Springtime

I know it was a while since I last posted but I didn't realize it was that long. I have been putting more effort and time in my skincare biz so some things always have to be set aside and the blog is the first to go. That being said, I really do enjoy blogging/vlogging and it's important for everyone to have a hobby. Unfortunately, I have several...knitting, cooking and photography to name a few. The cooking part has taken over a bit since we all need to eat. 

Another factor is the LA Kings not making the playoffs this year. That frees up a lot of time and money for other things. Knitting has been fun, as usual but my wrist flares up so that can't always work. 

I do have spring break vacation stuff to share but I need edit a lot. 

But this post will focus on my baking. I used to be in a sock yarn club so every 2 months, I'd receive  yarn, 2 sock patterns by the designer Cookie A. Since her name is Cookie she would also include 2 cookie recipes. That really challenged me to try new things plus I could always hand them over to Hector to bring to work. As a result, the people at Hector's work started looking forward to my cookies. So it was a nice system...I baked new cookie recipes and the hospital staff would eat them.

I also bought a cookie recipe book so that gives me many more options in the future and recently I printed out my favorite cookie recipes from the club to re-visit. 

Last week I made Nanaimo bars. I believe it's a Pacific Northwest cookie and it's a decadent layered cookie bar of chocolate, vanilla and crust of graham crackers, coconut and chopped almonds. 

A post shared by Debbie T (@moodybq) on May 11, 2017 at 7:38am PDT

Next up is a video I put together and kind of cookie related. I have a recipe that calls for lemon curd. I remember trying to make it on the stove but it came out runny which wasn't great as a filling for a cookie. Buying lemon curd in the store it expensive so that recipe sat on the back burner. 

A couple of weeks ago, I came across a microwave lemon curd recipe and I had lots of lemons in the fridge so I tried it while recording it.

This recipe is a keeper and much easier than the one I tried previously. I planned on making the cookie to actually use the lemon curd but that didn't happen. turns out lemon curd tastes pretty good on its own! 

Cookie weekend

Baking that is...on a roll earlier in the week starting with the Cranberry (fig) newtons, then Pecan Sandies (minus pecans/added chocolate chips) then lemon bars.





No lemon bar pics because I forgot and sent them all out with Hector to take to his work along with the remainders of the cranbery bars and sandies. I didn't want any temptations at home. :)

Cranberry Newtonesque Bars

We have cookies!! :)

The thing I love in my Cookie A sock club membership along with the yarn/patterns are the cookie recipes.

One of the recipes is the fig bars (like Fig Newtons). I like them but decided to try dried cranberries instead since the kids would most likely eat these.

In a nutshell, these are a HIT!! I had to make some modifications like omit the honey (none in the house) and use regular flour instead of the whole wheat flour. The dough is super fiddly but I figured out a way to make it work and VOILA!


Here they are....




I gave one to Tyler and he barely bit into it before saying, "Yum." Then he took the plateful and gobbled them up. :)

Now I need to make more...