A New Christmas Cookie Cookbook by Guest Carroll Pellegrinelli!

 by Guest Carroll Pellegrinelli

Are you planning on serving a variety of Christmas cookies this holiday season? I’ve got 3 tips for you. One, start making your cookie doughs now. Lately, each batch of cookie dough I’ve made, I only bake half and freeze the other half for later. You’ll find that most of the doughs in my book are freezable. Plus, many of the already-baked cookies may be frozen as well. I prefer to freeze the dough. It’s a joy to be able to offer several types of freshly baked cookies at one time without having to go through all the extra steps in making them.

My second tip is to be sure your panty is fully stocked. Don’t get caught out when you only have time to either go to the store or to bake cookies. Some of the basics you should always have on hand are flour, sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and vanilla. Did you know that you can bake cookies only with flour, sugar and butter? Look for the recipe for Shortbread recipe in my book.

 

Lastly and most importantly, order The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook today. You’ll have access to over 60 recipes. You’d be surprised at how many new recipes you can make this year. The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook can be ordered most anywhere. For your convenience, the link for Amazon is: https://amzn.to/2ZIZzQk

 

I hope you enjoy this recipe for Pinwheel Cookies.

 

Carroll Pellegrinelli is a Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author. The Easy Christmas Cookie Cookbook is her second cookbook, and third book. It can be purchased via Amazon at https://amzn.to/2ZIZzQk.

 

Carroll’s second book and first cookbook Starter Sourdough – The Step-by-Step Guide to Sourdough Starters was number 6 on the Wall Street Journal Bestsellers List. You can purchase it from Amazon at: https://amzn.to/2OIzHAX

 

Travel with the Lee Girls as They Shop and Eat Their Way Through the South – New Orleans was Carroll’s first book.  It is part mother- daughter travelogue including most of the tried-and-true well-known recipes served in and around the Quarter. You’ll also find lots of fun shopping tips and favorite restaurant recommendations. It’s a fun book even if you’re just traveling vicariously. You can find it on Amazon at: https://amzn.to/2DKkln4

 

Butter Pecan Cookies - More Sweet Treats Without Sugar

Cookies, cakes, pies, cobblers, dumplings, candy, you name it, I love 'em. I'm one of those people who feels as though a meal isn't complete until I have something sweet. Even if it's a couple shots of RediWhip, I just gotta have sweet. But that need can create a dilemma when you're trying to cut sugar and white flour from your diet. So, I've been experimenting with some low-carb recipes, like the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins I shared last week. You can find the link to that recipe here.

This week, it was time for cookies. And since my husband LOVES pecans, I decided to try this recipe for Butter Pecan Cookies from Joy Filled Eats (click here for recipe).

Verdict? They were pretty good, despite a couple of errors on my part. That's what I get for multitasking. First I forgot to divide the sweetener and added all of it to the dough instead of half, then I failed to read the part about flattening the cookies. I discovered that about halfway through the baking time. So, I grabbed a solid spatula (as opposed to one with holes in it), opened the oven, flattened all the little balls, then let them finish baking. This actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The recipe said that the cookies were crisp but I'm not a big fan of crisp cookies, which was why I didn't flatten them too much. The result was a soft butter cookie. Though I will make sure I add the correct amount of sweetener next time.

Now for some just-because photos. Get a load of this fiery sunrise I caught on my way home from the gym one morning. 

And Little Miss came to visit a couple of weeks ago. We'd all gone to check on things where they've been digging for arrowheads and while we wandered, this little one had no problem occupying herself. 

If there'd only been some water around, I'm sure she'd have made a round of mud pies for all of us.

I don't think I'll be making mud pies anytime soon, though I'm certain I'll be trying out some more low-carb dessert recipes. Do you have a favorite low-carb treat?

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com

Revisiting Chocolate Chip Cookies and the Rodeo

Normally, September would be county fair time all across south central Texas. And that can only mean one thing.

Rodeo! 

Of course, things are a little different this year. The fair has been pared down significantly and there will be no  rodeo. So, instead, we're just going to take a little step back in time to our first county fair .

Where patriotism reigns.

Along with ropin',

Barrel racing,

Bronc and bull riding.

It's a tradition that's gone on for decades. And small town at its best.

But, boy, it'll work up an appetite and have your sweet tooth clamoring for something every bit as classic. And you can't get more classic than chocolate chip cookies.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and shortening.

Add sugars...

And beat until well blended. 

Add eggs.

And, you guessed it, beat well. Until it looks like this.

With mixer on low, add flour, salt, soda and cinnamon a little at a time so as not to send flour flying everywhere. Once everything is incorporated, beat at medium to high speed for another minute.

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if you're using them. I didn't, because there are some in my house who frown on nuts. Brats.

 Spoon onto ungreased baking sheet. I like to use a cookie scoop, like this.

I have a larger one I use when I'm making cupcakes. It helps keep everything nice and uniform. 

Bake 8-12 minutes, or until golden.

There's a reason these cookies are a classic. And they always get eaten.

Now it's your turn. Have you ever been to a rodeo? If so, what's your favorite event? And more important, what's your favorite cookie?

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, one sassy pup, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com

Christmas in July

I'm sure I have you all frightened by now. But if the Hallmark Channel can do it, so can I. Especially since I've officially begun my Christmas shopping. Yes, you read that right. It was only ornaments, though. I give each of my kids and grandkids an ornament every year and Hallmark's ornament debut was this weekend, so I took the opportunity to grab some now and accumulate reward points that I can redeem when they bring out the next round in October. So see, there's a method behind my madness. That said, I've already warned hubby that Christmas décor will be going up right after Halloween. I love all of the twinkling lights and with the year we've had, it just feels right. I will also be writing a Christmas book during that time, so why not surround myself with inspiration.

