My Girl Paula: Star Sugar Cookies

I found this recipe in the magazine" Paula Deen's Holiday Baking 2009." I love sugar cookies. I don't like to ice them and decorate them, but sprinkling the sugar on them before baking is right up my alley!


I made these Monday night. I actually had all the ingredients, which was a big deciding factor! I didn't just make stars, tho; I made bells and trees, too.

These are really good. Hard to have just one!

Star Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar

1 cup confectioners sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
colored sugar sprinkles

Directions:

In large bowl, beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, mixing well. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Divide dough in half; chill 1 portion until ready to use.

On a lightly floured surface, roll remaining portion of dough to 1/8" thickness. Using a 2 1/2 inch cutter, cut dough and place on prepared baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Decorate as desired with colored sugard.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Let cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

Yield: 4-5 dozen

Cooking With Alicia & Annie: No Bake Oatmeal Cookies

This is my first entry for the Cooking with Alicia and Annie for the month of May. I did not enter any recipes last month and won the for the month of March. Yay! I got some really nice bags in the mail.

I found this recipe on Alicia's site. These cookies were super easy to make. I did have to add a little more oatmeal so they would be firmer. I would definitely make them again; so fast to make!


In a pot, mix: 2 cups sugar
1 stick butter
2 T cocoa
1/2 cup milk

Boil for one minute; removed from heat.


Add: 1 cup chopped nuts (optional) - I skipped
3 cups uncooked oatmeal





Drop by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet (I used wax paper). Do not cook. Cool. Ready to serve.

The Cookie Carnival: The Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I know this recipe is from the November posting. But....I never got around to making them. My loss! These cookies are YUMMY and CHOCOLATELY! Awesome with a glass of cold milk! I made these to take with me tomorrow. My son is walking the second part of the Barefoot Mailman with the boy scouts. I am one of the rides back home so I thought I would bake some cookies for a treat at the end of their walk. Especially for the boys who walked over 20 miles the first day and slept out. The boys are hiking with their back packs loaded with sleeping gear, clothes, food and drinks.



I used chocolate chunks and some regular semi-sweet chocolate chips.



Ingredients



1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 cups, plus 2 T all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
16 oz flavorful bitter or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped



Ingredients



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly butter them, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, or stand mixture fitted with paddle attachement, or a large bowl if mixing by had, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each additon. Beat in the vanilla.



Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.



Using your hadns, shape knobs of dough about the size of a large walnut and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Stagger the rows of cookies to ensure even baking. Bake 12-15 minutes for smaller cookies, 14-17 for larger ones or untile the tops are a light golden brown. If the cookies are neither firm nor dark when they are removed from the oven, they will cool chewy and soft. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.



If somehow they don't get inhaled immediately, they may be stored airtight at room temperature for up to one week.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

In the last Taste of Home magazine I received, I found only four recipes that I really wanted to try. This is one of them. When I said I wanted to bake something tonight, my son said I had to make these cookies! So, while I was waiting for the Ohio State Buckeyes to play in the Fiesta Bowl, I whipped them up.

The recipe was easy to follow. As you can see my drizzling has a lot to be desired! (By the way, like my new plated I received for Christmas? I love them!) The cookies are delicious. My son loves them!

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 pkg (13 oz) miniature peanut butter cups

Drizzle

1 cup (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

1 T creamy peanut butter

1 tsp shortening

Directions

In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda, gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Roll into 1 1/4 inch balls. Press a miniature peanut butter cup into each; reshape balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 2 minutes before remvoing form pans to wire racks.

For drizzle, in a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter and shortening; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

Yield: about 3 dozen.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

I have always liked these cookies so I decided to make them for Christmas this year. I had help from my granddaughter, Samantha. She liked rolling the dough between her hands. Austin liked stealing bites of the dough!

I found the recipe on Paula Deen's website. The cookies were yummy! I made balls instead of crescent shapes.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for coating baked cookies
1 cup butter at room temperature
1 cup pecans, chopped into very small pieces.

Directions

Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer at low speed, cream butter and confectioners sugar until smooth. Beat in the vanilla. At low speed, gradually add the flour. Mix the pecans with a spatula.

With floured hands, take out about 1 tablespoon of dough and shape into a crescent. Continue to dust hands with flour as you make more cookies. Place onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 40 minutes. Roll in additional confectioners sugar while still warm. Cool completely on wire racks.

TWD: Grandma's All-Occasion Sugar Cookies

Ulrike of Kuchenlatein chose Grandma's All-Occasion Sugar Cookies on pages 146-147.

I made the dough for these cookies the other day. After work, I rolled out the dough and my granddaughter, Samantha, picked out which shapes to use. She and my son decorated them. I found the recipe simple. I just don't like waiting for a dough to chill to finisha recipe, but the cookies are delicious. One of the better sugar cookies I have had. Let's hope Santa likes them just as much!

TWD: Chunky Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

I know I'm a little late with my post. No excuses, just lazy. I did make these yummy cookies chosen by Stefany of Proceed with Caution last weekend. Just never posted! These were a big hit at work and home. The recipe made a lot of cookies. I loved them dunked in a cold glass of milk!

