Recipe of the...uh, week?

So for Christmas from my amazing In-laws, I got a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer! I was super excited. As you know I am a VERY novice cook/baker. I am trying to improve and am hoping that this will continue to motivate me. Since my wise sister said, "If you get a Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, you must do a Recipe of the Week!" - I am going to try. At least while I have some time before heading back to work.

These were found through Brown Eyed Baker's Blog

at DayDreamerDessert's blog.

W's
adapted from Cookies Unlimited
by Nick Malgieri

14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white
2 cups all-purpose flour
Confectioners' sugar for sprinkling

Set racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.

Whip butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.

Add vanilla bean seeds or vanilla extract and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes until well combined. Add the egg white and continue to mix until smooth.

Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly beat in the flour just until it is absorbed. Remove the bowl from the mixer and finish mixing the dough with a spatchula or wooden spoon.

Either pipe dough using a pastry bag and star tube (Ateco #824) into W's, or use a cookie press and shape of your choice to press cookies directly onto a baking sheet. *See note below.

Bake cookies for about 15 minutes, or until they are firm and lightly golden.

Just before serving the cookies dust them with confectioners' sugar.

Store the cooled cookies between sheets of parchment paper in an air tight container.

Note: I initially tied the pastry bag method, but I was unable to get the dough through the tip, and I tried it with a slightly larger tip (#825).

These are also perfect for a little dipping in some melted chocolate.

**Review: I had Had HAD to use my Kitchen Aid Mixer since I just got it for Christmas. That being said, I am still not familiar with the settings so that could have affected the process. I didn't have a pastry bag or a star tube so I tried to use a baggie with the tip cut out. Did not work. The dough was much too thick. So I ended up rolling tiny little balls and placing them together in the little star shapes. It sucked. But, other than that they were pretty easy to make. The dough was D-Lish! :) The cookies...are okay. Nothing to write home about. Well, I guess that is what I am doing so...

Mine:

Hers:

PS Kendell, did you make it to the toilet in time? :)

Merry (White) Christmas!

This year I was on-call for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day up until Saturday at 8:00 am. Herego, we remained in Olathe for the holidays. Which turned out to be so much fun (and much more safe!). We got 6-8 inches of snow with snow drifts up to 3 feet (in our back yard!). It is beautiful but has been quite the adventure going to the Perkin's for Christmas Eve celebrations and for Christmas Day festivities. However, we were one of the closest to travel to their house. Everyone made it! Even Josh's cousins from Springfield, MO, Blue Springs, MO, and Jefferson City, MO! They all drove in Christmas Day! What a long day for them! Unfortunately, once we got to their house, I put my camera down and helped with peeling potatoes, setting the table, resetting the table (thanks to Josh for knocking everything over...including full glasses of water!) and playing with little cousin Jacob!

Bella and Dakota LOVE the snow! I could probably leave them outside all day and they would be so happy! I will let them run around outside for about 5 minutes at a time, but by that point they are totally soaked with snow and I think they might get sick! Which...apparently, Dakota has kennel cough. Awesome.

Hope you all had wonderful holidays! We were glad to see the ones we did and were sorry that we didn't see you all!

Bryan and Angie - hope you guys are being safe and having a blast! See you when you get home!

Don and Mary Lynn - hope you guys got there safe, are making gobs of money, and are loving the awesome weather!

Strep Throat = Not fun

Well, Tuesday at work in the afternoon, my throat started killing me. I had achy neck, shooting pains behind my ears, hurt to swallow, headache, and it sounded to me like I was underwater. It was horrible. So I left a little bit early and went to the Urgent Care clinic. Yep, strep throat. And by the way, have you ever been tested of strep throat before? Who in the heck invented that?

"Hi my throat hurts"

"Let me shove this long prickly swab down your throat"

"I have a bad gag reflex"

"Just close your eyes"

WHAT???

#1 - Who would possibly think that a sort painful throat would benefit from being stabbed with a long prickly swab thingy? (Yes, I do understand they have to test it...)

#2 - "Just close my eyes" Who knew that would make my gag reflex improve? Well, she lied. It did not. If anything it made it worse. I nearly puked. I sort of wish I had because that would teach her to tell someone to "just close your eyes". Idiot.

#3 - I am admitting that I have a very small pain tolerance. Shh, don't tell Josh. But strep throat SUCKS! I had to stay home on Wednesday (darn), choke down some monster antiobiotics, and still feel like crap today!

