Easy Christmas Sugar Cookies!

I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet but I already have a hangering for Christmas cookies. When I was little (and actually still today), one of my favorite Christmas traditions wtih my family was making and decorating Christmas cookies. My mom always made sugar cookie dough and us kids would line up at the table/bar in the kitchen and she would cut out all types of shapes (reindeer, wreaths, snowmen, Christmas trees, etc.) and we would all decorate them. She let us run wild. We stood by the philosophy that the more decorations the better (even though sometimes the taste of the cookie was sacrificed with the abundance of sugar sprinkles and red hots). Today, I decided to give the sugar cookie thing a try. I wanted to make sure I could do it when needed. It was really simple. I usually think the typical sugar cookie is lacking a little flavor so I varied a couple of recipes and made a vanilla almond sugar cookie. They were delicious!

Here are some of the results. I realize that the decorations are totally amateur but I had limited decorating tools. Just a couple of tubes of Betty Crocker Cookie Icing I found at the store. Pretty neat stuff if you don't want to make your own icing.

Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookies - Christmas Cookies!

Ingredients:
2/3 cup butter, softened

3/4 sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

3 teaspoon pure vanilla

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. In a large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour slowly, a little at a time until mixture becomes dough.

2. Cover and chill dough for about 30 minutes or until dough is easy to handle.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of the dough at a time until 1/4 inch thick. Use cookie cutter to cut into desired shapes. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with sugar, sprinkles, etc.

4. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. Cool.

5. Decorate with icing.

Enjoy!

Meringue Snowflakes!

I saw these in a magazine and thought it was a really neat idea for the holidays. I should first say that I don't really love meringue. My mom is always embarassed because I always request that she leave meringue off of all of her pies and she thinks it looks silly--I try to explain to her that it tastes so much better that way! I'm sure many of you would disagree. However, even though I don't love meringue, I love all things crafty, original and Christmas-y. Also, I was intrigued to see a new way to use meringue. What a neat holiday treat to bring to someone's house! It also looks pretty impressive (if you can pull it off).

The best thing is that you can make all sorts of designs --you don't have to stick to the snowflake. The meringue can be piped into snowmen, wreaths, Christmas trees, or just about any shape you like. I read that some people even use them as cake decorations! I was thinking it might be neat to put them on cupcakes.

I am going to try to make them this weekend. I will let you know the results.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
2 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon flavored extract, such as lemon, peppermint, orange, or almond
2 tablespoons colored sugar or edible glitter

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 200°. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until frothy, about 3 minutes. Set the mixer speed to high and beat another 3 minutes or so until the eggs whites are fluffy.

2. Add the confectioner's sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and continue beating until the egg whites are stiff and glossy, about 5 minutes. Then beat in the extract.

3. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Use a pencil to draw snowflake patterns on the paper. The meringues will not spread, so they can be drawn fairly close together. Turn the papers printed-side down and stick them to the baking sheets by dabbing a little meringue in each corner.

4. Spoon the meringue into a large pastry bag fitted with a 1/4-inch round tip and pipe it, erring on the thick side so the snowflakes will be less fragile, onto the paper-lined sheets following the patterns. Sprinkle the meringues with colored sugar or edible glitter.

5. Bake the snowflakes until dry but not browned, about 1 hour. Carefully slide the parchment paper from the baking sheets to wire racks and let the meringues cool completely.

6. Using scissors, cut the paper between the meringues to separate them. Then gently peel away the paper from each one, keeping one hand under the snowflake to support the edges. The meringues will stay crisp for up to 2 weeks if stored in an airtight container at room temperature (do not refrigerate them). Makes about 20.

Tip: For the best results, avoid making them on a humid day.

Christmas Fun

I totally stole this post idea from my BFF (and Nanny) Jennifer. I love all things Christmas so I thought I'd include it:

1. Wrapping paper or gift bagsWrapping paper.
I really like to wrap gifts although over the last several years I have found myself using more and more gift bags. Just out of convenience. I will try to wrap them all this year. Opening wrapped gifts is just more fun.

2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial (again, the convenience thing). Though, growing up we always had a real tree. It was a family tradition to go to a Christmas tree farm and pick out a tree as a family. They always smelled so nice--like Christmas. We were in charge of watering it every day. Lots of great memories. My dad would never hear of anything other than a real tree, though I think he lost the battle a year or so ago when my mom came home from the store with an artifical tree.

3. When do you put up the tree?
We always put it up the day or weekend after Thanksgiving. I can’t put up Christmas decorations soon enough! However, when we had a real tree growing up, putting it up that early sometimes meant that the tree would be dead by Christmas. Too funny.

