Christmas Sugar Cookies

Well I am glad to say that I safely made it through my last fall semester of college, and winter break is finally here! Christmas is absolutely my favorite time or year, yes I am one of "those" people who has been listening to Christmas music since Halloween..Alright so maybe even a few weeks before then. Of course there has also been lots of baking going on, and I finally have my pictures up and ready to show you some delicious recipes that I guarantee you will love.  This is one of my favorite recipes that is enjoyed by so many, so I thought my present to you would be to share this awesome sugar cookie recipe. These literally melt in your mouth so I must warn you they are highly addictive. They are surprisingly easy to make so don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. These are a great idea for any Christmas party or cookie exchange. 

Happy Baking!

Melt in your mouth Sugar Cookies
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg, beaten
4 1/3 cups cake flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Plain or colored sugar, for decorating

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixer, cream together sugars and shortening. Mix on slow speed 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.
Slowly add vanilla and beaten egg while mixing.
In a separate bowl, combine cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture, mixing on slow speed until just blended. Do not over mix.Scoop with an ice cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place on baking sheet on foil. Flatten slightly with palm of hand, or the bottom of a glass cup, which is what I use.

Bake 9 to 10 minutes. Cookies will be done when they have a light golden color and have small cracks. Be sure to watch the first batch in the oven to know the correct time.

Adapted from: orangesandbiscuits

Attention Kansas City!

This week starting Thursday is the greatly anticipated, Marillac Holiday Boutique. The location will be at the Overland Park Convention Center, and trust me you won't want to miss it! Lots of great shopping and delicious food vendors to check out for such a great cause! My fashionista mother will be there as well, with her "Vintage Moon Creations" designs, so come say hi!

Holiday Boutique Nov. 10-13 2011

Thursday: Noon-9

Friday: 10 am-10 pm

Friday: 5 pm- 10 pm Girls Night Out

Saturday: 10 am-6 pm

Sunday: 10 am-4 pm

Single Day Tickets: $12!!

Get your holiday shopping done early!

Source: Holiday Boutique

Pumpkin Bread

Sorry for the lack in posts, school got the best of me (again), but I am back and ready to roll! Last night I made, quite possibly the best pumpkin bread ever, and so excited to share the recipe with you. It is a recipe I adapted a smidge from, honeyandjam, and am convinced I will never go back to my boring original recipe again. What makes this particular recipe better than the rest, is the cinnamon/butter/sugar/pecan filling that gives it an extra crunch. I die. So if you need any great holiday gift/party ideas, I have approved this recipe, and I believe you will too! Happy Baking!

P.S. Don't get intimidated by all the ingredients, it's super easy to make!!

Don't be scared, you can do it!

-Extra crunch-

Pumpkin Bread w/ Cinnamon Pecan Filling

3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups canned pumpkin purée
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
4 large eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 cup milk (I used rice milk)

Filling:
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 chopped pecans
1/2 stick butter, melted

For bread: Preheat the oven to 350ºF and coat your pans with butter. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and soda, spices, and salt, set aside.

To make filling: Combine sugar, cinnamon, pecans and butter in small bowl, mix to combine, set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, combine the pumpkin and sugars (not the filling, but the sugar and brown sugar). Mix until well combined, and then add the eggs and oil. Mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides as needed. With the mixer on low, add the flour in two batches, alternating with the milk, and mix until just combined.

Fill loaf pans half way, add filling, top with remaining batter.

Bake for 55-60 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through. Test with knife, should come out with nothing on it. Cool the pans on a rack for 10-15 minutes, remove the loaves from the pans, and cool completely.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone! What's everyone dressing up as?! I'm getting ready for the Chiefs game tonight, and can't wait to see what costumes I run into at Arrowhead Stadium! Have a great one, and eat lots of candy!

Picture: Pumpkin Ideas

It's Someone's Birthday!

Happy Birthday to my dear best friend Kortni! So sad you are in France right now, wish you were here so we could celebrate at Brio with dinner and wine, as usual. 

Love you so much, and welcome to Club 23!

Picture: Cupcakes

Happy Friday

TGIF everyone! Had a rather busy week with school, but so glad it's Friday, which means the weekend is here! Big plans approach  for an outing to the Louisburg Cider Mill, where hot cider, cider doughnuts, and pumpkins await! It is also that time of the year for the infamous Holiday Mart in Kansas City! Time to shop till I drop, while Christmas music plays. Pure love. Have a great weekend y'all!