And, since I am lucky enough to be on call for Christmas Eve night into Christmas day into Saturday morning at 8 am, I hope I spread strep to all the offices I have to visit! :) (not the patients of course...they are already in a crummy mood!)

Broken Arrow Christmas

Delayed post: Sorry!

This has been a crazy week so far! But last weekend we got to go see my Dad and Millie for Christmas in Broken Arrow! As always, we had a blast and ate way too much!

Ledger opened his gifts to a completely focused group...We loved watching his reactions! This was a toy given to him by Booma and Boompa! Josh put it together and helped him ride around on it. He sure seemed excited! Anyday now he'll be crawling and walking and keeping Mommy and Daddy on their toes!

Saturday night we all dressed up and went to cousin Jordan's birthday party. Boompa and his super proud grandson, Ledger, posing by the tree before leaving. I wonder who they were waiting on... oops! :)

At the party, Ledger got to meet his two new cousins, Lilah and Hayden. Lilah is not too fond of too many people but she sure loved her Auntie Em (Millie) and her new cousin Ledger. Hayden preferred Josh to anyone else. It was adorable! He kept hopping up on the couch right next to Josh and cuddling in to his arms. He would just look up to Josh and giggle. Super cute!

And just to prove that Josh and I overate...we took a picture, duh! We ordered a meal for two type thing and I think that it was more like a meal for four. It was huge! We barely made a dent! But I did get this cute scarf from my cousins! They are so hip! Thanks Peyton and Carson!

Lindsborg Christmas

This weekend we had our Christmas at Lindsborg with my Mom's family. It also happened to be Ledger's VERY FIRST CHRISTMAS! He is so adorable!


Please take note of his adorable Christmas Tree pajamas! He was fighting sleep to open gifts. I am not sure he was truly excited, but that is okay. His auntie Em still loves giving him gifts!

Saturday night, my Mom and Buddy had a 20th anniversary party! Can you believe they have been married for so long! :) The party was held at the Lindsborg American Legion where we had lots (and lots) of yummy food, drinks, and of course a DJ! It was a blast! All of our family and their friends came in for the bash!


One of Mom's favorite dance moves: the Gator! At Kendell's White Coat ceremony (about 4 years ago), Mom made Josh do the Gator at the after party dance. It was hilarious! This is them recreating the moment! He is such a good husband!

And best picture of the night? Yep, Ledger giving his auntie Em a kiss! Well, sort of. But at least it looks like it! Kendell and I were trying to get him to pose for a self photo when he either heard something or saw something and turned to look at it. Lucky for me, it looks like a kiss!

Best runner up for picture of the night? Yep, Josh and Grammie! I think that this is freaking adorable! Anytime your grandmother lays their head on your husband's shoulder, there is definitely a swoon moment!

It was a fabulous weekend with family and friends! We got to catch up with family we hadn't seen in awhile and we got to spend quality time with the family that we do get to see!

December Recipe of the Month - Better Than Brownie Cookies

So today I have off from work, which ended up being perfect! We have our G-Phi dinner tonight and it also happens to be our Christmas Party! This is my first Christmas Party with the girls so it will be a lot of fun. We do appetizers and then do a cookie exchange. I had Josh chose the type of cookie I was going to bring since he would have to eat the leftovers. He chose (out of 2 options...) these.

Better-than-Brownies Chocolate Cookies

Makes 24 large cookies

2 2/3 cups (about 16 ounces) bittersweet chocolate, chopped

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 eggs

1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper of a silicone baking mat.
2. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set it over a saucepan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally, until completely melted and smooth.
3. In the meantime, stir together the eggs, vanilla and sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.
4. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
5. Add the melted chocolate mixture to the egg mixture and stir to combine well. Slowly add the dry ingredients, folding them into the batter. Once all of the flour is incorporated, stir in the chocolate chips.
6. Scoop 1½ tablespoons of dough (a medium cookie scoop’s worth) onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until they are firm on the outside. Like brownies, do not overbake! Leave to cool completely on the baking sheets.

(Adapted from Culinography)

And just because I didn't get to show this before. I made this for the Pre Thanksgiving Celebration over at Angie's house. It also happened to be K-State's last game in which we fell a little short to Nebraska. However, the pie was beautiful!