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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

It's peanut butter jelly time

Ok, not it's not peanut butter jelly time,,,, but it's Strawberrt Cream Cheese Cookies!!! 
Who dosn't like cookies?? I dare you to find someone who dosn't like cookies....see?? Everyone loves (or at least like) cookies. 

This recipe is from a Bakend I had a lil while ago.

Strawberry Cream Cheese Cookie (modified from ony of my Fav bloggers Use Real Butter)
  
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz Strawberry jam (no seeds) NOTE!! The recipe calls for No seeds Jam, I used Regular-you-can-get-it-in-the-super-market-Jam and it works well, so don't worry if you can't find seedless Jam. 

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla together until light and fluffy. Mix in flour 1/2 cup at a time, blending well. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Preheat oven to 350F. Divide dough in half, leaving one half in the refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to about 3/8 inch thickness. Cut out dough with cookie cutter (I used 2-inch round). Gather and reroll the scraps. Repeat with second half of dough. Place rounds on ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Use thumb or other utensil to press a 1-inch wide indentation in the center of each circle. Fill divots with a teaspoon or more of jam, taking care not to overfill. Bake 13-15 minutes or until pale golden brown on the bottom. Cool on racks. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 week or freeze for longer storage.

I did this the 1st time, only I didn't refrigerate overnite, I only did it for a couple of hours an it was....messy O_O ...I was running between my work-table and the fridge (to evoid the dough from melting).... so I came up with an alternative.... I used a Baking Tip, I didn't put the dough in the fridge and just made the cookies with it... I don't have much experience using the Tips so the 1st time I just did like simple round-shape cookies.... after a while I got to made "star-shaped" cookies ..... And I can say that this alternative is better if you are not into rolling dough.... 

The cookies were AWESOME!! sweet and buttery. 
Rolled cookies

Baked rolled cookies

Bakend goodies :) 









Hope you enjoy making this cookies as as much as eatin'em :) 

-Gisela V.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

Oh My Chocolate!!!

Hello everyone :) 

I noticed my last post ...got some people upset (If the shoe fit....) and I'm sorry for that (not really lol), So I'm keeping this one Drama-Free and very very sweet with this awesome Chocolate Cupcake Recipe :) , so Enjoy

Ingredients
150g Butter - softened
150g superfine sugar
175g self-raising flour  /  baking powder
3 eggs
2 tbls cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
 
Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 350oF (180oC).
2. Line a 12 cup cake pan, with cup cake papers.
3. Crack the eggs into a cup and beat lightly with a fork.
4. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl.
5. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes, until light and creamy.
6. Divide the mixture evenly between the cake cases.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes until risen and firm to touch.
8. Allow to cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.
9. Allow to cool fully before icing.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
4 ounces (113 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup (30 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (80 ml) cold heavy whipping cream (double cream) (35-40% butterfat)
 


Enjoy!!

-Gisela V.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Hectic Times.... and a few (lots) of Thank youseses

I've been wanting to post everything I said I would on my last post....or ANYTHING really, but I didn't have the energy/motivation to do it.... and it looks like today is the day! yay!! finally!!!!!!, I managed to access my Google+ account (Thanks to Beric for the invitation), I updated (well.. it's sinchronizing as we speak-blog) my ipod (Yay!! goodbye to those boring songs and Welcome Octopuses' Garden!! I needed youuuu!!!!!!!!!!)

And now... It's time for some blogging :)

1st of all..... I didn't touch my computer for WHILE...1st because I broke or I don't know what happend to my charger and then because as some of you know.... my mom just had surgery (She's better now n_n <3 you mom!!)...and actually a few days before her surgery my mom got me a new charger for Lola (my comp!) aww...isn't she awesome??

Well... things look better now and everything is just getting back to "normal"... as normal as it can be
Changes at home, work and friends...some are good changes and others not so much....

Friends......ahhh... my friends.... I love them so much.... the other day I was thinking how it's weird that the 1st person I talked to in High school continues being one of my best friends, of course we had some "fights" but at the end of the day she is always there for me and she knows I'm always there for her... Luv ya Joss :)

My Family.... specially my sister has always been there to support me...or to annoy me (lol) but has always been there, I know I can be mean with her some times but I'm not as "loving" as she is (or has become??), but 5 months ago the big C hit out family and has made us not only stronger but brought us together (yup, even more!), some just want to be "there",,,,some others are with us truly because they care about my mom and us...to those I want to say THANK YOU and I love you so freaggin' much.

Work?,,,, well... we are moving to a new building.... the good thing? I won't have the annoying Homie Ramon to check what I do all day... yea yea "back in chicago... no man!!!" ... the downside? I won't have my perrito with me anymore.....

 Ok, enough about changes..... I actually lost my track watching Eat Your Kimchi videos :s , if you don't know what Eat your Kimchi,, go ahead and click on the link :)

So, hopefully I'll get to post everything I said I would this weekend and..........see you soon n_n

-Gisela V.