Seyla's Cookie Decorating Party!

Cookie decorating is soooo much fun!!

 

That is why I drummed up the idea for my daughter to have a cookie decorating party!  I baked up some Christmas themed sugar cookies on a Friday night and the next day, Seyla and her friends went to work on making them come to life! 

Take a look...

 

All prepped up for some good ole cookie baking!!

Check out this awesome rolling pin my bestie gave me for Christmas...Loves!



All set to go! Just waiting on the kiddies! I think this is roughly five dozen.

Table space is done! Filled with sprinkles, glaze and icing!

Ready for the taking!

They are well into the swing of things!! Lots of neat cookie creations taking place!

Seyla and her friends are taking a break for some silly flicks!
 

Mr. Tre is hard at work decorating his candy cane sugar cookie!

Seyla showing off her cookie art!



More amazing cookie art!

...and more amazing cookie art!

Miss Kennedii was tardy for the party, but she still got her 'cookie art' on!


HAPPY HOLIDAYS
FROM MY FAMILY TO YOURS!!



Happy Holidays!!

Holly Decorated Letters

 

 

Over the past two weeks, I have been working on the Holly Letters (initials of my family) seen in the above picture. Why two weeks you ask? Because I am a master procrastinator and I would finish one letter and wouldn't get to the next for another three to four days. Well low and behold, I managed to get them all done and I'm certainly pleased with the results!

 

They're extra easy to make!

 

Here is a list of supplies:

- Wood Letters (the letters I used were 8 inches in length and approximately 3/4 inch wide)

- Fake Holly Berries on a vine

- Glue Gun

- Scissors

I purchased all of these items from Michael's, but I'm sure a Hobby Lobby would carry them.

 

Directions:

1. Cut clusters of holly berries off of the vine. Try to gauge enough for each letter.

2. Place the clusters on the letters to decide if it will fit in that space.

3. Begin to glue each cluster onto the letter.

 

A few tips:

1. Place glue directly on the letter and place the holly on it. Try not to place glue directly on the holly first. I burned my fingers a few times doing it this way before I wisened up and began placing the glue on the letters.

2. Fill in any empty spaces with one or two holly berries.

3. Try to place a holly berry on any of the white spaces from the holly berry you might come across.

 

 

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap

Last year around the holidays I happened to stumble across a blog (the name escapes me) that was participating in an online cookie swap.  Clicking through link-after-link, going from blog-to-blog, websites and facebook, I found some of the best cookie recipes! I also found out these recipes were a part of a blogger cookie swap. Well, needless to say, I wanted to get in on this cookie baking extravaganza for the following year, so I immediately entered my contact info.

11 months later (it almost seemed like one month had passed...seriously!), I received the information for the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap and I was all in!

I'm a procrastinator by nature and it didn't help that I moved into a new house right around the time of the deadline to ship them off. I managed to get them off two days before but it was no easy feat.

The cookie I decided upon is an 'Almond Glaze'.  I wasn't always a fan of the almost taste but I absolutely love it now! This is a shortbread cookie, flavored with almond extract topped with an almond glaze and almonds. So yes, you have to be an 'almond purist' to enjoy these. Read on for the recipe and Happy Holidays & Baking!

Glazed Almond Cookie

 



Glazed Almond Cookie (Yields approximately 2 1/2 dozen of 2" cookies)

Cookie
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze (Yields approximately 2 cups)
- 2 cups confectioner sugar
- 1 Tbsp milk (I used whole milk)
- 1 1/2 almond extract
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
- pinch of lemon juice

Directions

1. Sift together the all purpose flour, almond flour and kosher salt. With an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, almond extract and vanilla and  beat to combine. Gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just incorporated.
2. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2" diameter logs. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 350° F. Slice the logs into 3/8-inch-thick pieces and space them 1 1/2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until lightly golden, 16 to 20 minutes. Let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk, extracts and lemon juice until it forms a thick but pourable glaze (add more milk for desired consistency). Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze and immediately top with almonds. Let them se, about 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
This recipe is loosely adapted from this recipe - which is one of my absolute favorites!