Sew Yummy!

Well this isn't a sewing post today, but instead a *Susie Homemaker* post. This morning the cookie jar was empty; not something anyone in my family likes much. So what cookies to make today - a decision that is getting tougher for me lately because I feel like I make the same thing over and over again. I have a few basic recipes that I jump back and forth between. They are tried & true favorites in my house and I can bake up a batch almost with my eyes closed.

So out of boredom, today I decided I'd make something different. Usually I flip through my recipe file, but today I reached for a cook book my mom gave me for Christmas a few years ago. It's a really neat cook book, but I honestly think I've only baked a thing or two out of it (shame on me, but I do honestly get in a rut of baking the same few cookies). The cook book is called Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Cookies ~ it has 5 stars on Amazon.com so I really need to snuggle up with this cook book one evening and mark a few more to try. It has 475 cookie recipes, so it's really the only cookie cook book you'd ever need plus it has lots of color pictures (something I really like in a cook book). I'm not sure how the cookies will go over with the kids, my youngest loves them, but the others can be picky so I'll know after school. I had one and I really loved it! So without further ado, here is the recipe (not word for word from the cook book for the directions, my cooking slang instead):

Cranberry Jumbles

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tbs orange or cranberry juice (I used orange)

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup all purpose flour

1/3 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup slivered almonds

Using electric mixer, in large bowl cream together shortening and brown sugar, beat in egg and orange juice. Add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and flours and mix until combined. Stir in cranberries and almonds. Drop teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet (recipe says ungreased, but I always spray mine with Pam). Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on wire rack, then drizzle with orange frosting (see recipe below). Makes 32 cookies according to the recipe, but for me it only made 21.

Orange Frosting

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/2 tsp finely shredded orange peel

about 3-4 Tbs orange juice (enough to make it drizzling consistency)

Mix all ingredients together then drizzle over cooled cookies.

Enjoy!

On the sewing front I got NOTHING done over the weekend. I didn't sew a stitch. I feel like it's a tradgey too because my hubby took the two older boys to a NASCAR race in Phoenix so I only had two of the kids for 1.5 days. Instead we had a belated birthday slumber party for my daughter with a few of her friends, then the two kids and I went on some errands the next day after the guests left, so I was busy doing things, just not sewing. Oh well, tis the way it goes sometimes. And now I'm off to fold a mountain of laundry that has appeared on the kitchen table - oh joy!

P.S. Check out my new side bar, it shows my five most current reviews on Pattern Review - pretty cool new feature on PR!!!