The Snow is Melting!!

The cookies are done! I'm so happy that they turned out as cute as they did. Now I just have to make sure that all of my HUGS keep their hands off!

I'm also trying blogging from my phone...how am I doing?

Two Days, Two Posts!

Operation: Cookie is still a work in progress at the house. Last night, my melties got eyes and noses...or are they mouths? I'm not really sure, but they got them! Tonight, these little guys will get scarves in red and green.

Did I even mention that these are being made for a Christmas Cookie-off? Yes, The Linder Family has decided that a Christmas Cookie Contest is in order. I could not agree more. Given my lack of time these days, these cookies are SO much easier than the traditional HUGS & COOKIES. Perhaps not as beautiful, but I think they have their charm.

More pictures to come!

Where have I been?

Imagine my horror today when I looked at my blog and it has not been updated since August! I know my blog is not the most active of all creatures, and maybe my New Years Resolution will be to be a better blogger. But I have an excuse--I promise! Enter HUG#2! Yes, baby #2 was born August 21.

Contrary to popular belief--and a random guy in the park who told me horror stories--life with two kiddos is really fun. Sure, trying at times, but mostly rewarding. Except during the night. That is pretty less-than-fun. But soon HUG#2 will be sleeping through the night and my hair will grow back and all will be right with the world.

What's baking? Not much....I did manage some cake pops for a cookie exchange. And of course butter toffee for my in-laws. And I'm working on another project right now....I just need to remember to take end photos...and post them!

So, here are a few photos of the cake pops I made. I still need to perfect my process, as after I dipped them, they became pretty ugly. I made yellow cake with white icing and red velvet cake with cream cheese. They tasted delicious!

Yet again, I have managed to post a sideways photo...sorry about that. I'll put that on the list for 2012..."Care more about posting sideways photos."

Merry Christmas to all--Merry Everything, really--and hopefully I'll be posting more before the new year...

Baby Shower Season

For most of us, it's summer. In MY world, however, it's baby shower season! Babies are popping up left and right--and that means celebrations honoring their arrival are just as plentiful. Luckily for me, this also means that I get the honor of baking cookies for the brand new arrivals!

These particular cookies are for a friend who's mom-to-be is having twin girls! We decided on onesies, bottles, strollers, and rattles in a variety of colors--including pink, of course!

I'm trying to make orange and purple the new "go-to" colors for girls!

But you still need some pink thrown into the mix.

Everybody loves a baby!

Putting the finishing touches on these cookies got me even more excited about welcoming my own baby girl (thankfully for me--only ONE!) who is due in about three weeks!

Mamma Mia! Is that Anthony Wiener?

Yes, I'm back in the kitchen NOT baking cookies. This time, I was baking for a great cause: a Bachlorette Party. To celebrate the bride, my girlfriends and I headed out to see Mamma Mia at a great outdoor venue that allowed us to pack our own picnic. And of course, where there is a bride-to-be, there must be manly paraphernalia. And when the groom-to-be's name is Tony, Anthony Wiener jokes must rule the day. And that they did.

I'm not sure it's 100% kosher to bake a wiener cake with your 22-month old son, but I did it anyway. He had a great time, as one of his favorite things to do it stir. And (have I mentioned this before?) his stirring skills are so inefficient that one must not worry about overmixing the flour. It's win-win (win) really.

Mama's little baker

So innocent...and SO happy to be of help

Stirring and doing yoga at the same time

The next Jules Child

 

Now, I'm not a HORRIBLE parent in that I waited until HUG was at school to do the decorating. I think that day, his maturity may have been a little bit higher than mine, as I giggled my way through the whole thing and sent pictures of each stage to my sister. So....it's not normal to have skin colored icing on hand at any time? And strategically placed black sprinkles are not on your "obviously...." list? Well, shame on you. You "obviously" need to get yourself a few feisty friends and a wiener cake mold and go crazy.

So without further ado, may I present Wiener Cake 2011. 

Just wiener

Frosted wiener

Realistic wiener

Just a touch of love wiener

Double...something

What's the opposite of "whammy"? Well, my HUG and I scored a huge double this weekend with daddy. Being the early riser that he is (and therefore I am), we were up with the sun with very little to do. Daddy was sleeping...so what better way to keep a toddler occupied? It's time to bake! Thanks to the crazy sale on blueberries at the store, our fridge was full of them. The decision was easy: Blueberry Bread.

