Donut Holes: A Recipe for Quick Success

I love these donut holes.  They are so very easy to make - transforming ordinary refridgerator biscuit dough into a tasty treat in mere minutes.  This is a favorite movie-watching, after-school, or whenever snack from my childhood.  As kids, we got to help out with popping the tube of biscuits open, rolling the dough into balls and shaking the donuts in the bags of sugar.  This New Year's Eve, why not call the family into the kitchen and cook up a batch of donuts to enjoy as you welcome in 2014? 

What you need:
Cooking oil (liquid or solid)
Biscuit dough
Cinnamon Sugar
Paper Bag

Putting it together:
Cut each biscuit (dough) into quarters.  Roll these into balls.  Place the dough balls into the hot oil (adults only!).  You will only
want to do 3-4 at a time since this goes very quickly.  In less than a minute you should flip the donuts and, then, when the second side is turning golden, remove to a paper towel to drain.  If you use a
strainer to remove the donuts from the oil, you won't have to drain them long.  Place the still warm donuts in a paper bag with a couple tablespoons of cinnamon sugar (or powdered sugar or even sweetened cocoa powder) and shake to cover.  Tap off excess and enjoy!  You might want to have a second can of biscuit dough handy as you will find the first batch is usually consumed in the process.   

Romans 12:2 encourages us: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.  As we move into a New Year, many of us think of things in our lives which could stand a make-over.  The Bible, in Romans, entreats us to to not be like the world and to not seek the things the world deems are necessary.  Instead, we are to be transformed by renewing our minds so that we can judge for ourselves that which is God's desire and will for our lives.  Transformation isn't always easy but it is usually worth the effort.  Like taking a bit of biscuit dough and turning it into a sweet treat, striving to change our lives to God's will brings about something good and with the benefit of eternal blessings. 

May your New Year find you walking in His will and seeking the transformation of your life and soul for which God alone can give you success.  To this end, I wish you a very happy and successful New Year!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas Cookies!

This is the time of year when many of us are making cut-out cookies to decorate with the kids.  For some, it is the only time of year for baking cut-out cookies.  I thought I'd share with you my Grandma's (Helen Carpenter) recipe and a few tips I've learned over the years. 

I remember when Grandma shared this recipe: my daughter was in pre-school and I had promised to bake cookies for the class to decorate.  I couldn't find a recipe I liked as much as Grandma's.  Still, Grandma didn't part with her favored recipes easily so I knew I might not be successful.  I called her up (I can still hear her voice during this conversation even though she's been gone for years) and told her my predicament and she agreed to share the recipe!!!  I also remember Grandma calling me back after a few minutes and telling me that she had forgotten to share her secret ingredient - but wanted me to know about it.  Don't worry, I won't leave the secret ingredient out, because I know you will keep the secret.

What you need:
3/4 cup butter (use real butter!)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind* SECRET
3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Putting it together:
Cream the softened butter and sugar before adding vanilla, eggs and lemon zest.  Sift dry ingredients together and add in small quantities.  This will make a fairly stiff dough. 

Divide the dough into 2-3 parts, wrapping each in wax paper.  Chill dough at least 2 hours but overnight is best. 

Roll out 1/8th inch thick on lightly floured surface.  Cut out your favorite shapes with cutters.  Bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for about 10 minutes (or less).  Just until the edges begin to turn lightly golden. 
My tips:
Don't skip the chilling of the dough.  Remove only the dough you plan to use at that moment.  You may need to break the chilled dough into smaller sizes for rolling.  Work in SMALL batches!  You want to avoid re-rolling the dough numerous times.  The more you roll, the warmer the dough, the more flour you need to keep the warm dough from sticking, the tougher the cookies...  Did I mention that you need to work in small quantities? 

Roll out your cookies a little on the thick (1/8 to 1/4 inch) side to keep them intact when the kids begin decorating. 

Use a lightly floured rolling pin.  Work from the center of the dough towards to edges.  Don't worry about what shape you make when rolling out the cookie dough.  Do aim for a consistent thickness across the dough, each time you roll out the dough.  This will help keep a consistent baking time, even when you have cookies from a couple different roll-outs on the same sheet - because we are working in small batches, right?

When using all those wonderful cookie cutters, cut out all of one design at the same time.  Bake only one design per cookie sheet so that your baking time is the same.  When you mix your designs to include large and small designs on one cookie sheet, your baking time will vary per design! 

Having trouble getting the cut dough off the cutting mat?  Pull the non-cut dough away for another batch and work with the point of a table knife to lift up a starting corner for lifting.  Dip your cutters in flour, especially if it has a lot of detailed nooks and crannies. 

Only place cut-out dough on a cool cookie sheet.    

Don't overbake.  Rely on look rather than time.  Somewhere around 8 mintues, begin looking at the back of the tray in the oven for a hint of a golden edge.  Your cookies will continue to darken and bake after removal from the oven, due to retained heat.  All over dark gold is over-done, making a crisp cookie which breaks fairly easily.

Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.  Use a spatula with a good, sharp edge to remove cookies off the cookie sheet. 

