Icebox Sugar Cookies

There really is something nostalgic about sugar cookies, rolling them out, cutting out fun shapes, covering them with icing and sprinkles….and making a GIANT mess! I ran across this sugar cookie recipe about a year and a half ago and now I have a REALLY hard time wanting to make any other sugar cookie. I make the dough, and freeze it. Then when the kids are ready to make them, I give them each a bowl of sprinkles and sugar for dipping. They have a blast covering their cookie in brightly colored sprinkles and the mess is minimal. To make it even better, they are DELICIOUS!

 

Icebox Sugar Cookies
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp. (3/4 stick) butter,at room temperature
1 large egg
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
Sugar and sprinkles, for dipping

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
2. In another medium bowl, using a handheld mixer set at medium speed, beat the 1 cup of sugar and the butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the egg, corn syrup, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
3. Using a spoon, gradually stir in the flour mixture. Transfer the dough to a sheet of waxed paper and form it into a log about 12 inches long and 1 inch in diameter. Wrap the log of dough in the waxed paper and refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Lightly spray 2 nonstick cookie sheets with oil.
5. Unwrap the chilled dough. Place the sugar and sprinkles  in a small bowl. Cut the dough crosswise into 1/4 inch rounds. Dip each round in the sugar, place the cookies sugar side up, 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
6. One sheet at a time, bake the cookies until lightly browned around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. The centers may seem slightly underdone, but they will firm when cooled. Cool the cookies in the pan for 1 minute, then transfer to a wire cake rack to cool completely.  ( I  really try not to let them get brown at all. If you can pull them out before they get brown they are super tender once they cool.)

Zucchini Bread

It’s that time of year again and we are swimming in zucchini! I have frozen over 20 cups of grated zucchini and have even tried freezing slices for baked zucchini later in the year.  Despite the heat here in Cali, I have made countless loaves of zucchini bread. Yum, yum, yummy!

This is my tried and true favorite zucchini bread recipe. I have changed a few things from the original recipe. I substituted applesauce for some of the oil and I added more zucchini. Which helps me feel a little better about the vast amount of bread I consume!

 

Lower Fat Zucchini Bread
2 eggs
1 2/3 c. sugar
2/3 c. oil
3 tsp. vanilla
1/3 c. applesauce
3-4 c. grated zucchini (the more you use, the heavier your bread will be. I try to stick with around 3 1/2 c.)
3 c. flour, sifted
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
nuts, or chocolate chips if desired

Bead eggs until light and creamy. Add sugar, vanilla, oil, applesauce, and zucchini. Mix lightly, but well. Add dry ingredients, sifted together. Mix until blended. Stir in nuts or chips if desired. Pour into 2 loaf pans. (My kids love mini muffins, and I prefer the small loaf pans they just cook easier.)
Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour.
Enjoy!

Chicken Salad

I got this recipe from my Visiting Teacher and it is great with croussants.

Ingredients: 6 chicken breasts without skin (6-8 chicken breasts needed) or I get a rotissore chicken from Costco
4 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon celery seed
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1/2 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon lemon Juice
2 teaspoons water
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups celery chopped
1 cup red grapes
1/2 cup almonds toasted
1 cup mayonnaise

Directions:
Steam breasts; let cool and shred.
Mix together sugar, basil, and pepper.
Add 1 tsp. of paprika, dry mustard, garlic salt, tarragon, celery seed, and seasoning salt.
Mix together the rice vinegar, lemon juice, water, and vegetable oil.
Mix all the above together and refrigerate overnight.
Before serving add 2 cups of chopped celery, 1 cup of red grapes, 1/2 cup toasted almonds, and 1 cup of mayo. Serve with rolls.

The Softest Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 pkg. instant vanilla pudding mix
1 egg
1/2 pkg. chocolate chips (1 cup)
1/2 cup nuts (optional)

Combine butter, sugars and pudding mix, beating until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and beat until smooth. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. Even though you use butter these cookies hold their shape and are puffy and soft. They also taste great. I think it would be fun to try different flavored puddings! Enjoy! I found this recipe at http://thepioneerwoman.com/tasty-kitchen-blog/

Blueberry Cobbler Cake

A friend of mine brought this to our Friday potluck and it was Amazing!! Before you look at the ingredients, take a long look at the picture and convince yourself that you MUST make this. Otherwise the copious amount of butter might just freak you out!!
I really think you could do without so much crumble on the top, so if you wanted to you could just make less of it… I would also say the more blueberries, the better!

  
Blueberry Cobbler Cake
4 1/2 cups flour, divided 
1 1/2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. salt, divided 
3 sticks unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
Two baskets (each 11 oz) fresh blueberries

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.  In a medium bowl, using your fingers, combine 3 cups flour,
the brown sugar, and 1/2 tsp. salt.  Mix in all but 2 tablespoons butter until large crumbs form; set aside. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the egg and the buttermilk. In a medium bowl, stir together the remaining 1 1/2 cups flour, the granulated sugar, baking powder and remaining  1/2 teaspoon salt.  Add the egg mixture and stir to form a thick, smooth batter.

Fold about a third of the reserved crumb mixture into the batter; spread evenly into the prepared baking dish.
Scatter the blueberries/cherries over the batter; sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top. 
Bake until the cake is golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.  Transfer to a rack to cool for about 20 minutes before serving.
ENJOY!!