Our Valentine's Goodies for 2011

Wow!!  I need to get on the ball and get this blog updated!!  Where the heck does the time go!!  

Here's some of the goodies I made for February.

Here is a strawberry cupcake that I did just because it sounded soooooo good!!!  And you know what?  It was!  I posted the recipe on our Sugar Teacher's Blog.  You can find it here...

Below are some chocolate hand dipped Oreo's that the grandkids, Kaitlyn and I made.

These heart Oreo's are made using a Wilton cookie mold.  They're kind of tricky to make!  I had to put the red in, making sure I didn't fill it too much, then I put them in the freezer to harden.  I put a very thin layer of the chocolate (white or brown) and let the harden in the freezer for a few minutes.  Then I run the melted chocolate down the sides and let harden again.  I tried to do it like the directions say on the mold, but it would never look nice!!  Go figure!

Next we made dipped pretzel rods.  These are yummy!  I love the sweet and salty taste these have.  I think the pictures are pretty self explanatory.  If you want more details, let me know!!

Just make sure you put the sprinkles on before the chocolate hardens!!!

We had a Valentin's party over at my daughter's house.  

Here's her table set up and the one below is for Carlee and Kailey

We had heart shaped pizza, salad and cake pops for dessert!!  

Hazelnut Shortbread Cookies

These rich hazelnut shortbread cookies are great with a cup of coffee or a cup of hot cocoa!!  They would also be great if you're having a cookie exchange party.  We will be having one soon!

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What you will need:

1 cup whole hazelnuts, toasted, divided*

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon double-strength vanilla

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cups Nutella (chocolate-hazelnut spread)

1 square unsweetened chocolate for baking, chopped

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper, allowing 1 inch to extend past the sides; set aside.  Grate 3 tablespoons of the hazelnuts with a rotary grater or finely chop in a food processor.  Place butter, powdered sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl, beat on medium speed of electric hand mixer until creamy.  Gradually add flour and grated hazelnuts.  Mix on low speed until dry ingredients begin to blend with butter mixture.  Increase speed to  medium=high and beat just until mixture forms into a dough.

Distribute dough over the bottom of prepared pan.  Roll using a lightly floured rolling pin to create an even thickness.  Bake 43-45 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Remove pan from oven to a cooling rack.  Coll 10 minutes.  Invert pan onto a cutting board and remove parchment and immediately cut warm shortbread lenghtwise into eight rows and crosswise into sixths to make 48 small rectangles using a very long knife.  Spread rectangles apart slightly and cool completely.

Coarsely chop remaining hazelnuts using a food chopper and place in on a plate or tray.  Place hazelnut spread and chocolate in a small microwave safe bowl.  Microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 60-70 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring after 1 minute.  Dip one end of each shortbread rectangle into chocolate mixture and roll in nuts, coating all sides.  Place on parchment-lined surface to set.  If chocolate mixture begins to thicken, return to microwave 10-15 seconds or just until it thins but is not hot.

Store cooled, finished shortbread in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers for up to one week.

*To toast the hazelnuts, spread over a cookie sheet in a single layer and bake at 350 degrees for 8-16 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant.

Eggless Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is a huge recipe!!  Recipe said that it makes 8 dozen, but I got a lot more out of it than that!!  We made these for a family party and at first when they found out they were eggless, they didn't want to try them.  They soon found out that they were really good!

Ingredients:

4 sticks butter, soft

4 cups light brown sugar, packed

2 cups sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 tablespoons water

4 tablespoons vinegar

5 cups flour

6 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoons salt

4 cups quick cooking oats

2 cups raisins, rolled in flour

2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.  Cream together sugars and butter.  Add vanilla, water, and vinegar; mix well.

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and soda, and salt.  Combine the two mixtures together.  Add raisins, oats and nuts.

Roll dough in small balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.  Bake for 10 - 12 minutes

Cookies won't look quite done, but let rest on cookie sheet for a few minutes before removing.  Also eggless cookies tend to go hard after a day or two, so eat them fast!

We also made these to take to the party and they were a big hit!! 

Mame's Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies  Recipe is on the Sugar Teachers Blog!

You can tell that Collin loved them!  What a stinker!

Had to include this pic of Collin swiping all the change out of my car today.  He was being too cute!

Cookies!

Here are just some of the recent cookies that I've done lately.

 

  

 

My favorite cookie decorator blog is Cookie Crazy!!  You have to go and check out her blog!  I would love to be able to make cookies like Pam does!!  They are just so nice and neat and....well....just fantastic!!  I look up to her for inspiration and ideas!  Go and check out her blog!!

Cake Mix Cookies

This was on a message board that I saw the other day and decided to try to make them myself. It's a pretty simple recipe with only about 3-4 ingredients. I did had to adjust my baking time to about 20 minutes because the cookies were not completely done. This could be because the amount I had scooped to make the cookie balls, so adjust yours accordingly if need be. I had a box of red velvet cake mix in the cabinet and used that. I put icing on the cookies since the kids like that on them.

Ingredients:

1 box of cake mix (ANY kind)
2 eggs
1/2 c. butter, softened, OR 1/3 c. oil

1 c. chocolate chips (any variety)

Directions:

Beat all ingredients until smooth.

Add 1 cup of chocolate chips, any variety

Drop by tablespoon size balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake @ 350 for 10 minutes, cool on pan for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Makes 3 1/2 dozen.

Fast, Easy Cookies

The other day, I needed to make some cookies for a meeting...and I needed to make them fast! I only had an hour to make them!! Didn't have time for the butter soften, so what to do.....hummm? Oh yeah!! Cake mix cookies!! They are so fast!

