Cookie Friday: (2/14/2014) <3 sugar cookies

Happy Valentines Day!

This week’s recipe was super easy to come up with, maybe not the most original, but how can you go wrong with heart shaped sugar cookies on Valentine’s day?!

We did get a little creative with the decorations…we made all different colored frosting and provided sprinkles, and encouraged people to decorate their own cookies!

Making frosting is pretty easy, all you need is milk, powdered sugar, and food dye. Make sure the ratio of powdered sugar to milk is such that the sugar absorbs the milk and leaves you with a thick frosting consistency. Carolina got a little too excited in her frosting making, but it still turned out alright, and the colors were amazing!

For the cookies,

You’ll need:

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

You’ll have to:

Combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder, then, add in the remaining wet ingredients. Once the dough is made separate into two or three large dough balls, wrap in plastic wrap and then refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes, sugar cookies really are best if they’ve been cooled, not to mention it makes the rolling so much easier!

We were actually quite prepared this week and showed up to the HC lounge with dough already made (thanks to Carolina’s foresight). Once we arrived we rolled out the dough and cut out different sized hearts.

We also added a little red food dye into the batter for an extra Valentine’s day surprise.

Neither Carolina or I had BIG plans, or HOT dates for the Valentine’s occasion. However, we did have each other, and all of our cookie comer friends!

Even though Valentine’s day is often a holiday people get very cynical about, we are fans. Even if you don’t have that one special someone, or you’d prefer to go against the grain, Valentine’s day is really just an extra special day where you can show your compassion for all the people that make your life lovely to live. There does not have to be any grand gestures, or romantic get aways necessarily (not like we would be complaining if those did happen) but most of all, we recognize that VDAY is a great day to reflect on the importance of giving and receiving compassion.

Of course, the best way we know how to do this is bake! Bake delicious, love soaked, ❤ shaped cookies!

Happy Valentine’s Day, hope you took the time to tell someone you love them!

We love you!

=]

CP

Cookie Friday: (2/21/14) Quintessence Cookies

First things first, Hayley and Carol are both taking a Cosmology class this term that BLOWS. THEIR. MINDS. every dang day. It’s a wild topic–elements, planets, our universe (not to mention the kla-bul-fa-fillion other universes that are out there)–but we sure do love it. So back in the day, things were categorized as earth, water, fire, air and QUINTESSENCE, the fifth element.

So, based on a suggestion from a friendly face in the HC, we set out to bake Cream Cheese Chocolate Cake Cookies. CCCCCs. Five Cs. Fifth element. Quintessence Cookies! Are ya still with me?

You’ll need:

8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon (or so) vanilla

A box of moist chocolate cake mix

And confectioner’s sugar (or, if you’re flat out like we were, regular sugar) for rolling!

You’ll have to:

Preheat the oven to 350 ish. Scoop out balls of dough and roll in sugar. Plop on the tray and bake until ooey and gooey. Serve ’em up with a smile.

These might be the most decadent things we’ve tasted in a while so have a glass of milk on hand. We had fun with photos this week since we needed to update the ones the HC had on file (too bad we can’t just burn the old ones…) from our sophomore year so thanks to our trusty friend Luke for helping out on that front. We had tons of fun this week and are ready to be back in full swing tomorrow!

XOXO,

CP

Cookie Friday: (2/28/2014) Revolution Around the Sun Cookies

This past week, we were joined by a very special guest for Cookie Friday, Queen Amy, Hayley’s mom. So, inspired by her mother, Hayley picked out a few ingredients she thought her healthy and adventurous mother would enjoy. Not to mention, she wanted to have a one of a kind baked treat to help celebrate her one and only mother’s belated birthday! Hence, these cookies are called “Revolution Around the Sun Cookies” inspired by Amy’s 30th 😉 revolution around the sun!

Regardless if you have something or someone to celebrate these cookies are worth making!

You’ll need:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 bag of cranberries

2 oranges

1 bag of white chocolate chips

1 handful of quick cook oats

You’ll have to:

First, take the orange and use a zester to collect some of that delicious orange zest, we probably used about one and half an oranges worth of zest, but really it’s up to how you like the batter to taste. We also added one orange’s worth of juice for an extra tang! Combine the wet ingredients and then add in the dry. We suggest that you add in the more chunky ingredients i.e. the goodies (cranberries, chocolate chips, oats), slowly. This will make it much easier to mix.

We started our making the batter into little balls…

but found that they actually cooked better if they were a little flat. So, roll the dough into balls and then gently press them flat onto a baking sheet.

 

We princesses are pretty particular about who we let bake with us, the kitchen is just so small, not to mention we hardly ever follow recipes. Then again, we have had quite the luck finding helping hands who fit right in. Amy took to the cookie making like a pro! She claims that she cannot bake, but really there is nothing magical behind baking, it’s just about having fun and smiling!

