Christmas Baking Extravaganza & The Importance of Saying "Thank You"

Merry Christmas, y'all! I really can't believe Christmas is here. I feel like Thanksgiving was just yesterday and that I've missed out on enjoying the Christmas season. I feel like now that I'm a working girl that these things fly passed me. I remember looking forward to Christmas so much in college. You cram, cram, cram for finals, pack up your car, and head home for a nice long holiday break. Back then during Christmas break I had time to sit at home and enjoy everything about Christmas. Baking, shopping, family time, friends, Christmas lights and decorations, Christmas movies....ahhhh, the good ole days. Now I barely have time to get all my shopping done! Oh well, we all have to grow up sometime.

Here are a few of my favorite ornaments on our tree! :) It's definitely a Texas Tech Christmas in our house!

Let's talk about presents. I LOVE giving people presents that I know they'll like. I try and put a lot of effort into paying attention to details, learning what my friends and family like and don't like, and then surprising them with the perfect gift. It makes me feel good to know that they enjoy the present that I picked out for them and I love seeing them smile when they open it. However, even though it feels great to give gifts to the people you care about, it can feel really terrible if you don't feel like that person appreciated it. Am I right? 

Now, I know what you're thinking "It's better to give than it is to receive".... but I'm not talking about receiving presents here- I'm talking about saying "thank you"... and meaning it. I've recently learned this lesson the hard way. I spent some time and money on getting people gifts and I feel like it was shrugged off like it wasn't a big deal. I won't lie... it didn't make me feel good. The best thing to do in these situations is to learn from it. I'm not saying that I won't continue to buy gifts for my loved ones, but I'm going to make damn sure that if someone buys a gift for me or does something nice for me that they know how much I appreciate it.

Being gracious and being an appreciative person will speak volumes about your character. Having good manners is one of the most important things to me. Good manners will never go out of style and it will only help you get further in life. I try and be actively aware of saying "please", "thank you", and being extremely polite. 

If someone does something nice for me, I try and do everything I can to let them know how much I appreciate it. Recently when I unexpectedly broke my ankle... I couldn't believe how many of my friends and family rallied around me and helped me get through it. I broke my ankle, had surgery, had a hard cast for 10 days, was in a boot for several weeks, and spent many grueling days on crutches. Although there were times where I really thought I couldn't do it because of how much pain I was in or how the crutches were rubbing my underarms and hands raw (It ain't pretty, folks!), my supportive friends and family stepped up and encouraged me to keep going and reminded me that it would get better. I tried really hard to make sure I was genuinely thanking people for being so supportive and making me feel so much better about the situation. It doesn't have to be an extreme gesture- a nice thank you note, a big "thank you" hug, etc. Anything to make them feel good! The power of a genuine "thank you" can't even be described. It's more than just the words, it's the way you make the other person feel. Take it from Maya Angelou-

"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."

So, if you take anything away from this, please be conscious of  your manners this Christmas. Life is too short to not tell your loved ones how much you love and appreciate them. It's more than just saying thank you for the gifts... say thank you like you mean it!

Enough of my rant! Let's get down to the baking!

Every Christmas I plan a day where I just hang out in the kitchen all day and whip up some baked treats for friends and family. I like to make a bunch of different things and pack them all in little boxes so that they can enjoy them for Christmas. I'm a big fan of the homemade gift, especially food gifts!

This year I made a few new things and a few things I hadn't made before. Most of the treats were super easy to make and take almost no effort. A lot of them have very few ingredients so I can list out the recipe. Some of the others I'll just provide links! I have pictures of most of the treats, but I forgot to take pictures of two of them! So here are the links to the other two:

Saltine Toffee
Graham Cracker Pralines

Peppermint Bark

1 package of white almond bark
2 tsp. pure peppermint extract (more or less to taste)
3/4 c. crushed peppermints (I used candy canes)

Melt the almond bark slowly either over a double boiler or in the microwave on intervals (30 seconds, stir, 30 seconds, stir, etc.). Stir in extract and pour over parchment paper covered baking sheet. Spread to desired thickness and sprinkle with crushed peppermints. Leave out on counter to set, or if you're impatient (like me) put it in the freezer for a little bit. Then break apart and store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Almond Clusters

1 package of chocolate almond bark
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 c. whole, raw almonds

Melt almond bark and chocolate chips slowly either over a double boiler or in the microwave. Once melted, stir in the almonds until completely incorporated and all almonds are covered in chocolate.  Spoon mixture into cupcake liners and let set until they're set up. I put the cupcake liners in cupcake pans to help them hold their shape.

