Sugar Cookies

Christmas time is here! And with it brings get-togethers with family, friends and co-workers. It also means there are all sorts of delicious Christmas themed treats being made and shared. This weekend was the weekend I made sugar cookies. I use the recipe my mother uses, which makes delicious sugar cookies, and we top them off with homemade icing. Not only are these cut-out treats scrumptious, they are time consuming...but delicious!  Even though the process takes awhile, I have fond memories baking cookies and decorating them with my mother. Now I usually make them myself and occasionally I help my mom, but lately she's found a new helper: my oldest nephew...and he enjoys making cookies with grandma.

I had been looking forward to making sugar cookies the entire week. It takes awhile to roll out, cut out, bake, cool and decorate all the cookies...after all, the recipe estimates 7-8 dozen cookies to be made. So I planned on spending Saturday morning baking cookies and listening to Christmas music while I worked. I had to do a little prep work on Friday night. The recipe calls for the dough to sit in the fridge for at least 5 hours (usually overnight for 8 hours) I made the dough the night before. I picked up some last minute items needed Friday afternoon. I get home, unpack the items and realize I forgot to pick up eggs. So I head back out to the store to pick up some eggs. At this point I'm planning on running in and out of the store pretty quick...my mistake: going to a grocery store I'm not familiar with its layout. I couldn't find the eggs. EGGS! Eggs should be in the dairy department right? Apparently yes and no at this store. I walk in the store and walk back to the far corner where I see the dairy department sign on the wall. I see the milk, butter, cheese, coffee creamer, juices, yogurt and refrigerated biscuits, but no eggs. Finally I asked a fellow customer, slightly embarrassed, where the eggs were located. And where were they you might be wondering...they were around the corner in the cooler that ran along the same aisle as the frozen food! The frozen food coolers disguised the eggs! So much for a quick trip. Finally I returned home and got all the ingredients out, only to realized I had the wrong size of canned milk. I thought to myself, "Seriously, you have got to be kidding me!" I was not going to go back to the store and I need to make the dough that night so it could rest. So instead of making the full recipe I cut the recipe in half. Problem solved! (Hopefully I would have enough milk for the icing...)

After letting the dough rest over night I got to work. I got everything around: counter space, rolling pin, cookie dough, cookie cutters, cookie baking sheets lined with parchment paper, cooling racks and lots of extra flour. Oh and Christmas music! I listened to one of my favorite Christmas albums: Carols for a Cure, Vol. 8. I purchased this album when I was in NYC during Thanksgiving break one year. Bake to baking! There was flour everywhere. The dough was sticky, so more flour needed to be worked into the dough before it could be rolled out, cut into shapes and baked. After all the dough was used there were about 5 1/2 dozen cookies!

Next the icing needed to be made and used along with sprinkles to decorate. The icing is very simple to make. The amount of the two ingredients involved has never really been measured out by myself or my mom....it's mostly guess work. After the right consistency is established I divided the icing up so I could create red, green and white frosting. I didn't get all the cookies frosted and decorated with sprinkles...I ran out of frosting. These cookies do freeze well so I can freeze them until I have more free time to finish icing the leftover cookies.

The final product - YUM! 

These cookies are addicting and delicious. (I think I've said the cookies are delicious more than once already...) The sugar cookies my mom makes always seem to disappear at holiday get-togethers. My mom and I do make other holiday treats: Snicker bar cookies, chocolate covered peanuts, chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate bark, peanut brittle (dad's speciality), peanut butter fudge and peanut butter blossoms....but the sugar cookies are my favorite.



I hope everyone has a great Christmas season getting together with family and friends. Enjoy spending time with loved ones and enjoying the food prepared...I know I will!

Sugar Cookies - as passed down by my mother

* 5 c. all-purpose flour
* 1 c. shortening
* 4 eggs
* 1 Tbsp. vanilla
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 4 tsp. baking powder
* 1 c. white sugar
* 1 c. brown sugar
* 1 c. canned milk

1. Mix flour, salt and baking powder together; set aside.

2. Mix shortening and white sugar until well blended. Add the brown sugar. Beat eggs and add to mix. Mix in vanilla and canned milk. Add flour mix a little at a time and mix until blended.

