Luscious candle scent

People seem to fall into one of two camps when it comes to candles - food or flowers. I am most certainly the latter. I hate "vanilla sugar cookies frosting sprinkles etc." candles and am drawn to the flower/plant based scents. I have been digging Yankee Candles exploration of herbs lately... "Sage and citrus" has been my standby and I just discovered the Aromatherapy Spa line, particularly the "Invigorate" scent, which is a combination of peppermint, basil & rosemary. Love it! Now it's helping my bland and boring office at least smell pleasant!



http://www.yankeecandle.com/cgi-bin/ycbvp/searchResults.jsp?search=invigorate

Goodwill donations in the nick of time

Got our stuff to Goodwill today. Funny how it's been sitting in a pile since July and I swore that I would not wait until the last minute. Oh well, at least we didn't miss 2008! Not sure how I will value the donations this year. Allegedly TaxAct is offering some support for that this year but I was very pleased with the information I pirated from the H&R block product (Taxcut?). This article had some other options as well... http://www.bargaineering.com/articles/how-to-value-your-clothing-donation.html

Christmas Cookie Success #3 - the Pinnacle!

These were my top priority recipe. They are not even Xmas-specific, but hey I was baking and I ADORE these and I happened to have plenty of PTO to burn. They came out spectacular and were the hit of Xmas Eve dessert table.

Notes: I used the suggestions from epicuious to help with this recipe and therefore I did not separate the eggs and I added butter to the chocolate for the coating layers (maybe 2T each for the two portions). I think I over baked the layers a touch. This was a struggle without an offset spatula but I could not find one in Williston without venturing in retail hell the day before Xmas, so I did without.

Smitten Kitchen provided the critical "to die for" photography that got me off my butt to make these and some really helpful hints... http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/12/seven-layer-cookies/

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Seven-Layer-Cookies-233296

Seven-Layer Cookies Gourmet | December 2005

Yield: Makes about 5 dozen cookies Active Time: 1 1/2 hr Total Time: 11 hr 4 large eggs, separated 1 cup sugar 1 (8-oz) can almond paste 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter, softened 1 teaspoon almond extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 25 drops red food coloring 25 drops green food coloring 1 (12-oz) jar apricot preserves, heated and strained 7 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped Special equipment: a heavy-duty stand mixer; a small offset spatula Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 13- by 9-inch baking pan and line bottom with wax paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on 2 ends, then butter paper. Beat whites in mixer fitted with whisk attachment at medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. Add 1/4 cup sugar a little at a time, beating at high speed until whites hold stiff, slightly glossy peaks. Transfer to another bowl. Switch to paddle attachment, then beat together almond paste and remaining 3/4 cup sugar until well blended, about 3 minutes. Add butter and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add yolks and almond extract and beat until combined well, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and salt and mix until just combined. Fold half of egg white mixture into almond mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Divide batter among 3 bowls. Stir red food coloring into one and green food coloring into another, leaving the third batch plain. Set white batter aside. Chill green batter, covered. Pour red batter into prepared pan and spread evenly with offset spatula (layer will be about 1/4 inch thick). Bake red layer 8 to 10 minutes, until just set. (It is important to undercook.) Using paper overhang, transfer layer to a rack to cool, about 15 minutes. Clean pan, then line with wax paper and butter paper in same manner as above. Bake white layer in prepared pan until just set. As white layer bakes, bring green batter to room temperature. Transfer white layer to a rack. Prepare pan as above, then bake green layer in same manner as before. Transfer to a rack to cool. When all layers are cool, invert green onto a wax-paper-lined large baking sheet. Discard paper from layer and spread with half of preserves. Invert white on top of green layer, discarding paper. Spread with remaining preserves. Invert red layer on top of white layer and discard wax paper. Cover with plastic wrap and weight with a large baking pan. Chill at least 8 hours. Remove weight and plastic wrap. Bring layers to room temperature. Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat. Keep chocolate over water. Trim edges of assembled layers with a long serrated knife. Quickly spread half of chocolate in a thin layer on top of cake. Chill, uncovered, until chocolate is firm, about 15 minutes. Cover with another sheet of wax paper and place another baking sheet on top, then invert cake onto sheet and remove paper. Quickly spread with remaining chocolate. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut lengthwise into 4 strips. Cut strips crosswise into 3/4-inch-wide cookies. Cooks' note: Cookies keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 2 weeks.

