Sugar Cookies

This is my new favorite sugar cookie. I used my USA map, California map and palm tree shaped* cookie cutters for this batch since Father's Day was approaching last week when I made them and the dad in our house is all about maps.

Here is the recipe: Soft Sugar Cookie.







*Thanks to Great Grandma M who bought me the California and palm tree cookie cutters several years ago. I think this might be the first time I've used them because as much as I love EATING sugar cookies, I pretty much hate rolling out the dough and cutting them into shapes, etc.

Here are the kids enjoying them.

Baklava

B's mom makes Baklava each Easter as part of her Greek heritage (her maternal grandpa was Greek). She is kind enough to mail it to each of her kids since they've all moved away from home. I've been thinking for awhile I should learn how to make it someday for our family, and also so that when another church activity comes up asking people to bring food from their heritage, I have something to bring.* I saw and saved this recipe** (with lots of step by step pictures) for baklava several years ago and last night, with cutting help from B, I made it.


B cutting nice diagonal lines for me after I layered 8 billion layers of Fillo dough and butter.


Baked, but with no syrup poured on yet.


After pouring the honey/sugar/syrup on top, waiting to set.




Yum.

*Two years ago in Lawrence I just took Snickerdoodles to a ward activity figuring they were yummy, sounded German, and B has German ancestors. Last month, I took aebleskivers to a Relief Society activity, but I'm not an expert aebleskiver maker, they are hard to make in bulk, and they don't taste good not right out of the pan warm.

**I used pecans instead of almonds because I don't like almonds.

Orange Rolls

In college I started the tradition of making cinnamon rolls for General Conference. My dad has since changed our aebleskiver tradition to be Christmas and New Year's mornings, as well as General Conference. I haven't jumped on that boat yet, but we do sometimes make aebleskivers as part of our "breakfast for dinner." This year, with General Conference falling on Easter Sunday, I made Orange Rolls instead since they are also an Easter tradition my brother-in-law started. Yum!!



Ingredients:

1 square butter
1 cup milk (scalded)
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 pkg. dry yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup warm water
3 eggs (beaten)
5 cups flour

Directions:

Mix together butter, milk, salt and sugar. Cool.

Separately, mix together yeast, sugar and warm water.

Let stand.

Add yeast mixture and eggs to first mixture. Then add flour gradually and beat well. (Mixture will be slightly sticky).

Let rise until almost doubled in bulk. Punch down and separate into two equal portions. Using a bread board that is heavily floured roll out one portion at a time to about a 12x18 rectangle.

Orange Filling : Mix together ½ cup butter (melted), ½ cup sugar, grated rind of one orange.

Spread on the orange filling with a knife and beginning at the long side roll up, as for a cinnamon roll. Slice off with dental floss/thread in about 1 inch pieces and place in well greased muffin tins. Let rise until light. Bake 375 for 10 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Ice with powdered sugar mixed with orange juice to separate consistency.

Makes 2 dozen.
*My recipe says, "easily doubled," except for the 10 cups of flour... yikes. My mixer can't handle that. Darn.

Trailer Trash Truffles

I usually only share recipes on my other blog... but I've already shared this recipe there and I finally actually made them (as opposed to just eating ones that other people had made) and took a picture.

Trailer Trash Truffles aka Oreo Truffles (or as my kids call them, Oreo balls)

Here's how easy this is...

Ingredients:
1 box Oreos
8 oz. cream cheese softened
chocolate for dipping
white chocolate for decorating (optional)

Directions:
Crush Oreos into fine crumbs. Mix with cream cheese (I used a mixer, some use their hands). Roll into about a one inch ball. Freeze for 15 minutes. Melt chocolate, dip to cover and lay on wax paper. Decorate with melted white chocolate if your heart so desires.

AND, you can mix this up with mint Oreos, etc.