SINCE I HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING I HAVE BEEN.......................

Wow so yeah New Year Resolutions were a bust! My iPhone is pretty ridiculous because it is all pictures of things I have baked but haven't posted! I think I got backed up and a little overwhelmed but time to get back on track!!! (I don't think anyone reads this blog so I don't think anyone missed me!) I have posted these recipes before but here are some oldies but goodies I have recently made:

 

At a goodbye party for our lifeguard with a

Giant Devils Food Cupcake and Peanut Butter Frosting

(about 1 1/2 times the peanut butter)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some Ring Cookies for a Jewelery Party


 

 

 

 

Summer Sugar Cookies for a Crab fest BBQ

(I think I have definitely improved over the past year)

 

What will it bee?

I am at that stage in my life where my life is baby showers :) My cousin threw the most adorable baby shower up in NY that was bee themed because the expectant parent's (her sister/my cousin and her husband) did not know what they were having; what would it bee? (It ended up beeing the most beautiful baby girl).  I said I would make the cookies and bring them up to NY via the bus. I tried to plan ahead so I wouldn't be stressing out because October was a crazy month and I made the royal icing ahead of time......however, I messed it up because it seemed too stiff to me so I thinned it a little bit but once it got back to room temperature it was too thin!!! I ended up having all sorts of issues and the royal icing was too runny and I couldn't seem to be able to fix it. I ended up being a nut and the next day trimming the cookies so the icing wasn't all over the sides (I think this is about when I texted my best friend and told her I officially lost it).  I also ended up using lemon flavoring instead of lemon extract and had to guess on how much I actually needed (I also walked down the hallway with the bowl of icing at like 10pm to havemy neighbor try it!) While they didn't come out perfect they still looked cute and tasted awesome, even better!  I really have to get better on remembering to take good pictures but at least I got pictures of my cousin's totally cute beehive cupcakes. She really threw the most amazing shower, every detail was perfect!

BaBy Q Sugar Cookies!

For the BaBy Q I made cookies for the girls as favors and minis for the party...............the minis got devoured even by the boys.  I have to say I was really happy and proud of these cookies. I think it was because I planned and took my time but everything seemed to go well. I used my Sugar Cookie Recipe and Pink Martini and Pearls royal icing recipes that I have used before on the Bow cookies - this time I ended up making 3x times her recipe (2 times early on in the night and one later on).

THE BEST ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES:(Source: All Recipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

- Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.


ROYAL ICING:
(Source: Pink Maritinis and Pearls)

INGREDIENTS: Times is by at least 2 - probably 3 times

1 lb. Powdered Sugar (does not need to be sifted)
3 Tbl. Meringue Powder
6 Tbl. Hot Water (from tap is fine)
1-2 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:

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.

Uh-Oh!!!?!?!? Sugar Cookies Part 1......

WARNING: LONG POST............OOPS! (but wait is anyway even reading this blog :) )

You know when you find the most perfect recipe, the one that you think will answer all your baking problems, the holy grail of baking? It is such a good feeling when it works out and you think okay maybe I can do these sugar cookie recipes and make them look as pretty as Sweet Sugar Belle or Bee in our Bonnet. So then you go to grab that recipe and you cannot find it!!?!?!? All of your sugar cookie dreams come crashing down! Then after some slightly psychotic searching, which you will never admit to anyone because it will clearly end with you on a psychiatrist's couch or a friend intervention (see How I Met Your Mother's intervention episode for some hilarity), you find it! Even with some questioning (hmmmm am I sure this is it) you try it out and it works woohoo. That is what happened to me with my sugar cookie recipe. I then wrote this blog entry feeling all superior and o wait........lost it again!!!! I only knew the recipe from the picture next to it and even though I didn't find the picture again I think we are back on track now! I am seriously a hot mess!

