The Best Cheddar Bay Biscuits

So, I have tried about 15 different Cheddar Bay Biscuit recipes until I decided to start combining them to create my own.  This recipe is THE BEST. 

Most of the recipes call for garlic powder, I switched it with minced garlic.  Then I put the oregano inside the biscuits instead of on top and voila!  They were out of this world!  I gave one to Eric and he literally fell on the floor (we are a little dramatic about it).  

BAKING TIP:  I always bake things on my pampered chef stone because they don't stick and they never burn on the bottom.  But, if you don't have a stone then you can use a regular baking sheet and just grease it. 

Here's the recipe:

2 Cups Bisquick 

3 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1 1/2 Cups Cheddar Cheese (shredded)

2/3 Cup Milk

1 tsp (ish) Oregano

2 Tablespoons Melted Butter (for the top) 

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Grease a baking sheet. 

2. Combine bisquick, garlic, cheese, milk, and oregano in a bowl.   

3. Once the dough is mixed well, place it right onto the greased baking sheet (I usually use my small melon baller), make sure they are not smoothed out, they need to be kind of spiky. 

4. Bake for 10 minutes (or until golden brown on top). 

5. Meanwhile, melt the butter and grab a baster brush for when the biscuits come out. 

6. Once biscuits come out, place them onto a serving platter and baste with butter then grind some fresh sea salt over them.  

7. Serve warm and try not to eat all of them yourself! Enjoy!  

Turn your radiator into a humidifier

If you live in an old house and are lucky enough to have these beauties, I have a little trick for you!  Being a vocalist, I am kind of a diva about the humidity of my air.  When I told my mother that I had radiator heat she suggested this little trick!

Get a little tray of some sort (I got mine from dollar tree for $1), it helps to get a pretty one because it will be out with your decor all winter.  Also, make sure it is shallow enough that the water can be heated enough to evaporate in the air and that the pan is thin enough that the water will get hot enough. 

Then I put this cute little water jug on the radiator to remember to fill it up and make it easier. 

Putting both of them up there makes it easy for me to remember to fill it up and it looks kind of cute.  I notice a big difference when these little guys are filled up, verses when they aren't.  

So, there you go!  Free humidifiers for your whole house!  (providing you have radiator heat)

Adults can build forts too

Have you ever felt like you were getting in a boring routine and you needed to do something to just prove to yourself that you can still be spontaneous?  That was me last night.  Or maybe it was being stuck inside for 4 or maybe it was 5 days from the crazy monster snow storm that hit us.  

Anyway, I saw a Facebook friend of mine post that she made a fort.   So I closed my computer, jumped up, and moved the furniture around in the living room.  I was determine to BUILD A FORT.   Also, Eric had been down from having to go to work in the blizzard. He was in the back room recording music and I really wanted to be crazy and shock him back to life!  I wanted to do it as a surprise.  

I jumped up and did this!  I pulled the mattress off of our bed ALL BY MYSELF and pulled it into the living room.  

After that, Eric saw me and we proceeded to build the fort together which is even MORE FUN.  But who was I kidding, I was attempting to build a FORT without him knowing.  Of course he was going to find out!

Here is the finished product:

We took a bunch of sheets and draped them/tied them to everything. 

moved the Christmas lights that were under the tree to inside the fort

Put all of our pillows and blankets in there, and then enjoyed!

We have had the fort up for a full day now and it has been super fun, romantic, and just reminding us about how much like kids we still are.

We slept in there last night, and we are sleeping in it tonight as well!

So, here's to a fun fort, here's to breaking the mold, here's to not letting ourselves be "old".  I seriously hope that Eric and I continue to do crazy things like this the older we get.

So, be crazy!  Build a fort in your living room, it's freeing!

How I fight static in the winter

I don't know about you, but when winter rolls around my hair gets SUPER static-y!  I tried dryer sheets… didn't work, and it was weird carrying that dryer sheet in my purse.  I tried getting my hands a little wet and then wiping them in my hair, but that only worked for like 5 minutes then I was back to my hair sticking to everything. 

THEN, one of my housemates shared her secret with me… STATIC GUARD.  How smart is that!?  Ever since then it has been my secret weapon. 

Here's how you do it:

1. Do your hair like you normally do. 

2. Spray static guard on your hair, but don't get it on your scalp.  It can make it appear  greasy after time. 

**CAUTION it is heavier than hairspray so don't go crazy with it or your hairstyle will flop**

Enjoy your static free hair! 

