Gifts In a Jar - Friendship Tea

We have some family friends that don't have a kitchen.  I'm serious.  They had an incident with a house fire more than a year ago and the kitchen still hasn't been completed.  Due to this situation, gift giving on our end was a little more difficult.  I wanted to make them some of the various Gifts in a Jar the girls and I have been gifting to friends and family.  Unfortunately, a kitchen is required for the baking or partial prep of the chosen gifts.

So, while brainstorming for ideas, Dad mentioned that their friends both drink tea and not coffee.

WOOT!

I HAVE my idea!

Friendship tea!  This yummy tea would be perfect in a jar, and only needs hot water - something I know our family friends DO have in their home!

And, due to the friends having given my girls many gifts and treats over the year, this would be a cute gift my girls could make for them as well.

There are many, many recipes for this tea online - Search for Spiced Tea, Christmas Tea, Friendship Tea and even the poorly named Russian Tea and you will be bombarded with recipes.  Some have sugar, some have none, some have lemonade, some only lemon flavoring, the combinations are endless.  Find a few that interest you.  Give a little and take a little.  Make it your own!  Then, make another batch, toss it in a jar and give it as a gift.  Your friend will love you for it!

Our batch of tea was the perfect size for one of my now emptied and run through the dishwasher Jewelry In Candles jars.  Due to the candle being soy, the recycled jars are perfectly acceptable to be used for food storage!

Friendship Tea
1 cup Tang
1 cup Lemonade (presweetened)
3/4 cup unsweetened, decaf tea crystals
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves

In a food processor, place all ingredients in bowl.  Pulse until mixed.  Store in airtight container.

When ready to serve, place 1 - 2 Tablespoons of mix in hot water.

This can also be made by placing all ingredients in a bowl and stirring.  I use the food processor as it makes the mix a little more fine and powdery and less of a mess when there are helpers in the kitchen.  Just imagine an open bowl, a spoon and a fight between a five and seven year old over who gets to stir.  Yes, pressing "pulse" on a food processor is a lot less mess!

Again, the sugar is 100% optional.  And if you can't find the presweetened lemonade, go ahead and buy two packets of unsweetened kool aid (the kind that will make 2 quarts a packet).  Then, just add some sugar to your liking, up to a cup, I would say.

Frosted Ice Box Rolls (Cinnamon Rolls)

Some of my favorite memories of growing up were from our family's Pizza Nights.

My Aunt Marilyn, Uncle John and their son, Craig would come out.  Sometimes, Dad's cousin Joe would join us.  We'd rent a movie from the local movie rental . . . I remember the excitement of knowing we had a movie reserved that we'd been wanting to watch for weeks! 

Rolled out dough all covered in cinnamon sugar goodness.

The pizzas were homemade - and we got to choose the toppings.

Then, every-so-often, we'd have cinnamon rolls.  My memories don't lend to there having been special reasons for the delicious goodies, but those rolls made our weekly pizza night into a Special Occasion.  I loved watching them roll out the dough with Mom's gold colored rolling pin, usually on her Tupperware mat.  Then, there was the sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar.  The yeasty smell would scent the house, cinnamon would then mix in.  Soon, our mouths were watering and though the homemade pizzas of our creation were good, we were all eagerly anticipating the minute those rolls would be pulled from the oven and the icing drizzled over them.

We liked the evenings Mom and Aunt Marilyn would get side-tracked and the rolls would kinda do a little more than "DOUBLE" in size.  They would puff up to the top of the cake pans, and you just KNEW they were going to be a little doughy in the middle, even when done baking.  SIGH.  YUMMY.

Jump ahead a few years and to the Holiday season when cooking commercials and family togetherness overwhelm.  A very popular national brand has been telling us that baking and cinnamon rolls are necessary to be part of the perfect family demographic. 

This message not-so-subtly got my 91 year old Gramma thinking.  She started hankering for a cinnamon roll.  With the usual Thanksgiving and then Crhstimas backing, neither Mom nor I got around to baking them. 

The week leading up to Chrismtas led to Mom and Aunt Marilyn discussing Christmas Dinner.  Aunt Mariyln would be hosting at her beautiful house - my girls absolutely LOVE the Christmas Eve Tradtion of visiting there - especially as their magial elf knows we typically have dinner in there and has left their Christmas Eve PJs under Aunt Marilyn's Tree before!  I was wrapped up in getting work (we were on overtime), Christmas Projects, Christmas Presents, Christmas Parties and Christmas Programs completed, so I didn't really join in on any plans.

