It's official, I love the Smitten Kitchen cookbook.  

I knew that I would since it is one of my favorite blogs.  I don't know why I gravitated towards this cookie recipe, but they looked so simple and perfect.  I made them partly because I had all the ingredients in my house and I was having friends over.  Who doesn't like brownie-ish cookies? 

 I was sad that I didn't have an adorable flower cookie cutter like this when I made them.

   

But I did have a great cookie stamp from Spoon Sisters that my Mom gave me for Christmas.

 No matter what shape, they will be delicious.  Here is the Smitten Kitchen recipe for Brownie Roll Out Cookies. Trust me that you won't be disappointed.  They are simple perfection. 

I can't wait to try many more recipes from this great cookbook.  

Way to go Smitten Kitchen!

I have been on a jar salad kick for a long time now.  I just think they are brilliant.  Of course these are all over Pinterest and blogs (including what seems to be the original, saladinajar.com - Very worth checking out.) Though they are all over the web, I will bring them up again because if you have ever eaten or ever wanted to eat salad for lunch, you need to jump on this bandwagon stat.  I have always had a thing for mason jars.  I have a million of them left over from our wedding.  Not only are they cute salad containers, they really serve a purpose.  I make a salad line up every Sunday and these puppies stay fresh and crisp for 4 days. I have tried pretty much every vegetarian salad topping I can think of and have yet to find something that doesn't work in this perfectly contained lunch.  As long as the salad dressing is on the bottom and the spinach/lettuce is on top, you are set.  

I can't find the original source of this brilliant little diagram, but this is such a handy resource to get you started.  Layer away this weekend and eat salad all week!