Cookies For The Party!!!

Our granddaughters are having a party at their lake house this weekend and I wanted to do a little baking.  I don't know how many dozens I made, let's just say it was a lot.   

Starting from the top.  Triple chocolate fudge cookies, Giant chocolate chip cookies, Soft molasses cookies, and Chewy cherry, double chocolate and pecan cookies.

 Since we are at our vacation home I had to improvise on my containers. 

Stole a few for the neighbors.  Again, no cute packaging so I am a little bummed but I hope the cookies themselves make up for it.

I am tired now and have a little bit of sugar overload.  Think I will be eating salads for a few days.

And napping.

Diana

Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been searching a long time for the best bakery style chocolate chip cookie recipe.  I think I have finally found it.  Even hubby (who is more of a oatmeal cookie kind of guy) said these were "really good cookies".

I found the recipe here at Sugar and Soul Co.  These cookies come out soft and chewy.  They had great flavor with tons of chocolate chips in each bite.  The recipe was easy to make, had no "secret ingredient" (that you have to order from Amazon cuz your Krogers doesn't carry weird stuff) and made 12 really huge cookies.  Only 12 cookies!  I am sure you are saying that will not last long at your house!  But take my word for it, these cookies are ginormous.  I couldn't even fit them all in my large cookie jar.  12 cookies will be enough.  Seriously, I refuse to believe you will be able eat more than one. 

Recipe

• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted *Do not use soften butter!!!!  You must melt it!!!
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 1 additional egg yolk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Cream together melted butter and sugars in a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. 
2. Add in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk and beat until light and creamy. 
3. In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a little at a time, mixing between each addition. 
4. Fold in chocolate chips with a wooden spoon. 
5. Cover and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.

   
   
6. Preheat oven to 325­­°F and measure dough into 1/4 cup-sized balls (I used an ice cream scoop), place balls on an ungreased cookie sheet at least 3 inches apart  (I lined my pan with parchment paper). Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the pan.

Here are some Recipe Notes that Sugar and Soul Co. shared on her site.

It is crucial that the cookie dough is chilled for at least 1 hour so that the cookies will be thick and chewy.

It's also very important that the cookies are allowed to cool on the pan for at least 15 minutes after coming out of the oven. 

***I followed the recipe very carefully.  Well almost.  I didn't have unsalted butter so I just reduced the additional salt from 1/2 to 1/4 teaspoon.  Seemed to be about right.  Cookies tasted great!!!!

Diana

First Ever Fondant Cake

I love to try new crafts, recipes and techniques!  Lately I have been wanting to make a cake with both edible lace and fondant, neither of which I have ever tried to do before.  With a winter storm on it's way and an afternoon with no pressing activities, today seemed perfect for a little kitchen crafting!

 I made a tiny 6 inch cake from Dessert For Two that was as cute as can be.  It is actually a 2 layer lemon cake with a lemon curd filling.  The cake has a coarse crumb and the curd is nice and tart.  I gave it a skim coat of buttercream and then attempted the fondant.  Because  the fondant was store bought, I warmed it up a little to make it easier to work with.  Despite all the horror stories I had heard about fondant, it went really easy!  Next I made  a bunch of edible lace that I tinted yellow.  This stuff is wonderful.  I did an earlier post on the lace here.  The linked post shows how you can use it for pretty lace dollies to use in cocoa!

 You can see the seam where I didn't quite match up the edges.  To get the lace to stick to the fondant I used a little corn syrup.

Wouldn't this be a dainty little cake to serve for an English Tea?  Or maybe a special treat for your spouse on a wintry night......

Diana

Mint Cupcakes For St Patrick's Day

Look what I am serving for St Patrick's Day dinner........Mint Cupcakes.

These beauties are an adaptation of this recipe from The Crafting Foodie.

 So what did I do differently?  No cookie on the bottom of the cupcake or as decoration.

