Baking the Day Away

Before the ballet yesterday, Mama Teacher came over and treated me to a birthday baking extravaganza.  We made six kinds of cookies, some double batch:  oatmeal with craisins and white chocolate, pecan sandies, chocolate orange dreams, gingersnaps, fudge balls, and cranberry-orange-walnut cookies (those last three using the versatile Domino Sugar 1001 Cookie Starter).  The house was redolent with the warm scents of sugar and spices. And the kitchen was filled with dirty bowls, sloppy measuring spoons, damp towels, and little drifts of flour!  (All of which Mama Teacher cleaned up as part of her gift while I rested on the couch! Mama Hungry says a big thank you!)   Mercy, we had a good time, eating lunch and opening some birthday presents (thank you!  Blog readers, you'll hear more about The Happiness Project later) between batches.  It was extra-special because I can't really bake that much on my own (and it's not Mama Hungry's favorite activity) and because we didn't have a cookie swap this year (but we will again next year, I promise!).  I bet we made over two hundred cookies.  And so now we'll have them for teachers, the pediatrician, the vet, and visitors during the holidays.  Oh, and for breakfast this morning!

Thanks so much, Mama Teacher!

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I'll get Mama Teacher's recipes later.


Chocolate Orange Dreams
These taste just like those Pepperidge Farm Orange Milano cookies.

4 dozen cookies

Cookies:
1cup Butter flavor Crisco
1 cup sugar
1-3 oz. pkg cream cheese softened
2 eggs
2 t. grated orange peel
2 t. orange juice
½ t. salt
2 cup flour
1 cup chocolate chips

Glaze:
½ cup powdered sugar
2 ½ t. orange juice
1 ½ t. orange liqueur (Grand Marnier)

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet.
Combine crisco, sugar, and cream cheese. Beat on medium. Beat in eggs, orange peel, orange juice, and salt. Add flour. Mix well. Add chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls two inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are light brown.
While baking, combine powdered sugar, orange juice, and liqueur. Stir. Brush on cookies immediately upon removing from oven.

American Cookie Celebration II

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1001 Cookie Recipe Mixture from Domino Sugar
The mix makes 10 cups, which usually can cover 3 different kinds of cookies.  For more recipes for this mix, see here.

5 cups flour
3 ¾ cups sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 ½ cups plus 2 tablespoons butter, softened

Spoon flour into measuring cup and level with spatula. Put in large bowl with at least 4 quart capacity.
Measure sugar, baking powder, and salt into flour. Stir until thoroughly blended.
Add butter and use pastry blender or clean hands to work into dry ingredients until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Makes 10 cups. Store covered in airtight container in fridge or freezer. Use mix at room temperature.

Domino Sugar


1001 Fudge Balls

2 cups 1001 Cookie Recipe Mix
½ cups plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
powdered sugar
***we added  1 teaspoon cinnamon and pinches of black and cayenne pepper to make these Tex-Mex

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Mix together in large bowl all ingredients except powdered sugar.
Shape into 1” balls and roll in powdered sugar to coat lightly. Place 1” apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake at 375°F for about 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Makes about 36 balls.
Domino Sugar

1001 Ginger Snaps


4 cups Domino Sugar 1001 Cookie Mix
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
Granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheets.  In large bowl, mix together all ingredients except sugar.  Drop dough by slightly rounded teaspoons into small bowl of sugar.  Roll to coat lightly. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet.  Bake 12-15 minutes. Do not brown. Let cool 2 minutes and remove to rack to cool. Makes 48 cookies.

Gingerbread Men: Prepare Gingery Snaps dough. Divide in half. Cover and chill 1 hour or until dough is easy to handle. Roll dough, half at a time on floured board to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into Gingerbread Men using cookie cutters. Arrange cutouts 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375°F for 8-10 minutes. Do not brown. Cool on wire rack. Makes 48 cookies.


1001 Cranberry Nut Cookies

3 cups – Domino Sugar 1001 Cookie Mix
1 tablespoon - grated orange rind
1 teaspoon - cinnamon
1 - egg
1 cup - fresh cranberries, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup - chopped nuts
Domino(r) Granulated Sugar

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Grease cookie sheets.  Mix together in large bowl cookie mix, orange rind, cinnamon, and egg.  Stir in cranberries and nuts.  Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in granulated sugar to coat lightly.  Place 3 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.  Bake for about 12 minutes or until lightly browned around edges.  Remove at once to wire racks.

Makes about 48 cookies.