"Crack" Cookies Recipe

By sharing this recipe with you, I may, inadvertently, be killing all hopes of a social life. I can't tell you the number of times I've been invited to a party and the host on the phone says, "Oh and you'll bring the cookies, right?" I got this recipe from my mom, who got it from her friend Elaine. So the proper name for these guys is" "Elaine's Sugar Cookie Cutouts," but friends have given them the nickname of "crack" cookies and it stuck. I love making them because they are the most decadent, easy to make, and down right addictive morsels you will ever sample. They are essentially a rich buttery almond-flavored shortbread and their nickname comes from the fact that they are very delicate and break easily- also they are made with an obscene amount of powdered sugar. Let's begin, shall we?

THE INGREDIENTS (AKA "Usual Suspects")

• 3 cups sifted confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)
• 2 cups (4 sticks) salted or unsalted butter @ room temperature -> many bakers argue that you've got to use unsalted...but I'm a rebel by nature 
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. almond extract
• 5 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. cream of tartar
• 2 eggs

I've actually given you the ingredient list for a double batch (which will make around 3 dozen cookies). My motto is "GO BIG OR GO HOME," but usually I just do both!

I just need to take a moment and say that I am in love with almond extract. It might be my most favorite of extracts, right next to vanilla, of course :) It gives the cookies that special punch and people always think I spent a fortune on almond paste and I smile and say, "it's just the good ol' almond extract..." Hey, that could be a ol' timey song title: "In the Good Ol' Almond Extract"...sorry the "crack" cookies make me go all whimsical.

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Beat butter and powdered sugar until well blended
• Add eggs, vanilla and almond extracts, beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes) -> see picture above :)
• Combine dry ingredients and add to batter, stir to blend
• Divide dough into 4 balls and put each between waxpaper and roll to flatten
• Refrigerate about three hours to overnight (yes, you can freeze the dough and use it later)

***here's a tip...if you plan on leaving these in the fridge overnight, you may want to also put them in a ziplock bag. One time I didn't and there were onions in the fridge and I ended up with onion/almond flavored cookies...they were not so good...I still ate them...

TIME TO BAKE

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit
• Take out the dough when you are ready to roll (you want it to be as cool as possible when it goes into the oven) -> warning you will want to eat all of the dough because it tastes like heaven
• To avoid eating all the dough, you can make a pig man face out of the leftovers and tell yourself, "You cannot eat the pig man. He has feelings. He has a nose. He is the pig man." But you will eat the pig man and you will feel very little remorse about it.

• Roll on lightly floured surface (the wax paper if you want to skip on clean up) to 1/8" thickness...sometimes if it's been a rough day I make it a 1/4" and go to town!
• Dip cookie cutter in flour and cut into shapes -> generally I just use a 2 inch circle shape because these cookies don't always take so well to the fancy shapes
• Bake at 375 F for 7-8 minutes on lightly greased cookie sheets 
• Watch the cookies like a pastry hawk because you must take them out of the oven at the first sight of golden-ness!

ICING

• 2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (yum!)
• 1/4 cup milk
• food coloring (if you're feeling fancy)

This icing can tend to be a bit thin, so feel free to add more powdered sugar until you get your desired consistency. 

Some plain janes

Some mellow yellows

Some Ghostbuster Greens

You can even go crazy and do red. Warning: you will feel like you are in a Scorcese film...

You can even go completely beserk and make a "Twister" board like I did for a recent game night. Right hand- blue!

So, there you have it. The most insanely addictive cookies you will ever try. But, don't take my word for it :) 

Post Christmas Post: Donuts & Capra

Happy post Holiday post, everyone! This holiday season was delightful and weird (I broke my cellphone, got in a car crash, and caught a terrible cold all in the same week). But, did I let that hold me back? I think not! Ever walk into a Krispy Kreme's and said, "I need 13 dozen, please"? I highly recommend it.

My family's annual caroling party calls for lots of donuts and sausages (my parents don't get symbolism)...but they do get the holiday spirit :)

 Best part about the holidays is getting to reconnect with friends and family. KGB made it back from NYC in time for the party! Love this lady!

