Tag: Martha Stewart

Cookies · Daily Thoughts · Desserts · Uncategorized

Sugar Cookies (taken from Martha Stewart Cookie Cookbook)

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These sugar cookies are so very good and so very easy. Because they have a little brown sugar in them, the flavor has a little different twist.

One of my dear friends tells me that these are now her very favorite cookie and to please keep them coming.

3 cups flour

1 teas baking soda

1/4 teas salt

1 3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar

1 cup of softened butter, unsalted

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 teas vanilla or almond extract

Granulated sugar, or Colored sugar for coating

Preheat oven to 350. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Put the brown sugar and 1 3/4 of the granulated sugar in a bowl. Add the butter and mix until mixture is well combined and fluffy. Add the vanilla or almond extract and mix in well.  Add the eggs, one at a time and beat after each addition.

Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in gradually. When cookie dough is completely blended,, use a 1″ cookie scoop  and dip the top of each cookie into colored or granulated sugar and space about 2″ apart on parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake cookies until golden, about 10 minutes, or until they are done. Time depends on your oven. Transfer cookies to wire rack. Let cool completely. Can be stored in airtight container for about 3 days. I usually wrap some in wax paper, then put in freezer bag and freeze for later when we are needing something sweet, like every night.

Breads · Desserts · Fruit

Cream Cheese Blueberry Shortcakes

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My neighbor puts all her magazines on my front porch when she is finished looking through them. I subscribe to Southern Lady, Southern Living, Taste of Home and Paula Deen, but benefit from of all the ones Nancy receives as well. Today, opening the front door, I saw a new Martha Stewart magazine on the chair. Looking through it I saw so many great recipes, but to be honest, most of them I will never make. Many are really way to healthy or way to complicated for my liking, but this one, this one, well, it will be made this weekend. Anything with blueberries, butter and cream cheese, catches my eye.

Non-stick cooking spray
1 1/2 cups flour
2 tables granulated sugar
3/4 teas salt
1 3/4 teas baking powder
1/4 teas baking soda
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 oz cream cheese (2 oz cold and 6 oz room temperature)
4 oz blueberries (about 2/3 cup) (more for the serving plate)
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/3 cup powdered sugar, plus more for serving
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
Coat 2 parchment-lined baking sheets with cooking spray. Whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl. Incorporate butter and cold (2 tables) cream cheese into flour mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer to freezer and chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425 with racks in upper and lower thirds. Transfer flour mixture to another large bowl. Add blueberries and stir buttermilk into dough, gently folding with a rubber spatula until a sticky dough forms. Do not over mix. Divide dough into 8 even mounds, placing about 2″ apart on baking sheets. (4 per sheet)
Bake, rotating halfway through until shortcakes are golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Let cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
Meanwhile, beat together remaining 6 oz cream cheese and powdered sugar with mixer until smooth. Gradually add whipping cream, beating just until mixture becomes smooth and thick, about 1 minute.
Do not overbeat. Serve alongside shortcakes and more fresh berries, with powdered sugar for sprinkled over shortcakes with berries on top.

Chocolate · Desserts

Christmas Chocolate Cookies

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I have decided that this Christmas season, every recipe will have the “Christmas” in it. That way, not only will it remind me that each and every day I need to be focused on the “Christ” in Christmas but also, it just makes the recipe sound so much better. Take these cookies, if they were just called Chocolate Cookies, you would just think, “hum…another chocolate cookie recipe” but calling them Christmas Chocolate Cookie, well…..you get the idea…just sounds so much “cookie classy”!

Actually I got these out of the Martha Stewart Cookie Recipe book and just made them this morning. They are easy and will pack beautifully if you are needing a cookie to box up to send to friends or family.

2 cup plus 2 tables flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (dutch-process such as Hershey’s)

1 teas baking soda

1/2 teas salt

1 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

And a partridge in a pear tree….oops, got carried away there for a minute.

Sugar for rolling the balls of dough in before baking.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into a mixing bowl. (I have to admit, I never sift this mixture, I just stir in really well with a fork or knife until it is mixed)

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar on medium until light and fully. About 2 mins. Add eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Reduce speed and gradually add the flour mixture until all is blended. Wrap plastic over bowl and set in fridge for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350.

Shape dough in 1″ balls. Roll each ball in sugar. Place on baking dish lined with parchment paper about 2″ apart.

Bake until set, about 10-12 min.Transfer to rack to cool. Cookies can be stored between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container at room temp up to a week. If you house is like ours, they won’t last 2 days.