Saturday, December 31, 2011

2012 New Year cookies







This week I've decided we have too much stuff. Really, we do. There comes a point when you run out of room to put it all.

Seriously, there is only so much storage space.

Now, mind you I live on a military post in a duplex. Not much room to begin with. We don't even have a pantry for food. REALLY NO PANTRY. Who the heck can function without a pantry? My front closet I turned into a pantry months ago.....but anyway too much stuff in this house.

It's time for a New Year.......which gets me thinking about starting new.

So out with the old and in with the new. I started boxing up old toys, old clothes and just stuff we didn't use anymore to donate to goodwill. I'm one of those people who just hate clutter.

Sometimes I really want to just throw everything I own away and start all over from scratch. Don't you ever feel like that?

Well it's obvious I can't really throw out everything BUT I can throw out some things and have less clutter.

Do NOT mistake less clutter for less CUTTERS. I will continue to clutter the cookie room with cutters. After all it is my space to be creative and decorate cookies. It's the time I need to keep from going insane.

Ok.... I'm babbling again.

I made cookies for the New Year.

Can you believe it's going to be 2012 already? The time really does fly. Hopefully you were having fun when it was flying.

Ok so I couldn't do a tutorial on all the cookies, but I did do a tutorial on the party hat. Please excuse the fact that the first two pictures were taken of one hat and the rest were taken of the other hat. The same steps apply so just pretend it's the same hat.

First outline bottom of hat and top of hat.
 Fill with white 20 second icing
 Outline outer edge of cookie and diagonal lines in purple royal icing and #2 tip
Fill every other section with blue20 second icing and let dry a few hours
 Next fill remaining lines with purple 20 second icing and let dry several hours
 Now outline in between diagonal stripes of hat with grey royal icing
 Now while the grey icing is still wet pour silver disco dust over it and allow to dry about an hour
 Shake off excess disco dust (Don't worry about the excess disco dust left on the cookie)
Take a CLEAN paintbrush that you'll only use on food and brush excess disco dust off of cookie. Then you're done! 

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Mardi Gras Mask




As most of you know I only have one son and four girls. So things around here are usually all tiaras and sparkles. The girls usually have control of everything around here. The boys are just outnumbered.

 So the only time you hear us squeal is when we see a spider....a moth....and occasionally a grasshopper.....yes I can't stand grasshoppers. Look, they hop at you....Yuck.

The day after Christmas my son went deer hunting with his Paw Paw. He got his first two kills on this trip.....in all of ten minutes.  Right in the jugular....ONE shot. Yes, my baby know's how to shoot VERY well.

So right after the deer were shot, I got the picture text within minutes, which just made me so glad I purchased him an Iphone last year....so glad. If that wasn't bad enough, he came home today.....with some of the deer.

Well it has been a squealing kinda day around here. I guess my son figured he was due some squealing and grossness around here since he has had to deal with sparkles and tiaras around here all these years.

Guess who got to keep him company while he cleaned off the deer antlers that he wants to keep? You guessed it......ME. I squealed, I gagged, I ewwwwwwed, the works. It was utterly DISGUSTING! I know he appreciated the time I spent with him while he cleaned things up, but it was as gross as ever and I NEVER want to keep him company while he's doing that again.

When that was over I had to go to my happy place.....a very happy place.....COOKIES!

I love Mardi Gras mask. There are so many beautiful ones out there. I have a few that I've purchased over the years.

I knew I had to make some Mardi Gras mask. I bought two Mardi Gras mask cutters from the fabulous Coppergifts.com . Their cutters are never a disappointment.

They were very easy to make. I just outlined and filled the mask and let them dry. Then decorate the top however you want. It's super easy.

Here's an alternate mask that I decorated. They'll look pretty no matter how detailed or simple  you make them. 

If you missed the other Mardi Gras Cookies I made you can view them here.

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Mardi Gras



Ok so it's no secret I love Mardi Gras.....I mean come on,  I'm from New Orleans.

I grew up acting like a fool, drinking way too much and showing ta ta's for a pair of plastic beads. Yes, I've done that.....too many times then I'd care to admit. I think if you're from New Orleans you've done it at least once.

Parades are just fun.

I mean where else do people get excited over plastic beads and trinkets? Here in New Orleans NOTHING stops us from going to parades. We will go out in the cold, the heat, even the rain and snow if it's time for a parade. Some of us will even go if we're sick. It's just part of who we are.

