Let's Do Some Holiday Baking!

~ Holiday Baking~

It's that time of year that my mixer is working non-stop making all sorts of goodies for the holidays. My favorite recipe is sugar cookies and I always whip up a batch of sweetly decorated ones for Christmas. It's a recipe that I got from my best friend years ago.... many years ago, but it continues to prove to be the best recipe ever!

Extra Good Sugar Cookies

• 2/3 cup soft shortening
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 3/4 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 cups flour 

• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tsp. milk

Beat shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat. Add vanilla and almond extract. Mix thoroughly. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt and milk into sugar-shortening mixture. Chill dough 1 hour. Bake at 375 degrees on greased baking sheet 8-10 minutes. This is a small batch and I typically double it for the holidays. 

I frost my sugar cookies with a powder sugar glaze and decorate with sprinkles. 

Wishing you a wonderful day!

Happy Baking!

Cindy and Belvedere

My new design, 'Holiday Baking' can be found in my Etsy Shop as an instant PDF download. It's adorable stitched onto a towel and would be a fun accent in your kitchen for Christmas.

Bunnies and Chickies!

Happy Easter! I know I'm a week early but it's a week of celebrating Easter with my family and friends! The celebration starts today at mom's with Easter dinner. I'm bringing all sorts of treats, I was a busy, busy in the kitchen yesterday. I made sugar cookies, Jello jiggler eggs, Grandma Eva's mashed potatoes and this morning I got up at five and made dinner rolls. The house smells so good! So today I have some Easter fun to share....

Sugar Cookies

2/3 cups shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 tsp almond extract

3/4 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

4 tsp milk

Beat shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat. Add vanilla and almond extract. Mix thoroughly. Stir flour, baking powder and salt and milk into sugar-shortening mixture. Chill dough 1 hour. Roll out and cut out cookies. Bake at 375 degrees on greased baking sheet 8-10 minutes. When cool, frost and decorate with your favorite frosting.

I made a batch of baby chicks....

and a batch of bunnies... I cut mini marshmallows
in half to make the ears.

Doesn't it look festive! A plate of sweets paired up with my chickiemug rug.

I spent yesterday decorating the house too. I couldn't decide how I wanted to use my bunny mug rug, with a bunny dish...

...or paired with an egg holder and some chocolate carrots.(The pattern is available as a PDF on Etsy and Craftsy)

My sis, Gena, passed this plate to me at our Chili Cook off filled with
Scotch a roo's...

I'm passing it on to one of my sisters filled with Easter treats.

I hope that you have a wonderful weekend. On Thrusday I get to join a group of friends and see 'Godspell' and then celebrate Easter again on Saturday with my husband's side. I'm planning on making more chickie and bunny cookies.

Happy Easter!