How to Make Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies can be soft, crunchy, or whatever you like, but a favorite of many is soft chocolate chip cookies. Making soft chocolate chip cookies is not hard if you just follow these tips that I will give you.

First you'll need to make the chocolate chip cookie dough. If you're looking for a good recipe, search around or use the recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips. This is usually a standard chocolate chip cookie recipe.

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Mix together the sugars and butter thoroughly. Use an electric mixer to do it fast and well. Don't be until it's really fluffy, just combine to remove all lumps of butter and/or sugar. Then add in the eggs and vanilla.

This step is important to get soft chocolate chip cookies. Do not beat the batter with the eggs so that it becomes fluffy and airy. You are not trying to make a cake or a meringue. Just stir until combined and that is it.

Next, in a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir it with a spoon and sift according to the instructions. If it says sifted flour sift it and then measure it. If is says flour sifted, measure it and then sifted it. This makes sure that you get the right amount of flour.

Now you can gradually add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Add a little bit out of time and mix in thoroughly. Again, there is no need to be just mix it completely. Then stir in the chocolate chips.

Refrigerate the dough for at least two hours or preferably overnight. Preheat the oven to make sure it is completely heated before you put the cookies in. Roll the cookie dough into 2 inch balls and place then about 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Make sure the cookie she is not warm especially between batches. Put the cookie sheet in a refrigerator beforehand to make a cold to ensure that it's not warm.

Bake according to the instructions until very lightly golden brown across the whole cookie. You do not want dark brown or it will be hard and crunchy. Still, make sure you cook all the way or else it will just be gooey dough instead of soft cookie and gooey chocolate.

How to Make Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Learn how to make soft chocolate chip cookies and find more information about how to make chocolate chip cookies in general. You will find lots of helpful tips and tricks to make soft cookies and tasty cookies.

How to Make Wine - Pectic Enzyme - What is It?

If you want to learn how to make wine, one of the first things you should do is learn about all of the different additives and chemicals that are used to make homemade wine. Pectic Enzyme is one of the most misunderstood additives.

This article will explain What is pecitic enzyme, why do I need it and how it works.

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Let's back up a little and talk about grape jelly. MMMM! Everyone loves grape jelly and jam on a hot buttered biscuit. It always has a gooey, almost jello like consistency.

Did you ever wonder where that jello consistency comes from? Well, in jello, it comes from gelatin. But it fruit jams and jellies, a lot of the consistency comes from something called pectin.

Pectin is produced commercially as a white to light brown powder, extracted from citrus fruits, and is used in food as a gelling agent particularly in jams and jellies.

If you want to make your own wine out of grapes, peaches, strawberries or any other kind of fruit - you have to have a way of dealing with the naturally occurring pectin. The reason is that pectin can cause solids in your wine to clump together in a colliodal suspension and you'll end up with cloudy wine that won't clear no matter how long you leave it sitting in the secondary.

How to deal with it? Use something that EATS pectin! Pectic Enzyme loves to eat pectin.

The way to use pectic enzyme when making your own wine at home is to add about a 1/2 teaspoon per gallon of fruit juice before you start fermenting the juice.

While the fermentation is going on, the pectic enzyme will also be eating and dissolving the pectin. This will make your wine clear a lot faster and keep it from having suspended solids.

How to Make Wine - Pectic Enzyme - What is It?

Enzymes? Additives? Chemicals? You don't want to have to start a new research career just to make wine do you? Get a FREE step by step winemaking guide at How To Make Wine. It's 24 pages and gives detailed instructions in plain english and it's an instant download. Get it here: How To Make Wine.

Copycat Recipes - Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

Often times, I'll eat in a restaurant and I'll enjoy a certain dish so much I'll want to duplicate the recipe at home. While often times my recipes will come out good, they are never quite as good as the restaurant version.

For those who like meatloaf, many have said the meatloaf served at Cracker Barrel is one of the best meatloaves ever. Those who have worked at Cracker Barrel say that the secret is in the bread crumbs. At the restaurant, they use their buttermilk biscuits in place of breadcrumbs. This will absolutely make a difference in the taste of the meatloaf.

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What you might consider doing is making a batch of buttermilk biscuits and then using those in your meatloaf. It will help authenticate the taste of the restaurant recipe.

This recipe is enough for three loaves. It is perfect for small parties or even family potluck dinners.

10 pounds ground beef
30 ounces onion, chopped into 1/4-inch squares
1 pound diced green bell peppers
10 eggs
5 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons pepper
1 1/2 quarts diced canned tomatoes
2 1/4 cups buttermilk biscuit crumbs or breadcrumbs.

This is one of those throw it all in a bowl and mix it up recipes. The restaurant uses a convection oven. Most home do not have a convection oven. I suggest cooking at about 350 degrees for about sixty minutes. After removing from the oven, invert each loaf to a cooling rack and spread a half cup of ketchup over each loaf. Cut and serve.

I did go to several sites to see if I could find a recipe for the biscuits. I found a few sites where people claiming to be Cracker Barrel employees listed the recipe. They all had the exact same recipe:

2 cups White Lily self-rising flour
1/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup buttermilk

It's just the three ingredients. Blend the flour and shortening together. Then add in the buttermilk. Mix for one minute, roll out and cut. Bake for eight minutes at 450 degrees. Once you take them out of the oven, brush with melted butter.