Cake Mix Cookies

1 cake mix (any flavor, I used lemon)

2 eggs

1/3 cup oil

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together. I used a cookie scoop for my cookies but you can use a rounded tablespoon size and place on cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. this makes about 1 dozen medium sized cookies.

I rolled my cookie dough in some sanding sugar before I baked them.

You can experiment with different flavors. Such as:

~Chocolate cake mix with chopped walnuts

~White or yellow cake mix with chocolate chips

~Spice cake mix with raisins

Have fun playing!!

Valentine Cookies

There were Valentine cookies everywhere! Now there are not any in site! They went fast! I do have some unfinished ones left and I'm not sure if I'm going to be able to get to them!!

So I thought I would give a few tips on how I do my cookies. Sorry...no recipes!

Use your favorite sugar cookie recipe or find some great ones on Cake Central. Cut and bake as usual.

Thought I would show you the rolling pin I use. It works best for me since RA has left me with hands that don't work properly.


As soon as your cookies come out of the oven, use something that will flatten your cookies out. I find that my fondant smoother works best.

When your cookies are cool, outline the cookie with an icing of your choice. I use a glaze and then use royal icing for the details. I also flavor my royal icing using the same flavorings that I used in the glaze.

Quickly pour thinned our glaze onto the cookie before the outline has a chance to dry. It gives it a nicer appearance. If you are outlining with a different color, let it dry for a few hours before you filling it in. That way you will prevent the two colors from bleeding.

Decorate as desired!

This is what my table looks like while I wait for the glaze to set up. It sometimes takes two days to do the various steps! These are not "quick" cookies!!

Valentine cookies 2009

Happy Birthday JoMax and Ryan!

My oldest son JoMax and my youngest son Ryan have their birthdays only two days apart. JoMax was yesterday and Ryan's is tomorrow. Everyone gets tired of eating cake and I can't mail Ryan a cake because he lives on the east coast. Soooooooo....they get cookies!! I also gave them some Valentine cookies.

Happy Birthday to you both!!!

Love ya lots!!

I Am Thankful for...COOKIES!!!!

These are my family's favorite sugar cookies!!

We make them for almost every holiday that comes along.

I'm not sure I want to share the recipe though!! I have shared with a few people in the past, but the way these cookies are made is a major undertaking!!! And...people don't want to pay for them either because I charge $1.00 and up for each cookie. They are very large and a lot of work! But they are the best cookies you will have ever had!

These were the only cookies that I was able to finish for Halloween. Things got really busy for me. I let Kami have these to her office party for her work. I usually make tons so that I can send some to my son that lives in Florida, but I didn't get any finished for him! Sorry Ryan!!!!

Now on to Thanksgiving!!



My daughter Kami and I made these for her Activity Day girls and to send to Ryan!



Yes...make sure you give thanks and appreciation to everyone around you, family, great friends, the gospel, our jobs, our homes and belongings, our health!

Gobble, gobble!!!

And Ryan...Kami made this one especially for YOU!!!

Halloween Puzzle Cookies

This is a great recipe to make with your kids. I came across this in a newsletter that I get emailed and thought I would pass along. It's from the Better Homes and Gardens website if you want to check out other halloween recipes they have. Enjoy =)

Ingredients

• 1/4  cup all-purpose flour
• 1  18-ounce roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough
• 2  egg yolks
• 2  teaspoons water
•   Food coloring

Directions

1. In a medium bowl knead flour into sugar cookie dough. Divide dough into 6 portions. On an ungreased cookie sheet, pat each portion into a 5-inch square. Press a well-floured 3- to 4-inch Halloween cookie cutter into the square (use smaller cutters, if desired). Carefully remove cookie cutter without removing dough. Using a table knife, cut outside portion of square into large puzzle pieces.

2. In a small mixing bowl beat egg yolks and water. Divide mixture among 3 or 4 small bowls. In each bowl, add 2 to 3 drops of liquid food coloring or desired amount of paste food coloring in desired color; mix well.

3. Brush dough puzzle pieces with different colors of egg yolk mixture. Apply to cookie dough with small clean paintbrush. If mixture thickens while standing, stir in water, one drop at a time.

4. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 7 to 8 minutes or until bottoms of cookies just start to brown and centers are set. While still warm, carefully recut pieces with cookie cutter and knife. Trim edges as needed. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool completely. Makes 6 puzzle cookies (24 servings).

International Chocolate Day

And what best way of celebrating this day then with loads of chocolate..mmm. Below is a recipe for Chocolate-Oatmeal Chewies from CDKitchen.com where you can find even more delicious chocolate delights.

Chocolate-Oatmeal Chewies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter or regular margarine, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 egg
2 2/3 cups quick cooking or old fashioned oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 F. Beat sugar, butter, milk, and the egg in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix well using a wooden spoon. Stir in the remaining ingredients.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched in the center.

Cool for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove from cookie sheet and transfer to wire racks.

This recipe from CDKitchen for Chocolate-Oatmeal Chewies serves/makes 42

Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies

Collin and I tested out another eggless recipe that maybe Carlee can eat. Collin and Joe loved the cookies, but I thought they were a little too hard around the edges. The cookies also stay in a ball when cooked so I had to flatten them with a glass before I put them in the oven. Had to cook them longer too, about 13 minutes. They're not too bad though.

Collin helping with the cookies.

Ummmm...I think they need more chocolate chips!!

Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup margarine or butter

1/4 cup shortening

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

~Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets.

~In a medium bowl, cream together the brown sugar, white sugar, butter and shortening until light and fluffy. Stir in yogurt and vanilla.

~Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until incorporated, then mix in chocolate chips.

~Drop by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

~Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in preheated oven, until the edges begin to brown. Cool for a minute on the cookie sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.