Since we can't talk about Christmas without thinking about Christmas cookies, I thought I'd share this recipe I first saw on a Pioneer Woman Christmas special years ago. Because while they may look Christmassy, the citrussy flavor makes them perfect for summer. You can find Ree's recipe for Christmas Cherries here.

Here's what you'll need:

• 2 sticks butter, softened (Ree says salted butter, but I only had unsalted, so I added pinch of salt to the mixture)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 egg yolks
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• Zest of one orange
• 2 cups all purpose flour, sifted twice
• green and/or red candied cherries cut in half for topping (this makes them nice and festive for the holidays, but I omit them the rest of the year)

In a large mixing bowl cream butter and sugar until fluffy.

Add the vanilla, egg yolks, lemon zest and juice and orange zest and mix until combined.

Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl then mix again.

Add the sifted flour and mix until combined.

Put dough into a zip top plastic bag and refrigerate until firm.

When you're ready to make the cookies, preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Roll dough into one-inch balls and place on baking sheets.

If you're using the cherries, carefully press 1 half, cut side down, into each ball. If you're not using the cherries, you could press them to slightly flatten or make a thumbprint or whatever. Even criss-cross with a fork, like for peanut butter cookies. Just don't make them too thin.

Bake for about 20 minutes, but don't allow them brown, then cool on wire rack.

Okay, so envision these without the cherries. You could even dust them with powdered sugar, like lemon bars. But these are so light and buttery and that citrus flavor so refreshing... Can you tell I love them? I could eat every one of them by myself. But that would be bad, so I will share them with you.

We're hotter'n blue blazes here in Texas. Actually, I think much of the country is stuck under some heat ridge of high pressure, so you may be sweltering, too. With triple-digit heat, this is where I do the opposite of Ruthy. Now's the time when I hunker down in the air conditioning and do lots of writing. And dream of cooler temperatures. And eat delicious lemony cookies. ;-) 

How hot is it where you are?

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, one sassy pup, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com

Taking Comfort in Cookies

I don't know about you, but when chaos reigns, I want to bake/cook. There's a reason we refer to things as "comfort food." It's because it's something that comforts us when life gets wonky. Well, life has gotten pretty wonky for most of us these days. Things we once took for granted are now taboo. We can't go to the gym or the beauty shop...or church!

All of this social distancing has required some creativity. Many of us are doing more things online, like church. But we also feel uncomfortable, fearful, because suddenly, we're being ruled by some invisible force that is spreading across the world. 

Things just aren't right. Therefore, I need comfort food. I'm in control when I'm in my kitchen. And lately, I find myself wanting to make things I haven't had in years. Things that remind me of simpler times or being a kid. And what's more kid-friendly than cookies?

Peanut butter cookies have long been a favorite of mine, but for some reason I can't remember the last time I made them. Wait, that's not completely true. I do make peanut blossoms--the ones with the Hershey kiss in the middle--during the holidays. But I'm talking about old-school peanut butter cookies. The kind with the little crisscross of the fork on top.

Lightbulb moment! Now I remember why I don't make them. Because I'm the only one in my house who likes them. And you know what that means.

I wasn't about to let that discourage me, though. So I pulled out my tried and true Betty Crocker cookbook and went to the same recipe I've always used.

Here's what you'll need:

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar 
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 egg
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix sugars, shortening, peanut butter and egg. 

Stir in flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

Shape dough into 1 1/4 inch balls and place 3 inches apart on baking sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with fork.

Bake 10-12 minutes. I don't let mine get too brown, because I don't like crispy cookies.

Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack. Of course, I didn't let them cool completely before I dug in. Warm cookies are always the best.

Mmmmm… My childish heart--not to mention my taste buds--were happy dancing.

Isn't it interesting how food can effect our mood? How there are certain things we gravitate to depending on our mood. And I have no doubt many of us are indulging in our favorite comfort foods these days. 

What are some recipes you turn to when life gets bumpy?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, one sassy pup, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com

In Search of Beauty - Ranch Style

The world has been consumed with the coronavirus for weeks and things have reached a frenzied pace. It's all we hear about on TV and there was one day when my phone seemed to explode each and every hour with alerts . So take a deep breath and let's escape the madness. Join me as we do a little exploring on the ranch, in search of hidden beauty.

A lot of the ranch looks like this.

Grazing land.

However, there's a good bit that looks like this.

 Thick and dense. Chaotic.

One day, hubby was driving along one of the trails and spotted a dogwood tree in bloom. Except, you could only see the top of it. Getting to it was another story. So, we went on a search. 

The underbrush was thick and brambles kept catching on my clothes as I picked my way through, ducking under low-hanging limbs. Then there was this.

Ha! Guess which one of us was smart enough to wear her rubber boots? Thanks to this creek bed, I no longer had to dodge the brambles. I was almost there. See the skinny tree trunk in the foreground on the left? That's a dogwood tree. 

But where are the blooms we saw?

I found one scraggly one dangling from a skimpy little branch.

Then I looked up.

 They're a little hard to see, backdropped by the sky.

But they're there. Hundreds of them.

All that beauty, hidden in the chaos of the woods. Not so different from life right now. Sometimes the beauty of life gets buried deep in the thorns, and it's difficult to see. But the beauty is still there, waiting to be discovered.

Yes, even in the chaos swirling around us now, there's beauty to be found. We can even be that beauty. A bright spot in the life of someone who feels as though they're surrounded by darkness. Do you know someone who's health could be compromised by a trip to the grocery store? Offer to go for them. Speak kindly to those who are frantic around you. Be patient and smile. Sometimes, a little goes a long way.

Remember, God's got this. And He's got you. Be beauty in the chaos.

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, one sassy pup, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com.