Cookie Adventure Epiphany

My life's adventure is filled with many wonderful people that mean the world to me. Two very different, but equally amazing women keep popping up in my recent cookie adventures.

They offer me encouragement and support. They prod...they poke...they challenge me to go after my dreams. They listen to me whine about my financial challenges and personal insecurities. They are undaunted! They believe...in me.

Carolyn and Kenda, thank you for all you are and all you do! I do believe that anything is possible and I am taking you along for the ride.

You are both epiphanous (enlightening)!!!!!!! And yes, I just made up a word in your honor.

Many hugs,

Kathy

Graduation Cookies

My son, Ryan, made one request for his college graduation weekend...cookies to share with his friends. I was more than happy to accommodate his request. I whipped up a batch of two of my favorites from previous postings - White Chocolate, Blueberry, Pecan Cookies (April 3, 2009) and Toasted Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies (February 26, 2009). Graduation weekend was a great time and the cookies were pretty good too!



Many hugs,



Kathy

A Day To Remember

Last week I decided to ask family and friends to an Easter brunch at our house to celebrate the day. Since time and funds were low, each invitee was asked to bring something. My brother made an amazing cheese grits casserole to go with my shrimp and andouille sausage. Mom brought a ham and champagne glasses. My mother-in-law, Jo brought her special deviled eggs and fresh fruit. Friends, Carolyn and Alana, brought orange juice for mimosas and the cutest mini cupcakes. And friends, Kenda and Mark, brought a delicious potato salad. I added the "HeartSong" touch with banana muffins and white chocolate blueberry pecan cookies. Food was plentiful and very good, but the best part of the day was the company. At the end of the day I hugged my husband Mike and reflected..."We made some people happy today and that is a very good thing!"

Many hugs,

Kathy

Easter Sugar Cookies

All holidays must be commemorated with sugar cookies! Actually, it is just my excuse to play with cookie cutters and sprinkles. You can find the recipe in a previous posting from February 12. Happy Easter!



Many hugs,



Kathy

Priceless!

This week's cookie adventure took shape in a most unexpected place. As I stopped at a light on Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando, I noticed a gentleman standing by the intersection holding a sign..."Hungry". I could not overlook his hopeless expression. He seemed genuinely hungry. I knew I was very low on funds and reluctantly started to drive on.

Then I remembered the bag of chocolate chunk cookies that were in the back seat from the day before. I rolled down the window and told the man I did not have any money, but had a bag of homemade chocolate chunk cookies. Fully expecting him to be disappointed by my lack of money, I was pleasantly surprised by his reaction. "HOMEMADE?!!!!" he said, in a delighted inquisitive tone. He rushed to my window to take the bag of cookies and treated them with reverence like I had given him something of great value. A big, toothless grin and thank you was what I received in return...PRICELESS!

Many hugs,

Kathy

Cookie Welcome Basket

This week I finally got my first paying cookie gig. My friend, Carolyn, asked me to make a cookie basket for a new tenant in her mom's condo. I was thrilled! I baked three different types of cookies and dressed them up in "heartsong" style. Hope her tenant likes the cookies at least half as much as I enjoyed making them. Thanks Carolyn!

Many hugs,

Kathy

Gator Breakfast Adventure

Several week's ago I was honored with a request from Lorraine, my most enthusiastic cookie fan, to cater a breakfast meeting for my Alma mater - University of Florida. I was intrigued with the prospect of finding a healthy breakfast cookie and some really tasty muffin recipes. After a week of "research and development" and a couple of flops, I ended up with three recipes. Since tonight I am functioning on 2 1/2 hours of sleep, I will post my favorite of the three and follow up this weekend with the rest. Thanks Lorraine for believing in me. I had a blast!

Banana Muffins with Mascarpone Cream Frosting

Muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 ground nutmeg
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 ripe bananas, peeled and coarsely mashed

Frosting:
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

1. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners. Preheat oven to 325 F.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Beat the sugar, oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in the mashed banana. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just blended.

3. Divide the batter amoung the prepared muffin cups. Bake the muffins on the middle rack until the tops are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean with no crumbs attached...about 25 minutes (my oven took 28 minutes). Transfer the muffins to a rack and cool slightly. The muffins are amazing warm without the frosting, but even better topped with the creamy sweet mascapone confection.

4. To frost the muffins: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the mascarpone cheese and follow with the honey. Spread the frosting over the muffins and sprinkle with the toasted walnuts.

Tip: I used (2) 12 cup muffin pans and yielded 24 muffins. They did not have large puffy tops, but were plenty big enough for me. To frost 12 muffins, I doubled the frosting recipe...would probably need to triple it to frost all 24. My brother suggested I try adding mini chocolate chips to this recipe. Mmmmmm, sounds good. Maybe next week...

Enjoy!

Many hugs,

Kathy