5 Postcards Today

I got five postcards today. Three from Finland, including one Kaj card. One postcard from the Philippines and one from Taiwan.

On a snowy day like today I would love to be on a beach like the one pictured on the card from the Philippines.

Today's Postcards

I received two postcards today. I got one from a postcrossing/facebook friend Prittia and another from a fellow postcrosser in the US.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! I probably won't post for a few days so have yourself a wonderful Christmas and I'll be back soon.

Recipe: Cake Doughnut Bread Pudding

I've made this for the past few years now for our Christmas Eve dessert. Its a big hit and the only changes I make are no raisins and we don't do the rum sauce since there are a few kids and some people who don't drink.

This recipe is from the food network and Recipe courtesy Michael Chiarello specifically.

Cake Doughnut Bread Pudding

Prep Time:
15 min
Inactive Prep Time:
10 min
Cook Time:
45 min

Level:
Easy

Serves:
8 to 10 servings

Bread pudding:
1 stick unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
5 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins
16 cake doughnuts

Rum sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 pound confectioners' sugar
Dark rum, to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a food processor, combine butter and sugar briefly, just until it forms into a ball. Add eggs, heavy cream, cinnamon, and vanilla, and process until blended.

Lightly butter a 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Break up the doughnuts into 1-inch pieces and layer in the pan. Scatter the raisins over the top. Pour the egg mixture over the doughnuts; soak for 5 to 10 minutes. You will need to push doughnut pieces down during this time to ensure even coverage by egg mixture.

Cover with foil and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Remove foil and bake for additional 10 minutes to brown the top. The doughnut bread pudding is done when the custard is set, but still soft.

Make the rum sauce: melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan, and take off the heat. Add confectioners' sugar to the melted butter and whisk to blend. Add rum, to taste. Pour the sauce over the bread pudding and allow to soak in.

One Today from Estonia

I received one card today from Estonia. I actually looked up Estonia on Wikipedia today because its one of the countries that I don't know too much about. Did you know this? Estonia /ɛsˈtoʊniə/ (help·info), officially the Republic of Estonia (Estonian: Eesti or Eesti Vabariik) is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Finland across the Gulf of Finland, to the west by Sweden across the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia (343 km), and to the east by the Russian Federation (338,6 km).[6] The territory of Estonia covers 45,227 km² and is influenced by a temperate seasonal climate.

The Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns, with the Estonian language sharing many similarities to Finnish. The modern name of Estonia is thought to originate from the Roman historian Tacitus, who in his book Germania (ca. AD 98) described a people called the Aestii. Similarly, ancient Scandinavian sagas refer to a land called Eistland, close to the German term Estland for the country. Early Latin and other ancient versions of the name are Estia and Hestia. Until the late 1930s, the name was often written as Esthonia in most English speaking countries.

Estonia is a democratic parliamentary republic and is divided into fifteen counties. The capital and largest city is Tallinn. Estonia was a member of the League of Nations from 22 September 1921,[7] has been a member of the United Nations since 17 September 1991,[8] of the European Union since 1 May 2004[9] and of NATO since 29 March 2004.[10] Estonia has also signed the Kyoto protocol. With only 1.4 million inhabitants, it comprises one of the smallest populations of the European Union countries.

The settlement of modern day Estonia began around 8500 BC, immediately after the Ice Age. Over the centuries, the Estonians were subjected to Danish, Teutonic, Swedish and Russian rule. Foreign rule in Estonia began in 1227, when as a consequence of the Northern Crusades the area was conquered by Danes and Germans. From 1228–1562, parts or most of Estonia were incorporated into the loosely organized Livonian Confederation of Teutonic Knights, during which time economic activity centered around the Hanseatic League. In the 1500s Estonia passed to Swedish rule, under which it remained until 1721, when it was ceded to the Russian Empire. The Estophile Enlightenment Period (1750-1840) led to a national awakening in the mid-19th century. In 1918 the Estonian Declaration of Independence was issued, to be followed by the Estonian War of Independence (1918-1920), which resulted in the Tartu Peace Treaty recognizing Estonian independence in perpetuity. During World War II, Estonia was occupied and annexed first by the Soviet Union[11][12][13] and subsequently by the Third Reich, only to be re-occupied by the Soviet Union in 1944.

