MICKEY MOUSE Cookies

My nephew is turning "1" this November 11 and he is having a Mickey mouse themed birthday party.   

Here is the sugar cookies i baked for his birthday.

RECIPE: Baker's Best Snickerdoodles

This is just what I needed to bring a huge smile to my children's faces. got the recipe from "Rosie's Bakery Chocolate-Packed Jam-Filled Butter-Rich No-Holds-Barred Cookie Book" by Judy Rosenberg  during my trip in Boston.

baker's best snickerdoodles

Preheat the oven to 375F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease them lightly with vegetable oil.
Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a small bowl and set aside.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and vanilla together in a medium-size mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 minute. Stop the mixer once during the process to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, and scrape the bowl again at the end

Stop the mixer once during the process to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, and scrape the bowl again at the end. Add the eggs and beat on medium speed until they are blended, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl. Add half of the flour mixture, and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Scrape the bowl. Add the remaining flour mixture and blend on low for 25 seconds, stopping the mixer twice to scrape the bowl.

Combine the cinnamon with the 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Stir together thoroughly, and pour into a plastic bag.

Measure out generously rounded tablespoons of the dough, and roll them into balls with your hands.

Place 2 cookies at a time in the cinnamon/sugar mix and shake the bag to coat. Then place the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets,

bake until the centers are risen and slightly cracked and the edges are crisp, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets.

YUMMY Cookies

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar (for this recipe i just use 3/4 cup sugar plus 2 tbsp)
1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs

Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 375F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper, or grease them lightly with vegetable oil.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together into a small bowl and set aside.

Combine the cinnamon with the 2 tablespoons sugar in a small bowl. Stir together thoroughly, and pour into a plastic bag.

Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and vanilla together in a medium-size mixing bowl until light and fluffy, 1 minute. Stop the mixer once during the process to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula, and scrape the bowl again at the end.

Add the eggs and beat on medium speed until they are blended, about 30 seconds. Scrape the bowl. Add half of the flour mixture, and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Scrape the bowl. Add the remaining flour mixture and blend on low for 25 seconds, stopping the mixer twice to scrape the bowl.

Measure out generously rounded tablespoons of the dough, and roll them into balls with your hands. Place 2 cookies at a time in the cinnamon/sugar mix and shake the bag to coat. Then place the balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets, and bake until the centers are risen and slightly cracked and the edges are crisp, 16 to 18 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets.

If you plan to snack on them the first day, place the cookies on a plate or simply leave them on the baking sheet. After that, layer the cookies in an airtight container, using plastic wrap, parchment, or waxed paper between the layers, and store the container in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. Bring the cookies to room temperature before eating. Makes 30 cookies.

visiting Rosie's Bakery at Boston

I heard great things about Rosie's Bakery from Heny Sison,  I finally made it at their Boston bakeshop last October 31, 2010 and bought the famous Chocolate Orgasm Brownies. All of the cakes, brownies and cookies on display looked mouth watering. I wanted to sample one of everything! I will post later her recipe Baker's Best Snickerdoodles which i baked  for our merienda today which was included in her Rosie's Bakery Chocolate-Packed, Jam-Filled, Butter-Rich, No-Holds-Barred Cookie Book

RECIPE: Strawberry Oatmeal Bars

I love this recipe.These bars are so yummy and easy to make. You can really use any flavor jam, so I used SMUCKERS strawberry jam that i bought at Makati Supermarket...delicious. I shared them with friends who also loved them and wanted me to make again.

strawberry jam i used

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch rectangular pan.

Mix together the butter, flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt.

Press half the oat mixture into the prepared pan.

i used my MEAT pounder to press the mixture

Spread with the strawberry preserves

i used the whole bottle.... YUMMY

Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture over the top and pat lightly. Bake until light brown, 30 to 40 minutes

Let cool completely

and then cut into squares or rectangles.  Serve Warm or Chilled.

