Truckloads of Cookies

So this week I took on a project for a little man that's very near and dear to my heart. My very good friend's little boy (and quite possibly my future son in law) is having his 4th birthday party this weekend.

The theme?

Monster Trucks.

Short on time and even shorter on 'monster truck' cookie cutters... I opted for a plain circle in which I could pipe monster trucks on.

little did I know what I was getting in to.

Undeterred, I did some research, printed out a few clip art images, did a few practice sketches in pencil, then dove in.

Some of the first ones weren't exactly the best, but eventually I caught my groove and came up with an acceptable design.

Final count was two dozen, and the birthday boy should receive them tomorrow.... with plenty of time to spare for his party on Saturday.

Final pictures.... here's to a "monster" good party....

Lessons learned? I still need to figure out my shrink-wrap methods. the backs of the cookies looked lump and bumpy, which is PROBABLY because I used too much shrink wrap.

also? if I ever get to a point where I'm charging people for cookies, I have to be mindful of the design and amount of effort each takes. This particular project was done out of love, so it could have been 100x more intricate and I wouldn't give it a second thought... but in terms of something that could be a paying job... I'll need to consider the amount of skill and time certain designs require. I'd be curious to compare my 'speed' to get cookies such as these done now, and let's say.. in another year from now.

When it's Too Hot

So here in the south.. it's hot out. like all day long.

like still 88 degrees after 9pm hot.

of COURSE, a SMART mom would find nice cold treats to give her kids... ones that do not require turning an oven on, perhaps. BUT... cookies are what I do best... and it really is something that my kids can help out with.

The other day we made a small batch of chocolate cookies, and my daughter rhena insisted on making some ice cream cookies.

We had a good time decorating them with sprinkles and the such. The ones the kids did didn't quite turn out as 'real' looking.... but they sure were colorful. here's one that I was allowed to do without 'help'.

the best part? they're pretty portable after the icing dries, and no matter what side of the cookie my daughter eats first.. no dripping!!!

Plum Pear Apple

some days, I've got it. other times?? not so much.

Last week, I really wanted to send out some packages that had been kicking around for a while. random love, thank you gifts, belated birthday presents, congrats presents, baby gifts.. you name an occasion, and I pretty much was needing to send something for it.


of all the packages I sent last week, one happened to be a congratulationary gift. Is that a word? if not... you heard it here first!




Anyho... a fellow blogger I enjoy reading recently launched her own company selling super-hero capes for children. Have you seen it yet? It's Pear Plum Apple Designs... and she really does make the most adorable hand-made capes.




As a little way to congratulate her company's inauguration, I decided to send her a little of what *I* like to do.. kind of like a long distance hi-five. I whipped up a batch of sugar cookies, and created one with her logo on it.




and since I had the icing and cookies made already, I made a few extra... one with her name on it, and a few little ones for her little boy, Mason.






LESSONS LEARNED: Although this was a fun 'gift' to make... I made a VERY big mistake. Erin's logo background is white. when doing a white background.. it it EXTREMELY imperative to let the icing dry completely before piping dark colors on top. Thankfully, I took pictures of the cookie the night I did it, because after sitting overnight, the plum, pear and apple dyes bled into the white background. ... as seen by the picture below.



another thing to be noted with white backgrounds... it is better to use a THICKER layer of the icing. Due to the size of the cookie, I baked a little longer to ensure it was cooked thoroughly. This caused some browning on the top of the cookie, which can easily bee seen through the icing because 1 - it's white, and 2 - I did not apply a thick enough coating.



one last (obvious) reminder... the thicker the icing.. the longer the dry time!!! so be patient!

Happy Janes

ok.. it's been a slowwww summer here. Between travels, no bake sales at church, and just trying to keep the kids occupies... I don't have as much stuff to share.

On fourth of july, I made a 'twinkie' cupcake in which I stuffed yellow cupcakes with a marshmallow-based frosting. They were beyond sweet, and I forgot to take pictures, but now that I have them under my belt (so-to-speak) I will make them again and document it.

For today, however... I will share something I whipped up based on a recipe, a good friend, and some good music.

The original recipe I saw suggested topping a vanilla cookie with ganache, then coating with candy drizzle.

I made it 'my own' by starting with a chocolate cookie base. Then I made two batches of an extra-dark chocolate ganache. One I kept plain, then other I mixed in some pure peppermint extract.

I piped the ganache onto the cookie rounds, and placed in the freezer to set.

meanwhile, I melted down some milk chocolate, and mixed in espresso powder. after it cooled slightly (but was still pourable) I dipped the tops of the plain-ganache cookies and put aside to cool and 'set'. I called these happy janes a "Mocha Crunch"

Next I melted some white chocolate and added a touch of flavorless green gel coloring. Once that 'dip' was ready, I took the rounds that had the peppermint chocolate ganache, and coated their tops. These were to be called "Mint Treasures"

after all the happy janes were cooled and set, I piped a drizzle of the plain dark chocolate ganache on top of each.

"Mocha Crunches"

"Mint Treasures"

I was pleased with the results; a crunchy cookie with a chocolate shell filled with a ganache that was SO RICH and literally melted in my mouth. Like a great marriage of truffles and cookies.

Mocha Crunch Happy Janes

Mint Treasure Happy Janes

LESSONS LEARNED: Unfortunately, this is a treat that should be eaten within a day of making. the longer the ganache sits atop the cookie, I found the cookie to become softer; as if it was absorbing the moisture from the ganache? Though I did notice that the chocolate cookies in general tend to get softer over time (vs vanilla ones that stay crunchy MUCH longer). I hope to continue to explore the idea of the Happy Jane; perhaps with the vanilla cookie to compare softness over time, and of course... flavor combinations. Troy has already put in a request for a bing/black cherry variety.