Well,  most of you are probably working on New Years Eve cookies.....not me......I'm thinking of Mardi Gras.

I haven't been decorating cookies very long so this is my first Mardi Gras since I've been cookie-ing and I just couldn't wait to make Mardi Gras cookies. The New Year's cookies will have to come later. I have to get my Mardi Gras fix in.

Now that the cookies are done, I must go order a king cake because a king cake cookie just isn't gonna do it.

Any of y'all been to Mardi Gras?  If not you must come for a visit. It's really something to see.

Monday, December 26, 2011

MICKEY MOUSE Cupcakes



Well Christmas is over and it's almost time for a New Year.  Out with the old, in with the new.

Did y'all have a good Christmas? I know we all did here at my house. The kids loved everything they got. They had a box filled with different Mickey Mouse treats I made for them, a hundred Disney bucks each...

 and a poem to let them know......

WE'RE GOING TO DISNEY!!!!!!!!!

They were totally surprised and I've never seen them more excited.

The three older kids have been to Disney World twice already, but the two younger ones have never been.

We won't be going until February.....around Mardi Gras. Yes, I can't believe I'm going to give up Mardi Gras for Disney world....it's really unheard of.  I mean seriously in the heart of a New Orleans girl that comes right up there with Christmas. Mardi Gras is the end all be all of holidays......yes a holiday.

It's so much fun and unless you've been, you can't really understand where I'm coming from.

Well they will be plenty of parades before Mardi Gras day so I'll get my parade fix in there.

How was y'alls Christmas? Get anything special you were dying for?

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Merry Christmas!!!!!

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.

I hope your day has been filled with Joy and much happiness.

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but we traveled home to New Orleans for all of two days to visit the family quickly before coming home to wait for Santa. It was a fast, in a blink of an eye kinda trip.

So I didn't get to blog....but I did miss you and I did make you some amazing cookies.

Do you all have Julia Usher's new book, Ultimate Cookies? If not you must.....seriously she shows you some amazing tips. I've got three cookies to show you today. The first one I made from Julia Usher's book. GO order it now....it really is good!

Here's the first cookie I made....

SNOW GLOBES!!! I just love snow globes. 3D too....Julia Usher shows you how to make these in her book too!.....just one of the many techniques she teaches.


Next I made Santa cookies.....

I mean what Christmas would be complete without Santa cookies right? 


Then there were the green and red ornament cookies I made. Topped them off with some gold disco dust and ta daaaa they were done. 
  And last but not least were the Santa hats. They were fun to make and with the edible glitter they looked like the fur was on them for real. Cute huh?

Well I sure hope everyone is enjoying Christmas with the people they love most. I know I am. Today it's all about them.....tomorrow....back to cookies. 

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Pecan Pralines



Ok so it's less than a week before Christmas and it's been crazy in my house. Yes crazy. My daughter and I have been in the kitchen baking. She wanted to learn.

Normally I have a no kids in the kitchen policy. It's just too dangerous, but she wanted to learn a bit and have some mommy daughter time......so in the kitchen we went. It was such fun. We made lots of goodies for you.

Do you know how hard it is to get pictures of things when they get devoured in the matter of seconds.....YES seconds. These people are vultures!

Well I'm going to share some of my recipes with you. Yes SHARE. It's not in my nature to share. I guess as a kid I was never taught to do this......or I was and as usual I just didn't listen.

BUT........

In the spirit of Christmas I'm going to share.

Yesterday I shared my chocolate pie recipe

today........... Pecan Pralines.

You know I'm a New Orleans girl and this is my FAVORITE treat EVER! Yes ever.....well that and King Cake. Mardi Gras is around the corner ya know.....and I'm stoked. Yes, it's true it's all about boobies, liquor and beads......NO, SERIOUSLY.

So on to the Pralines. These make a great gift to give someone. Just put in a cello bag and tie with some cute Christmas ribbon......Ta Daaaaaa......a gift for your neighbors, if you don't eat them all. They're that good.


