Monday, December 12, 2011

Snow Globe Cookies

It's cookie-time again, cats and kittens!
Two reasons... First, one of my amazing bosses at the dream-job, (there are six, and
all of them are amazing!) invited me to her home on Monday afternoon where she's
hosting her team for a Christmas dessert party and ornament exchange. Secondly,
there was no call from the Ranger this week, and I was beginning to feel a little
wobbly. By Friday afternoon I was climbing the walls, and decided I needed
something to do this weekend to help pass the time. Something tedious and
mind-numbing... A project that required my full and constant attention while
keeping me near the phone. And, creating cookies checked all of those boxes!
I occupied myself Friday evening by pulling out everything I needed to get started
first thing in the morning. I know... I have a lot of stuff. Every time we go away, I
leave a note in the oven willing everything in the kitchen to my friend and cat-sitter!
First thing Saturday morning, I whipped up seven batches of cookie
dough. See those happy specks of fragrant vanilla beans trapped inside
my dough? That comes from using vanilla paste instead of liquid extract!
The last time I created cookies, (see here) I experimented with rolling the dough
between plastic wrap before chilling it and found that it really worked well! The
dough rolls out easier when it's soft, (straight out of the mixer) and cutting my
shapes is easier when the dough is cold. Not having to work/roll the dough
before cutting keeps it stiff, and makes better cuts... What I call, a win-win!
Did you know that all roads to beautiful Snow Globe cookies lead to Kansas. Why
Kansas? Because that's where you'll find CopperGifts.com! If you want the
absolute best, heirloom-quality cookie cutters you call Beth, or order on-line!
Beth's snow globe cookie cutter is here, and CopperGifts offers a snow
globe cookie cutter set too. It come with everything you need to create
beautiful snow globe cookies. Huh, Bing? We love CopperGifts, don't we?
Bing's been watching me in the kitchen... In between naps, that is!
The secret to great tasting/great looking sugar cookies is to start
with a great recipe, use only the finest ingredients and cut with
fantastic cookie cutters. I've tested too many plenty of recipes
but after I tried Bridget's recipe, my search was over. Forever!
Now, you'll see me using other cookie cutters from time to time; however, when I
have a choice, I prefer to use only copper cutters from CopperGifts. They will
never bend, and no matter what the shape, they always give me crisp, clean
cuts. By the way... To minimize spread, I stick my cookies, (on my cookie
sheets) into the freezer for ten minutes before I put them into the oven!
And, that's all there is to it!
UPS just delivered my latest Pottery Barn order!
My store was sold out of the small mercury pillar holder so they ordered it for me!
Now my set is complete!

Someone just told me that I should just set the table on fire...
He won't be laughing at me when he finds coal in his stocking!
Now that my cookies are out of the
oven it's time to make our royal icing!
Just remembered I had one last sheet in the freezer... Time to re-heat the oven!
So back to Royal Icing... I weigh my sifted powdered sugar before mixing because
although it says a pound, I have yet to find a bag or box that actually weighs a pound!
Sometimes I use the paddle, sometimes I use the whisk attachment. Both work!
Perfectly!
Of all the tricks I've learned, my icing bomb is still the best time-
saver. If you would like to know more about it, you can click here
It's the perfect tip for a neat-freak like me!
It also lets me reuse my disposable pastry bags, which aren't as cheap as you'd think!
Let's go Red for some...
Glorious red Flood-icing!
To use on the base of our little snow globes!
You could make them any color but it's Christmas-time and I love red!
That's me... Referring to my own blog about the last time I made snow globes!
It was 12:25AM... I needed all the help I could get!
Especially since this party went on until 3:30AM!
But the Ranger still hadn't called so it wasn't like I was going to find sleep!
So Bing and I decorated until the sun came up!
Then, when our little paws could ice no more, we went to bed...
And, when we woke up, the phone was ringing!
It was the Ranger! He's safe... He misses
us... And, he had an address to give us too!
Suddenly, I can breathe again!
For a little while at least...
In the meantime, we'll just have to stay crazy-busy until he calls again!
For today, we have plenty to keep us busy!
Honestly, I labored less time giving birth to both boys,
combined, than I've spent making these cookies!
But I'm not complaining!
About the labor or the cookies... Because both were Labors of Love!
I know. It's getting deep... I better stop!
Oh, I have to tell you the story about my little snowman and Christmas tree sugar
decorations. So I decided to make these snow globes on Thursday... Meaning, no time
to order them from CopperGifts. So I check AC Moore and Michael's and struck out
at both stores. Then I remembered Karen, the lady that taught the cake decorating
class I took a few years back. I called, she had them - Yea! But her place is a bit of
a hike so I also called Dewey's - they had them too - Yea! But then an errand took
me out Karen's way so I stopped and picked up my little sugar decorations from
her. Karen sells all kinds of cake and cookie decorating supplies, and she sold
me 70 of these sugar decorations at .16 cents each - yea! But get this... Later in
the evening I was near Dewey's so I stopped in thinking I'd pick up a few of their
sugar lay-ons, just in case I needed spares. Guess how much? .75 each at Dewey's!
Now I love Dewey's. After all, I picked them for Mom's special birthday cake!
But .75 cents for a piece of sugar that's less than an inch long is C-R-A-Z-Y!
My friend Melanie would be so proud of me for choosing the bargain!
Not that I wouldn't have paid whatever it took
to make snow globes for my friends at work!
Seriously... How cute are these cookies!?
The decorating possibilities with this cookie cutter are endless. I could see
this as a gum-ball machine too. Wouldn't that be a cute birthday party favor?
I think so! Oh, before I forget... I received an e-mail from a reader asking me if
she really needs to outline first. I know there are people that flood-ice their cookies
without a hard outline, and I did that when I did the 600 Aveda cookies, but when
you're putting different colors together, I always recommend a hard outline first!
Especially when perfect matters!
Writing on cookies always cracks me up because it looks nothing
like your handwriting! The first time I wrote on cookies, (here)
it surprised me. Oh, crap! That's not right! Let me fix that...
That's better! How embarrassing it would have been to
present a cookie with the persons name misspelled!
Fortunately, dry royal icing is very forgiving and can
be plucked right off. Can you tell which one I fixed?
Please don't tell Lacey I had to re-do her cookie!
I love these little mittens. Again, you could decorate them a thousand ways!
I think my boss's kids will like them!
Even though they make me think of hitch-hiking elves!
Now that my cookies are all wrapped and we got
the call we've been waiting for, it's time for bed!
Good night, and Sweet Dreams!