Estonia regained its independence on 20 August 1991. It has since embarked on a rapid program of social and economic reform. Today, the country has gained recognition for its economic freedom,[14] its adaptation of new technologies[15] and as one of the world's fastest growing economies.[16]

Today's Postcards

I got 2 today. One has a Christmas Theme the other shows both old and new Hong Kong. Pretty cool!

Yesterday's Postcards

Here are the postcards I received yesterday; 1 from Finland, 1 from Switzerland and 1 from the US.

Postcards from Yesterday and Today

Here are some postcards. From Finland, Hungary and Portugal. The One from Portugal I got in return to a postcrossing card. My second :)

Enjoy

Recipe: Thumbprint Cookies

I also made these Thumbprint Cookies from the Betty Crocker Cookbook


1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, separated
1 cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts, (I used toasted almonds)
Jam

1. Heat oven to 350ºF.

2. Mix brown sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla and egg yolk in medium bowl. Stir in flour and salt until dough holds together.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Beat egg white slightly. Dip each ball into egg white. Roll in nuts. Place about 1 inch apart on parchment covered cookie sheet. Press thumb deeply in center of each.

4. Bake about 10 minutes or until light brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Fill thumbprints with jelly.

Recipe: Peanut Butter Blossoms

I also made these. They are one of my favorites.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients:

* 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
* 1/2 cup shortening
* 3/4 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar
* 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* Granulated sugar


Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Recipe: No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

I also made this again from Martha Stewart. If you know someone who loves peanut butter and chocolate this is one for them!

No-Bake Chocolate and Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars

With a candy-bar-inspired top and a crumbly cookie base, each of these rich squares packs a double dose of that perfect pairing: chocolate and peanut butter.


Ingredients

Makes 2 dozen.

* Vegetable oil cooking spray
* 9 ounces chocolate wafers (about 40 wafers), finely ground (2 cups)
* 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
* 1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
* 5 ounces (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
* 1 cup chunky peanut butter
* 3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
* 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted
* 1 1/2 ounces milk chocolate, melted


Directions

1. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on the 2 long sides.
2. Combine wafers, oats, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, then add chunky peanut butter and 3/4 cup smooth peanut butter, whisking until well combined. Add peanut butter mixture to wafer mixture, stirring until combined. Transfer to baking dish, and use the bottom of a measuring cup or an offset spatula to firmly press mixture into an even layer. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Pour melted semisweet chocolate over chilled mixture and, using an offset spatula, spread into a thin layer that covers the entire surface. Refrigerate until hardened, at least 15 minutes.
4. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter in a small saucepan until runny. Drizzle peanut butter over chilled chocolate. Drizzle melted milk chocolate over peanut butter. Refrigerate until hardened, about 15 minutes.
5. Use parchment to lift out chilled block of bars. Run a sharp knife under hot water, dry well, and cut into 24 squares, wiping knife between cuts. Let bars stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving. (Sliced bars can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 1 month.)

Recipe: World Peace Cookies

Found this recipe on Smitten Kitchen. Its a winner for the chocolate lovers in your lives.

World Peace/Korova Cookies
Paris Sweets, Dorie Greenspan

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 stick plus 3 tablespoons (11 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon fleur de sel or 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped into chips, or a generous 3/4 cup store-bought mini chocolate chips

Makes about 36 cookies

Sift the flour, cocoa and baking soda together.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add both sugars, the salt and vanilla extract and beat for 2 minutes more.

Turn off the mixer. Pour in the flour, drape a kitchen towel over the stand mixer to protect yourself and your kitchen from flying flour and pulse the mixer at low speed about 5 times, a second or two each time. Take a peek — if there is still a lot of flour on the surface of the dough, pulse a couple of times more; if not, remove the towel. Continuing at low speed, mix for about 30 seconds more, just until the flour disappears into the dough — for the best texture, work the dough as little as possible once the flour is added, and don’t be concerned if the dough looks a little crumbly. Toss in the chocolate pieces and mix only to incorporate.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, gather it together and divide it in half. Working with one half at a time, shape the dough into logs that are 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap the logs in plastic wrap and refrigerate them for at least 3 hours. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months. If you’ve frozen the dough, you needn’t defrost it before baking — just slice the logs into cookies and bake the cookies 1 minute longer.)

GETTING READY TO BAKE: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Working with a sharp thin knife, slice the logs into rounds that are 1/2 inch thick. (The rounds are likely to crack as you’re cutting them — don’t be concerned, just squeeze the bits back onto each cookie.) Arrange the rounds on the baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 12 minutes — they won’t look done, nor will they be firm, but that’s just the way they should be. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the cookies rest until they are only just warm, at which point you can serve them or let them reach room temperature.

