I keep baking and the smiles keep coming.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Thoughtful Handmade Perfection
Last week I received a very special thank you gift for catering my friends Bree and Jason's rehearsal dinner. For the last couple of months Bree's mom had been crafting the gifts...a hand woven cookbook basket and cheery apron. Her thoughtfulness amazed me. Both will be cherished for many years to come. Thank you Phyllis!
Many hugs,
Kathy
Many hugs,
Kathy
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Cookies Never Go On Vacation
This week Mike and I are on vacation in Raleigh, North Carolina visiting my son Ryan. Ryan's birthday was on Tuesday, so Monday I pulled out the chocolate chunks, pecans, butter, sugar, eggs, flour and baked away. This time I used some dark brown sugar for extra depth of flavor and added almost two cups of toasted pecans instead of the usual 1 1/2 cups. The result was quite good and actually approved by the star quarterback at NC State - Russell Wilson. Tim who? Russell is my new favorite quarterback. He likes my cookies!
Many hugs,
Kathy
Many hugs,
Kathy
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
My Cherished Collection of Smiles
Some people collect antique banks (my dad, for one). Some collect fine art. Others collect Jaguars (my friend, Mark). I collect smiles. Recently my collection has been growing by leaps and bounds.
The joy I see on the faces of my HeartSong Cookie recipients is priceless. It is the reason I end almost every day in the kitchen baking cookies and begin almost every day assembling baskets. It is the reason baking ingredients covering my dining room table are a permanent addition to my decor.
Yes, I get tired, but the smile I receive at the end of all the effort keeps me going and going and going...
Keep smiling and I will keep baking!
Many hugs and smiles,
Kathy
The joy I see on the faces of my HeartSong Cookie recipients is priceless. It is the reason I end almost every day in the kitchen baking cookies and begin almost every day assembling baskets. It is the reason baking ingredients covering my dining room table are a permanent addition to my decor.
Yes, I get tired, but the smile I receive at the end of all the effort keeps me going and going and going...
Keep smiling and I will keep baking!
Many hugs and smiles,
Kathy
Monday, November 2, 2009
A List of Fall Favorites
Several friends have requested a list of cookie flavors I am currently baking. Tonight I posted five of my favorites included in the fall baskets on my new website - www.heartsongcookies.com.
For questions or special requests, please contact me at heartsongcookies@cfl.rr.com.
Many hugs,
Kathy
For questions or special requests, please contact me at heartsongcookies@cfl.rr.com.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Finally...A HeartSong Website
A couple of weeks ago I registered a website domain for www.heartsongcookies.com. Yes...I finally have a website!
However, I have not had a spare moment to do anything with the site. Tonight at least I posted a welcome and hope to upload some more photographs over the next couple of weeks.
Many hugs,
Kathy
However, I have not had a spare moment to do anything with the site. Tonight at least I posted a welcome and hope to upload some more photographs over the next couple of weeks.
Many hugs,
Kathy
Friday, October 30, 2009
Happy Fall Goodies
This week I delivered a lot of hugs to my clients and friends.
For my friends participating in a 60 mile walk over the weekend to raise money for breast cancer research, I filled a hot pink backpack with HeartSong Cookies to give them a carb load for the trek.
Others received fall or Halloween themed baskets similar to the photograph taken by my friend, Vicky. All the baskets and backpacks seemed to have the same effect. They made people happy. And in turn they made me overjoyed. What a wonderful world we live in!
It seems like an eternity since I actually posted a recipe on this blog. One of the favorites in my recent fall baskets was the Cranberry Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie. It is basically my base cookie recipe with dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips and toasted pecans added.
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 1/2 Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 cups toasted pecan, toasted whole, lightly salted with a sprinkling of sea salt, then chopped
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter, all sugars and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fluffy. Add eggs, baking soda and salt. Beat until well mixed. Add flour and beat until just combined. Overmixing will result in a tough cookie.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly brown around the edges, rotating midway through the cookie time. Cool on pan for 5 minutes. Then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Tip: The cranberries add a festive touch to the cookies and work great for fall and holiday entertaining and gift giving. White chocolate chips can be substituted for the dark chocolate chips. Your favorite nut can be substituted for the pecans. I made Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies this week to rave reviews. Have fun blending your favorite taste components.
Happy Halloween!
Many hugs,
Kathy
For my friends participating in a 60 mile walk over the weekend to raise money for breast cancer research, I filled a hot pink backpack with HeartSong Cookies to give them a carb load for the trek.
Others received fall or Halloween themed baskets similar to the photograph taken by my friend, Vicky. All the baskets and backpacks seemed to have the same effect. They made people happy. And in turn they made me overjoyed. What a wonderful world we live in!
It seems like an eternity since I actually posted a recipe on this blog. One of the favorites in my recent fall baskets was the Cranberry Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookie. It is basically my base cookie recipe with dried cranberries, dark chocolate chips and toasted pecans added.
Cranberry Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
1 1/2 Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips
1 1/2 cups toasted pecan, toasted whole, lightly salted with a sprinkling of sea salt, then chopped
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Beat butter, all sugars and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until fluffy. Add eggs, baking soda and salt. Beat until well mixed. Add flour and beat until just combined. Overmixing will result in a tough cookie.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10 minutes until lightly brown around the edges, rotating midway through the cookie time. Cool on pan for 5 minutes. Then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Tip: The cranberries add a festive touch to the cookies and work great for fall and holiday entertaining and gift giving. White chocolate chips can be substituted for the dark chocolate chips. Your favorite nut can be substituted for the pecans. I made Cranberry White Chocolate Macadamia Nut cookies this week to rave reviews. Have fun blending your favorite taste components.
Happy Halloween!
Many hugs,
Kathy
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