Christmas Cookie Success #2

Here is my second batch of Xmas cookies. These were really amazing - they stayed soft and chewy until they were devoured.

Notes: I made medium sized cookies (not quite as big as the recipe). The dough seemed dry after all the ingredients were combined so I added 2-3 tablespoons of sour cream. It was hard to tell when they were done - I would describe it as when the bottom was firm and set but the top was puffed.

http://www.yumsugar.com/682792

Super Sized Ginger Chewies

Super Sized Ginger Chewies
From Elinor Klivans's Big Fat Cookies [1]

2 ¼ cups unbleached all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp cloves
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter at room temp.
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
¼ cup molasses
about ¼ cup granulated sugar

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves into a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and brown sugar until smoothly blended, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the egg and molasses and mix until blended and an even light brown color, about 1 minute. On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just to incorporate.

Spread the granulated sugar on a large piece of wax or parchment paper. Roll ¼ cup of dough between the palms of your hands into a 2 inch ball, roll the ball in the sugar and place on one of the prepared baking sheets. Continue making cookies, spacing them 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies one sheet at a time until the tops feel firm, but they are still soft in the center and there are several large cracks on top, about 14 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Makes 9-12 cookies (and yes, they'll be big).

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Source URL:
http://www.yumsugar.com/user/YumSugar/recipes/86389

Links:
[1] http://www.chroniclebooks.com/site/catalog/index.php?main_page=pubs_product_book_info&products_id=4249&store=books

Christmas Cookie Success #1

I kept the Xmas cookie baking to a modest level this year and ventured out with three new recipes. Here's the first from King Arthur...

Notes... I put mini hershey kisses on top. Tastes like brownie cookies. I really need those cookie scoops - put that on the top of the list for my next trip to King Arthur!


http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/RecipeDisplay?RID=R731

Fudge Drops

These cookies develop an attractive shiny, cracked top surface as they bake. Be sure to allow them to cool before moving them off the baking sheet, as they're very delicate while hot. Step-by-step photos illustrating how to make these cookies are available at Bakers’ Banter, our King Arthur blog.

8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate*
3 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) butter
1 cup (7 1/4 ounces) sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup (4 1/4 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) chocolate chips, optional

*You may use regular chocolate chips (1 1/3 cups = 8 ounces), but we prefer the flavor of bittersweet chips, or any of our bittersweet chocolates. If you're using bar chocolate (as opposed to chips), chop it into irregular 1/2 to 3/4-inch chunks.

In a double boiler, or in the microwave, gently melt together the chocolate and butter. To avoid heating the chocolate too much and possibly burning it, the best method is to heat till the butter is melted and the chocolate has partially melted, then remove from the heat. Stir till all the chocolate melts.

In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs till they're thoroughly combined. Add the hot melted chocolate, then stir in the remaining ingredients, including the chocolate chips, if you're using them. Refrigerate the batter-like dough for 1 hour, to make it easier to handle.

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets, three if you have them.

Drop the cookie dough by tablespoonfuls (about the size of a small ping pong ball) onto the prepared baking sheets. A tablespoon cookie scoop makes this task extremely simple. Leave about 2" between the dough balls, as they'll spread as they bake.

Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until their tops are shiny and cracked. They won't crack until the very end, so keep a close eye on them; when they're cracked all the way across the top surface, they're just about done. The point is, you want these baked all the way through, but just barely; additional baking will make them crisp rather than chewy. Remove the cookies from the oven, and top each with a kiss-shaped chocolate, a nonpareil, or a bittersweet chocolate wafer, if desired. Wait 5 minutes, then transfer them to a rack to cool. Yield: about 26 cookies without chips, 30 cookies with chips.