Sugar Cookie Recipe

Here is the Sugar Cookie recipe I used.  It is a pretty traditional recipe.  I tripled the original recipe because I was mixing it up in my Kitchen Aid

1c. butter softened
1c. shortening
2 1/2c sugar
3 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
3 eggs
3 tsp vanilla
6 c. flour

Cream butter and shortening.  Add sugar, baking powder and salt.  Beat until combined.  Add in eggs and vanilla. Beat in flour.  Add 1 cup at a time.

divide dough into 4 or 5 balls.  Roll out between 2 pieces of wax or parchment paper.  Place on Cookie sheet and place in fridge.  Chill till firm an hour or so.

Pre heat oven to 375F

Cut out desired shapes and transfer to parchment paper lined baking sheet or stone.  Must admit my preference at this point is a stone.

Bake for 7-9 minutes.  Time will vary based on the size of the cookie.  Cookies should be firm at the edges and the bottom just lightly brown.

Transfer to cooling rack and let cool completely before decorating.

I am hoping to do some cookie decorating today with a cookie glaze.  It works as well as Royal icing but is stays soft.  I am hoping to decorating Princess crowns and wands as well as some Airplanes. 

Star Wars cookies

My husband and youngest son are attending the Dorchester International Cub Camp in Dorchester ON., this weekend.  There is a new theme every year and this year the theme is Star Wars.  So of course I had to pull out some of the Star Wars bake wear I have been given.  I have a wonderful friend who picked me up the Star Wars Sandwich cutters.  They work wonderfully as cookie cutters!

 

I used a Basic Sugar Cookie recipe.  The best tip I have ever heard about sugar cookies is - "before you chill the dough roll it out between two sheets of wax paper or parchment paper. Then chill."  It makes it so much easier to roll out the dough!

I would have loved to have the Star Wars cookie cutter.  They impress into the cookie.  Which I would love to use on Fondant! I decided to keep the icing simple.  Don't want to sugar up the Cubs at Mug Up!  I used Chocolate Buttercream to outline the ships

The taste tasters enjoyed the cookies. 

Do you have a favourite Sugar cookie recipe?  Are you willing to share?

~Shay~

Easy Granola Bars

I am getting frustrated with all of the additives in our foods as well as the shrinking packages.  So I am on the look out for healthy and yummy snack foods for my kids.  I found a recipe for Granola Bars on the All Recipe website.  Here is the link to the original recipe.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/easy-granola-bars/detail.aspx

• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

I substituted 1/2 c. extra chocolate chips and  1/2 c. extra coconut for the 1 cup almonds.  I also omitted the dried cranberries.  My crew really enjoyed them. No pictures because my family has eaten most of them already I am planning on playing around with this recipe.  I am planning on making some with dried pears as well as other fruits that I dry here. 

What snack food recipe do you find you make frequently?  Please feel free to share!

~ Shay ~

Butter Cake

Going to try another new recipe today.

BUTTER CAKE

3c flour
2c sugar
1c butter
1c milk
1T vanilla paste
5 eggs - separated

Cream butter and sugar,  Add egg yolks, one at a time.  Add flour, alternating with the milk and vanilla.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold into batter.

Bake at 350 for 40mins?  I will be baking this in my Wilton Sportsball pan so I will be watching the time closely.

I will post pictures after I have baked the cake and will give a review at that point.

~ Shay ~