Rolled Sugar Cookies and Frosting

I make these cookies for just about every holiday and any time my kids need plain sugar cookies for their classroom. Almond flavoring is a favorite of mine and I use them both in the cookie dough and frosting. Yum!

Rolled Sugar Cookies & Frosting

Cookie Ingredients

3 C. sifted powdered sugar
2 C. butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond flavoring
5 C. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar

Instructions

Mix sugar and butter. Add egg and flavorings; mix thoroughly. Stir dry ingredients together and blend in.

Refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.

Heat oven to 375°. Divide dough in quarters and roll 3/16” thick on lightly floured surface. Cut with cookie cutter. Place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until delicately golden.

Cookie Frosting

2 C. powdered sugar
½ tsp. salt
1 tsp. almond flavoring
3 T. cream (half and half)

Blend sugar, salt, and flavoring. Add enough cream to make easy to spread. If desired, tint with a few drops of food coloring. Spread on cookies.

Recipe credit: Arrion Rathsack

Double Chocolate Dream Cookies

I made these for the first time this past Christmas and the family loved them. I am posting this for my sister-in-law Sarah who is looking forward to baking them herself!

Double Chocolate Dream Cookies

Ingredients:

2 ¼ C. All-Purpose Flour
½ C. Nestle Toll House Baking Cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 C. (2 sticks) butter softened
1 C. packed brown sugar
¾ C. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 large eggs
2 C. Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels

Instructions:

Preheat Oven to 375°

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, brown sugar, sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in eggs for about 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are puffed. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies

Recipe Credit: Nestle

Slow Cooker Italian Vegetable Soup

This recipe is from Weight Watchers, considered 0 points for those counting! This is an Italian spin on their Garden Vegetable soup.

I am going to make up a batch and perhaps add some browned ground turkey or pasta, to make several different meals.

Ingredients

5-10 oz baby spinach leaves

16 oz of chopped carrots, celery, onions (I use 2 containers of the HEB Fresh Chopped Savory Vegetables)

1 medium garlic clove, minced

4 cups vegetable broth (I used a carton of HEB Central Market Organic vegetable broth)

2 bay leaves

1 T. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. red pepper flakes, crushed

Instructions

Place all ingredients in slow cooker; cover and cook on high 5 hours.

Remove bay leaves, stir, and serve.

Yields about 8 - 1 Cup servings

Recipe Credit: Weight Watchers and Arrion Rathsack