Glasses to Fit Your Personality : What does your Glasses Say about you?

Christmas Countdown:Gingerbread Cookies

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

A delicious recipe for classic gingerbread cookies that never fails me!

PREP TIME: 25 MINS

 

COOK TIME: 10 MINS

 

TOTAL TIME: 35 MINS

INGREDIENTS:

GINGERBREAD COOKIES RECIPE:

• 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 Tablespoon ground ginger
• 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup unsulfured molasses
• optional toppings: simple icing (see below), red hots, sprinkles, etc.

SIMPLE ICING RECIPE:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 Tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

TO MAKE THE GINGERBREAD COOKIES:

In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, and spices. Set aside.

In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in eggs and molasses, and beat on medium speed until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture on low speed, and beat until combined. (You may need to work the dough with your hands to incorporate the last bit of flour, since it gets really thick!)

Divide the dough in thirds, form each third into a round ball, and wrap each third in plastic. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or overnight.

When you're ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 350°F.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it sit out at room temperature for 5-10 minutes.  Then place a dough third on a large piece of lightly floured surface. Using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough evenly until it is 1/8-inch thick.  Use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into your desired shapes. (If you're using red hots for "buttons", press the candy pieces in the center of each cookie at this point.)  Transfer to parchment-covered baking sheets.

Bake until crisp but not darkened, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Let sit a few minutes and then use a metal spatula to transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Decorate as desired.

TO MAKE THE SIMPLE ICING:

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl until smooth.  If your icing is too thin, add in a little more powdered sugar.  If your icing is too thick, add in a tiny bit of milk.

Use a piping bag, or a ziplock bag (with the corner snipped off), or a plastic squeeze bottle to pipe the icing onto the cookies.

Recipe slightly adapted from Simply Recipes HTTP://WWW.SIMPLYRECIPES.COM/RECIPES/GINGERBREAD_MAN_COOKIES/

Fridge Pickled Jalapeño Peppers: Kitchen Delights

Ingredients

• 24 oz mason jar
• 2-3 cups sliced jalapeños (see below)
• 3/4 cup white vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 TBSP sea salt
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled + minced
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• optional 1-2 TBSP sugar (if less spicy peppers are desired)

Instructions

1. Wash and dry a 24-32 oz capacity mason jar.
2. Slice your peppers into discs, discarding the stem.
3. Bring water to vinegar to a boil in a medium saucepan.
4. Add peppers, sea salt, garlic, oregano, and sugar.
5. Skip the sugar if you want supremely spicy jalapeños.
6. Reduce heat to lowest setting and simmer for about a minute before removing from heat.
7. Allow to cool (approx. 10 minutes or so) then pour into your mason jar.
8. Slap on the lid and pop in the fridge. That's it!

Read more interesting recipes >>http://peasandcrayons.com/

Living Well: 10 Secrets For Extending The Life of Cut Flowers

Nothing brightens a room quite like a vase of fresh flowers. Also, nothing smells quite as nice (with the exception of a few flowers maybe — I’m looking at you, Easter Lilies!).

I love walking by a vase of freesia. It reminds me of being someplace warm and sunny, preferably tropical, with the breeze blowing through my hair. Roses remind me of my great-grandmother’s rose garden and her gorgeous Peace Roses the size of small dinner plates. Hydrangeas bring back fond memories of my time living on the East Coast. Then there are peonies. My maternal grandmother had so many growing in her garden. They are cheerful and happy and make me think of summer and bare feet in the grass.

Read more>> http://www.designmom.com/2013/03/living-well-10-secrets-for-extending-the-life-of-cut-flowers/

Travel Secret List: How to Travel Off-Season

Monday: Power Dressing

GET MORE INSIGHTS TO POWER DRESSING>>http://www.memorandum.com/2016/06/classic-ivory-dress.html

Sunday Cooking:Roasted Garlic & Tomato Lentil Salad

Ingredients

• 1 head garlic
• 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil, divided
• 1½ cups grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup sliced red onion
• 2¾ cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup green lentils
• ½ cup diced celery
• ½ cup diced red pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut top of garlic head and place in foil. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon of oil and close foil around garlic.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange tomatoes and onion in a single layer and drizzle with avocado oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Place garlic and tomato mixture in a preheated oven and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until lightly shriveled.
5. Carefully open garlic and allow to cool. Gently press cloves from garlic head and place in a small bowl, breaking garlic into smaller pieces with the back of a fork.
6. Meanwhile, bring broth to a boil. Add lentils and reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
7. Add garlic, tomatoes, red onion, celery, red pepper to the bowl.
8. Make dressing by combining olive oil, lemon juice, and crushed pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in salt and paper to taste. Toss with lentil mixture and serve.

Notes

Servings 4, Serving Size 175 grams, Calories 289, Fat 11g, Carbohydrates 37g, Protein 13g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 613mg, Potassium 473mg, Fiber 7g, Sugars 5g

See more recipes>>http://wendypolisi.com/