Valentines cookies

I've been experimenting with some sugar cookie recipes this weekend and finally found one that suites my needs perfectly.

(check out my cool new notebook in the back!)

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
  
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• FROSTING:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Food coloring

Cream together sugar and butter until combined then add milk, egg, and almond extract. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in separate bowl. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture slowly, mixing between each addition. Form into a ball with your hands and kneed until thoroughly mixed. Roll out between two sheets of waxed paper. Dip cookie cutters in flour and cut out desired shapes. Bake at 375 for about 5 minutes per batch. Let cool on wire rack. For the icing sift the powder sugar into a bowl and whisk all other ingredients in with the powder sugar, add more powder sugar or milk to get the desired consistency. Dip cookies into icing and dust with sprinkles or colored sugar and place on wax paper until icing sets. Enjoy!

false spring

Is it spring already?






The weather is fooling with us in these parts. If you remember from one of my recent posts we received a lot of snow in the past weeks, today though you would never have guessed that it was nearly a white out just a few days ago. It looks like spring, a very early spring, has come round. Don't believe it though, Nevada weather is know for it's unpredictability and I wouldn't be suprised if we get two feet of snow next week.

Book Review #2

So I do read more then one book a year and listen to a plethora of audio books while at work, I just forget to post them.

The book I read last week came to me via the book donation shelf at my work, located in the cafeteria, this shelf has saved me from many a dull lunch period!


This one sucked me in from chapter 1. Written by Alexander McCall Smith, this book is the first in a series of six describes the life of Precious Ramotswe. It tells of her father and what led her to become the only lady detective in Botswana. You follow her as she solves crimes that range from an unfaithful husband to a kidnapped boy! I found this book to be a quick read and because of the way it's set up it would be great for an airplane flight or a lunch hour.



Right now I'm listening to the 5th book in Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" series. All of the books so far in this set have been wonderful and really helpful in passing the time at work. If you're a fantasy-suspence lover these would be right up you're alley. I don't think I'll write a real review on these books becuse I would have to start from the begening and I read the frist book severel years ago. Take my word for it though they are well worth the read and if you get a chance to listen to them on audio the readers have the most wonderful voices ( I believe Mr. King even narates a few of them himself).

A little late W.I.P.

I get the pleasure of attending a baby shower this sunday. The lucky new mom to be is my friend and coworker. I felt like getting a little creative and here's what I came up with:

My first crayon roll! I've been wanting to make one of these for a while and I got the instructions from: http://www.skiptomylou.org/2008/09/09/keep-on-rollin/
The little felt block is actually a rattle, I got the idea form Amanda Soule's book: The Creative Family.



These embroidery patterns where too cute to pass on and I've been looking for a way to use them for a while. Patterns: http://www.sublimestitching.com/

And the end product some stuff for baby and some stuff for big sis as well. It feels good to be crafting!

White!

So this morning I forgo my usual bowl of cereal for this little bit of warm yummy goodness:

Why? Well for the past few days old man winter has decided it was past time for us to get a little snow, wait did I say a little snow?





O.K., so it's not the massive amounts that some are use to experiencing in other parts of the world, but it's enough for me... no really enough already, I miss warmer days!