gluten free sugar cookies FAIL

unfortunately the consistency for the gluten free sugar cookie recipe that i posted for rudy day testing did not work out. they tasted good, so at least we got that right. but to call them cookies would not be an accurate statement.

trying again soon - and i will post the recipe!

baking lists for rudolph day

as i said before, i will be making sugar cookies using pamela's recipe. however, i am adding a few more items to the shopping/baking list this weekend from the "harvest baking" magazine i recently picked up.

fall harvest muffins
BLT salad
cranberry apple chicken sandwiches

these items should be delicious!

my husband and i are doing a 4k walk this weekend for our favorite no-kill animal shelter, and maybe we will be able to head out to the apple orchards!

today is the first full day of autumn - last night was the autumn equinox!

planning, baking, and counting down

for rudy day in september, i am making sugar cookies (gluten free!) using pamela's vanilla cake mix. here's hoping that they come out well!

Pamela's Simple Sugar Cookies or Snickerdoodles

1 bag Pamela's Classic Vanilla Cake Mix
8 Tablespoons (1 cube) unsalted Butter
4 Tablespoons water

Use heavy duty stand mixer.

Preheat oven to 350°. Use stand mixer to soften butter. Add mix and water, then combine for one full minute or until dough comes together. Roll out 1/8th-inch thick and cut out simple shapes, or make balls (for Snickerdoodles) and flatten (balls can be rolled in ground cinnamon before baking for Snickerdoodles.) Place cookies 1-inch apart on parchment paper. Bake 16 to 20 minutes or until edges are light brown. Decorate!

For fresh cookies anytime, refrigerate the dough in a log (or freeze), then slice and bake.

almost there!

well september 1 is just right around the corner, and then we are just three weeks away from the autumn season (officially).

i have some craft supplies ready for one set of craft gifts, and i really need to get baking again. right now, my baked goods baskets will only contain gluten free cranberry orange scones and gluten free chocolate cupcakes. i would like to add an iced sugar cookie if it is possible, and definitely some sort of chocolate truffle. of course we shall see what it comes down to at the end of the season.

it's never too early for christmas crafts

this year, with the economy in a serious recession, and a genuine desire to return to the simple things in life, i have really focused my efforts on experiences and homemade things for christmas.

in my baking challenges, i am happy to report that i have a few successful gluten free items that i can share with friends and family this year:
gluten free cranberry orange scones
gluten free chocolate cupcakes
& gluten free pies (apple, pumpkin, strawberry, cherry)

i am hoping to finalize my recipe for gluten free sugar cookies this month.

last year was an embarrassment and a disaster. this year will be better, and i will be able to fill up my gift boxes with delicious things.

as for gifts, i am reviewing my martha stewart crafts encyclopedia, the internet, and magazines to decide which crafts i would like to do as gifts this year.

i'd like to make totes for people, and since i learned to make pillows at my sewing class... perhaps a pillow as well. maybe a set of notecards, personalized for each person.

it's never to early to start planning & working on holiday crafts.

chocolate cupcakes

last night i did some baking - baking is an event i usually reserve for the holidays seasons in the autumn and winter.

i made some chocolate cupcakes with pamela's gluten free chocolate cake baking mix. it is truly the best if you are looking for a great cake mix. i topped it with a festive white vanilla frosting and added patriotic sprinkles - red, white, and blue stars!

it's fun to celebrate with food. i may just be making chocolate cupcakes for my holiday baking as well - what a success!

cranberry orange scones from pamela

i did get a chance to try the gluten free scone recipe yesterday on rudolph day, so here is the recipe:

Cranberry Orange Scones

2-1/3 cups Pamela's Baking & Pancake Mix

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup cranberries

4 tablespoons butter

1 egg, beaten

2/3 cup milk

1 tablespoon orange zest

Yield: 10 to 12 scones

Mix the dry ingredients together. Cut in the butter using two knives. Add the milk and beaten eggs. Mix together with a fork. Dough will be thick. Drop large, tall dollops of dough (scones will spread when baking) onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 375° oven for 15-17 minutes

[source: http://www.pamelasproducts.com/recipes/printrecipes/printSconesCranberryOrange.html © 2006 Pamela's Products, Inc.]

may 2009 rudolph day

i just got back from michaels craft store since i had a special 20% off coupon for memorial day + a 40% off coupon for one item. i bought a glitter stamping set from the martha stewart crafts line. it came with some really cute deer stamps that i can use for holiday stamping!

i am going to watch "love actually" tonight. i was going to make gluten free cranberry scones (test run!) but i am not sure i will have time or the ingredients since our refrigerator has been acting up lately. as for christmas gifts, i have definitely started an ideas list. i am holding off on buying - i have to get through my husband's birthday first.

pies galore

So remember while December
Brings the only Christmas Day,
In the year let there be Christmas
In the things you do and say;
Wouldn't life be worth the living
Wouldn't dreams be coming true
If we kept the Christmas spirit
All the whole year through?

i cannot believe how quickly time passes. my husband and i were talking last night about strawberry picking in june. it's right around the corner. and we are thinking about where we might want to go in the fall for thanksgiving as we need to make reservations soon.

i am going to make 4 pie crusts for the freezer - i make 4 pies a year, each after we go to a farm and get fresh produce. strawberry pie in mid-june, blueberry pie in early august, apple pie in mid-october, and pumpkin pie just before thanksgiving. it's that time already to plan my baking! i will be trying a new gluten free pie crust recipe this year from pamela's recipes. i hope it turns out wonderfully.

planning ahead

haven't been feeling today, so i took some time to get caught up with my rudolph day assignments.

i reviewed the hallmark dreambook! i will post some of my favorites soon.

i also looked through some recipes because i need to bake an item once a month to try it out and see if it works before i try and make it at christmas. never again will i have a christmas like this past one (my first gluten free christmas). success will be had!

so for may rudolph day, i am going to do the following

• bake cranberry orange scones
• plan menus
• buy a few christmas gifts
• watch the movie "love actually"