White Chocolate, Peanut & Toffee Clusters

1 package of white almond bark
1 1/2 c. dry-roasted peanuts
1 1/2 c. toffee bits (I used Heath... they're in the section by the chocolate chips)

Melt white almond bark. Stir in peanuts and toffee bits. Spoon into mini cupcake liners and let set up.

Fudge Crinkle Cookies

Click here for recipe!

Christmas Crunch Bark

Click here for recipe!

Cinnamon Roasted Almonds

Click here for recipe!

Christmas Sugar Cookies

With these cookies, I cheated a little bit and just used two packages of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix and followed the directions for cutout cookies. I usually do several shapes, but this year I decided to only do Christmas trees and then some pretty white ones and take the time to make good, classic icing.

If you would rather make your own sugar cookies, I've made this one several times and they are fantastic! They have a bit of almond extract in them and they always bake perfectly.

Ella's White Sugar Cookies

For the icing I used an icing that hardens. A while back I tried making royal icing and it was a royal disaster. I found this recipe and haven't looked back since! It's easy to whip up and pipes and floods perfectly.

Cookie Icing

1 c. powdered sugar

1 tbsp. milk

1 tbsp. light corn syrup

1 tsp. extract (I did half vanilla and half almond)

food coloring (I use the gel food coloring. It's stronger and doesn't change the consistency of the icing)

I made the icing and colored it green. Then I added probably an extra 1 1/2 c. of powdered sugar to make it thick enough to pipe. I outlined all of the trees with the thick icing and then squeezed it back into the bowl. I thinned out the icing with some milk and then used a spoon to spoon it onto the cookies. I used a toothpick to push the icing around to make sure it was all covered. Then sprinkled with sprinkles! Next I made the white and did the same process!

With this frosting, it's going to take some getting used to and trial and error to get the hang of it. Just be patient!

I put a couple of each treat in Ziplocs and packed them all way in these cute boxes I got at a craft show this year! I'm telling you... food gifts are the best!

Merry Christmas, y'all! Enjoy your time with your loved ones and remember to say "thank you" for all of your blessings. 

Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies

That's right, folks! I'M BACK! I know I've taken a (very) extended leave of absence from this blog, but I made it a New Year's resolution to start this thing back up and to keep it updated, so I'm going to need everyone to keep me accountable. Okay? Okay, thanks!

I've made so many yummy things in the last few months and I feel guilty not sharing all the recipes! I can't lie, since I finally found a "big girl job" last June, I've been slacking a little bit on cooking dinner at night. I'm just tired when I get home. I know- enough of the whining.

Now wait, don't get me wrong- I still cook dinner a lot... it's just things that aren't as time-consuming or extravagant. I'm more into the quick, tasty meals these days. (Emphasis on the "quick".) Baking on the other hand.... now, I always find time to bake :) Y'all know me better than that! With all the stresses that come along, baking is what calms me down and makes me feel better.

Anyways...

I want to share a very special recipe with y'all. This is my Grandma's chocolate chip cookie recipe. These cookies mean so, so much to me. Not only do they remind me of my sweet Grandma, but these are the cookies I grew up with. Just the smell of them brings back so many memories for me.

Growing up, my Grandma lived a street away from me. I loved this because if I was ever bored at home, I would just walk over to Grandma's and there was so much to do there! I have so many good memories of playing in her backyard, swinging on the swing she put on the big oak tree just for her grandkids, shelling pecans from the pecan tree on the side of the house, eating ice cream out of her special dishes, and having big, family dinners at her house. She was such a great cook and I can still remember standing eye-level at her counter-top, watching her gracefully slice bananas into her big bowl of fruit salad, filled with fresh summer fruit. I remember memorizing the way she was holding the fruit in one hand and her paring knife in the other, and now I catch myself cutting things up that way myself. All of her recipes were so delicious and I love that I share the connection of cooking with her. Even when she was sick, I could talk to her about certain recipes I had been trying and I could ask her questions about how to do a certain step in a recipe and get her advice. I could tell how much she loved that I was so passionate about cooking and baking. I just wish that I had more time to cook with her in the kitchen.