3. Let dough rest in fridge 5-8 hours. (Overnight)

4. Heat oven to 375. Roll out dough (don't forget to use extra flour) and cut with various shaped cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 5-6 minutes depending on cookie thickness.

5. Let cookies cool on wire cooling racks. When cooled, decorate cookies with frosting and sprinkles.

Homemade Frosting - as passed down by my mother

* canned milk
* powdered sugar
* food coloring

1. Mix canned milk and powdered sugar a little at a time until desired thickness is achieved. *Hint: a little milk goes a long way.*

2. Split the mixture and add various food coloring colors.

White Chocolate Chip Cookies

This past weekend came and went by so quickly. Friday night Sonny and I went to an art show which included works by one of his friends. I had never been to an art show outside of the one my high school put on at the end of every school year. So I wasn't sure what to expect. The only thing I knew before going was that the works were completed by current art school students and I met one of them a few weeks prior. There was some interesting work. The art show also inspired the baking which took place this past Saturday.

Sonny helping out

the final results

At the event there were some snacks which included some chocolate peanut butter cookies. I enjoyed them, so did Sonny, and that led to Sonny finding this recipe using the Allrecipes app. I was surprised to see the ingredients list didn't include milk. When mixing the ingredients together the batter became hard to mix with the hand mixer, probably because of the lack of milk in the mix. The mixer got so clogged that the mixer blades were slowed down...it was an interesting moment. After we got the mixer unstuck the oven phase began. Sonny was a great help in dishing the batter onto the cookie sheets. With a fire going in the fireplace, warm cookie was a nice touch to a cold, damp Saturday.

Cup Cozy - Coffee or Tea

Recently I've been knitting like crazy, ever since I completed the socks. I even have plans for Christmas gift for next year. (I made the decision a little late to get everything done this year). I've been looking at patterns left and right. It gets boring knitting the same pattern over and over. When looking at patterns to try, I stumbled upon this pattern at Knit Picks...a reuseable cup sleeve for a hot drink your of choice from your favorite coffee shop.

When I saw this picture I thought, "This is pretty cool. I would definantly use this." Here's a picture:

Made with Stitch Nation by Debbie Stroller Washable Eew yarn.

It was VERY easy to knit. It didn't take too long to knit either, which is a big plus. I started the cozy pictured (my second cozy) on Sunday afternoon around 1 PM. There were quite a few distractions: being on set, starting over 1/3 of the way in, lunch and the occassional miss counting the pattern. Before we left set late afternoon, I had the cozy complete. So it probably takes about 2 hours to make if I didn't have all the distractions...I think...

I was a little shocked to find so many people fasinated by what I was knitting. I thought I was being a big geek while knitting on set, but it turns out not so much. I'm glad I had a project with me to help pass the time because as cool as set can be, there is a lot of waiting for things to happen. It also helps to have an intended reciever of the item you are knitting...gives you motivation. This cozy and another cozy I'm in the process of knitting (using two colors) will be going out west soon. When I get that one done, I'll be sure to post about how it turns out. I hope these cozies will be enjoyed.

*UPDATE 12/7/11*

I finished the second cozy! And both have made their way to sunny CA. When I started this project a few weeks ago and then met up with some friends, I knew they would enjoy some of these cozies. I made two for their journey. One is the cozy pictured above and the other is the two-colored cozy pictured in both pictures below.

It's great seeing your work in use!

I used the same pattern, but changed it slightly. I didn't include the 4 rows on the outside of the chart and I used two colors. I used the Fair Isle method to knit with two colors. The same type of yarn was used in both projects as well. I've never knitting using Fair Isle before...let me say it's pretty simple, but I needed to keep the tension looser than I did. So I knitted a second two-colored cozy. I was much happier with the outcome of the second cozy.

These cozies have created some buzz between my friends and co-workers. These will make nice Christmas presents or just-because gifts. Now to get knitting!

Weekend Cooking: Chicken Enchiladas and Pumpkin Pancakes

This weekend was nice and relaxing. There were things that were still on the To-Do List, but these things didn't consume the whole weekend, they just took up a few hours of each day. It was nice to sleep in on both days. Saturday I made some chicken enchiladas for lunch. Then that night we went to a going away party for some of Sonny's friends. It's sad that they are moving...I just met them a few months ago and they are some really cool people. We ordered a margarita pizza from The Brass Ring while were out. It was SUPER thin and very tasty. 

