COOKIES!

What's baking?  
Spent the better part of last night baking until I ran out of flour!  There are a few more recipes that I still want to try.  Although I always deviate somewhat from the printed recipe I am including the link to each recipe I started with. 
Lemon-Raspberry Thumbprints
Espresso Shortbread
Chocolate Dreams
Apple Butter Spritz
Almond Cloud

Cookies for event

What's baking? Cookies for Let's Get Ready event incorporating logo and colors!  Sugar cookies based on the Flour Pot recipe and fondant decorations.  Now is a great time to support Let's Get Ready and vote for them in the Chase Giving to help thousands of students get to college.  Or if you're in NYC you are invited to their next event!

News from Afghanistan- cookies made it to Jon for the holidays!

Happy New Year! I wanted to thank everyone again who participated in Baking GALS this past year and am looking forward to more baking in 2011! We do not always hear from the troops after we ship cookies, but it is great when we do find out that boxes made it to them! What a nice way to start the new

One More Shipment from Team Caring & Sharing

Brooke, from East Greenbush, NY, mailed a box containing:

Chewy peanut butter cookies

Chocolate cookies with peanuts and M&Ms

Lemon and strawberry sugar cookies

Some Christmas candy

Kraft Easy Mac

 

Thank you for being part of Baking GALS Team Caring and Sharing!

3 Boxes Shipped

Thanks to some great friends in the area, I filled three boxes and brought them to the post office today (not the best day to do that-it was quite crowded!). They weighed a total of 27 pounds and were filled with banana and pumpkin breads, brownies, raisin cookies, chocolate chip cookie bars,

A lot of Baking this Weekend!

As I was in the midst of baking, the heating element of my oven caught fire and burned out, but I heard good news from other team mates! 
Anu from Idaho shipped about 5 dozen M&M cookies, 1 card, 12 granola bars, 1 bag chex mix and Alicia from Washington state got 3 boxes in the mail full of cookies, candy, drink mixes, licorice, sunflower seeds, puzzle books, jerky, and a Christmas card. Team Caring and Sharing - you're doing a great job! Thank you.

More Cookies to Troops!

Andrea from Oregon emailed me to say, "We sent Jonathan sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate cookies, rainbow cookies, blistex, batteries, tictacs, a puzzle book, and some candy.  We are from Oregon, so it was fun having a "local" soldier to ship to!"

Another Baking GALS Box Shipped

Thank you to Brenda from Berrien Springs, MI who shipped a package that included two dozen date cookies, two dozen molasses cookies and one dozen buckeyes...and a Christmas ornament.

Baking GALS - Jon likes Cowboy and Carrot Cookies!

What's baking?

So for 'Team Caring and Sharing' Jon's family said that Cowboy Cookies and Carrot Cookies are two of his favorites. I had never heard of either! Carrot cake - yes, just made one last week, but to make it into a cookie? Ok, so I found a few recipes on-line, but most are sandwich

other items to ship overseas - Baking GALS Team Caring and Sharing

I'm looking forward to packing boxes of goodies to send to Jon. If you haven't signed up yet, it's not too late to join Team Caring and Sharing.

Baking GALS - cookie ideas for Jon

I hope everyone is gearing up to bake or baking already for Jon. I've been told, "He's never met a cookie he didn't like, but favorites include cowboy cookies, classic chocolate chip and carrot cake cookies."
Anyone have any good recipes for cowboy cookies or carrot cake cookies? Anyone ever heard of cowboy

BOXES - Baking GALS - boxes for shipping

Boxes for packing and shipping to military are free and available at post offices or you can order them on-line. Here's information from usps about Priority Mail APO/FPO Flat Rate Boxes:
A quick, easy, and convenient way for you to ship Priority Mail packages to military personnel serving overseas. The Priority

Susan's Cake Decorating Class

I started a new Facebook page, Susan's Cake Decorating Class, for my teaching 'stuff' and to be able to share things like class schedules, student cakes, new products from Wilton, etc.  So please go there to find out more

Team Sharing and Caring, Operation Baking GALS, round 26

I am leading a team, Sharing and Caring, for Operation Baking GALS. I hope you will read about Jon, below, and join my team. You can go to www.bakingGALS.com.  Once you are registered, you will be able to log in and go to 'meet a round 26 team' and also go to 'join a round 26

information about Operation Baking GALS

Many of you know that I enjoy working with the group Baking GALS. I am participating this round by leading a team for my friend Karen's nephew. I would love to have you join Team Caring and Sharing and send

Cookies

What's baking?

First try at fondant covered sugar cookies!  Fun to play with but still getting the hang of it.  Next batch should be a little easier.  Hints, anyone?  Feedback always welcome.

Operation Baking GALS, round 17

I just got back from the post office and had taken a few quick pictures as I was packing up this package. I baked a double batch of mini-chocolate chip shortbread cookies, cut in squares, and included brownies and banana bread that some friends had baked.  I also put in a bag of marshmallows -good for padding (and snacking!).  It's a great way to show our appreciation and it's nice to be part of larger group baking and supporting our troops.

Mini Chocolate Chip Shortbread

What's Baking? 
This is the recipe for the heart-shaped cookies shown in my post from Feb. 8.  I made a double batch and was really testing the capacity of my Kitchen Aid stand mixer with 10 cups of flour!  I rolled the dough a bit thinner than usual and ended up with at least 150 cookies.

15 pounds of homemade cookies shipped to Afghanistan

What's baking?
I sent a box of cookies to the troops this morning as part of Operation Baking GALS.  I baked heart-shaped Mini Chocolate Chip Shortbreads and Cocoa Krispie Treats. The package also included Toll House Bars that my friend baked and another friend donated money to cover the shipping costs.  It feels good to do this!  I'd be happy to help anyone interested in getting involved, just ask.

Chocolate Mocha Cookies

What's baking?

Unfortunately, I do not remember where the original recipe came from which is a shame because these are delicious and I would like to give the proper credit.  My original recipe is handwritten and barely legible on very brittle paper.

Chocolate Mocha Cookies

4 oz. unsweetened chocolate

3 C semisweet chocolate chips, divided

½ C butter (cut small pieces)

½ C flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

4 eggs, room temp

1½ C sugar

1½ TBS espresso powder

2 tsp vanilla

Pre-heat oven to 350.

Melt unsweetened chocolate, 1½ C chocolate chips and butter over hot water or slowly in microwave, stir until smooth. 

Stir flour, BP and salt in small bowl.

Beat eggs and sugar until thick and pale.  Beat in espresso and vanilla.   Fold in chocolate.

Fold in flour.  Stir in remaining chips.

Let stand 15 minutes.

Drop heaping TBS onto parchment covered baking sheets.  Bake 8-10 minutes until puffy, shiny, crackled.  Cool.  Transfer to rack to cool.

This recipe double easily and the cookies freeze well.  I let batter sit longer, sometimes overnight, if convenient.  I use less sugar, less salt, a bit more vanilla and sometimes more chips at the end.  I try using different chocolates.  This last batch has a combination of Ghiradelli and Trader Joe’s.   What chocolates do you have the most success with in baked goods?  What are your favorites?