Snowy Morning

So glad we missed that monster storm that hit the Northeast! It only snowed about 3" last night.

Josie and Luke love the snowy morning; too cold for me...

Happy New Year!

Josie stayed up past Midnight, and this has been her sleeping pose today.

Vodka Pie Crust

I love to bake, but pie crusts have always scared me.  I could never get the crust to be flaky and tasty.  I'd cheat and use the store-bought refrigerator rolled/packaged crusts.  They worked, but tasted...well, meh...

So, I was checking out Cook's Country on PBS and they had a recipe for Vodka Pie Crust.  hmmmm...

Well, it's an awesome crust. Easy to make. Easy to use. And it tastes just sooooo good!

Look how yummy this crust looks:

 RECIPE

This recipe will make enough dough for a covered 9" pie.
 

2½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon table salt  

2 tablespoons sugar  

1½  sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch slices 

½ cup cold vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces  

¼ cup cold vodka  

¼ cup cold water

Place vodka and water in the freezer; dough mixes much better if both the water and vodka are very cold.
 

Process 1½ cups flour, salt, and sugar in food processor until combined, about 2 one-second pulses. Add butter and shortening and process until dough just starts to collect in uneven clumps, about 15 seconds. Scrape bowl with rubber spatula and move dough around processor until it's evenly spaced. Add remaining cup flour and pulse until dough has been broken up, 4 to 6 quick pulses.
Sprinkle vodka and water over mixture. Pulse the processor until dough is completely mixed.  Dough will be very sticky and you will be able to smell the vodka.  Divide dough into two even balls and flatten each into 4-inch disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes or up to 2 days.

NOTE: The alcohol will burn off during baking.  There will be no alcohol smell/taste after the crust has baked.  It will be the flakiest, tastiest pie crust!

Birdfeeder

Red is my favorite color.  So naturally, my favorite bird is the cardinal.  ☺

The cats and I enjoy the birdfeeder...but for completely different reasons.  My chocolate lab, Luke, is on constant squirrel patrol.  I only have to whisper "squirrel" and he goes crazy. My yellow lab, Josie, sleeps through the whole thing.

I shot through the window, and bokeh flares are from the Christmas tree lights.

Frozen Morning

About 2 weeks ago we had small snowstorm that ended with a decent icing (1/2").  We lost power for about 15 hours...and when one has a well, that means no running water and! no flushing toilets!

With no electrical distractions, I ventured out with my trusty canon and found some great shots.

Spritz Cookies

These are wonderful little butter cookies!

RECIPE 
1 Cup Butter (2 sticks)
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
2 Egg Yolks
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 1/4 Cups Flour
Food coloring (optional)
Chocolate chips, lemon curd, sprinkles (optional)
Cookie Press

Preheat oven 350ºf degrees.

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.  Add vanilla and egg yolks (and food coloring).  Mix together.  Sift flour and salt and add to butter mixture.  Mix thoroughly (start slowly or you will have a cloud of flour!)

Dough is sticky.  Place in cookie press.  Squeeze shapes onto Silpat baking mat and cookie sheet.  Add sprinkles or chocolate chips.  If using lemon curd, making an indentation in middle of cookie.  Add a small dollop of lemon curd.

Bake cookies on middle rack for 10-12 minutes until edges are lightly golden.

Now, try to only eat 1!

Pecan Puffs

I love baking Christmas cookies.  I go through at least 15lbs of butter by the end of December...

The first cookies I ever learned to bake are Pecan Puffs. Yes, they may look like Mexican wedding cookies, but they are far more delicate and just so yummy to eat!

 

 Recipe

1 Stick Butter
2 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Flour
1 Cup Pecans (ground after measuring)
Sifted Powdered Sugar (in a separate large bowl)

Preheat oven to 300ºf degrees. 

Cream butter, sugar, salt, and vanilla. Add flour and pecans.  Mix thoroughly.
 
Place dough in fridge until firm.   Roll dough into 1" balls. I use a Silpat baking mat on a cookie sheet, but if you don't have one, use parchment paper.  Place dough balls about 1/2" apart.  Place cookie sheet on a rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Cool cookies.  Place small batches of cookies in the bowl of powdered sugar.  Roll cookies until completely coated.

Enjoy!