Cookie Sheets at Costco

 While reading a blog the other day, the author said she wanted to make something in a jelly roll pan but didn't have one. I died a little because my cookie sheets (they're standard half sheet pans aka jelly roll pans and measure 13 x 18) are one of my favorite kitchen tools. I use mine for cookies, brownies, cinnamon rolls, roasted veggies, chicken, even cupcakes (I always put a pan under the muffin tin to help keep the bottoms from getting too browned). I also use these to carry home dinner, loaves of bread (I usually make about 10 at a time in my Bosch and freeze the rest) or even craft projects when I've been working at my mom's house. The little lip on the side keeps things from tumbling out and they are easy to carry, stack, and use all the time.

I saw my favorite cookie sheets are available at Costco right now and snapped a picture to encourage you to run and buy some if you don't have them (or get them at Amazon of course). The two pack of NordicWare baking sheets is only $11.99. That's $6 each people! I can tell you from experience the one time I saw one of these pans (used) at the thrift store it was $5 (and I bought it).

When I was newlywed I foolishly thought there might be such a thing as too many cookie sheets but have since repented of such crazy talk. To be fair, I didn't make hundreds of cookies or cupcakes back then like I do now. So I say the more the merrier with these handy pans. Barefoot Contessa has a huge stack in her pantry I covet every time I see it.

I've also slowly built up my Silpat collection and now have one for each of my pans (along with a plastic lid- they're so handy). You can read more about Silpats here. I do not miss greasing my pans or scrubby out gunky pans one bit. Costco also has a three pack of knock off silpats (silicone baking mats). Has anyone tried them? I was kind of dying to buy them just to see how they were. Amazon has a 2 pack of generics for $16 as well. Please let me know if you've used them!

Barefoot Contessa + Tyler Florence (and Winter Slaw)

Did you see the new Barefoot Contessa episode with Tyler Florence? Baby rosebud and I loved it! It airs again on Monday, September 9th at noon if you missed it (see the details here).

 {look at them high five, haha!}

They started by making a birthday cake for Tyler's son. The chocolate cake was made with buttermilk and the batter looked amazing (Ina is a pro after all). She made a ganache frosting and stacked the cake up asymmetrically at Tyler's request. They decorated the whole thing with bright candies that really popped off the chocolate frosting. It was beautiful (and I might be heading to ABC Cake Decorating to finally buy some legit cake pans to make it for Baby Strawberry's FOURTH! birthday next week).

Then they went to Ina's favorite place to buy chicken for Jeffery's dinner every Friday. My kids loved seeing the chickens and I love Tyler quipping about how proud he was to hear Ina's secrets.

{look how cute they are on Tyler's instagram!}

For lunch, he made Fried chicken and added whole fresh herbs and garlic to the oil to layer the flavors. The seasoned flour looked amazing. He added Sriracha to the buttermilk for even more flavor. I liked his tip to fry only a few pieces at a time to keep the temperature up. I don't fry things often but after I watched him make this recipe I was dying to make some chicken! You can see the recipe here.

Ina made a winter slaw recipe using shredded kale, radicchio, and Brussels sprouts. With a fresh lemon vinaigrette, craisins, and some Parmesan, it looked so light and yummy. I made it for dinner that night and while my husband wasn't sure that it was actually 'Cole slaw' it was great. The veggies were crunchy and fresh with the light dressing and the sweet and salty kicks from the cheese and craisins were perfect. It also only took a few minutes to make so I think it's going into regular side dish rotation (although the kids aren't happy about that, they looked at me like I asked them to cardboard or something!)

The best part of the episode was when Ina boxed up the enormous three layer cake and said "I don't envy you getting this home on the airplane." Haha! I hope you get a chance to watch it because it was a really fun episode full of great recipes as well. I'll let you know how that big cake goes (this is a pretty massive undertaking considering I barely passed Wilton Course 1 Cake decorating at the craft store- the employee was hesitant to give me the participation certificate, no lie!)

PS If you're on Pinterest... Barefoot Contessa is finally! It's kind of fun to follow her. If you're a dork like me. Don't tell my friend Kara I wrote this blog post. She'll die. Hopefully some of you like Ina like I do. And try the slaw. I'd never had Brussels sprouts before (seriously) and it was fun and yummy to try them.


Winter Slaw
from Ina Garten and Tyler Florence (recipe originally here)

6 ounces Brussels sprouts, trimmed, halved, and cored
6 large kale leaves, center rib completely removed (8 to 10 ounces)
1/2 small head radicchio, cored
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup dried cranberries
1 (6-ounce) chunk good Parmesan cheese

With a very sharp knife, cut the Brussels sprouts, kale, and radicchio across in thin shreds and put them all in a large bowl.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Pour enough dressing on the slaw to moisten it well. Add the cranberries.

