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sn’t it funny how life has a way of teaching us what matters most. A few days before Christmas my mom was hospitalized. We soon learned that her condition has left her unable to return home and care for herself. The girls and I have been busy managing her needs with our crazy schedules. This has left no time for baking or blogging.
We are now in the process of finding a new normal. This week as we got back to baking I realized something. No matter how busy life gets and the demands placed on us we need to find balance, make time to center ourselves and find our happy place. My happy place is in my kitchen with my girls by my side covered in flour asking if anyone remembered to set the timer.
Stained glass cookies are very popular around Christmas. They were on our “to-bake” list but as our holiday baking was abruptly cut short we have decided to switch holidays. I think the vibrant color in these decorative cookies lend themselves perfectly to Valentines Day. The heart shape cut out with sparkling red and pink jewel-toned centers are the perfect home-made gifts.
Traditionally stained glass cookies are made by pouring hot candy cooked to hard crack stage in the center of a butter cookie. As much as I love the look of these beautiful cookies, who has time to make hard candy every time they want to make cookies? My mother was a master at making homemade suckers and hard candies…my mom had time for many things that as a working mom I do not. This recipe is the solution for those of us who have limited baking hours in our day. Bake the butter cookie from scratch…then cheat a little on the stained glass portion. By crushing store bought hard candy you can cut an hour off the time these cookies would normally take to make. We love the flavor of Jolly Ranchers and used them in this recipe but you are welcome to substitute for another hard candy if you have a favorite.
creates a light and airy cupcake that is still capable of holding a cream cheese frosting. Every year at Thanksgiving dinner, I am always surprised to have a couple guests who don’t like pie…not eating pumpkin pie on thanksgiving seems like an insult on the holiday itself. This recipe was created to embody all of the traditional pumpkin pie flavors without the density and texture that can often turn people off to pie. This year satisfy all of your guests with a cupcake that will rival even the best pumpkin pie at the table.
kids were never in any danger, they just didn’t know the difference between a cookie press and a gun. They thought it was the greatest thing in the world to pull the trigger forcing dough through the disk and releasing a perfectly shaped cookie on the cookie sheet. These little cookies are so simple and easy to make, yet look so professional. People will assume you bought them at a bakery. My kids are a little older now, but we still affectionately refer to the cookie press as the “cookie gun”. Try these addictive little cookies for your next holiday gathering. They are as much fun to make as they are yummy to eat…just ask my kiddos.
sweeterthymes.com 