 Instead I used what chocolate curls to decorate.  So what I ended up with was chocolate cupcakes filled with mint flavored chocolate ganache, topped with more ganache, mini chocolate chips, mint flavored buttercream frosting and more ganache drizzled and white chocolate curls on top,  Boy was that a mouthful!

Some of the cupcakes will be traveling so I put them in cups to protect them.  Love that idea.  You can still see the yumminess but they stay intact.

Diana

Peanut Butter Dino Cookies

For last nights Young Single Adult activity (I'm an advisor, not a member!!!) we watched Jurassic Park.  I was in charge of the snacks so after browsing Pinterest, here is what I made.

  Earlier I made a dino footprint press out of polymer clay.  While polymer clay is not considered food safe (to eat off of) it is not because it is toxic.  In fact eating it causes no harmful effects.  Why one would eat it I can't figure out but that is beside the point.  The reason you can't use it to make food safe dishes is because polymer clay is porous so it can not be cleaned sufficiently to prevent icky stuff from growing on the clay.  But since I would be tossing the press (easy to make a new one if I ever needed one) after this project, there was no risk .   I could have used a toy dino to make the impressions but I couldn't find one just the right size.  You will see the press further down in the post.  Now on to the cookies.  I just used a basic peanut butter cookie recipe that I added a bit more flour to.  I wanted the footprint to really show up so I needed a drier dough, and the extra flour didn't make the cookies too dry once baked.

 After using an ice cream scoop to get a nice size mound, I sprayed the bottom of a pint jar with Pam.  I then dipped it in sugar and pressed down on the dough til it was the right size.  I only had to use the Pam the first squish, after that I just dipped the jar in sugar before every press.

The edges were real rough which looked great for the dino theme.  I then baked the cookies.  While they baked I prepared my foot print press.

Just like the jar, I sprayed the foot with Pam and then dipped it in sugar.  Notice the handle I added to the foot for ease in using.  I made the press out of leftover clay from other projects.

You want a good coating of sugar.

Once the cookies are baked, immediately, like the second you take them out of the oven, press the foot into the surface of the cookies.  I tried marking them before baking like you traditionally do with a fork but the impression isn't as sharp as if you do it after baking.  These cookies were a big hit with the group!  Hummm, you might want to try different shapes, the possibilities are limitless!

Diana

Dakota Bread

While visiting my sister in law Milly this last month, she introduce me to Dakota bread.  My favorite bread ever!  We got it at Great American Harvest.  After I got home I located one one hour away from my home and rushed over, only to find they were out of Dakota bread.  Bummer.  So then I became obsessed with getting that bread.  Thank goodness I found a recipe that makes a pretty good facsimile of that bread.  I have made two batches so far and thought it isn't as good, it still satisfies my cravings.

I found the recipe here.

The second time I made it I used loaf pans.  Didn't like that shape as much.

Diana

Sew Your Own Pastry Cloth

I have a love/hate relationship with pinterest.  Just when I have about caught up with my latest project someone posts a pin that has me gathering supplies from online stores for a new project that I may or may not get to.  Hence the pile of fabric, paint, and misc. supplies piled around my sewing room.

 But once in a while I have gotten so excited about a pin I actually start right in on it as soon as that wonderful brown truck leaves my driveway.  Like this pastry cloth from Cami from Tidbits  I saw a few weeks ago.  

HAD TO MAKE THEM!  Well actually had to make 5 of them.  I used to have one as a new bride but when it finally fell apart I never replaced it.  But my old one didn't have those cute red stripes down both sides that look like a vintage tea towel.  And it wasn't two layers thick either.  Cami walks you through the construction of the pastry cloth with pictures.  Yipee!  

You can't see it in this picture but the fabric paint I used has glitter in it!!!!!  That can't hurt you if it gets in the pie crust, right?  Maybe I better flip it over and use the unpainted side.  Though I have scrubbed at that red stripe and not one bit of glitter has come off.  Plus, one can never have enough glitter in one's life, even when one is elbow deep in bread dough.  Note the use of the royal "one".

