KOOL-AID COOKIES AND CUB SCOUTS

KOOL-AID COOKIES from Kitchen to Kitchen

I used the fruit punch flavor, while at Kitchen to Kitchen they loved the lemonade and watermelon flavors. I really took a liking to these cookies, soft, chewy and bursting with flavor. Hopefully the Cub Scouts coming over tonight will love them too.

1 pkg kool-aid (with no sugar) Used fruit punch flavor and LOVED it.
1 2/3 Cups sugar
1 1/4 Cups butter
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 Cups flour
1/2 Cups sugar for dipping

Mix kool-aid with the sugar. Add softened butter and mix until fluffy. Add eggs and mix well. Stir in salt and baking soda. Add flour in 1/2 cup increments and mix well after each addition.
Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place them on greased cookie sheet and into 325 degree oven for 10-12 minutes. Don't over bake! Remove cookies from sheet after 1 minute and let cool.

So, I got an email message asking if Mister would lead the Cub Scout den meeting tonight, he agreed. This means we will have about 8 boys plus parents over to the house tonight. Last minute makes things exciting. The funniest part of it all is we are working on achievement 5 in the Wolf book, which is hand tools. Yes a group of 8 year-old boys armed with hammers, pliers and screwdrivers. They will be practicing how to use them, IN MY HOME!!! LOL Yeah I am crazy and if the furniture isn't beat up enough now it surely will be by the evening's end. I started my fanatical cleaning routine and had to pause to make Kool-Aid Cookies for the kids. I figure, popcorn, cookies and Tang to drink should be good enough to get them through tonight's meeting. As for me I am not sure, I think there is still some Kahlua in the pantry it might numb the anxiety of children with hammers at my kitchen table. I will contemplate that as I finish cleaning...

CARROT COOKIES AND SERENITY

CARROT COOKIES adapted from Home Cooking Magazine

These are a delightfully soft cookie, not huge on carrot flavor but made me think spring.

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cooked, mashed carrots or 12 oz carrot baby food (I used the baby food)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup shortening

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 C coconut

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Orange Icing, below

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet. For cookies, blend flour, carrots, shortening, sugar, coconut, baking powder, vanilla and salt well. Drop by the teaspoonful onto prepared sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes.

FROSTING

Juice of 1/2 orange (3 to 4 tablespoons)

grated rind of 1 orange

1 tablespoon butter

1 1/4 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

Combine juice and orange rind with butter; stir in sifted confectioners' sugar until desired spreading consistency is reached. Add more juice or confectioners' sugar as needed.

Yesterday was rough, the boys have been extra spunky lately and I have not. Outside play is limited because we have had a real cold snap come through, so we are all on top of each other in the house. Don't get me wrong the house is a decent size home it is some enigma that occurs within that has us stacked up like cord wood. For some reason wherever Mister and I are all three boys are too, we all end up occupying the same 4 square feet of space at the same time. For goodness sakes can't leave the dog out of it, no she has to be there too, after all, we are her pack. Yesterday was Mocha's birthday she is now 4 years old, she has been with us longer then the two youngest kids.

Yeah sure she looks innocent enough, but she is like a vulture the way she tail the boys when they have food. Really though she is Kaleb's best friend, my automatic vacuum, early warning system and peace of mind. She is a huge presence in our home, and I am not referring to the fact she is, like a few others around here, overweight. Poor lady has white around her muzzle already, but I think my cousin said it best, "boys can age a woman like that"

CHOCOLATE CLOUDS AND GREY SKIES

I found a great companion cookie to my mom's raspberry meringue cookies, and here they are...

CHOCOLATE CLOUDS from Cooks.com  

I love these cookies for their chocolately sweetness and chocolate chip yumminess. They are so very tasty and will look beautiful next to the pink raspberry meringue cookies. Plus what does not go with chocolate? That is rhetorical I am not looking for any smart answers because I think chocolate goes with EVERYTHING. It goes with beer, fruit, bread, it even goes with baby blue.

3 egg whites, room temperature

1/8 tsp. cream of tartar

3/4 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. cocoa

2 c. (12 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate mini chips

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place parchment paper on cookie sheets (instead of parchment I use the brown paper bags from the grocery store, I just cut them to fit on my cookie sheet). In large mixer bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and vanilla beating until soft peaks hold. Sugar is dissolved and mixture is glossy. Sift cocoa onto egg mixture, gently fold just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Drop by heaping tablespoons onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 35-40 minutes or just until dry. Carefully peel off paper, cool completely on wire rack. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

The weather forecast does not instill warm fuzzy feelings for Kaleb going to school tomorrow. Yes I am a betting woman and I am betting I get an automated school call that they are cancelling if it starts snowing/sleeting/raining tonight. Our county is under a severe weather alert...it looks like an extended Martin Luther King day to me.

CONVERSATION HEARTS AND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Why is it these little hearts, with sappy little messages, can make everything seem right with the world? I suppose I should not question why, just ride the wave of euphoria...did that just sound crazy? I swear though, I bought my first bag of the year of conversation hearts yesterday morning and the day just seemed happier, the future brighter. Maybe I am cracking and this is the first sign; I will know for sure if my cereal starts dictating commands. Whatever the case, the boys and I enjoyed munching on some of these simple candies yesterday afternoon.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES from the Best Cookie Collection Ever

 What I love most about this recipe from all other recipes is that they are so soft, and I love using French Vanilla pudding mix because the cookies come out orgasmically delicious. I have also noticed the cookies tend to maintain a little more substance then the other chocolate chip recipes that tend to spread out into more of a wafer then a cookie.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1 (3.4 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

1.Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.

2.In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

3.In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat the butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.

4.Add sugars gradually, beating until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 more minutes. Stop once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary.

5.Beat in the instant vanilla pudding mix until blended.

6.Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and then the vanilla beating until smooth.

7.Scrape down the bowl again to make sure everything is well combined.

8.Stir in the flour mixture just until incorporated.

9.Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts if using.

10.Drop by heaping tablespoons (or cookie scoop) onto lined cookie sheets, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.

11.Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or just until lightly golden brown around the edges.

12.Cool on baking sheets for a minute or two, then transfer cookies with a thin metal spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

13.Store in an airtight container.