My Grandma was the only grandparent I had growing up, so she was always so special to me. She was always there when I needed her and even though she wasn't one of those Grandma's who was physically affectionate (you know the type), it was extremely obvious how much she loved all of us. She would do anything for anyone in her family and she taught us how family is the most important thing in life. 

This past fall, my Grandma lost her battle with Parkinson's disease. She had been sick for a long time, but nothing prepares you for how it feels to lose someone so close to you. I think what got me through it was knowing that she wasn't in any pain anymore and that she was going to be with Grandpa in heaven. She was going to be happy and healthy.

So, I hope y'all enjoy this recipe. It's, without a doubt, one of my favorite recipes of all time. I promise- you'll never taste a better chocolate cookie! And I hope you taste the love in them when you make them, too :)

Grandma's Chocolate Chip Cookies
This cookie recipe will knock your socks off! It's perfect. If you like your chocolate chip cookies crispy on the outside and wonderfully chewy on the inside, then look no further than this recipe!

1 c. butter-flavored shortening (This is the key ingredient!)
1 c. white sugar
1 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. flour
2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
3 c. oatmeal (quick-oats)
1 c. chopped nuts (I use pecans, but walnuts would be good, too)

Let's get started! Go ahead and preheat your oven to 375 degrees. While you're at it, get a baking sheet out and line it with parchment paper. Oh, you don't use parchment paper? Well, you should! It's a God-send. Nothing sticks and clean-up is a breeze! It's only a couple bucks. Pick some up at the store next time!

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Butter-flavored shortening? What in the..." No- trust me. This is what makes these cookies so, stinkin' delicious. I like to think that it makes them a little old-fashioned, too!

You can find butter-flavored shortening right next to the regular all-vegetable shortening. Just look for the yellow Crisco instead of the blue shortening! I like to get the sticks of shortening because they're so much easier to measure.

Another great thing about this recipe: no waiting around for butter to soften! I love it. Waiting for butter to soften is in the same category as watching water boil. Booooooooring and sloooooooooooow. It takes foreeeeeeevvvvvveeeeeerrrr.

Okay, I'll stop.

Get your mixer out and dump in 1 cup, or one stick, of butter shortening and add your two sugars. Did you know that brown sugar is what makes cookies chewy? Yup!! So when you see a recipe with a whole cup of brown sugar, you know you're going to get chewy, wonderful goodness.

Mix those three ingredients up until they're all combined. Once they're combined, crack your two eggs and dump them in the bowl. Combine all the ingredients until everything is evenly mixed. The mixture will be very wet and it will drip off the paddle attachment.

You know how a lot of recipes want you to mix together all the dry ingredients and then dump them in the bowl? Well, the way I see it, that means you have to get another bowl dirty and you have to clean another bowl.

Yeah... we're not going to do that.

With the mixer running on low, add the salt and baking soda. Then slowly add the flour, allowing time for each addition of flour to incorporate.

Once the flour is all incorporated, the mixture is going to start getting thick. Stop the mixer, and dump in the chocolate chips and chopped pecans.

Run the mixer for a few seconds until everything looks more evenly distributed. Then, with the mixer running, start adding the oatmeal slowly. Don't freak out! This cookie dough is thick, crumbly cookie dough. If you're really nervous, just add 2 cups of oatmeal. You can add 1 cup-3 cups, depending on how oatmeal-y you want them to be.

And there it is. Delicious cookie dough. And this dough smells good. It's that butter shortening, I'm tellin' ya! It really makes these cookies amazing!

Like I said, this is a really crumbly dough, so don't get nervous when you put it on the baking sheet and it crumbles up. Just use your fingers to press the dough together. No big deal!