I have personally not used White Lily flour, so I wanted to find a recipe using products I've used before and I found what is being called a copycat recipe of the Cracker Barrel buttermilk biscuits:

2 ½ cups Bisquick
2 /3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon melted butter

Mix the Bisquick, buttermilk and sugar together. Add the butter and mix until dough forms. Dust a board with flour and knead twenty times. Roll about ½ inch thick and cut into biscuits. Bake eight to ten minutes at 450 degrees. What was interesting was this recipe was very clear to not brush melted butter onto the biscuits after cooking.

Either way, the key seems to be in using crumbled buttermilk biscuits instead of bread crumbs when making the copy cat meatloaf recipe.

Copycat Recipes - Cracker Barrel Meatloaf

Audrey's mom always entertained when she was growing up. Audrey learned to prepare for large groups and has often entertained 15-30 people in her home at a time. You can find more great recipes at http://www.recipe-barn.com

Simple No Bake Chocolate Macaroon Recipe

This recipe was a favorite of my sister and I. We loved it when my mom would make these. When we were old enough to cook, the house always smelled like chocolate macaroons. I think we made this recipe about a couple of times a week. They are very easy to make and super yummy to eat! Another thing I like about this recipe is that you don't use a lot of dishes, so clean-up is a breeze as well. These cookies are great if you are in a pinch and need to make something delicious in a hurry. Another great thing is the ingredient list is very short and most things I'm sure you will be able to find in your very own kitchen.

I hope you enjoy making these macaroons as much as I know you will enjoy eating them.

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What you need to make the macaroons:

2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup milk

6 tbsp cocoa

1/2 cup fine shredded coconut

3 cups oatmeal

1-2 cookie sheets waxed paper

1. Combine the first four ingredients together in a large pot and bring to a boil for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Take pot off of stove and add the coconut and oatmeal. Mix until everything is coated.

3. Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet by heaping tablespoon-fulls. To have these cookies ready quickly, cool in refrigerator, or leave and let cool to room temp.

Enjoy!

Note: You may need to double batch these cookies as they will disappear fast!!!!

Simple No Bake Chocolate Macaroon Recipe

Easy Cooking and Baking Recipes. A place to print simple delicious recipes and post your own to share with others.

http://easycookingandbakingrecipes.blogspot.com/

M. Robinson

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - One Recipe with Many Variations

There are so many Christmas cookie recipes around but often so little time to bake during the busy holiday season.

The solution? A great tasting basic cookie recipe that quickly and easily turns into such a variety of easy to make Christmas treats, friends and family will think you poured over all your favorite Christmas cookie recipes.

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Let's start with the basics.

Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

1/2 cup (or 1 stick) butter (or margarine) at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except the flour. Beat with an electric mixer, scraping the sides of the bowl several times, until the mixture is light and fluffy. With mixer at a low speed, add the flour gradually, beating just until everything is well blended.

Place the mixture on a baking sheet using a tablespoon measure and press down with a spoon to flatten a bit. Or roll our and cut into shapes with a cookie cutter. Bake at 350ºF for about 12 to 15 minutes, until golden.

This basic cookie mixture is also the base for the following cookie recipes (all baked in a preheated oven at 350ºF).

Orange Cookies

(Makes about 32)

Add 1 tablespoon of grated orange zest to the recipe. Shape into a log that is about 1 1/2" in diameter and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Slice dough into 1/4" thick slices. Place on cookie sheet. Cookies can be decorated with candies, rolled in colored sugar, or cut into pretty holiday shapes before baking. Bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Cherry Coconut Chocolate Squares

(Makes about 54 squares)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

3 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, well drained and coarsely chopped

Line a 13"x9" baking pan with foil.

Stir cocoa powder into basic dough mixture. Press evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust looks dry.

In a medium bowl whisk together eggs, sugar, almond extract and baking powder until well blended. Stir in coconut and cherries. Pour over the baked crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, until top just begins to brown and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack. Lift it out on to a cutting board using the foil ends and cut into 1 1/2" squares. Squares can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

Coconut Pineapple Cookies

(Makes about 36)

In addition to the basic dough you will need:

1 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

1/3 cup pineapple preserves (use raspberry or apricot if you prefer)

Add 1 cup of the flaked coconut to the basic dough mixture and mix well. Shape the dough into 1 1/2" balls and roll in the remaining coconut to coat them. Place the balls 1" apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Make a deep indentation in the center of each cookie with your fingertip.

Bake for 12-15 minutes until the cookie is firm and the coconut is lightly toasted. When cooled, fill each hole in the center of the cookies with the preserves.

You can vary this basic dough to make a wide variety of Christmas cookie recipes. Add other flavorings like maple, ginger or cinnamon. Add chopped dried fruits like apricots or dates. Or bake them plain in holiday shapes and decorate with colored icing.

Christmas is such a wonderful time of year. Here's hoping these quick and easy Christmas cookie recipes help keep the pressure off the cook.

Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes - One Recipe with Many Variations

Karen Ciancio is a cook and lover of all things food and cooking related. Her website http://www.cookingnook.com contains easy dessert recipes, plus lots of other recipes, cooking tips, measurement conversions and kitchen ideas.

