October Cookie of the Month: Cookie Dough 101

October’s cookie of the month took a fantastic turn towards teaching, encouragement and fun.  A group of young ladies and their children assembled in the Exile’s Kitchen for Cookie Dough 101. The premise for the get together was to fill the freezer of each family represented with rolls of cookie dough, so Holiday preparations would be easier. To make things light and fun (as if these ladies and girls needed help doing so) we all wore froofroo aprons, with a prize of bakeware for the most June Cleaver-like apron.

20181027_112654 The little girls and boy held in there for the first batch of cookie dough making (August Cookie of the Month: Cranberry Pecan Shortbread), but then the front porch and sunshine and woods called them outside, so the mamas finished the other two recipes. The little girls didn’t want cranberries and pecans in their shortbread and opted for sprinkles. They named their creation: Funfetti Shortbread.

The second cookie dough was a Brown Sugar Cookie, which is good base for any add-in you may want.  The lone teenager of the class added Heath candy pieces and milk chocolate chips to her bowl, calling her mix up Heath Chocolate Bar Cookies.

The third cookie dough was a basic sugar cookie, rolled up in parchment paper and ready for slicing and baking later in the Holiday season.

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Cookie Dough Rolls

Some of the comments today:

“I never think to put on an apron, but I’m digging this.”

“Aprons are handy. They keep your outfit clean and you can dry dishes with it.”

“Is that just a ruffle on yours or pockets too?”

“Yes, pockets. For a recipe card or gathering eggs or holding my loaded pistol..!” Just kidding.

Plans have been made for more gathering in the Exile’s Kitchen for simple beginner classes.

Here’s the Brown Sugar Cookie recipe: cream together 1 cup softened butter and 1 1/2 cups of firmly packed brown sugar. Add 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk, and 1 tablespoon vanilla to butter and sugar. In another bowl, combine 3 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Then slowly add flour mixture to butter mixture. Then fold in your favorite add-in- chocolate chips, toffee pieces, nuts, whatever, it’s your cookie dough. Bob Ross would agree with me. It Started With A Happy Little Cloud

With a cookie scoop, drop onto parchment lined cookie sheet, two inches apart and bake  at 350° for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly on cookie sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Cookie and Froofroo Apron Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen.

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It Started With A Happy Little Cloud

This week was so much fun; a happy little cloud in a crisscross sky started my week out with a smile.

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That fluffy little smudge, kinda in the middle of the picture, got me thinking about the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross.  He had a gentle way of speaking and a huge ‘fro of hair. He would use a 2″ brush to paint trees, clouds, water, whatever. When I saw the cloud, it made me think of the famous Bob Ross phrase: “It’s your world. You want a cloud in it? Well, go ahead, put it wherever you want.”

I made up a Facebook  contest: a box of Cajun Pralines to the person who could identify the one who said the above mentioned phrase.

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Players needed a hint and this was it. Sadly, some players guessed Richard Simmons!
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I posted this when I announced the winner.
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A trip to the craft store for paper supplies = dressed up box of pralines

Wednesday at choir practice, the winner was excited when she received  her prize and she shared with the ladies around her. I’ll have another contest in late  November- something with a Christmas theme.

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Thursday brought an early Christmas to my youngest son. Nobel prize winner Bob Dylan played at Thalia Mara Hall in Jackson. It was a great concert. Lots of aged hippies, but some of us younger people too. Only at a Dylan concert would I be considered younger.

Before the concert, we ate supper at the Iron Horse Grill. Tillman was our server. Hot Tamales, Shrimp Fahitas, Shrimp and Grits. I love Shrimp and Grits. If you want really good Southern food, you must try the Iron Horse  Grill. Check out their menu on-line.

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George, waiting to get into the hall, perused the program.

Friday we went to the big home improvement store for a palm sander and a set of attic stairs. We also came home with this.

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George named him Jimmy

Saturday I spent the day at my farm house. Leaving that evening, the stars were magnificent .  I haven’t seen the stars like that in over two years. Living in town (with its glaring street lights) obscures the night sky.

Before the sun went down, I walked my property and snapped a few pictures. Swept steps, baseball bats, purple petunias, old out house, stunning sycamore.

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Take the time to enjoy  life: nature’s beauty, good food, great music, friends and family, simple things.

Blessings from the Exile’s Kitchen..