Sugar Cookies

This is one of my favorite recipes! Given to us by Debbie Childs; I know this will become one of your favorites as well. Jana and I love holidays purely for the fact that we have a reason and a theme for a new batch of sugar cookies!! Jana has some pictures she took of her valentine sugar cookies on her blog, here's the link... and also, Jana deserves at least half of the credit for the cookies in these pictures :)

http://janalaurene.blogspot.com/2009/02/better-late-than-never.html






Sugar Cookies

2 c. butter
1 ½ c. sugar
4 egg yolks
2 t. vanilla
4 ½ c. flour

Cream butter and sugar, add yolks and vanilla; gradually add flour. Dough rolls out best if it has been chilled for at least 4 hours, but not necessary. Roll out dough with plenty of flour, about ½ inch thick. You don’t have to roll out the whole batch of cookies at one time; I usually split it in thirds or so. Place cut out dough on a buttered cookie sheet. They don’t bake much bigger than as cut out, so you can put them relatively close. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. I only love these cookies if they’re a little undercooked. So when the edges have any golden color, take them out. Also, if your oven or cookie sheets tend to cause the bottom of your cookies to burn, place a piece of aluminum foil underneath the pan, shinny side down.

Icing

2 lb. bag of powdered sugar
3 T. powdered meringue (wilton)
1 t. clear vanilla
1 t. butter flavoring

With a whisk attachment mix ingredients, and color if wanted (preferably gel paste color). You will need to add water tablespoons at a time until it can be mixed completely and is thin enough to pipe through a bag. The frosting should still be thick. If it’s too thick to use a piping bag, add a very small amount of water. Use the thick frosting to outline the cookies, and save some if you’re planning to do any writing or decorations. With the remaining frosting, add water just until frosting is wet enough to drip off a spoon. Use this frosting to fill the cookies that have already been outlined, use fingers or spoon to push frosting to edges, but it should lay out smooth on it’s own, if not, add more water. Let frosted cookies dry over night.

Some of My Art :)

I know it would appear as though cooking is my only hobby, and it is one of my favorites, but not my only one. Originally when I wanted to start a blog or a website it was to encourage me to write down all my recipes and take pictures of them so I could eventually accumulate enough of my own to have a book. This blog has definitely pushed me to keep up with my goal of publishing some kind of cook book, and hopefully I will! But it has also encouraged me to share my hobbies and talents in general. So I'm going to post some of my art work. I haven't done as much recently as I would have liked to, but I'm going to try and keep up with it. Considering I am an art major, and I love it dearly, I really should. So hopefully over the next few weeks I'll have taken pictures of all the pieces I have already done, and everything I'm currently working on will eventually make it's way up here.


a copy of Monet's "Impression Sunrise" (One of my favorite paintings)



Orchids are my favorite flower :) This is a drawing I did of a lovely orchid plant I had growing in my room, beautiful right?
Both of these drawings were down with pastels.

I Love Kung Fuuuu!!!

Lovely Jana took these pictures for me! Nate's birthday party was a blast, thanks to Melissa and the rest of the family! And Jana already posted all the birthday pictures, but I just wanted to have a few of the cake up.

Artichoke Dip Bakes

This recipe, given to me by Heidi, I think given to her by her Mom, is one of my absolute favorites!! You really can't go wrong with this as an appetizer.



1 can or jar of artichoke hearts, chopped
1 c. shredded cheese
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste
1 thinly sliced baguette

Use a cookie sheet to arrange the bread. Prepare dip, spoon onto slices of bread, spread to the edges.
Cook on Hi Broil for about 5 minutes; but remember, all ovens cook different, so I would recommend not putting the cookie sheet on the highest rack in the oven, also, check after about 2 minutes.
Serve these tasty cheesy treats hot, and enjoy!

*Any kind of cheese works, spice it up with some pepper jack! You could also use either 1 full cup of mayo or sour cream. The original recipe uses only mayo, but it's a little heavy, so the half and half works perfect. If your oven does not have a reliable broiler, just bake them until the cheese is melted! Good luck!

