Fresh Snow

 

 

 

 

 

 

We awoke to a cold snowy day and I spent most of the day inside. I completed a custom order of my heart felt ornaments and with a little help from Jimmy, my Burmese cat, prepared them, and some other items, for shipping.

The afternoon was spent sewing, working on some new zip pouches. It's time to restock the shop after the holidays.

The daylight ended with a beautiful pink and lavender sunset.

 

Good Cheer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our house looks festive inside and out. The gifts have been wrapped and the cookies have been baked. I have four days off in a row this week and I'm so looking forward to enjoying some good holiday cheer! We will be relaxing and enjoying good food with friends and family, watching a few Christmas show classics, maybe even go to see a new movie.

Much love and good cheer to all this holiday season!

A New Favorite

 

This is our new favorite banana bread recipe.
I found it on the Martha Stewart website.

It's quick and easy to make and the addition of sour cream makes it nice and moist. Makes 1 loaf.

Ingredients

• • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature, plus more for pan
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, and beat to incorporate.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the butter mixture, and mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla; mix to combine. Stir in nuts, and pour into prepared pan.
3. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Let rest in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack to cool.

Are You Ready?

The house has been decorated.

I've made lots of my favorite snack mix, for us, and to share with family and friends. You can find this recipe here.

I've baked several batches of my favorite holiday cookies, Mexican Wedding cookies. You can find my recipe here.

I just have to finish gift wrapping and I think I'm ready for Christmas!

Are you ready?

My Favorite Brownies

This is a long-time favorite brownie recipe at my house.

I've been using this recipe since I was a teenager. I've long since forgotten from where it came, but it's a great basic brownie with slightly crispy edges and top and a soft chocolately inside.

Ingredients:
1 stick of butter
2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate
1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
 1 teaspoon of vanilla
1/4 cup of flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Melt butter and chocolate in a heavy saucepan over very low heat. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and walnuts. Spray an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray and spread batter evenly in pan. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes. Cool completely and dust with powered sugar if desired.

Do you have a favorite brownie recipe?

Christmas Cookies!

Recently I've seen a lot of magazine covers with photos of beautifully styled Christmas cookies. It's put me in the mood for some holiday baking. I even saved some new recipes to try, but in the end, partly because of my husband's request, I just went with an old favorite recipe. I've always called these Mexican Wedding Cookies. They are small cookies with a rich buttery flavor, covered in powdered sugar. Of course they are great any time of year, but I always find myself making several batches around the holidays. I thought I would share this simple recipe!

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup of butter (2 sticks)

1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus more for dusting the cooled cookies)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Mix ingredients in order given. I just put everything in my food processor and process until the dough comes together.

Divide the dough in half and roll into two long rolls, each about 1 1/4 - 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Roll up in wax paper or parchment paper and chill for at least 2 hours.

Once dough is thoroughly chilled, slice into 1/4 inch discs and place on cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are slightly brown. Remove cookies and place on cooling racks or a piece of parchment paper to cool.


To decorate, roll each cookie in powdered sugar and place in an airtight container. These cookies keep well and retain their flavor and texture for several days. They are a wonderful tiny treat with a mug of hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate!

A Sweet Treat

I wanted to share with you my favorite recipe for Pound Cake. The golden batter makes a wonderfully moist, dense cake. It looks pretty when baked in a Bundt pan, but any tube pan will do.

Pound Cake
3 cups plain flour - not self rising
3 sticks salted butter
3 cups sugar
1 cup whipping cream
6 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Generously grease and lightly flour a tube pan. Sift flour 3 times. (sifting the flour is important) Cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Beat only until each disappears. Blend in 1 cup flour, then 1/2 cup cream. Repeat. Add remaining flour. Fold in vanilla.
Add batter to pan, level it and drop on counter a couple of times to knock out any air bubbles. Place in center of oven and bake for one hour and 15 minutes. Cake will be nice and brown on top and begin to pull away from the sides of pan. Remove from oven to cool and wait ten minutes before inverting on a cake plate. Do not cover until completely cool.

Ready to go in the oven.

The pound cake is excellent served plain. You could also drizzle with lemon sauce or chocolate sauce. My favorite is to serve it with seasonal berries. Let me know if you try the recipe.

Enjoy!