Peppermint Pinwheel Cookie Tutorial

How to Step-by-Step photos

Once the dough is prepared, get your clear wrap ready.

1. Place clear wrap on surface, roll dough flat.

This is a closeup of the dough and how thin it should be.

2. Roll flat and as thin as possible. 

Set aside, repeat for the pink side.

3. Place the pink layer on top of the plain layer. Try to match the shape.

closeup of how layers should line up on all sides

4. Peel the clear wrap layer from the top layer (pink layer) and leave the clear wrap on bottom only. The color on the bottom will be the color on the edge. It is easier to tell when the cookies are done baking when the color is plain and not pink on the outside.

5. Take one side of the clear wrap and tightly roll both layers together. Seal tight.

6. Put in fridge, can do this the day before.

7. Just follow the baking portion of the recipe - cookie tray with parchment paper, 375 degrees for 8-10 min! Lift off tray with spatula onto wire rack. Cool, enjoy!

Baking Notes:
*The only tip I highly recommend is using parchment paper when baking these cookies. It really helps to get them off the cookie tray and onto a rack to cool. Also, the recipe recommends 375 baking temp. but in case your oven runs hotter than usual, you can drop it to 350 and watch the tray closely through the oven door.  You do not want your cookies to bake too quickly, you want to make sure they remain soft. This is also why I recomment folding the beige side on the outside, so you can see the rim of the cookie. When its golden it is done baking. These taste better when they are not overbaked.

Dedicated to: Gabby Vogel- her favorite Christmastime cookie
and her foundation  GetWellGabby.org Gabby was a fighter, and in her memory we are fighting too. We are fighting cancer that takes away the joy of childhood and makes these children fight for their lives. Join us in this fight. Visit GetWellGabby.org for more information.

Chicken Stew & Dumplings

Chicken Stew & Dumplings

courtesy of Live Better America with my modifications to it.
Did you ever have chicken stew and dumplings before tonight? I haven't. It was pretty good. I think I would make this again. The dough is flavorful but it could use a little more of something. I am not sure yet but so far this was pretty good!

Ingredients: 
1 C Chicken-cooked
1 C Veggies-mixed
2 C Broth
1 C Bisquik
1/3 C Milk
2 Tbsp Green Onion
Onion Powder
Dried sage, thyme
Salt/Pepper

To Start:

1 Cup Cooked Chicken: 
Boneless breast, rubbed in salt, pepper, onion powder and minced garlic in a baking pan 350 for 30 minutes with cooking spray on the pan. Use about a cup chopped cooked chicken for this recipe.

1 Cup Mixed Veggies - carrot, onion, celery, I used fresh veggies. The original recipe calls for frozen veggie mix. **I do not recommend adding green beans like I did. They did not cook as fast as the carrot and the flavor did not blend. Im sure it does with the frozen veggie medley mix but we dont eat frozen bags of veggies in this house.

Mix Together:
1 Cup Bisquik
2 Tbsp Chopped Green Onion
1/3 tsp onion powder
Set aside to add milk to later.

Start Cooking:

In the pan/pot:
1/4 Cup Flour
and
Dried herbs - thyme, sage
salt, pepper
whisk together, add: 1 and 3/4 Cups to 2 Cups Broth (depending on your preference)
On medium heat
Then add the chicken, veggies.
Heat to boil, reduce to simmer.


For the Dumplings:
1 Cup Bisquik
2 Tbsp Chopped Green Onion
1/3 tsp onion powder
1/3 C Milk
Add milk to Bisquik until it becomes doughy. Form 6 balls, drop into soup mix.

Cover on heat 10 minutes, uncover for 10 minutes on stove. 

Cherry Lime Cupcakes Recipe for Holidays

Here is a recipe for Cherry Lime Cupcakes. They are so easy to make, and really tasty too! 

Secret ingredient is......Kool aid sugar!

Add about half the packet to the batter. Be sure to split the batter in half if you are using more than one flavor. Drop the batter in the same cupcake liner before baking and thats it!

I hope you enjoyed making cupcakes today!