almond sugar cookies

It's no secret that cookies are my favourite thing to bake at Christmas time

This recipe is from the Christmas Cookies 2014 magazine from Better Homes and Gardens US.

Ingredients
250g butter (1 cup)
1.5 cups granulated sugar
.5tsp baking powder
.5tsp slat
2 eggs
.25cup milk
1tsp vanilla extract
.5tsp almond extract
.5cup ground almonds
3 cups all purpose flour

Method
* cream butter, sugar, baking powder and salt
* mix in eggs, milk, vanilla, almond
* mix in almonds and flour
* refrigerate about 2hrs, until chilled
* roll out and cut with 2.5" cutter
* bake 7-10min at 180ºC/350ºF

Notes
* I used self-raising flour, because I ran out of plain flour
* the day was too hot to roll out the dough, so I formed logs and froze them
* I baked for 12min, but they were a bit soft, 14min is perfect for choc chip cookies, so I'll try that next time
* then I quickly iced with a glaze.
* the almond flavour is milk enough that the kids loved these biscuits (probably for the icing)
* I think I'll add these to the cook-again-list

a december to remember

If you've been around here for any length of time, you'll know I'm an excuse maker. I constantly find reasons to talk myself out of doing something. After making it through October blogging every day, I'm trying really hard to change that excuse-making behaviour, by pushing myself to take on more projects that fuel my passion.

And next to blogging, my passion is still, after all these years, capturing the memories through scrapbooking, in whatever format that takes. I've long subscribed to Stacey Julian's belief that a blog is an online scrapbook, but as I stand in the middle of my craft room, I realise that I want something a little bit more tangible, something to hold in my hands.

[Natalie randomly stumbled on my blog last week, it was amazing to listen to her giggling away, as she read through the posts I've shared about her]

So I'm taking on a December project. I decided to use the same list I created last year for And Sew We Craft's photo a day project, with a goal of taking the photos again next year to compare differences.

As I mentioned in my newsletter last month, I've got a plan for creating an album, which I'll share next month. My goal for December is to simply take the photos, share them to instagram, and make notes each day in my journal. I think that's something I can actually manage to achieve.

Are you doing a December project?

stocking stuffers for bakers

It's no secret that I love to bake, so all these things would be suitable to find under my tree on Christmas Day, but my guess is that any baker would love to find something from this list, too.

1. Baker's Secret fluted tube from Matchbox
2. Cake Boss mini alphabet cutters from Kitchen Style
3. Cake Boss offset spatula from Kitchen Style
4. OXO angled measuring jug from Kitchenware Direct
5. Paul Hollywood's Pies and Puds from Booktopia
6. AWW Children's Birthday Cake book  from Booktopia

Other ideas include cake stands, ceramic mixing bowls, spoonulas, balloon whisks, piping bags, measuring spoons, cookie trays, fresh spices and a microplane, sifter, magazine subscription.

stocking stuffers for the men in your life

If the man in your life is anything like mine, he has no idea what he wants when you ask, because he always buys what he needs when he needs it. It makes gift-buying very hard! So as I've been browsing to create my other lists, I've kept a sharp eye out for suitable items for him.

it's my mug from Maxwell & Williams

whiskey stones from Atticus Fox

man candle in sawdust from Atticus Fox

Stanely vacuum flask from Kitchenware Direct

Rubber mallet from Bunnings

stocking stuffers for bloggers

kimono mug from Maxwell & Williams

Cocoon Grid-It Accessory Organiser from Apple

Muku Shuttr from Kogan

WD My Passport Ultra 1TB external hard drive from Officeworks

Vision board kit from Kikki K

Other ideas include a wall calendar, pens and highlighters, cloud storage, USB drive, diary, notebook

honey almond & ginger slice

I asked a couple of months ago what people wanted to read here, and the resounding response from facebook was recipes. But as much as I love baking, I'm a long way from a recipe developer (baking works for me because it is precise, you follow the recipe or it fails, and I've had very few fails in my life), so I've had this idea floating around in the back of my head for a while. I had to do a bit of research to see if it was ok (and I'll share that research later in the week), but meanwhile, I'm launching "cook the magazine" today.

The idea is that I'll finally put those magazines I buy every month to good use, and actually cook recipes from them, and then share them here. It will force me to try new things, and you'll know that the recipe works. win win, in my books.

Ingredients
200g softened butter (1.75 sticks)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/3 cup almond meal
2 tsp ground ginger
1 3/4 cup self raising flour
1/2 cup milk
extra 2 tsp honey
extra 2 tsp milk
flaked almonds

method
cream butter and sugar
add eggs one at a time, mix well
add honey and almond meal
beat in ginger, flour and milk
pour into lined slice tray
combine extra honey and milk, microwave 20sec, brush over top of batter
sprinkle flaked almonds on top
bake 40min, 180°C

review
my slice tray was too small for this batter, so it overflowed a bit.
nice, light ginger and honey taste
especially good warm from the oven
kids loved it

Do you regularly cook from the magazines you buy?

stocking stuffer ideas for teen girls

as suggested by the non-resident teen in consultation with her best friends

The wants of teen girls are a bit out of my experience at the moment, so I had to do a bit of research after Chloe presented me with the list of suitable items. Hopefully, she will agree that these are acceptable (and she's given me so many ideas for what to get her this year!)

• ZeroChrome Vortex iphone case. I know it's not super-cute and trendy, but I really like the pattern on the back, so would happily look at it for long periods of time
• luxury lush pud bath bomb. This has cult status, apparently. Her exact words. It looks pretty, and Lush always smells fabulous, I'd be happy to buy that.
• Kester Black nail polish. I believe they, too, have acheived cult status. I have also heard of them before. I'm particularly drawn to the greens.
• Black Arrow green tea & lemon candle. I think candles are a personal things, so I picked a scent I'd enjoy smelling. And hand poured is always a winner in my book.
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer. Chloe says dystopian fiction is big at the moment. When I googled dystopian fiction, Ray Bradbury's Farenheit 451 popped up, as did A Handmaid's Tale from Margaret Atwood.
• Typo A5 planner. Heading into year 12 next year, Chloe has realised the value of a planner. And polka dots are cute, because a girl can't have too much cute.

Other suggestions included - Frankie magazine, small earrings, notebooks and pens, portable phone chargers, movies, new USB cords for phone. And I would include these Affirmation Tattoos from Anastasia Amour on etsy.Chloe also suggested that this DIY clay pot was pretty cool and trendy.

Do you know what else teen girls might enjoy in their stockings?

50 sleeps to Christmas

50 sleeps

to Christmas.

I know.

I'm not ready.

I haven't even read my many Christmas magazines yet.

Or decided what cookies to bake.

I haven't figured out what toys to get the kids,

or what I'll send to Chloe.

And there's no budget in place, either.

But I know that when it's Christmas Eve, everything will fall into place

presents will appear under the tree

and cookies will be left out for Santa

Sweetie Nanny will have a bed to sleep in

and Chloe might even be able to come and visit, too.

50 sleeps will turn into 5 sleeps, and before you kow it, we'll be listening for sleigh bells and reindeer on the roof.

Santa is on his way!

Are you making lists yet?