Until Mom mentioned how Gram G wanted cinnamon rolls.

Not ready to bake yet!

Oh, heck ya!  Let's forget Chrismts Eve Dinner and just go straight to the Cinnomon rolls was my thought.  Sadly, Mom didn't agree.  Something might have been mentioned about me being close to 40 and acting wose than the two under 10 year olds.

So, I did back down from the all cinnoon roll meal plan, but wouldn't let the subject drop. 

It was worth being called a pest.  It rewally was!

Aunt Marilyn made homemade cinnamon rolls.

Gram G had one after dinner.  I still think we should've checked under the table or in her pocket because I have NEVER seen a cinnomn roll disappear so quickly, and that's saying a lot growing up with my brother and boy cousins and my sweet-freak Dad and Uncle John! 

My Aunt Marilyn shared the recipe - and I tried it at home today.  They turned out PERFECTLY.  After making them, some thoughts (well, ***suggestions*** from my Dad) are double the icing amount that is drizzled over the rolls and maybe the same for the filling.  If not double it, maybe 1 and 1/2 times it.

Additionally, do not let it rise in your Kitchen Aide mixing bowl.  This will need to double - and I had to dig out my Gigantor Tupperware bowl (I don't know the size right now, but I will check it out). 

Also, because I don't keep cow milk in the house, I was a smidge worried, but using unflavored, unsweetened coconut milk didn't affect this in any way that I could notice.  And the homemade butter was PERFECT in these!

Frosted Ice Box Rolls
(makes 24 rolls)

2 pkg dry yeast (or 3 T if you by in bulk as I do)
1/2 c warm water (105-115 degrees, hotter will kill the yeast)
2 c lukewarm milk (scalded) (I just let milk warm in small pan on stove while I let yeast proof)
1/3 c sugar
1/3 c vegetable oil or shortening
3 t baking powder
2 t salt
1 egg at room temperature
5-7 cups flour

Dissolve yeast in warm water.  Let proof 5-10 minutes, until bubbly. 

Stir in lukewarm milk, sugar, oil, baking powder, salt, egg and 2-3 cups flour.  Beat until smooth.  Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easty to handle.  Turn out onto well-floured board and kneed until smooth and elastic (8-10 minutes).  (Here, I just had the dough hook on my kitchen aide and let it continue to mix on medium for about that length of time due to being sidetracked with Christmas presents). 


Grease Gigantor size Tupperware bowl and place dough in bowl.  Cover and let rise in warm place until dough doubles in size (this was around 1 1/2 hours for me, with the dough sitting in front of the burning fireplace).  Dough will be ready when indentation remains when touched.

Grease 2 13x9 cake pans.

Punch dough down.  Divide in half.  Roll into 12x10 rectangle. 

Put filling of choice on top of rolled dough   Starting at wide side, roll dough.  Cut into twelve even pieces.  Space slightly apart in cake pan.  Wrap pan tightly with foil.  Repeat with remaining 1/2 of dough.



*** This next step is optional - you can simply skip the Fridge step and let rise again. ***  Refrigerate at least 12-48 hours.  Remove foil before letting rise and then baking.  - If skipping the fridge step and baking immediately, do not wrap in foil. -

*** Now, back to the mandatory steps either after removing from fridge or after placing in pan and skipping the fridge step.*** 
Let rise in warm pan until double (around 1/2 hour).

Bake at 350F for 30-35 minutes..

Frost with powdered sugar frosting.

Cinnamon Filling
4 T butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1 T and 1 tsp cinnamon

Spread softened butter on rolled out dough.  In small bowl, mix sugar and cinnamon.  Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar mixture over buttered dough.

Caramel Pecan Filling
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 c butter
2 T light corn syrup

Heat brown sugar and butter until melted  Stir in corn syrup.  Spread over rolled out dough.  Sprinkle with pecans.

Icing
1 c powdered sugar
1 T milk (almond milk works well)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Frost while warm.

Dill Oyster Crackers

I cannot recall the first time I had Dill Oyster Crackers.  I only know that it is a nice, simple recipe that is easily made and highly addictive.  Mom also would curse her coworker who gave her the recipe we would use.

I do remember Mom has a huge yellowish/gold Tupperware container that we'd dump the oyster crackers in before adding the dill mix.  We'd stir that goodness every half hour or so until all of the oil was soaked up by the crackers.

The crackers would never last for long, especially as we'd sample them each time they were being stirred - to ensure that they were tasting right, ya know!