SERVING: The cookies can be eaten when they are warm or at room temperature — I prefer them at room temperature, when the textural difference between the crumbly cookie and the chocolate bits is greatest — and are best suited to cold milk or hot coffee.

STORING: Packed airtight, cookies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days (Deb note: not a chance); they can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Recipe: Chocolate Caramel Thumbprints

Recipe from the Christmas Cookies, 50 Recipes to Treasure for the Holiday Season cookbook.

Ingredients:
2 c all purpose flour
1/2 c dutch-processed cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
16 Tbsp (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 c sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Caramel filling:
20 caramels (about 5 1/2 oz) such as Kraft candies, unwrapped
1/4 c heavy cream

Chocolate Drizzle:
4 1/2 oz bittersweet chocolate chopped

Whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat well until fluffy. Beat in the whole egg and egg yolk. Mix in the vanilla. With the beaters on low mix in the flour mixture until incorporated and the dough comes together. Gather the dough into a ball, then divide it in half. Wrap each half separately in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Working with half of the dough at a time, roll it into 1-inch balls, arranging them about 2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. Make an indention in the center of each ball using the handle end of a wooden spoon or use your thumb, being careful not to go all the way through the dough.

Bake for about 13 minutes or until the cookies feel just slightly firm.

Transfer the cookies to a rack and immediately depress the centers of the cookies again to reinforce and widen the indention to about 3/4 inch in diameter. Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

For the caramel filling:
Heat the caramels and the cream in a medium saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring often, until the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth, about 5 minutes. Using the smallest, most pointiest spoon you have spoon the caramel into the indentions in the cookies, filling just up to the rim. If the caramel becomes too thick place the saucepan back over low heat for a few seconds. Let the caramel set before drizzling the cookies with chocolate.

Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Drizzle chocolate over the cookies.

Notes: I made twice as much caramel sauce. I just used chocolate chips I had for the chocolate drizzle. Keep the parchment paper under the cookies until you are done with all the steps. Saves time with the clean up.

Pictures of finished cookies to follow.

Two Postcards Today

Here are the two postcards I got today. One is from Finland. I like the artist who drew this one. Also I got a postcard in return from a postcrosser in Nevada. Thanks!

Recipe: Hershey Kiss & Pretzel Treats

Salty pretzels combine with sweet chocolate for these fun treats that make a yummy gift few can resist. (In fact, you may want to make some extras for yourself!)

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug
M&M's candy

1. Heat the oven to 170º. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.

2. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.

3. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons.

Recipe: Chocolate Sugar Spritz

This is from Santa's Favorite Cookies Cookbook.

2 squares ( 1 oz each) unsweetened chocolate
2 1/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 c butter or margarine, softened
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp almond extract
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400.

Melt chocolate I used the microwave following the instructions on the package. Set aside once melted.

Combine flour and salt in small bowl; stir to combine.

Beat butter and granulated sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and almond extract. Beat in chocolate. Gradually add flour mixture. Dough will be stiff.

Fill dough in your cookie press. Press onto ungreased cookie sheet about 1 inch a part. Bake 7 minutes or until just set.

Combine powdered sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Transfer to fine mesh strainer and sprinkle over hot cookies while they are still on the cookie sheet. Remove cookies to cookie rack; cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Postcard from earlier in the week

I forgot to post this one. Oops too much baking I guess?

Recipe: Chocolate Cut Out Cookies

From Martha Stewart's Cookies Cookbook
Ingredients:
1 1/2 c all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 c plus 2 tbsp unsweetened dutch-process cocoa powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 c sifted confectioners sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Sift flour, cocoa powder, salt and cinnamon into a bowl.

Cream butter and confectioners sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour or overnight.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill in freezer (or in the grill outside) for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Using a 3 inch cookie cutter, quickly cut out shapes from dough. Re roll and cut scraps. Transfer shapes to parchment covered pans, spacing them 2 inches apart. Brush flour from shapes. Sprinkle with nonpareils, if using. Chill in freezer until firm about 15 minutes.

Bake cookies until crisp, about 8 minutes. Let cook completely on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

I iced mine using the recipe that I listed with the gingerbread cookies but instead of lemon juice I used some vanilla.

Today's Postcard

Here's the postcard I got from Belgium today. I think it is my first one from that country!

