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recipe

my mom’s cut-out cookie recipe.

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Every year as a child, our house would be full of baked goods from Thanksgiving through New Years.

My mother is a baker. She always has been. And since before I can remember, I’ve been her little apprentice!

So this year I finally asked my mom for her christmas cut-out cookie recipe. This is the one type of cookie I remember spending hours and hours making every year; and it’s the same cookie that makes it really feel like christmas!

I knew that these cookies were semi time consuming, so I doubled the recipe from the start. The recipe, as listed below, is not doubled. But I would recommend doing so. 

My Mom’s Christmas Cut-Out Cookie Recipe:

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups of all-purpose flour
1 Cup of butter
1/2 Cup of white sugar
1 Egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Cream the butter until light. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and extract.
2. Gradually blend in the flour. Shape into a ball. Cover with saran wrap for at least one hour {bakers note: I left mine in the fridge for two days because I was doing other things. I came back to it when I had time. They were still delicious!}
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface to 1/8″ thickness. Cut into desired festive shapes. Place cookies on parchment paper covered baking sheets.
5. Bake for 8 – 12 minutes or until golden. Remove from cookie sheet and place on wire rack until cooled completely. Decorate as you wish!

I really did love this recipe and plan on making them again before the holidays! Enjoy!


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cookie recipe: rugelach

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Rugelach, my favorite, fluffy, jam-filled pastry, is a lot harder to pronounce than it is to actually make.

I found this recipe on RealSimple.com. 

Ingredients:

6 Tablespoons of granulated sugar
2 15-ounce packages of refrigerated pie crusts
2/3 cup of jam (flavor of your choice)

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Sprinkle the work surface with 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Unfold 1 of the crusts and place it on the sugar. Roll it to an even thickness. Spread half the jam evenly and thinly {note: definitely follow this part. must be a thing layer to avoid any excess burning in the oven} over the crust. Roll the dough tightly and sprinkle with about 1/2 tablespoon of the sugar.
3. Cut the roll into 3/4 inch thick slices. Then place them sugar side up on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper, spaced about 1.5 inches apart. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
4. Bake until golden, about 22-26 minutes. Peel the cookies off the parchment paper and set on wire rack to cool.
5. Enjoy delicious and easy cookies!
I’m telling you, I was shocked at how easy these cookies were. So they are definitely a new fave in this house! Enjoy!

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the easiest dinner recipe. ever.

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I know I don’t cook a lot. And I know a lot of you do. And I feel like I’m late to this whole “slow cookers save the world” party… But I guess I didn’t realize that slow cookers, well… save the world. Like, for real.

Yeah, I know. I should have already known this. But I guess I didn’t grasp just how insanely easy cooking with a crock pot is. 

So I’m sharing with you my favorite new non-baked goods related recipe 
{definitely a big step for me}.

The most awesome and easy chili ever 
{long name, huh? I might have made it up myself :p }

Ingredients: 

2 lbs of extra lean ground beef
2 (16 oz) cans of kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 (14.5 oz) cans of diced tomatoes, undrained {I use the fire hot flavor}
1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce
2 medium onions, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of chili powder
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
shredded cheddar cheese & sour cream

Directions:

1. Brown the ground beef. 
2. Transfer to the slow cooker.
3. Add the next 9 ingredients.
4. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 4 hours.
5. Garnish and serve with cheese and sour cream.

I’m guessing by BFs reaction to it, this meal will become a staple in our diets this winter.
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fabulous oatmeal cookies.

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I don’t know if I’ve mentioned this in the past, but I come from a baking family.
My mother is a baker. She has been since before I was born. Wedding cakes, graduation cakes, cookies, cannolis {yum!}. You name it. She bakes them.
I attribute this to my love of baking.
Make me cook dinner, I freak. Tell me you are craving cookies from scratch, I’m on it.
So I’m sharing with you one of my favorite new Oatmeal Cookie recipes. These were so good, they were gone in just a few days.
Ingredients:
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
* 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
* 1 cup packed light brown sugar
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
* 1 1/2 cups raisins
Directions:
  1. Heat oven to 350° F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
  2. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. One at a time, beat in the eggs, then the vanilla. Reduce speed to low and gradually add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined (do not overmix). Mix in the oats and raisins by hand.
  3. Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dough onto baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart.
  4. Bake, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, until golden, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool slightly on the baking sheets, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
These cookies are amazing and worth the time it takes. Don’t take my word for it, try the recipe out yourself!

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(mis)adventures in cooking.

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I’ve been cooking and our house is still standing. Not only have I not burned down the kitchen, but the food that I made tasted good enough to eat!

I recently decided to try a creative meatball recipe. In my recent past
{college through present day}, meatballs, to me, were something from the freezer section {me = bad Italian!}.

But my recent goals both challenged and inspired me. I didn’t get creative enough to throw my own recipe though. Just creative enough to not follow the following recipe word for word:

Ingredients:
  • 1 T minced garlic
  • 2 t chopped fresh parsley
  • i T dried basil
  • 2 t ground cumin
  • 1 T dried dill weed
  • 1/2 t ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
  • 1 1/2 t yellow mustard
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 2 eggs, beaten
  • 3/4 cup crumbled pepper jack cheese
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
  • 1/2 large onion, sliced into thin rings

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the garlic, parsley, basil, cumin, dill weed, black pepper, bread crumbs, yellow mustard, salt, eggs, cheese and ground beef. Mix well using your hands and make sure the cheese is evenly distributed.

2. Roll the mixture into 1 1/2 inch balls and place in a lightly greased skillet. Place the rings of onion on top of the meatballs. Cover the pan and set the heat to medium-low. Turn the meatballs after three minutes and increase the heat to medium. Continue to cook the meatballs, turning every 10 minutes, until cooked!

A little tip that I learned the hard way: I was slightly disappointed because the structure of the meatball started to crumble while being cooked, thanks in part to the pepper jack cheese. Turns out cheese doesn’t take to a frying pan to well. Who knew? Ha.

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recipe: zuppa toscana

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Since I have had so many requests, here is the recipe to the Zuppa Toscana that BF and I cooked up last night!

Ingredients:
1 lb of spicy Italian sausage
2 large baking potatoes (cut in half and then sliced into thin pieces)
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup of bacon bits
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups of kale, chopped
2 cans of chicken broth
1 chicken flavor cube
1 quart of water

Cook sausage in 300 degree oven for about 30 minutes.
Drain the sausages on a paper towel and cut into small pieces.
Saute the onions, garlic and potatoes just until lightly crisped!
Warm chicken broth, extra chicken cube, and water in a large pot.
Add potatoes, onions, garlic, sausage, kale, and bacon bits. Cook on medium for approximately 30 minutes, stirring throughout.

It really was easy! BF cooked the sausage, but I actually helped cook (for once)! Hope everyone enjoys!