Soccer Ball Cookies

Last week, I thought it would be a great idea to volunteer to make soccer ball cookies for the last game of my son's soccer season. I've never made anything that boggled my mind so much. Pentagons and hexagons, spheres and circles....what was I thinking?! I've spent many nights and weekends getting to know these kids, watching them play, and visiting with fellow soccer parents. It's a good thing I like them so much, since these cutie-patootie cookies were a lot of work! They went quickly once I figured all the shapes out. Well worth it, and much deserved, for sure.

I needed a hard-ish sugar cookie I could make a 6" diameter circle from that wouldn't fall apart. I used Wilton's Roll-Out Cookie recipe, as follows:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon no-color almond extract
• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Makes: About 3 dozen cookies.

Instructions 

Preheat oven to 400°F. In mixing bowl, cream butter with sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Mix flour, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 in. wide and 1/8 in. thick. Dip cookie cutter in flour before each use. Bake cookies on ungreased cookie sheet 6-7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned.

To decorate these guys, they needed to be completely cooled, then warm a can of white frosting and outline circle and fill the whole thing in. It should be thin enough to level out and dry in a nice, smooth texture. I bought a tube of black icing, since the black is such a concentrated color, and piped it in a pentagon shape in the center and worked my out to the edges, finishing it off in a black outline around the whole cookie. After an hour, they are dry enough to put in cellophane bags.  

Easy peasy Soft Ginger & Molasses Cookies

Fantastic & easy cookie recipe for the fall (or anytime at my house). Originally from

http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/big-soft-ginger-cookies/Detail.aspx  The smell of my house, alone, is enough to bring the neighbors knocking!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually stir the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Shape dough into walnut sized balls, and roll them in the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Place the cookies 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet, and flatten slightly.
3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

broccoli-cheese soup

In the true spirit of a comforting, smooth and creamy soup, this broccoli-cheese soup is DELISH. If you've had Panara Bread's broccoli-cheddar, that is my inspiration for this recipe.
 
1/2 medium onion, chopped
5 tablespoons butter, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 1% milk (or ff half-&-half)
2 cups chicken broth
8 ounces (1/2 bag) frozen chopped broccoli
1 cup shredded carrots
salt and pepper
8 ounces Velveeta, cubed
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
Secret Ingredient: 1/4 tsp nutmeg

1. Saute the onion in 1 Tbsp butter until onions are soft. Set aside in small bowl. 
2. Using a wire whisk, heat the remaining 4 Tbsp butter until melted and add the flour in a large pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 4 minutes.
3. Slowly add the milk; continue stirring with whisk. Add the chicken broth, whisking all the time. Simmer for 20 minutes. (whisk every 2 min or so to prevent burning the bottom.)
4. Add the broccoli, carrots, and sauteed onion. Cook over low heat until the veggies are tender, about 20 minutes.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. By now the soup should be thickened. Let cool for 3-4 minutes, then pour into a blender and puree.
7. Return the puree to the pot and place over low heat. Add the Velveeta and grated cheddar and stir until well blended and melted. Stir in the nutmeg.

Serves 5. 
I throw in some frozen Pillsbury Buttermilk Biscuits to dip and crumble in the soup. Yummers!  

The Whole Enchilada; Soup, that is.

I love enchiladas and soup, so throw them together and you get....
Chicken Enchilada Soup
1/4 cup canola/vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups diced yellow onion
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp granulated garlic
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup masa harina (cornmeal)
32 oz chicken broth
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
4 ounces Velveeta, cubed
1-2 lbs cooked chicken breast, cubed
Optional ingredients: 1 can of corn, 1 can black beans, rinsed, diced green chilies
Garnish
Shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups crushed tortilla chips
cilantro
sour cream 
(whatever you put on your enchilada!)

1. To a large pot, add the oil, onions, cumin, chili powder, granulated garlic, and cayenne pepper. Saute until the onions are soft, about 5 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine the masa harina with 2 cups of the chicken broth. Stir until all the lumps are gone. Add to the sauteed onions and bring the mixture to a boil. Cook, stirring constantly, for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the remaining 2 cups chicken stock to the pot. Add the tomatoes and return to a boil, stirring occasionally. Add the cheese and stir until it melts. Add the chicken and any optional ingredients; heat and serve. 
4. Garnish with shredded cheese, tortilla chips, etc.

Healthy Cornbread
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup masa harina (cornmeal, white or yellow)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup plain yogurt (I use l.f. sour cream)
2 eggs, beaten

1. Mix dry ingredients together in a medium bowl. 
2. Add the yogurt/sour cream and eggs, mixing just until blended. Don't overmix.
3. Pour into an 8x8 glass baking dish sprayed with cooking spray, and place into a preheated 400 degree oven. Bake for 20 minutes or until just starting to turn golden brown on top.
4. Sprinkle cheese on top before serving if you'd like.

Spooky Decoupage Lanterns

These Jack-o-lantern jars were inexpensive and fun to make. 
You will need:
Left over jelly, pickle or sauce jars
Mod Podge
Colored tissue paper
Decorative ribbon, not much
I'm a little embarrassed to show you the Taste of Home inspiration-link because my skills aren't nearly that of the magazine, but here is the original idea and instructions.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Holiday---Celebration-Recipes/Halloween-Recipes/Halloween-Decoupage-Lanterns?pmcode=IKJKA07T&_mid=715132&_rid=715132.564401.574331 

Aren't they cute?! I want to make a few more with some stripes and cluster them on my entry table. Warning: This is  a pretty messy project, I'd recommend wearing latex gloves. I've been peeling Mod Podge off my fingers all evening.

Candy Corn Wreath

This was a FUN project that the kids enjoyed helping with. This idea came from the October cover of Woman's Day 2010.  You need : 14"-18" Styrofoam wreath ring, 2-3 bags of candy corn, black duct tape, a glue gun, and some wide black grosgrain ribbon.

All wrapped in duct tape, ready for candy!

Wrap the wreath tightly in the duct tape. The easiest way to put on the candy corn in a uniform manner is to make a full circle with the candy corn facing the same direction, starting with the inner rings. Change the direction of the the candy corn with each successive ring of candy.Use hot glue to secure the candy on the wreath. Make a loop of ribbon into a hanger. All done! Now try not to pick off the candy and eat it!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pieces Cookies

This is an adaptation of a Betty Crocker recipe, a new family favorite!

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 cup chocolate-flavored or regular peanut butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups (about 12 oz) Reeces' Pieces

1. Heat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet with shortening or spray with cooking spray. I use parchment paper, ungreased, on my cookie sheets.
2. In a large bowl, beat sugars and butter with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Beat in peanut butter, vanilla, and egg. Stir in flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Stir in candies. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheet.
3. Bake 8 to 12 minutes or until edges are set. (Centers will be soft.) Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Makes 2 1/2 dozen cookies. (Tip: flatten dough slightly before baking and add extra candies to dough for great looking cookies.)