Ingredients

• 3/4 bar salted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• One 10 to 12-ounce jar strawberry preserves (I used Smucker for this recipe)

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch rectangular pan. 
• Mix together the butter, flour, oats, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. 
• Press half the oat mixture into the prepared pan. 
• Spread with the strawberry preserves. 
• Sprinkle the other half of the oat mixture over the top and pat lightly. 
• Bake until light brown, 30 to 40 minutes. 
•  Let cool completely, 
• and then cut into squares. 

recipe adapted from: Food Network

RECIPE: Spam Musubi

Classes here in Muntinlupa is still suspended because of Flood in certain areas.  Today i made Spam musubi for our snacks.

SPAM musubi in Bento. I want to motivate  my daughter to eat.

 


Spam musubi is a popular snack and lunch food in Hawaii composed a slice of grilled Spam atop of a block of rice, wrapped together with nori dried seaweed in the tradition of Japanese omusubi. - Wikipedia

In a saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes.

Rice Vinegar  Brand i used in this Recipe

add rice vinegar

STIR

while cooking the rice, SLICE the spam according to desired size of sushi



In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook slices for 2 minutes per side,

or until lightly browned

NORI Sheets i bought from local Japanese store

Rectangular Sushi Rice Press Mold i bought at SAIZEN store for 88pesos. Cut nori sheets in half and lay on a flat work surface. it helps if you use "pre-toasted" nori sheets. Untoasted nori can be tough. Another tip to keep the rice from sticking to your hands; have a bowl of water handy to wet your hands and the musubi mold.

In a separate bowl, stir together soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Slice luncheon meat lengthwise into 10 slices, or to desired thickness, and marinate in sauce for 5 minutes.

assemble the slice of luncheon meat

in the rectangular sushi press

ADD rice or You can sprinkle furikake on the Spam before you add the layer of rice

layer of rice

 press rice tightly inside

Wrap nori around rice mold

sealing edges with a small amount of water. 

You can also use the spam can as a mold by CAREFULLY cutting the bottom out of it with an x-acto knife

enjoy. Do not refrigerate musubi, as they will get dry and rubbery. Tips: Use Korean roasted seaweed instead of Japanese sushi nori. Korean roasted seaweed is thinner and more brittle than Japanese sushi nori, so that when you bite into it, it will break off instead of squeeze together. I think that the flavor of Korean roasted seaweed is better, too – sweet and salty, not as bitter. Assembling will be much easier if you use a special Spam musubi mold.  I got mine for Saizen Store. If you’re making a lot for a party, you can cut each Spam musubi in half.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups uncooked short-grain white rice
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar (Mizkan Brand)
• 2 tbsps & 1 1/4tsp  soy sauce
• 2 tbsps & 1 1/4tsp  oyster sauce
• 1/4 cup and 2 tsps white sugar
• 1 (12 ounce) container fully cooked luncheon meat (e.g. Spam)
• 5 sheets sushi nori (dry seaweed)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

 COOKING DIRECTIONS

• In a saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil. 
• Add rice and stir. 
• Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. 
• Stir in rice vinegar, and set aside to cool.
• In a separate bowl, stir together soy sauce, oyster sauce, and sugar until sugar is completely dissolved. Slice luncheon meat lengthwise into 10 slices, or to desired thickness, and marinate in sauce for 5 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Cook slices for 2 minutes per side, or until lightly browned. Cut nori sheets in half and lay on a flat work surface. Place a rice press in the center of the sheet, and press rice tightly inside. Top with a slice of luncheon meat, and remove press. Wrap nori around rice mold, sealing edges with a small amount of water. (Rice may also be formed by hand in the shape of the meat slices, 1 inch thick.) Serve.
• TIPS: it helps if you use "pre-toasted" nori sheets. Untoasted nori can be tough. 
• Use Korean roasted seaweed instead of Japanese sushi nori. Korean roasted seaweed is thinner and more brittle than Japanese sushi nori, so that when you bite into it, it will break off instead of squeeze together.
• Another tip to keep the rice from sticking to your hands; have a bowl of water handy to wet your hands and the musubi mold.
• Assembling will be much easier if you use a special Spam musubi mold.  I got mine for Saizen Store.
•  If you’re making a lot for a party, you can cut each Spam musubi in half.