Decorate only completely cooled cookies.  If possible, wait a day before decorating the cookies.  Don't cover the cookies but allow them to air cool for better stability. 

When the kids are in charge of decorating, use canned white icing.  Encourage a moderate amount of icing per cookie.  Add color with sugar and other fun sprinkles.  Not using food coloring will save you amazing amounts of time in clean-up.  Don't hover over the kids when they decorate.  They have a great since of imagination and creativity which translates into great pride when they see a loved one enjoy their cookie.  Use plastic knives to spread the icing and jelly roll pans (with sides) as decorating trays.  They will catch most of the run-away decorations.  If you find that you are running low on sprinkles, empty the catch trays into a dish and funnel back into the shakers.  Discourage finger-licking by having wet paper towels for each decorator.  Set a time, every 30 minutes or so, for the kids to select a cookie to eat.  The cookies above were decorated by the kids at FUMC, Anahuac to share with friends and family.

Place decorated cookies in single layers on baking sheets and try to let them sit, uncovered, overnight.  This helps the icing set so that when layered in a gift box, they won't smoosh.

Think outside the box.  I turned my mini-muffin pan upside down and placed my flower dough cut outs on every other cup.  After they baked and cooled, I filled them with a scant tablespoon of homemade lemon curd (recipe in an upcoming blog). Oh yum! These were intended for a Christmas party but may not last that long.   

I love baking, especially around the holidays.  This is my newest decoration - a baking Christmas tree for my kitchen.  The 'gingerbread' is actually a piece of fabric I knitted then felted and cut in shapes using my cookie cutters as an outline.  Merry Christmas!

Turkey Make-Over (What to do with the Leftovers)

 

Oh the joyful abundance of food at the Thanksgiving table! Then there is the quick and tasty turkey sandwich to have the next day but what in the world do we do with the leftovers after that?  This is a variation on my mother's recipe.  I like to use those small pieces that you have picked off the turkey after the nice cuts. 


Spread the turkey pieces in a casarole dish.  Sprinkle leftover (if you have them) fried onion pieces on top.  Then cover this with UNDILUTED Golden Mushroom soup.  I used 1.5 cans to make plenty of gravy.  Next you grab the leftover mashed potatoes (sweet pototoes should work well also) and snip the end off the plastic storage bag.  Squeeze out the potatoes in a somewhat appitizing display.  Put the pan into the oven to brown the potatoes as much as you want and heat the ingredients - whatever amount of time you can spare since everything is already cooked. 

No need to add seasonings since this was done when you first prepared the foods.  The soup keeps the meat from drying out and add a new level of flavor to the traditional tastes you've enjoyed in prior days. 

So Very Thankful

This is the time of year when American's celebrate the pilgrim's surviving the first year in their new home.  They celebrated with friends, the very ones who helped, encouraged, and were examples to them.  This annual holiday is supposed to be a time to remember and give thanks for the blessings we have, which for me includes friends and family - many who are my guides to me and through their examples, encourage me to become a better person.  This has been a year of highs and lows, personally.  High points include my immediate family, my church, and the beauty I have seen in God's creation. Yes, that's a very abbreviated list - as I have much more to thank God.  Lows include relational struggles and saying goodbyes.  I hesitate to even give note to these issues in a posting that is about being thankful but I do believe that if we are willing to learn from the struggles then they can become another thing to be thankful. 

1Thessalonians 5:12-22 we are encouraged to have a greatful spirit, learning from and moving past the negative situations and discouragers we encounter.  ¹² But we request of you, brethren, that you appreciate those who diligently labor among you, and have charge over you in the Lord and give you instruction, ¹³ and that you esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Live in peace with one another. ¹⁴ We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵ See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. ¹⁶ Rejoice always; ¹⁷ pray without ceasing; ¹⁸ in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit; ²⁰ do not despise prophetic utterances. ²¹ But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; ²² abstain from every form of evil. 

This text entreats us to appreciate: the gifts we already have, the persons in our lives who lift us up, those who are positive examples in our faith journey, to share our blessings - to appreciate, live in peace, help, extend patience, to seek what is good (for all, not just ourselves), rejoice, pray, give thanks and hold fast.  

In the spirit of the season and in response to this text, I now count my blessings:  1) my family, 2) my new church families, 3) the majesty I've found in my travels (including The Grand Canyon, Arches National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, the Caribbean coral reef, Colorado Aspens and mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, the Texas Hill Country and the Gulf Coast), 4) memories that bring joy as I recall my childhood, 5) my basic needs for food, shelter , transportation and clothing met abundantly, 6) health and healthcare providers we consider family, 7) our furry family, 8) time and the ability to participate in hobbies and crafts which bring me great joy, 9) freedom to worship and live, 10) so many wonderful people who choose to honor me with their friendships and become family to me, 11) contentment, 12) hope...and the list goes on and on and on.

May our God from whom all blessings flow lift you up and keep you in His grace, peace and love so that you are encouraged to count your blessings and give Him the glory!  Happy Thanksgiving.