Favorite soft sugar cookies

I made these cookies star shaped for our back-to-school, all-star, grandchildren!

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies - from allrecipes.com
(I added a little almond extract)

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies I

Rated: Submitted By: Janel Deppe Photo By: justamom Servings: 30

"Soft sugar cookies =)"

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 cups white sugar 1 cup butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 eggs 1 cup sour cream 5 cups all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 2 tablespoons evaporated milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/8 teaspoon salt 4 cups confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Cream together 1 1/2 cups white sugar, butter or margarine, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and eggs. Add sour cream.
2.	Mix together 5 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, baking powder and baking soda. Gradually add to the egg-sugar mixture.
3.	Cover and chill dough for 1 hour.
4.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
5.	Roll out on lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out cookies. Bake on lightly greased cookie sheet for 10 - 12 minutes.
6.	To Make Frosting: In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat together the softened cream cheese and evaporated milk until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1/8 teaspoon salt and confectioners' sugar. Beat until well blended. Color as desired and frost cooled cookies.

Sugar Cookie Icing - also from allrecipes.com
(I made the icing thicker and spread it on the cookies)

Sugar Cookie Icing

Rated: Submitted By: JBS BOX Photo By: HappyHousewife Prep Time: 15 Minutes Ready In: 15 Minutes Servings: 12

"Sugar cookie icing is a quick and easy recipe using ingredients you most likely already have on hand."

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup confectioners' sugar 2 teaspoons milk 2 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon almond extract assorted food coloring

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a small bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.
2.	Divide into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to desired intensity. Dip cookies, or paint them with a brush.

Tumeric Tea

How To: Making Turmeric Tea
Published: 8/7/2013

From Dr Weil

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is a culinary spice that spans cultures - it is a major ingredient in Indian curries, and is what makes American mustard yellow. Evidence is accumulating that this brightly colored relative of ginger is a promising disease-preventive agent as well, outperforming many pharmaceuticals in its effects against chronic, debilitating diseases such as Alzheimer's, arthritis, cancer and even possibly depression - all with virtually no adverse side effects.

To get more turmeric into your diet, consider drinking it in tea form. The recipe is simple, and you can experiment with the ingredients and flavorings until you find a combination that suits your taste.

Turmeric Tea

1. Bring four cups of water to a boil.
2. Add one teaspoon of ground turmeric and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Strain the tea through a fine sieve into a cup, add honey and/or lemon to taste.

Some people like to add a teaspoon of ginger along with the turmeric. While ground versions are more convenient, it's worthwhile to experiment with freshly grated turmeric for a more vibrant flavor. These distinctive, deep-orange roots are increasingly available in American grocery and natural food stores. Enjoy!

Easy Chocolate Cake

Love this cake!

I made this last week for our Sunday Dinner on the deck. All the family was here so that means 17 hungry grandchildren running around. We gave the kids ice cream bars and the adults (mostly the ladies) gathered around the table and devoured every bit of this 9x12 cake. We just kept cutting off little pieces as we chatted. We told the kids - "this is the grown up dessert."

The recipe (and picture) is from Cinnamon and Spice and Everything Nice

Chocolate Sour Cream Snack Cake

Ingredients

1 + 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 + 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa*

1 + 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup shortening or butter, softened

1 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream (regular or light, not non-fat)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

frosting:

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1/3 cup sour cream (not non-fat)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted

4 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus more if needed

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour a 9x13x2 inch baking pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl sift flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt together. Add shortening, milk and sour cream; beat on medium speed 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl. Add eggs and vanilla; beat 2 more minute.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan; bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from center. Cool on wire racks 15-20 minutes, turn out and cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting.
4. To make frosting: in a large mixing bowl cream butter and sour cream together until fluffy on medium speed, beat in vanilla and cocoa powder, add one cup of confectioners’ sugar at a time until you reach a nice, thick consistency, continue to beat on medium speed until fluffy 3-4 minutes. Spread evenly over top of cake.

Notes

*Use Dutch-processed or European cocoa.

Recipe adapted from McCalls ©1910

Read more: http://www.cinnamonspiceandeverythingnice.com/chocolate-sour-cream-snack-cake/#ixzz2bGUFj1FW