Today I made some pumpkin pancakes for breakfast. MMMM...they were delicious. I finally made pumpkin pancakes. I've been meaning to make them, just didn't feel like making breakfast.  I found a very easy recipe from all-recipes.com during my pumpkin recipe search. I added some white chocolate into the mix to spice the pancakes up. They were very good, but could have used a little more cinnamon in them. They cooked up very light and they were great for a cold fall morning.

Chicken Enchiladas

I had been craving enchiladas for a few days prior to making them. I didn't follow a recipe and I didn't really measure anything out either. They turned out great. Usually I make refried beans and spanish rice when I eat Mexican food, but since this was lunch and I knew we were going out later I skipped the beans and rice.

Ingredients

chopped onions

2 garlic gloves, chopped

chopped peppers, green and red

1 can enchilada sauce (red)

1 can cream of chicken

1.5 large chicken breast, cubed

shredded cheddar cheese

4 10-inch whole wheat tortilla shells

Directions

1. Saute onions and garlic in a saucepan until softened. Add in chicken; cook throughly. Add in chopped peppers and cook until peppers are softened.

2. Mix enchilada sauce and cream of chicken together in a mixing bowl. Cover the bottom of a small baking dish with the sauce mix. Add the chicken mix into the remaining sauce mix, along with the shredded cheddar cheese.

3. Place some of the enchilada mix in a whole wheat tortilla shell. Wrap and place in the baking dish seam down. Fill the remaining shells and place them in the dish. Cover the top of the shells with remaining mix and add extra shredded cheese on top.

4. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Nothing says, "Happy Birthday", like a homemade cake.

Happy Birthday Dad. That's right today is my dad's birthday and I made his cake for the low price of a dollar. That's right a dollar. I needed to buy the cake mix, but I made the frosting. I followed a recipe my mother gave me (source again unknown) that uses 4 ingredients most people have stocked in their kitchen: butter, brown sugar, milk and powdered sugar.  My father's favorite cake, according to my mother, is yellow cake with carmel frosting...so that's what I made. 

I whipped up the cake mix according to the box and baked two 8-inch cakes in order to make a double-layered cake. Making the frosting was very simple, the hardest part was being patient while waiting for the butter and brown sugar to boil...on low. You know the saying, "A watched pot never boils." Well that kept running through my mind while I was stirring constantly waiting for it to boil. I kept myself occupied with Words with Friends though until the boil occurred. 

When I layered the cakes I forgot to flip the bottom cake so the top was touching the plate and the bottoms of the cakes were together. So when icing the side of the cake the icing didn't exactly lay as I thought it would. BUT when it is all said and done, the cake still looks good and will taste good too. I tried a little of the leftover frosting and boy is it delicious. It was a little rich, but delicious. With suggestion from my mother, I topped the cake with some red, orange, yellow and brown leaf sprinkles which helped make the cake look perfect for a fall birthday. I hope everyone will enjoy the cake tonight when we celebrate Dad's birthday. 

Carmel Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 c. butter or margarine

1 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. milk

2 c. powdered sugar

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over low heat.

2. Stir in the brown sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in milk; heat to boiling. Remove from heat. Cool to lukewarm.

4. Gradually stir in powdered sugar; beat until smooth. 

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

Who doesn't like macaroni and cheese? It's a great side for barbecues. It's a staple in (most) households with young children. It's quick and easy to make. 

I am a big fan of macaroni and cheese, but I'm not a fan of the powdered cheese. In fact it creeps me out, so I buy the kind with the creamy cheese sauce. And since it's a boxed dinner/side, it isn't the healthiest option out there...but I still enjoy it. My mom suggested this recipe for part of dinner when my sister and gang came over for dinner. It was a hit, everyone liked it (well at least they didn't say otherwise) and nephews asked for more. So I'm taking that as a success for both kids and adults. I don't know where this recipe came from. My mom had is on a piece of paper for a recipe that has been passed around to family and friends.