Pralines


2 c light brown sugar
1 c granulated sugar
1 c heavy cream
8 Tbsp unsalted butter
4 Tbsp water
1 c pecan halves



1) In a saucepan with a heavy bottom combine all ingredients EXCEPT the pecans

 2) Place over a medium/high heat and stir CONSTANTLY.
3) Continue to stir until the mixture reaches the soft ball stage (about 240˚)
 (picture below isn't quite there yet)
 We're there!
 4) after it reaches 240˚ remove from heat and add the pecans to the candy. 
 5) Continue to stir VIGOROUSLY with a wooden spoon until 
the candy cools and the pecans remain suspended in the candy.....about 2 minutes 
(does my spoon count as wooden if it has a wooden handle?)
 6) Spoon the pralines out onto a parchment lined pan. 
Or if all of your pans are being used to decorate cookies like mine......
line your counter with parchment paper.
7) after the pralines are completely cooled and have set up a couple hours 
you can bag them with cute ribbon or you can eat them all yourself
and make a second batch for your family and friends, like I did.

Monday, December 19, 2011

Chocolate Pie



It's a week till Christmas. This is my favorite time of the year. It makes me feel so good to get things for the kids and see their excited little faces as they stare and wonder what's in those packages under the tree.

Don't you just love giving to others?

I know I do. There's nothing nothing better around Christmas than the spirit of giving. So I'm going to give you something.......My grandmother's Chocolate Pie recipe. Yes....my grandmothers. I've held it close to my heart for years.

She would have given it to anyone, yet I've kept it in the family. I'm a bit Selfish. Well it's time to get into that giving spirit. Grandmother would have wanted it that way.

This is the best Chocolate pie recipe I've ever had. I apologize that I don't have a picture of a pie slice so you can see the beautifulness of it, but it went in minutes and these piranhas of mine wouldn't wait for me to take a picture. In their defense, it takes quite a while to get that perfect shot.

 Grandma's Chocolate Pie


1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp Cocoa
2 Tbsp corn starch
3 egg yolks (save whites for meringue)
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla
1 Tbsp butter


1) Mix all liquid ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer then sift in dry ingredients.

2) mix well



3) Cook until thick.....stirring constantly to prevent scorching.


4) After filling is thick pour into a beautiful handmade crust......or if you're pressed for time like I was use a store bought one. Bake the crust according to the package directions before adding the filling.



5)Beat 3 egg whites in your stand mixer on high until stiff. Add 6 Tbsp sugar (2Tbsp per egg). Mix again to incorporate sugar.

6) put Meringue on pie and bake at 350˚ until top is golden brown. (about 15 min)

Thursday, December 15, 2011

Fairy Cookies



I've been wrapping and wrapping presents and there seems to be no end to them. Y'all know what I mean?

Seriously it seems like the presents multiply when I'm not looking. Makes me rethink all this stuff I've bought.

I know I'll be rethinking those blocks when I'm stepping on them..... OUCH!

If you read my blog regularly you already know I'm OCD and my wrapping paper has to coordinate with my tree decorations.  Yes, SERIOUSLY......so wrapping presents isn't always a "fun" project. The paper needs to be just so, the bow needs to be just so.

What happened to the me who years ago bought a bag of pre made stick on bows and slapped them on? I want that girl back. It was so much easier that way.

Well if your a bow slapper......CONGRATULATIONS! You have the right idea and your wrapping will be less stressful and you will have more time to make amazing cookies. Unlike me who has been sticking with simple cookies because of OCD present wrapping.

GOOD NEWS is that I'm almost done wrapping. Everything was wrapped last night. I just need to make the bows......and cute labels.

I know these aren't Christmas cookies but they're cute. I was contacted by someone whose daughter was having a fairy themed party. This was what I came up with.  Not too bad right? If I wasn't so busy I could have taken a better picture, but y'all know I've got wrapping to do. You'll forgive me right?

Ok well I must get back to my tedious wrapping. Unless a wrapping fairy stops by....lol. I hope to be done today and making you amazing cookies by Monday.....deal?

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Christmas tree

Is it just me, or is it so busy this time of year that it seems you just can't get it all done? I mean is it really possible? My laundry says it isn't. 

With five kids y'all know I have my fair share of laundry, but geez I think it's taken over. If I had someone to just come and do my laundry I'd have it made. Any takers? 

I'll make you lots of cookies? 

No???

Ok, I understand. I don't blame you. Guess I'm stuck doing my own laundry......or staring at it from my cookie room.  I'll just keep baking, never to look up at the clothes needing to be folded so bad.

