Sugar Cookies

Today is my Dad's birthday. He would have be 69 years old today. But really, he is only 64, 2 months and 27 days old.

My Dad on July 24, 2008 

When I think of my Dad, there are so many things he taught me and my family. He was a funny guy with a quirky sense of humor. A wealth of expressions and actions. Why we thought those funny faces and cliches were so damn funny. They are Butchies now. 

In honor of my Dad, I should post a recipe for chocolate cake w/peanut butter frosting or a peach cobbler. Those were his favorites.  That is not in me today. He had a few favorites, but really he loved good pastry. I made Sugar Cookies for a customer yesterday. They were for a 50th Anniversary party. My sugar cookies are amazing. I wish I could give him one or two....

I double the size of my cookies, to make this thick large size cookie. The cookie was not a floury tasteless dry mess. They were frosted, decorated, sleeved and bagged. They turned out to be a nice gift at each person place setting.

My Mother has made cookies also forever. My Dad always love cookies also. This recipe is not hers. 

Sugar Cookies

adapted from theprofessionalpalate.com

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper

Beat butter and sugar until white and creamy. (about 10 minutes). VERY IMPORTANT

Beat in egg, vanilla and milk

Add in four, salt and baking powder. Beat slowly until just mixed together. You can chill for an hour if you want. Most of the time I believe in chilling dough. This recipe is ok if you do not.

Scoop into balls and place on your cookie sheet. Should be about 2 inches apart.

Flatten cookies. My current method involves a flat spatula dipped in water. Use a flat bottemed glass if that works. Sprinkle with White sugar and place sheet in the oven for 10 minutes. The edges should be BARELY  brown. 

They are waiting to be flattened and sugared

A pretty renegade slipping off a tray.

So, it has been five years since we celebrated my Dad's last birthday. I do miss him and think of him often. 

Bake something today. Even a small batch of cookies. Remember the good people in your life. 

Cashew Butter Cookies

Well.... so much for my 4th of July post. Two weeks late. Good Governors, as my Grandma used to say. I came across this recipe at the end of June. I went on a search for Cashew Butter. Checked out all my local grocery stores, and no luck. Fruitful Yield (a health food, gluten free, vitamin, and other cool things store) had the Cashew Butter. It was a bit pricey. $9.25 for this jar. Use prudently and Refrigerate.

Well Cashew butter is amazing. I did not sit an gobble it down like Nutella. A couple of tastes, yummy. These Cashew Butter Cookies are lovely. A shortbread butter cookie with an fantastic undertone. Slightly crunchy on the outside and chewy and smooth on the inside. You could add ground Cashews if you wanted to. I did not have any on hand, so I stuck with the recipe. A fantastic tea cookie, or great for the beach.

Cashew Butter Cookies

adapted from bakingbites.com

Ingredients

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup cashew butter

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups of all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together.

In a large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in cashew butter until combined. Add in egg and vanilla extract until mix in. Reduce speed of mixer, gradually blend in flour mixture until just combined.

Shape dough into balls and place on baking sheet. Either use a fork or damp spatula and smash down. 

Bake for 9-10 minutes. Until edges start to barely turn brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

This recipe was a snap to put together. You could always chill your dough. These were made on the fly. 

The Cookies will puff slightly on then settle. They are a very nice looking cookie for any event.

We went to the beach for a cook out. Brats and Dogs and loads of sides. The Cookies were nearly gone before we ate dinner. That is ok. My Mother made this FABulous berry cobbler. It was out of this world. 

Jasmine

HELLO readers. Where have I been. NO where. Probably in my kitchen baking cookies and bars. The weather this year is SO Different than last year. It rains all the time. There has been no lawn watering. Everything is lush and green.  Little bits of air conditioning because it is cool out. The drought from last year has been flooded away. I am getting more organized with my Sweets business. My website is Fabulous. If you have a moment, check out SweetsbyShayla.com. My friend Stephanie did such an amazing job. But the Blog has so taken a back seat. This was my outlet, to tell my stories and share new recipes. The only new thing for me, is that I like Fondant. I would not eat it, but it looks great on a cake. A creative way to make so many designs. Decorating can come in so many different forms. It is mind blowing.

This is a Deluxe Tray. Four different types of Cookies, A delicious mouth watering Brownie feature earlier this year, and Gourmet Rice Krispie Treats featured last year. Scroll through the blog. The Sugar cookies will be soon. They are wonderful. 

This is Jasmine. I have had this plant for three or four years. During the winter it comes in the house, and it weeps all over the floor. Leaves such a sticky mess. The leaves seem to always get a fungus on them. It is the first plant that goes out in May. Then it cleans it self up and starts to make these delicate blooms. I always wish it would bloom more than once a year. Jasmine smells wonderful. It smells like perfume. Because of the cool summer, we have had the windows open. I sometimes catch a lovely whiff blowing in. That is such a good thing.

A box of 24 cupcakes for a customer for their Fourth of July Party. They looked so patriotic. I really wanted to sit and eat cupcakes last night at 11:30. Really, I just wanted to go to bed who am I kidding on a Tuesday night. The Flags added such a nice touch to the cupcakes. Sprinkles are just FUN.

Tomorrow, we celebrate our nation's independence. I have a new cookie recipe to try out. It contains Cashew Butter. I am excited to try something new. Thank you for taking the time to read. Be safe on this Holiday and enjoy great food and fabulous friends and family.