SUGAR COOKIE CUT OUTS

This post is dedicated to my brother. He called me today to get my recipe for sugar cookies and scolded me for not posting it on my blog. Last year when he and his family where here for Christmas he took these pictures of the cookies we made, so I could post it on my blog. A year later I still haven't done it. I told him I thought it was too late in the season, and most people had probably already made their sugar cookies, but he thought I should still do it....

So here ya go Brady Shmady...love you and miss you!

Our family tradition is to decorate sugar cookies on Christmas Eve; always decorating a few special cookies for Santa! he he he



SUGAR COOKIE CUT OUTS
(Recipe adapted for Mindika Moments from Betty Crocker)

½ C. (1 stick) butter, softened

1 C. sugar
1 egg
½ C. sour cream
1 t. vanilla
3 ½ - 4 C. flour (start with 3 ½ C. then you can add more, little by little, until a stiff dough forms)*
½ t. salt
1 t. baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg and beat until fluffy.
3. Add sour cream and vanilla and blend well.
4. Sift together (or mix) flour, soda, and salt and gradually add to creamed mixture. At this point you may need to add a little flour. *
5. Roll out cookies and cut with cookie cutters. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet. When you have a sheet full of cookies, place in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes.**
6. Bake for 7-12 minutes depending on the size of your cutouts and the temp or your oven.***
7. When cool you can frost with your choice of frosting. I use my Vanilla Butter Cream Frosting, recipe found HERE.

ENJOY! and Merry Christmas to all!

*Flour amount can vary based on the altitude and the moisture in the air. High altitudes and dryer climates usually need less flour, but lower altitudes and moister climates need more.

**This step can be skipped but chilling your dough will help your cut out shapes stay in tacked through the baking process. I highly recommend this step if you are baking more detailed cut outs for Christmas, holidays etc…

***Your baking time will vary based on the size of your cut outs. Small 2” in cut outs usually only need about 7-8 minutes, where a larger 3-4” cut out may take up to 12 minutes. I would recommend setting the timer for about 7 minutes and watch carefully. Leave larger cookies in until they start to slightly brown around the edges.

LEMON ZUCCHINI COOKIES

Is your garden still overflowing with zucchini, like mine?

LEMON ZUCCHINI COOKIES
(Recipe from Betty Crocker)

3/4 C. soft butter
1 ½ C. sugar
2 eggs
1 C. grated/pureed Zucchini
1 C. chopped pecans
2 t. lemon zest
1 t. salt
2 ½ C. all purpose flour
2 t. baking soda

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lightly oil a cookie sheet, spray with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
3. Combine all ingredients and mix until they make a dough.
4. Scoop dough onto the prepared cookie sheet in 1 inch balls.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand to cool for approximately 15 minutes.
6. When cool, drizzle with glaze. (see recipe below)

GLAZE:
2 C. powdered sugar
juice of 1 lemon (1/4 C.)
1 t. vanilla

Mix all together. After cookies have cooled, drizzle the glaze on top of each cookie.

FLAXSEED OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Summer is kicking my butt! I can't seem to stay on top of anything these days. My "to do" list is growing daily, with no end in sight. I don't really feel busy all the time, but at the end of the day I'm amazed at how little I seem to accomplish. I realize less time could be spent at the pool, or playing outside, or biking with little r...but what fun would that be. Besides, I'm all too aware that winter will be knocking on the door sooner than I would like, and I'll have plenty of time to tackle that "to do" list.

So hopefully you'll forgive me if I miss a post from time to time, or I'm a little late...It's not my fault. Just blame it on summer!

One thing I have had time to do...make cookies. Little r has been all about the cookies lately. If she had it her way, cookies would be on the menu at every meal. So I decided I better find a way to sneak some good stuff into her cookie treats. I did a little adaptation on an oatmeal cookie recipe and taadaa...a cookie loaded with all the goodness of flaxseed. She liked it too!

