Chellisms

Cook-ays! The Recipe

Today is the day! The Second Annual Virtual Cookie Exchange is underway, and as usual I am late to the party. What else is new?

Lemon-Cream Cookie Sandwiches, a Better Homes and Gardens recipe that is much loved in my house.

The cookies

• 1 cup butter-flavor Crisco
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons finely shredded lemon peel

1. Beat shortening in a large bowl with an electric mixer for 30 seconds at medium to high speed. Add sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides as you go. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as possible with the mixer, by hand stir in any remaining flour and lemon peel.

I started hand mixing once I had 1 3/4 cups of flour in the bowl.

2. Divide dough in half. Roll each portion into a 10-inch log. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 3 hours, or until firm.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Unwrap dough rolls. Cut into 1/4-inch-inch slices. Place slices 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cook on cookie sheet on wire rack for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to wire rack and cool completely.

The filling

• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened
• 2/3 cup butter, softened
• 3 1/3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely shredded lemon peel

4. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until combined. Stir in lemon peel.

5. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the filling on the bottom of half of the cookies. Top each with remaining cookie, bottom down, to make sandwiches.

6. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Makes about 36.

Cookies should be eaten within 3 days if kept at room temperature in an airtight container. Can be frozen for up to 3 months.

While my dough chills while don't you head on over to Jenn's site and check out the other cookie recipes? Will be back with more pictures and the final product once my helpers get home from school.

Cook-ays!

It is almost time for the Second Annual Virtual Cookie Exchange, hosted by Jenn over at Jenn's Journal. The idea is simple, you sign up by leaving a comment on this post then on December 3rd you simply post your recipe on your blog, let Jenn know that you have posted and link to the post that she puts up on the 3rd listing all of the other participants.

Everybody loves cookies and I need some new recipes. So really, you would be doing me a favor if you signed up and posted your own beloved recipes.

You wouldn't be doing my butt any favors but that is another story.

Red Neck

I coerced my mom into babysitting for us last night so that the three of us could go out and have a nice dinner. We wound up at the Melting Pot and had a great time.

Ashley may have had a few drinks...

She started with a Strawberry Basil something or other.

Then she moved onto a Strawberry Drop. I missed getting a picture of her licking the sugar coated rim, but it was very funny.

Then she had some of my Pomegranate Cosmo. The more she drinks the redder her neck gets. It was hilarious.

We had a very good time. We spent hours at the restaurant and came home about 11 to wonderfully sleeping children. We had an amaretto white chocolate fondue for dessert that was awesome, flambeed at the table.

It was our best night out in a very long time. Wish Glen had been able to be with us but I think Ashley channeled his attitude and sense of humor just for that night... it was a treat.

Rice Rice Baby

I had forgotten what meal time is like with a 2 year-old.

Suddenly I remember.

The table after a dinner of rice with teriyaki chicken, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms and sugar snap peas.

The floor.

The chair.

And this is how the moms cope after the kids have gone to bed.

'Ono

There are quite a few things I miss about living in Hawaii. The people, the weather, the beaches, the laid back atmosphere and the food.

Malasadas.

Yum-O!

Malasadas are Portuguese donuts and they are super good. Fried dough, not as sweet as a cake donut but more dense than a bar donut. Rolled in sugar while still hot. Sometimes injected with haupia  (coconut flavored pudding) or custard (chocolate or vanilla).

If you are familiar with Hawaii malasada makers I would say that these are more like Agnes's Portuguese Bakery and less like Leonard's. They have a crunchier crust than Leonard's but are every bit as good. They are also free form, Tim informs me that Leonard's uses a mold in the fryer whereas Agnes's and Cher's are both batter dropped in hot oil.

Tim and I just found a place here in WA that makes malasadas. We visited this morning and scored a half dozen fresh malasadas that were awesome. They don't serve the filled ones (yet), but that is fine by me. I am a malasada purist, Tim likes his filled.

If you are in WA and craving some fried dough may I suggest Cher's Ono Malasadas located at 14624 International Blvd in Tukwila. I think if you go early in the morning she may have some made, we had to wait about 10 minutes (if that) for ours but they were sooo worth it. 

Cher's serves a variety of coffees as well, Hawaiian creations such as mocha coconut and macadamia nut are on the menu. I dislike coconut anything but she had a Milky Way coffee listed that I neglected to see until after I had my mocha in hand. I guess that just means I have to go back.

I would suggest grabbing a handful of napkins. Don't eat them in your car if you don't have access to a Dust-buster type vacuum. Sugar everywhere. Yummmm...