Cookies and gardening

This weekend we are having our grand kiddlys for a sleepover.

So what's a Nona to do  ----- bake cookies.

I have adapted the Martha Stewart oatmeal cookies recipe to be vegan friendly.

Here it is::

1 and 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats (not quick)
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 dark brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips ( I used Enjoy Life brand semi sweet mini chips)
1 flax egg ( 1 tablespoon ground flax to 3 tablespoons water -- let sit in fridge at least 15 minutes)
6 tablespoons vegan butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat butter with sugars til light and fluffy. Add vanilla and flax egg til combined. Add the flour, rolled oats, soda, salt and stir til combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 12 to 15 minutes. My oven is hot and only takes 10 to 11.


And here they are------

I also did a bit of transplanting this morning of my geranium seedling.

I thought I would get the tomatoes done but the secondary leaves are just showing 

so a few more days to go.

I also did a project for St Patty's Day but it's a secret that I will share later.

Hope you have had a good Thursday.

Witches Fingers

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

Creepy Witches' Thingers

 

 

 

      1 cup butter, softened

     1 cup icing sugar

     1egg

     1 tsp  almond extract

     1 tsp  vanilla

     2-3/4 cups  all-purpose flour

     1 tsp  baking powder

     1 tsp  salt

     3/4 cup whole blanched almonds

     1 tube red decorator gel, (blood for fingers)*

      

This recipe's ingredients have been scaled and recalculated for your automated grocery list. The method still refers to the original recipe amounts. RECIPES HAVE BEEN TESTED USING ORIGINAL AMOUNTS ONLY, AND SCALED RESULTS MAY VARY. Click here to learn more about scaling Canadian Living recipes.

Preparation

In bowl, beat together butter, sugar, egg, almond extract and vanilla; beat in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Working with one quarter of the dough at a time and keeping remaining dough refrigerated, roll heaping teaspoonful (5 mL) of dough into finger shape for each cookie.
Press almond firmly into end for nail. Squeeze in centre to create knuckle shape; using paring knife, make slashes in several places to form knuckle.
Place on lightly greased baking sheets; bake in 325°F (160°C) oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until pale golden. Let cool for 3 minutes. Lift up almond; squeeze red decorator gel onto nail bed and press almond back into place, so gel oozes out from underneath. Remove from baking sheets; let cool on racks. Repeat with remaining dough.

* I have also used seedless raspberry jam

 

Friends, A Party, Cookies, and White

No question!

We WILL have a white Christmas.

 

 

Last night's Christmas party was a success.

 

 

 

Because of this horrid weather half our guests weren't able to make it,

 

 

But the stoics who did all had a good time.

A great bunch of people.

Food. Drinks. Laughs. Pictures.

 

 

Strawberry Santas

Cut tip off strawberry, hollow out, fill with cream cheese mixture*, top with tip, gel icing for eyes and buttons

 

*250 grams (8 ounces) cream cheese, 3 to 4 Tablespoons icing sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla

 

I am feeling very relaxed about Christmas.

 

 

This week is down to wrapping, tortiere making, delivering friends and neighbor gifts, and shopping for Christmas and Boxing Day meals

 

 

Shopping last week in Almonte I bought this wee Santa for my Kitchen tree.

 

 

 

 

 

My beautiful Amaryllis is blooming

 

 

 

 

I saw these melted snowman cookies on a blog (sorry don't remember which one) and couldn't wait to try them.

Just a plain sugar cookie with an icing glaze.

Pop the marshmallow in the microwave for about 10 seconds.

Decorate with eyeballs and carrot nose with gel icing.
Wrap with an icing scarf.
TA- DA

 

Came out pretty good hunh?

Reindeer are pretty cute too.

Have a great week

 

Molasses Ginger Cookies

Here is my recipe for very delicious, spicy, crispy cookies.

Best eaten with cold milk or hot tea (okay I guess coffee too)

 

 

Molasses Ginger Cookies

1-1/4 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup fancy molasses

1 egg

1-3/4  all-purpose flour

1 TBSP ground ginger

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp  salt

 

 

In large bowl, whisk together 1 cup (250 mL) of the sugar, oil, molasses and egg until smooth.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt ; stir into sugar mixture.

Shape by rounded tablespoonfuls (15 mL) into balls; roll in remaining sugar to coat. Place 2 inches (5 cm) apart on parchment paper–lined or greased rimless baking sheets.

Bake in top and bottom thirds of 375°F oven, rotating and switching pans halfway through, until cookies spread out and tops crack, about 12 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 10 minutes; transfer to racks and let cool completely.

You can add 1/3 cup (75 mL) finely chopped crystallized ginger to the dry ingredients.

 

 

Hostas and PB cookies

Today was "in the garden" day.

I spent the morning digging hostas.

I have so many I am just digging and dividing what I have.

They are going in the front; putting red bark mulch around them.

I am hoping it gives the front a wee bit more of a formal feel.

My back gardens are a wee bit more hectic looking.

I call the gardens my "mullett" gardens.

Business in the front. Party in the back.

It is an extremely hot one today 33* (40 with the humidex).

I fed most of the gardens altho I am rationing the water since we haven't had significant rainfall in going on 2 months.

And of course the never ending deadheading.

And I have been inspired by the "travelling Susan apron" to do something.

I think Addy thought I was nuts!

But I made peanut butter cookies anyway.

Only baked off a dozen then froze the rest of the PB balls for later.

So it really wasn't too bad.

Only had the oven on for about 20 minutes!

So the apron is hung up again until next time!