Shave the Parmesan in big shards with a vegetable peeler, add it to the salad and toss well. Check for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

My Latest Favorites

I love reading other people's favorite things. Here are a few products I've been crushing on lately.

Peabody recommended Vanilla Bean Paste and I love it. The jar smells so good and the little vanilla bean flecks taste and look good. It makes my frosting extra pretty and yummy at the same time. I also love the Kirkland Vanilla from Costco if you are looking for a vanilla extract.

Stila All Day Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner
It makes a perfect cat eye and the pen shaped applicator is so easy to use. If you're not into thicker eyeliner the tapered brush does a nice thin line as well. By the end of the day it still looks perfect (and that's really saying something in the Arizona Summer!) Even better, it doesn't bother my sensitive eyes like most liquid eye liners. It's even $5 cheaper on Amazon.

The Oxo Stainless Steel Brush- I found one of these at Ross a few years ago and have been using this kind ever since. It's pretty, cleans up amazingly well, and wears so much better than the plastic kind I used to use. It really lasts forever and even my mom loves it (that's a pretty strong endorsement).

Vintage Floral iPhone Case from Agent 18. I got mine at TJ Maxx and it's really cute, super sturdy, and slides smoothly in and out of my pocket and diaper bag. I'm high maintenance like that. I've gotten a lot of comment about this case and pink puffy heart love it (although my baby liked my old higher contrast black and white one better. You win some you lose some).

My brother and sister-in-law loaned us Big Bang Theory and we're hooked. It's ridiculously funny- especially if you know a lot of engineers like we do. Try it out.

I have a few little mess makers and ended up using my Bar Keeper's Friend several times this week. My stainless steel pan looks perfect after a quick scrub, my glass stove top is shiny, my vanity is perfectly clean, and my shower is whiter now too. Plus, it's only a dollar at Target.

I hadn't read Little Women before. It was wonderful. It's free for Kindle, too. I can't believe how many sections I highlighted but I loved so much of this book:

"I keep turning over new leaves, and spoiling them, as I used to spoil my copybooks, and I make so many beginnings there never will be an end," he said dolefully. "Go and eat your dinner, you'll feel better after it. Men always croak when they are hungry," and Jo whisked out at the front door after that. "That's a 'label on my 'sect'," answered Laurie, quoting Amy." {too true!}

"Then let me advise you to take up your little burdens again, for though they seem heavy sometimes, they are good for us, and lighten as we learn to carry them. Work is wholesome, and there is plenty for everyone. It keeps us from ennui and mischief, is good for health and spirits, and gives us a sense of power and independence better than money or fashion."

"Have regular hours for work and play, make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life become a beautiful success, in spite of poverty."

I think it's time to listen to Marmee and get folding laundry and washing dishes instead of wishing away time on the internet. Read Little Women again and let me know what you think.

Do you have any favorite products I need to try?

I heart Trader Joe's

Have you been to Trader Joe's lately? I'm kind of hit or miss there because it's a little ways from my house but I've been stopping by more often because I keep finding amazing things (and I may or may not have been stalking the cookie butter that was in and out of stock. I hear its back now- and on Amazon of course. Too funny). The frozen fruit is great for smoothies and really well priced. On the way to the pineapple one day I saw these Chocolate Covered Sea Salt Butterscotch Caramels and couldn't resist. They taste like super charged Milk Duds. Milk Duds for grown ups (but my kids loved them too).

Trader Joe's has the best salad stuff. I made an easy balsamic vinaigrette with their vinegar and Spanish olive oil (thanks to my BFF Natalie for the recommendation on the olive oil!) Toss it over their salad greens, goat cheese (also cheap and delicious), pecans, and you have a pretty dang close knock off of the French Country Salad from the Cheesecake Factory. They also sell these beets in the refridgerated section. I used them at my Bastille Day dinner and happily sliced them and threw them on the salad instead of roasting and peeling and ending up with a crazy messy kitchen right before my big dinner party. I do still want to try making them from scratch, though...

Their Yukon Gold Potatoes are seriously delicious, too. They make the most amazing mashed potatoes. My little man loves the honey whole wheat pretzel sticks (I like to dip them in the roasted rep pepper hummus). Baby Strawberry swears the JoJo's taste better than real Oreos and she's a chocolate and carbohydrate connoisseur.

What do you like at Trader Joe's? I'm always looking for something new to try...

