Holiday Entertaining - Sugar Cookies....

So I was having trouble with making sugar cookies. I know, I know. It's sugar cookies how hard could it be. Well, let's just say I couldn't find a good one until now. This recipe is from the Williams-Sonoma Holiday Entertaining book. Great book! However, I did have to modify the recipe a little. It had NO vanilla in the recipe! Who doesn't that?! My hubby said, "It's not a sugar cookie without vanilla in it." I have to agree with him. The vanilla made the cookie. Also, I didn't want a cookie that was made with shortening. (Yuck!) But these cookies were just what I was looking for. So I had to share. Happy baking! Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

Adapted from the Williams-Sonoma HolidayEntertaining book

Make about 36 cookies (depends on the size of cookie)

2/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (plain)

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Have ready 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or ungreased.

In a food processor, combine the butter and granulated sugar and pulse until creamy.

Add the egg and vanilla and pulse 5 or 6 times until fluffy and blended.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Add one-third of the flour mixture to the food processor and process until blended, about 45 seconds.

Add the remaining flour in two batches, processing after each addition, until dough is smooth.

Note: It doesn’t have this in the original recipe, but you should refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes or so. This way the dough will be easier to work with and not so sticky cause it’s too warm. So after the dough is smooth, turn out the dough onto some paste wrap and separate the dough into two disks. Then refrigerate.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface, shape into a ball, and then roll out 1/8 inch think.

Using cookie cutters, cut the dough into desired shapes.

Then, using a spatula, transfer the cutouts to the baking sheets. Gather up the dough scraps and repeat the process to make more cookie cutouts to add to the baking sheets.

Bake until lightly browned on the bottom and pale golden on top, 6-8 minutes.

Transfer to wire racks and let cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Then transfer to the racks to cool completely.

Note: Remember to decorate with sprinkles before going into the oven. Or decorate the cooled cookies with Royal Icing.

Image from Me; Recipe from Williams-Sononma cookbooks at Barns & Noble

Humming with Cupcakes....

These are so good!

So I got 'the hummingbird bakery cookbook' for Christmas. I was so excited cause it was on my Amazon wish list. As I was looking through the book, I saw a homemade vanilla cupcake recipe. It sounded really good. So I tried making it over the weekend, and they came out pretty good. The recipes are pretty easy.

But after eating one cupcake a few hours before going to bed, that was a bad idea. I ended up dreaming about these cupcakes! Then I had to eat one as soon as I could in the morning. So funny.

Well, one day I plan on visiting the real The Hummingbird Baking in London, and tasting their delicious sweets they have there. Till then, I will keep baking/dreaming through my delicious book. Really good buy! Enjoy!

Vanilla Cupcakes (makes 12 cupcakes)

1 cup all-purpose flour
a scant 3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
a pinch of salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

12-hole cupcake pan
cupcake paper liners

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
2. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and butter in a freestanding electric mixer with the paddle attachment. (Can use the handheld electic mixer instead.)
3. Beat on slow speed until you get a sandy consistency and everything is combined.

4. Then gradually pour in half the milk and beat until the milk is just incorporated.
5. Whisk the egg, vanilla, and remaining milk together in a separate bowl for a few seconds, then pour into the flour mixture and continue beating until just incorporated (make sure that your scrape down the side to get everything mixed).  Continue mixing for a couple more minutes until the batter is smooth. Do not overmix!

6. Spoon the batter into the paper liners about two-thirds full and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until light golden and the cake bounces back when touched.

 7. Let the cupcakes cool slightly in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
8. When cupcakes are cold, spoon on frosting and decorate.

Now for the frosting...

Vanilla Frosting (makes enough for 12 cupcakes)

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
5 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
2 tablespoons whole milk
a couple of drops of pure vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Beat the confectioners' sugar and butter together in a freestanding electric mixer with a paddle attachment on medium-slow speed until the mixture comes together and is well mixed.
2. Turn the mixer down to a slower speed. Combine the milk and vanilla in a separate bowl, the add to the butter mixture a couple of teaspoons at a time.
3. Once all the milk has been incorporated, turn the mixer up to high speed. Continue beating until the frosting is light and fluffy, at least 5 minutes. (The longer the frosting is beaten, the fluffier and lighter it becomes.)

The completed cupcake...

Images from Me; Recipe from the book the hummingbird bakery cookbook

Recipes from Ladurée Sucré....

So I've been looking for this book for a while now. It's the Ladurée Sucré recipe book. I was walking around in Barnes and Noble the other day, and just happen to see the international cookbook section. And there right next to The Art of French Cooking was this book. I was so excited!! This book sells for a lot on Amazon. So I'm been waiting to get it. But for this price, it had to come home with me.

