Berry Heaven!

I so need a break from sugar cookies!!! If you cannot tell they are my albatrose but I am so stubborn that I have decided I am going to conquer them. My first non-sugar cookies recipe was going to be something for my mom's birthday. When I asked her what she wanted she said no chocolate and really no cake, is she trying to kill me!!! Plus this also had to be able to survive a car trip from DC to NY (O 95 how I love thee).  My mom loves pie (she originally suggested my berry bars) and my coworker told me about this pie recipe that was delicious and really it is a huge winner, not only because it is so easy (especially when you used a frozen pie crust) but it is delicious. It was a little tart but mom loved it that way!

The recipe calls for 5 cups of fresh blueberries. I used 2 of the big containers of blueberries, which I think is actually 4 cups and it was perfect!  A second time I made it I threw in 2 1/2 containers (guess the blueberries were smaller). When my coworker and I walked to the supermarket around the corner from work she said she made a pie crust from scratch........I am lazy and time crunched lately so I used a deep dish frozen pie crust and that worked perfectly! I know the pureists out there probably hate that but hey you gotta do what you gotta do :)

BLUEBERRY CRUMB PIE
(Source: Sweet Kat's Kitchen)

INGREDIENTS:

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

FILLING:

3/4 c. granulated sugar
1/3 C. All- Purpose Flour
1 T. Cornstarch
1/2 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 T. Lemon Juice
5 C Fresh Blueberries (2 containers can work depending on the size of the blueberries)

TOPPING:

2/3 C. Packed Light Brown Sugar
3/4 C. Quick Cooking Oats
1/2 C. All purpose flour
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp. Ground Nutmeg
6 T. Butter, melted


DIRECTIONS:

- Preheat over to 375 degrees F. Press pie crust into 9 inch pie plate
- In a large bowl, stire together the sugar, flour, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Mix in blueberries. Add lemon juice and fold gently to combine. Pour into pie crust.
- Topping: In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, oats, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix in melted butter with fork or hands ntil crumbly.
- Spread evenly over the pie filling.
- Bake for 60 minutes or until top is browned.
- HARD PART: cool completely on a wire rack.

Pink Cookie Love!

When I made the adorable bowties and neckties for Father's Day I decided to make some cookies for my mom's birthday as well.  I made some cute birthday cupcake cookies that had a candle on top; however, the candle part could be flimsy and didn't come out right sometimes so I just cut that part of and just had a cupcake cookie.  I also made some present cookies, those need some work to look cute! Also, I made some mini hearts and sunglasses for her pool! These were all made with Pink Martini and Pearls and my Sugar Cookie Recipe.  

Bowterrific Cookies Part 3!!!

As I have said before I am stubborn! I have decided to embrace this "I will not let a little sugar cookie beat me" project and instead went on a cookie cutter buying spree and ended up searching and stalking until I got these cute bow tie and neck tie cookie cutters (big and minis).  This time I decided to use Pink Martinis and Pearls  Royal Icing recipe; she also makes the most beautiful cake pops.

I ended up doubling her recipe and then making another batch. So the recipe below is enough for maybe 1/2 batch of my sugar cookie recipe.  I think this might be my recipe because it worked out really well and wasn't sticky. I will have to try it out again just to make sure it wasn't a fluke!!!  I thought some of it was coming out too thick so I thinned it well the thinner ones were the ones that weren't as dry, where the thicker dried better - totally not what I expected to happen! I ended up putting them in jars I bought for pretty cheap from Michaels for my dad and Uncles for Father's day. Also, do you see the cool gift tag cookie cutter I got! SO cute to tie it to the front of the jar.

ROYAL ICING:
(Source: Pink Maritinis and Pearls)

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. Powdered Sugar (does not need to be sifted)
3 Tbl. Meringue Powder
6 Tbl. Hot Water (from tap is fine)
2 Tablespoon of Lemon Extract (this is an addition by me but do it to taste)

DIRECTIONS:

- With a whisk attachment beat all the ingredients on high until fluffy. Do not under beat. Pink Martini mixes for at least 8 minutes. Put the icing immediately in a container with a tight lid to prevent it from drying out.

I then followed her directions for 10 second icing:

10 SECOND ICING:
(Source: Pink Maritinis and Pearls)


- To get the nice smooth icing you see on the cookies it needs to be thinned. Too thin and it runs down the sides of the cookies and will not coat it well. Too thick and it will just sit there and not be smooth. (I find that this is trial and error for me and still learning)
- Add water a teaspoon at a time (sometimes I add some lemon just to keep the flavor up). Mix the water well. 

Pink Martinis and Pearls says: Pull a dollop of icing on your spoon or spatula and let it drop back down; count to 10 and if it seems to melt and disappear by 10 then you have the perfect consistency.  If there are still remanants add a touch of water. If it melts too quickly then you need to add more regular icing to give it more body. (I think last time I just put a little but more sugar in it).

 Sweet Sugar Belle: makes 20 second icing. I LOVE her way of just drawing a line in your bowl and seeing if it disappears. Works well for the 10 second icing as well.

Honestly: I would love for my stuff to look even a quarter as good as Pink Martini and Sweet Sugar Belle and love their explanations, pictures, and directions.  I really need to be better with my pictures and just not do them as I am running out the door!

Sugar Cookies Summer Style!!! Part 2!!!!!

This is a continuining series in my adventures of trying to find a sugar cookie recipe!

Okay so cookies are my albatrose..........I am really good with cookies, pies, cupcakes but not with round cakes and sugar cookies! I am stubborn and have decided that I will get this skill so I can put it in my back pocket. This includes getting recipes I am really comfortable with. I decided to try something different then my normal icing recipe and to do a royal icing recipe. After looking (really stalking) a lot of wonderful blogs (seriously, there are so many talented (patient) sugar cookie people out there and I am just not one of them) I decided to try The Sweet Adventure's of Sugar Belle's Royal Icing Recipe.  I liked this recipe but felt like it took forever to make, I do not have one of the awesome Kitchen Aid mixers. I also had trouble with getting it to dry really well but I blame that on the user and not the recipe; this is a reoccuring problem and why I started to look for a new recipe.  It was a great way to kick off the summer!

I only made 1/2 of the recipe and it was enough for my cookies. I also used lemon juice (not extract) instead of vanilla so it definitely could have been user era. Also I know my cookies will never look good as hers!


O I used my new Sugar Cookie Recipe! Sorry the pictures are not the best - quick snaps with the iPhone.