Today, my girls helped with the tradition.  I'd been planning to make up some Christmas gifts in the weeks leading up to the Holiday, but I had a very insane last week at work as well as needing to finish up the knitted scarves we'd decided on for various teachers and friends, so the baking-type gifts didn't get made.  BUT - I have spare time this week, so we set to work making the Dill Oyster Crackers that will be late Christmas gifts!

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know there are a bajillion recipes out there for this snack.  But guess what - I want to ensure that I have the one I like best where I can find it easily!

Dill Oyster Crackers
2 bags oyster crackers
3/4 - 1 cup oil
1 T dry dill
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 to 1 tsp sea salt (to taste)
1 tsp dry ranch dressing mix (can leave this out, I did for the first batch, and it's just as yummy as with it)

Preheat oven to 250F.  In small bowl, mix oil, dill, garlic powder, sea salt and ranch dressing.  Pour in roasting pan.  Pour both bags of oyster crackers into roasting pan.  Stir until all crackers are coated with oil mixture. 

Place roasting pan of crackers in preheated oven.  Stir every 20 minutes to ensure oil, seasoning mix coats crackers.  After hour is up, remove from oven and let cool.  Store in airtight container.

- if desired, crackers do not need baked in oven.  Instead, simply use large bowl, dump in crackers and pour oil mixture over crackers.  Stir cracker mixture every half hour until oil has soaked into crackers.

Christmas Cookie Baking

While making our first batch of Christmas cookies, Mom mentioned her fears that her mom, Gram G, wouldn't be with us next year.  During that same day, she mentioned how Gram G likes Lemony Flavored Cookies.

That sent me on a mission.  I was going to find the Best Ever Lemon Cookie Recipe.

I pinned a few recipes onto my Pinterest Cookie Folder and then begged my Facebook Friends for any recipes they may have.

After a few conversations with my Mom and just knowing what kinds of cookies we all like, I went with one from my friend Judy, Fresh Orange Cookies, and then used a hybrid of my Mom's Awesome Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe.

WAIT!  That recipe said "Fresh Orange Cookies"!  Yah, I know . . . but we simply did a few substitutions.  Mainly (DUH!) using Lemon everywhere the recipe called for Orange.  For my Mom's Awesome Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe, that was pretty much just me dumping some Lemon Extract into the cookie. 

For the Fresh Orange Cookies, Miss Mie tasted the batter.  When I asked her what she tasted, she said LEMONS!  So, I'm going with having met with success there.  Aisey . . . well, she waited until the cookies were made tasted one, scrunched up her cute little nose and said "Momma!  These are bitter!" and then proceeded to eat the entire cookie with a smile on her face.  The Hubster, well, he waited until the cookies were cooled and iced for his verdict of "yup, they taste like lemon, I like them!"

The Lemony Sugar Cookies were also a huge hit.  It might be the red and green sprinkles, since it IS Christmas Time, but I think it's also because it's my favorite cookie recipe ever and adding a hint of lemon just made it all the better.

So, without further ramblings, the two Lemony Cookies from this weekend's baking:

Fresh Lemon Cookies with Lemon Frosting
~ adapted from Pillsbury.com

Cookies
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white bean puree
1 cup light sour cream
2 eggs
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan Salt
2/3 cup lemon juice
3 T grated lemon peel

Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 T grated lemon peel
3 T lemon juice

Cream sugar, butter and white bean puree.  Slowly add sour cream and mix.  Add eggs one at a time.  Mix well.  Slowly add flour a cup at a time, mixing until blended after each addition.  Add rest of the dry ingredients.  Blend well.  Add lemon juice and lemon peel.  Batter may appear runny after lemon juice is initially added, but it will incorporated into  nice cookie batter after mixing a few moments.

Preheat over to 375F.

Drop dough by rounded teaspoons unto ungreased cookie sheets. 

Bake at 375F until edges are *light* golden brown.  Remove from baking sheet to cooling rack upon removal from oven.  Let cool.

For the Frosting, grab a bowl and a whisk.  Whisk the four ingredients until smooth.  This is the perfect activity for that Kindergartner who has a test to count to 100 when classes resume in the new year.  After 100 stirs, the frosting is ready for the cookies.  If the cookies are too warm, the frosting will run off the sides of the cookies.  When cool, the frosting does a good job of holding its shape.

* Note- I think that, next time I make these cookies, I will replace the sour cream with Plain Greek Yogurt.

Lemony Soft Sugar Cookies
~ adapted from Mom's tried and true soft sugar cookie recipe, no known origin

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white bean puree
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
2 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 T lemon peel

Additional Sugar and sprinkles for rolling dough in.