Mini Soft Rainbow Sugar Cookies

 

A few weeks ago at our family reunion, we were debating the virtues of the store bought brightly frosted sugar cookie. I am a mean mom and never buy those, so my kids were dying to try one, of course. Someone said "We call these 'cancer cookies', they are full of so much garbage" and her daughter piped in "but they taste SO good!" I told them I usually make my own with this tried and true recipe. I can control all the ingredients (not that they are amazingly healthy but at least I can pronounce them) and it's fun making them, too. I used a small metal cookie scoop to make itty bitty cookies this time. They're about the size of an Oreo and oh so yummy. I love the smaller portions for my littles (let's be honest, the smaller cookies just mean grown ups eat more of them).

Last time I posted these, I used my favorite Americolor gel coloring to make a bunch of different colors. It's easier than you think- I put about 3/4 cup of frosting into a mug and mix the coloring in with the knife I'll use to spread it out. These are imperfect and lovely at the same time. Washing a few mugs isn't a big deal and the rainbow effect is lovely. This time I used the standard grocery store four pack and got six fun colors easily that way. Check out this food coloring mixing chart for more color ideas. It's pretty amazing what you can do with the basic pack (though I still much prefer the lovely gel dyes).

Please note- I use a mix of a butter and shortening for these cookies but whatever mix/fat you're comfortable with should be fine as long as you stick with the proper ratio. I've used all butter for a softer cookie if you'd like to omit the shortening. Let me know if you try something fancy!

Anne Strawberry's Soft Sugar Cookies

{printable recipe here} adapted from Shelly   

1 Cup Plain Shortening (I like the blue Crisco, none of that icky 'butter flavor')
3 eggs
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
4 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour 
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt (I used Kosher)
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Roll into balls, placing about 2 inches apart on Silpat/parchment lined/greased cookie sheet. I usually use a regular cookie scoop to get each cookie uniform (about 2 Tablespoons of dough in each). It will be a little sticky, don't be surprised!  If it's too tacky to work with, add a little more flour or chill the dough in the fridge for a few minutes. Smaller scoops make cute little cookies which is always nice for a party or kids. Pampered Chef scoops are my very favorite.
Take them out of the oven and transfer to a cooling rack after a couple of minutes. Frost with your favorite frosting (mine is below). 
Anne Strawberry's Favorite Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened (one stick)
1 package of cream cheese, softened (I like to use Neufchatel, less fat and I don't notice much difference)
2 Tablespoons milk
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or the seeds of one vanilla pod, scraped
dash of salt
6 cups of powdered sugar (more or less to achieve desired consistency, this is a baseline)
1 Tablespoon meringue powder (optional but very helpful! you can find this in the cake decorating section at walmart, michaels, or joann's. I always buy the Wilton brand.)
In a mixer with the whisk attachment, combine the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add in the milk, vanilla, and salt, and blend.
Variation:
Add 1 T. Lemon or orange zest and substitute juice for the milk to make a tangy citrus frosting. Alternately, you can flavor with mint extract or almond extract.  
x

Makes about 5 dozen cookies (depending on their size). I scooped up a few dozen and froze the balls of dough to take out and bake another time without any work.

1 Cup Butter (Salted is fine), Softened
2 1/4 Cups Sugar
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder

Cream butter, shortening and sugar together until light and fluffy (one or two minutes). Add one egg at a time and beat for one minute afterwards. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer to low speed and carefully add the dry team (flour, powder, salt). I usually turn it off first, pour them all in, cover the mixer with a dish towel and turn it on low. Mix gently- only until the flour is barely incorporated. Give it one last stir with a rubber/silicone spatula to get everything off the bottom.

Bake the cookies for about 8-9 minutes, or until they start to brown slightly on the edges (shorter time for smaller cookies- keep your eyes on them after 6-7 minutes). I wanted mine extra soft and nice so I err on the side of under done. 

 



Next, add the powdered sugar and meringue powder, cover the bowl of the mixer with a dish towel, and turn it on low until everything is combined. Then increase the speed for a minute or so until the frosting is light, fluffy, and delicious. The meringue powder will help set the frosting after it dries so it holds its shape.

PS Little baby Rosebud is five months old! Time flies and while I do make dinner (and treats, too) most of the time, I still feel like my head isn't on straight! You can see why I can't get anything done, I can't stand to put this little darling down! Even noticing herself in the mirror is adorable and she has the yummiest, chubbiest legs. Baby number three is lovely but life feels trickier still. Is that just me? Tips and tricks anyone? Please forgive my sporadic posting and my instagram pictures. These cookies are yummy as can be even without a fancy blog post!