Puppies and Worms

If you have a puppy you may need to deal with an annoying, but very normal, problem - worms. These nasty little parasites set up residence inside your precious puppy, usually in the digestive system but sometimes (and more dangerously) they can invade other organs such as the heart. Having worms can cause all kinds of problems for a puppy, ranging from vomiting to more serious illnesses such as anemia or possibly even death. Although they can be worrying, treating puppy worms is fairly straightforward and generally very effective. There are 5 main types of worms that are usually seen, these are

Roundworms

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Roundworms are the most common kind of puppy worms and many puppies are born with them as an infected mother dog can pass them onto her puppies' in-utero. They can sometimes be seen in your puppy's feces, and are most often transmitted through contact with the worm eggs or larvae in the contaminated stools.

Roundworms can be passed onto humans, and children are most at risk as they tend to play close to the ground where they can come into contact with infected soil, grass or even the feces themselves. A child's tendency to put their hands in their mouth, and to be less stringent about personal hygiene makes them an easy target.

A fecal exam performed by your veterinarian can detect the presence of roundworms, and appropriate medications usually cure the problem fairly quickly.

Tapeworms

The most common type of tapeworm is spread by fleas. You can often see tapeworms (or segments of them) in your puppy's feces. They look like small grains of rice and are white in color. They are generally not easily transmitted to humans but good hygiene is still important.

In addition to any medication your veterinarian may prescribe to treat a tapeworm problem, using a regular, monthly flea and tick preventative is a good way to avoid an recurrence of the infestation.

Whipworms

Whipworms may be more common that generally thought, but they are difficult to detect. If your pup has these parasites he may show few symptoms early on, but regular (and often repeated) fecal exams are necessary to make sure he's whipworm-free and to head off any future problems.

Hookworms

The hookworm is a very, very tiny but still pretty nasty little puppy worm. They do best in warm, moist soil and actually penetrate through your puppy's skin and then travel to his intestines.

Humans can also pick up hookworms in the same way, so it's best not to run around barefoot if your puppy has hookworms. A fecal exam and the appropriate medication is the answer to a hookworm infestation.

Heartworms

Heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes and they're the most deadly of the puppy worms. Heartworms (as their name suggests), take up residence in your puppy's heart and can cause serious health problems. If a heartworm problem is left untreated, it's quite possible that the puppy or dog will die.

A preventative medication (such as Heartgard), given regularly in strongly recommended as treatment for heartworms is long, complicated, expensive and not always successful.

If you have a new puppy be sure to have your veterinarian give him, or her, a fecal exam to check for worms at his first check-up. If at anytime you notice worms in your puppy's feces, or see symptoms that suggest a worm problem, talk to your vet straight away.

Don't try to treat puppy worms with over-the-counter-medications. They're generally not very effective and can have unwanted, even dangerous, side-effects.

Puppies and Worms

The author is a life long dog-lover and has many years of experience in breeding, raising and training puppies. Hobby breeder of top quality Rottweilers and Cane Corsi. To learn more about worms and your puppy, go to http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com/puppy-worms.html

Or go to our homepage at http://www.the-puppy-dog-place.com to find lots of free information and resources on all aspects of puppycare. Puppies are our passion - and it shows!

Paula Deen - Famous in Her Women's Chef Coat

Paula Deen was born and raised in Albany GA, and she was a housewife and bank teller before she exchanged women's work clothing for a chef's hat. Both of her parents died when she was nineteen, and her husband decided to move to Savannah, GA in 1989. Shortly after the move she divorced her husband, and she found herself broke with two teenage sons to support. Since she had always been an excellent Southern cook, she began a catering company with the name "The Bag Lady". She confected sandwiches and other quick meals, and her sons delivered the food. She herself tried to avoid going out because she had agoraphobia - fear of public places. She thinks that this phobia began after she had been held at gunpoint by bank robbers. The Bag Lady became so successful that it quickly outgrew her home kitchen.

She took a job in the kitchen at Savannah's Best Western Hotel, and she worked there for five years before she opened her own restaurant, The Lady & Sons, in Savannah's downtown in 1996. The constant contact with the restaurant's clients helped her overcome agoraphobia; and the restaurant became such a success that she moved it to a larger building located in the historic district of Savannah, where in 1999 it was named the International Meal of the Year by USA Today. The Lady & Sons' specialty is a buffet which includes such dishes as macaroni and cheese, sweet potatoes, deep-fried Twinkies, and cheesy meatloaf. Every meal is served with garlic cheese biscuits and Paula's signature hoecakes.

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Paula's first cookbook, The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cooking, was self-published in 1997 and then a literary agent for a major publishing company who happened to be eating in her restaurant picked it up and published it. Paula promoted her book on QVC where it soon became one of the top-selling cookbooks and brought her national recognition. Since then she has written three other cookbooks: The Lady & Sons Too - A Whole New Batch of Recipes from Savannah, The Lady and Sons Just Desserts, and Paula Deen and Friends: Living it Up Southern Style. In 1999 Paula appeared on the Food Network's Doorknock Dinners, which filmed several episodes in Savannah. She also appeared in a women's chef coat on Food Network's Ready, Set, Cook! show. Her own show, Paula's Home Cooking, debuted in 2003.