Cookie Carnival: Chocolate Hazlenut Biscotti

This is my first posting for the Cookie Carnival. This month's recipe is Chocolate Hazelnut Biscotti. This was my first attempt at making biscotti. To be truthful, I have not had very many biscottis. These were excellent. I would definitely make these again. My son loves them dipped in milk; my mom said they are great dipped in coffee. Plus, it left her coffee with a wonderful taste! The recipe was very easy to follow and the final product was delicious.

Chocolate-Hazelnut Biscotti
Bon Appétit
from The Bakehouse, Bloomington, IN

Makes about 4 dozen.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups hazelnuts, toasted, husked (I used packaged chopped hazelnuts)
3 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line heavy large baking sheet with parchment paper. Grind 1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts in processor. Set aside.

Whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Beat butter and sugar in another large bowl to blend. Add eggs and vanilla and almond extracts and beat until well blended. Beat in flour mixture. Mix in 1 cup whole toasted hazelnuts, chocolate chips and 1/2 cup ground hazelnuts.

Divide dough into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece on baking sheet into 2 1/2-inch-wide by 14-inch-long log. Place logs on prepared baking sheet, spacing 2 1/2 inches apart (logs will spread during baking). Bake until logs feel firm when tops are gently pressed, about 35 minutes. Cool logs on baking sheet 15 minutes. Maintain oven temperature.

Using long wide spatula, transfer baked logs to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut warm logs crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices.

Arrange slices, cut side down, on 2 baking sheets. Bake biscotti until firm, about 15 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool completely. (Chocolate-Hazelnut Biscotti can be prepared ahead. Store in airtight container up to 4 days, or wrap in foil and freeze in resealable plastic bags up to 3 weeks.)

TWD: Granola Grabbers

This Tuesdays with Dorie recipe was Granola Grabbers, page 82, chosen by Michelle of Bad Girl Baking. It seemed like a lot of ingredients and I wasn't sure if I would actually like the cookies. The recipe was very simple and easy to follow. The dough was yummy and the cookies were chewy and delicious. They got rave reviews from family and work!

I didn't change anything in the recipe, kept all the ingredients. I thought the results was wonderful!

Italian American Cookie Sandwiches

Since I was anxious to use my new easy accent decorator from Pampered Chef, I decided to make these cookies of Giada De Laurentiis. My friend Michele of Alwayz Bakin' recommended these. I have to say they are YUMMY! The recipe was easy and not very many ingredients. My Pampered Chef toy worked great! It was simple to use and made some pretty cookies.

Since it was what I had in my fridge, I used strawberry preserves.

Here's the recipe:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 large egg

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips, optional (or other sprinkles)

1/2 cup strawberry, raspberry or other fruit preserves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl until fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add the flour and mix just until a dough forms.

Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip, and fill the pastry bag with the cookie dough. Pipe the dough onto the prepared baking sheets into stars, spacing 1-inch apart. If desired, press about 4 miniature chocolate chips into the center of each star at this point. Bake the cookies until they are pale golden around the edges and on the bottom, about 15 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes. Using a metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a rack and cool completely.

When the cookies have cooled, spoon approximately 1/4 teaspoon of preserves atop the flat side of 1 cookie. Press a second cookie onto the preserves. Repeat with the remaining cookies and preserves. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Store between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Cook's Notes: Alternately, the cookies can be made into thumbprint cookies. To do so, refrigerate the dough until it is cold, about 2 hours. Roll 2 teaspoons of dough for each cookie into 1-inch-diameter ball. Place the cookies on the baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie by pressing the back of a teaspoon into the cookies. Fill each indentation with 1/2 teaspoon of strawberry or raspberry preserves or chocolate chips, and bake as directed.

A chilled chocolate ganache may be used in place of the preserves to fill the indentations in these cookies. To do this, do not fill the indentations before baking the cookies. While the cookies bake, make the ganache by mixing equal parts of warm cream and chocolate until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth, then chill the ganache. Once the cookies have baked and cooled, and the chocolate ganache is cold and firm but still spreadable, spoon or pipe the chilled ganache into the empty indentations on the cookies.

My first attempt with the accent decorator:

Just out of the oven:

Yummy!

Peanut Butter Cookies

Here's my first blog....ever. Tonight, I felt like baking something. After looking through a couple cooking magazines, I found I had all the ingredients to make homemade peanut butter cookies. I found the recipe in the Collectors Edition 1999 "Taste of Home's Quick Cooking" magazine.

My son, Jimmy, helped out. The recipe was very simple to follow and probably some of the best cookies I ever made. They were soft on the inside and just hard enough on the outside.

Peanut Butter Cookies
Quick Cooking, Collectors Edition, 1999

1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 c. peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. baking powder
Additional sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add peanut butter, egg and vanilla; beat until smooth. Combine the flour, baking soda and baking powder; add to creamed mixture and mix well. For easier shaping, chill the dough for 1 hour.

Shape into 1 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten each ball by crisscrossing with the tines of a fork dipped in sugar.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned and cookies are set.

Yield: about 4 dozen.




Jimmy adding the egg into the batter.