I had never made this before, but was not really into the idea of making muffins. I have a great B&B cookbook that I always count on for breakfast recipes...and it never disappoints.

So my little chef and I got to work! (Boo--I'm having technical difficulties with getting my photos to upload correctly. Just so you know, we are not sideways...we bake just like you. Right side up.)

HUG is the BEST stirrer around. He is also Quality Control Officer #1.

Yes, I allow my child to eat raw dough. Sue me. You lose.

Here is the bread! It looks and tastes just like a huge blueberry muffin! I even snuck in some whole wheat flour!

Oh, HUG is also my clean up crew! Aren't his PJ's the best?

After all this baking and a trip to the pool, sweet sweet nap time ensued.

My night to cook

Yes, I bake.

I also cook too! Mostly, I do the homey things like spaghetti, stir fry, soup, simple things like that. And often times I team up with my husband who is an amazing cook. We have "fancy dinner" most Friday nights, and this time, it was MY turn to cook.

We try to eat a lot of fish, so I decided on salmon. And in honor of emptying our freezer, I decided to make use of the puff pastry in there...

The result was highly successful: Salmon en croute with creamy dill sauce.

This is the raw picture...

 

 

 

And the finished product!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wedding Cookies!

My cousin got married last weekend up in Conneaut Lake, PA. Gorgeous wedding, perfect weather, and beautiful bride (the groom was also very dapper looking!). In our family--as in many western PA families, it's tradition to have a cookie table on display for the guests. Well, this wedding went above and beyond. I truly think there were no fewer than 10 tables FULL of cookies. Of course, I forgot my camera, so just imagine--if you will--a scene from Willy Wonka's chocolate factory come to life.

Here are the HUGS&COOKIES that were made for the event. Well, some of them were made for the event. Others, not so much! It appears that my "pregnancy brain" forgot that MAY is the fifth month, not the fourth. Odd, since my birthday is also in May. Perhaps not pregnancy brain after all...just old age! Anyway, the "wrong date" cookies still tasted good...in the privacy of my own home.

Slight Diversion

Sometimes when your house is full of cookies, it's necessary to find a diversion away from the temptation of butter, sugar and flour. Thankfully, the road in front of our house is being repaved and there are tractors everywhere. If there is one thing a little HUG loves, it's a tractor.

Cookie, schmookie. More tractor?

"Are you serious?"

A little tentative at first

It's real! He touched it!

 

 

Best friends...

Decorate Your Own Cookie!

What better way to have people enjoy HUGS&COOKIES than to let them experience the process! Two top-performing cookie decorators really put their skills to the test at the MOMS Club Spring Bazaar on May 14.

Seriously, does he EVER stop talking?

O getting some help from his daddy

Cookies on display

Finished products

Cookies...here we go!

Two events coming up:

1. MOMS Club spring bazaar
2. My cousin David's wedding

Both of these call for one thing:

1. HUGS&COOKIES

Since I'm working from home today, see home office below:

I decided to make some cookies as I worked. I decided on the traditional polka dot and also to use a smaller sized cutter than usual because the bazaar only calls for small samples and a cookie table at a wedding can be very overwhelming. One hour later, I had 153 cookies....yes, it only took one hour! In this time I also managed to fix 3 issues at work, complete a load of laundry, and talk the door installation man into fixing our garbage disposal. I pretty much handled the 10-11am hour.

Cookies still have to be iced and decorated, but that will have to wait until after hours. I DO have work to do!

the dough

cutting the dots

God bless SILPAT!

153 cookies

cookies as far as the eye can see

Banana Bread, Take Two

I'm a little bit obsessed with making banana bread...and making it as healthy as possible. This morning I had an idea that was inspired by one of my very best friends who puts chocolate chips in her banana bread....so instead of chocolate chips, I just added 2 tsp of cocoa to the batter. Turns out it's not a world changing improvement, but I kind of like it.

So, here's what I did...

Instead of oil or butter, I used vanilla yogurt.
Cut the sugar from 1 cup to 1/2 cup and used brown instead of white
Used whole wheat flour instead of white
Added about 1/2 of wheat germ (I have no idea why/if this is healthy....I just know it's in my fridge and I use it in my granola recipe)
Added an extra banana

Here's the end result!

Happy Mother's Day!

We spent Mother's Day both in the kitchen and at Grandma's house. Kitchen first, of course...we can't go to  Grandma's empty handed! This calls for chocolate cake, right...someone else thought so too! Perhaps not the best sous chef, but the VERY best partner in crime!