Incredible Edible Eggs!

I decided to try cookie decorating again. I haven't done any since the 5 hour decorating craze at Christmas! I made a double batch from this recipe to get the 14 very large cookies and 12 small cookies.

I ran short of the yellow for filling, so one cookie got an orange bottom. I HATE to have wasted icing, and I usually cut it VERY close! Of course this adds stress to the decorating! I do think I should go with a smaller outline tube when I am outlining in a different color.

I almost let some of them dry too long before adding the dots and stripes! They didn't smooth out quite enough. Luckily the photo doesn't really let this mistake show! This time I started decorating at 9 p.m. and finished around midnight. I got my late start because house-cleaning and laundry had to come first! I made them for my nieces, nephews, Mom and Dad. We had our extended-family Easter Gathering on Palm Sunday.

Y'all Come Back,

Lorilee

After my first taste of Pizzelles at our Cookie Exchange Party, I am hooked on them! Lucky for me, my guys are not fond of them. That means I actually get some! The ingredients are easy-eggs, oil, sugar, flour, vanilla and anise. Some recipes call for melted butter instead of oil and baking powder. I think the baking powder gives them a drier crunch, and I prefer the chewier crunch.

Most of all you need a Pizzelle Press.

I purchased mine at Bed, Bath and Beyond.

The batter is all ready to go!

Mmmm. I adore anise! I also love black jelly beans.

I hope to share some with my SIL who also loves them. That is, if I can keep myself from eating them all!
This is the recipe that I like. I halved it.

6 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup oil

1 dozen eggs

1 tsp vanilla

anise to taste (about 1 tsp.)

Lightly beat the eggs with a whisk. Add oil and extracts and mix well. Add sifted flour and sugar, a little at a time. I start mixing with a whisk, but I switch to a wooden spoon as soon as it starts thickening. Preheat Pizzelle press. My press uses heaping teaspoon size dollops of batter. I use the 2 1/2 setting and bake them for about 1 1/2 minutes.

Y'all come back,

Lorilee

Cookie decorating vs. sleeping

I ended up with 30 snowflake shaped sugar cookies after the baking fiasco I shared in the previous post. I decided on December 23rd that it was now or never to decorate them. I first had to finish a 20 page scrapbook that I started on December 22 in the evening. Did I mention it was also my first real attempt at doing scrapbook layouts? I digress. Back to the cookies. I was done with the scrapbook around 10:30 p.m.. I took a bath while debating whether or not to start the cookie decorating so late. Since I had already stayed up until 2 a.m. on the scrapbook the night before, I figured I should go for it. Weeellllll, 30 cookies took me until 4 a.m.!

My family was impressed, but they are a far cry from the many cookie decorators whose blogs I visit frequently.

Y'all come back,

Lorilee

7th Christmas Cookie Exchange!

My SIL and I hosted our 7th annual Christmas cookie exchange party this year. We happened to have matching skirts and joked that we wore different blouses so that others could tell us apart!

The cookies filled my dining table!

My crystal rooster presided over the cookie table surrounded by Christmas light bulbs that belonged to my husband's grandmother.

Another table held the cookie recipe booklets, apron ornaments and more cookies.

I was told that the ornament aprons also fit Barbie dolls!

These are the cookies I made this year. I originally wanted to try decorated sugar cookies. After quadrupling the eggs while doubling the recipe for the first batch and then setting the oven to 250 degrees instead of 350 degrees and having part of a batch slide off the cookie sheet while I was removing them from my bottom oven, I decided to switch to a less time consuming recipe.

We served appetizers, punch and coffee.

Everyone was given a bell necklace to wear. If caught saying the word "cookie", the necklace had to be given to the person who caught you.

We gave prizes for getting the most bell necklaces, the best cookie presentation, and the most spirited outfit. (We voted to decide the winners.)

Every year my husband asks me if it is worth all the work in preparation. I say "definitely"!

Blessings,

Lorilee