Christmas Cookies Round I

Well, the time has come to start my annual Christmas baking! I'm going to attempt to add a variety of cookies this year, and not just my norm! I started tonight with my granny's Peanut Butter Blossoms! For the longest time I thought my granny had made up this recipe! Little did I know! :) This year I added a new twist to it -- I decided to use colored sugars instead of the plain ol white ones and I'm quite pleased with them! Here is the recipe and a picture if I can figure out how to post a picture in this silly wacky thing! So far so good!

Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 c granulated sugar

1/2 c packed brown sugar

1/2 c creamy peanut butter

1/2 c butter or margarine, softened (I just use the stick margarine)

1 egg

1 1/2 c flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

Granduated sugar (can use colored sugars too)

About 36 Hershey Kisses (or stars), unwrapped

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, beat 1/2 c sugar, brown sugar, peanut butter, butter and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda, and baking powder (I use electric mixer) until dough forms.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll in sugar. On ungreased cookie sheets, place about 2 inches apart.

Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until edges are light golded brown. Immediately press 1 kiss into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.

Makes about 3 dozen. . . however, I always get more than this -- maybe I roll the balls smaller than 1 inch? They are always good! When storing them I place a piece of bread in the bottom of the container to keep them moist. :)

Enjoy

Cookie Cutters & Egg Drop Soup

Ok, so it is Sunday and I'm needing to figure something out for dinner for my family, but I have no motivation to cook. I've cleaned the lower level (or maybe I should say ATTEMPTED). I'm trying to gather all my crap and make sure it is in one place, and not letting it creep into my husbands comic area. Seriously, I try hard. Maybe I just have too much crap?! Wait! Is it possible for a scrapbooker and rubber stamper to have TOO much stuff? NEVER! :) Anyhow, I bought a plastic shelf in hopes of being able to gather it in a tidier fashion and maybe declutter some other areas (trust me, the Lord knows I could use a mega decluttering session or two). So, I've been a busy worker bee! :)

So, today's topic is cookie cutters and egg drop soup. We love egg drop soup here, so I'm going going to try the recipe later this week, since it looks super easy :)

Keep various cookie cutters or clean scissors handy to make food fun! Cut designs out of cheese slices, cold cuts, sandwiches & Jell-o!

I LOVE cookie cutting the boys' sandwiches. They get such a kick out of it. During Halloween they get ghost, pumpkins, witches, etc. During Easter they get Easter eggs and jelly beans (don't ask), Christmas time they get all sorts of things like presents, angels, trees, bells, etc. Valentines they get hearts. They love the shaped sandwiches, as not only do they get a shape there is NO CRUST on the sandwiches! Oh how a 4 and 7 year old love crustless bread! :) If you have not tried using cookie cutters to spruce up some of your kiddies foods, you should really try it! I'm certain you will one of those 'priceless' moments when they see it! Oh and you can use others during non-holidays like the Wilton flower that is out there, as well as others. I use the Wilton cutters b/c they are large and use up almost an entire slice of bread :0)

Here is your Ramen Noodle recipe for today.

Egg Drop Soup
2 c water
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c diced onion
1/4 c diced celery
12/4 c diced green pepper
1 pkg chicken ramen noodles, with seasoning packet

In a sauce pan, bring water to boiling and add season packet, eggs and veggies. Stir constantly until eggs look done. Simmer 5 minutes. Add noodles and cook 3 - 5 minutes, or until noodles are tender. Serves 2.

Oh and just a reminder, Ramen Noodles will soon be dirt cheap (yes, cheaper than they normally are) because the stores will stare prepping for the return of college students, so if you see them on sale, STOCK UP!


PS: Ice Age 3 is awesome :)