Best Orange Sugar Cookies ever!

Man I really shouldn't be writing this post right now.  Those beautiful cookies are making me hungry... and not for salad.  I made these last week before my resolution to avoid sugar began.  But, for all you smart girls out there who don't make silly resolutions to deny yourselves of life's simple pleasures, this is one recipe you really should have in your back pocket.  These cookies are super scrumptious.  They actually inspired my baby to learn a new word.  "Cookie"  Yup, he spoke it often while these were sitting on the counter.  Believe me, they weren't there for long.  Enough already!  Here's the good stuff:


Orange - iced sugar cookies


2 cups flour
1 teas baking powder
1/2 teas salt
1/4 teas baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teas vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream


Whisk together dry ingredients and set aside.  Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add egg and vanilla, beating well to combine.  With mixer on low, add half flour mixture followed by sour cream, then remaining flour mixture.  Mix just until combined.  Scoop onto greased cookie sheet and bake until cookies are set but not browned.  about 12 minutes.  Cool and frost.


Icing:
3 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons milk
2 Tablespoons Orange juice
1/2 teas lemmon zest
1/2 teas vanilla
3 cups powdered sugar
2 drops yellow food coloring & 2 drops red food coloring

1/2 cup Ghiradelli bittersweet chocolate chips
Melt chocolate in microwave at half-power stirring often.  Transfer melted chocolate to small Ziploc bag.  Snip on small corner off of bag and pipe a thin ribbon of chocolate back and forth across the cookies.  Let chocolate set before serving or packaging.

Try these!  You'll be so glad you did.
p.s. they freeze well too!

Mini Tin Tiled Magnet Board

Yesterday afternoon I was hidden away in my garage working in a creative frenzy.  I had several projects under way including one that involves some rusty tin tiles for my bathroom.  I'm sure I'll post about that at a latter date. However, right now the spotlight is on this little craft I made using leftovers.  It measures about 7.5" inches square so, it's not a big impact piece.  But, it is a lovely little accent  and is utilitarian beside.  Those two white dots you see are actually magnets.  Thus, it's a mini magnet board.  Let me show you how awesome little magnet boards can be...


You could use it as a picture frame.

Yup, that's my hubby and I in our early years.


It could work over time in your kitchen to hold your current recipe card.

yummy recipe by the way.


It could be used in the bathroom to hold little love notes.

It could be used in the office to hold a to do list, or a grocery list, etc...


Well, you get the picture.  Not only is it lovely but it earns its keep as well.


I had enough materials to make a couple and have posted them in my etsy shop.


Now I have to go grate a pound of cheese by hand for my fondue party tonight.  The good stuff never comes pre-grated.  So sad, but worth the elbow grease.  mmmmmm

Our Christmas Traditions

Christmas is by far the highlight of the year for me.  I stretch it out as long as reasonably possible.  The decorations go up right after Thanksgiving and don't come down till that new years ball has dropped.  Even though its almost behind us, I wanted to share a few of my favorite traditions with you.  They're nothing complicated but they do make us happy and thus are worth repeating.  

Firstly, the card pantry.  Every year I try to get my Christmas cards in the mail right after Thanksgiving to make sure everyone on the list is given our correct address (we move a lot) and a little Christmas card enthusiasm.  I know that postage has gotten expensive and I know that blogging and face book has taken away a lot of need for the traditional card.  But, I STILL LOVE THEM!  Opening my mailbox in December is THE BEST.  It warms my heart to see the sweet notes and smiling pictures of our loved ones.  I'm hanging onto this tradition as long as I can!

Another tradition we love...our Christmas Eve TAMALE FEAST!  They may not pretty, but we love these tasty guys.  Maybe it's because we live 2 hours from the border, or maybe it's because half the US population is now Hispanic, but the stores around here always have lots of Tamales on hand the week before Christmas.  Every year I tell myself I'm going to learn to make them, and every year I just buy them instead.  Hey, I'm not super mom or anything.  Plus, Costco makes some very delicious tamales!

A cute little tradition that came from my husband's family is to have a birthday cake for baby Jesus with our Christmas dinner.  I love how this helps the young crowd remember why we really celebrate Christmas after all and it leads to great conversations during Christmas dinner.  And, I LOVE the way a few cheap candy canes dresses up a simple white cake from a box.  My secret ingredient is a cup of coconut mixed into the butter cream.  YUM!  This cake is never around for long.

And I saved this one for last because I have a fantastic recipe to share.  Every year we have Butterscotch rolls for breakfast.  You have to try these because not only are they a crowd pleaser, but they take just a few minutes to put together.  Here's the famed recipe:


Christmas Morning Goodness (Butterscotch Rolls)


18-24 Rhodes rolls
1 package butterscotch pudding (not instant)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Layer rolls in a well greased bundt pan - don't thaw.  Pour dry pudding mix over rolls.  Melt butter and brown sugar and pour over rolls, then sprinkle with nuts.  Let raise 8 hours to overnight.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes (watch closely after about 30 minutes so that they don't burn).

Enjoy!

aftermath

I went a little crazy at the after Christmas sales.  Soooo many good deals.


My number one after Christmas shopping tip is to buy next year's wrapping paper at World Market.  They always mark their wrapping paper down by 75%.  That's a bit better than the 50% off that most stores offer.  And furthermore...their wrapping paper is THE BEST. We're talking big rolls of thick, gorgeous paper.  I get asked every year where I get my cute paper and well, there you have it.


After my little shopping spree.  I came home and picked these from my garden.

I live in THE STRANGEST place.  Seriously, it's almost January and I'm getting bushels of tomatoes.  Last week I made a big pot of spaghetti sauce with them.  Anyone know a good salsa recipe!?  

We believe!

Like many people,I hold my beliefs close to my heart. I believe in all kinds of things.  I believe in God, I believe in families, I believe in my kids, I could go on and on.  When I saw the LDS young Women's theme for 2011, I knew I wanted it displayed in my house.  Here it is in abbreviated form:

This sentiment is like a little daily reminder of those beliefs. Every time I see it, I feel blessed for my beliefs and my hopes.  In case you're getting sentimental the way I did when I first saw this, I am offering the vinyl decal to make your own little reminder in my ETSY shop.  My decal measures 3" tall by 11" wide. It fits perfectly on a 4" by 12" block of wood or tile.  To learn more about what I believe, click here.  I'm so grateful to have these beliefs to hold onto because simply said, life is hard and we all need a little hope!