Spring Cleaning in a Snow storm

This past Monday I didn't have to go to school.

FYI school in this scenario = work.

Why you ask?

Well, we had a "snow day" and the office was closed because of the snowstorm that happened Sunday.

Yeah, how awesome is that?

Well, it's so awesome that I decided to do some spring cleaning.

On a snow day.

Go figure.

It's what happens in March in Nebraska.

By the way it's supposed to be 69 degrees here on Friday.  I have a snow day Monday and shorts by Friday.

Welcome to the heartland.

And welcome to my mess in the basement.

Specifically the cookie area.

Dave has pretty much given up the idea of having a "man cave."  Nothing says manly like a place overrun by cookie cutters and sprinkles.

I knew I needed more storage. 

I was starting to get all itchy and antsy each time I rounded the corner.  I don't handle disorganization well.

So in the interest of my sanity and possibly my marriage I went to the good 'ole red bulls eye (that's Target for those of you who are a step behind).

50 smack-a-roos later I came home with this.  Actually it was free with the gift card my brother gave me for my birthday.  How thoughtful of him to buy me a shelf.  How'd he know I wanted one?

Isn't she a beaut?

Here is where some people would post pictures of the organizing process.

Here is where I tell you I forgot.

Plus, let's be honest.  It's boring.

The final product is all we're interested in.

I even have a place to hang up my new apron that my sister-in-law gave me for Christmas.  It has my logo embroidered on it.  I love it. 

I also organized all my cookie cutters again (aka: put them away in the designated bins) and placed all my sugars and sprinkles into small canning jars so they are easy to access, store and heck...they're just pretty to look at.

Plus it basically gives me an entire second table to be able to use while decorating.

Oh, what will I do with the space?

Let me count the ways!

Good thing too because I've got to get started on some Easter cookies, 4 dozen cookies I'm shipping to troops overseas as a part of "Operation Cookie Takeover," and making my grandma her March installment of Cookie Club.

My Husband's Favorite Store

This could also be titled "The place where my Dad made a seat out of nothing because he was bored."

I, however, was not.

Neither was my mom.

Let me backup a little.

This past Friday my husband and I left to go to New York City with my parents.  It was a trip that was supposed to happen last November.

Then something called "Hurricane Sandy" decided to visit and apparently it wasn't a good time to go to NYC.

I'm not sure why?

So we rescheduled.  To March.

And we went.

And it was wonderful.

We had New York Pizza...

Visited the 9-11 Memorial...

Had some harrowing cab rides, walked miles (at least it felt like that many) and saw lots other fun places.

One of which was visiting a bakery supply store.

Yes, I am that person who googles cookie or bakery stores when I visit cities. 

I am not ashamed.  At all.

So imagine my joy when I found NY Cake.  It's a magical place.  I could spend loads of money.

Good thing they have an online store.  You can visit it here.  And thank me later.

So we visited it on our trip and I found lots.  But I only brought home a small amount.  I shocked myself. 

I apparently had restraint?

Dave was shocked that I had most of, or should I say a majority of, these cutters.

(I borrowed this image from here)

Yes.  I am aware that I may, MAY, have a slight problem.

But you'll be happy to know I only came home with these.

And my parents fed into my habit by purchasing the triangle cutters and the square cutters...

...oh and they also bought me some disco dust.

Isn't it a pretty rainbow?

They package and sell their own.  Same price as other places, but I've never seen so many colors in one place.

Now I can't wait to start using them.  Good thing it's almost Easter.  A perfect time to test each one out.

Don't you think?

It's Messy before it's Clean

Cookies aren't necessarily a clean activity.

I mean, I make a mess when I bake.

Before, I would try to keep all clean and neat but I spent more time washing my hands and running to the sink that cookies took forever.

Now I realize that sometimes you've got to let it be messy before it can be clean and pretty again.

See...

All so I can make this frosting.

Anyone want to come clean my kitchen?

I'm busy.

The One & Only: Frosting

Just like my sugar cookie recipe I only use one frosting recipe. I just morphed it a little depending on what I need. But to start - here's the basic frosting for the sugar cookies.