I like this recipe for three reasons: 1) I am aware of everything going into it. 2) It's EASY and quick to make. 3) NO baking in the oven. I served it with brats and green beans. It was a nice yesterday, warm fall day so the barbecue themed meal seemed appropriate before the weather turns cold, stays cold and snow appears. The recipe calls for breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs were not in the cupboard so I used Ritz crackers instead. Also there was no cheddar cheese so I used the only shredded cheese in the house, Mexican style. Cheddar cheese is delicious, but the Mexican cheese tasted good too! This recipe is mostly a guideline when it comes to the ingredients...use whatever pasta you have in the cupboard and any type of shredded cheese you desire. Be creative and try different combinations or stick to the the recipe.

Mac & Cheese w/ breadcrumbs on the side.

Ingredients

2 c. elbow macaroni 

2 1/2 Tbsp. butter, divided

1 1/2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1 1/2 c. 2% milk

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 c. shredded low-fat cheddar cheese (6 oz.)

1/4 c dried. unflavored breadcrumbs (or crumbled crackers)

Directions

1. Cook macaroni as directed on package. Drain; set aside.

2. Melt 1 Tbsp. butter in a small skillet. Add breadcrumbs (or crackers). Cook and stir until toasted, about 3 mins. Set aside.

3. In a medium saucepan, melt remaining butter. Add flour. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly for 1 min. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Stir in salt and pepper. Remove pan from heat. Add cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.

4. Stir in macaroni into cheese sauce. Spoon onto individual serving plates, then sprinkle with toasted bread crumbs and serve. 

*If you must have the extra crunch of baked macaroni and cheese on top you can put it in the oven at 350 for 10 minutes. 

Pumpkin Spice Latte and Pumpkin Cookies

If you haven't figured this out yet, let me say it again...I love pumpkin goodies. If you follow my post then you might be thinking that I obsessed with pumpkin. I would agree with you to some degree, however here is my case about why I'm cooking so much with pumpkin. #1: It's fall and it is in season. Fall and pumpkin go hand-in-hand. When you ask people what comes to mind when they think of fall it's usually one of the following answers: leaves turning colors, cooler weather, Halloween, Thanksgiving, hats and scarves, sweaters and pumpkins. #2: I enjoy cooking, baking and trying new recipes.

It has been a nice long weekend for me and the last day of my fall break is coming to a close. The first two days were busy: I spend some time with just my sister, rehearsal, Marching Band State Finals and dinner with new friends. (Sonny made some very good chili for dinner). Yesterday was a very relaxing Sunday spend with Sonny: football, baking and knitting. I made pumpkin zucchini bread and muffins again...this time with walnuts in the mix. This morning I made pumpkin spice latte and pumpkin cookies. I made another batch of pumpkin cookies with white chocolate chips this afternoon when I got home from Sonny's to share with my family.

Pumpkin Spice Latte

My version of this delicious Starbucks creation should really be called Pumpkin Spice Coffee. I used regular strength coffee, no scalding hot milk nor espresso. I had a recipe to try in mind (which I found at allrecipes.com), but under some recent advice I tried something else instead. NH told me to put pumpkin puree in the filter basket with my coffee grounds. It was explained that when done that way, the pumpkin flavor still gets into the coffee without any of the gooeyness of the pumpkin puree actually being in your cup. GENIUS. (She also recommended put in any sugar, nondairy creamer and spices I wanted in my coffee into the filter basket as well). My cup of coffee this morning was delicious. I can now enjoy the taste of a Pumpkin Spice Latte at home without the cost.

Ingredients and Directions

coffee ground

pumpkin puree

milk (or creamer)

sugar

pumpkin pie spice

For a single morning cup of coffee, brew 4 cups of coffee with desired amount of pumpkin puree in with the grounds. Finish coffee with any desired milk (or creamer) and sugar. Sprinkle in desired amount of pumpkin pie spice for additional flavor/aroma.

Iced Pumpkin Cookies - so good

Iced Pumpkin Cookies - from allrecipes.com

These cookies are very good. They are soft and moist...almost cake-like. This was another recipe I found using my app on my new phone. :)  I made a batch topped with icing and another batch without icing but with white chocolate chips added in. I cut the recipe in half because I didn't have a full cup of pumpkin after making pumpkin bread/muffins. And this recipe allowed me to use my leftover pumpkin puree. The iced batch stayed with Sonny and most of the white chocolate chip batch went with my nephews when they came around Trick-or-Treating. The full recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies. I will be making these cookies again.