Melt-in-your-Mouth Shortbread Cookies

We made these, and put whipped cream with diced peaches on top! I loved them! They dissolve in your mouth instantly. This recipe is slightly modified from the one on joyofbaking.com.

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1/2 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch

In the bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), cream the butter (about 1 minute). Add the sugar and beat until smooth (about 2 minutes). Stir in the vanilla extract. Gently stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated. Flatten the dough into a disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick. I had a difficult time rolling it because it was so hardened. I had to let it sit for a few minutes, and then use the heel of my hand to flatten it out. Cut into rounds or whatever shapes you wish using lightly floured cookie cutters. Place on the prepared baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes. This will firm up the dough so the cookies will maintain their shape when baked. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack.

Shortbread cookies with keep in an airtight container for about a week or they can be frozen.

Makes about 20 shortbread cookies.

*Dianne Owens gave me a great idea, which I am trying out. Carefully roll out the dough onto plastic wrap after all ingredients are mixed. Cut into small squares using a pastry wheel. Gently slide the plastic wrap with cut cookie dough onto a baking pan, and refrigerate. Transfer each cookie, one at a time, onto a baking pan when ready to bake. Saves time and cuts down on the mess.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was so happy when I found the perfect chocolate chip cookie recipe! This is Austin's recipe. I believe it has been changed since this version was created, but I love the way these turn out. Only bake them for 8 minutes.

Cream together:
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. vanilla
2 T. milk
3/4 c. butter-flavored Crisco

Add:
1 egg

Add dry ingredients:
1 3/4 c. flour
1 t. flour
3/4 t. baking soda
2 c. chocolate chips

Be sure not to over mix.

Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.

1-2-3 Blackberry Sherbet

This is the best summer recipe I've tried so far this summer. I substituted raspberries for the blackberries, and it was just delicious! Couldn't be easier!

Ingredients:

* 4 cups fresh or frozen blackberries, thawed
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 cups buttermilk

Directions:
In a food processor, combine blackberries and sugar; cover and process until smooth. Strain and discard seeds and pulp. Stir in buttermilk. Transfer puree to a 13-in. x 9-in. dish. Freeze for 1 hour or until edges begin to firm. Stir and return to freezer. Freeze 2 hours longer or until firm.
Just before serving, transfer to a food processor; cover and process for 2-3 minutes or until smooth. Yield: 1 quart.

My Favorite Chocolate/Candy Recipes

So here are the recipes that I demonstrated in the chocolate class. Sorry it took me a little while. They are all so yummy. Just don't blame me for the increased circumference of your hips! :) You can decorate these for really any holiday you like. Have fun!
Chocolate Peanut Butter Ritz Crackers: Sandwich peanut butter between two Ritz crackers and dip in chocolate. Set on wax paper to harden. Can decorate before cool. Whalah: win/win situation= sweet + salty!

Oreo Suckers: Double stuff oreos work best but can do it with normal too. Open oreos. Dip sucker stick in chocolate and insert into cream filling almost half way up and then replace top of cookie. Let harden. Then dip sucker cookie in chocolate and set on wax paper. Decorate and embellish with sprinkles, candies, etc. before it hardens. Can also decorate with differently colored chocolate after it sets. These make really fun and easy gifts. I did mine for baby shower favors. The ladies all loved them. Yummy!
Cake Pops: Follow directions to make cake balls (below) but form into desired shape. Insert sucker stick dipped in chocolate a little less than half way into ball. After cooling for several hours, dip sucker in chocolate and roll and tap excess off. Let stand in styrofoam block. Decorate with candy pieces, crystals, etc. using chocolate or corn syrup for glue. See www.bakerella.blogspot.com for cute ideas. Here is a picture of her Easter ones:
Here are my favorite chocolate candy recipes:

I got these from Bakerella's Website too. I haven't tasted these exact ones but I can't wait to try them. We did strawberry cake mix with white chocolate at our class and they were soo yummy. I also took them to an Easter get together last Saturday and they were a huge hit. No matter what they turn out like, you know they will be eaten!!

And LASTLY: CHOCOLATE BOWLS!!!!
Blow up small balloon to desired bowl size and dip in warm NOT HOT melted chocolate. (I did it when my chocolate was too hot and YES... my balloon POPPED all over me and my kitchen. I am still finding harden chocolate splatter. I didn't know why and so I tried again and... duh! it popped again. That's when it hit me that the hot chocolate melted the balloon. So to avoid Hollie's blunders, let chocolate cool a little first.) You can coat balloon however you want i.e. jagged like cracked egg, use spoon to make lattice/lacey edge or just a cute diagonal dip. Just make sure you get it thick enough or balloon will not peel away from it.
After dipping. Put small disk of chocolate on wax paper and set balloon on it. Then stick in freezeer for 10 minutes.
After hardened, take out and poke small hole in top with pin and let it self-deflate. Don't let it POP because your balloon will break. Pull balloon away from sides of bowl and tada... chocolate bowl deluxe!! Fill with treats, fruit, or ice cream. So fun and easy to make with kids too.
Put this ice cream bowl on a plate and drizzle chocolate syrup over the top and running onto the plate and you would have aestetically delicious dessert.
The next kind I want to try is this lattice bowl by wrapping the inside of a bowl with plastic wrap and then drizzling melted chocolate back adn forth over it. Can't wait to try it. It would be cool in brown and white chocolate together.* I used chocolate almond bark, white and brown, for all of these recipes except the reeses. It uses chocolate chips. Melt it in 30 second intervals stirring in between. Never add water or water based food coloring. Can add vegeatable oil to thin out if needed.

** And since I am working with food storage in my church, I just have to add that comfort foods (i.e. chocolate) are important too. But definitely not #1 priority, just #2- right after water! (don't believe me on this)

The Best Play Dough

I really like this recipe because it's so easy to make in the Bosch or a mixer, and I always have the ingredients on hand.

2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. salt
1 T. alum (or cream of tartar)
1 T. oil
2 c. boiling water
food coloring

Mix dry ingredients. Add oil to water (must be boiling) (I put mine in the microwave until it bubbles). Then add to dry ingredients. Mix with spoon until cool enough to knead. Dust with additional flour if necessary. Color as desired. This clay will stay soft for several months if stored in an airtight container.

If using a mixer, combine all ingredients in mixer and mix with dough hooks until the dough forms. May need to cool before letting kids play with it.

Potluck Potatoes or Funeral Potatoes

Very fattening and addicting.

2 lb. Southern style hash browns
1/2 cup melted butter
2 tsp. pepper (can add more to taste)
1 tsp. salt (can add more to taste)
1 can cream of chicken soup, dilute with one can water
1 pint sour cream
10 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Corn flakes crushed to go on top (optional)

Defrost potatoes if frozen. Combine all ingredients except corn flakes together in a large bowl, and then pour into a 9x13 casserole dish.

Top with the crushed corn flakes.

Bake for one hour at 375 degrees.

Cool Veggie Pizza

This is nice for a lunch, an appetizer, or a potluck.

2-3 pkg. crescent rolls
8 oz. cream cheese
1-2 tsp. dill weed
1-2 tsp. garlic powder
cucumber, peeled and diced
bacon (a few pieces), cooked and crumbled
shredded cheddar cheese (optional) or
shredded carrots (optional)

Pat crescents in slightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 12 minutes or until browned. Cool. Mix cream cheese, dill and garlic. Spread on cooled crescents. Top with remaining ingredients (the carrots and cheddar cheese are mainly just for color; use whichever sounds good, or substitute another ingredient).

You may pat the crescents into a decorative baking dish and cut the edges off for a nice fit, then bake.