Melting Snowman Cookies and giveaway winner

Melting Snowman Cookies

Sugar Cookies

1/3 cup cold butter
1/3 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour

Beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer for 30 seconds on high speed. Add in sugar, baking powder and a dash of salt. Beat until combined. Add in egg and vanilla and continue mixing. Add in the flour 1/2 cup at a time. Lightly flour your rolling surface and place half your dough on top. Make sure dough gets nicely coated with flour on all sides. Roll out your dough 1/8 to 1/4 inch in thickness and cut using a round biscuit cutter. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 7-8 minutes or just until the cookies edge is firm and the bottom of the cookie is a very light golden brown. Cool on a rack

Sugar Cookie Icing

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tsps milk

2 tsps corn syrup

1/2 to 1 tsp. almond extract

Add your powdered sugar to a medium sized bowl, then add your milk and corn syrup. Mix well!! Then add your extract and slowly add more milk and corn syrup until you get the consistency you prefer. If you add more it will be runny, less will make it thick.

Haphazardly ice your cookies, the more imperfect the better cause it gives the effect of melted snow.

While you are icing your cookies, place a few large marshmallows on a plate and microwave them on high for about 20 seconds. They should puff up a some but they will shrink back down if you let them sit for a bit! Before you pick up a marshmallow grease your fingers with some cooking spray first. They can be very sticky! Place it on the iced cookie. Decorate the face with brown or blue jimmies for the eyes and an orange one for the nose. Different color ones as the buttons. Let set up and enjoy!!!

Thank you to all who entered the giveaway! The winner of the Flannel Froggy Children's Blanket using random.org is #1 HB Send me your address and I'll have it in the mail asap! Congratulations!!!

Healthy Yummy Cookies

I was in the mood for something sweet today but didn't want the calories that go along with it...thanks to the insane amounts of butter, sugar & flour that go into baking sweets. My craving was getting the best of me so I sat down in front of the computer and started looking for a healthy low-fat cookie recipe on my favorite food blogs. I was so delighted when I found the perfect one! This cookie recipe is butter-less, flour-less, egg-less, and potentially sugar-less. It's melt in your mouth delicious!!

This is a must try recipe!!!

HEALTHY YUMMY COOKIES

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil)
2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Preheat oven to 350°

In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla extract, and coconut oil. Set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, shredded coconut, cinnamon, salt, and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks/chips.The dough is a bit looser than a standard cookie dough, don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart, onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes.

Makes about 3 dozen bite-sized cookies.

*You can make your own almond meal by pulsing almonds in a food processor until it is the texture of sand - don't go too far or you'll end up with almond butter.

Snowy Bonbons & Bubble Gum Jar

I tried a new recipe out last night and it is oh. so. delicious!! I just had to share it with you.

SNOWY BONBONS

Cookies:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3 tbsp. milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 pkg.(8 oz) almond paste

Almond Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. almond extract
4-5 tsp. milk

Decoration:
Edible glitter, jimmies or coarse sugar

1. Heat oven to 375*. In large bowl, beat flour, butter, sugar,3 tbsp. milk & vanilla on medium speed. Cut almond paste into 1/2 inch thick slices; cut each slice into 8 pieces.

2. Shape 1-inch ball of dough around each piece of almond paste. Gently roll to form ball.

3. On ungreased cookie sheet, place balls 1 inch apart. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set and bottoms are brown. Cook on wire rack for 30 minutes.

4. In small bowl, mix all frosting ingredients with spoon until smooth. Dip tops of cookies into frosting. Sprinkle with glitter.




I was visiting Merri Melody a few weeks back and saw this cute bubble gum jar! I just had to make it! Isn't it adorable!? Pretty self explanatory....clay pot & saucer spray painted, wooden ball spray painted, glass jar (in floral section), ribbon to hide the glue mess. I added Christmas M&M's to mine. I plan on making 2 more sizes...both smaller. I think it would look cute with the 3 of them in the corner on the counter. Kids would love these!

Well there you have it ladies...
2 things for you to make! Enjoy!!!
I'm so excited, this is the last day of school for 2009!!