December 27, 2012

Linky Party Success

Thanks to all of my fans who liked my Sugar Cooke Squares recipe.....it ended up being the winner to the weekly Linky party I submit recipes too (I haven't in the past 2 weeks due to travel and being awfully sick) BUT my recipe was featured on another bloggers blog!!! YAY how exciting!!! That was my first win and I hope to have many more featured in the years to come.....with your help it will happen :-)


Sugar Cooke Squares




December 13, 2012

Surprise Germany Visit

Viele GrĂ¼sse aus Deutschland (Greetings from Germany) I just wanted to say hello to all of my friends, fans and followers out there and also wanted to let you know that I haven't forgotten about you!!

My family and I flew to Germany this past weekend, we are here to celebrate my Grandfathers 80th birthday! The weather has been COLD especially compared to the weather in Tucson but I did take a peak at the forecast and we are supposed to have some cooler temps when we get back.

The kids were so excited to see all the snow as we left the airport in Germany

I haven't done much cooking or baking while we have been here.....totally not me but hey we are on vacation right?! We should be back in Tucson sometime next week and I already have a few new things to try out and to share in mind.


Here is a link to some great information about German Food

December 7, 2012

Sugar Cookie Squares

If you have young children then you have probably made cut out sugar cookies to decorate around the Christmas time. My kids love decorating sugar cookies for Santa, it is cute to listen to them talk about which one he will eat first, which one he will share with his elves or maybe even give to the reindeer.

Sugar cookies are yummy but sometimes they come out too hard, too thin or lacking flavor. The recipe I came across online has not only turned out to be a super easy recipe but didn't require a floured surface to roll out the dough on!! They came out full of flavor and super moist. I will be using this recipe for future sugar cookie cravings.....but of course if the kids "want" to roll out cookies for Santa I won't stop them!!




Sugar Cookie Squares

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1 1/2 TBS plain yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F 
Grease a 13x9 with nonstick cooking spray

Combine dry ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until fluffy. Add both the whole egg and egg white, vanilla extract and yogurt; mix until ingredients are incorporated. Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture; stir just until combine and dough comes together. **Do not over mix**
With lightly greased hands, press dough evenly into the prepared baking pan.

Bake 20 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. 
**the top should not be brown, just the edges**

Now you can either leave the cookie in your baking pan to frost and cut into squares or you can let it cool about 15 minutes and then remove from baking pan to frost and cut. 


***next time I make these I am going to try to cut out shapes AFTER it comes out of the oven, I think it might work since the dough holds its shape well when cutting with a knife.....I will re-post an update once we give it a try***









December 2, 2012

Lemon Crinkles

Yesterday was not only our December book-club meeting but it also was our yearly Christmas Cookie Exchange. I brought 12 half dozen Lemon Crinkles to exchange and brought home 12 half dozen different cookies to try. I don't think baking this many cookies is the hard part of doing a cookie exchange for me it's deciding on which cookie to make. I have a collection of my all time favorites that I know taste great and turn out super but I also love trying new recipes out.

This year I decided to try out a new recipe I dug up online! This recipe is not only easy and requires very little ingredients but that taste great too. This recipe is going on my never-ending list of keeper recipes!



Lemon Crinkle Cookies 
                                                     makes about 2-3 dozen 

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
1 tsp lemon zest
1 TBS lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F & line your cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Combine dry ingredients (EXCEPT the powdered sugar) and set aside.

Cream sugar and butter until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, zest and juice; mix until ingredients are incorporated. Slowly stir in flour.

Either using a small scoop or a teaspoon scoop out dough and gently roll into balls, dip each in the powdered sugar to coat. Place on cookie sheet and bake 9-11 minutes (I actually had to bake mine 13 minutes but I rather put the lower time amount on here just in case your oven bakes hotter...its always easier to add a few minutes)

Cool for 2 minutes on cookie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in a airtight container.