Design Mom's 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway

One of my favorite blogs is having her annual 12 days of Christmas giveaway. Twelve Days of Christmas Giveaways

Go to www.designmom.com fabulous stuff that you could win.

12 amazing Giveaways. On December 12Th. It's Twelve Days of Christmas!

Go now because the drawing to see who wins is Monday.

Recipe: Pecan Butterballs or Mexican Wedding Cakes

This is from the cookbook "Christmas Cookies: 50 Recipes to Treasure for the Holiday Season"

Ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 c confectioners sugar, plus 1 1/4 c for coating
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2 1/4 c flour
3/4 c finely chopped pecans

Beat butter until creamy. Add the 1/2 c sugar and beat until smooth. Beat in vanilla and salt. With the beaters on low speed, mix in the flour until just incorporated. Mix in the pecans. Using your hands, gather the dough into a ball inside the bowl and cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (the dough becomes very firm when refrigerated for a longer time, but it will soften after about 1 hour at room temperature)

Preheat oven to 375. Line 1 or 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Pinch off small clumps of dough and roll into 1 inch balls, arranging them about 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly golden on the bottom and just barely beginning to color on the top. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes.

Place the remaining 1 1/4 c sugar in a shallow bowl. While the cookies are still warm, roll them in the sugar to coat. Set them on a rack to cool. Just before serving or storing re coat the cookies with sugar.

Notes; I just put the dough into a smallish zip lock bag before putting it in the fridge.

Pictures to be added later.

Recipe: Spritzer Doodle Cookies

Here's the recipe or the adapted recipe for the snicker doodle style spritz cookies I made. I'm still tinkering with the recipe. I think next time I might try a teaspoon of cinnamon.

I adapted my favorite recipe for basic spritz/pressed cookies.

From my good buddy Martha Stewart.

Ingredients
2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter (I've used salted too not a big difference)
1 c sugar
1 egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 c flour

Preheat oven to 375. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add the egg, vanilla, cinnamon and salt; continue beating until well mixed. Then add the flour gradually.

Pack the cookie dough into a cookie press according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fit with desired shape cookie plate and press dough onto ungreased cookie sheet, spacing cookies 1 inch a part. Decorate with sprinkles and colored sugars.

Bake until cookies are lightly golden about 10 minutes and transfer to wire racks to cool. Cookies may be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Makes 40-60 cookies. These also freeze well.

picture to be posted soon

Recipe: Danish Toffee Cookies

Here's a recipe my Mom always makes during the holidays. I made these yesterday at my sister's request.

Ingredients:
1 c butter
1 c light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 c sliced almonds

Cream together butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy add egg yolk and vanilla. Sift together flour, salt and cinnamon. Add a little at a time to butter mixture.

Press into cookie sheet with sides.

Spread with egg white takes about 1/2 and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Bake in a 300 oven for 30 minutes. Cool about 10 minutes. Cut into triangles . Store in tight container.

These are pretty rich and really good.
Pictures to follow.

Recipe:Favorite Spritz/Pressed Cookie

This is my go to recipe for basic spritz/pressed cookies.

From my good buddy Martha Stewart.

Ingredients
2 sticks room temperature unsalted butter (I've used salted too not a big difference)
1 c sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 c flour

Preheat oven to 375. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add the egg, vanilla and salt; continue beating until well mixed. Then add the flour gradually.

Pack the cookie dough into a cookie press according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fit with desired shape cookie plate and press dough onto ungreased cookie sheet, spacing cookies 1 inch a part. Decorate with sprinkles and colored sugars.

Bake until cookies are lightly golden about 10 minutes and transfer to wire racks to cool. Cookies may be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Makes 40-60 cookies. These also freeze well.

Wednesday's Postcard

Here's today's postcard another card from Germany this time from Frankfurt. I made more cookies today but just one kind. My mom's favorite cookies they are almond bar cookies. Very rich and yummy. I'll try to post the recipe and pictures of the finished product.

Today's Postcard

Well today I made 2 kinds of cookies one is something I invented. My sister says I should call it spritzer doodles. Because they are spritz cookies that taste like snicker doodles. I'll post the recipe tomorrow. Along with a batch of Mexican Wedding Cakes. Here's the postcard I received from Germany today.

Today's Postcards

Today I got three postcards in the mail. They are all very different. One from Japan, Finland and Hungary. Which do you like best? Its a tie for me between the frozen waterfall and the Japanese card.

