SpongeBob & the Princess....

My weekend project...

I love a challenge, so when my friend's daughter wanted spongebob cookies, i was up for it!

I had a picture up on my computer screen the whole time i was working on these, but no matter how much I looked I couldn't *quite* ace him... but i'm pretty pleased anyway!

The little sweetie wanted her name on all the spongebobs.... That wasn't about to work for me, so i compromised with jumbo Birthday-Cake-Cookie! Pretty sure she'll be happy with that :)

Holiday/Winter 2007

I've never spent as much time in my kitchen as i did this winter. And, of course, I loved every minute of it :) Tried a few different recipes this Christmas for Cut Outs.... none of which i will probably ever make again... The chocolate was okay, but nothing special.. (and I've since found a MUCH better one....) Gingerbread is apparently not something *everyone* likes, because i can't even count how many times i wanted to throw away the dough just because of the smell and forget i ever tried to make them.... Glad I didn't, though, because I'm told they were very good! (That's what gingerbread is supposed to taste like? no thank you!)

Stemming from a thread posted on http://cakecentral.com/, these cookies were an attempt to recreate a cookie that someone posted a picture of. They looked like little scoops of ice cream, so i tried a recipe for spritz cookies, as those are known for holding their shape as they bake, added some flavors and coloring, and this is what i came up with.... the mint chocolate chip was the best!




INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
3 egg yolks
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract




DIRECTIONS
Mix the butter or margarine, sugar, egg yolks and vanilla. Add the flour and mix by hand.
Spoon into cookie press and press onto ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars.
Bake in preheated 400 degrees F (200 degrees C) oven for 7-10 minutes.










My Favorite recipe this year was one shared by a co-worker.... Easiest, fastest, & yummiest snack you can make!




Don't have the exact recipe handy, but basically you just cover the bottom of a pan (i used a 9"x13") with graham cracker squares, melt butter (maybe 1 stick)over the stove, add some brown sugar and vanilla and pour over the graham crackers. sprinkle with chopped pecans and bake for 8-10 minutes.






And I had to try the Holiday Icebox Cookies (Pinwheels) from Martha Stewart. The chocolate/vanilla were very good. I also made peppermint/almond. I learned that next time i make cookies with peppermint in them, they should be packaged seperately from the other cookies... or all the cookies in the tin taste minty-fresh..... live & learn!






And just as soon as i got the last of the cookie dough scraped off of every kitchen surface, it was New years already! Don't think i'll make a habit of decorating cookies for every new year's eve, but i had a few i deas to try out....

The clocks are definitely my favorite!

And what would a new years celebration be without some fireworks & balloons!

Fall 2007

Added a little spice to these Cut Outs for Fall.


A bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, and a few others :)Iced with Toba's Glace, to which I added some Maple flavoring. Perfect combination!

And then there's Halloween, of course! My favorite this year were the Teddy Bears-in-costume! The mummies were fun as well, but could use a little improvement next year.... :)

Spring/Summer 2007

Made these cookies just for fun, to try a new icing recipe. It didn't harden completely so stacking them was quite a mess, but the taste definitely made up for it!



1 stick of butter

5-6 TBSP Liquid CoffeeMate Creamer

A few cups of Powdered Sugar



Melt butter in a large bowl in the microwave, or you can melt it in a pot on the stove.

Once melted, whisk in a few big splashes of CoffeeMate. (I don't usually measure these things...!)

Add Powdered Sugar, until the consistency you need is achieved. (just a few cups if you want to dip the cookies in it, or make it thicker if you want to pipe it on with a pastry bag.)

If you add to much powdered sugar, just add a little bit of creamer at a time until its as thin as you need!

And this was the first time I made Royal Icing. I was always reluctant because when you think of Royal Icing, you think of the Break-Your-Teeth, Rock-Solid Gingerbread House "Glue". Found this recipe on Cake Central, posted by Antonia74

(Check her out @ http://marmaladecakecompany.com/ !)

I absolutely love this, and now use it more often than ony other Icing!

6 oz (3/4 cup) of warm water

5 Tablespoons meringue powder

1 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 kilogram (2.25 lbs.) powdered icing sugar

In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened...about 30 seconds. Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds more. Pour in all the icing sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer. Using the paddle attachment on the LOWEST speed, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes. Icing will get thick and creamy. Cover the bowl with a dampened tea-towel to prevent crusting and drying. Tint with food colourings or thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency.

I add different flavorings sometimes. I've added Lemon Extract, or Imitation Butter Flavor... They're both very Yummy!

Valentine's Day :)

2007: Only my second attempt at decorated cookies:

And Now:

.....Practice & Patience DO pay off!

Easter Cookies

I haven't started on my Easter cookies for this year yet, but with the holiday less than a month away I'm already planning!

These are from last year. I still love the "chick".... and will probably use that one again this year! As for the Easter Eggs.... I have big plans for those! And a few more in mind also.... :)

I've tried a few different Cut-Out Cookie recipes, but my *favorite* is from allrecipes.com

Thick Cut Outs

6 egg yolks
4 eggs
2 cups butter, softened
2 1/8 cups white sugar
7 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (um... i use quite a bit more!)

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Cover dough and chill for at least one hour.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets. (I use parchment paper) On a floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart on to the prepared baking sheets.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

This makes a very large batch of cookies.



The Icing on these cookies is not one I use often, but it is delicious!



Toba Garrett's Glace Icing


1 lb. confectioners' sugar

3/8 cup milk

3/8 cup light corn syrup

flavoring as desired


In a mixing bowl, mix the sugar and milk first. Add corn syrup just until combined. Divide to flavor and add color.



I always double this recipe, mainly because the powdered sugar I buy comes in 2 lb. bags. :)

So Much To do!

I have only been decorating cookie for just over a year. I'm starting this blog to share my progress with friends & family... as well as to keep track of my own progress! I've learned tons over this past year, and I have to thank all the wonderful members of CakeCentral.com for that!


I'll start with my most recent cookies, and over the next few day, hopefully i can got some more pictures on here... and some recipes, too!



Frames and "Canvas" are Royal Icing, and the "Art" is fondant. I've only recently began working with fondant, so i thought Cookie Picture Frames would be perfect for showing off my practice....