This morning was a celebration of the life of Lula Frances Jones...a life well lived. Lula (Frances) was a woman I never met. Yet somehow as I watched the people that filled the church for her service, I felt like I had known her all my life. She was a woman who took care of those around her. A woman who loved her children with all her heart. A woman who loved to cook good Southern food...and share it with anyone that happened to stop by. She was a woman who loved to eat. A woman after my own heart. My eyes teared up as I watched my friend Dennis mourn her loss. The loss of his mother. I was sad I never met this woman who was so important to so many. Once again I was moved by just how many people are touched by the well lived life of just one.
Tonight after wolfing down a Salmon Cobb Salad assembled from Easter leftovers, I began to make Sugar Cookie dough for a First Communion Cookie Basket for my friend Rose. She is leaving for North Carolina to attend the First Communion service for her granddaughter and asked me to make something special for her to take. As I cut the dough with the cross cookie cutters, I thought this was a perfect way to end this special day.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
The Power of a Cookie
Yesterday morning my brother picked up the basket of White Chocolate Blueberry Pecan Cookies I baked the night before. This was not an ordinary basket of cookies. This was a basket with a purpose. This was a basket destined to be a part of his office bake sale to raise funds for Second Harvest Food Bank. His face lit up when I presented it to him. I was proud of the results and anxious to hear how his office would respond. Shortly after Michael got to work I got my answer with text messages and photos proclaiming the delight of his co-workers. The really cool thing about the cookies I made is for every one sold for $1.00, it yields $9.00 worth of food to go to a needy family. That means the 25 cookies I made will net $225.00 worth of food for Second Harvest. As I always say...never underestimate the power of a cookie.
Many hugs and more cookies with a purpose,
Kathy
Many hugs and more cookies with a purpose,
Kathy
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Promise Of Heart Healthy Cookie
It bugs me to no end that I have neglected my HeartSong Cookies blog for over 4 weeks. Every time I log into my Diary of Cash Starved Foodie daily blog, the HeartSong listing moves further and further down my blog list. I have grand plans for a heart healthy cookie with whole grain flour, oats, less fat and lots of dried fruit and nuts. Unfortunately I have to work all weekend, but sometime in the next week I promise to bake again, share the hugs and post the recipe. After that, I am going back on the mission to find a gluten free cookie for Victoria. Her birthday is coming up in February and I have to find something I can send her that she can actually eat.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Many hugs,
Kathy
Thursday, December 17, 2009
The Best Friends In The Universe
I don't know if I ever mentioned it, but I have the best friends in the entire universe. Yesterday I dropped off a basket of cookies and when I returned to the office less than an hour later, the coolest e-card was waiting for me. My goofy friends sent the hugs I dropped off right back to me.
The cool friend stories don't end there. Kenda, Vicky and my mom all pitched in to help me cater Bree's rehearsal dinner when I broke down from the loss of my good friend, Mary Helen. They endured hours on their feet with nothing more in return from me than a great big hug and thank you. Vicky even stayed behind and cleaned my kitchen.
A couple of weeks ago when I was having a major panic attack about the annual Christmas party, Vicky dropped everything to help me pull it off. She organized things, cut veggies, basically did anything I needed, but most of all she calmed me down and made everything OK.
I have always been one that had a very difficult time accepting the help of others. I wanted to be the one giving the help. The last few weeks have taught me an important lesson...that it is OK to accept help. I also was reminded of something I always knew. I HAVE THE BEST FRIENDS IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!
Many Hugs,
Kathy
The cool friend stories don't end there. Kenda, Vicky and my mom all pitched in to help me cater Bree's rehearsal dinner when I broke down from the loss of my good friend, Mary Helen. They endured hours on their feet with nothing more in return from me than a great big hug and thank you. Vicky even stayed behind and cleaned my kitchen.
A couple of weeks ago when I was having a major panic attack about the annual Christmas party, Vicky dropped everything to help me pull it off. She organized things, cut veggies, basically did anything I needed, but most of all she calmed me down and made everything OK.
I have always been one that had a very difficult time accepting the help of others. I wanted to be the one giving the help. The last few weeks have taught me an important lesson...that it is OK to accept help. I also was reminded of something I always knew. I HAVE THE BEST FRIENDS IN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!
Many Hugs,
Kathy
Monday, December 7, 2009
Chocolate Crackles Cookies
Another one of my favorite cookies to make during the holidays is from a recipe I found in a holiday Martha Stewart magazine years ago. It also appears in the Martha Stewart's Cookies cookbook.
Chocolate Crackles Cookies
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
2. With an electric mixer mix together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in two batches alternating with the milk. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Divide each piece into (16) 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners' sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on cookie sheet lined with parchment.
4. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes, rotating cookie sheets halfway through. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
This cookie is very striking to look at. It has an intense chocolate taste, but is light at the same time. Enjoy!
Many hugs,
Kathy
Chocolate Crackles Cookies
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup whole milk
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
1. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a bowl.
2. With an electric mixer mix together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in two batches alternating with the milk. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F. Divide each piece into (16) 1 inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners' sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on cookie sheet lined with parchment.
4. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes, rotating cookie sheets halfway through. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
This cookie is very striking to look at. It has an intense chocolate taste, but is light at the same time. Enjoy!
Many hugs,
Kathy
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Christmas Cookies Coming Soon!
The month of November was filled with lots of relaxing, eating, some baking, but not much in the way of new cookie recipe postings. I promise many good things are coming for the month of December...Mrs Cohen's Crescents (kind of like pecan sandies, but better), Congo Squares, Kevina's Peppermint Bark Cookies, Holiday Decorated Sugar Cookies and much more...
This week is Christmas Open House Party planning, decorating and cooking time. So give me until next week and the recipes will be posting, cookies will be baking and hopefully many smiles and hugs will be collected.
On Thanksgiving, Geni delivered a HeartSong Cookie basket to her mother-in-law and shared the photo with me. More smiles for my collection...how cool!
Many hugs,
Kathy
This week is Christmas Open House Party planning, decorating and cooking time. So give me until next week and the recipes will be posting, cookies will be baking and hopefully many smiles and hugs will be collected.
On Thanksgiving, Geni delivered a HeartSong Cookie basket to her mother-in-law and shared the photo with me. More smiles for my collection...how cool!
Many hugs,
Kathy
Thursday, November 26, 2009
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