More of my favorite peeples. Right after this photo was taken, we had our "indoor" caroling which culminates in a rousing rendition of the 12 days of Christmas (complete with interpretive dance)

KD was able to make it this year for the first time! We were pretty excited about it.

 Schmitzie & Andrew: they have the best smiles :) 

The evening would not be complete without a late night conversation about t.v. shows & ghost stories. Do not read about the haunted ebay painting or ...you will never sleep again (sorry Marcos!)

And now for Christmas Eve! For the last five years, we've been going up to see It's a Wonderful Life at the Stanford Theatre- it's so magical & I lurve it. Before the movie, we eat at the Peninsula Creamery (a Palo Alto landmark). My grandparents actually used to go there after school & get milkshakes, so it's full of great memories.

Here we are: Gramps & Lo & Stephen, Hayley!

Nothing says Joyeux Noel like a tuna melt, nothing!

Fierce cousins (ok Lo is fierce & I am quizzical)

Movie time! You know the story behind It's a Wonderful Life, right? It was directed by the brilliant Frank Capra and released in 1946, but it bombed. Like big time bombed because everyone came in expecting a light frothy comedy & instead they got well, kind of a dark & deep existential crisis about a man contemplating suicide. It wasn't until years later that the film started being shown on television (because it was dirt cheap to get the rights to) & people realized just how brilliant and special a movie it truly is. The Stanford Theatre has been showing it on Christmas Eve for years & it's become a tradition for many Bay Area families. We always tell people we attend the Church of Capra on Christmas Eve because there is this really amazing vibe in the audience- it feels like a small town of sentimental movie lovers :)

People start lining up hours before hand, so Hayley made a huge pan of butterscotch blondies & passed them out to the crowd. They were still warm (the blondies, not the crowd- we were freezing).

The Stanford Theatre might just be one of the most magical places in the world & on Christmas Eve it doesn't hold back. For $7 a ticket, you get to see It's a Wonderful Life & have all the free popcorn and soda you want!!! That's the spirit- atta boy, Clarence!

They even have a giant tree in the lobby covered with "stars" of the silver screen :)

The Stanford Theatre has an organ complete with organist who comes out and plays before the show. Here are Schmitzie, Hayley, Ang & me rocking out to his hip tunes-

 Stephen & Sahar- aka the adorable couple

Can you get over how gorgeous this space is? Then the movie starts...

 By the end of the movie, I am always a sobbing mess. I just start hugging everyone around me. They show this cool movie ad from 1937, thanking the patrons for their business & wishing them continued movie fun in the coming year. I think it's just an excuse to give us all time to compose ourselves post Frank Capra induced emotional melt down. I hope you all had a magical, memorable holiday season & "Remember, George: no man is a failure who has friends."

Farewell 2012

I don't know what to say about 2012 except that it was the most "challenging" year of my life- and I mean that in the best sense of the word. I got to travel to see friends and family (Annapolis, L.A., Charleston, Ashland). I got evacuated from a forest fire. Saw a Civil War Reenactment. Survived the Mayan Apocalypse. I even kind of grew up (Year 29). I figured out what I want & more importantly, I figured out what I don't. I called myself on a lot of my own bull and ended up having what can only be described as an Ebenezer Scrooge of awakenings eating at a Subway sandwiches inside an airport while watching three men trapped on a space ship (hello, Apollo 13, thank you for saving my life)...but more on that later...

To start off the year here are a few of the snippets that I found while using good ol' stumbleupon-aka the most addictive site on the internet. Here are my wishes for you in the new year...

You do something that you do not believe that you can do (Learn how to do the splits)
You fall in love with someone, something, or even just yourself ("Accurate Love Letter Written by a Six-Year-Old")
You embrace your inner rebel (10 Most Badass Tombstones Ever & 15 Signs Improved by Grafitti)
You learn how to sing your own praises & be your own best roommate (This Craigslist Roommate Ad Might Just Save Your F*ckin' Life)
You learn what the word "sonder" means (The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows)
You recognize that we all could take a lesson from Bill Murray (20 Reasons Bill Murray is the Coolest Man Alive)

To all of you, may the year 2013 be filled with adventures, mistakes & maybe even a little bit of magic :)

Holiday To Do List

Just completed my "pre-holiday to do list" because there are only 6 days till Christmas! How did that happen?!

