Saturday, July 28, 2012

A Really Good Cookie - #2

those
were
good
but not
Really and Truly
"Aunt Martha"
worthy
…..
John
mentioned
Pecan Sandies
(obviously with Keebler's or Pepperidge Farm cookies in mind)

so 
perused
through
a few of my
FAVE
baking blogs
and
found
Pecan Sandie recipe
on

doubled
her recipe

and rolled the dough into balls
IMG_1484

flattened
them
with a 
glass
and
IMG_1488


baked them 
                took a nibble


                            and decided
                                               that
                                                      to be 
really 


R.E.A.L.L.Y

Aunt Martha worthy
they
would
need a 

DARK CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE
IMG_1500


yes,
indeed…

A

Really

Good 

Cookie
IMG_1505

Keep Calm
and 
Bake on

IMG_1506

You can go to
or
just 
follow
the
doubled recipe
here:

Pecan Sandies

1 c. unsalted butter
1 c. brown sugar
3 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. flour
2 c. coarsely chopped pecans

350 degree oven - no need to grease cookie sheets

In an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy.  Set aside.  Mix flour and salt together and add to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined.
Fold in pecans.
Roll dough into 1 1/2" balls.  Flatten balls with a moistened bottom of a glass.
Bake about 15 minutes.

Dark Chocolate Drizzle

1/2 bag Ghiradelli 72% chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. Crisco
Melt together in double boiler and drizzle over Sandies.

Leftover chocolate?
strawberries
graham crackers
……you choose


Monday, July 23, 2012

Only Eat a Really Good Cookie


My
Aunt Martha
just
turned
100!

She is a
Centenarian!

She
is elegible
to be
honored
by
Smuckers
 and
Williard Scott
on the
Today Show!


Seriously….

I cannot
even
begin
to
imagine
all
that
she has seen
or heard
or tasted
or felt
or
dreamed of
in
100 years.

Aunt Martha
is
my
 dad's sister~
there
were
10 kids
total
only two remain


This
is Aunt Martha
with
Uncle Bud
circa
1919
IMG_2325

and
this
is
Aunt Martha
at her
100- year birthday
(I have some good genes,  you think?)
IMG_2324
It was
 really important
for
me
to take
Annie
up
to Sacramento
to
celebrate
this amazing
lady…

She loved
my dad
and dressed him up in
doll's clothes
when they were little
…...
and she cried with me
when he went to
Heaven


she taught me to sew
and to bake
and
she has always loved to entertain

she has great faith
and
she
adores her family


and
she
always told
me

"Only Eat a Really Good Cookie"


because
one
really good cookie
satisfies
more
than
a whole box
of
 mediocre cookies



combed
through
hundreds of 
cookie recipes
……hmmmmm 
which one would Aunt Martha 
         consider a
             really good cookie?

for 
whatever reason
I chose
Lemony Refrigerator Cookie

using
lemons
fresh from 
our orchard
IMG_1479

 that I finely grated

IMG_1481and

mixed
with
the other
ingredients


rolled
up in
waxed paper
and refrigerated
for two hours
IMG_1482
sliced
and
baked

and drizzled
with
a lemony glaze
IMG_1508
the
Lemony cookies
were
good

sadly
…not really, really, really good

so
I
decided to
IMG_1498

Lemony Refrigerator Cookies

2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. sugar
3 TBS. finely grated lemon zest
1 tsp. vanilla
4 large egg yolks

Mix flour and salt - set aside.
In a mixed, beat the butter, sugar, lemon, vanilla until fluffy (3-4 minutes), add egg yolks and beat to blend.  Add flour and beat until just incorporated.  Divide dough in half, roll into a cylinder, wrap in waxed paper or plastic and chill (minimum 1 hour - up to two days).
350 degree oven
Using a sharp knife slice dough into 1/2 " thick rounds and bake cookies 15-17 minutes.

When cool you can drizzle cookies
with a lemony glaze:
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 TBS lemon juice
whisk together and drizzle over cookies

(Bon Appetit December 2011)

continued to bake………..

see the next blog for a really good cookie...

Monday, July 9, 2012

Celebrate life!





this post
today

July 9

is 
bittersweet

I just
 learned
that
gal
that
I grew up with

passed 
away


I
remember
that
she 
was
bubbly

and
full of giggles 

and 
always
had
a
 warm 
genuine smile


she 
was
only 56……

way too young


my
mom
was
56
when
 she passed away

way too young




and
 today was her birthday

EK_0011
we
hear
that
Heaven
is
quite
spectacular
…….I do believe


Peggy Miller!
Happy New Life in Heaven!

you are
remembered
in the hearts of many

and, Peggy..
whisper
advice
encouragement
and wisdom
to your
children
                                                                                      like my mom has always done


…they will listen





celebrate life!