Can't wait!

Pictures: Cider Doughnuts Holiday Mart

Weekend Polaroids

I had such a great relaxing weekend, and the weather could not have been more perfect. We are talking about nothing but sunny skies, and 70 degree weather all around. It was my sister's senior homecoming, and not going to lie, I got a little teary eyed when getting her ready. She looked beautiful! Of course, don't you worry, I found time to bake. I made 3, yes 3 batches of my best chocolate chip cookies for friends and family, and every last one of them are gone. Guess this means I just have to bake more! 

Great way to start off the week, right?!

Happy Friday!

Christmas Came Early Y'all

If you know me at all, then you know one of my favorite chefs is the one and only, southern belle, Paula Deen (I dare you to say her name without a country accent). I love how Paula continues to whip up some southern classics that bring comfort into every home. I must say the one thing I envy of Mrs. Paula Deen is her kitchen, think Carrie Bradshaw and her closet in the Sex and The City Movie, thats how I feel about Paula's kitchen, amazing! I am so excited because I just found out that she came out with a brand new cook book called, "Paula Deen's Southern Cooking Bible," just yesterday! Saving up for some new boots will just have to wait, because Paula's new book will be my next purchase, I can guarantee you that. I mean can you really have too many recipes involving massive amounts of butter? Ummm, NO! Can't wait to see what new and delicious recipes she has in store for us, but I'm sure the words "non-fat", or "butter free" will not be in the glossary, thank heavens. 

"You know it's a good recipe if it starts with a stick of butter."

-Paula Deen

(In my best Paula Deen impression) 

Have a great Wednesday y'all!

Pictures: Pinterest

Me vs. Midterms

Nothing gets me in a better mood than when the weather gets cooler, leaves start falling, and pumpkins are for sale because it's finally starting to feel and look like FALL! The one downside of fall, however, like every college student knows, is the beginning of...MiDtErMs. I am going to promise that I will try to keep up with my blog as best as I can, but school comes first (right mom and dad?!).

On another note, I find it perfectly logical to take breaks here and there from studying, and what better way to do so than bake cookies! I said earlier I was going to try some fall inspired desserts, and lemme tell you I found a recipe that gets an A+. I knew I had to have something involving pumpkin so I decided to make Pumpkin Spice Drop Cookies. I found this recipe of one of my favorite baking sites, all recipes, but altered it just a bit. 

Pumpkin Spice Drop Cookies

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• The original recipe also calls for an iced glaze, which looks delicious, but I opted out because I thought they tasted so good alone, plus I ran out of ingredients, oops. If you are wanting to have people over for a lunch/dinner party, these cookies would be prefect because the smell they leave in the kitchen is amazing, and they taste pretty darn good too!
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• Well back to studying I guess... 
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Week Bliss

Cookies, cookies, and even more cookies! I had such a busy week of baking and designs, I can barely contain my excitement! Last Wednesday was the grand opening of my mom's dear friend Lynette Henkel's store, "L of a Boutique," where I am now selling my baked goods. That's right, flourchild is now available to buy! Lots of chocolate chip and sugar cookies were made in the kitchen, and they have been selling in the store!!! Nothing makes me more happy then to bake something and know someone else is enjoying it, talk about a sugar rush. More varieties are to come, and can't wait to try new things out. 

I am sitting here this Sunday morning, with my coffee in hand, thinking it's a great day to watch some football, while experimenting some new recipes. I'm thinking some wonderfully delicious fall inspired desserts are on my list today, so I will let y'all know what I decide to bake! YUM! Have a great Sunday everyone!

P.S. Pictures of my cookies and packaging will be posted soon so y'all can see what I'm talking about!

Picture: Pinterest

It's About Time

Well I finally did it, followed through with a new years resolution of the idea of starting a blog on my baking adventures, even though it may have taken me all year…Ever since I came across my first baking blog and then another, and then another (well I’m sure you get the idea) I became obsessed and just knew I had to jump on the bandwagon. Ever since I can remember I have loved baking desserts and I have all the women in my family to thank for that, oh and the women on the food network as well! Baking has become an inspiration of mine in hopes to own my own bakery one day, but simple steps first, as in starting this blog. I want to share with you my baking attempts as well as the recipes I find so that you can join too! I hope to show the things that inspire me daily, that I think you may enjoy as well. I also must be the first to admit that writing is not my forte so bare with me, but I hope my baking will entice and inspire you to keep coming back for more! 

Happy Baking!