Easy Cookie Icing/Glaze

This is so easy to use and looks great!  I definitely recommend using a squeeze bottle or piping bag.   

Easy Cookie Icing/Glaze

3 C. confectioner’s sugar

½ tsp. Pure vanilla extract

2 tsp. Light corn syrup*

4 ½ - 5 Tbsp. room temperature water

Pinch of salt

Using a fork, stir the sugar, vanilla, corn syrup and 4 ½ Tbsp of water together in a medium bowl.  It will be very thick and almost impossible to stir.  Switch to a whisk and whisk in ½ Tbsp water.  If you lift the whisk and let the icing drizzle back into the bowl, the ribbon of icing will hold shape for a few seconds before melting back into the icing.  That is when you know it’s the right consistency and ready to use.  

If desired, stir in gel food coloring.  You can pour some icing into different bowls if using multiple colors.  Use 1 to 2 drops at first and add more as needed, remembering that color darkens as icing dries.

Spoon icing into squeeze bottles or piping bags fitted with Wilton tip #4.  Decorate your cookies as desired.  I usually outline the cookies with icing first then fill in the middle.  If adding sprinkles, add them right after applying the frosting to your cookies.

The icing takes 24 hours to set.  Once the icing is set, these cookies are great for gifting or sending.  

This recipe is enough for icing 2 dozen cookies. 

*Corn syrup is what gives the icing fabulous shine.  You may leave it out if you aren’t concerned about shiny, glossy icing.  

Recipe from https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/easy-glaze-icing/

The Best Sugar Cookies

 These sugar cookies are delish.  The dough is softer than what I was used to but I love that I don’t have to refrigerate the dough or make it ahead of time.  We baked these on Monday and didn’t have time to frost until Friday and they were still soft and delicious. We frosted them with the glaze recipe from Sally's Baking Edition, which worked beautifully.

The Best Sugar Cookies

2 C. salted butter (softened)

2 C. granulated sugar

2 Large eggs

2 Tbsp Vanilla extract

4 tsp. Baking powder

6 C. All-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350°.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and sugar and cream together on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the vanilla and eggs.  Mix for another 3 minutes until light and fluffy.  Add the baking powder and mix.  Add the flour two cups at a time.  Don’t over-mix the dough - just mix until the flour is incorporated.

After the flour is added, the mixture should be firm but not dry or crumbly.  If the dough seems too dry, add a tiny bit (about a teaspoon at a time) of vanilla or milk and mix again.

Roll and handful of dough out onto a lightly floured surface until it’s about ⅜” thick.  Cut shapes with cookie cutters and transfer shapes to cookie sheets.  They will not spread so they can be placed pretty close together.

Bake at 350° for 6-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cookies.  They should be set and just barely starting to brown around the edges.  Remove from the oven and let cool for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.  Let cool completely before frosting them. 

Enjoy!

Recipe from twosisterscrafting.com

Leftover Mashed Potato Soup

 Leftover Mashed Potato Soup

4 Tbsp bacon drippings

1 C diced onion

1 C sliced mushrooms

1 bag frozen peas and carrots

1 tsp kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp paprika

4 cups leftover mashed potatoes

1 cup cheddar cheese

4 green onions, sliced

6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

2 Tbsp sour cream

3 Tbsp half and half or cream

 

Cook bacon, and set aside to crumble.

·        In a large saucepan, cook onion in butter or dripping until softened.

·        Add chopped mushrooms and cook until tender and onion is golden.

·        Add chicken broth, salt, pepper, and paprika, stirring to mix.

·        Blend in mashed potatoes, stirring until lumps are gone.

·        Bring soup to a boil, add peas and carrots, then lower heat and cook 10-15 minutes on low. Add cheddar cheese, stirring until it is melted and smooth.

·        Mix in scallions, crumbled bacon, sour cream, and cream/half and half, stirring to heated through but not boiling.