Slipping in a bit of holiday baking

So much happening, so many quilts to sneak a peek at and amazing longarm quilters to meet. Phew, it turned out that today I was able to get a bit of holiday baking done. I chose something fun & easy, so I just had to share. This basic sugar cookie recipe is delicious -- thicker, melt in your mouth yumm. And, then it lends itself to a lot of different uses. I love making them into small cookie buttons so I can play with the color and decorating. Below is the recipe in case you want to give it a try:


1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add baking powder and flour. Dough will be very stiff. To create buttons use small scoop. Scoop dough and press it firmly into the scoop. Release on ungreased cookie sheet 1” apart.

Once all in place take a glass with a flat bottom, dip into cold water and press each cookie.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and remove from pan.

Let cookies cool completely before decorating, and have fun!

1st Cookies

Hi All-
Hope you are all having a wonderful holiday weekend. I'm home again after spending a couple of really fun days with family in Missouri. After Thanksgiving my own mind usually turns to cookies.

I have so many wonderful memories of baking cookies with my mom, sisters, son, nieces...not to mention my daugher-in-law, Dawn and a ton of friends over the years.

As long as I can remember though my mom has been the maker of Mandel Brot -- these biscotti like cookies are her go to cookies -- loved by almost everyone who has ever tried them. I have watched her make them a million times, but never tried to bake them myself until today.

This year has been a hard one for her and she has been to tired to bake, so it was time to whip her up a batch and send them to her for a change.

It's a simple recipe that can be made up in more ways than one can think of but here's the basics:

Mandel Brot(bread)
from Lenora Rohm

set oven for 350 degrees
1 C sugar
3/4 C oil
3 eggs (added 1 at time)
3-1/2 C flour
1 T baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
cinnamon & sugar for dusting

Once mixed you'll want to divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces and roll each into a long log.

 then bake the logs until they are just turning brown - 20-22 minutes

take the logs from oven slice and turn all the pieces over
place tray back into over for another 10-12 minutes

 

remove and shake on cinnamon/sugar mixture and enjoy!

This batch is now making it's way to mom!
does your family have a favorite for the season?