FLAXSEED OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

(Recipe adaptation from All Recipes)

¾ C. butter (1 ½ sticks)
¾ C. granulated sugar
¾ C. lightly packed brown sugar
1 ½ C. flaxseed, lightly grounded
2 large eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 ¾ C. whole wheat flour
½ T. baking soda
1 ½ C. oatmeal
1 ½ C. chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugars; add flaxseed and set aside.
3. In another small bowl, beat eggs and vanilla together. Combine with flax mixture.
4. Sift together the flour and soda. Mix in oatmeal and combine with other ingredients.
5. Add the chocolate chips and mix well.
6. The dough will be thick. Form into balls and place on a baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
7. Cook for 10-12 minutes.
8. Makes about 3-4 dozen.

Why Andes Mints will never go out of business!

Tonight is book club! I'm the lucky host this month. I really am excited. We have the coolest book club. Our husbands think we're all crazy because it begins around 7 p.m. and has been known to go until well after midnight. How do they expect anything less...a good book, renewing conversation, amazing food, even more amazing women...it really is the recipe for a perfect night, that none of us ever want to end.

Tonight's book; The Giver, by Lois Lowry. Tonight's menu includes; homemade fettuccine pasta with a chicken artichoke lemon cream sauce, green salad, strawberry lemonade, and key lime cheesecake for dessert. I'm fasting all day to save up the calories for tonight. (Don't worry I'll post the recipes next week.) This menu is why today's post will be short and sweet. I've got to get cooking.

But I am leaving you with a sinfully delicious chocolate cookie recipe. I have no idea who first came up with this genius idea. Probably someone at the Andes Mint test kitchen. This recipe alone guarantee's that their product will never run out of buyers! I hope you like it as much as we do.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ANDES MINT COOKIES

1 devils food cake mix
½ C. oil
2 eggs
1 C. Chocolate Chips
1-2 pkgs. Andes Mints; unwrapped (Depending on the size of your cookies, you’ll need 25-35 mints)

1. In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix, oil and eggs. Mix well.
2. Stir in the chocolate chips, until well combined.
3. Spoon ½ -1 inch scoops of cookie dough onto a cookie sheet, 12 at a time. Using the back of a spoon, slightly flatten the cookie dough.
4. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
5. Immediately after they come out of the oven, place one mint on each cookie. Let them melt for about 30 seconds to a minute. Then, using a knife, spread like frosting all over the top of the cookie.

Friday Favorites - Sugar Plum!

I've followed Sugar Plum for quite awhile now and let me tell you...Emily can bake like no other. She can cook too, but this particular blog is all about the baking. Every recipe I've tried, has been deliciously amazing!

I'm sure this recipe will be no different. I have it on my list to make this weekend! Sweet Potato's in cookies...who would have thought. Brilliant! Thanks Emily for sharing your awesome talent!

SASSY MAPLE SWEET POTATO SANDIES

Click HERE for the recipe!

Easter Magic Cookies!

My good friend Sheila shared this cool Easter activity/recipe with me over 10 years ago. At the time I didn't have any children, but I shared it with my sister and we made these cookies with my nephew and nieces. I thought it was such a fun way to teach children about the true meaning of Easter, and to enjoy a fun Easter treat.

I can't wait until little "r" is old enough to understand, so we can add these fun cookies to our Easter tradition. I hope you all enjoy and I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend!


EASTER MAGIC COOKIES

Ingredients and tools:
1 C. whole walnuts or pecans (nut of choice)
1 t. vinegar
3 egg whites
pinch of salt
1 zip-lock bag
rolling pin or meat tenderizer (to crush the nuts)
Cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper
Masking tape
Bible

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

2. Put all the nuts into the zip-lock bag and have the children beat with the meat tenderizer to crush them.

Explain that after Jesus' arrest, he was beaten by Roman soldiers. Read John 19:1-3.

3. Let each child smell the vinegar. Pour 1 teaspoon vinegar into the mixing bowl.

Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the cross he was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30

4. Add the egg whites to the vinegar.

Tell the children that eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave his life so that we could be resurrected and have eternal life. Read John 10:10-11

5. Sprinkle a little salt into your hand. Let the children touch it and taste it. Then add a little to the bowl.

Explain that this represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers during his crucifixion. Read Luke 23:27
Ask the children if any of the ingredients seem very appetizing at this point?