4. When do you take it down?
Usually after the New Year.

5. Do you like eggnog?
Not really. Not even when it’s spiked :)

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Barbie Dream House or a bike. Santa never wrapped our gifts and Alan (my brother) and I would always sleep in each other’s rooms and get up really really really early in the morning and creep out into the living room and the lights would all be out except the Christmas tree lights and all of our presents would be sitting out under the tree--shining under the lights. Presents just look better with Christmas tree lights shining on them. I distinctly remember seeing my barbie house and thought it was the best thing in the whole world. I also just always remember how shiny a new bike looked under the Christmas tree. I think my Dad did too which is why it seemed like at least one of us got a new bike every year!

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Yes. My parents have a nativity scene and each of us kids have our own nativity scene as well. Every year, since we were little, our church would give each child a piece to a nativity scene. By the time you were 13 or so you had a completed scene. I still put mine up in my house.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
My grandfather. Well, he’s the hardest and the easiest. The hardest because he already has everything and the easiest because he always loves anything you give him.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
This year will be K.P. -- kids are always easier. I could just wrap a magazine or a shoe from the house and he would be happy. Kids are always the most fun to buy for as well because they genuinely love everything.

10. Worst gift you received?
All gifts are good gifts.-- this was Jennifer’s response but I liked it so I stole it :)

11. Mail or email cards?
I prefer mail but I don’t send out cards myself so I am just thankful to receive them. Although, I may try to send them out this year.

12. Favorite Christmas movie?
Too many -- I love the Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman. It always feels like Christmas time when those come on. I really love all Christmas movies though.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
I love shopping but I HATE crowds so I try to start early. I love the way malls are decorated for the holidays but I can’t stand to fight the crowds. My grandmother would be so proud of me the last couple of years because I completed most of my shopping before Thanksgiving. You always had to give my grandmother your Christmas list by September or October or she would threaten to not get you anything. Too funny. I try to buy online and early. I have already bought the majority of my gifts for this year.

14. Have you ever recycled a gift?
No

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
I love Christmas Day lunch at my grandmothers. The usual yummy Christmas menu: turkey, dressing, cranberries, mashed potatoes, corn, broccoli/rice casserole, sweet potatoes, green beans, etc. and then about 6 different kinds of desserts.

16. Clear or colored lights?
I like clear lights and colored decorations (balls, etc.)

17. Favorite holiday song?
I like: O Holy Night; Baby, It’s Cold Outside; Silent Night -- really, all of them. I really really really like Christmas music. I will keep my radio on Christmas music station the entire season.

18. Travel or stay at home at Christmas?
Stayed in Houston area - both grandparents lived in town so visited both but just during the day.

19. Can you name all the reindeer?
Hmmm...let me try: Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid and Donder and Blitzen...”but do you recall, the most famous reindeer of all....”-- ha ha ha -- I have NO idea if those names are right or spelled right. I just sang the song in my head and that’s what came out. I’ll have to check it after I post this...

20. Angel or star on top of the tree?
Star

21. Open Christmas eve or morning?
We normally open family girfts on Christmas Eve. On Christmas morning we open gifts from Santa.

22. What’s the corniest tradition you miss doing?
Not that it's corny but I used to LOVE decorating the Christmas tree. We always did it as a family and would make an evening of it. We would put on Christmas music -- we loved the Capitan Kangaroo Christmas album -- and dance around and decorated the tree. We always videoed the evening so we have a lot of really funny home videos of the festivities. After we were finished we would turn off all of the lights and listen to the Nat Kind Cole Christmas album and all sit on the couch and look at the tree. It was always so beautiful. I hope to keep the tradition alive with my own new family.

23. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
Crowds!

24. What’s the worst thing you’ve seen related to Christmas?
I try not to think of anything bad - Christmas is such a great time of year but I do hate the idea of children who do not have a special Christmas. That’s why Andrew and I always adopt a child or two for Christmas (through our firms) and buy them Christmas presents. We have a good time shopping and picking out the gifts and we ALWAYS go over the suggested budget.

25. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees?
I think they both look beautiful. I love classic beautiful Christmas trees (not trees that are too trendy). I like the traditional Christmas colors. Growing up we always had a "homey" tree full of handmade ornaments & family ornaments.

26. Gingerbread or sugar cookies?
Sugar cookies (I really don’t like gingerbread at all). We always had a family tradition of making homemade sugar cookies and decorating them for Santa and his reindeer. It was really fun. Of course, sometimes we would put so much decorations on the cookies that they didn’t taste good at all. But it was always fun.

27. Do you like fruitcake?
No...does anybody?

Tis the Season!

Ok, I have failed miserably at posting lately. I will try not to make excuses for myself but I have been busy...really....ok, not busy, just distracted. Ok, not distracted, just lazy. I'll just blame it on the economy. That seems to work for everything else :) Anyways, I just needed a little something to kick my butt back into gear. I needed motivation. I needed desire. I needed a newfound enthusiasm. I needed...something. Well, now I have it! The air is crisper. College football is in full throttle. Stores are getting busier. Calendars are being filled up. All because of the delight of what is just around the corner. THE HOLIDAY SEASON!

