Cooking in Pajamas

Is there anyone who does not like to decorate cookies?  How much fun is it to take a plain, dull cookie, and individualize it with sprinkles and frosting and candies?  Letting your kids bake holiday cookies with you is a tradition that I am sure they will beg you to do every year, and will remember always.  Let them pick out the cookie cutters, and have fun!

I was lucky enough to meet Deborah Greene at Pie and Tart Workshop last month. Deborah is the owner of D-LYN Desserts and is an extremely talented baker.  D-LYN Desserts specializes in the most beautiful homemade cakes, cookies, cupcakes and candies.   You cannot look at photos of her confections, and not have your mouth water!  Check out D-LYN's Facebook page for contact info. and to see photos of her gorgeous work.   I owe a huge thank you to Deborah for sharing her Holiday Cutout Cookie Recipe.   Below the recipe are some tips to keep in mind when making decorated cookies.

Tips For Decorating Cutout Cookies

1 - If you are working with young kids, you may want to have the cookies pre-baked, and just let the kids decorate.  Older kids can participate in the mixing and baking process, but little ones can get restless waiting for the cookies to bake and cool.

2 - If you are decorating the cookies after they have come out of the oven, you will need to use frosting or icing as a "glue" to help your toppings adhere to the cookies.  You will not need to use frosting if you are decorating the cookies before they go in the oven.

3 - You have an infinite number of toppings to chose from.  Some popular options include:  sprinkles, non-pareils, M&M's, colored sugars, silver and gold dragées, raisins, coconut, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, Red Hots, chocolate chips, gumdrops, craisins, and nuts.

4 - Make your own disposable pastry bag by using a plastic sandwich bag with a small hole cut in the corner to drizzle stripes of frosting on cookies for a fun touch.

5 -  Consider using silicone baking mats to line your cookie sheet pans.  They are completely non-stick, and so easy to clean.

6 - You can buy your decorating supplies at the grocery store, a craft store Like Michael's), or for the ultimate selection, a cake decorating store (Cake Art in Atlanta).

7 - Make sure the cookies have cooled completely before decorating.

8 - Just about any cookie can be dipped in melted chocolate.  Chocolate chips can be easily melted in the microwave.

9 - If you are pressed for time, feel free to use a sugar cookie mix, or even a refrigerated roll of sugar cookie dough.  The fun is in the process of decorating.

10 - If you want colored cookies, add a little food coloring paste to the dough.  When the cookies are baked, the color will soften out a bit.

Oh, most important.... HAVE FUN!!!!!!!

Everyone in New York loves crumb cake.  When I came to Atlanta in 1986, I was shocked to find out that the rest of the country was not craving crumb cake like I was.  In fact, my friends from the West coast, had no idea what a crumb cake was!  I told them it was like a Drake's Mini Coffee Cake, and I was met with blank stares.  I had many culture shocks when I moved to Atlanta, from New York, but this one through me for a loop.  Unless they were from New York, or New Jersey,  my new friends in Atlanta had no idea what they were missing!  A moist, light cake with heaps and heaps of crunchy, brown sugar topping.  I would even venture to say that when you cut your crumb cake, there should be equal amounts of crumb and cake!

This is a version of Martha Stewart's Crumb Cake recipe.  It has been changed a bit as it has been passed around, but I think the cake is as authentic as it gets.  Any Brooklyn bakery would be proud to have this cake in their display case. Serve it for breakfast, snack or dessert.....if you have never had New York style Crumb Cake before, you will definitely fall in love.

This weeks' Barefoot Blogger recipe was chosen by Suzie from Munch and Nibble. I love, love, love Créme Brulee!   Even better....it is a dessert that can be prepared ahead of time!    Who knew such an elegant dessert only had six ingredients (five if you don't count the Grand Marnier)?

Ina flavors her Créme Brulee with the orange liqueur, but you have lots of options if that is not your favorite flavoring.  For a chocolate version, stir in some cocoa powder.  Instead of vanilla extract, mix in the inside paste from a vanilla bean....YUM!  A favorite option of mine is to stir in chocolate chunks.  You are only limited to your imagination.  And of course...do not forget your crunchy, caramelized sugar topping.  That is the BEST part!  Garnish with fresh berries for a gorgeous presentation.

This dessert will be the perfect ending to a Thanksgiving meal, a holiday supper, or a New Year's Eve dinner.

Créme Brulee

courtesy of Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 1 extra-large egg
• 4 extra-large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for each serving
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the egg, egg yolks, and 1/2 cup of the sugar together on low speed until just combined. Meanwhile, scald the cream in a small saucepan until it's very hot to the touch but not boiled. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the cream to the eggs. Add the vanilla and orange liqueur and pour into 6 to 8-ounce ramekins until almost full.

Place the ramekins in a baking pan and carefully pour boiling water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custards are set when gently shaken. Remove the custards from the water bath, cool to room temperature, and refrigerate until firm.

To serve, spread 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly on the top of each ramekin and heat with a kitchen blowtorch* until the sugar carmelizes evenly. Allow to sit at room temperature for a minute until the caramelized sugar hardens.

*  If you do not have a kitchen blowtorch, use your oven's broiler setting to caramelize the sugar.  Broil for 20 - 30 seconds within at least an inch of the flame or heating element.

What is more yummy than a big bowl of Chocolate Mousse?  Nothing!  What is easier to make than my recipe for Chocolate Mousse?  Nothing!  I suggest making this one day in advance, but two days in advance will be still work just fine.  I like to make it in a big serving bowl, and serve it family style, but for a more elegant presentation, present everyone with their own serving in a martini glass, a wine glass or a champagne flute.  Top with whipped cream and fresh berries.  This gives a big "WOW" factor ending to any meal.

Chocolate Mousse

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate chips or a large piece chopped up

6 T. water

2 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. instant coffee powder

2 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4c. powdered sugar

Melt chocolate and water in a glass bowl in the microwave, in 30 second increments.  Whisk in vanilla and coffee.  Allow to cool.

Whip cream.  Add in sugar.

On low, beat cooled chocolate into cream.  Serve right away, or refrigerate.

UPDATE ON THE 30 DAY FITNESS CHALLENGE: Day 22-Crazy hard Pilates workout on the Reformer.  I was introduced to a new series of exercises called the "Front Split Series".   I found a photo on a Pilates website of someone doing the series......

To do the series, you have to move the carriage back, to get yourself into a full split (or as far as you can go).  This gal is about in a half split.  Then, using your core, you have to bring the carriage back towards your front leg, and repeat five times.  Down in a split, up to standing, down in a split, up to standing, etc.  Then switch legs.  Of yeah...and as a "warm up", you have already done one set with your hands on the bar, front knee bent, and a second set with no hands, front knee bent!  See why Pilates is such a great workout?!?!?!?  I left the studio dripping in sweat!  This was harder than any weight training I have ever done!

I do not know how these two ended up in bed together!!!!  Fenway (the one on the right) looks grumpy.

Common Foods Dangerous to Dogs

I just read this in Real Simple magazine (October 2009).  There are some common foods that can make your dog (or cat) sick. I didn't know that some of these foods were bad for animals, so I thought I would share the list on the blog.

1. Avocados
2. Macadamia nuts
3. Raw yeast, bread dough
4. Alcoholic drinks
5. Xylitol (found in sugarless gum)
6. Garlic, onions
7. Grapes, raisins
8. Chocolate