Homemade Hot Chocolate with Baileys

On the first day of the monster snow storm of 2014, Eric and I went for a walk before the negative temperatures set in.  When we got back we wanted something yummy to warm us up so I found this amazing hot chocolate recipe and I added to it.  

If you want the original recipe, go here.

First, I had to scale it down because it was only Eric and I.  Second, I wanted it right then and there so I had to make it on the stove not the crockpot.  Oh, and I had to add Baileys to give us that extra warmth on the cold winter night.  I made it in my wonderful new lodge cast iron pot!

Oh, and it was easy! 

Then I added homemade whipped cream on top which was WAY easier than I ever expected with my beautiful pink Kitchen Aid. 

Here is my recipe

2 1/2 Cups Milk

1/4 Cup Cocoa Powder

1/4 Cup White Sugar

1/2 Cup Hot Water

4 shots of Bailey's (optional) 

1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream

1. In medium sauce pan heat up sugar, cocoa powder, and water over medium-low heat until it is smooth. 

2. Add milk and Bailey's and heat until it is the desired temperature. 

3. While it is heating, put heavy whipping cream in a bowl and mix it with a stand mixer or hand mixer until it is cream. 

4. Put in fun fancy mugs (ours are from our dear friend Lizzy) and enjoy! 

Easy, People-Pleasing Beer Bread

We are currently in the middle of the so called "monster storm" and we didn't rush out and by milk, bread, and eggs (WHY WOULD I DO THAT?)  but I did decide to make some bread to keep my house toasty and warm!  

This recipe was given to me from one of Eric's aunts and I absolutely love it! It is incredibly easy and requires NO kneading or rising!  That's right, NO KNEADING OR RISING!  

All you do is pour the ingredients in a bowl, mix them up, pour them into a pan, and cook it! 

I did add an egg wash and salt to the top because it isn't very "pretty" without it, and you know me,  I like pretty!  

Here's the recipe: 

Easy, People-Pleasing Beer Bread

3 Cups Flour

3 Teaspoons Baking Powder

1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt

3 Tablespoons granulated sugar

12oz of Beer (Any kind) 

1 egg (optional) 

1 Tablespoon of water

1. Preheat oven to 375

2. Lightly grease a 9x5x3 loaf pan

3. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, granulated sugar, and beer, mix well.   The dough will be very sticky. 

4. Using a rubber spatula, pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45 min. 

5. Meanwhile, whisk egg and water together. After 45min take bread out of oven and baste with egg wash if desired.  Place bread back in oven for another 15min or until done. 

5. Dump out of pan onto a cooling rack and let bread cool until you can't take it any longer. 

6. Enjoy! 

Adventuring to the middle part

I recently got my hair cut and decided to go back to the middle part.  

I had been trying to do it all year but I couldn't bring myself to do it.  It ended up I needed to get my hair framed around my face.  Now that I have that, I love it!

It doesn't fall in my face and it frames my face so much better.  I feel so much trendier. 

New trendy middle part

old side part….  nice but boring

Welcome!

Welcome to my new blog!  

My name is Janie Brooke Stoff and I wanted to have a place to share my thoughts, recipes, relationship tips, decorating tips, and fashion tips! 

 I have kind of made my own way of doing things and I thought hey, why not share those ideas! So, here I go!   Bare with me as I am brand new to blogging and I will probably do all do the "wrong things" as I get started!  I will try to be as open and honest as possible and I am totally open for suggestions!  

Serving a Ham at our Christmas Dinner with Friends

Here's a few things about me:

I grew up in a small southern IL town called Highland Il

I went to Indiana Wesleyan University and earned a degree in vocal music education

I am a musical theatre performer

I am a 3rd-6th grade teacher in Peru, IN 

I am 23 years old

I have a wonderful husband

we live in an old two bedroom apartment 

I don't buy frozen meals

I love baking but I am certainly not a baking wiz 

I don't like to spend money on anything but I love being fancy 

I set my table with stemmed water goblets, cloth napkins, china, and candles for almost every meal

I have a pink kitchen (YES, PINK!) 

my husband is extremely supportive and amazing 

 We work really hard to have the relationship that we do

Ok, that's it for now!  Hope to post soon!