Cookie Project of the week 12.7.10

Martha Stewarts Cranberry Noels

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add milk and vanilla. Beat until just combined. With mixer on low, gradually add flour, salt, cranberries, and pecans; continue beating until fully combined.

2.Turn dough out onto a clean work surface, and divide into 2 equal pieces. Shape each piece into an 8-inch log, about 2 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.

3.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a sharp knife, cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until edges are golden, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through. Remove from oven, and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Cranberry Noels - Martha Stewart Recipes

Dinner's on the Table 12.6.10

Frozen veggies cooked with olive oil, garlic, and lemon

 pepper makes for a quick veggie dish.

Potatos with mushrooms and verts, seasoned with spicy pesto.

Dinner is served.

Kerry's Sweet Potato-Turkey Meatloaf

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cubed

1 pound ground turkey breast

1 large egg

1 small sweet onion, finely chopped

1 cup fresh spinach, stems remove

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup spicy barbecue sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 slices whole-wheat bread

1 teaspoon salt & pepper

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a 2 quart baking dish.

2.Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the sweet potato, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain the sweet potatoes, and mash until semi smooth. Pulse bread in food processor to get smaller 1/4" size bread crumbs.

3.Mix the ground turkey together with the egg, sweet onion, garlic, spinach, barbecue sauce, Dijon mustard, and whole wheat bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the sweet potatoes, and stir until evenly combined. If the mixture seems too wet, add more bread crumbs. Use your hands to form the turkey mixture into a loaf shape and place in the prepared baking dish.

4. Glaze Loaf with bbq sauce,save remainder of BBQ sauce for serving.

5.Bake in the preheated oven 1 hour. Slice the loaf to serve.

Favorite Holiday Card Finds! 12.3.2010

As most of you have Gathered by now I am becoming pretty

deeply enthralled in the Holiday Season this year, even though I have already

made the bulk of my christmas card purchases I still found

 it entertaining to browse through online catalogs via Etsy and

Papersource to find my favorite little Artworks of the 2010

 Holiday Season, and so I share them with you....

When first browsing through endless online photos of

Christmas cards I missed this little gem. Nothing like a little

poop humor to brighten the Holidays!

 Festivus for the Rest of Us... everyone has a little George Castanza in them.

At least enough to appreciate this beloved Holiday.

My personal favorite, me being a dog lover and all is the Boston Terrier

Merry Woofing Christmas! How abosolutely adorable is this?

COOKIE of the WEEK 11.30.10

Lemon Glazed Christmas Wreath Cookies

Ingredients:

3 cups all purpose flour

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/4 cup milk

2/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, room temperature

Lemon Icing

3 cups powdered sugar

4 tbsp Lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350º.

Sift flour into medium bowl, rub in butter. Combine milk & sugar in small saucepan, stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved, add extract; cool 5 -10 mins.

Stir combined warm milk mixture and egg into flour mixture. Knead dough on floured surface until smooth.

Roll rounded teaspoons of dough into 5 inch rope. Twist two ropes together, form into circles; press edges together. Place about 1 inch apart on oven trays. Bake about 15 mins. Cool on wire racks. When the cookies are completely cooled drizzle the lemon icing on the cookies. (I dropped the cookie upside down into the icing and removed it by lifting it out with a knife in the middle of the wreath.)

Lemon Icing

Sift powdered sugar into a heat proof bowl; stir in enough juice to make a firm paste. Stir over small saucepan of simmering water until pourable.

     Courtousy of Barbara Bakes!

Some Items I Heart! 11.30.10

Anthropology Picks for Kicks... Saving my pennies for these Items!

1.

Take the Wheel Jacket

2.

Tweed Magnificent Sash

3.

Seaside Fields Dress

Mantle Decor Galore!

I think I'm in love... If I only I had endless mantles to decorate in Holiday garb!

Here are a few of my favs so far.. I love white for winter its fresh and modern!

Only a few more days till I unveil my Mantle to the world!

Salmon Of The Day:11.18.10

SPICY SALMON W/CARMELIZED ONIONS

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil 2 (

6 ounce) salmon fillets

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 tablespoons minced onion

Directions

Combine the black pepper, paprika, cayenne pepper, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, brown sugar, onion powder, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in 1 tablespoon of olive oil to make a paste. Spread the paste all over the salmon fillets, and set aside to marinate at room temperature 30 minutes.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until tender and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Heat a separate non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the salmon fillets in the hot skillet until golden brown on each side, and no longer translucent in the center, about 4 minutes per side. Pour the browned onions and olive oil over the salmon fillets to serve

EXTRA EXTRA : JCREW ADDITIONAL 30% OFF SALE SALE!

EXTENDEDDDDDDDDDD