5 Ingredient Oreo Cheesecake Cookies!

I was making some baked goodies for a friend and he requested something chocolate/cheesecake/cookies. So after much research, I found these Oreo Cheesecake Cookies. They only have 5 ingredients so I thought I would give them a try.

I bought a package of Oreos about a week before I was making the cookies....which was a bad idea because after those mysteriously disappeared I had to buy another package of Oreos for the recipe!

I doubled the original recipe so I would have cookies for my friend and for me :)

Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 Sticks butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 1/4 cups flour
20-22 Oreo cookies, broken into pieces

In my stand mixer I creamed the butter and cream cheese together. Then I added the sugar and mixed well. Once the butter, cream cheese and sugar were combined, I slowly incorporated the flour. Then I mixed the Oreo pieces in by hand.

I put my dough in the freezer for about an hour to firm up and be easier to form into balls. Then I preheated my oven to 350 degrees and lined a baking sheet with parchment paper.

I used my trusty cookie scoop to form the balls, then pressed the cookies into a flat disc shape.

I baked the cookies in a 350 degree oven for about 11 minutes, until the bottom edges were just golden. Then I let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before I transferred them to a cooling rack. This recipe made about 24-30 cookies.

These cookies aren't too sweet, and they are soft and creamy. I was surprised with how delicious they were for such a simple recipe.

Another New Life - Review

Another New Life
by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Summary from Goodreads:
Miranda Preston is a walking contradiction. Talented, smart and beautiful on the outside and insecure, haunted and damaged on the inside. Despite these contradictions, she’s ready to start Another New Life. 

When her talent wins her a piano performance scholarship to the University of Texas, Miranda arrives on campus determined to experience everything college has to offer and to keep her secrets in the past where they belong. 

An easy task, until the first guy who catches her eye happens to be someone, she’s known all her life. 

Eight years have passed since the last time Miranda and Troy saw each other. He reminds her of the best and worst times of her life, but she can’t think about one without dwelling on the other. As they grow closer, every day their attraction reminds them they are no longer kids. 

The epic romantic love story that is Miranda and Troy seems to be destined for a happy ending, but Miranda knows it's only a matter of time before her secret is discovered. A secret that will not only destroy their relationship, it will destroy Troy, too. 

Can Miranda focus on her future with Troy while preventing her past from tearing them apart all over again?

**This book contains adult subject matter. Not intended for young readers.**

My Review

Another New Life handles some very serious issues well. Miranda isn't proud of her past and she hasn't fully dealt with everything that happened to her. But she's trying to move on. New college, new friends, new life...until she is reunited with her childhood friend, Troy. It's obvious these two have strong feelings for each other. The way Miranda and Troy fall in love is beautiful - everyone should fall in love with their best friend. 

Miranda's past eventually catches up to her, and wrecks things with Troy. Troy doesn't handle things well, and both say things they don't mean. I was happy to see how the two worked through everything.

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars. I read Another New Life in one sitting. It's a beautiful (and tragic) story and I was sad when it was over. I want to read more about Miranda and Troy and what their future holds.

Buy Another New Life on Amazon (It's only 99 cents)! 

Review Blitz: The Man Test

The Man Test
by Amanda Aksel

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Marin Johns is San Francisco’s Pollyanna couples therapist. She’s months away from wedded bliss when she discovers her fiancé is having an affair. After nursing her broken heart with Kleenex and break-up songs, she adopts a new brand of thinking when she uncovers a tell-all book that proves all men are liars and cheaters who will do and say anything so they’re not found out. No exceptions.

In an attempt to convince her friends of her newfound truth, she begins a fictitious relationship with James, a do-gooder from Montana. Marin seeks any means necessary to catch him cheating from hiring a PI to enlisting the help of a fidelity tester. Will her new "boyfriend" beat the statistic or will Marin regret the satisfaction of being right?

My Review

After catching her fiance in the act of cheating on her, no wonder Marin has lost faith in men. And when she discovers the truth - all men are liars and cheaters - you can't help but agree with her. So many people have encountered their share of cheating and lying.

Men don't want women to know and women don't want to believe it. It's the world's most unspoken arrangement.

Marin has to prove that she is right, so she gets a fake boyfriend, James. But maybe James is different and will teach Marin a thing or two about relationships. Or maybe the whole charade will blow up in her face.

Rating 4 out of 5 Stars. Even though the plot was a little predictable, I wasn't 100% sure where Marin would end up.