I may need to start baking this weekend. Has anyone tried these recipes yet? Let me know which ones are your favorite. Enjoy!

Images From Me; Book from Barns & Nobles

Books on a Holiday....

So I didn't get to show you what I got from Santa for Christmas this year. Well, you see, my husband's family does a Secret Santa gifts exchange by drawing names out of a hat. (Or this year out of a small Java program by hubby made!)

So, I asked for books this year. Sounds boring, eh? Not really for a travel, food nut like me!

I've been wanting this book for a while now - My French Life by Vicki Archer. The pictures are so pretty, and it has such an interesting story of how her family bought this house in France and moved there to live. It's funny. My Secret Santa even said they had to read the book before they gave it to me. You might want to pick it up yourself.

My Secret Santa also gave me this book - Markets of Paris by Dixon and Ruthanne Long. I've been trying to plan a trip to Paris. Some friends of mine went last Spring, and loved it. I'm still not sure when we'll go, but I am planning on it soon. Also, learning basic French is on my "to do" list this year. But I love outdoor markets; so I wanted to get this book to help find some good ones when we do go.

Cookbooks. Love them! I can't wait to try these recipes out. I'm a baker at heart. So I'm always looking for a good baking/dessert cookbook to add to my collection. My brother-in-law got me the Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook by Tarek Malouf. The other book wasn't a gift. I just happened upon the Just Mini Desserts by Robert Zollweg at Kroger's. I love eating those little mini desserts at restaurants, but never knew how to make them. I'm hoping this helps with that. Well, enjoy!

Images me. Books from Amazon.com and Kroger's.

Confidence, style, and matching lingerie....so French!

I love things French! Always have, always will. It's just the style, the confidence, the femininity of the cloths makes you fall in love with however graceful all French people and things look. I recently read the book 'French Women Don't Sleep Alone' by Jamie Cat Callan. Now, I wasn't trying to find love, but it's is a good tip book for those out there that want some French flare help. But I wanted to know more on the way the French women thought. How they style their cloths? How they take care of their beauty? More that type of stuff. Well, this book was a very entertaining, helpful look into the view of how the French women works.

Key words from this book: Confidence, Confidence, Confidence. It was the main topic throughout this book. And really...it's true. We all need more confidence in life!

Here's the helpful list of 'How to be a French Women While Living in America':

1. Stop Dating - French women don't date. They date in a group-like setting of inviting friends, their coterie, (plus someone they may like) to dinner. This way it gets you out of the American 'interview-style' dating.
2. Throw a Party - This is part of the French dating style of throwing a party to invite people over (plus the one you may like), and showing off your culinary and entertaining skills. Make sure your mix people up as in boy, girl, boy, girl seating.
3. Walk the Walk - French women do walk everywhere. This is the best way to get out there to show yourself off to the world (to men).
4. Get Offline and Get in Line - French women meet men in the real world. This include coffee shops, films, museums, parties, etc. How they meet so many men: being charming and a little seductive.
5. Fraternize on the Job - This means by a little more feminine at work in your cloths, like a nice top, necklace, scarf, etc. Meet men at work, don't be shy.
6. Be Natural - The French look is a natural look. Have tousled, wind-blown hair and only show off one body part, like your legs with a great skirt.
7. Say 'Hello' to Your Ex - French women leave on good terms with boyfriends. This way they can still add them to their coterie, group of friends. Never know if you'll need them in the future.
8. Create a Coterie - A coterie is the all-important group of friends that is made up of men, women, coworkers, and new crushes. The group you do things with or be see with.
9. Get Smart - French women know that being brainy is hot. And, yes, men do like smart women.
10. Don't Pack Away the Good Chain - French women use the good stuff everyday. So should you.
11. Lingerie! - Wear sexy (matching) lingerie everyday. It will make you feel confident!
12. Get cooking - The way to a man's heart is 'really' through his stomach.
13. Love the Skin You're In - The French woman's secret to self love is fragrant creams and lotions. They know that they need to take care of themselves, and it makes them feel good in their own skin.
14. Tend to Your Secret Garden - Keep some secrets. Don't be so honest by tell everyone everything all the time. Like your secret of reading romance novels, or whatever.
15. Less is More - Don't super-size everything. Buy one great piece of clothing, eat smaller portions of food, don't try to change your guy, etc.
16. Stand by Your Man - Accept him for who he is.
17. Vive la Difference - French women are women and they don't let you forget it. Enjoy being a women. We're different and that a good thing!
18. You Have a Right to Be Moody - You're a woman. Reclaim your right to be a women, to by moody and capricious and emotional.

This book was a great find, and a great book. Enjoy!

Image from Barnes & Nobles (You can also buy it there too!)
More on the author - Jamie Cat Callan