 Check out these vintage cutters.  Love the wood handles.

 Unlike Cami from Tidbits, I only used one row of top stitching.  Guess I'm lazy that way.

I made my clothes to a finished size of about 23x28 inches.  Just the right size for my counter tops. 

I also made some cute tags to give away with the cloths.  

Hope you feel inspired to make one (or 5) yourself.

Diana

Light As Air Cookies---Only 10 Calories!

I have been trying to eat healthier, exercise daily and lose weight for the last three months (27 pounds lost so far!).  I am finally seeing some results which has me excited.  One of the downsides of this new lifestyle though is not being able to eat some of my favorite desserts.....so sad.  But I have found a cookie recipe that let's me have a little (or, on a bad day, a lot of) sweet during the day without any worries.  These delicious cookies have only 10 calories a piece so you can eat quite a few!

The recipe is from Taste of Home and is very easy.  There is some wait time so start these a few hours before you need them and you will be fine!

Vanilla Meringue Cookies Recipe

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 1-1/2 teaspoons clear or regular vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
• Dash salt
• 2/3 cup sugar

Directions

1. Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 250°. Add vanilla, cream of tartar and salt to egg whites; beat on medium speed until foamy. Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating on high after each addition until sugar is dissolved. Continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form, about 7 minutes.
3. Cut a small hole in the tip of a pastry bag or in a corner of a food-safe plastic bag; insert a #32 star tip. Transfer meringue to bag. Pipe 1-1/4-in. diameter cookies 2 in. apart onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
4. Bake 40-45 minutes or until firm to the touch. Turn off oven (do not open oven door); leave meringues in oven 1 hour. Remove from oven; cool completely on baking sheets. Remove meringues from paper; store in an airtight container at room temperature. Yield: about 5 dozen.

Yum Yum

Diana

Really Good Basic Bread

Shout out to Roxana from Roxana's Home Baking for her fantastic and easy basic sandwich bread recipe!  I tried it yesterday and loved the results.

 It is just as she describes and delicious to boot.  The only thing I did different is that I brushed the top of the finished loaf with melted butter cuz I like a soft crust.

The texture is lovely with small air pockets so you sandwich will hold up well.  Definitely give this a try.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tsp active Red Star dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
   
• 3 cups (360 grams) all purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 cup (56 grams) melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup (30 - 40 grams) all purpose flour

Instructions

1. In a bowl add the water, yeast and teaspoon of sugar. Stir to combine and leave at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes until doubled in volume.
2. In a mixing bowl sift the 3 cups of flour and make a well in the middle.
3. Pour the yeast mixture, add the egg, sugar, salt and melted butter.
4. With the dough hook on start mixing adding the milk and slowly adding the remaining flour until the dough forms a soft and elastic ball.
5. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for about 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
6. When the dough has risen, punch it down and shape it into a log. Place it into a 9X5 greased baking pan, cover and let rest again at room temperature for another 30 minutes.
7. In the meantime, heat the oven to 375F.
8. Bake the bread for about 30 minutes until golden brown and the smell of fresh bread takes over your kitchen.
9. Leave to cool slightly in the pan before removing it and completely before slicing it. 

Diana

Magic Cake

You have probably seen Magic Cake on pinterest.  The magic?  A three layer cake that forms in the baking process!  Soft cake, creamy custard and another layer of cake, all from one batter.  Had to try it!  So I found a recipe here and got out all the ingredients, and about 90 minutes later, I had a three layer dessert that was really good!  Truth be told, the bottom layer wasn't really cake like.  It was more like the bottom of a cream puff, but the custard and top cake layer were nicely formed.  The cake didn't have a crumb texture.  More like a very soft angel food cake.  Real spongy.  It wasn't real sweet, which was kind of nice.  I ate my first piece warm which was delicious.....like warm pudding!  It was pretty impressive looking too, especially since the powdered sugar covered up any crust issues (it torn a bit when I cut it).   

