cookie basket's photostream

cookie basket's photostream on Flickr.

Lavender Flower Cookies

Is it true?  Do little old ladies really like lavender?  I should know, I think I'm closing in on that little ol' age bracket.  Well maybe not quite, but definitely past the 1/2 century mark.

These lavender tinted butter cookies were made for a sweet lady who will be 75 years young this weekend.  As I edge my way with more birthdays behind me than ahead of me, I think I might agree...Lavender may become my new color.  At least tonight.

One of my go-to butter sugar cookie recipes comes from Fancy Flours.  Click here for her recipe.  

And my ALL TIME Fav Royal Icing recipe comes from another one of my favorite cookiers Ali B.  You can find it HERE.

Flowers need centers and the center of choice was a Wilton Candy Melt piped with a RI 75.  Encircling the center are sugar pearls.  

Now they are sitting on our dining table, drying and waiting to be bagged and ribbon-ed tomorrow.

Yes, I know...It IS December,but even though the cookies are not green or red or snowy they still reflect the Christmas spirit...that of giving and  life, for all good celebrations reflect the love of Christ and the new life he gives us.

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cookie basket's photostream

cookie basket's photostream on Flickr.

Retirement on Hold...Life goes on

HI!

Somewhere during the summer I took a good, long hard look at my retirement.

And then decided to try for two more years (I am a special education teacher).  Should give us plenty of time to get that bakery in order, right? Post-retirement excitement.

Meanwhile...life goes on.  Like real life.  Like I don't bake every day...And my husband can slow down on his construction project...the Bakery. Is that a smile on his face?


Now is there a cake somewhere in my kitchen I don't know about?
     (Hanging head) no
 Maybe the mixers are going????
     (pouty face) sigh

 But I did Bake these....

HINT*

Flaky, tender homemade pie crust includes lard.  I substituted 1/2 of the shortening with lard and it is flaky EVERY time!

Just don't overwork the dough.

Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie

2 Cans chicken breast (YOU can start from scratch, if you must)

4 small red potatoes (peeled and medium diced)

4 carrots (peeled and medium diced)

2 ribs celery (sliced)

1 can veg-all

1 can cream of chicken soup

evaporated milk to make saucy

1 scant tsp. flour

and water as needed

1 small onion

1 TB parsley

poultry seasoning, salt and pepper to taste

Mix. together.

~

Prep pie dough for 4 personal sized oven safe dishes

(Go ahead...get the ready made...it's okay, really)

Cut rounds to fit inside dishes and gently push up inside dish 

~

Meanwhile....

par boil or roast veggies to almost fork tender (drain off any liquid)

Mix with other ingredients and ladle in the prepared dishes

TIP:  To reduce calories/fat, spray dish with non stick spray and leave off inside pie shell

~

Cut out tops

Slit

Baste top of pot pie with egg wash (1 egg beaten with a little water)

~

Bake at 350 until bubbly and tops are brown

Mine baked about 45 minutes---don't forget to put them on a foil-lined pan so they have some  place to bubble over

(I got a little hungry and took mine out before they completely browned)

and then waited and waited and waited

WARNING

Pot pies are HOT!!!!!

SoOoOoOo...I don't exactly have any cookies to show; but I did roll out dough. Does that count??? 

As I sit here I admit I haven't exactly been a good blogger lately, but God/church, family and work have had priority. That's not a bad thing is it?   "No!"   And anyway, the blogs were intended to show some snippits of  just me being human.  So I guess I have that down pat, huh?  Bake, decorate, share, bake, bake, eat cereal. Well, it may not be cookies or cake, but it was a tasty supper.  Hope you enjoy something tasty as well!  Happy baking!!!!!!!!  If I concentrate hard enough I can imagine fall weather, too....nah!