Christmas Cookie Day: Spiced Sugar Cookies
Posted: December 11, 2013 Filed under: cookies, eggs! | Tags: Christmas, cinnamon, cookies, eggs, food, Holiday, recipes, spiced, sugar cookies 3 Comments
spiced sugar cookies danced in their heads
I’m a little behind with my Christmas baking this year. We can blame Thanksgiving for being so “late.” But let’s be honest, it’s never too late to start making Christmas cookies.
First up this year are classic sugar cookies with holiday spices. I cut them into festive shapes to get myself into the holiday spirit. But please, don’t judge my decorating skills. There’s a reason I don’t draw or paint for a living. I don’t have a lot of patience, and I think that has a lot to do with it. The only good thing about being a crummy cookie decorator is that you get to keep the rejects for yourself. And I maybe kinda sorta messed up a few on purpose. Oops. Hope that doesn’t put me on the naughty list. Maybe I can persuade Santa with a few of these tasty cookies.
Spiced Sugar Cookies
For the cookies:
2 1/3 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
½ teaspoon of nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup (2 sticks) of unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cup of sugar
1 egg
2 teaspoons of vanilla
Holiday cookie cutters
For the icing:
1 cup of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons of milk, plus more if necessary
Holiday sprinkles and green & red colored sugar
In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, and then add the eggs and vanilla. Add the flour mixture a little at a time until well combined. Refrigerate dough until firm, about 2 hours.
Heat your oven to 375º.
Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Carefully cut into shapes using the cookies cutters and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly browned. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes and then place a rack to cool completely.
While cookies are cooling, make the icing. Combine the powdered sugar and milk in a small bowl. Add more sugar or milk depending on how thick you want it. Hold the cookies by their edges and use a spoon to pour the icing over them. Let any access icing run off, and then place on a sheet of parchment paper. Add sprinkles, colored sugar or other decorations, and let dry. Then eat. Or, leave them for Santa on Christmas Eve (wink, wink).
A Taste of Turkey Day
Posted: November 27, 2013 Filed under: meat, sauces & gravy | Tags: comfort food, food, gravy, Holiday, recipes, thanksgiving, turkey, turkey breast 3 Comments
thank-full
You know what I’m thankful for? It’s a short list, but a significant one.
My friends. My family. My cat.
Good TV. Bad horror movies.
Chocolate chip cookies and multigrain Scoops.
Beach days and carefree nights.
And, meals like this one.
I know everyone has their own Thanksgiving traditions, filled with comforting side dishes, weird classics (canned cranberries anyone?) and favorite desserts. And that’s what’s so great about this holiday. That no matter what’s on your plate, there’s always something to be thankful for.
Plus, it’s the one day of the year that you get to openly stuff your face without any judgement.
Also don’t think for a minute that you have to make a giant 23 lb turkey to enjoy the splendors of Thanksgiving. By all means, go for the big bird if you’re feeding an army of hungry family and friends. But if it’s just a handful of folks, go for a turkey breast. You’ll get all of the goodness with less fuss. A simple rub like this puts a different spin on your typical turkey day feast.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
Sage & Cayenne Rubbed Turkey Breast with Pan Gravy
1 3.5 to 4 lb bone-in turkey breast
1 1/2 teaspoon of sage
1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of cumin
1/4 teaspoon of paprika
1 cup of chicken broth
2 tablespoons of butter
2 tablespoons of flour
Salt & pepper
Rinse the turkey breast with water and then lightly pat dry with paper towels.
In a small bowl, combine the sage, cayenne, salt, cumin and paprika. Gently rub the spices all over the turkey breast and let stand for 1 hour at room temperature. (Or, if you have the time: Place in the fridge uncovered overnight. Let stand 1 hour at room temperature before roasting.)
Heat your oven to 350º.
Place the turkey breast skin-side up in a roasting pan with a wire rack. Add the broth to the pan plus 1 cup of water. Roast for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 155º to 160º degrees. Occasionally baste the turkey with pan juices to keep it moist. When fully cooked, transfer to a platter or cutting board and let stand 20 minutes before carving.
While the turkey breast is resting, make the gravy. Pour the pan juices through a strainer and discard any solids. In a small skillet, heat the butter over low heat. When melted and bubbling, stir in the flour and let cook for 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of the reserved pan juices, and continue cooking over low heat until the gravy thickens. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Carve the turkey breast into large slices, top with pan gravy, and eat.
Christmas Cookie Day: Hello Dollies
Posted: December 19, 2011 Filed under: cookies | Tags: chocolate, dessert, food, Holiday, recipes 5 Comments
helloooo!
Christmas is only in six days, people! Are you ready? Do you need an easy treat to help get you through the hustle and bustle? These many-layered bars should do the trick. They go by several names, but at our house they’ve always been known as Hello Dollies. I think that’s because after your first bite, you’ll be shouting Helloooo Dollllllie! due to how good they are. I’ve changed the recipe I got from my mom just a bit, by using dark chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet, and I’ve added peanut butter chips because, well … I couldn’t resist. What’s really great about these bars is that it’s baking at its easiest: you just layer yummy ingredients into dish and bake.
Hello Dollies (aka Magic Cookie Bars)
– 1 stick margarine or butter
– 2 cups of graham cracker crumbs
– 1 cup flaked coconut
– 1 10z bag of dark chocolate chips
– 1 10z bag of peanut butter chips
– 1 cup chopped walnuts
– 1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk
– 9×13 baking dish
– Parchment paper
– Cooking spray
Heat your oven to 350º.
Lightly coat the baking dish with cooking spray, and then line it with parchment paper. Make sure some paper hangs over the edge, as this will make it very easy to remove and cut the bars after they bake.
Melt the margarine and then pour it into the baking dish. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs across the entire bottom of the dish, and then add the rest of the layers: coconut, dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips and chopped walnuts. Lastly, pour the can of sweetened condensed milk over the entire thing, and then bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Let the bars cool completely in the dish. Use the parchment paper to lift them out, cut into squares, and eat.
check out all those layers
Looking for more Christmas cookie ideas? Try a cookie with a nice chocolate-y surprise in the middle. Or a cookie that combines two holiday favorites: chocolate and liquor.
egg me on 