Lunchy Fun: December 2012

Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Merry Christmas!

Time for cute Christmas Lunches! Kids had peanut butter Christmas trees, cheese stick slices, fruit and Jeffrey got an oreo cookie truffle for dessert! These fun lunches are on our fun holiday placemats from Grandma Axtell - thanks! The kids were so excited about these lunches, and ate everything up! Happy Holidays!

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Lofthouse Sugar Cookie Bars

Lofthouse Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350°
Line a jelly roll pan (15x10x1) with aluminum foil and spray lightly with cooking spray.
In your mixer cream butter, cream cheese and sugar together. Add in egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
With mixer on low, add in your dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and baking soda.
Mix until just combined.
Press dough evenly into your prepared pan. (dough will be sticky)
Bake for 20 minutes until edges begin to golden.
Cool completely before frosting.

Recipe from Cookies and Cups

Here's the frosting recipe I used:

Vanilla Buttercream Icing

3/4 cup butter (1 stick and 1/2 stick)

1/4 cup shortening
3-4 cups of confectioner's sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3-5 tablespoons half and half (or milk)

Using a mixer, beat butter until it is fluffy. Add 3 cups of sugar -
one cup at a time - mixing until it's completely incorporated. Add
vanilla and half and half along with last cup of sugar and mix, adding
more half and half until the icing is the desired consistency.

Packed Lunch Week 17

Monday 12.17.12

Tuesday 12.18.12

Wednesday 12.19.12

Thursday 12.20.12

Friday 12.21.12

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Holiday Cookies - German Chocolate Toffee Cookies

This year I tried out some new cookie recipes. I've found a lot of great ideas on Pinterest lately, and was very excited to try this new one out - German Chocolate Toffee Cookies. Here's the recipe I adapted from 'Taste of Home':

German Chocolate Toffee Cookies

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup shortening
2-1/2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 ounces German sweet chocolate, melted
4 eggs
2 teaspoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 cups Heath Toffee Bits
1-1/2 cups chopped Pecans

Directions
In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in chocolate. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in water and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in Heath toffee bits and pecans.

Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 13 dozen.