Peanut Butter Cookies

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 egg

2 T. honey

1 1/2 c. flour

3/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt



cream butter and sugars till light and fluffy, add peanut butter

add egg and honey, make sure to scrape bottom of bowl

mix in flour, baking soda, and salt

use a cookie scoop or spoon, roll into 1 inch balls

use fork to make cross marks, dip fork in flour if it sticks to the dough

sprinkle top with sugar

bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes



*if your oven generally burns the bottom of the cookies, use a piece of foil, shinny side down, underneath the pan

Wolfgang's Favorite Chocolate Cake

8 Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
4 ounces Butter
5 Large Eggs
1 pinch Salt
2/3 cup Sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter, flour and line the base of a 10-inch round cake pan with parchment.
Combine chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water.
Whisk together the egg yolks and all but 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Stir melted chocolate into egg yolks until thoroughly combined.
With an electric mixer, on medium speed, beat egg whites and salt until soft peaks form.
Gradually beat in the remaining sugar and continue to whip until egg whites are stiff but not dry.
Carefully fold chocolate mixture into egg whites. Pour into prepared pan.
Bake for about 45 minutes.
Turn out onto a rack immediately.
As the cake cools, the center will sink and crack - do not worry.

Whatever Goes Pasta Salad!!

I absolutely love pasta salad! Every time I take on the responsibility of cooking for my family or friends, or any kind of event, pasta salad is usually something that I turn to. I’ll make it for lunch, dinner, a side dish, a main dish, an appetizer, really, anything. And this is something that I am commonly asked the recipe for, but unfortunately, I don’t have a recipe! This really is a dish, that doesn’t need to be measured and honestly, anything goes. Lately it has become a favorite dish only because it’s so easy to make, and my boyfriend and I love it. So, I made it tonight, and wrote down how exactly I made this concoction, and also some of the combinations I’ve used other times. Originally I started making this recipe from a feta salad my aunt Cindy makes. Which combines, pasta, spinach, black olives, tomatoes, feta, and zesty Italian dressing. This recipe is an amazing side dish for any meal, I just decided to take it to the next level, and mix it up here and there.
First you’re going to start with pasta of course J I love the brand barilla, but it really doesn’t matter, also, the type of pasta you use doesn’t matter. Tonight I actually used about a third of a box of mini penne, and about a third of a box of farfalle (why my mom doesn’t use whole boxes, I’m not quite sure, but regardless). You’re going to want a 1 lb. box or whatever you decide; if you’re making a full portion. For just 2 people, use a half box, so ½ lb.
Now, this is the creative part. I love olives, so I really will use any and all olives we have in the house. For this recipe, I used a can of black olives, and maybe a half cup green olives. The green, about 4 slices per olive, the black, I just slice right down the middle, or at a diagonal. If you’re going for healthy definitely add as much spinach as possible; you can make it almost more like a salad salad, than a pasta salad. Fresh basil, and parsley are my favorite greens to use, in addition to the spinach. Then maybe dice up some tomatoes, adds great color, and if you salt and pepper them, great flavor as well.
For sustenance, add some protein! I started out with just anything I had in the fridge. So for a quick lunch one day, I sliced up some lunchmeat. For a real Italian flavored salad, add salami, prosciutto, etc.



Ok, so my basic recipe, and as shown in the picture.

1 lb. box of penne pasta (preferably barilla) cook as directed
1 can black olives sliced in half
1 cup green olives, sliced
1 bunch of basil, chopped fine
1 bag of spinach chopped
2/3 cup of Italian dressing (Newman’s Family Recipe Italian)
4 large chicken breasts, salt and pepper to taste, grill till cooked through
1 lb package of bacon cooked and crumbled
½ cup crumbled feta
Salt and pepper to taste

* a few pointers:
I usually cook the pasta in very salty water, it adds so much flavor to the salad if the pasta is salted.
After I drain and let pasta cool down, I drizzle a little of olive oil over it, to keep it from sticking.
Season chicken breast as desired; maybe add a little lemon.
Add dressing as desired, just like you would a regular salad.
Good luck!!