After Paula appeared on Oprah Winfrey in 2002, she received hundreds of letters from housewives who told her that she had inspired them to take control of their lives after hearing her tell her story. In 2005 she had her movie debut in Elizabethtown, wherein she costarred with Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom. In the film she played the aunt of Bloom's character in maid shirts, and her cooking was heavily featured in the film. In 2008 Paula opened the Paula Deen Buffet restaurant at Harrah's Casino in Tunica, Mississippi, whose facade is modeled after Paula's Savannah home. In 2009 Paula announced plans to launch her own line of desserts at Walmart, featuring her signature pies such as Apple Crunch Top, Old-fashioned Fudge, Dark Rum Pecan, and Gooey Butter Cake bars. In 2004 Paula married a tugboat captain, Michael Groover, and she is living happily ever after.

Paula Deen - Famous in Her Women's Chef Coat

Paula Deen's rags-to-riches in women's work clothing life story has inspired housewives throughout the country to take their maid shirts off. In her women's chef coat Paula's brand of Southern cuisine and hospitality has become a legend in its own time.

What's a Healthy Snack?

Many people see snacks as something store bought and individually wrapped. While this is very common, and is definitely the easiest for people with hectic schedules, it is unlikely that it is healthy. When buying snack food from a store, check out the nutrition values at the back of the wrapper. Many of the chip, cookie, and candy companies are responding to the publics crave for healthier food and a healthier lifestyle. It also isn't just about what is inside the wrapper, sometimes they advertise that their wrapping is bio-degradable and good for the environment.

Look for snacks that are low in fat, minimal carbohydrates, have no trans fat, have very little sodium or none at all. Some companies are advertising oven baked chips and organic chips. These are better options than your traditional potato chips. Same for cookie companies. Look into what these snack food companies have to offer and you can make a healthier decision.

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To be very correct about the topic though, a healthy snack is anything that is nutritious and matches a recommended daily serving of any of the five major food groups for as long as it isn't an extra serving of grains, meat, and dairy. You and your children can always have an extra serving of fruit and vegetables, and if you lead a very active lifestyle, you can have an extra serving of grains, meat, and dairy, but assuming that you fall into the norm of society, snacks should address what you don't get from your regular meals.

If you or your child ate two or three cups of fruit for breakfast and went two rounds at the salad bar for lunch, it is okay to snack on a sandwich of cold cuts and cheese in the afternoon! By this time of the day, both of your bodies will be needing the grains and protein in order to keep your system running well. While this diet is rather unconventional, it can happen. Denying yourself of the grains and protein your body craves and needs is just as bad as not eating fruit and vegetables. In this scenario, the sandwich is a healthy snack because it is supplying your body with what it lacks.

So what's a healthy snack? It's whatever fits into your recommended daily serving of whatever of the five food groups. Really. There are no hard and fast rules to what you can eat, just conventional ones. So the next time you're considering a snack or you're preparing a snack for your children and you want it to be healthy, think about what you've eaten earlier in the day and what you might be eating for dinner. After some quick math, you'll be able to make an educated and nutritious choice. Following this system, no food is banned from being snack food. Now doesn't that sound great?

What's a Healthy Snack?

Want to keep snacking? Make your own snacks at home! Check out Healthy Snack Recipes and discover great snack recipes, as well as other healthy recipes both children and adults will enjoy!

Christmas Holiday Cruising

Cruising during Christmas is an experience that will last a life time. Get away from the crowds and holiday rush and relax on a beautiful cruise ship that will pamper you through the holidays. I promise, it will be a holiday like know other that you will remember always. The Christmas spirit  will surround you even if it;s 80 degrees outside. Festive decor will be in all the public rooms. Plus, the cruise liner will also have special fun and games to set the tone of the holiday spirit.

Holiday music is an essential part of Christmas during this time of the season. You will enjoy it in all the cabins and in the live entertainment areas if you desire. Special themed Christmas programs for kids, with themed crafts and a Christmas show is usually available for all the kids to participate in. Santa is always available for a photo session to make the experience memorable. You can arrange to have special gifts to be placed in your cabin to surprise those you love. There's nothing like starting a cruise by finding a surprise in you cabin when you arrive.

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There are so many Christmas party events you will enjoying them all. For example,  you might also be apart of the  ship's captain hosting Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony along with singing carols, eating cookies and drinking hot chocolate. Kids are even given gifts from Santa on some of the better liners.

The Disney Cruise Line begins the holiday cruise experience at the terminal where the Disney characters are all dressed up for Christmas. On these ships, you will find a three deck high tree and magic snow falling on it. There's lots of caroling by the crew and activities ranging from decorating gingerbread houses and Santa's surprise visit that always brings a smile on everyone's face.

If you just want to relax, that is easy. Enjoy a the Christmas show put up by the crew on Christmas Eve or sleep till noon. It's your choice. There are so many things to do on a cruiser at Christmas time. So, if you're thinking about cruising at Christmas, I highly recommend it. 

Christmas Holiday Cruising

Russell is retired from the corporate world and is now a stay at home dad who tries to keep up with his 3 children and loving wife. We try to cruise every year if possible. Another interest of mine is wooden doll house. You can check out some great information on dollhouse furniture kits at my site http://www.WoodenDollHousesShop.com

Southwestern Bedding Ensembles by Thomasville

The American Southwest and its geometric patterns and bold earthy colors have long been an inspiration to artisans throughout the United States and the world. Southwestern and western patterns are a popular look for home decorating. This decorating theme has become popular in the bedding and linens industry as well. Bedding manufacturers from Dakotah, Veratex and Thomasville all have their own "southwestern" categories of bedding ensembles.

