Friday, April 26, 2013

{The BEST} Little Lemon Cookies {Ever}

 
 
Happy Friday!

When you get an email from your bff with a link to a recipe that she thinks is awesome...you make it...like THAT day!
What other people think tastes amazing and what you actually think might be added into the permanent file folder of {amazing} recipes can be two totally different things, however, when your bff who knows you oh.so.well suggests something with you in mind, you know it is gonna be good.  And although we disagree on music, body piercings, and family pets...she loves me and accepts me just the way I am.  We love to talk about our faith in Jesus, our love for our husbands, our precious children, our families, our friends, our current obsessions, picnics, paper straws, fun fonts and prints, things that make our hearts happy and things that break our hearts.  We can call eachother any time of day or night.  She loves our children like her own and we love her children like they are OUR own.  So, I am sharing a quick recipe with YOU that I know you are going to LOVE.

Maybe you will share it with your bff, too! This little lemon cookie will always remind me of my bff and the the JOY she brings to my life.  I love you, bunny!

P.S.  I think you really need to consider a dachshund, baby chickens, a pig or maybe a goat! :}

Little Lemon Cookies
Makes 2 dozen

Ingredients:

½ cups butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoons vanilla {I used vanilla paste}

1 egg

1 teaspoon lemon zest {zest from 1/2 of a large lemon}

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice {I used organic Italian Volcano lemon juice}

¼ teaspoons  sea salt

¼ teaspoons baking powder

⅛ teaspoons baking soda

1-½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cups powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350*. Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
{I use the SILPAT}

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again.
Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar.
Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly.
Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate.
Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. {I use a mini ice cream scoop}
Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}.
Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

Recipe from Lauren Brennan

MY VARIATION:  I had some leftover lemon buttercream and placed it between two cookies!  OH.MY!!!  You will want to try it!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Placed inside a mason jar will keep these deicate cookies fresh...unless you eat them all at once...which is s distinct possibility. 
{You will want to double this for sure...as they freeze beautifully!}
 
 
 
 
Other ideas I will be experimenting with:  Chopped up into ice cream, used as a cheesecake base, drizzled with chocolate icing, served with raspberry sorbet, the crust of a fruit tart, filled with strawberry buttercream...on the to.do.list for today...
I am sure there will be more experimenting, too!
 
 
 
Shared with:  stone gable
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Monday, April 22, 2013

Zesty Strawberry Shortcake {to go}





When the birdies start chirpin' early in the morning and the sunbeams bounce off your warm bed blankets, you know SPRING is in the air which means picnic season is on its way! Although we enjoy picnics all year long {making picnic fare and eating at games, in the car etc.} warmer temps mean hikes, bike rides, adventure in the warm fresh air! What do you look forward to when the sun starts to shine and mornings start to become a tad bit warmer?

Here is a quick recipe that beats the storebought variety. It will take you less time to make these yummies than it will take you to make a trip to your local grocery store! The smell of the orange zest baking in these biscuits will entice your children to be members of "the clean plate club"!...with the promise of a healthy dessert to follow!



Zesty Strawberry Shortcake
Lisa Pearson

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour

2 Tbsp. organic sugar

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 tsp. sea salt

Zest of 1 orange

1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened OR Organic All Vegetable Shortening {Spectrum brand}

1 cup whipping cream...sweetened a bit OR Vanilla Soymilk

Extra cream or soymilk
Coarse sugar

DIRECTIONS:
• Mix dry ingredients together; Cut in butter; Add cream. Mix until dough is soft
and ingredients are all mixed in. It will look like cookie dough.

• Place six to eight mounds on greased baking sheet or SILPAT. Flatten just a bit.

• Brush tops with cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

• Bake at 425 for 7-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: Let cool and wrap each shortcake in cellophane bag. Tie with string.

BERRIES:
*Slice four pints of fresh strawberries, add about half cup of sugar

*Sprinkle with a little lemon juice;

*Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*Slice shortcake in half, add strawberries, top with ice cream.

If you want to make these in advance, just bag the individual wrapped shortcakes, put into gallon Ziploc bag and freeze. They will stay as fresh as the day you baked them!

...OR...you can make lots and lots and lots and have friends over and enjoy it outside!



Shares with: sonegable

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

A Peter Rabbit "New Momma Meal"




Hello, little lovelies!  Happy Wednesday…almost Thursday!


Spring is in the air and I loved watching the grey doves flirting on our back fence this morning.  I always look forward to their return.  They usually are to be found out front under our three tall pine trees, but for some reason they were out back.  Maybe, they, too, have had it with Mr. Woodpecker!


It is also that time of year when we start receiving wedding invitations and baby arrival announcements, which I LOVE!!!


Although it is impossible to take every new momma a meal, it is one of my favorite things to do.



Generally speaking, I like to pick out a new theme every year and kinda go with that.  This year, in planning Twinsie’s birthday party, I decided to go with the vintage Peter Rabbit…and decided to adapt it to a new momma meal.  It will be altered according to food allergies and “the wish list” favorites…but it was fun and easy to make and take and to prepare extra for our family.



Leftover curtain fabric, diaper pins, and glass containers were included for a bit of whimsy.


The veggies were made for a birthday party and were fun to include!  A scrap piece of paper with a monogram would also work out perfectly!


I thought I would mimic plant markers for the food labels.


What is a Peter Rabbit meal without a garden salad?  :}


All little bunnies LOVE lemonade with lavender and mint.  It's true!


The food, drinks, plates and silverware were packaged in a KRAFT BOX with the evening menu  attached to the
outside of the box.


The gift for babycakes, the ice cream, and the mini pita breads were tucked inside the gift bag.


{The gift:  a Peter Rabbit set of baby silverware}

Isn't the gift of new life one of life's most wonderful miracles to CELEBRATE!!