soft sugar cookies

I made these today, and they were great!


Award winning sugar cookies

recipe from Allrecipes

NGREDIENTS:

2/3 cup shortening 2/3 cup butter 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2.	In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, stir into the creamed mixture until dough comes together. Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in sugar. Place them on an unprepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
3.	Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottom is light brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Addictive tomato soup

(I moved this recipe over from my old food blog - sogoodsoeasy.blogspot.com )

"My new favorite addictive taste"

That was Reid's response to this easy soup I put together a few years ago

There's no exact recipe

Here's what I did:

Sauteed in olive oil: half a large onion, a small pepper and three cloves of garlic - all chopped.

While cooking, added hot pepper flakes (generous pinch), dried basil (about 1/2 tsp) and dried oregano (about 1/4 tsp).



Poured in 2 cans chopped tomatoes and 1 can chicken broth





Added pepper to taste plus a couple teaspoons sugar (I used brown)

Simmered 15-20 minutes

Took off heat and stirred in 1/2 cup cream

Simmered 15 to 20 minutes

Perfect with crusty fermented european bread

Soft Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookes

I have made these cookies 2 times already this fall and they are a hit!  They stay soft and make the BEST breakfast the next day!

Soft Glazed Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup pumpkin puree {canned pumpkin}
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 large eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

for the glaze-
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat and set aside. In a large bowl, stir butter, oil, pumpkin, sugars, vanilla and eggs together until incorporated and smooth. Slowly mix in all dry ingredients until completely incorporated. Scoop onto prepared baking sheet using 1 1/2 tablespoon scoop and flatten to 1/2 inch thick using the bottom of a glass. If the dough is sticking to the glass, press the bottom of the glass in granulated sugar before flattening. Bake 8-9 minutes.

While cookies bake, stir all ingredients together for glaze until smooth.

Once cookies are finished baking, cool 3 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack. Spread 1 1/2 teaspoons glaze over each warm cookie. Let glaze harden 2-3 hours before serving. OR eat them warm with lots of runny glaze :)

Pumpkin pie spice Recipe 
(in case you live in Ghana and can't find any)
from the kitchen

How To Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

Makes 2 1/3 tablespoons

Adapted from The Contemporary Encyclopedia of Herbs & Spices by Tony Hill

What You Need

Ingredients1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Equipment
Measuring spoons, bowl, whisk or spoon

Instructions

1. Measure: Measure out all ingredients in the order listed (to ensure you don't double up or leave one out) into a small bowl.
2. Mix: Whisk or stir to combine. Store in an airtight container for up to 1 year