Cookies for Santa

We made cookies for Santa as a family Christmas Eve afternoon. I thought I would share some photos as well as the recipes we used.

Sugar Cookies

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. sugar

2 eggs

3 tsp. vanilla

1 c. sour cream

1 tsp. salt

2 tsp. baking soda

5 1/2 c. flour

In mixer, cream butter and sugar, and then add eggs and vanilla. Add sour cream. Combine salt, soda, and flour, and add to mixture. Roll out on floured surface to about 1/4 to 1/3 inch thick.

Use a spatula to carefully slide under each cookie and place onto greased (with Pam) parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-8 minutes. 

**They will not look done! But DON'T give in to your temptation to cook "just a little bit longer" or you will get crunchy cookies instead of soft, pillow-like cookies. They are still very pale and have no browning anywhere. If you have a golden brown color along the edges then you have baked them to long.**

Wait about 5 minutes and then transfer carefully to a cooling rack. If you wait longer they will get soggy on the bottom and sometimes get stuck to the parchment paper. Let cool before icing.

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c. butter, softened

4 c. powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 - 1/3 c. milk

In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Beat in sugar and vanilla until crumbly. Gradually add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add desired food coloring.

Here are a few pictures from our cookie fun today! 

Merry Christmas to you and your family. Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

    

 

My youngest nephew, Cooper, is 2 1/2 years old. He iced one cookie and then we found him taking a bite out of the cookies on the cooling rack in front of him!

Pumpkin Bread with Pecan Streusel Topping

I know it's not the fall, but I've had this recipe for awhile and had a can of pumpkin I needed to use so I thought I would give this one a try! When I was a little girl my dad, sister and I also fought over the middle piece of bread when my mom made banana bread, zucchini bread or apple bread. We loved to cut out the middle and put butter on it while it was still warm. Making this bread reminded me of those times, except now I don't have to share the middle of the bread with anybody! : )

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. pecan halves

1 c. vegetable oil (canola or sunflower)

3 c. sugar

4 large eggs

1 (15 oz.) can of pure pumpkin

1 c. water

3 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Topping:

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 c. unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 c. toasted pecan pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans or 36 standard-size muffin cups with butter or cooking spray.

Arrange pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast them in the oven for 7-9 minutes, until golden brown. Reserve 1/2 cup of the toasted pecans for the topping.

Whisk the oil and sugar in a large bowl; add in eggs, pumpkin and water. Whisk until all ingredients are combined.

Stir in the flour, baking soda, spices and salt; gently stir in 1 cup of the pecan pieces.

Pour half the batter into each loaf pan. *For muffins, fill muffin pans almost to the top with batter).

Topping: Stir the sugar, butter, cinnamon and the reserved 1/2 cup of pecan pieces in a bowl. Sprinkle the topping liberally over the loaves or the muffins before baking.

Bake the loaves for 1 hour, or until a pick comes out clean. Bake the muffins for 30-35 minutes.

Cool and enjoy! It is so moist and yummy, and the streusel topping completes this bread. Definitely save this one for a football tailgate in the fall or Thanksgiving.

Easy Summer Salad

Source

I forgot to take a picture of my salad before eating it. This is a quick and easy salad to throw together during the summer and pair with chicken, fish or even burgers.

1 cucumber, sliced or cubed

2 tomatoes, diced (I also like to slice Roma tomatoes)

1 avocado, diced

1 small white onion, diced

Dressing:

Juice of one lime

1 Tbsp. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to tast

In a medium bowl, add cucumber, tomatoes, avocado and onion and mix. Mix up lime juice, EVOO and salt and pepper. Pour dressing over salad and toss lightly.

Enjoy!

Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and mix.

Strawberry Cobbler

Strawberry Cobbler

1/4 c. butter or margarine, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 1/4 c. tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. milk

3 c. fresh strawberries, cut in half lengthwise

Beat 1/4 c. softened butter at medium speed with an electric mixer. Gradually add 3/4 c. sugar, beating well. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix well.

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Add to butter mixture alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

Spoon half of the batter in a greased deep pie dish. Arrange the fresh strawberries on top, cut side down. Cover strawberries with remaining batter.

Topping:

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. butter or margarine, chilled

Combine 1/4 c. flour and 1/4 c. brown sugar. Cut in 1/4 c. chilled butter with a pastry blender until crumbly. Sprinkle on top of batter.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.