Tuesday, April 26, 2005

ESPRESSO BROWN SUGAR SANDWICH COOKIES

These cookies are terrific! My friend Angie found this recipe in an issue of Country Home magazine and shared the cookies and the recipe with us. I made these for bible study this past weekend. I only got 12 sandwich cookies out of the recipe; but like always my cookies are huge. Next time, I will try to make them smaller. While I was looking for this recipe on the Country Home website, I discovered a great selection of recipes to try.

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons instant espresso powder (I used 2 T.ground espresso)

2 teaspoons ground giner

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

3/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup Turbinado sugar or course granulated sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup Blackstrap or full-flavored Molasses

2-3 tablespoons Turbinado Sugar

1 recipe Brown Sugar Frosting



Method:

In a medium bowl, combine flour, espresso powder, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon and cloves. Set aside.



In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating on low speed until combined. Beat in the egg and molasses until combined. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour mixture. Cover and chill dough for 2 hours or until easy to handle.



Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls (1 heaping tablespoon dough each). Roll balls in the turbinado sugar. Place about 2 1/2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten balls slightly. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are set. Let stand on cookie sheets for 2 minutes. Transfer to wire racks and let cool. Frost bottoms of half the cookies with a generous 1 tablespoon Brown Sugar Frosting each. Place remaining cookies atop te iced sides of cookies, bottom sides down, to create sandwiches. Makes 12 sandwich cookies.

Brown Sugar Frosting


Ingredients:

1 cup (packed)Brown Sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup half-and-half or light cream

1 1/3 cups Powdered Sugar



Method:

In a heavy saucepan combine brown sugar, butter and half-and-half. Cook and stir over medium heat to a full boil; boil 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth. Let cool (20 to 30 minutes) until of spreading consistency; whisk occasionally.





Source: Country Home Magazine, September 2004

Monday, April 25, 2005


Plant Sale Plants Posted by Hello

These are some plants that I picked up at an awesome plant sale that I went to this weekend with my neighbor Lynn. This is an annual event that is held at the state fair grounds. Loads of people packing green plants in boxes standing in line; but unlike other crowded public places, gardeners are polite, and even friendly when poked in the back with other's plant filled boxes and, happily share their knowledge about plants. The atmosphere is definately uplifting. The plant selection was incredible and it was difficult to decide what to get and it seems that the plants were going fast. I tried to focus on shade plants mainly Hostas. I got Hosta 'Fried Green Tomatoes' and Hosta 'Tokudama 'Aureonebulosa, a lungwort that I didn't already have Pulmonaria Longigolia 'E.B. Anderson' (Scot is especially fond of lungworts- It doesn't hurt to bring home plants he likes then he is more supportive of my plant addiction). I also brought home a Polystichum Acrostichoides -Christmas Fern- a hardy fern that will remain evergreen and Asarum Splendens-Asian Ginger-, which has really attractive silver mottled leaves and is a great ground cover for woodland gardens. I also found a few water garden plants to try- Horsetail and Papyrus. When the weather turns nice again I will be happily planting my new plants.

Black Thai Pork Posted by Hello

4 boneless pork chops, cut into stir-fry strips
1 cup salsa OR picante sauce
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1 tablespoon water
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon sesame seed, toasted if desired
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
3 cups hot cooked cellophane noodles or rice
For sauce, in a medium saucepan combine salsa, peanut butter, soy sauce, vinegar, molasses and water. Bring to boiling, stirring often. Keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a plastic or paper bag combine chili powder, ginger, garlic salt and pepper. Add pork strips; shake until pork is coated with spice mixture.
In a large skillet heat vegetable oil over medium-high heat; cook and stir pork strips for 2 to 3 minute or until cooked through.
Spoon the sauce onto individual plates. Arrange the pork strips on top of sauce. Sprinkle with sesame seed, then top with green onions. Serve with noodles or rice.
Makes 5 servings.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 420 calories
Protein 24 grams
Fat 19 grams
Sodium 710 milligrams
Cholesterol 45 milligrams

Recipe from Pork: The Other White Meat.

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Cade the Elephant Trainer Posted by Hello

Tuesday, April 12, 2005


Clown  Posted by Hello

This is what remains of the 25 iced Cookies that I sent to school with Cade this morning. He brought treats today for his birthday. He was in such a hurry to take them to school this morning that I did not get a photo. I made monkeys, lions, elephants, and clowns- a circus theme. Cade(the elephant trainer) and his classmates will be entertaining parents and grandparents this Friday by performing in a Circus. It is really a big deal!

Tea Pot Cookie Posted by Hello

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