My next recipe...

I found this yummy looking cookie recipe today and I am going to give them a try tomorrow.  If you have a recipe that I should try please send it to me, I am ready to try almost anything... no brussel sprouts I am just not a fan!  Here is the link to my next experiment...  Sugar Gems

The jury is out...

I took the orange snowdrops to work today.  It was truly fun getting feedback from all my co-workers.  I work with almost all men and they always appreciate "treats".  So I told them what I was doing and that they would be getting treats fairly regularly.  They agreed to give me feedback.  The recipe said that the frosting was optional - everyone in the office was in agreement that it is not even remotely optional.  The cookies are quite crumbly and the frosting seems to hold it all together. 

Tonight I made Chicken Alfredo, it was delicious but not totally homemade so I am not including it here.  But we had the herb bread with dinner and it was a big hit.  A little butter and garlic and then warmed in the oven and it was fabulous.  I could make a meal out of bread so this will now be my favorite bread for italian meals.

Give them a try, you will like them...

My first two new recipes...

Well, this weekend I made a couple of new recipes.  One was for caramelized butternut squash.  It was easy and very yummy.  The second was Lime Chicken Tacos.  I got the recipe from Emily Giles who said it was delicious and simple and she was right.  Here is the link: http://thecouponersrecipeblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/lime-chicken-tacos.html
I didn't document either recipe, but they were both good and both easy. 

Tonight I made Orange Snowdrops Cookies.  The recipe came from Better Homes and Gardens The Ultimate Cookie Book Page 55.  The recipe was pretty easy to make, but turned out to be a slightly dry consistency cookie, they really need the optional frosting!  The only thing I changed in the recipe was the frosting, I added 2 Tbsp of butter and about a cup of extra powdered sugar and even at that I used the whole batch of frosting.  The recipe made 33 cookies and they taste great and very orange!  I also made Italian Herb bread tonight, it is Katie's recipe and it is wonderful.  My house smells like a little bit of heaven.  I will be taking the goodies to work tomorrow to share, so we will see what all the guys at work think!

Orange Snowdrops
1/2 c. butter                                      3 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 c. crisco                                      1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. powdered sugar                         2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda                         1 egg
1 recipe Orange Frosting (see below)
1.  Preheat oven to 375.  In a large bowl beat butter and crisco on medium speed for 30 seconds.  Add powdered sugar and baking soda.  Beat until combined.  Beat in egg, OJ concentrate and vanilla until combined.   Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer, stir in remaining flour (I used my bosch, so not necessary).



2.  Drop dough by teaspoons 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly golden. Let stand for 1 minute on cookie sheet then move to a wire rack and allow to cool.  Frost with Orange Frosting if desired.

Orange Frosting:  In a small bowl combine 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 oz of frozen OJ concentrate (thawed); 1/2 tsp of grated orange peel beat until combined.  (I added an extra cup of powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp of butter, it made the consistency easier to spread and gave it a little less over powering orange flavor.)

Katie's Bread Machine Herb Bread (2 pound loaf)
1 1/2 c.  hot water
1 T. butter
4 c. bread flour
3 T. sugar
1 T. dry milk powder
1 3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp fresh basil
1 tsp fresh oregano
1 tsp fresh thyme
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 T. lemon juice
2 1/4 tsp bread machine yeast.

Add all ingredients to bread machine in order listed above then set machine on medium or light and select the basic white bread setting on your bread machine.  Now just sit back and wait for a delightful, yummy bread...