I have used various sugar cookie recipes and for some reason I have always had a hard time finding one that works well with molds and tastes good. When I made sugar cookies for my coworker's baby shower I thought I had it but while they tasted awesome they did not stay in their shape in the oven. So then I made a new sugar cookie recipe for my friend's shower and it worked out well but then alas it went MIA. I like this recipe and it is easy to work with, even when you cut the recipe in a 1/4 so I am going to stick with it!

After reading some blogs I realized that I could make a lot of cookies and freeze them to decorate for later and this made it a lot easier when I decided to make these adorable ring cookies for a girls nite/bachellerotte get together and then for a jewelry party. One of the blogs that I read (I can't remember which one!!!)mentioned that it easier to roll and cut the dough on the slip pat sheets that go in the oven so you don't have to worry about ruining the design. This cookie cutter does not have the center cut out and while I made a few with the center left in (which is a great idea if you want to put someone's initial) I liked them best looking like a ring; so I used a circle piece of one my cake writing sets but if you had a round cookie cutter that would work well too. Once the center is cut it is harder to move them so I totally suggest just rolling and cutting it on your slip pat or wax paper, really a life saver so thank you to whoever you are!

I learned a lot in decorating these cookies between the first and second time. I used my previous icing recipe, which is delicious if you add the lemon juice and easy if you don't have meringue powder around (maybe not perfect in the setting process but it works)! When I needed to thin it I used lemon juice and a little bit more mix. I discovered that Tip #21 was perfect for doing one big circle on the band, I also piped the top of the ring and then flooded it and threw some fun sprinkles and sparkles on them.

With the left over dough I made some mini cookies, hearts and shoes, that were also a big hit.

While these are not perfect and I have a long way to go I felt like this was a good start! More adventures in sugar cookies to come.........

THE BEST ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES:
(Source: All Recipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

- Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.



ICING:
(Source: Sheila's Cookies)

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons milk

DIRECTIONS:

- To make frosting, combine the 3 cups confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup margarine and 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice in a medium bowl. Mix until smooth, adding milk 1 tablespoon at a time until frosting has reached its desired consistency.

March Madness!!!

One of my very good friends is an alumnae and big fan of KU basektball! So when we all got together to watch them play (and win!) their semifinal game on Saturday I made a red velvet double layer round cake. It has been awhile since I have made a good ol' fashined round cake and let me tell you it showed! it got stuck in the pan and then I tried to put it back together with some glue (aka cream cheese frosting). While it was slanted it still tasted good! I really need to work on the basic cake! Good Luck to KU on Monday!

To do the KU and the design I changed a recipe recipe and it worked out well! I halved the recipe below:

DECORATIVE FROSTING
(Me modified from: allrecipes)


INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter
4 cups confectioners' sugar
4 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS:

- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Beat on low speed of electric mixer until well blended and very smooth.

Onesie Cookies - Baby Shower Favors

For the baby shower that I made the Onesie cake for I also made Onesie Sugar Cookies that were the favors and we packaged them with M&Ms on the bottom so they would stand up in the basket. They were a big hit!

One of the things that my friend and I loved about the cookies was how well they came out. We used this great decorating method and here are the step by step instructions.

• Roll out your cookie dough. Then using a cookie cutter cut out the shapes.
• Remove the cookie impression from the dough.
• Bake your cookies according to your recipes directions and let cool completely on a rack before decorating.
• Make a batch of royal icing, thick enough to hold it’s shape when piped. Fill a decorating bag about a 1/3 full with Royal Icing. Tint with desired color or leave white. Fit with tip # 2 or 3.
• Squeeze, while outlining the edge of the cookie. After outlining the entire edge, stop at the edge of the beginning line, touch and lift This is called the dam or seam.
• Take the icing that you will use to fill in the center of your outline, add a little water to it. It needs to have a streaming not runny consistency.
• Fill the outline in with the thinned icing, using a spoon or squeeze bottle. Be generous With a spoon gently push the icing into the corners and at the points.
• Allow the icing to dry for at least 2 hours. After your cookie has had time to dry, you can add additional decorations or writing on your creation.

I had some extra sugar extra cookies so we dipped them in chocolate and served them at the shower!