Sugar Cookies

For Valentine's Day treats and gifts we got in the kitchen and made yummy sugar cookies. I got this recipe from a friend of a friend and it is the only sugar cookie I make anymore (unless it's cut and bake).

Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 large egg

2 tsp. baking powder

3 cups all-purpose flour

(I doubled the recipe for this batch of cookies).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in mixer. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix baking powder and flour, add one cup at a time, mixing after each addition.

DO NOT CHILL DOUGH.

Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll dough into 12-inch circle 1/8th of a inch thick. Cut into desired shapes.

Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet on top rack of oven 6-7 minutes or until lightly browned.

Once cookies have cooled, ice the cookies with a cookie glaze.

Sugar Cookie Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

1 Tablespoon corn syrup

2 Tablespoons water

a splash (1/2 tsp.) of almond extract, or whatever flavoring you desire)

Divide the mixture into smaller containers and stir in 2-3 drops of desired food coloring per container. You may need to add more sugar or water to get it to the consistency to spread on the cookies without it being too runny. Use paintbrushes or spoon to apply icing to cookies (we used spoons). Add sprinkles if desired.

Apple Dip

I have posted the recipe for this Apple Dip before but I made it again this past week-end for Seth's 5th Buzz Lightyear Birthday Celebration.

Apple Dip

2 pkg. cream cheese, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup while sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 pkg. Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits

Mix together and serve with sliced apples.

Note: It is better if you make the dip the night before you plan to serve it and store in the refrigerator. It will keep for over a week (if it last that long.)

Granny Hill's Dried Apple Stack Cake

This past week-end, Daddy and Candy came down for a visit. While they were here, they got to go to our Upward Games on Saturday and we painted the living room and two front hallways. They are always so wonderful to help us out around the house.

Candy brought me several old recipes from her, her mom, Nannie Ray and Daddy's mom, Granny Hill. I look forward to trying and sharing those over the next few months. Along with the recipes, Candy brought Granny Hill's Dried Apple Stack Cake. She said she remembers having this cake at Christmas each year with Granny Hill. We enjoyed this yummy cake for dessert while they were visiting.

Granny Hill's 90th Birthday Celebration

Granny Hill's Dried Apple Stack Cake

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup molasses

1/2 cup buttermilk

3 1/2 cups self-rising flour

1 tsp. ginger

1 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream shortening and sugar; add egg, molasses, buttermilk and mix well. Stir in flour, ginger, and vanilla. Roll out dough as you would for a pie crust or spoon into greased pan and pat out to edge. This should make six thin layers. Bake layers for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Stack layers with cooked apples and end with cooked apples on top. Slice in thin layers to serve.

Cooked Dried Apples

Put 1 pound of dried apples in heavy pan and cover with cold water. Cook until soft enough to mash. While still hot, mash apples and add 1 cup brown sugar, 1 cup white sugar, 4 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp cloves and 1 tsp. allspice. Cook down until apples turn dark color like apple butter.

If dried apples are not available, cook several pounds of cooking apples in enough water to cover apples and add spice and sugars. Cook until mixture is very thick.

Notes: The cake is better made up in thin layers sandwiches with apple filling. It is also better to make ahead and let it set for a few days before eating.