Sugar Cookies

Hi there!

We have been baking sugar cookies today.... aren't they lovely?

Everyone was working hard.....







Although one little cutie was just having fun eating the dough!



Stars waiting for the cookie sheet



Here are a couple of original designs

Our House


Daddy


Here is the recipe:

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
1 c. Butter
2 c. Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 Eggs
5 C. Flour
1 tsp. Salt
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/4 c. Milk

Directions
Cream butter and sugar together in a large bowl. Add vanilla. Add eggs and beat until fluffy. Sift flour into seperate bowl, Measure and add salt, soda and baking powder. Sift again. Add sifted ingredients alternately with milk. Stir until smooth. Chill in refrigerator for several hours. Roll out to 1/4" thickness and cut with cookie cutters. Place at least 1" apart on greased cookie sheet and bake at 400^ for 8-10 minutes. Makes 6 dozen (or so).

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We had such a wonderful time making these. We will be decorating them later today, with lots of colored icing!

(In case you are wondering about all the recipes, I am working to build a recipe file of my family's favorite recipes for my hope chest.)

Have a wonderful day from our family,
~@~Courtney~@~

A Yummy Recipe

With the holidays quickly approaching, I thought it would be nice to share a favorite dessert recipe with all of you!

Peanut Butter Balls

Combine & mix:
1 lb. peanut butter
1 lb. powdered sugar
2 sticks melted butter (1c.)
Shape into balls & cool in freezer.
Combine in double boiler on low:
1/2 slab paraffin
12 oz. choc, chips
Dip balls in with toothpick or fork. Cool on waxed paper. Store in layers on waxed paper.

Enjoy!
~@~Courtney~@~

Dinner Rolls

With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, we love to use some of our very favorite recipes for Thanksgiving dinner! This is one of the best roll recipes out there. I hope you love them just as much as we do!

~Dinner Rolls~

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Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast (or 1 Tablespoon)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/4 cups lukewarm water

2 teaspoons fine sea salt

About 3 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Cornmeal (used to keep the dough from sticking to pan)

1 egg and a splash of milk (or water can be used)

Sprinkle fine sea salt

Proof the yeast using the first 3 ingredients.



Mix for about 2 minutes and then remove from bowl and knead for about 5 minutes by hand.



Transfer dough to bowl, cover with tea towel and let rise for about 40 minutes - the dough should rise slightly.



(The dough has risen)



Remove dough from bowl and cut the dough into four equal pieces.

Roll each piece into a small sausage-shaped roll (about 8 inches long). Cut each roll into four equal pieces.



Form each piece into a ball by rolling it between the work surface and the palm of your hand, slightly cupped, bringing the seamed edges under or on the bottom. Place balls on a baking sheet lightly sprinkled with cornmeal. Be sure to space your rolls about 2 inches apart.



You can also form the balls into knots by rolling them out into sausage links and then make a half knot and place on the baking sheet.



Cover with damp cloth and let rise again for about 40 minutes.



Preheat the oven to 475°F.

Mix 1 egg and splash of milk (or water) and lightly brush each roll with the egg wash.

Place baking sheet in the oven and bake rolls until golden brown - about 12 to 15 minutes.

Transfer the rolls to a rack to cool - this will allow the air to circulate under and around the bread to ensure a nice crust.



Quick Tip:

Keep an eye on your rolls towards the end of cooking time. You may need to turn your pan around to provide even cooking or browning.

Enjoy!

~@~Courtney~@~

Quick Apple Coffee Cake

Here is a recipe for the delicious Apple Coffee Cake that I made for my dear Grandpa Fred on his birthday. I also made this cake for my family this past week and everyone loved it!

You will need:

3 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

6 Tablespoons butter

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 cups milk

And for the topping:

4 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon

4 cups apples, finely chopped and peeled

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To begin, chop the apples (about six) into small bite-size pieces.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cut in butter; add sugar and mix well.

Whisk in the eggs and milk. Then pour batter into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking pan.

Mix the ingredients for the topping in a clean bowl...

...and then pour or sprinkle over the batter.

Bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown and cake tests done with toothpick or fork. Optional: Serve warm with a dollop on ice cream on top.

~Poppy

A Recipe......

One of my favorite things to do with my siblings is to cook! The little ones especially love to help, and often ask to work right along with me. This is a very easy recipes, just 4 ingredients, perfect for cooking with your siblings! :)

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Peanut Butter Cookies

1 Cup Peanut Butter (smooth or crunchy!)
1 Cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla (or Vanilla Extract)

Preheat oven to 350^ F. Mix all ingredients together very well, until completely blended.

Next, roll walnut sized balls and place on cookie sheet. After you have rolled all the balls, use a fork to criss-cross a design on top of the balls, lightly pressing down so that it looks like really tiny squares.

Bake until set, 8-10 minutes. Cookies will not look done when they are ready. If you bake them too long, they will be really crunchy or burnt and definitely not very good!

Let cool on cooling rack until set. Make 1 dozen cookies.

I can usually have a batch of these whipped up in less than 20 minutes, bake time included.

Variations:
I have been known to add M ‘n’ M’s, nuts, or chocolate chips to these for variety.
You can also make Peanut Butter Blossoms by baking these, and pressing a Hershey’s Kiss into the center of each one. They make wonderful holiday cookies!

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Enjoy!

~@~Courtney~@~