Southwestern designs are not only popular in the traditional geographical areas of the American West and Southwest. In theses areas Southwestern bedding make sense due to the fact that many homes have an entirely southwestern décor. However the bold and artistic designs of southwestern bedding ensembles have attracted fans throughout the country. The warm palettes have proven an attractive option for colder climates. The striking designs and geometric patterns have caught the eye of consumers throughout the country.

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Thomasville has many elegant choices in the southwestern design. Thomasville is a leader in the bedding industry and their quality and versatility has not been lost in their southwestern selections. Selection such as Tahoe, Guest Cabin and Canyon evoke all of the warmth and uniqueness in design that would be expected in a southwest motif.

Tahoe by Thomasville is at first a contemporary bedding set but its patterns and color palette fall within a southwest design. Tahoe's main print is reminiscent of a mountain chain with the sun shining through them. The set is further detailed with earth tones in a variety of textures. This combination of color and texture will exhilarate your senses. Snow leopard print and gold pillows can be purchased to accent the ensemble.

Guest Cabin by Thomasville is reminiscent of a snowy winter lodge. In deep shades of black pepper and chili this set has combined rustic woven patterns with the luxuriousness of suede and chenille. The sheets are designed in an abstract pattern with biscuit and cayenne tones. Sand colored or plaid Euro shams top off this inviting collection.

The Canyon ensemble is designed with soft geometric shapes. Desert tones of sky, coral and rose come together on a mottled sandy background. A wide variety of matching pieces are available with this ensemble to create a complete southwestern theme for your bedroom. The 250 thread count sheets come in a sandy tone to enhance the earthy look of the comforter. Add the matching window scarf valance for added elegance.

Overall Thomasville's southwestern designs offer variety, detail and quality that you would expect from Thomasville. If you are looking for a fresh new or fanciful look for your living space, Thomasville's southwestern ensembles are not something you should pass by. Thomasville offers many other southwestern designs as well as contemporary, floral and tropical motifs. Take a look for Thomasville on-line or in your local bedroom store.

Southwestern Bedding Ensembles by Thomasville

For more information about Thomasville’s southwestern ensembles please visit http://www.ajmoss.com/southwest-bedding.php or call aj MOSS toll free at 877-862-1270 and a member of our experienced staff can help you select the perfect Thomasville ensemble today!

Carpentry Joints - 5 Joints For All Purposes

The type of woodworking project you have in mind will determine the type of carpentry joints you use. The following article will help you decide on the appropriate woodwork joint to use.

These following woodwork joints differ in their styles but all have the ultimate purpose of making a strong and stable woodwork piece.

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1. Square Butt Joint.
This joint also known simply as a butt joint is the most basic type of carpentry joints. It is the simplest way of joining two pieces of wood using just glue and sometimes the addition of screws or pins. This joints advantage is that it is easy to make. It has the disadvantage though of being one of the weakest joints.

2. Mitre Joint.
This joint is created by sawing a 45° angle on both parts of the two ends to be joined to form a 90 degree angle corner. This is more often used in making picture frames than butt joints. This is a popular method of joining, although it requires accurate cutting to achieve its best strength and visual appeal.

3. Mortise-and-Tenon Joint.
A good strong carpentry joint with many different uses. A rectangular projection from the end of one piece called the tenon fits snugly into the mortise cut in the second piece. The mortise can be cut by hand but a much quicker and probably more accurate way is to use a mortising bit in a pillar drill. This strong and traditional joint can be made even stronger by adding a peg.

4. Tongue-and-Groove Joint.
This type of carpentry joint also goes by the name of a finger joint. It is commonly used on floors and paneling as it allows for wood shrinkage. Usually the two cuts needed to make this joint are cut with a high speed router.

5. Dovetail Joint.
One of the best looking carpentry joints out there, in my humble opinion. Also one that needs additional patience to make and more accuracy with the cuts. Although a jig can be obtained for the purpose of the cutting and in combination with a router the joint can be made with relative ease. As well as being a good looking joint the dovetail is also one of the strongest.

These are some of the most common carpentry joints and most widely used. There are many others that can be used in different situations. A little practice getting to grips with these 5 joints and you will have a joint for most projects you take on.

Carpentry Joints - 5 Joints For All Purposes

When I started woodworking I would fly by the seat of my pants and work on the joints as needed, that wasn't a good strategy. Don't make the mistakes I made, take a little time to practice these carpentry joints, they will serve you well. Another great little secret to professional quality finished jobs is to work from plans. There are 1000's of plans available at http://www.woodworkingplansonline.info

How to Make Homemade Fastnachts

It is a Pennsylvania tradition to make and serve Fastnachts on Fastnacht Day, which is the Tuesday before the start of Lent. They are also commonly referred to as Fasnachts. What are Fastnachts? They are basically a high calorie potato dough doughnut, although you can find varying recipes for them around the area. A genuine Fastnacht will never have a hole in the center like a traditional doughnut.