Recipe: Gingerbread Cookies

I made these on Friday. Well I made the dough on Thursday but we baked and then later iced and decorated them. I hate to say that I don't love these cookies. I think they are too gingery or too many spices or something.

Gingerbread Cookies
Recipe courtesy Anne Burrell for 12 Days of Cookies 2008


Prep Time:
30 min
Inactive Prep Time:
1 hr 5 min
Cook Time:
25 min

Level:
Intermediate

Serves:
60 (1 1/2-inch to 2-inch) cookies

6 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for kneading
6 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon ginger
Pinch of salt
5 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup honey
1 3/4 cups sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 orange
2 eggs

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt together in a large bowl, and set aside.

In a small saucepan combine the butter, honey, sugar, lemon juice and the lemon and orange zest. Bring this to medium heat and cook until the butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Let cool to about room temperature and beat in the eggs.

Make a well in the flour/spice mixture and add the egg/sugar mixture to the well. Using a fork, begin to gradually incorporate the flour into the egg mixture. When the flour has mostly been incorporated, turn the mixture out onto a clean work surface and gently knead until the mixture is smooth and homogenous. Knead in a little more flour if the dough seems sticky. Chill dough for 1 hour or overnight.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough to an even thickness of about 1/4-inch. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place on a lightly greased or parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cookies are firm and lightly browned. Let the cookies cool for 3 to 4 minutes and transfer to a cooling rack.

When the cookies are completely cool decorate, as desired.

Cook's Note: If you are planning to hang the cookies, make a hole for the string before baking.

Glaze:
3 TBSP Fresh Lemon Juice
3 Cups powdered sugar
3 Tbsp milk and a bit more

Whisk lemon juice, powdered sugar and milk. Whisk until it is of desired consistency.

I applied the glaze using a small icing spatula and then my nieces went nuts with sprinkles. I'll take a picture of the some of the finished product.

Thursday Postcards

I got these postcards today from Russia and Finland. I think I want to start collecting postcards of Tauno Leppanen. His is the cool house. What do you think?

Today's Postcards

Here are today's postcards.

Today's Postcard

This postcard is from Latvia.


I like that the card is both art and architecture, two things that I like.

Recipe: Spiced Nuts

I don't have a picture of the process.... But I made this from the Williams & Sonoma Gifts From the Kitchen Cookbook

Ingredients
2 1/2 c mixed nuts (whatever you want, I used pecans, cashews, almonds, and walnuts)
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 300. Place the nuts in a bowl. Pour the oil into a small, heavy saucepan and place over medium-low heat until warm. Add the cumin and cayenne and stir until the mixture is aromatic, about 15 seconds. Pour the flavored oil over the nuts. Add the sugar and slat and stir to coat evenly. Transfer the nuts to a baking pan.

Bake, stirring occasionally, until the nuts are toasted, about 20 minutes.

Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

These are best served hot so enclose a gift card saying to spread on a baking sheet and reheat in a 300 over for about 5 minutes.

I'm bringing these nuts to my bookclub meeting as well.

Yummy Baked Cheese and Olive Puffs

Baked Cheese and Olive Puffs

Yield: 4 Dozen

2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted (I didn't sift)
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
48 pimento-stuffed green olives (strain them and then dry them slightly on paper towels)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Beat together the cheese and butter. Stir in the flour, salt, cayenne pepper, paprika and dry mustard powder, blending well. Note: It is easier to mix in the dry ingredients with your hands. I added a bit of milk to make the dough easier to put together.

Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long. Cut each rope of dough into 12 pieces. Roll a piece of dough into a ball and flatten slightly in the palm of your hand. Place an olive in the center of the flattened ball and wrap the dough around the olive. Roll the pastry covered olive in your hand so that the olive is completely encased in the dough. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough and olives.

Freeze on cookie sheet until firm. Then put into freezer bags. When ready to eat preheat oven to 400 and place the pastry covered olives on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about one inch space between each them. Bake for 15 minutes or until just lightly brown and firm to the touch.

My mom used to make these when I was growing up and I love them. I'm bringing them to my bookclub tomorrow night.

Today's Postcard

This is the postcard I received today from Finland. Its of the Oulu City Market Hall and the statue is of a Market Square Police.

My Wii Fit Age is 33

Well I got a turn on WII today and my new Wii fit age is 33.

Still not as good as Ellen and Steve who have late 20 fit ages. But not too bad I think. Theo was 58 today. :)