Orange Cranberry Slice and Bake cookies

I love these cookies. Citrus and cranberry with a shortbread base. These would be ideal for a Christmas cookie plate. The best thing is you can pop them in the freezer and bake them up freshly as needed. I am a firm believer in fresh baking. Just never seems to come out the same once it's been in the freezer for a bit. So these are great for convenience and you can mix them up ahead of time.
The ingredients are simple also:

Just 5 ingredients plus 2 add-ins. Here they are rolled into a log, ready to be wrapped in wax paper and stored in the freezer....

 They taste just like the scones at Dana Shortt Gourmet foods.

 

 

Orange Cranberry Slice and Bake cookies

 

1 cup butter, unsalted at room temperature

1 cup icing sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Mix and add in the following:

zest of 2 oranges

1/2 cup dried cranberries (crasins)

 

Mix and mold into 2 logs, roll in waxed paper and place in Ziploc in freezer. Thaw to room temperature. Slice and bake at 350 F, 15 to 20 min or until edges are slightly golden. Keep well.

 

You can also chill them in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and bake right away if you can't wait.



From the Heart Stamps September Freebie

I finally got around to doing a challenge and I thought I was super early. I combined a weekly sketch and the Sept Stamp of the Month... Bobbing for Apples from Delightful Inspiration- From the Heart Stamps. By the time I was ready to post the Sketch challenge was over but fortunately I am still in time for the monthly challenge.
Here's the sketch I based it on...

And here's the free Digital stamp...

And here's my card..

Mocha Torte Dessert

I pulled out a recipe from days gone by from Enjoy- More Recipes from the Best of Bridge. I hadn't made this cake for awhile and it didn't disappoint. My only problem was that my whip cream didn't firm up. I think possibly I overwhipped it but it still held together not too bad. Looks like you did a lot of work and you really only use a cake mix and cut it into layers to make the torte part. So easy.

Mocha Torte Dessert
1 chocolate cake mix (try a Dark Chocolate)

Mocha Cream Filling
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 Tbsps. hot water
4 tsp instant coffee powder
1/2 cup white sugar
500mL of whipping cream

Prepare cake according to directions. Bake in 8 inch pans which have been greased and lined with circles of waxed paper. Bake and cool, then split each layer in two horizontally.
Prepare mocha cream by combining chipits, water, coffee and sugar in small saucepan. Heat until smooth and cool. Whip cream until it starts to thicken, add cool chocolate mixture and spread on layers and frost top and sides of cake. Decorate with shaved chocolate or sprinkles. Chill at least one hour.

13 in 13 August Update

I'm finding it harder and harder to find time to post. Once the routine is established, it should get easier but right now it's work and finding time to exercise the doggies, golf season winding down, baking up a storm for various events. etc.

Before the August update, I thought I'd share a few photos of the St. Jacob's Farmer's market from August. Sadly, the first week of Sept, the main two storey building that hosted a variety of vendors from butchers to jam makers burned to the ground. The outdoor market is still operating and hopefully the other will be rebuilt soon. We have a huge tourist market in the Waterloo Region and people come from all over to attend this market and drive through Mennonite Country.

 

The August update might be a bit thin. I managed to read a couple more books. I'm up to 16 now so I'm in pretty good shape to reach this goal. I bought an IPAD and I LOVE IT!! It's like having a remote for your TV. Once you get one, you can never imagine how you managed without it. So far, I've only downloaded 4 songs and I pretty much only play Juvenile farming games on it but it is very handy. So the WIFI is working, that's a big achievement!

 

I made a second afghan. Can't believe I got it done. It took me all summer but I really enjoyed the time to relax and work on another project.

 

So, there is still some time to get the other goals in. Hopefully, a little more scrapbooking and card-making is in my future and back to my regular challenges. Some day!  

 

The Life of a Lab

 

This isn't Lindor but I think it looks just like her and she would certainly LOVE an ice cream cone in this tropical weather system that we are experiencing. Have been working on a few things but haven't had time to work on my posts. Stay tuned!

Carrot Zucchini Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting.

I found a new website that has some great recipes called My Kitchen Escapades. Since I have harvested exactly TWO zucchinis from my front flower bed. (who says you can't give them away they are so plentiful?), it was fun actually baking with something I grew in the City. These bars turned out great, so moist and you can never go wrong with cream cheese frosting.

Carrot and Zucchini Bars with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

2 eggs
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/4 cup honey
 1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup shredded carrot
1 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 cup pecans (optional)
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Frosting
1 Tbsp butter
1 block of cream cheese (250g)
1 cup icing sugar
zest of one lemon

Whisk together eggs, sugar, oil, honey and vanilla. Mix in carrots and zucchini and pecans if using.
Add dry ingredients and mix until incorporated. Lightly spray a 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350F for 22 - 25 minutes or until top springs back.
Cool completely and frost.