23 comments:

  1. These are just darling! I'm so glad you heard from your ranger - my green beret is home for a couple of weeks and then he heads to Afghanistan. I'm sick just thinking about it. Sending prayers of safety to your son.
    Hugs,
    lisa

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  2. Oh my goodness those are BEAUTIFUL! I love love love them!! I think the globes look even better than last year! Those mittens are too cute!!! You do such a marvelous job Janet!

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  3. I am speechless!!! You must be the top elf at Santas cookie workshop because it would be impossible for the rest of us ordinary humans to ever finish that project with such perfection in one weekend. Insanity!! You have amazed me again. I would die to be able to make cookies as lovely as you. One day...one day, I suppose. :)

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  4. I remember when you made these last year! they are my favorite cookies ever!!

    PS- I roll my cookie dough like that too, but I use parchment - makes is SOOO easy!!

    I'm soooo glad you got that phone call!!! xoxoxoxo

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  5. The kids are going to love all the cookies. I certainly do. So glad that the Ranger is safe and got his call through to you. Hope you are able to catch up on your sleep you missed.

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  6. Wow! Cookies look wonderful and so glad you got your phone call!
    Merry Christmas!

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  7. These are the most amazing cookies! The snow globes are so incredible. It makes me want to try....but it looks like I'll need quite a bit of time on my hands.

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  8. I linked up your blog today on my blog. :) and perfect timing for why I linked to you. :))) Fabulous job on these Christmas cookies. Just beautiful. Do you teach classes? I would love to join one.

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  9. Oh, my.... these are simply spectacular. You "teased" me on FB, so I had to come here and find "the rest of the story..." I don't think the polar bears are missed here at all- SOOOOOO cute! PJH

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  10. I am in complete awe. Shock and awe. Those are INCREDIBLE!!!!!

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  11. I LOVE these! I wish I had the time/resources/daylight/talent to create such cookies! Maybe over spring break :)

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  12. Thank you, everybody!

    Kristin - I promise you, you have everything within you to do this even better than I did! xxoo

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  13. beautiful cookies! can you save royal? i hate making it because i hate using it one day and then having to throw a ton when i'm done.

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  14. WOW. I love all of your pictures and these look absolutely amazing. Great job!

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  15. You have the most gorgeous kitchen!! And I'm madly in love with the collection of baking supplies!! Just beautiful cookies!

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  16. I think that's the best post you've ever written. Your cookies are beautiful! You have such a talent for cookies. If mine came out half that good, I'd be thrilled! Merry Christmas my friend!!

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  17. I love that cart that your cookie sheets slide into, would you email me the info on where to acquire one for MY kitchen...pretty please? No big rush...it is Christmas Eve eve:) I just could really use the extra space it provides. Thanks...and I LOVE your Blog! Merry Christmas...
    Susan
    s.nienhuis@live.com

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  18. These are great! Do you have any ideas for designs for a baby's first Christmas?

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  19. I know this is from former ago, but I really really really want that gorgeous royal icing and flood icing recipes asap please!!!
    Kmfairch@gmail.com

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xo