Shortbread Cookies

Over the weekend I made some super delicious shortbread cookies! I saw the recipe for them at Mini Manor and thought they looked very easy and that I should give them a try! ( I also wanted to use my new mixer some more!)

Here is the recipe from Ashli's blog:

1 cup Butter
1 1/2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Icing Sugar

Combine all ingredients in a mixer, and beat for 10 min.
You can either drop teaspoon amounts of batter, or use a piping bag and pipe teaspoon amounts of batter on to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cut a cherry in half, you can use glazed cherries or maraschino cherries or a nut or whatever you would like and place in the middle of the cookie.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for approx 12-14 minutes. 

How easy is that?! Not the healthiest cookies but shortbread aren't supposed to be! :)

Mine look NOTHING like Ashli's! hahahahha I literally put big blobs of batter on the pan...nothing fancy here!

 

They were soooooo good!

  They just melted in my mouth! I will be keeping this recipe in my recipe book for sure! 

Mike didn't really care for them..he's not a shortbread fan....you know what that means! More for me!

Ashley

Some Halloween Treats

Sunday, like I said, was the 7th annual pumpkin carve at Mike's parents. I usually make something to take over...last year I made pumpkin spice cupcakes with pumpkin icing. They were good but I thought I should try something new. I found this recipe in the Parents magazine I picked up at the doctors!

Iced Pumpkin Cookies

  Ingredients

• 1/2  cup salted butter, softened
• 1  cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1  teaspoon vanilla
• 1  cup canned pumpkin
• 2-1/4  cups all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons baking powder
• 1  teaspoon baking soda
• 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2  teaspoon salt
• 1  cup fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 1/2  cup chopped walnuts

Cream Cheese Frosting:

• 1/2  8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1  cup powdered sugar
• 2  tablespoons salted butter, softened
• 1  teaspoon vanilla

  Directions

  
  

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside. In a large bowl beat 1/2 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Beat in egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and pumpkin until combined.

  2. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to pumpkin mixture and beat until combined. Gently fold in the cranberries and walnuts.

  3. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake about 10 minutes or until edges start to brown. Remove and cool on wire racks.

  4. For frosting, in a small mixing bowl beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, butter, and vanilla until combined and smooth. Spread frosting over cookies.

  Here is how mine turned out:

  

  
  

    So, would I make them again!? Well, they were ok....I hardly tasted pumpkin at all. I don't know if it was the icing over powering the pumpkin taste but I couldn't taste it at all. They were pretty bland with sweet icing. If they didn't have icing they wouldn't taste very good, that's for sure! So i don't think I would make them again unless I altered the recipe!!!

  
  

  I also made the Rolo Pretzel Delights but instead of a pecan I used candy corn. They are always a hit!!! I still have canned pumpkin in the fridge so I need to make something else! Any suggestions?

  
  

  Ashley

  P.S - Today is my last day of work!!! This baby is coming soon!!! Yikes!

Try it Tuesday :

Try it Tuesday : Sweet and Salty Roasted Chickpeas!

I found this recipe on Pinterest! I had to try it...they turned out pretty good but they didn't all crisp up....before they got a little dark...maybe that is my oven being too hot?! I am definitely going to try this again..maybe at a lower temperature!!

Sweet and Salty Roasted Chickpeas

• 1 can (14 oz) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon or your spice(s) of choice
• 1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Place chickpeas on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Bake at 450 F for 30 minutes. (You didn't miss anything here.  You don't oil or season them until after they are done.  In fact, for an extra healthy treat, try them when they get out of the oven before even adding the oil.  They are enjoyable all on their own.)
3. Transfer chickpeas to a bowl and mix thoroughly with the rest of the ingredients.
4. Enjoy hot, or bring to room temperature and store in an air-tight container.  Like popped corn, the chickpeas are never as good the next day.  However, they are still quite enjoyable 3-4 days after making them.   

This recipe was from Pinterest, found at Cupcake Project

Ashley

Try it Tuesday : Parmesan Broccoli

I found this recipe on Pinterest...where else?! I think it will become a regular over here...it was soooo delish! And so easy to make! 

Parmesan Broccoli

Preheat a baking sheet on the lower rack in a 450 oven. Blanch 1 head chopped broccoli in boiling water with salt and sliced garlic for 1 minute; drain. Toss with a splash of olive oil, a handful each of breadcrumbs and parmesan, salt and pepper. Place on the hot baking sheet and top with more cheese and breadcrumbs; roast until golden, 15 minutes. 

The recipe originally came from food network.com. I am so glad Pinterest exists! Otherwise I would probably  never come across this! Try it! You can thank me later!

Ashley

Try It Tuesday : Grilled Vegetable Couscous Salad

Today is my first "Try it Tuesday!!" I got 2 vegetarian cookbooks for my birthday so I thought I should try some recipes!! The first one I wanted to try was the grilled vegetable couscous salad. It was from The Vegetarian Collection by Canadian Living. It looked delicious!!! This colourful salad makes a great summer side dish or vegetarian main course. ( I also found it online, HERE) Ingredients 3 tbsp (50 mL) balsamic_vinegar 2 tbsp (25 mL) prepared pesto 1 tbsp (15 mL) extra-virgin olive_oil 1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper 3/4 cup (175 mL) whole wheat couscous 1 can (19 oz/540 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 green_onion, sliced 1 eggplant 1 zucchini 1 sweet yellow pepper, quartered 1 cup (250 mL) halved grape or cherry_tomatoes Preparation In small bowl, whisk together vinegar, pesto, oil and pepper; set aside. In large bowl, combine couscous with 3/4 cup (175 mL) boiling water; cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Fluff with fork; fold in chickpeas and green onion. Cut eggplant and zucchini lengthwise into 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick slices. Place eggplant, zucchini and yellow pepper on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until tender-crisp, about 10 minutes. Cut eggplant and zucchini into 1-inch (2.5 cm) wide strips. Cut pepper into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes. Add grilled vegetables and tomatoes to couscous. Add pesto mixture; toss to combine. Here is how mine turned out: It looked delicious..but I didn't have very good luck. As soon as I took one bite....I realized the vinegar was bad!! I hadn't used it in a while and didn't really know vinegar could go bad..but I think it did! I don't think it should have tasted like that! Anyway, I am going to try to make it again, after I buy some new vinegar!! If you decide to make it, let me know how it turned out!! Ashley