Cookies for Breakfast - Happy Valentine's Day!

There's nothing sweeter than waking up early morning and whipping up some heart shaped short bread cookies for your loved ones. Boys were busy playing in the living and these cookies didn't take a long time to make. I think I might just do this every year. I could prepare the dough day in advance but as usual there were too many things happening in our little household.

Shortbread Cookies (adapted from Food Network)

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. fine salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup strawberry jam (no seeds)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
3. In another bowl, whip the butter and the sugar until fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until just combined. Slowly beat in dry ingredients in 2 additions, mixing just until incorporated.
4. Divide dough in 6 parts and roll out and use a heart shaped cookie cutter. Flip and coat with sugar crystal and place on the mat with the sugar facing up.
5. Bake for 12 minutes.
6. Store cookies in a tightly sealed container for up to 5 days.

Huge hit from the boys. 

It feels like Christmas around here but it's only Valentine's and we get to enjoy some sugar cookies for breakfast. Yummy!

He's never done this before. He actually smiled for me. 

Ryan loved it too!

Pink fingers from the sugar crystals. 

We also made some Strawberry Thumbprint cookies for Dada. I just used the extra dough

Dada's card from the boys. :)

I made a cake from scratch. Never done this before. I might just bake our cakes from now on. It was pretty good. 

Play Date Treats

I have been organizing play dates recently for my boys. When we're not exploring outside the house we like to have some of our new friends over. The moms have been so generous sharing their baked goodies every time I host. Now, I'm changing it...I want to give them a great time and a little treat to enjoy when they get home.

I made the best and the most amazing Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies. Got the recipe from allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, walnuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
3. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

I packaged these lovely beauties in my tiny tin can lunch boxes. I am enjoying the company of my new mommy friends and their babies. This is my simple way of saying "Thank You".

Chocolate Cupcakes

Designed cupcake toppers and white frosting with pink sugar crystals. I didn't use the chocolate frosting for this recipe.

HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake (I used this recipe but for cupcakes)

Ingredients:

* 2 cups sugar
* 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
* 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 2 eggs
* 1 cup milk
* 1/2 cup vegetable oil
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 1 cup boiling water
* "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round baking pans.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING. 10 to 12 servings.

VARIATIONS:
ONE-PAN CAKE: Grease and flour 13x9x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350° F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost.

THREE LAYER CAKE: Grease and flour three 8-inch round baking pans. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost.

BUNDT CAKE: Grease and flour 12-cup Bundt pan. Heat oven to 350°F. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Cool 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack. Cool completely. Frost.

CUPCAKES: Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. Heat oven to 350°F. Fill cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes. Cool completely. Frost. About 30 cupcakes.

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING (I skipped this one)

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.