I really liked the message of the book - You can choose to worry or choose to be happy. I think we could all learn from Marin's situation and improve our own relationships as well. I really enjoyed The Man Test, it made me think more about relationships and trust.

Purchase The Man Test at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Smashwords, or iBooks.

About the Author

AMANDA (ah-MAHN-dah)- Latin- Meaning lovable or worthy of love. Fitting. I've always had an affinity for love.  Being born in sunny San Diego in the mid 80’s to a young military couple gave me plenty of insight into the dynamics of a romantic relationship. Somewhere between moving coasts every three years, I found myself engrossed in fairytale romances and dressing up like a bride.  My first real love was writing. By my sophomore year in a new high school in Virginia, I had a slew of short stories, songs, poems, and articles to my name. Writing was fun. It was a way to get the emotions, dialogue, and pictures out of my head, and create a destiny for my characters. I had no intention of making a career in writing, because it wasn’t what I did, it was who I was. In reality, I wanted to be an actress. Ah, to be the face of someone else’s authored story. The plan was to move in with my aunt in L.A. after graduation, but had a change of heart. Instead, I stayed with my high school sweetheart (now husband) and attended a film school in Norfolk, VA. It was at this school that I discovered my love for writing screenplays and felt compelled to follow that path. But…as the practical girl I was brought up to be, I decided to go to a real university. While working full time, I completed my BA in Psychology in four and a half years. Becoming a couple’s therapist had always been my “backup” career and there I was on my way to solving love's most complicated quandaries one couple at a time.  With all my new free time after graduation, I decided to turn my full-length screenplay into a novel in hopes it would help my screenplay sell. I think I was in the middle of writing chapter two when I realized that everything I had ever written was to prepare me for that moment when I knew I was a novelist. Talk about the affirmation of my life. Now my plan is to solve love's most complicated quandaries one novel at a time.

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Crossing the Ice Blog Tour

Crossing the Ice
By Jennifer Comeaux
Release date: August 3rd 2014
Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis via Goodreads:
Falling hard never felt so good.

Pair skaters Courtney and Mark have one shot left at their Olympic dream. They vow not to let anything get in their way, especially not Josh and Stephanie, the wealthy and talented brother and sister team.

The heart doesn’t always listen to reason, though...

The more time Courtney spends with sweet, shy Josh, the harder she falls for him. But they are on opposite sides of the competition, and their futures are headed in opposite directions. Will their friendship blossom into more or are their paths too different to cross?

My Review

I was a HUGE fan of The Edge Series, so I was excited to hear Jennifer was starting a new series with some of the same characters! (I am a huge Chris fan so I was thrilled to learn more about him and Aubrey!)

Courtney is all grown up and so spunky. I love how out spoken she is. It's always nice to read about a strong female who is going after her dreams.

Josh is the perfect guy, so sweet, shy and handsome! Josh and Courtney's relationship has been many years in the making and when they finally get together it's magical!

The boy I'd wanted to be my first kiss was now giving me the most amazing kiss of my life. And it was so worth waiting eight years for.

My favorite scene is when Courtney and Josh are in Martha's Vineyard and get stuck at Emily's aunt's house. Josh shows Courtney how to play piano and then she sits in his lap while he plays her a song. It's a beautiful and romantic moment the two share.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars! Jennifer is an amazing writer and I loved Crossing the Ice. I can't wait to read more of Josh and Courtney's story. (You can read the Bonus Epilogue on her site!)

About the Author

Jennifer Comeaux is a tax accountant by day, writer by night. There aren’t any ice rinks near her home in south Louisiana, but she’s a diehard figure skating fan and loves to write stories of romance set in the world of competitive skating. One of her favorite pastimes is traveling to competitions, where she can experience all the glitz and drama that inspire her writing. 

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The Big House Reveal

It only took 4 years, but we are finally done renovating the house!

The last big project was the vinyl siding. We started in October of 2013, and finally got around to finishing it in the Spring of 2014. (The delay was due to the cold weather and too much rain!).

So back in 2010, when I first looked at the house, here is what it looked like.

I had forgotten what a mess it was! Roof half torn off, old, broken windows, and the horrible siding. What was I thinking when I bought this house!?

Well, it might have taken longer than I thought, but the house finally looks like I envisioned it.

Hard to believe it's the same house, right?

Indiscretion: Volume 2 & Volume 3 Cover Reveal

We are so excited to reveal the cover of INDISCRETION: Volume Two and Volume Three by Elisabeth Grace today! INDISCRETION is a contemporary erotic romance being released in serial format - the first volume released on August 4th!