Old, New, and a taste of Blue

SO I still have some old pictures to post.... but I still have to finish converting them into jpegs (currently TIFs) before blogger will accept them....

for now.. here are the cookies I made with Rhena a week and a half ago. I tried a new technique with the picture taking.... more for backdrops than anything.

good day, sunshine!

rubber ducky, you're the one!

Little Lady

Mary had a little lamb (or three)

LESSONS LEARNED: UNFORTUNATELY, these cookies were not eaten by anyone. I noticed that the icing had a taste similar to WINDEX. I had cleaned up the counter using the Windex like I usually do, but totally forgot to cover and/or rinse my kitchen aide mixing bowl before making the icing. not sure if the spray had gotten in the bowl or on the whisk part, but bleh. that didn't stop me from practicing decorating, though. oh well. better for my diet, I guess.

Bake Sale- May Edition part 1

I decided to try out a biscotti recipe this time around. Being that in general, I CAN NOT STAND the taste of almond flavored things... (amaretto? blah! plegh! kaploooey!)

I saw this recipe and thought I could give it a shot.

I was intimidated.

I had never made a loaf-like cookie before, and given my general dislike for biscotti (too hard! too almondy! is this stale??) I wasn't even sure if this was a good idea.. but alas.. gotta step outside the comfort zone.

SO I had visions of grandeur that I would chop up some walnuts or pecans to put in the cookies instead of the chocolate, then half-dip the cookies when complete in chocolate.

but. no nuts.

no mini-chips, either. so I used normal sized milk-chocolate ones.

The recipe notes that you should grease your hands before forming the rectangular-shaped dough logs, because the dough will be sticky. The idea of rubbing crisco on my hands made me vomit in my mouth a little, but after trying to just pick UP the dough, I realized that when I step out of my comfort zone.. I go for the gusto.

I smeared the crisco all over my hands, and was able to shape the dough. (of course.. I chose too small of a pan to fit the two loaves on one, so I had to shimmy the one loaf over to the center, then grease up yet ANOTHER pan, and my hands AGAIN, and form the other log. Rubbing shortening between my hands made me want to start another diet like IMMEDIATELY, btw..)

after the first round of baking, I let the loaves cool for per the recipes directions. I then cut the slices, and place on the cookie sheet again to bake/brown/dry out.

10 minutes later, I flipped them, and baked some more.

I also had some leftover chocolate from the apples I made.. so I did actually do the dip.

the final product was a nice golden color, and the taste was a pleasant surprise. not OVERLY banana-y, not TOO chocolaty, and by luck of my mistake.. it wasn't rock hard. one, because I'm sure it was still oven-fresh.. the other cause I think I didn't bake it long enough the first round in the oven. and the biggest thing... no almonds.

Lessons learned: this was a long process to undergo for a cookie I wasn't sure I would actually like. kind of a pain with the in-out-cut-in-out-flip-in-out baking. but I liked the taste. the KIDS LOVED the cookies. I think this recipe, with some educated substitutions, would make great teething cookies.... again.. only if I found a way to cut the sugar and up the fruit/fiber. might be something to work on in the future.

Bake Sale - May Part 2

Usually when my folks come to visit us, we end up taking a trip to the outlet mall. One store we always seem to make a stop in happens to be a Chocolate shoppe. In their front window, they boast a HUGE copper pot which is used to make their gourmet apples. Try as we might... when my mom is with me, we cave and buy one.

I let that primal urge for needing chocolate covered apples be my inspiration for this month's bake sale and made some gourmet apples of my own.

For baking and eating purposes, I usually stick to Breaburn apples. sometimes a Fuji.. OCCASIONALLY a Gala.. but mostly I'm a Breaburn girl. However... when it comes to gourmet apples.. I personally feel that nothing beats a Granny Smith.

I've said before how I love caramel, so it should be no surprise that I started this batch of 'healthy desserts' by a generous dunk in caramel. I used the Kraft caramels.. which was much easier than making my own caramel.. but I assure you that unwrapping about 50 of those little squares was mundane. I just know I like the taste of Kraft caramels and can count on them to melt and re-form well.

after the caramel set, I coated each apple in a mix of chocolate bark and baker's chocolate (I do not like the taste of store-bought chocolate bark.. bleh! so I always add in a better quality chocolate to the mix to make it taste like REAL chocolate. for things I serve at my house or that I know I will eat, I typically skip the use of bark and go straight to Dove or Ghiradelli or Hersheys.)

I let the chocolate cool slightly, then rolled 2 in crushed Heath Bar pieces. I topped another 2 with a store-bought jar of nestle's rocky road-flavored ice cream mix-ins. the last apple was topped with mini m&ms. (speaking of; does anyone know how I can buy those? I snagged a little snack-pack that my daughter had gotten in a goody bag from school, but couldn't find them anywhere in the store?)

Lastly, I drizzled just a little more chocolate on top of the whole mess and packaged them up to sell. When all was said and done, each apple weighed over a pound. now THAT'S my idea of health food!

LESSONS LEARNED: I'm not sure how they sold, and I know that while they were packaged nice enough, I think it was really hard to see them under all the plastic wrap. Given the state of hurried buying that happens in the hall after mass, I'm not sure potential buyers would get the full effect of their looks. I know, cause I'm one of the buys, and dealing with people in front of and behind me, and holding on to my daughter.. well.. it's more of a get-in-and-buy-and-get out mentality at the table. I don't really get to PERUSE the goods like I would elsewhere. so perhaps I'll try to find a better way to present them. a giant clear box would be good, I think.

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