Today we spent the afternoon at a friend’s house for a playdate. It was awesome and the boys had so much fun. We can’t wait to do it again!
Project 365 – Day 237
We got some new books at the library today.
Project 365 – Day 236
It may be in the 60s here but someone wanted to wear his stormtrooper hat.
In other news, we still don’t really know what is wrong with Mac. They seem to think that it’s possibly an infection with his prostrate. If that’s not the case, then he probably has prostrate cancer, which is not that bad, but it would mean that he would only have another 6-12 months to live. We’ll see. I’m praying that it’s just the infection and that the antibiotics will help him start feeling better soon.
Project 365 – Day 235
It is December! There are quite literally less than 11 days until Christmas! And what is blooming in Richmond? Cherry blossoms!!
On a separate note, it’s been a hard day for me. There’s a very good chance that Mac has leukemia. We’re not sure what he prognosis will look like or if it’s something that can be treated. I would hate to see him suffer. 
Lemon “Snowflakes”
I’ve been on a cookie baking kick this weekend. Today was by far the best cookie yet! I really thought that the lemon would be over powering and that I would hate it. Turns out, the lemon is perfectly balanced in this deliciously light and cakey cookie.
Ingredients
recipe from Cook’s Illustrated
makes about 2 dozen cookies
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 4 teaspoons grated lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice (about 2 lemons worth)
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg plus 1 large yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. Place confectioners’ sugar in small bowl and set aside. Process granulated sugar and lemon zest in food processor until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Add melted butter, oil, lemon juice, egg and yolk, and vanilla and process until pale and thickened, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl with flour mixture and stir until incorporated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill until dough is firm, at least 1 hour.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Working with 1 1/2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into balls, toss balls in confectioners’ sugar, and space them 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until cookies are cracked and set on top but look moist within cracks, 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Project 365 – Day 234
He really loves clementines
Project 365 – Day 233 – Molasses Cookies
Ingredients
recipe from Cook’s Illustrated
makes about 2 dozen
- 1/3 cup sugar, plus 1/2 cup for rolling
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup molasses
Directions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 375F
- Spread 1/2 cup sugar in a shallow dish, set aside. In medium bowl, whisk flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, cloves, allspice and salt together. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, brown sugar and remaining 1/3 cup sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-6 minutes. Beat in egg yolk and vanilla until combined. Beat in molasses until incorporated. Reduce speed to low and slowly add flour mixture until combined.
- Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into balls and then roll in sugar to coat. Space balls 2 inches apart on the baking sheet
- Bake cookies until edges are set and beginning to brown but centers are still soft and puffy, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to let cool.
Project 365 – Day 232 – Spritz Cookies
When I was still living at home with my parents, I convinced my mom to buy a cookie press. We really had no idea what we were doing with it or how many cookies it would produce, but it was experimenting and making a complete mess of the kitchen. Today, that cookie press has gone to cookie press heaven. The last batch of spritz cookies that I was pressing out, was just too much pressure on it and the top part snapped. I guess I’ll have to buy a new one for next Christmas.
Ingredients
recipe from Cook’s Illustrated
makes about 6 dozen
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Directions
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375F.
- Whisk egg yolk, cream and vanilla together in a small bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat butter, sugar and salt on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3-6 minutes. Beat in yolk mixture until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping bowl as needed. Reduce speed to low and slowly mix in flour until combined, about another 30 seconds.
- If using cookie press, follow manufacturer’s instructions to fill press. If using pastry bag, fit with 1/2 inch star tip and fill bag with half of the dough. Pipe cookies onto baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart and refilling cookie press or pastry bag as needed. (Piped cookies should measure about 1 inch in diameter)
- Bake cookies until light golden brown, about 10-12 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheet for about 10 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Project 365 – Day 231
Unfortunately, I’ve felt a bit under the weather the past day and a half, so Liam got to spend a few minutes this afternoon playing on the iPad so I could get some rest.
Project 365 – Day 230
Instead of going to the gym this morning, I decided to walk around the park. This was mainly because I wanted to get some sweet photos of the awesome fog we had, but then the sun came out and burned away all the beautifully delicious fog. So instead, I found some of the last remaining leaves of autumn.