One of the goals I've set for myself for this summer is to pick 5 recipes that are completely new to me (never eaten, never made), research them, find an as-close-to-the-original-recipe I can find and make it, then create my own variation of the recipe. But I need suggestions! Any ideas for something awesome I should try? It doesn't have to be a sweet baked thing...any recipe works. So basically, I'm open if any one has ideas.

This morning I got up and made Orange Julius for my family for breakfast. My mom used to make it for us ALL the time when I was a kid. A few weeks ago I got a little recipe booklet full of smoothie recipes (you know, those kind you see at the check-out stand when you make an emergency run to the store for diapers for your nephew) and picked it up, so I've been on a smoothie run lately. Granted, Orange Julius wasn't in the booklet, but I wanted to make it anyways. I didn't take pictures. Still trying to get back in that habit.....

Before lunch, I gathered my nieces in the kitchen and asked if they wanted to help me make peanut butter cookies. Of course they did, they are about as obsessed with baking with me as a monkey is obsessed with eating bananas. In fact, I recently asked one of them what they wanted to be when they grow up, and she responded without hesitation, "Oh, whatever your going to be! A baker!" Hahahaha! Adorable.

So we made some, and yes, I didn't take pictures...yet. I'm hoping to get some shots later when they are chowing down on them. Here's the link to the recipe we used.

Have a happy April Fool's day!