Happy Holidays?

This tree wants to know "What in the name of Who-ville are you lookin' at!"

This wreath is totally paranoid...

Don't they know- no one will buy the tree if you're giving away the trimmin's for free?!

A Trip to Charleston

I recently returned from a journey to the South, with a capital "S." In five days, I ate 4 biscuits, devoured 6 pieces of fried chicken, saw a Civil War reenactment, rode on a swamp boat, almost tried to smuggle an alligator head into my carry-on, and discovered the wonder that is Crackerbarrel.

Here is the beautiful Claire, my hostess with the most-est. Notice how Charleston just suits her...

Charleston is not only one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen, it's also supposed to be one of the most haunted. The porch ceiling in the picture above is painted "Haint" or haunt blue. The idea is that the spirits pass right over your house because they'll think it's part of the sky...sneaky.

We went on a great historic carriage tour of the city. So much fun.

The route you take on the tour is dictated by bingo balls- that way no one road becomes overly congested.

So, here is Claire- the perfect example of Charleston grace & class...

And here I am, looking like a pirate. "Arrrr." I don't think I got the class memo. However, in my defense, Charleston is known not only for its ghosts. It also has a long history of duels and piracy.

For our first lunch, Claire took me took to Poogan's Porch which is amazing...and you guessed it- haunted! Apparently, one of it's former inhabitants, a spinster lady named Zoe haunts the restaurant. The place has actually been voted the 3rd Most Haunted Place in the U.S. You can check out the whole story here

First biscuit!

To be on the ghost's side- I'd probably haunt this place too. It was delicious!

Time for some antiquing.

And then a ride across the river to see the view.

All was calm and carefree and then-

The mosquitoes came! Run to the car!

Claire and I have been doing "Fish Face" pictures for almost 2 decades now. We know how to rock it.

Post mosquito-attack, we decided to stay in the car, so we made a stop at Sonic. It was my first time, therefore we had to try the cheesy tots.

The next morning Claire took me to this awesome diner at the Marina. We actually first met in a diner back in California. Our moms became fast friends while working on an school art project when we were in the 3rd grade. They planned a get together for us at Bobbi's diner. Claire wore her rainbow framed glasses and I wore my "Where's Waldo" tee-shirt. Magic :)

Second biscuit!

Some more walking around Charleston. I can't even tell you how incredible this city is. This church above is being restored to its original color, pink. 

How pretty is she? Seriously- seriously!

I toned down my inner pirate for our walking tour, but only a little.

Next day, we went to Cypress Gardens. It was very cool! I don't have pictures of it, but there is also a swamparium (like an aquarium, but with swamp creatures). I kind of freaked out when we walked in there. There was some pretty creepy crawly stuff, stuff with eyeballs, and teeth. On a non-slithery side note, a scene from The Notebook was filmed here. The scene with the swans :)

Here is Claire on our boat trip. Look out for gators!

Next stop, Boone Hall Plantation. Another place where part of The Notebook was filmed. We went to see a Civil War Reenactment, which you can read more about in my post "The Time I...went to a Civil War Reenactment"

 

After the plantation and the reenactment, we were pooped. Claire asked me what I wanted and I said more biscuits. She took me to the most magical place I have ever been...

The Cracker Barrel!!! I got chicken n' dumplins' and I kid you not, I dream about them. I dream about the biscuits and the mac n' cheese and the front lobby that looks like a general store and the pecan roll that I bought and ate later that night. Claire asked me if I could ever see myself living in Charleston and I said that I didn't know, but that I could definitely see myself living in a Cracker Barrel.

On my last day, we made our way down to the outdoor market, where I saw these alligator heads. Post swamparium, I wasn't sure that I wanted to see any more alligators, particularly their teeth, but these guys don't seem too menacing. 

I bought several of these sweet grass baskets which Charleston is famous for.

I had the most incredible time in this amazing city with the fantastic Miss Claire, who I miss, almost as much as the Cracker Barrel ;)