Sugar Power!

Today was my first day of my Tues/Thurs class. I actually liked it a lot! The thing that I hate is all those introduction exercises tha
t the professors have the class do. Yes, they want to get to know you a bit and get you talking, blah, blah, blah... but they are so repetitive! Blargh. Ah well... I have one more "new class" tomorrow evening. Night classes. I like the professor though, so it should hopefully not be painful in any way. I will again have my three classes from Monday. Luckily, no homework for tomorrow, woot! I took a nap of epic proportions, but it makes sense because this week is one of those dreaded weeks... Yea...

Anyway, the recipe today is a very basic recipe that we whip out for Christmas. It isn't a difficult recipe, but it does take some time, especially since you have to roll out the dough and then use cookie cutters. My sister and I always look like the flour exploded on our clothes, but an apron can prevent that, haha. I hope you all try this out!

Christmas Cookies


Ingredients:

• 3 c. flour (plus extra for when you roll out the dough)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt (the finer kind... not sea salt!)
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup shortening (butter flavor or plain is fine)
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Pre heat the oven to 375 F or 190 C. (if I ever forget, here is the oven temperature conversion chart)
2. Sift the dry ingredients together (flour, baking powder, salt, sugar). 
3. Add the shortening to the dry ingredients.
4. Mix with a fork or a pastry blender. 
5. Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
6. Lightly flour a flat surface to roll the dough on. Flour your rolling pin. Get out your cookie cutters and set them in a small pile of flour so that you can prevent the shapes sticking in the cookie cutters.
7. Take a chunk and roll it out. Cut the dough into shapes.
8. Bakes for about 8 minutes.
9. Let cool.
10. If you want to, frost and decorate your cookies. If not, then enjoy or store in an air-tight container.

I hope you all try this out. It really isn't difficult, but the dough rolling part could take a bit of practice if you have never done it before. If your dough is too sticky, make sure to flour really well, or the dough will stick everywhere. Good luck!

Love it? Hate it? Want to make it? Let me know what you think with a comment below!

As always...

Bon appétit!