Ingredients

• 4 eggs (separate yolks from whites) at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sugar
• ½ cup butter, melted
•  ¾ cup of all purpose flour
• 2 cups lukewarm milk
• powdered sugar for dusting cake (I use the non-melting sugar available from King Arthur's)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F degrees. Grease a 8 inch x 8 inch baking dish.
2. Separate eggs and add the egg whites to a mixer and mix until egg whites are stiff. Place egg whites in a bowl and set aside.
3. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light. Add butter and vanilla extract and continue beating for another minute or two after which you can add the flour and mix it in until fully incorporated.
4. Slowly start adding the milk and beat until everything is well mixed together. (I think it looks pretty gross at this point but don't give up just yet) Add the egg whites, a third at a time and gently fold them in using a spatula, repeat until all egg whites are folded in. Another variation to folding in the egg whites would be to add a third of the egg whites and gently whisk them in to the cake batter, then reverse the process and add a bit of the cake mixture to the egg whites and gently whisk in, repeat until all cake batter has been whisked in. (I used the first method and ended up with tons of egg white clumps....might try second method next time)
5. Pour batter into baking dish and bake for 40 to 70  minutes (the cake should look "set" and not jiggle too much) or until the top is lightly golden (? mine was pretty brown.....) The baking time could vary greatly depending on the oven, so take a peek at around 40 minutes and see how it looks.
6. Sprinkle some powdered sugar after cake has cooled (or eat it warm like I did)

Jo Cooks has a chocolate and butterscotch version that look pretty darn good too!  

Stabilized Whipped Cream in Cream Puffs

I love old fashion desserts, don't you?  And one of my favorites is cream puffs.  They look like snow covered mountains.  So easy to make and so impressive!  We make ours a little different from some.  I don't fill them with custard.  Instead I make up a batch of stabilized whipped cream and put a good size dollop in each puff.  Not only do they taste wonderful but they "seem" lighter......we aren't talking low calorie lighter here, just an" impression" of lighter.  But in my world that counts as diet food.

Cream Puff Shells

1/2 cup butter

1 cup water

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup flour

4 eggs.

Heat oven to 425 and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat water and butter over medium heat in large saucepan to a rolling boil.  Stir in flour and salt until mixture forms a ball.  Transfer to large mixing bowl and beat in each egg individually with electric mixer.  Drop by large spoonfuls onto pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes (smaller ones bake faster than large ones).  Allow to cool completely.

Stabilized Whipped Cream

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

4 tsp cold water

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Dissolve gelatin in cold water.  Heat for about 20 seconds in the microwave, checking every 10 seconds or so, until gelatin is not gritty.  Allow to cool but not to set up.  Put whipping cream and sugar in mixing bowl and beat until thick.  Add gelatin mixture and whip until very thick and able to hold shape.  

Split cream puffs like you would cut a bagel.  Plop a nice dollop of stabilized whipped cream on bottom half and put top half back on.  Sift some powdered sugar over the top and serve.  Cream puffs with last several days in the fridge but don't sift sugar on top until right before you eat them.  And eat them you will!  You won't be able to stop yourself!  And remember you can eat tons because they are diet food.......

Diana

Wheat Bread.....Finally

Yum.  I have been trying for years to make a fluffy whole wheat bread from scratch that didn't look like a brick.  My friend Mary from Windy Meadows Farm had a link to a new (to me) blog that had a one rise recipe for wheat bread that I hoped would work for me.

The bread turned out beautiful and doesn't look at all like a brick!  Here is the link to Life in a Little Red Farmhouse and her great recipe.  Good luck!

Chocolate Chip Cookies Made With Honey

Why use honey in your cookie recipes?  Two reasons-it does make a difference in the taste, texture and shelf life of the cookie AND we have our own bees so we have an abundance of honey!  You may not have tons of the amber liquid but I promise you it is still worth switching over.  Your cookies will stay soft much longer and everyone will taste the difference.