Use your cookie scoop to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, depending on your oven. For the first batch you put in, check them at 9 or 10 minutes and gage the baking time from there. Mine took about 11 minutes. The cookies should be lightly browned and irresistible!

Well, there you have it- the most perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe! Just one the many wonderful memories I have of my Grandma. I hope I'm making her proud and I plan to share many of her amazing recipes in the future!

Premature Valentine's Day Cookies

I love Valentine's Day.  Seriously.  I don't know why I love it so much. It must because there are red and pink hearts everywhere... or maybe it's because it's a great excuse to eat an obscene amount of chocolate. I think that might be it. Mostly, it's a holiday that lets you celebrate your loved ones.

I've been thinking about what kind of Valentine's Day baked goods I'd be making this year, but of course I couldn't decide on just one!  I finally decided on red velvet cake balls, chocolate cupcakes and these cute little sugar cookies. I didn't want to have a sugar overload at my house, so I'm making all these things in stages. That's why I call these "Premature Valentine's Cookies" because I know it's still January, but it never hurts to start celebrating early :)

I got the idea for these from one of my favorite food blogs, Bake at 350 .  You should see the cookies on this blog. Oh. My. Gosh. They are INCREDIBLE! Bridget, who is also a Texas girl, is so talented! I swear all her cookies are absolutely perfect.

I've been wanting to try Royal Icing for a while now, but I've just been intimidated. I think I studied Bridget's tutorial on it at least 10 times until I finally had it all planned in my head. I think it came out well, for my first try at least! I'll warn you though... it was very labor intensive and I'm going to use royal icing on special occasions ONLY. I just don't think I have the patience to do this all the time!

I used Bridget's recipe for sugar cookies and royal icing. These cookies are AWESOME. They're firm enough to decorate and taste really good!

Tips: I doubled the recipe and softened my butter for one batch and used cold for the second and really it doesn't make that big of a difference. If you use the cold butter it will just take a little longer to cream it with the sugar. I also used unsalted butter and added 1/2 tsp. of salt to the dough. Here's the recipe!

Vanilla-Almond Sugar Cookies

3 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 c. sugar
2 sticks of salted butter, cold  (or see note above this!)
1 egg
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract (if you don't like the almond flavor, just use all vanilla)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour and baking powder; set aside. Cream the sugar and butter together in an electric mixer. Add the egg and extracts; mix well to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined, scraping down the bowl, especially the bottom.

The dough will be crumbly, so knead it together with your hands as you scoop it out of the bowl for rolling. (Just combine it into a flat-ish mound and get your rolling pin out!)

Roll onto a well-floured surface and cut into desired shapes. Place on parchment paper lined baking sheets (Bridget recommends freezing the trays with cookies for 5 minutes before putting them in the oven... I didn't do this and they came out fine.) and bake 10-12 minutes. (VERY IMPORTANT: The cookies should not be brown. They should just look baked. Parchment paper will prevent them from browning on the bottom, but make sure you don't let them get brown on top!)  Remove from oven and let the cookies sit on the tray for a few minutes on the sheet and then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Royal Icing

4 tbsp. meringue powder (I got mine at Hobby Lobby on the baking aisle)
scant 1/2 c. water (a little less than full)
1 lb. powdered sugar, sifted (sifting is VERY important, don't skip doing this!)
1/2-1 tsp. light corn syrup (This will keep the icing shiny!)
few drops of clear extract (I used clear vanilla)

Combine the meringue powder and water. With the paddle attachment of an electric mixer, beat until combined and foamy.

Sift in the powdered sugar and beat on low to combine. Add in the corn syrup and extract, if desired.

Increase the speed of the mixer to medium-high and beat for about 5 minutes, just until icing is glossy and stiff peaks form. (You should be able to remove the beater from the mixer and hold up and jiggle without the peak falling.) Do not overbeat! The icing will be thick!

Divide into enough containers for the amount of colors you want (I did 3) and colored them with gel food colors (These are SO much better than liquid food coloring because they don't change the texture and the colors are brighter). Cover with plastic wrap touching the icing when not using.

Bridget gives a WAY better tutorial on this. Here's a link to it! Royal Icing

Hope y'all enjoy!! Stay tuned for more Valentine's treats :)