Cream butter and sugar until soft.  Add egg.  Add flour one cup at a time, mixing between each addition.  Add soda, powder, salt, vanilla, lemon extract and lemon peel.  Mix until blended.

This dough can be baked right away.  But, if it's a warmer day out, cover the bowl and chill anywhere from 20 minutes to overnight.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly grease cookie sheets (VERY lightly as too much will make for an unsightly brown edge).  Roll balls of dough, about 1".  Drop balls into sugar/sprinkles and roll so all sides are covered and then place on cookie sheet.  Rolling the balls around in the sugar is the perfect part for the kiddos - especially if you don't mind the sprinkles getting all mixed up on every cookie.

Bake 8-10 minutes.  Cookies may appear not done.  Do not let them brown. 

Remove from oven.  Let sit 1-2 minutes before removing from cookie tray to cooling rack.  Do not let these cookies remain on cookie sheet.  Past experience has had bad results (chisels and goggles were involved) as these cookies can quickly harden if over baked.

White Bean Sugar Cookies

I will confess, as an adult, I hate making Roll Out Sugar Cookies.  HATE it.

I have awesome memories of making said cookies when I was little.  My Mom had a great selection of cookie cutters and she'd roll out the dough with her gold rolling pin.  We'd cut out reindeer and Christmas trees.  We'd toss in a few Santas and stars for good measure.  Then would come the excitement of decorating them.  Our family was pretty simple.  It was mainly white icing with various sprinkle colors. 

Then, I grew up and I began to realize the WORK that is involved in making said cookies.  Really, I should be thankful.  I burn off all of the calories of the cookies BEFORE I get to enjoy one.

But, I have kiddos.  This means I must carry on the tradition of making Roll Out Sugar Cookies.  If I don't make these cookies with my girls for Christmas, I think I go to some sort of Bad Parent Jail.  I mean, the media shows the absolute joy and togetherness that making these cookies brings about.

So, I get out the ingredients, the equipment, the two kiddos and con my Mom into helping.  Seriously, this is rough work, I will need reinforcements.

We have tried multiple sugar cookie recipes over the years.  Some of these recipes are better than others, but none will ever be that heirloom, pass down through generations type recipe. 

As Mom was fighting to roll out the dough for yet another attempt at finding that heirloom recipe last weekend, she confessed that she, too, hates Roll Out Sugar Cookies.  Just TOO MUCH WORK. 

But - now I see the tradition continues.  Mom dislikes this activity but did it for the joy it brought me growing up just as I do now with my girls.

The "World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER!!!" was a bust.  Well, it was a bust for sugar cookies.  But, Mom and Dad now have a large container of cookie crumble topping for their nightly bowls of ice cream.  And, I guess we should be happy as the girls got to use cookie cutters and cut out cookies to their hearts' content.

BUT - the recipe I'm sharing isn't that recipe.  No way!  I wouldn't share a crumbly cookie recipe when I found one that is perfect!  and unique!  and baked up a batch of perfectly shaped cookies.  There is no "chill for way to long with two anxious kiddos waiting to make cookies."  Nope, simply whip up a batch of these goodies and start rolling them out!

Christmas Bean Cookies

find them at:  Superhealthykids.com

White Bean Sugar Cookies

1/2 c butter
1/2 cup white bean puree
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tp almond extract
3 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp pink Himalayan salt

Cream butter, bean puree, and sugar together.  Add eggs, mixing after each addition. Add vanilla and almond extract. Add flour, mixing briefly after each cup.  Add baking powder and Himalayan salt and mix just until dough comes together.

Liberally flour smooth surface (I used my Mom's Tupperware Rolling Mat).  Place dough on floured surface.  Turn so that all sides of dough ball are floured.  I suggest splitting dough into at least two balls if floured surface isn't overly large so that dough isn't overworked. 

Preheat oven to 400F.

Roll dough to 1/3” thickness.  Cut out cookies.  Place cut out cookies on parchment lined baking sheets.  Try to get as many cookies out of rolled out dough as it will get crumbly and harder to work with the more times the dough is rolled in the flour.  Bake cookies in a 400 degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes - until edges just start to turn golden brown.  After removal from oven, let cookies sit on cookie sheet for 1-2 minutes.  Gently remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack.  Let cool and then frost as desired.

For the beans, I used our White Northern Beans that I had soaked overnight, cooked and then pureed with my Kitchen Aid Blender.

I haven't made the icing from that page, but it is on my To Do! List.