And we were sure able to do that!

The cookies were also pretty darn good!

In truth, there is never a dull moment baking cookies because there are endless possibilities! Infinite combinations of ingredients, an infinite range of students who could show up, and an infinite amount of fun to be had.

It was such a treat to have Hayley’s mom with us in the kitchen, we adore her! And what better way to show our love and appreciation for her life’s journey than celebrate over a cookie, or several cookies for that matter!

 

Looking forward to celebrating the next up and coming Revolution Around the Sun…Yup, that’s right, a week from THIS Friday our very own Cookie Princess Carolina Reid is turning 22!! Wonder what the CP’s will have up their sleeves for this extra special occasion.

Good thing we still have a week to think about it!

We do know that tomorrow’s treat is going to be quite yummy indeed!

We will be baking a little earlier than usual, so if you’re around and need a Friday treat come stop by and grab a fresh cookie around noon, we will be looking forward to seeing you!

Happy almost Friday!

Love,

CP

 

 

Cookie Friday : (1/31/2014) Oatmeal Peanut Butter Ironically-GF Cookies

Normally, Friday means happiness. I know it will hurt to hear this, but I have to break it to you: This particular Friday was not as happy as usual. Not at all.

Hayley left for Portland long before Carol arose. This meant that on this day, Carol baked solo. (Well, in reality, Alec and our good friend Luke were around but a Cookie Friday without Hayley is just not the same!)

And the funny thing was, after over a year of GF (gluten free) living for Hayley and maybe only TWO previous Fridays of gluten free cookies, Carol chose this one Hayley-less Friday to create some delicious gluten-free munchers.

The added challenge this week is that we are providing NO QUANTITIES for the ingredients. That’s how these were concocted and in the true spirit of blogging exactly how the cookies were made, we’re leaving you to figure out your own favorite consistency. 

You’ll need:

Oats

Peanut Butter

White Choco Chips

Milk Choco Chips

Raisins

Cinnamon

Applesauce

Eggs

Powdered sugar

Salt

Baking Soda

You’ll have to:

Preheat to 375 degrees F. Mix it all up, plop into ping-pong size balls on ungreased cookie sheets and bake 10-12 minutes. 

These little guys taste like glorified CLIF bars and will get you through the rest of the day. Make sure you give Hayley a big ol’ hug the next time you see her because GOLLY GEE, isn’t it great to have her in our lives??

Much love,

CP

Cookie Friday : (1/24/14) Camping Mounds

Newcomer Alec 

Graced the CHC third floor lounge

With mind for baking

 

No plan for cookies

But with the help of Alec

We made mound cookies

 

Seeking successor(s)

To carry on tradition

Could he be the one???

To bake, you will need…

2 cups flour, some pretzels

1 cup sugar, eggs 

 

B. soda and salt

Some marshmallows, and butter

Cocoa powder too!

 

Cinnamon, of course

Whip it all up together

Then pop in oven

 

Bake at 350

With marshmallows “protected”

And then enjoy them!! 🙂

 

—–

 

Stay tuned for updates

We’ll be hunting more bakers

So come and bake soon!

 

Love, 

CP

Cookie Friday: (1/17/2014) Classic Chocolate Chip

For this weeks’ cookie recipe we decided to go back to the basics for a real crowd pleaser: The All-American Chocolate Chip Cookie! Normally, we come into the kitchen and make our recipes up as we go along. We rarely use any of the gadgets that help measure and usually just taste as we mix. But this week, we thought it would be nice to actually follow a recipe and actually measure.

It’s funny how branching out of our comfort zone means actually following a recipe. Whereas for most, following a recipe is the comfort zone. Regardless, as Cookie Princesses we are all about finding ways to jump outside of our own comfort zones. If it weren’t for both Carolina and Hayley doing that in the first place all those years ago Cookie Friday may have never begun….what a horror!!

Anyway, even though this weeks cookies are “basic” no one can deny the sweet simple goodness of a chocolate chip cookie!  For the most part we did follow the Toll House chocolate chip cookie recipe to a T. But alas, we had to add our own little touch otherwise it would not be an authentic CP recipe.

You’ll Need:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip cookies

…and for our own little touch

2 teaspoons of cinnamon (or to taste) we love adding this extra little twist!

You’ll have to:

Preheat the oven to 375, cause that’s what it says! Combine the wet and the dry ingredients separately and then mix everything together. Place little dough balls on the pan and bake in the oven for 9 minutes, 8 if you like them a little more doughy 10 if you like them a little more crispy.

 

So, we encourage and invite everyone to do something this week that feels a little adventurous, try something you would not normally do! We think you will be pleasantly surprised at how sweet and delicious it can be, we sure were!

See you next Friday…or maybe that is today =]

Love,
CP

 

Cookie Friday: (1/10/2014) Back at it Cookies

Happy New Year!!

