Sunday, December 20, 2015

Second Annual Westhaven Cookie Exchange

Today marked our neighborhood's Second Annual Cookie Exchange. It was so nice seeing familiar faces from last year's swap, and what a wonderful way to meet new neighbors, too! As before, each participant shared why she brought the particular cookie of choice. The stories brought smiles, giggles, and even some tears.


Each person was asked to bring 6 dozen cookies of one kind. Given that there were 18 participants, everyone was able to gather 4 cookies of each kind. Each of us left with a beautiful display of 18 different varieties.


I brought molasses crinkle cookies since Dad had a part in making the molasses I used. It was a great way to "pay it forward."

Molasses Crinkle Cookies
Here are the other wonderful varieties (in no particular order).

Ginger Zingers
5 Ingredient Sugar Cookie
Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Frosting
Coconut Macaroons
Red Velvet Cookies (aka Procrastination Cookies) 
Fudge
Amish Sugar Cookies
Sour Cream Drop Cookies
Classic Spritz Cookies
Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Sensations
Holiday Vanilla Pudding Cake Cookies 
Pecan Sandies/Wedding Cookies
Peppermint Chocolate Chip Cookies
Red Velvet Cookies
Christmas Cookie Bars
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies 
Sugar Cookies 
Brigadeiro
Thanks again to Sadira Ebert for agreeing to spearhead this event and to the other committee members for helping organize it. One improvement from last year was the addition of champagne, warm cider, and other drinks. In fact, we'll be changing the name next year to "Cookies and Cocktails." I'm predicting an increase in participation. Wouldn't you agree?



Saturday, December 19, 2015

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

It's this time of year again to plan for the annual cookie swap. My go-to cookie has always been the red velvet cookies, but this year I wanted to try something different: molasses crinkle cookies.


Dad gifted me with a quart of molasses over a year ago. This one isn't typical, though. He actually had a hand in making it! At a friend's farm, he enjoyed learning how to extract juice from sugar cane stalks and then boiling it to the point that water dissipates and the syrup remains. What a unique experience! Mom even commissioned the artist Aurora Bull, who also happens to be the owner of this farm, to capture this experience as a gift for Dad.


So more than a year passes, and I realize that I'm hoarding this jar of molasses. Crazy. It was meant to be enjoyed! That's when I thought I would "pay it forward" and use it for this year's cookie swap. When I was telling Keely about my plan, she immediately grabbed a little recipe card from her kitchen counter and said, "You should make these. Dad loves them!" It turns out that she had them after dinner one night at Josephine, a wonderful restaurant in downtown Nashville. Evidently, Josephine serves "Grandma Hartman's Molasses Cookies" to its patrons and even hands out recipe cards if interested. Sounds like my kind of restaurant!

My initial plan was to use Aurora's recipe. It turns out that they're very similar. The main differences are that Josephine's recipe uses regular sugar instead of brown sugar as well as butter instead of shortening. I chose to use the ingredient list from Josephine knowing this will make for one happy husband. :)

The perfect cookie with a cup of coffee!

Molasses Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Cream butter and sugar. Add molasses and egg, beat lightly. Mix in dry ingredients. Chill dough for 1 hour. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in sugar and place on cookie sheet, 2" apart. Flatten each with the bottom of a glass. Sprinkle raw sugar on top (optional). Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. Makes approximately 2-1/2 dozen cookies.

Roll 1" dough balls in sugar and place on cookie sheet.

Flatten each dough ball with the bottom of a glass.

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Thanksgiving Breakfast

Although we no longer have little ones in our household, I still get a kick out of seeing the cute turkey veggie tray that Keely made a few years ago as well as the one I made last year. This year? Keely hinted for me to make these turkey-looking cinnamon rolls. Seriously? How could I resist?


I can't wait to see the look on Steve's and Keely's eyes when they see what I have in store for them for breakfast. Yes, it's the little things. I may have just started a new tradition!

Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Sunday, November 1, 2015

A Progressive Halloween

I've always liked the idea of participating in a progressive dinner: a great way to entertain with a limited amount of work. We did just that for Halloween with our sweet friends and neighbors, the Hesters, Jonardis, and Crawfords. What a wonderful way to spend the evening!

After handing out candy for a couple of hours, we walked a few doors down to the Hesters to start. The night began in Harry Potter style as their son Noah first welcomed us. Bob and Cynthia started us off with drinks and appetizers. Both the guacamole and jalapeno poppers were delicious!

Noah was all decked out as Harry Potter.
Bob and Cynthia started us off with drinks and appetizers. (Loved his hat!)



Next came the main course, just one door down at the Jonardi's house. Rick and Hilda served chili with Mexican cornbread. I would have never thought of preparing meatless chili, but it was so good! I didn't miss the meat at all, and we definitely needed to save a few calories for dessert! ;)

Hilda and Rick served the main course.

The night ended at our house with dessert. I made coconut bon bons as well as an orange velvet cake with cream cheese icing. This is my favorite cake to make for UT games. Now, it's my favorite cake to make for Halloween! Since both events happened last night, it was the perfect choice.

Steve patiently waits to dig into the desserts.



What a great night! We all agreed this is something we want to do again. And to top it off . . . UT actually won one!

The best neighbors!
Steve, KK, Hilda, and Rick
The whole gang having dessert.
Cheering on the Vols. Well, at least one of them was!

Thursday, October 29, 2015

Sweet Potato Pie

Although I've been enjoying my book club for over a year now, I hosted one of our meetings for the first time this week. This month, we discussed Mary Ann Shaffer's The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Such a weird title. But, I have learned to trust absolutely any book my friend Missy recommends. I read it many years ago, and remembered loving it. I loved re-reading it as well.

To prepare for our discussion, I knew I wanted to plan a menu that would tie in somehow. (For example, I made coconut bon bons when we discussed Lorna Landvik's Angry Housewives Eating Bon Bons.) The obvious choice was to make a potato peel pie. One site stated, "I warn you, it tastes like paste. The more authentic it is, the nastier." No thank you. Instead, I opted to make a potato pie. Sweet potato pie, that is. Mmmmm. It was my first time making one, and something I will definitely make again!



Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients:
  • 2 cups mashed sweet potatoes 
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 stick butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
  • 3 egg whites
  • 1/4 cup sugar
Directions:
For the filling, combine first 8 ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Add milk and continue to mix. Pour the filling into the pie crust and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature before covering with meringue.

Meringue: Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar, beating until stiff and glossy. Spread over pie filling and bake for 10 minutes, or until meringue is browned.
Cool and serve.

Adapted from: Paula Deen 


Saturday, October 3, 2015

Mimosa Bar

With a tennis team named Overserved, we always offer some kind of "special" drink when we host a visiting opponent. So far this season, you could have enjoyed Bloody Marys and milk punch. For our most recent match, however, my teammate Lynn and I set up a mimosa bar.


I first got the idea from Pinterest (of course). Sure, you will find some fancy and beautiful presentations in Pinterest Land that require matching milk jars, labels, and such. This version, on the other hand, is quite simple. I think it is perfect for a more casual setting such as a family get-together, tailgating, etc.

Lynn provided different variations of fruit juice by Simply: lemonade, orange, lemonade-raspberry, and cranberry. I provided two bottles of champagne. Typically, mimosas are made by combining equal parts juice and champagne. Since this is a self-serve bar, one would have the flexibility to adjust that ratio. No judging here! ;) Although we only offered fresh raspberries in keeping with the "simple" theme, you could certainly expand the fruit offerings to include orange slices, lemon slices, cranberries, blueberries, etc.

As soon as Lynn showed me her silver champagne bucket, I knew it would be the perfect match to one of my vintage tarnished silver trays I display above my stove.


I also used this mimosa bar as an opportunity to practice what I learned in my calligraphy class. Yes, I know. I still need more practice!


Unfortunately, we were able to complete only one match before the rain came. Under these conditions, though, the mimosa bar turned out to be the most perfect Plan B.

Adapted from: Sweet Phi.
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