Adventures in baking

This will be my last blog referencing Cookies Across America - only for the fact it completes my cookie baking for the military.

Of all the branches that I delivered cookies to, the Navy proved to be the most illusive lol - I must have driven by the same office three times, each time it was closed too!  I finally drove 14 miles across Tampa Bay and found another Navy Recruiting office to give my cookies to!

I know that there are still a few more days left where I could do more baking, but I think I'm about cookied out lol :)  In the meantime if you've never "baked a difference" -if you're reading this perhaps the last few blogs will be a motivating factor for you to get involved next year and bake cookies to give away to those who make a daily difference in the city where you live.

Baking a difference!

Today was a busy day, but in an amazing way!  My day started out w/ a trip to a local news station where I was filmed live making Buckeyes - for all purposes I live in Florida, and I'm a gator girl, thus for the filming I referred to the Buckeyes as "gator bites".  Given as many teeth as a gator has, I'm sure there's a sweet tooth somewhere!!!


Once the episode was completed, I left a tin of Chocolate chip cookies, Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies, Peppermint Kiss Cookies, and Buckeyes for the crew at the news station.  I'll admit I am hesitant in linking the filming b/c of being a bit self conscious even tho I've had many friends AND strangers alike tell me that I was very engaging, entertaining and outstanding. 

I was finally talked into adding the link to the Fox13 filming -I'm not sure how long it will be up (I wish I could find a way to save it) please note this was my first time EVER doing any filming whatsoever, and I think it's absolutely incorrect about the camera adding 10 pounds...I think 30 is more adequate.


The recipe for the Peppermint Kiss Cookies is as follows:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2/3 cup baking cocoa

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Garnish:

1 package Hershey's Peppermint kisses

1/4 cup white chocolate chips

2 tsp shortening

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend
in vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Using a small
springloaded ice cream scoop (1 Tbsp size) place 2 in. apart on baking sheets lined w/ parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are firm. Remove to wire racks.

Immediate position an unwrapped peppermint kiss into the centre of each cookie

Take white chocolate chips, and shortening and microwave in a microwave safe bowl*** on high for 1 minute, stirring at 30 second intervals - repeat until melted.  Drizzle over the top of the cookies.

***Alternatively take a Wilton disposable decorating bag, place white chocolate & shortening inside, repeat the cooking instructions, kneading bag (be careful it WILL be hot!) once chocolate is melted, snip a small portion off the end of the decorating bag and drizzle the white chocolate on top of the cookies.
After the filming was complete, I made a couple of stops to drop off more cookies.  This time the cookies went to an Army Recruiting Station.

 
I never did expect it, but after dropping off the cookies at the Army Recruiting Station, I left w/ some Army Swag haha :-)

The pen & notebook will absolutely come in handy for writing down grocery lists -in addition I got a luggage tag and a little carrying pouch for various items, and a business card holder, and a bracelet!  Who would've guessed that a USMC brat would be geared up w/ Army Swag haha!!!  Thanks Army!!!!
I also thought the gesture of the Army pin was very sweet!!!  Go figure, I tried to be a blessing to the Army recruiter, turns out he was also a blessing to me! 

After dropping off the cookies at the Army recruiting station, I headed to the Air Force recruiting station. 

There's something about giving to others that really makes the Christmas spirit come alive, and I'm happy that I was able to share the cookies w/ some of the people in our Armed Forces!  Thank you for your service and God be w/ you this Christmas season

Busy Baking!

December - it's a month unlike ANY other!  It's a month that is filled w/ travel, Christmas parties, preparation for a new year, and BAKING!  In the last week I have used over 8 cups of butter, 5 pounds of flour, 5 pounds of sugar, 2 pounds of brown sugar, 2 dozen eggs, and all the other "extras" that go into cookies and other assorted sweets.  In total I have made 360 cookies NOT including the Buckeye balls I made!

As a voluntary Allrecipes.com brand ambassador, I participated in baking cookies w/ the Cookies Across America campaign - sponsored in part by Allrecipes.com, Nestle, and Taste of Home.  

I automatically knew that most of my cookies would be going to those in the military.  As a USMC brat - I truly love our military members and appreciate the sacrifices they've made.  The Marines I delivered my cookies to were very excited to receive them!



America's Finest get cookies!



 I made Sugar cookies, Snickerdoodles, Chocolate Peppermint Kiss cookies, Peanut butter cupcookies, Chocolate Caramel cupcookies, Oatmeal Scotties, White Chocolate Chocolate nut cookies, Peppermint Pinwheel cookies, Rolled Sugar Cookies, Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies, Chocolate Chip cookies and last but not least...Buckeyes!   

 Additionally I also participated in decorating cookies through Drop in and decorate  - b/c the Drop in and Decorate cookies needed to be given to a non-profit organisation, I chose to give some cookies to Hope Children's Home.  These are three platters full of cookies that I made for the home.