6. Add 1 Cup sugar.

Explain that the sweetest thing about Easter is that Jesus died because he loved us so much. Read Psalm 34:8, John 3:16

7. Beat all the ingredients with a mixer on high for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks form.

Explain that the color white represents the purity. And that we can be pure because of the sacrifice Jesus made for us. Read Isaiah 1:18

8. Fold in the crushed nuts, then drop the dough by teaspoon fulls, about 2 inches apart, onto a cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper or wax paper.

Explain that each mound of dough represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid. Read Matt 27:57-60

9. Put the cookie sheet into the oven, close the door and turn the oven off.

Have the children help you tape the oven closed, to seal the door. Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read Matt 27:65-66

10. Leave the cookies in the oven overnight.

Explain to the children that it may seem sad or hard to leave the cookies int he oven overnight, but that's how Jesus' followers felt when his tomb was sealed. Read John 16:20,22

11. Wake the next morning before the children and remove the tape and open the oven door.

When the children wake up, have them come to the kitchen then give them each a cookie. Point out to them that the surface of the cookies are cracked, then have them each take a bite. The cookies will be hollow. Explain that on the first Easter Jesus' followers were surprised to find the tomb empty. However, when they realized what that meant, they rejoiced! Read John 11:25-26

Hurry up Spring...my mouth is watering!

I have to admit when I was a kid I hated lemon squares. I never understood the appeal. But my adult taste buds have changed their mind. They are so refreshing and yummy.

So when I came across this recipe for lemon squares in my Sunset Cookbook, I was intrigued by the berry twist. The original recipe calls for blueberries, so that's what I used and they are delicious. But I was thinking...wouldn't fresh raspberries be even more divine?? I can't wait to try them with raspberries as soon as my parents raspberry bushes are ready to harvest. Hurry up Spring...my mouth is watering!


BERRY LEMON SQUARES
(Recipe adapted from Sunset Cookbook)

2 ¼ C. flour
½ C. powdered sugar
1 C. butter (slightly softened)
4 large eggs
1 C. sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1/3 C. lemon juice
½ t. baking powder
1/8 t. salt
1 ½ C. blueberries, fresh or frozen (or raspberries)

1. In a food processor or a bowl, whirl or stir the flour and powdered sugar until blended. Add the butter and whirl or rub in with your fingers until the dough holds together when squeezed. Press evenly over the bottom of a 9x14 pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, in a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed or a whisk, beat eggs to blend with sugar, lemon peel, lemon juice, baking powder, and salt. Gently stir in blueberries or raspberries.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the pan over warm crust. Return to the oven and bake until filling no longer jiggles when the pan is gently shaken, about 25-35 minutes.
5. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.
6. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes for eating. You can eat them warm or cooled.
7. Store in the refrigerator.

If at first you don't succeed...

Several years ago when my husband and I were dating, he had to go out of town for a couple weeks. It was the first time we'd been apart for more than a day, since we'd started dating. I missed him so much while he was gone. That's when I first new that I really loved him. It's funny how sometimes people have to leave before you realize how much you don't want them to leave again.

The day before he was coming home I decided I wanted to do something to surprise him. Something that would let him know just how much I had missed him. I got the idea to give him personalized fortune cookies. I knew a place in Salt Lake where you could order them. You give them the fortunes and they put them in the cookies. Unfortunately I didn't have time for that. It took at least a week for the order.

That's when I decided...I should make them myself. Sure I've never made fortune cookies before, but I had seen a demo on the Food Network and it didn't look like rocket science. So, I went to work. I searched online for a recipe and got to baking.

Well it wasn't exactly rocket science, but it was pretty darn close. After two failed batches, I finally got the technique down and managed to salvage 14 half way decent fortune cookies out of the third batch, each one of them stuffed with a different reason I'd missed my man. I wrapped them up all cute, and couldn't wait to surprised him with my ingenious creation. Long story short, he was surprised, probably not to the degree my effort truly warranted, but excited and surprised non the less.

I haven't thought about attempting fortune cookies again, until I came across this post on one of my favorite sites Our Best Bites. She makes this look so easy. It got me thinking...this would be a fun and unexpected surprise for Valentine's day. I must say, homemade fortune cookies taste 100% better than the store bought kind. They melt in your mouth. And who doesn't love a secret little message, written just for them, wrapped in a buttery cookie!

