Gingerbread House Fun 2012

Sunday evening the kids and I went over to my in-law's house to make gingerbread houses with my sister in laws. This has become an annual tradition for Leah to decorate them with her aunties and I joined in on the fun this year. It was so much fun minus my house temporarily collapsing and having to rebuild it, LOL!

"Gingerbread has an incredibly long history as a foodstuff, and we know it has been shaped into Christmas tree ornaments since at least the Victorian era. As for gingerbread houses, they became popular after the Brothers Grimm published Hansel and Gretel, though it's unclear whether the edible edifices got their start as a literary invention. In parts of Europe in the 17th century, only professional gingerbread makers were allowed to bake the stuff year-round. That restriction was lifted during Christmas and Easter, which may explain the Christmas-gingerbread connection." via About.com

"When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses."

 ~Joyce Brothers

This year's Christmas cookie tins

Every year for the past 7 years, I've made homemade cookies and candy to give out to my husband's co-workers. Every year growing up, my mom made holiday goodies for my dad's work, along with my brother's work, and several of our friends & family. This was something I've always wanted to continue doing even after I got married and moved out on my own. I love the idea of spreading the joy of Christmas in an extra yummy way! 

This year was tough figuring out what all I wanted to include in the tins. I wanted to make a few new things rather than the same stuff I make every year. I always make fudge, spritz cookies, and cutout sugar cookies along with a few others but added in the rest I ended up making:

• Homemade fudge
• Spritz cookies
• Pecan Sandies
• Snicker doodles
• Cranberry pinwheels
• Buckeyes
• Homemade candy canes
• Cutout sugar cookies

The end result, it was so much fun making everything. The only thing I won't make again next year in the candy canes. I enjoy baking so much, the past week has been a blast for me!!

Snickerdoodles, Pinwheels & Pecan Sandies, OH MY!!

I was on a massive baking roll over the weekend in preparation for the cookie tins I take to my husband's office every year! I totally forgot to take pictures while I was making all the cookies, but did get a quick pic afterwards of all 3, LOL!! 

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Snickerdoodles

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. In a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add the 1 cup of sugar, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in flour. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until easy to handle. 
2. Combine the 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mix until coated. Place balls 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 10-11 minutes or until edges are golden. Transfer to wire rake to cool.

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Cranberry Pinwheels

• 1 cup cranberries
• 1 cup pecans
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour

1. For filling, in a blender/ food processor bowl, combine cranberries, pecans and brown sugar. Cover & blend/process until they're finely chopped. Set aside.
2. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer of 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs until combined. Then beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer, stir in any remaining flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until easy to handle. 
3. Roll half of dough between 2 pieces of wax paper into a 10 inch square. Spread half the filling over dough square to within 1/2 inch of edges. Roll up dough into log. Moisten edges; pinch to seal. Wrap in plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Chill for 4 to 24 hours.
4. Cut rolls into 1/4 inch slices. Please slices 2 inches on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cook on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes then transfer to wire rack and let cool.

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Gluten Free Pecan Sandies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 sifted powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup tapioca flour**
• 1 cup rice flour **
• 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans
• 1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1. Beat butter with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add the 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Beat until combined, scraping bowl. Beat in water and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flours that you can, stir in rest. Beat or stir in pecans (I beat mine in).
2. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Transfer to wire rack; let cool. Gently shake cooled cookies in a plastic bag with the 1 cup powered sugar. (I actually use a salt shaker with powered sugar, since mine are so flaky with the rice flour in them, they tend to fall apart when I've tried to shake them in a bag)

**You can use 2 cups of all-purpose flour rather than gluten free flour if  you'd like. I've made these both ways. 

Sugar Cutout Cookies with Buttercream Icing

Another one of my favorite things to goodies to make during the Christmas season is cutout cookies. So over the weekend, I made a batch of Christmas tree cookies with buttercream Icing.

In the past I've always cheated and bought decorating icing at the store but this year, I wanted to change it up a bit. I received a Wilton cake/ cookie decorating kit a few years ago for Christmas and never used it until now. I found a fairly simple buttercream icing recipe and gave it a try! It was so easy and takes AWESOME! I used the star icing attachment when I iced them and I think they turned out super cute!!

Sugar Cookie Cutouts

• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups all-purpose flour

1. In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until well combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, milk, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of flour as possible, stir in the remaining if needed. Divide dough in half and chill for 30  minutes or until easy to handle. 
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough until 1/8 inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. 
3. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 7-8 minutes until edges are firm and bottoms are slightly brown. Transfer to wire rack to let cool.

* Recipe courtesy of Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book

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Buttercream Icing

• 1/2 cup solid vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 4 cups (1 lb.) sifted confectioner's sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and shortening with electric mixer. Add vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape sides and bottom of bowl often.  When all the sugar has been mixed up, icing will appear dry. Add milk and beat on high speed until light and fluffy. Add food coloring of choice if you want. 

*recipe courtesy of Wilton