"An Even Better Snicker Doodle"

BIG, Sweet, Chewy Snicker Doodles.

These are without a doubt the best Snicker Doodles I have ever tasted!  They will be my new standby. When I saw this recipe I knew I had to try these.  Katie and I had previously made brown sugar Snicker Doodles, then there is my old standby recipe I have used for 40+ years  and love.  These are in between with part brown sugar and I must give them a try.  They are baking as I post this!!  I came across the recipe at lovintheoven.com and have adapted it just a bit to suite my family.  Yum, just tasted, crisp on the outside and chewy in the center.  Cookie love.

Ingredients for Best Ever Snicker Doodles"

1 C. softened butter
1 C. sugar
2/3 C. dark brown sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
3  C. flour
1/2 t. salt
1 t. soda
1/2 t. cream of tarter
1/2 C. sugar
4 t. cinnamon

Cream the butter and  sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla until smooth and fluffy.

Measure the flour, salt, soda, and cream of tarter onto a sheet of waxed paper and stir with a fork.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. 

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about an hour.  Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and prepare the cookie sheets with parchment or silpat mats.

Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Take a heaping tablespoon of the chilled dough and roll it into a ball.  Toss it into the cinnamon and sugar and coat well.  Flatten a bit and place on the prepared sheet.  I made 6 to a pan as these are large cookies.  (Why have 2 little ones when you can have one big one I ask?)   Sprinkle just a bit more cinnamon and sugar on the tops and press to flatten a little.  Repeat for all of the cookies.

Bake 14 minutes and then let them sit in the pan 3-4 minutes after removing them from the oven.  They continue to develop  after leaving the oven.

When the cookies are cooled they should be soft and chewy in the middle.  They are a little moister than the traditional and a just a scootch sweeter.  I like they are chewy and less cake like.




Yield 26 large cookies.  Bet all of my Grandchildren will like these!

PS :  This is my 600th post on this blog.  I can't believe it.

Homebrewing Beer, Episode One, Our First Attempt.

This is the label from our can of extract.

Gees.....I have gone to the "American Home Brewers Association" website,  www,homebrewersassociation.org and watched the brewing films a half dozen times now.  My hope is that what we purchased is at least close to what they are directing!!  Time will surely tell.

The Home Brewing Kit.

We went to the Farm Bureau and purchased everything we should need last Saturday.  A knowledgeable fellow, Al, helped us and is also a home brewer so we felt good about his advice.   We didn't want to start this too soon and run it into having to process some part of it on Thanksgiving day!  We should be OK until at least Wednesday of next week.

The kit contained everything except the extract, sugar, caps, and bottles.

I have first drawn and let sit out overnight 5 gallons of water to loose the awful chlorine.  Then I boiled it all a  good 20 minutes and have left it covered overnight so it is sterile and cooled.  Next when Brian gets home and we have finished supper we will sterilize and get things rolling!!

ZERO HOUR.  First thing, we set about to dip 3 quarts of our prepared water into a stock pot and turn on the heat as it must be brought to a boil.  Next we drew a dishpan of hot water and after removing the label from the can of extract submerged the can in the water to warm it to make it more free flowing.  The next step was to mix 1 T. of the beer equipment disinfectant with 1 gal. of very warm water and disinfect everything that will touch the beer.  (You needn't worry about the water or pans because of the boiling and keeping them covered with their lids.)

We are making a 5 gallon batch rather than the 6 as specified by the kit as Al recommended cutting back the water only for a deeper flavor.  Hay Brian wants big flavor don't you know! 

The extract.

So now the water is boiling, everything should be sterile and we pour the contents from the can of extract into the brewing pail.

Dissolving the extract in the boiling water.

Next add the 3 quarts of boiling water and stir to dissolve.  As soon as it has dissolved Al said we should fill the empty extract can with the brewers sugar he sold us and add it, stirring again to dissolve.  Big B (Brian) is right in there and we re chugging along!

As soon as we complete this task we fill the brewing pail to the 5 gallon line with the room temperature and previously boiled water stirring away as we go.   They have a special lingo that goes along with this and if I recall correctly we now have "wort".  I think that is what they term the mixture before you "throw the yeast".

"Throwing the Yeast."

Next you do add the yeast, the water temperature is to be between 65 and 70 degrees which I find very very odd from my bread making past.   Well anyway, you stir and dissolve then proceed again.

Tucked away in a dark place.

At this point we lock on the lid, fill the air lock half full of water and insert it into the appropriate opening on the lid, and slide it away into a dark place not to be disturbed for a good week or so.  And we shall see what comes of our first attempt.........more to come.

Thanksgiving Menu and Prep for 11/22/12.

Homemade noodles ready to freeze until Thanksgiving Day.

This week I have been busy making lists of things to get done ahead and planning an easier than usual menu.  Also I have done some shopping and prep work that I will share with you.

Thanksgiving Menu  (tentative)       Recipe Given on:

Baked Ham                            Apple Butter Ham  9/24/11
Sweet Potatoes                       Sweet Potatoes  11/26/11 or 11/11/10
Green Bean Casserole            Fresh Green Bean Casserole  2/29/12
Chicken and Noodles             Make Egg Noodles  11/19/11
Vegetables and Dip
Potato Rolls                           Potato Rolls 11/18/11
Cranberries                            Cranberry Sauce  11/21/11

Pumpkin Pie                          Pumpkin Pie  10/5/10
Pecan Pie                               Pecan Pie  9/4/11
Sweetened Whipped Cream

Iced Tea and Lemonade

Munchie treats:  Chex Mix, Toasted Pecans, &  Maple Fudge
Spiced Pecans  12/7/10,  I am making the fudge for the first time this year and plan to post the recipe as soon as I do this one!
                                         
So I made this huge list on my I-phone and I am clicking things off as I get them done.  Today I have been carrying the parts to the two antique quilting frames down the stairs to the family room where I will ultimately use them.  Also I have two batches of noodles done and in the freezer and two more on the Hoosier Cabinet drying.

Tender and delicious homemade potato rolls partially baked and ready to freeze.

There is a batch of potato rolls covered and on their first rise sitting in a greased bowl on the stove.

Flaky pie crust disks ready for the freezer will become pies next week.

And, earlier today I put four pie crusts in disk shapes in the freezer, ready to thaw and roll out.

Next I have to scrub my 4 gallon stock pot and boil 4 gallons of water for Brian and I to start a batch of BEER.  Yes, he wants to start brewing our own beer.  So, this week we will start and I will keep you posted on how this turns out.  I for one am clueless and not a big beer drinker.

Tomorrow the cleaning people are scheduled in the morning to clean the upstairs carpeting and I will clean the downstairs bathroom and family room while they are here.  Then I would have to check the list to see what is left!!