Check out the gorgeous covers below and find out a little more about what INDISCRETION is about!

About INDISCRETION: Volume Two

Fraternizing with the competition? Check.

Risking everything I’d worked so hard for? Check.

Mind-shattering orgasms? Double check.

Max Richfield made me forget myself. Forget all the reasons why I'd chosen to be alone for so long. I had goals. I needed stability. He brought chaos. I’d taken years erecting my walls. And with good reason, I would soon discover.

Now my inability to see beyond Max’s charm could cost me everything. INDISCRETION: Volume Two releases August 18th – add it to your Goodreads list here!

Indiscretion: Volume Three releases September 1st - more details to come soon!
Indiscretion: Volume Four releases September 15th

Find out more about INDISCRETION: Volume One
Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes
 

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If you're US based and you want to receive a text message when Elisabeth has a new book go LIVE, text ROMANCE to 313131!

Promise Me This Promo

 

Promise Me This by Sarah Ashley Jones

New Adult Contemporary

Welcome to the South - where the tea is sweet and the accents are sweeter. This Southern way of life is all Charlie has ever known. It’s not until she loses the only person who pushed her to break free of the Southern Belle mold that she starts living the life she needs and not the life her parents forced on her.

Jhett has lived on the edge for as long as he could remember - constantly teetering back and forth between being a rock star and living a normal life. His rebellious and sometimes arrogant attitude is known to get him into trouble, especially with the girls who hang on his every move.

Charlie never thought that a trip to pack up her brother’s apartment would leave her feeling even more unsettled about the grainy details of her brother’s death. Her quest for information leads her straight to his old hangout and into arms of Jhett, who suspiciously knows more about her situation than he ever should.

Only a few questions remain - Can you trust someone based on their word alone? And if you make a promise, how far will you go to keep it?

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About Sarah Ashley Jones

I'm Sarah! I'm a total goofball. This is pretty much the most important thing to know about me. Just kidding! I may be an adult but I have the heart of a child. I know when to be serious but I'm a hard worker with serious control issues, and maybe a splash of wit and a side of sassy. I'm addicted to Coca-Cola, obsessed with cupcakes, and also a Chapstick hoarder.

When I'm not writing, I'm probably rounding up my crazy clan of four dogs or adventuring around town with my husband who encourages me to embrace me inner outdoors woman by fishing, camping, canoeing, and hiking.

I'm a huge nerd, so please feel free to send me a friends request, email, or leave a comment. I will jump for joy any time of of those things happen. I am blessed beyond belief with all the love and support I have received this past year and I thank all of you for that!

Find Out More:

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Where You Are Blog Tour

Where You Are
by Alla Kar 
Release Date: 07/29/14
Swoon Romance
New Adult

Summary from Goodreads:
Got boy problems? Call Laney Scott. She's good for advice, a shoulder, or a swift kick where you need it. When her roommate Bethany gets her heart broken, yet again, it's Laney to the rescue. But Laney's harboring a secret. She's nursing her own broken heart. She and her friends come up with a plan to break Aiden and set it into play. Laney wants Aiden to pay for what he's done to Bethany. She will make him fall in love with her, so can break his heart.

Laney's ex-boyfriend Lachlan Hems is back in Florida, still Australian and sexy as hell. His best mate Lucas is getting married, and he is in town for the show. He just didn’t realize Laney would be there … in another guy’s arms, or that seeing her again would have such an effect on him. After the incident in high-school, he vowed to never care for her again. But sometimes fate has different plans.

When Laney’s resolve crumbles, Lachlan is the only one that can put her back together again.

Where You Are is the start of a three-books new adult series from Amazon and Barnes and Noble bestselling author Alla Kar.

My Review

Where You Are draws you in while you wonder what happened between Laney and Lachlan in high school. Their history is slowly revealed, keeping you turning the pages. 

I liked how each chapter started with a song lyric. I thought this was really unique and helped set the tone for the chapter. 

What happened between Laney and Lachlan is very a serious and hot button topic.  I wasn't expecting such a heavy back story. It definitively gave Where You Are depth and a more mature tone.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars.  Where You Are deals with some series subjects, but everything works out in the end for Laney and Lachlan. This is the 1st in a series of 3. Laney's friend Jacks seems like a nice guy. He deserves his own story!

Buy Where You Are on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

About the Author

I go by Alla Kar. I live in the Deep South with my husband, Chihuahua and pit-bull puppy. I love to bring southern gentlemen, alpha males and all things new adult to life. I am an Amazon Best-Selling Author!
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