It is always refreshing to start a new term…new classes, new professors, new routine, NEW COOKIES! Fridays are undoubtedly the pinnacle of everyones’ week, especially for the Cookie Princesses.

Our first week back was particularly special because we were joined in the kitchen by Hayley’s friend Naomi, who she met studying abroad with SIT in Morocco. It was not only a treat to have new energy in the kitchen this week, but to have help with some cookie inspiration. We didn’t have much for Naomi to go off of, but she is a natural, we let her take the reigns and thanks to her we had these delicious cookies…

You’ll Need:

2 sticks margarine or butter, softened

1 Cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

1 Teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 Cup all-purpose flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon (or more)

1/2 Teaspoon salt

3 Cup oats

2 Egg

1 1/2 cups chunky peanut butter

1/4-1/2 cup molasses

You’ll Have to:

Preheat the oven to 350, mix the dry ingredients together and then add in the wet ones (eggs, butter, sugar, molasses, peanut butter), we added the molasses to taste so make sure you have a good sampler. Scoop the dough (it came out pretty cakey and thick) onto a buttered pan and bake in the oven for around 10 minutes.

It feels great to be “Back at it” here in cookie haven, looking forward to the weeks that remain and still finding new inspiration each week to bake the best cookies we can!

See you Friday!

Love,

CP

P.S

Thank Naomi, you are the sweetest!! It was such a pleasure to see you and spend time with you and especially to bake with you…brought up some reminiscent times “baking” and “cooking” in Morocco 😉 Love you!!

Cookie Friday: (11/22/2013) COW Cookies

Hopefully we have not scared you away from reading this recipe by the title. Seriously though, these COW cookies were a real crowd pleaser, so, don’t stop reading!

 

And, as always we had so much fun baking them! Plus, since we were not together last week, we had a lot of pent up princess energy just waiting to mix into these cookies!

Can’t you tell!

You’ll Need:

1/2 Cups plus a little more, softened

3/4 Cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 Cup all-purpose flour

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon salt

1 package craisins (that’s the C)

3 Cups Quick Cooking Oats (that’s the O)

1 package white chocolate chips (and finally the W)

see, COW cookies 😉

You’ll have to:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine all the ingredients together. Be warned, it will get a bit tough and require some arm strength. Bake for about ten minutes, till golden brown, and get ready, these COW cookies are really delicious!

It’s the holiday season again, yippee!! We are so thankful for this little space that we have the opportunity to fill every Friday with our laughter, sillyness, and delicious treats! It is such a joy for us to bake, deliver cookies around the Honor’s College, and wish people a Happy Friday.

Thank you for allowing us to be the Cookie Princesses we take so much pride in being.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,

CP

 

 

Cookie Friday: (11/15/2013) Pudding Cookies

I can’t remember the last time the Cookie Princesses were not together in the kitchen. So, this week, when Carolina was out of town, Hayley was left to do all the princessing on her own.

Of course, she was able to accomplish the cookie baking task, but there is no way the cookies were as good…there is just something special about what the Cookie Princesses are able to create as a duo. Nonetheless, Hayley tried her best, and this is what she came up with:

You’ll Need:

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 cup butter

1 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 pkg vanilla pudding (Jello brand will do fine)

1 pkg chocolate chips

You’ll have to:

Preheat the oven to 350, combine wet ingredients and pudding mix. Then add in the rest of the dry ingredients. The dough is a little sticky, and the cookies don’t expand much, but after ten minutes or so they are perfect!

 

Where’s Carolina?!?!

Baking cookies is very meditative, so it was still a nice afternoon baking alone, but I can’t wait to be back in the kitchen with my princess in crime next week. Odds are whatever we come up with will be really yummy!

See you then.

Love,

CP

 

Cookie Friday: (11/8/2013) Hint of EggNog Cookies

We are feeling really inspired by the holiday spirit, even though it is only week 6, we still have midterms, papers, and finals, it is better to ring in and celebrate whenever we can. Well, as we all know, Friday’s are a great day for just that. So, this past week we were inspired to incorporate a little holiday favorite in our cookies: EggNog. Carolina is a big fan, and Hayley, well she has yet to even try it….maybe on Christmas.

If you too are feeling that contagious holiday cheer, then give this recipe a try!

You’ll Need:

1 cup + a couple more tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup  granulated sugar

¼ cup Holiday EggNog

1 egg yolk

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup dark chocolate chunks

You’ll have to:

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine the wet ingredients (sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, butter, and EggNog) and then the remaining dry ingredients. We suggest using more EggNog, the cookies didn’t quite have enough of that EggNoggy flavor, so experiment, you know that’s what we always do anyway, but at least this way you can learn from our trials and taste buds!

Looking forward to next week, week 7 already!

Woah!!!!

Love,

CP

Hayley, hard at work on the blog….

Woot!