This recipe was given to me by a German woman living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

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Ingredients:

3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed potatoes, cooled to room temperature
6 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup granulated sugar
1 stick of better, softened
1 cup cold milk
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions:

In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, sugar, salt and butter until creamy and well mixed. Stir in the mashed potatoes and milk, until all ingredients are combined. In a small bowl, combine the baking powder with the flour. Stir flour mixture into the egg mixture with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are combined. The dough will be stiff so that you can roll it out. If dough is a little sticky, add flour until it becomes stiff enough to roll out.

Place vegetable oil into your deep fryer and heat it to 350 degrees. Roll dough out to a 1/2" thick on a floured dough board. Use a biscuit or doughnut cutter to cut out doughnuts. Place 2-3 doughnuts into the deep fryer at a time and fry for 2-3 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Cool slightly before eating.

Note: If desired, you can shake some cinnamon sugar on hot doughnuts before serving.

How to Make Homemade Fastnachts

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. Shelly has been living in Pennsylvania for most of her life and enjoys cooking and baking. You can visit Shelly online at: http://www.workathomebusinessoptions.com or her Shakin 'N Bakin Recipe Blog at http://wahmshelly.blogspot.com

List of Simple Carbohydrates and Complex Carbohydrates Foods

There are 2 types of carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates and simple carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates are considered simple or complex based upon their chemical structure. So what are complex carbohydrates, or some call them starch?

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Complex Carbohydrates

They are simply sugars bonded together to form a chain. Because of it's complex chain form, your digestive enzymes have to work much harder to access the bonds to break the chain into individual sugars for absorption through the intestines.

Because of that, the digestion of complex carbohydrates takes longer. The slow absorption of sugars provides you with a steady supply of energy and limits the amount of sugar converted into fat and stored!

Usually people consider complex carbohydrates as good carbohydrates.

Here's a list of complex carbohydrates foods.

• Spinach
• Whole Barley
• Grapefruit
• Turnip Greens
• Buckwheat
• Apples
• Lettuce
• Buckwheat bread
• Prunes
• Water Cress
• Oat bran bread
• Dried apricots
• Zucchini
• Oatmeal
• Pears
• Asparagus
• Oat bran cereal
• Plums
• Artichokes
• Museli
• Strawberries
• Okra
• Wild rice
• Oranges
• Cabbage
• Brown rice
• Yams
• Celery
• Multi-grain bread
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Pinto beans
• Potatoes
• Dill Pickles
• Low fat yogurt
• Soybeans
• Radishes
• Skim milk
• Lentils
• Broccoli
• Navy beans
• Garbanzo beans
• Brussels
• Sprouts
• Cauliflower
• Kidney beans
• Eggplant
• Soy milk
• Lentils
• Onions
• Whole meal bread
• Split peas

Complex Carbohydrates

Simple carbohydrates are digested quickly. Many simple carbohydrates contain refined sugars and few essential vitamins and minerals. People usually consider these as bad carbohydrates.

Why bad?

These simple carbohydrates are actually smaller molecules of sugar unlike the long chains in complex carbohydrates.

They are digested quickly because the individual sugars are ready to be absorbed immediately plus digestive enzymes have easy access to the bonds in the paired molecules.

You could say most of the work has been done for the digestive system! Foods like cake, pastry, biscuits, chocolate, etc (you get the idea) contain lots of "empty" calories.

Because our cells usually do not require that amount of energy at that time of eating, the sugar must either be converted to glycogen (sugar storage within cells) or converted to fat.

Your body cells can only store a limited amount of glycogen, so in many common cases, taking too much food that contains simple carbohydrates may contribute to body fat stores.

Here's a list of simple carbohydrates foods.

• Table sugar
• Corn syrup
• Fruit juice
• Candy
• Cake
• Bread made with white flour
• Pasta made with white flour
• Soda pop
• Candy
• All baked goods made with white flour
• Most packaged cereals
• Honey
• Milk
• Yoghurt
• Jam
• Chocolate
• Biscuit

There are a lot more foods that contains simple and complex carbohydrates. You can using the list above as a starting point for a healthier diet immediately.

List of Simple Carbohydrates and Complex Carbohydrates Foods

Wait! Having a good diet will help you to lose weight. But it's not fast enough! You should exercise regularly and have a good diet to lose weight fast. Find out how you can burn over 700 calories of fat in a 45 minutes workout, easily and consistently! http://www.FatBurn4Idiots.com

Fun Jello Cookies

If you are looking for an easy dessert recipe, try some Jello cookies. They are quick to make. The cookies turn out light and fluffy, but have the fun colors from your selection of Jello. Make cherry and lime for red and green cookies for the holidays. Use orange, lemon, and lime for spring colors. You are limited only by your imagination and the choices of Jello on your store shelves.

These cookies are great favorites with the kids because of their fun colors. You can always brighten up the colors slightly with a drop or two of food coloring if you wish; the Jello makes a nice pastel color on its own. Make them when you want to cheer someone up; the colorful cookies will bring a smile to their face.

Cookie

This dough holds a shape pretty well. You can roll out the dough and cut the cookies out in shapes using cookie cutters. You can also press them flat with a glass or with a mold that has a pattern. You could also make a pattern on them like you would a peanut butter cookie and use a fork dipped in sugar to make criss cross marks. This recipe also works well in a cookie press. You can make all sorts of fun shapes with a cookie press. The Jello provides the color and a bit of flavor to the dough. You can even choose the colors of Jello to match a theme party if you want. Let your imagination run wild; make pink and blue for a baby shower or match colors with wedding colors for a bridal shower. Green would be perfect for St. Patrick's Day, of course, and orange would work well for Halloween.