The One & Only Frosting Recipe
Ingredients:

• 2 lb bag of powdered sugar
• 10 tbsp. Meringue Powder (I find the Wilton Brand available at speciality stores or your local Michael's is good)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp. milk (any you have on hand)
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. butter (salted sweet cream) melted

Supplies:

• Enough mixing bowls (or cereal bowls) to mix the frosting and color together in. I use one for each color I need
• Food coloring - I strongly suggest purchasing the gel kind (not from your grocery store). The brand I use is AmeriColor. It doesn’t change the flavor of your frosting and mixes the best and most brilliant colors.  Click here to see their website - and find places that carry it in your town!
• Spatulas and spoons to mix colors
• Ketchup bottles like you see at a old-fashioned diner. Like this:

• Piping tips #1, #2, #3, #4 and piping bags (disposable are the kind I prefer and ones that are clear. Don’t forget the couplers to connect the tip to the bag. I own 8 #3 piping tips because that way I don’t have to change and clean one out each time I need to do a different color.
• Saran Wrap
• Squirt bottle filled with water

Directions:

1. Place 10 tbsp. meringue powder into mixing bowl of mixer. Add in 1 cup water. Beat on high until stiff, normally around 8 minutes. Stop when peaks can stand on their own.

2. Add in powdered sugar, melted butter, vanilla, lemon juice, and milk and mix until everything is combined.

3. Upon mixing everything together you'll notice the frosting is rather stiff. Here's where I make adaptations to fit what I need:


If I need stiff frosting for outlining:

• I remove the amount of frosting I need from the main mixing bowl and place it into a separate smaller mixing bowl (or cereal bowl).
• Select the color you want to make, add in the food coloring and mix together with spoon, spatula or whatever your fancy. I normally add in a large amount of frosting, because I’d rather just color my frosting once, no matter if I need a stiff red for outlining, and a more runnier one to fill in my outlines. You’ll see why in a minute.
• Lay out some saran wrap on the counter, place a blob of the stiff frosting in the middle of the saran wrap.
• Wrap up the frosting like you would a burrito, so it’s tight and forms a log shape.
• Put the coupler in a piping bag, and feed one end of your burrito frosting roll down into the piping bag so the end comes through the bottom (where the frosting will come out when you have a piping tip in place). Take scissors and cut off the excess saran wrap sitting out of the end of the piping bag.
• Place selected piping tip onto end of piping bag filled with frosting burrito roll and secure with coupler.
• Outline to your heart’s content.

If I need frosting to fill – called Flow Icing:

• When making your stiff icing, you’ll only put half of it or part of it (depending on the amount of outlining in that color) onto the saran wrap. The rest you’ll leave colored in the bowl.
• Here you’ll spray about 10 – 12 squirts of water into the bowl. Stir it into the colored frosting. Flow icing should coat the back of a spoon but run off easily. When it drips back into the bowl the drips should disappear semi-slowly into frosting. If it doesn’t do that – and appears stiff – squirt a few sprays into the frosting and mix. Just be careful…you can’t take away water…so squirt carefully.
• After the flow frosting is at the correct consistency put it into a ketchup bottle and frost away.

And that’s it! ENJOY!

The {Secret} Cookie Recipe

I don't know if I'd call it a secret.

I actually got the sugar cookie recipe off the back of a gift.  The gift was a copper cookie cutter and the tag had a recipe for sugar cookies.  I copied it down only because it was so simple. 

And it morphed into the only sugar cookie recipe I use.

So after a lot of people have asked me for it and I've memorized it and can recite it on command I thought I'd put it down for others to enjoy.  Especially since the Valentine's season is upon us.  I'm sure everyone wants to make sugar cookies for that holiday.

Everyone I know will just be waiting for me to make them.

Back to the recipe at hand - here it is!

Simple Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:
2 sticks butter (1 cup) - I prefer salted sweet cream butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour, sifted

Directions:
1. Cream butter in mixer, then add in sugar and mix together.
2.  Add in one egg and mix together until combined
3. Add in vanilla a mix together until combined
4. Add in sifted flour and mix until combined.  Dough should pull away from the mixer walls and form a ball.  If it doesn't add in a little more flour (2 tbsp at a time) until it's ball form.
5.  Remove from mixer and wrap in saran wrap. I find it's easier to form the dough into a log form before wrapping up.
6.  Store in refrigerator for at least 4 hours up to overnight.
7.  When ready to bake, take out of fridge, roll out dough and cut with cookie cutters.
8.  Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove from oven when you see just a hint of tan on the cookie.


I promise you, it's incredibly simple.  I find that using the best vanilla really makes a difference.  Same with good butter and flour.  Good ingredients yield GREAT cookies!

Next up the frosting recipe!