Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Yumm!





The girls love to eat.
Today's lunch- veggies, shredded chicken and egg yolk.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Baking!



Graham Crackers

1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oat flour (process ½ cup of rolled oats in food processor until powdery)
1/3 cup plus 1 TBSP sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt

1/3 cup butter or oil
1-3 TBSP milk or water
1 TBSP honey

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Heat oil, honey and water until melted. Pour honey mixture into dry ingredients and mix until dough can be formed into a ball (dough will be closer to the consistency of very dry cookie dough). Chill for at least 30 minutes. Roll out dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet 1/4” thick or less. Bake at 350 F for 7-10 minutes. Prick with a fork as it comes out of the oven and quickly cut into rectangles with a pizza cutter.

Cheddar Crackers!
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. white ground pepper (optional)
4 TBSP cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
8 ounces grated cheddar cheese
3-4 TBSP water

Pulse the flour, salt and pepper, then add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add grated cheese a little at a time until the mixture again resembles coarse meal.

Pulse in 3 to 4 tablespoons of water, one tablespoon at a time, and only enough so that the dough forms a ball and rides the blade.

Remove, wrap in plastic, and chill for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Roll the dough out to 1/8th-inch thickness directly onto a baking sheet.
Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut 1 inch squares, then bake at 350° F for 15-20 minutes or until crackers are golden brown. If the outer edges your pan are done but the crackers in the center still need a few more minutes- remove crackers on the edges and bake the center crackers for a few more minutes.

Remove from oven and recut any squares that may be stuck together.
Sugar Cookies with Buttercreme kisses!
1 1/3 cup shortening
1 ½ cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
¼ cup milk
3 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
4 cups flour

Cream together shortening, sugar and vanilla then add the eggs and milk. Mix in baking powder, salt and flour. Dough will be slightly sticky. Roll into balls and top with a candy kiss. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet at 350° F for 7-10 minutes.

Birthday!






We survived the first year! The girls' party was wonderful. They absolutely loved having everyone sing them Happy Birthday completely demolished their cupcakes.

And the best part about parties- BALLOONS!