I looked a long time for a recipe for chocolate chip cookies that used honey but couldn't find one I liked, I mean I still wanted it to look and taste similar to what I normally baked.  So I decided to try a little experiment with my trusted Williams Sonoma recipe by replacing the white sugar with honey.  Here is the adapted recipe below.  Note: when baking with honey you usually use equal amounts of honey for the sugar, reduce the liquid by 1/4 cup per 1 cup of honey used and reduce the temp of the oven by 25 to 30 degrees.  This recipe follows some of those guidelines but not all.

Williams Sonoma Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 tsp. salt

2 sticks of butter at room temperature

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup honey

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

12 oz. chocolate chips

 

Preheat oven to 345 (only 5 degrees change from the 350 in the recipe).  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the butter on med-low speed until smooth, about 30 seconds.  Add the brown sugar and honey, increase the speed to medium and beat until slightly fluffy, about one minute.  Be sure and stop to scrape the sides once in a while.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in the vanilla.  Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto the prepared pan, spacing the cookies about two inches apart.  Bake about 9 minutes then turn pan in oven and cook another minute.  The cookies should be a light golden color and the bottoms should not be dark brown.  Put the pan of cookies on a baking rack to cool for 3 minutes and then remove cookies to a rack to cool completely.  Makes about 36 cookies.

 

These cookies don't spread as much as the ones with sugar.  They stay nice and thick and moist.  Yum!

Diana

English Muffin Bread And A Secret

I am going to tell you all something shameful......something I am a little embarrassed to admit.....something I have never told anyone before......I make this bread in the microwave.  I know, I know, who does that!!!!  But before you shake your head and tsk tsk this post, let me explain.  This recipe was given to me by a wonderful cook, someone I trust and admire.  A sweet little old lady even!  This recipe is easy AND you will have fresh homemade bread in your tummy in one hour, start to finish, AND you will like it, I promise!  There is no kneading, no shaping and only one rising.  Since you will be toasting the slices, this pale bread (microwaved baked goods don't brown) won't freak you out.  It makes two large loaves and tastes great!

English Muffin Bread

5 cups flour

2 packages yeast

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons salt

1/2 cup water

2 cups milk

cornmeal

Combine 3 cups of the flour with the yeast, sugar, salt and soda.  Heat liquids to 125 degrees or until very warm.  Add liquid to dry mixture.  Mix well.  Stir in remaining 2 cups flour to make stiff batter.  Spoon into two greased glass bread pans and sprinkle cornmeal on top of each loaf.  Cover and let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes.  Microwave each loaf separately on high for 6 minutes.  Let rest 5 minutes in pan.  Slice. toast and serve warm with butter.  You will want to store the bread in the refrigerator. 

I hope you will give this recipe a try and let me know how it works out for your family.

Diana 



Rustic Apple Dumplings

With apple harvests just around the corner, I am already craving apple pie, apple sauce and delicious apple dumplings!  Not able to wait, I picked up some grocery store apples and made some rustic apple dumplings that were soooooo good.  And, as long as you can make a decent pie crust, these are a cinch to put together.

Apple Dumplings

Preheat oven to 350 and grease a casserole large enough for 4 apples.

pie crust dough for 2 crusts
4 apples, cored and peeled
8 tablespoons of butter
6 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

Roll out pie crust dough into 4 circles large enough to wrap apples.  Place apple in center of each circle of dough.  Fill core of each apple with one tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar.  Wrap dough up sides and top of each apple, sealing well.  Place apples in casserole. Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.

Make sauce by placing remaining butter in sauce pan.  Melt and then add 3/4 cup of brown sugar and 1/2 cup of water.  Bring just to a boil.  Remove from heat and pour over apple dumplings.  Bake for 1 hour.  You may want to occasionally baste dumplings with sauce during baking.

Serve warm and enjoy!