Well no Christmas would be complete without a tree. Y'all have your tree up yet? For those who procrastinate.....let's get with it and get it up. We only have eleven days left.

I really can't talk, my lights still aren't up. Nope, they are untangled and ready to go up outside, but my husband hasn't gotten to them yet.  PROCRASTINATOR! Yep that's him. 

Well I made some Christmas tree cookies and thought it just wasn't complete without some presents. Totally simple to make. 

Sorry for the lack of tutorial.......my laundry is calling me. I'll have a good tutorial for you guys soon to make up for it ok?

I knew y'all would understand. Hope everyone has a great day......and get your laundry folded. 





Tuesday, December 13, 2011

White Chocolate Chip cookies

It doesn't get much better than this. I am not a sugar cookie person. That's right, I decorate them but do not eat them. I don't really care for them at all. But, I love to decorate them. 


My weakness is WHITE CHOCOLATE....oh yeah, that's the good stuff.  I love white chocolate chip cookies. They are one of my favorites. Just plain simple goodness. 


They are so good. Nice and warm, fresh out the oven with a nice cup of coffee. 


Can you smell them? 


I wish you could. We could sit down with a warm cup of coffee, eat some white chocolate chip cookies and talk about cookie cutters and heels. Sound good?


I could use the company. 


Ok, Ok.....well you may not be able to come have cookies and coffee with me because I can't be giving out my address and all. Y'all know how many creepers they have out there? 


Lots!


So we can share cookies and coffee via bloggerville. Sound good? Hey, it's safer like this. 


Well if we are going to do this I'm going to have to give you my recipe right? 


Right.


There are many versions out there I'm sure, but this is the one I've altered to my taste. I use all pure ingredients and use good chocolate. It really does make a difference that you can taste.


White Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
3 cups flour, unsifted
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 bag white chocolate baking chips


 Preheat oven to 350˚
1) Cream together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar

2)add vanilla
3) add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated 


4)In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, and salt.


5) add flour mixture to wet ingredients a 1/2 cup at a time. Mixing just until incorporated. 

6) after  ingredients are mixed add white chocolate chips. Mix on lowest speed or 
fold in with a wooden spoon.


7) Drop a cookie scoop of batter on a baking sheet and bake at 350˚ for 11 min.



8) Remove from oven and let cool on a baking rack.


9) Serve with a cold glass of milk and enjoy with a friend.

Monday, December 12, 2011

Spice Cake Cookies

Ok so as some of you know I went down to New Orleans this weekend. My grandmother was having a huge eightieth birthday party at the country club.

We had a great time and it was so good being back home. Now we're only four hours away right now but it seems we never go home that often. So this was a treat. 

Well we are back home.....to my surprise that we didn't die....yes DIE.  Have I ever told you that my husband falls asleep in a matter of seconds? Seriously you can be taking to him and he'll just doze off. Yep!
Well normally I do all of the driving because, well I like my life.....BUT.....I decided to let him drive. 

The entire drive I was saying......baby....you tired? Baby your eyes are closing. Baby hey watch that car. Baby RED light!.............

Which, to all of my comments he replied "I'm not sleeping"

Now look.....either he's calling me a liar or he's sleeping .....right? sounds right to me. 

But Nope I must be making the stuff up. Gotta be. From now on he can ride in the passenger's seat. He can nap. 

Well before we left I baked six dozen cookies for the kids (they stayed home). No worries My son is 18 so they were all in good hands. They may have played video games all weekend and ate trash like pizza rolls, but I came home to 5 children who were still alive and look like they had more fun than they could handle. 

Wanna know how I made these? I thought you would. I got the recipe from my brother in law, who loves to bake as well. 

These are Spice Cake Cookies.....Don't they look yummy? Well they are! 

Spice Cake Cookies
1 box Duncan Hines Spice Cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil
2/3 cup Heath Toffee Bits (1/2 bag)


Preheat oven to 350˚
Mix cake mix, eggs and oil until completely mixed.


 After that's completely mixed....
Fold in Heath toffee bits.


Fold in well so the toffee bits are evenly distributed.


Using a cookie scoop....place cookie dough on cookie sheets


  Bake for 10-15 minutes.
I do mine for 11 min, but each oven varies.
 I take them out when the centers are a little underdone.
Let cool on cooling rack and serve to your little cookie monsters. 

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