What better time to pick back up my baking than the holiday season. There are new recipes to try. Cookies to bake. Turkeys to roast. A casserole to mess up :) I have been getting more and more excited every week about all of the yummy holiday food that is around the corner. My mind has been filled with visions of sugar plums...oh wait, that is another story. Anyways, the point is, I am ready. I am ready to bake again. I am ready to douse myself with flour and dive head first into the kitchen.

I really must give a little credit to my friend Melissa who helped inspire me because she had the great idea of having a cooking swapping party. I had never heard of a cookie swapping party before but the second I heard the words "cookies" and "cocktails" I was sold.

Christmas Cookie Swapping Party:

Essentially, the party goes like this: Everyone bakes a dozen or so of their favorite cookie or candy (or whatever delicious-ness you can think of) for each person that is attending, plus a few extra cookies to munch on at the party. Usually about 10-12 people participate. At the end of the party everyone goes home with a large variety of cookies. It is perfect because it gives you something to bring to Christmas parties and other holiday functions. It is also just a good excuse to get together with your girlfriends and share recipes and be merry.

It should be a fun time! I plan to try out several recipes for the party. Actually, before the party so I know which ones are the best. I am trying my first this weekend. Stay tuned!

Need baking help? Check out Baking 911

As you know, I'm pretty new to this whole baking thing. Although my experience is limited, I learn something new every time I bake. However, I still have tons of questions. Questions like, why am I adding eggs? What would an extra egg do? What if I used less sugar? How do I make the cookies softer? What does baking powder do? What is baking soda? What is the difference between salted butter and unsalted butter? And the list goes on and on...

Baking is pretty scientific. A good baker knows her ingredients and knows how they work. In my quest to broaden my baking knowledge I came across a great website that explains all of these things! For those wanting to understand a little more about the science in baking, check out:

http://www.baking911.com

I recommend the tabs "How Baking Works" and Baking Terms" -- very helpful stuff!

Dieting and Brownies - a perfect mix

I've totally been slacking this week with my blogging and my baking. I know. I admit it. One of the main reasons is that I am on a fitness kick and trying to lose my baby weight (by the way, the little guy turned 5 months on Saturday -- he's getting so big!). Anyways, I had a baby this year and I'm turning 30 in 3 weeks. 2 really big milestones and, thus, the reasoning for the fitness kick. One might ask why in the world I would start a blog dedicated to baking the year I had a baby. I would respond with that by saying what better time to start a blog about baking than after you've had a baby. I've got hormones flying and and my taste buds are still out of whack. I thought it might make for some interesting creations :) Anyways, back to turning 30. I am having a big celebration in Vegas with a group of friends for my 30th birthday. Actually, we are celebrating all of us that are turning 30 this year. Let's hear it for 1978! We plan on partying by the pool all day one of the days and I am determined to look good in my bikini! I gained over 40 pounds when I was pregnant so I had the last 6-months to lose it. Despite all of the desserts I have made, I've done really well. I've only got 3 weeks to go and I don't want all of my efforts to go to waste so I've been kind of reluctant to make great desserts that I just know I will gorge myself on. After my birthday, I promise I will be back in full throttle.

Last night my husband was complaining about not having anything sweet to eat after dinner so I dug around in the pantry to see if there was anything quick I could whip up. I found a box of Pillsbury Fudge Supreme Chocolate Chunk Brownies. I threw in some oil, egg and water and presto, I had me a batch of brownies. I know...I know I'm a poser for not whipping up a batch of homemade brownies but, seriously, I don't think I could make any that taste as good as these. They may be the best brownies I have ever eaten. No joke. The next time you are at the grocery store, I would definitely recommend picking up a box. You will not regret it :)

Easy Creamy Homemade Banana Pudding

Ok, so I finally made it to the grocery store for some butter. I went ahead and bought 3 boxes so I wouldn't run out any time soon (and couldn't use my lack of butter as an excuse to be lazy and not make a new dessert). I mentioned earlier this week that I wanted to make homemade banana pudding. I grew up with my mom making it for us all of the time, using an old family recipe. It is soooo good. It is more of a vanilla pudding with bananas added to it. It has a thicker texture than most puddings but that is what I love about it. It is also really easy to make. It only takes about 20 minutes so you can whip it up in a flash. Also, pudding is so versatile in that you can serve it different ways. As you can see from my pictures, I served in out of a trifle bowl. You can also serve in individual pudding or dessert dishes which is very cute. I probably should have done that with this because I only made one batch and it barely even filled a quarter of my trifle dish! I would definitely recommend doubling or tripling the recipe if you want to serve it in larger dishes.

Enjoy!

Homemade Banana Pudding

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 stick butter

Directions:
Combine sugar, flour and milk. Cook on stove over low-medium heat until slightly thickened.
Add egg yolks and continue cooking until thick.
Add vanilla and butter.
Layer in bowl with Vanilla Wafers and bananas.


NOTE: this recipe only makes enough for about 4 people. I would recommend doubling the recipe to make a larger amount. You can tell from my pictures that I barely filled up a couple of inches on the bottom of my trifle bowl.