
Fridays Unfolded at Stuff and Nonsense!

Oreo Surprise Cupcakes...

Last weekend we spent Saturday evening with friends and it was our turn to bring dessert. We are loving Chocolate desserts this month and cupcakes are always good for easy travel.  The kids were excited that the cupcakes have a secret oreo inside....we were sworn to secrecy and not to tell anyone at the party!

Ingredients:
1 pkg chocolate cake mix
1 pkg (8oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1 egg
2 Tbsp. sugar
48 Mini Oreo Bite size Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
1 1/2 cup whipped topping

Step 1:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepared cake mix in a large mixing bowl as directed by package (set aside).

Step 2:

Mix softened cream cheese, egg and sugar in small bowl until well blended.

Step 3:

Scoop 1/4 cup of cake batter into each 24 paper (or foil) lined medium muffin cups, filling each 1/2 full.

Step 4:

Spoon 1/2 Tbsp. of cream cheese mixture over batter and top with 1 cookie. Cover evenly with remaining cake batter.

Step 5:

Bake 19-22 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire racks.

Step 6

Top cupcakes with whipped topping and cookies just before serving.
Makes 24 cupcakes. (recipe adapted from Kraftfoods)

Enjoy!

Happy to be joining Suzanne at You made that? for Sunday Spotlight.

Weekend Reading...

Good Morning! I need to think of a way to train the dogs to sleep in on the weekend. The one good thing is it does allow for some quiet time before the day begins.

Debbie at Love the Decor is having a fabulous giveaway from Shabby Apple. Oh my...Shabby Apple's website could be dangerous. The dresses are beautiful. Don't miss out on this great give away!

Do you love your slow cooker? We would be lost without it, especially on those days when all three kids need to be an after school activity at the same time and there is no time for cooking! Have you been there? Lucky for us, The Frugal Flamingo is have a Slow Cooking Week March 28- April 1st!

Have you visited Favorite Paint Color yet? Every day I visit to see what new room and colors she has added. It is so much fun to see the beautiful rooms, but also to see what that small paint chip from the store will actually look like on a wall.

Wait until you meet Darlene at Fieldstone Hill! You are going to enjoy touring through her Fieldstone home, dreaming along with her and did I tell you she is a designer!  It was one of those blogs where I needed to go back to the beginning and read to the present! Wait until you read and see all the work they have done to their beautiful home! Filled with so many great ideas.

  Enjoy and we'll see you tomorrow! We baked something for you!

Bistro Table....

Yesterday I shared the barrels we got from our neighbors and asked for ideas. My niece, Jessica sent me this picture and link.  She has awesome taste and I know you'll love this idea, too....

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Isn't that cool!

Mr. Snappy....

The weather is changing and we are starting to focus on the outside. This weekend 15 Leyland Cypress were to be delivered on Saturday and we had a fun day planned of planting trees! (I am saying the fun planting part with sarcasm!) Well, there was a mix up at the nursery and they had the wrong size and not enough Cypress and the planting was put on hold.  We weren't too sad, because the outside "to do" list is long! 

It looks like our day will be spent down at the pond and clearing the creek....

Any guesses what is in the blue bin? Lily is waiting patiently to see...

Mr. Blue is waiting patiently on this throne to see what they have caught.

What are you thinking? I am thinking who dressed Miss Sarah today? How about that color combination!

There he is Mr. Snappy. Mr. Snappy found his way into our pond last year by a neighbor who thought we wouldn't mind. We have nothing personally against Mr. Snappy, we just don't want any of the dogs or kids to get hurt. Mr. Snappy took a car ride to the local river to hopefully enjoy a long life.

Our neighbors placed out these little beauties with a FREE sign on them.

Not sure what they will become. What would you do with two barrels?

Weekend reading...

After almost 2 inches of rain we are hoping for a sunny weekend. Our pond and streams have over flowed their banks, but the ducks and geese don't seem to mind. 15 trees are being delivered today, so until the work needs to begin Blue and I are having a relaxing morning listening to the doves, sipping a french vanilla cappuccino and catching up on my blog reading.

Every week I enjoy reading Kim and Ryan's update on their remodeling process at The NewlyWoodwards. I am loving the new color of her dinning room! Go ahead and fill up your coffee cup, you'll want to start back at week one and see all the changes and transformations. They are amazing!

Now you might be reading this post in the evening and want to enjoy a glass of wine while reading or have you ever stood in the wine store wishing you knew which wine to choose.
Mary's blog  Wine on Wednesday invites us to their Wednesday wine tasting.  I have a list of some Spanish red wines from her blog and we hope to try them this weekend. Enjoy :)

Corn in My Coffee comes up with some of the neatest ideas. One of my favorites was when they took a metal head and foot board and turned it into a bench. Love it...

Decor and The Dog painted their guest bedroom Valspar Gravity...and you know how much I am in love with this color! It is a beautiful room...

If you are looking for some new recipes you need to visit Suzanne at You Made That? Her recipes are easy to follow and the photo's will have your mouth watering!

Happy Saturday my friends....Enjoy :)

Pizza Nacho's....

Two of my favorite comfort foods merged into one! Can not think of anything better to get us through the middle of the week and closer to Friday!!

Ingredients:
Baguette (cut into 1/2 inch slices)
Olive Oil
Shredded Mozzarella
Pizza Sauce
Your choice of toppings; we used peperoni's

Step 1:
Drizzle baguettes with olive oil and toast in a 350 degree oven for 3-5 minutes.

Step 2:
Spray a 13x9 pan with cooking spray and line pan with baguette. Top baguette with sauce, cheese and toppings.

Step 3:
Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 8-10 minutes

Step 4:
Enjoy!

Magazine organization.....

There is something about the feel of a book or a magazine in my hands. I love being able to flip the pages, write notes or tear out a favorite page in a magazine. Just like all good things, too much can become bad. Slowly these magazines and books start to take over the spaces of our home.

Today I divided my magazines in to catagories. The three catagories were "Mom", "Keep" and "Recycle." My mom has the same love for magazines and we trade magazines every month.  I think it's been awhile since I've handed her magazines back. Sorry, mom.

From the "keep" pile I tear out my favorite pictures and glue them in my red book. My red book is better then my favorite magazine...

It is a collection of all my favorite rooms, ideas, and landscapes. Writing along side the pictures helps me to remember what I loved about the picture when I tore it from the magazine. My red book has been around for at least 10yrs. It is fun to see how my decorating style has changed and how it hasn't changed.

Then I have my folder. It contains the pictures of the rooms I am working on, paint chips, and a list of items needed. This is my grab and go folder....it fits easily in my purse!

After walking around the house today, I realized we have books in every room. We all enjoy reading. Today I made sure they all found their way back to home.

Drawers are also a great option to store and organize my books and magazines. This drawer holds my favorite devotional books and Bibles.

Here is a look at my current morning reading.

One last picture...

In the family room, my favorite decorating books find their way on the little

stool beside the sofa.

How do you keep your magazines and books organized?

Hope you join me at Leslie's Purge Party!