Walking is the perfect way of moving if you want to see into the life of things. It is the one way of freedom. If you go to a place on anything but your own feet you are taken there too fast, and miss a thousand delicate joys that were waiting for you by the wayside. Elizabeth von Arnim

Translate

Saturday, February 28, 2015

Cookie day

Another bird
☀     ☀     ☀     ☀
It was a sunny morning but looks can be deceiving.  No walk outside today - it was a chilly 2 below zero.  So once more it was an inside walk.

I had some of those heart shaped cookies I made for the kids at church a couple of weeks ago left in the freezer.  Some of the icing was left too in the refrigerator and this morning I tried my hand at icing them again.  I thinned the icing and though they aren't perfect, I did a lot better job on them this time.  Ken thought so too and ate a couple of them right away.  : )
It was a day for cookies.  I also made the Black and White cookies and I'm pleased to say they turned out great.  Easy to make too.  Here they are ready for the oven.
 17 minutes later they came out looking like this.
 Once cooled they are turned over and the flat side is iced.
 We couldn't wait for snack time this evening to taste one so we shared one right away.  Oh my are they so good.  I think better even than the one from Brenda's.

New York Black and White Cookies
Ingredients
For Cookies
  • 1 1/4 cups flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup buttermilk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
For Black and White icing
  • 1 1/2 cups icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon clear corn syrup
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 tablespoon water (approx)
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
Directions
Cookies
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Sift together flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl.
  • In small bowl or cup, mix together buttermilk and vanilla.
  • Beat butter and white sugar together in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer for about 3 minutes or until it's evenly distributed.
  •  Add egg to butter and sugar mixture, and beat until blended.
  • Gradually beat in flour mixture one cup at a time, and add in buttermilk mixture  between each cup of flour, and mix until smooth.  It will be necessary to scrape down the sides of the bowl while mixing.
  • Spoon batter in 1/4 cup size servings onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  (I used the quarter cup scoop from Pampered Chef and made 7.
  • Bake on middle rack for about 15-17 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched.
  • Place on a cooling rack, and allow to cool completely before icing.
Icing
  • Stir together icing sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1/2 tablespoon of water in bowl until smooth.
  • Place half of mixture into separate bowl and add cocoa powder, and remaining water bit by bit until it is the same consistency as the white icing.  If the icing is too runny, add more icing sugar until it is smooth and spreadable.
  •  Turn cooled cookies flat side up, and spread icing - half with white icing and half with chocolate.
The icing does not set solid on these cookies, and does not harden, but it dries enough to be wrapped as they are sold in the city. They can be wrapped individually in cellophane, or sealed in a plastic container.

Yesterday we had chicken for dinner and this evening I made Chicken A La King with the left over chicken.  It had been years since I made that.  My kids used to love it.  It was very good and something different for a change.

Thanks for all the kind words about the scarf I knitted.  It was really easy and fun to do. 
That's about it for today.
Hope your day has been a happy one.
happyone : )
How beautiful a day can be
when kindness touches it.
~ George Elliston
Update on my Mom:
They met with 4 surgeons and it was decided that my Mom would go ahead with the open heart surgery.  The prognosis is good and she should be fine.  Her surgery will probably be the end of March.  It is in God's hands and we will trust Him. 

16 comments:

Dianna said...

Your heart cookies turned out beautifully, my friend. And I was hoping you were going to say that you made the black and whites also! I'm going to be trying those cookies this week! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!

It was 4 above at 7:30 this morning, but it did warm up to 39 here this afternoon! We are forecast to have more snow this coming week...Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday...another 3-6 inches. :) I guess all of this lovely white we've been seeing the last few months will really make us appreciate the green grass and tree leaves and the beautiful array of color in the flowers in a few months, yes?

Have a great evening!

Ruth Hiebert said...

All your cookies look so tasty.

mrsbearfoot said...

Both batches of cookies look delicious!

Lindy

Billy said...

Thank you for posting the recipe. I may have to try that while I am on vacation. (((HUGS))) for your mom!

Anonymous said...

You're quite the baker! Your hearts look like hearts! Your black and whites look yummy.
I'm glad the docs know what to do for your mom. Will be praying about her surgery. Mary Jo

eileeninmd said...

Thank you for sharing the B&W cookie recipe, I hope you do not mind I copied it.. The heart cookies look yummy too. I will keep your Mom in my prayers. Have a happy Sunday!

Kerri Farley said...

Both sets of cookies look Yummy!!!
Your Mom is in good hands :)

Happy@Home said...

It may have been cold outside, but I can tell it was warm inside with all of the cookie baking going on. Great job on the hearts and the black & whites look yummy. Thanks for the recipe.
Your mom continues to be in my prayers.

John's Island said...

Hi Happyone, The cookies look wonderful. I want to try the recipe. I will add your mom to my prayer list. I had open heart surgery in 2010 ... triple bypass. So I do have an idea of what she is going through. May God bless and be with her. John

Betsy Banks Adams said...

YUM---you have now made me hungry, and it's only 10:00 in the morning and definitely not time for some cookies... BUT--both of yours look delicious....

Hope you are staying nice and warm up there. We are FINALLY thawing out some from all of our storms. They said on TV that the temperatures here did not get above freezing since Feb. 14.... Then the 5 storms hit.. It will take awhile to get all of this junk thawed out --and then the yard clean-up begins in our yard. HUGE JOB.
Hugs,
Betsy

George said...

I think Cookie Day would be a wonderful day to invite myself to visit you. We'll keep your Mom in our prayers.

Marianna said...

I'll continue to pray for your mom as she prepares for surgery.

The Black and Whites look delicious!!

Pom Pom said...

Every day should be a cookie day! Yours look great!

o2bhiking said...

The cookies look great. Hope the surgery for your mom goes well.

Deb J. in Utah said...

Those cookies look so good and so yummy! Hope all goes well for your mom!

Vee said...

Praying for your mom...glad that she knows the plan...one less thing to fret about.

Had to pin the Black and Whites...I want to try them.