So...this just may be what I'll be working on all day tomorrow. Hopefully it will turn out much better than last time. I'll keep you posted. Wish me luck!

UPDATE: I unfortunately didn't get a chance to make these. I spent Friday cuddling a sick baby girl who wouldn't let me put her down for more than 5 minutes. My poor husband had the most unfortunate Valentines day, nursing the two women in his life back to health. We'll have to have a make-up Valentines day...maybe next weekend.

Gingerbread Tradition...

Several years ago my sister and her family started the tradition of making and decorating gingerbread houses on Thanksgiving weekend. My husband and I have joined in for the last few years and now that we have a little family of our own, we definitely want this to become one of our family traditions. We weren't sure our little 1 year old would have much interest this year, but we were soooo wrong. Little "R" had the time of her life. She thought she was such a "big" girl helping to decorate, and then of course there was the candy...so much candy. What little munchkin wouldn't be in heaven?

Here's our finished product...


We of course won't be eating this creation. The gingerbread recipe I use for the house's cooks up as hard as a rock and after a few weeks the candy would chip a tooth. But it's sure fun to look at through the holidays.

For our gingerbread taste craving, I prefer these delicious "soft" gingerbread cookies. Most everyone I know already has this recipe, so sorry it's not that original. But just in case you don't have it, I had to post it. These are the yummiest cookies ever. I have to admit, I sometimes make these even when it's not the holidays.


SOFT GINGERBREAD COOKIES

2 ¼ C. Flour
2 t. ground ginger
1 t. baking soda
¾ t. cinnamon
½ t. cloves
¾ C. butter
1 C. sugar
1 egg
¼ C. molasses
2 T. sugar (for dipping)

1. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves in a small mixing bowl.
2. In a mixing bowl cream the butter sugar and egg. Add the molasses beat well.
3. Stir the flour mixture into egg mixture.
4. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar to coat.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
6. Makes 2-3 dozen cookies.

It's been awhile...

since I've posted anything chocolatey. I made these a few weeks ago for my husbands family. They are all chocoholics. You can't get more chocolate than these double chocolate cookies. Pretty easy as well. Enjoy!


CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES

1 package chocolate cake mix
1/3 cup water
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 large egg
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar (for rolling)

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the cake mix, water, melted butter, and egg with an electric mixer on low speed for 1 minute.
2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure all ingredients are well combined.
3. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute more.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips until incorporated throughout the dough.
5. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 2 hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners. Alternatively, lightly grease cookie sheets with shortening or nonstick cooking spray.
7. Place the confectioners' sugar in a shallow dish.
8. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls into the confectioner's sugar and roll in sugar to coat as you shape them into balls.
9. Place on lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
10. Bake the cookies 10 to 12 minutes, until they are set with surface cracks but still slightly soft in the center. Do not overbake.
11. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest on the cookie sheets for 1 minute.
12. Remove the cookies with a spatula to wire racks to cool completely.
13. Store in an airtight container, between layers of parchment or wax paper for up to 1 week.

Note: To make the chocolate crinkle cookies look snowier, dip them in confectioners' sugar again after they are cool.

This recipe yields about 4 dozen Easy Chocolate Crinkle (Crackle) Cake Mix Cookies

Happy Birthday to Me!

In honor of my birthday today, I'm posting one of my favorite cookie recipes. They are so light and fresh, you can eat a dozen and not even realize it...So be careful!


COCONUT LIME COOKIES
(Mindi Original)

½ C. butter
¾ C. white sugar
1 t. coconut extract
Juice of 1 lime
Zest of 1 lime
1 egg
2 cups flour
1 t. cream of tartar
½ t. baking soda
½ t. salt

1. Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
2. Add the coconut extract, lime juice, lime zest and mix well.
3. Beat in the egg, mix well.
4. Sift together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and fold them into the butter mixture until a dough forms.
5. Place the dough on a sheet of wax paper and roll into a cylinder about 2 inches in diameter, twisting the ends of the paper together.
6. Place in the freezer until the dough is firm; about 15-30 minutes.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
8. Peel the wax paper away from the cylinder and cut the dough into 1/4 inch round slices.
9. Place the cookies on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes.
10. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.
11. When cool, frost with lime glaze frosting.
12. Makes about 24 cookies.

