Monday, December 31, 2012
Hello, Monday! A Christmas Recap.
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Merry Christmas (A Few Days Late...) and Happy 2013!
Monday, December 24, 2012
Christmas Eve
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Almond and Cream Cheese Iced Sugar Cookies
Do you ever discover a recipe by mistake?
Or ingredient substitution desperation?
Or a desire to morph your two favorite recipes into one delicious cookie?
This happened to me yesterday.
And you guys.
This might be my favorite baked good of all time.
I'm on my fifth and its 's not even 6 am yet.
I'm ignoring My Fitness Pal.
Things are going downhill fast.
Recipe adapted from here and here.
For the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350.
Prepare baking sheet.
I use Pampered Chef's Rectangle Baking Stone.
The best $29.00 you'll ever spend.
Makes it impossible to burn cookie bottoms.
I've tried.
If you don't have a baking stone, use parchment paper.
You'll need:
1.5 cups white sugar
2/3 cup unsalted butter (cold)
2/3 cup cream cheese (approx 6 oz.)
2 eggs
2 tsp almond extract
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
course, granulated raw sugar (for rolling cookies)
Cream sugar, cream cheese and butter.
Add eggs and almond extract.
In separate bowl, whisk flours, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
Slowly add to butter/egg mixture.
Form dough in small, walnut sized balls (I use a cookie scoop) and roll in raw sugar.
DON'T SKIP THE RAW SUGAR PART.
It makes these cookies.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely.
For the glaze:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup milk
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp almond extract
Bring milk and butter to boil.
Add at once to powdered sugar.
Add almond extract.
Mix well.
Place a baking sheet under cooling rack (to catch excess)
Pour over cooled cookies.
Let icing cool for several hours.
They are best the next day.
For breakfast.
At 5:45 in the morning.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Born For Glory.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
PinterTest Kitchen 15: Sweet Treat November
Good morning, party people.
Welcome to the 15th monthly installment of the PinterTest Kitchen.
Dave took our fancy camera to New Jersey.
So, well. My pictures are not very fancy.
I tried a plethora of pins from my "Sweet Treats" board last month.
Some for Thanksgiving.
Some because I coped with the loss of my favorite four legged friend with chocolate.
And peanut butter.
And almond extract laced desserts.
Sue me.
I'm excited to review them.
My extra pounds are not in vain.
Ready?
OK.
We spent Thanksgiving in the country this year.
At my sister-in-law's parents house.
It was beautiful.
I took more pictures of my kids with horses than desserts.
I blame pet loss grief.
You'll just have to trust when I say they were ALL winners.
Be sure to click over for each of the recipes.
And pretty pictures without horses.
Some I've tried before.
Like my most favorite
Almond Cake
in all the world.
Modified to glazed cupcakes.
I use silicone baking cups.
Adjust bake time to 17 minutes, let cool in cups for about 20 minutes.
Remove from baking cups, place cupcakes on cooling rack (with baking sheet underneath to collect excess) and slowly pour glaze on top. Let cool for an hour or so.
Place each glazed cupcake in a cute cupcake liner and you are good to go.
This is my favorite Pinterest recipe BY FAR.
I make them all the time.
I also whipped up some tried and true
White Chocolate Cranberry Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles.
A holiday classic.
And there were some new recipes.
Like
Coconut Oreo Brownies.
A HUGE hit.
Magical, I would say.
Easy. From a box. Taste like they took hours.
And my new favorite
Soft Almond Sugar Cookie.
Which is quickly surpassing the almond cake in frequency produced.
I'm obsessed with them.
I add a bit more cake flour and regular flour than recipe calls for to thicken them up.
And bake longer, too.
12 minutes is perfect.
And I didn't press down, mid-bake like recipe calls for.
I used my thumb to press down on the center before baking and they turned out perfect.
And chopped cherries are a delicious add-in.
Try them.
Today.
It's a life choice you will not regret.
After Thanksgiving was over, I dabbled in the
Sugar Cookie Bar
department.
For no good reason.
Well, or pet loss grief.
I think I may have over-baked the bars because they were a little dry.
And next time, I would sub shortening in the frosting for butter to make it less soft.
But not bad, I tell you.
Buckeye Truffles.
Because it was Monday.
And oh my goodness, they are GOOD.
Double the recipe because the peanut butter mixture is a little difficult to work with.
I had to wash my hands after every three because the peanut butter would get angry and sticky.
I'm sure I washed away 1/3 of the mixture.
Next time I make them (like tomorrow), I may chill the mixture a bit before rolling into balls.
But, you guys?
They are crazy delicious.
Your turn!
What have you and Pinterest been up to this month?
Grab a button in my sidebar and link up below.
I can't wait to hear.
Monday, December 3, 2012
Life Without A Dog. And Dave.
So, I probably need some help seeing... Love you. Bye..."
Monday, November 19, 2012
Goodbye, Friend.
Friday, November 16, 2012
Friday.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxDVj6FPHwQ&w=480&h=360]