Fourth Of July on a Stick

I know we are a bit early for the 4th but won't it be a relief to know what you will be making ahead of time?

I saw these at the local farmer's market and knew they would be perfect (and delicious) to pass out at a picnic or BBQ!  Plus, anything served on a stick is super cute.  Use the longest lollipop sticks you can get (mine were a little short) and make sure they are thick enough to not wobble once loaded with the goodies.

Made with strawberries, angel food cake (cut into cubes) and blueberries, the colors are perfect.  White chocolate is drizzled on top to sweeten things up a bit more.  Once the chocolate is dried, they can be packaged in bags making them portable as well.

You could also use tradition shortbread for a heartier, biscuit like cube.  The ones at the market were made with lavender shortbread.......either way they are both delicious!

Diana

Black Raspberry Cupcakes

Granddaughter Abby's second cupcake for Memorial day weekend.

Yellow cake, butter cream frosting and black raspberry filling.  Simple and elegant.

Diana

Harry Potter Golden Snitch Cupcakes

A weekend with a granddaughter can be so much fun.  Especially when she is a "crafty kind of girl."

One of the projects we threw ourselves into was cupcake making!  And since she is a huge Harry Potter fan, she choose to make her version of some Golden Snitch cupcakes she had found on the net.  This required fonderific fondant that we dyed golden yellow and aqua blue.  Lots of silver lusterdust was used as was Wilton golden spray.  The cupcakes were simple yellow cake with white butter cream frosting and black raspberry filling.  Awesome (my granddaughter's most used word, followed closely by "the best").

Pretty.

Boxed up, these special cupcakes are headed for her Knitting Club at school.  Yup, I said Knitting Club.  I told you she was crafty.

Diana

Best Ever Peanut Butter Cookies/Whoopie Pies

 Made with honey, these are not your ordinary peanut butter cookies.  Soft and chewy, they are soooo good!   And you can really taste the honey! 

I used My Baking Addiction's recipe.  Then I turned them into whoopie pies!  Here is her recipe with my tips added.

1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup honey
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups Gold Medal all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup of sugar for rolling dough balls

 

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.  Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat shortening, peanut butter and honey on medium speed until well combined and fluffy - about 3 minutes.  Don't beat too long or the batter separates.
3. Add eggs and vanilla.  Mix well.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture and mix on low speed until combined.

I used a cookie scoop to make uniform size balls

 Roll in sugar, and place on prepared baking sheets.

I flatten the balls with my hand, or the bottom of a glass.  They measured about 2 1/2 inches across.  Leave plenty of space cuz these babies really expand!

Flatten with a fork.  Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes.

They now are about 3 1/2 inches round.  Let set on cookie sheet about 5 minutes and then move to a rack.

I made up a batch of frosting and piped it onto half of the cookies.  Now place a cookie on top of each frosted cookie.  The frosting I made was delicious.  Take one egg white, 2 TBS milk and 2 tsp vanilla.  Beat well.  Add 1/4 cup of softened shortening, and 3 cups powdered sugar.  Beat until fluffy.  I used a few drops of white food coloring to brighten the frosting.  Then I added enough additional powdered sugar til the frosting held it shape.  I also added about 1/4 cup granulated sugar cuz I like that bit of texture.  I know some of you worry about raw eggs, so you might want to try meringue powder instead.  You will have to adjust it somehow to account for the missing moisture the egg white gives.  Call me crazy but I use raw eggs a lot and never have a problem. 

Diana

Circus Animal Cookies

I have made these before but have always given them away before  remembering to take a picture!

 Talk about easy!  Two colors of glace and some old fashion sprinkles and you are set to go!  Oh, and of course you need teeny tiny animal cookie cutters.  What's with the squirrel?  Never saw those in the classic animal cookie package! 

Just for a little bit of unexpected flavor, I added cherry candy flavor to the glace.  Don't go to far with that or you will end up with something similar to the taste of cough syrup.  Ugh! 

Diana