Some people like to sprinkle the freshly baked cookies with a little sugar; it sticks better when they are warm. Otherwise, you could sprinkle a little on before you bake them, but you need to watch so the sugar does not burn. You can also frost them when they are cool. Cream cheese frosting works well with most Jello cookies. Garnish with an appropriate fruit or put some colored sprinkles on top.

Recipe for Jello Cookies

Kids love these colorful cookies.

What You Need

• 4 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/2 cups butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 3-ounce package of Jello, any flavor
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

How to Make It

Sift the flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. In another bowl, cream the butter, and then gradually add the sugar and Jello. Add the egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture, making sure it is well incorporated into the batter.

Chill the dough for at least an hour.

Fill a cookie press with the dough and press out cookies onto a baking sheet. Alternatively, you can roll the dough into balls and press them flat with the bottom of a glass.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 13 to 14 minutes.

Makes 60 cookies.

Fun Jello Cookies

Everyone loves jello. You can make salads, desserts and even a simple cheesecake recipe by using Jello in your recipes. They make quick and easy desserts that bring lots of color to the table. Make some for your family.

JelloRecipes.net - We Don't Make the Products We Just Make Great Desserts with Them!

Quick And Easy Way To Home Package Cookies With These 8 Yummy Creative Ideas

You've spent the time and effort to bake your delicious homemade cookie gifts, now it's time to package them!

Don't spoil all your hard work with boring cookie boxes and packaging ideas.

Cookie

You want cookie gifts that say "Yummy!" - Perception is everything!

First impressions are truly important. So it's unavoidable that you make a little effort to package your home-baked treats.

But where do you start? Here it is...

Theme:

Think about what the theme is for your cookie gift packages. For example, it is a birthday gift or for Christmas holiday giving? Perhaps it's for your Valentine? Use the theme on your packaging.

Ingredients:

What are the main flavors or the cookie ingredients you used? Apply this element to help enhance the aroma that you may want to portray on your cookie boxes or packages.

Protection:

Are your cookies fragile? Or do they need to be air-tight and stored in the fridge? Consider using for example, zip seal bags, if necessary.

Hygiene:

Always clean any used containers (or even store-bought new boxes) and dry before using.

When decorating your packages, be sure to use food safe items. Eg. Don't use glues where cookies may be in contact. Consider the point that your cookie gift recipient may not always be as careful as you when replacing cookies back into containers. Think from their viewpoint and see whether there is an alternative method for better hygiene.

With that said and done, here are your "8 Yummy Creative Package Ideas":

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 1:

"The Coffee Cup"

You may have seen a similar idea before, using a mug or coffee cup, but this is really a brilliant idea as people associate coffee cups with aroma.

Whether it be coffee or tea, this idea spells: 'Good times with a friend over a cup of coffee/tea and some sweets!'

- Pre-pack about 2 - 4 cookies in cellophane or sealed bag and place inside cup.
- Embellish with a gift tag and fabric ribbon around cellophane. (You can also write a message or recipient name on the mug).

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 2:

"Milk Carton"

This is perfect for butter cookies or packaging cookies for children. Either way, the milk carton makes a great packaging box.

- Wash and dry container before use. Carefully open the top without tearing the cardboard.

- Place cookies inside.

- Seal top with staples or strong sticky-tape. (Do not use glues as they are unhygienic and not re-openable.

- Decorate exterior with wrapping paper or fabric and ribbon.

If you are computer savvy, you could create a milk carton label with recipient name, theme graphics and colors to print and apply to your cookie carton!

Use one litre carton for giving to an entire family or a smaller carton for children or single recipients.

This is a great container for refrigerating your cookies also. Plus, the benefit is that the design of the carton semi-closes on its own with the folding techniques incorporated.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 3:

"Peanut Butter Bottle"

Great for peanut butter cookies! The theme, feeling and association is already there! And you don't even need to worry about pealing the bottle stickers off. Use it instead to create a quirky cookie packaging.

Use a square piece of fabric almost twice as large as the lid size and cover cookies before closing with the lid to create instant effective packaging.

Create a label digitally and print out for a dynamic gift. You don't have to cover the entire glass or bottle, leave a bit of room so they can take a peek at the yummy cookies you baked.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 4:

"Butter or Margarine Containers"

Unusual but very effective and fun. What's more, it has a lid and is lightweight for posting your cookies. Just keep in mind that most butter containers aren't air-tight.

You can decorate the exterior by creating your own labels, or sticking appropriate wrapping paper over. I recommend a food style, earthy tones and colors for this method.

Lastly, tie a ribbon around the package like you would a gift box. Large wide ribbons would give you a dazzling package.

Great for milk and butter cookies.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 5:

"Milo or Food Tins (with lid)"

Tins come in all different sizes and are great for air-tight cookie storing. And you won't have to pre-package your cookies in bags first.

Ideal for cookies that do not need to be refrigerated.

Also makes a great cookie gifting idea for boys or men.

