Tuesday, February 22, 2011 ~ Easy Cookie Recipes | Chocolate Cookies | Peanut Butter Cookies | Sugar Cookies

From Booklist
This third book in the “cookie” series once again takes words children may or may not know and defines them in ways that make sure listeners taste the sugar inside them. Keeping true to the cookie metaphor throughout, the book explains words like tenderness (“lifting the fresh cookies from the tray with care and gentleness”) and heartbroken (“my heart feels sad and hurt, like a crumbling cookie”). The words here seem more sophisticated than in previous books, but the Dyers’ fabulous artwork, where children and animals mingle in the real world, extend the definitions. Sugar cookie recipe appended. Preschool-Grade 1. --Ilene Cooper

Product Description
This delectable follow-up to the bestselling Cookies and Christmas Cookies defines words that are associated with love. From letting your friend have the last cookie (selfless) to waiting to lick the bowl together (considerate), here is a book for anyone who wants to say I love you. Meanings are illuminated in this different kind of dictionary, which is every bit as heartwarming as the experience of baking cookies with someone you love.

Amy Krouse Rosenthal's sweet little lessons, mixed with warm and inviting illustrations by mother-daughter duo Jane Dyer and Brooke Dyer, make for a book that will hit the spot!

About the Author
Amy Krouse Rosenthal is a New York Times bestselling author of books for children and grown-ups. Her children's books include the Cookies series, illustrated by Jane Dyer and Brooke Dyer; Duck! Rabbit! and The OK Book, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld; Spoon, illustrated by Scott Magoon; and most recently The Wonder Book, illustrated by Paul Schmid. Her work for grown-ups includes the memoir Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life and the film project The Beckoning of Lovely. Amy lives online at www.whoisamy.com and for real in Chicago.

Product Details
Reading level: Ages 4-8
Hardcover: 40 pages
Publisher: HarperCollins (October 27, 2009)
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 9.3 x 0.4 inches

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Ingredients :-

2 Sticks butter, room temperature
1 C. Powdered sugar
1 Egg
1 T. Vanilla
2 ½ C. Flour
1 t. Salt
Raspberry Jam
Powdered Sugar for dusting

Preparation Instructions :-

In a stand mixer, cream together the butter and confectioners sugar on medium speed until smooth. Add the egg, vanilla and salt and mix well. Mix in the flour on low speed slowly until all is incorporated. Form the dough into a ball and flatten and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one hour, until firm.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper, a silpat or use a non-stick cookie sheet.
Roll the dough out on a well floured work surface to about ¼ inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters as desired. Half the cookies will have a smaller heart cut out of the middle. Bake about 6 to 8 minutes until lightly brown on the edges. Let cool.
Spread about a teaspoon of raspberry jam on the whole heart cookies and with the cut out cookies, dust with powdered sugar and place gently on top of jam cookie. Repeat process until all cookies are complete.

Recipes and photos : Authentic Sububan Gourmet

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Posted in Cookie Recipes , Filled Cookies

Easy Cookie Baking Tips

> Use soft butter

> Cream butter and sugar well

> Check expiration date on your leavening agents

> Flour should be measured properly

> Sift all the dry ingredients

> Pre-crack eggs into a separate bowl

> Mix eggs one at a time, mixing well in between

> Add dry ingredients slowly

> Mix in dry ingredients just until blended

> Hand mix in the chocolate chips and nuts

> Use a cookie or ice cream scoop to make cookies the same size

> Use parchment paper

> Bake just until cookie edges are brown

> Let cookies sit on cookie sheet

> Start over on cool cookie sheet

> Scoop cookie dough BEFORE freezing

> Buy a good oven thermometer

5 Essential Rules to Making Good Cookies:

1) Do not overbake. For those of you who have read my blog for a while you know this is a pet peeve of mine. I have a hard time leaving any cookie alone but if it's overbaked I can easily leave it. It ruins everything about the cookie when it's overbaked...the texture, the color, the taste...

2) Always use real butter. Some of you may argue with me on that but these are my rules so real butter it is. If it says to have your butter at room temperature, make sure it is. That makes a huge difference too when you have to cream the ingredients together.

3) Use parchment paper. I never make cookies without it. I've done tests, one batch with it and one without parchment paper and the ones with parchment paper always win. You can reuse it too most of the time.

4) Always use real pure vanilla...not extract. I can tell the difference in taste when extract is used so splurge a little and buy the good stuff.

5) Use large or x-large eggs. Most recipes don't specify but in general when they call for eggs in the recipe they assume you are going to use large or x-large eggs.