LIME GLAZE FROSTING

1 ½ C. Powdered Sugar
3 T. fresh lime juice
1 T. lime zest

1. Mix all ingredients until glaze is formed.

How do you bribe an Elder?

Melinda, this post is just for you!

When I served my LDS mission in South Carolina, I had a very wise trainer who taught me an important lesson...sometimes you have to bribe the elders to get what you need...and these peanut butter bars always did the trick.

In fact the elders loved them so much that later in my mission my entire district of Elders kidnapped my gold fish and held it ransom for these cookies. Yes Stacy...one of them was your husband! You'll have to make these cookies and ask him about my poor little Sellwood.

(For those of you who are not members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints "Mormons", when we are 19 and 21 we can go and serve missions for our church. We serve for 18 months to 2 years and we travel teaching people about Christ and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Women missionaries are called sisters and male missionaries are called elders. For more information you can visit www.lds.org)


(The name Norwood is a combination of Nordfelt and Atwood. The elders on our mission started combining our name to Norwood because they said we were so much alike. Thus I now call these cookies Norwood Peanut Butter Bars.)

NORWOOD PEANUT BUTTER BARS
(Recipe courtesy Melinda Atwood Oldham)

1 C. white sugar
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. butter softened
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
1 C. peanut butter
2 C. flour
2 t. soda
1 t. salt
2 C. instant oats

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a 9x13 pan by spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Cream sugar, butter, and eggs until well blended.
3. Add vanilla peanut butter, mix well.
4. Stir in dry ingredients, including oats.
5. Spread into the prepared 9x13 pan and bake for 20 minutes.
6. Cool for 15 minutes then spread with chocolate frosting. (recipe below)

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

2 C. powdered sugar
2 T. Coco
2 T. butter
1 t. vanilla
2 T. milk

Mix powdered sugar, coco and butter in a mixer. Add vanilla an milk, mix until creamy.

You put chocolate in my peanutbutter...

That's what my husband said the first time I made these cookies. He wasn't sure what he would think of mixing chocolate chip cookies with peanut butter cookies. I thought it was a no brainer! It's like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup...who doesn't love those??


PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
(Mindi Original)

½ C. peanut butter
½ C. butter
½ C. granulated sugar
½ C. packed brown sugar
½ t. baking soda
½ t. baking powder
1 egg
½ t. vanilla
1 ¼ C. all-purpose flour
1 12 oz. package (2 cups) milk chocolate chips

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and peanut butter until creamy.
2. Add the sugar, brown sugar, baking soda and baking powder. Beat until combined.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla, until combined.
4. Add flour, mix until incorporated. Mix in chocolate chips.
5. Chill dough for 15-20 minutes in the refrigerator.
6. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an un-greased cookie sheet.
7. Flatten the balls using a fork, making crisscross marks.
8. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-9 minutes.

MINDIKA'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

To share or not to share? I can't believe I'm doing this. I have a million cookie recipes, but this one is particularly special to me. Other than family and a few special people I've never given it to anyone. I created this recipe in high school. I was taking a foods class and one of our chapters was on baking. We learned all the properties of different ingredients and the role they play in the baking process. At the end of the chapter we all had to develop our own cake, cookie or brownie recipe. We baked them for the class and everyone voted for which one they liked the most. I won first place with this cookie recipe.

What I love so much about this particular recipe; It has half the butter or fat than the average chocolate chip cookies recipe. It also uses all brown sugar and no white. This gives the cookie more of a caramel flavor. I think the cookies taste even better the second day. They also freeze really well.

So there you have it...I'm divulging one of my secret recipes. I hope you enjoy the cookies as much as we do.



MINDIKA'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
(Mindi Original)

½ C. butter softened
1 ½ C. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
2 C. flour
1 bag chocolate chips

1. Cream together butter and brown sugar until well combined.
2. Add eggs and vanilla, mix for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
3. Sift together dry ingredients and add to wet. Mix well
4. Add chocolate chips. Mix well.
5. Scoop into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes.
7. Allow to cool.