You can even etch in writing or graphics onto the tin if you have the proper tools and use correct safety precautions.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 6:

"Candy or Chocolate Boxes"

Candies and cookies go hand in hand! These are little treats that the whole world love!

- Place your cookies lying flat into the box. You may need to take out the pre-made mould shapes used and use cardboard dividers to separate your cookies.
- Simply tie with ribbon and gift tag the package!

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 7:

"Cocktail or Martini Glass"

Great for alcohol-based cookies like rum balls during Christmas season!

- Place one cookie or two in cellophane, seal and place inside glass.
- Seal glass with clear food wrapping. Add ribbon and gift tag on glass stalk.

HOME-BAKED COOKIE PACKAGING IDEA 8:

"Tea Box"

Use small aroma infusion tea packaging boxes - usually ones that have only 10 tea-bags in each box. You can pack 2 to 3 cookies in each box and give more than one tea box for fun.

- Seal cookies with cellophane or food bag first and place inside decorated tea boxes.

Why not leave one tea bag in front of your cookies? It's a perfect invitation to a relaxing snack with a drink.

If you do not have any of these containers handy, you can easily buy them and transfer contents to other containers. Just make sure that it's well washed and that most of the original scents are gone (except in the case such as the peanut butter bottles).

Not only are these 8 Yummy Ideas creative and fun, they also bring out the aroma of your delicious homemade cookies.

Start using these mouth-watering cookie packaging ideas. It's a sure way that your cookies will be eaten instantly!

Quick And Easy Way To Home Package Cookies With These 8 Yummy Creative Ideas

Copyright 2006 Janlia Chong

~* Janlia Chong has held onto her title as Baking Sensation because of her near endless knowledge of baking and packaging treats. Her ability to impress is one of her biggest traits. What's her trick? Simple, she takes something that sounds difficult and makes it easy and fun. Follow Janlia's advice and you'll be busy baking treats for the entire family. Visit http://www.BakingHugs.com *~

Unusual Christmas Cookie Recipes - Cherry Snowball Cookies

These pretty cookies have a surprise cherry in the middle.

1 cup butter, softened

Cookie

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar

1 tablespoon water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 teaspoon salt

36 maraschino cherries, well drained

Glaze Coating

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, cream the butter, sugar, water and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine the flour, oats and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Shape a tablespoonful of dough around each cherry to form a ball. Place 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until bottoms are browned. Let cool.

Glaze Coating

2 cups confectioners' sugar

1/4 to 1/3 cup milk

2 cups flaked coconut, finely chopped

Directions

In a bowl, combine sugar and enough milk to make a smooth dipping consistency. Dip cookies into glaze, then roll into coconut.

Makes 36 cookies.

=> Unusual Christmas Cookie Recipes: Spumoni Cookies

The favorite Italian ice cream treat becomes a delicious cookie.

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 squares semisweet chocolate, melted

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

3 to 5 drops green food coloring

1/4 cup candied red cherries, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

3 to 5 drops red food coloring

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Gradually add in the flour and mix well.

Divide the dough into three sections.

Stir chocolate into one section; mix well.

Add pecans and green food coloring to the second portion

Add cherries, almond extract and red food coloring to the third section.

Roll each section between two pieces of waxed paper into 8x6-inch rectangles. Remove the waxed paper.

Place the chocolate rectangle on a piece of plastic wrap. Top with the green and pink rectangles; press together lightly. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Cut the chilled dough in half lengthwise. Return one half to the refrigerator.

Cut the remaining rectangle into 1/8-inch slices. Place 1-inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until set. Cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes 84 cookies.

=> Unusual Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chocolate Dipped Spritz Cookies

These classy cookies are dipped in chocolate and decorated with nuts and sprinkles.

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

11 ounces dark, white or milk chocolate candy coating

Chopped walnuts and/or colored sprinkles

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In another bowl, combine the flour, salt and baking powder; gradually add to the creamed mixture.

Using a cookie press fitted with your choice of disk, press the dough 2-inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until set (do not allow cookies to brown). Let cool.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the candy coating; dip each cookie halfway into coating. Sprinkle with nuts or colored sprinkles. Place on waxed paper until set.

Makes 72 cookies.

Unusual Christmas Cookie Recipes - Cherry Snowball Cookies

Clueless about what gift to give that special person? Stop on by and browse our great gift ideas selection for some suggestions. [http://www.1MinuteSolutions.com]

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Butter Vs Margarine Or What?

If you are having a problem like this, try using different shortenings in the same recipe. For a true test make the chocolate chip cookies at the same time and keep the recipe identical. Making the same number of cookies from each recipe is also necessary. Do tests using butter, margarine, solid shortening, butter flavored solid shortening and a lard recipe. All shortenings should be at room temperature when mixing. You will notice a difference right away in the feel of the cookie dough. After baking, a noticeable difference is apparent in the appearance of the cookies; something to remember if you want a nice presentation. Taste each cookie while warm and also when they are cold. Crispness and crunchiness are more apparent in the cold cookies. Be sure to drink water in between each taste.

The first chocolate chip cookies to mix up should be a butter vs margarine. You will notice that the butter dough is soft, while the margarine dough is almost too soft to handle. Now this could vary depending on which brands of butter and margarine used. Some have more of a water content than others. After baking, you will immediately notice that both cookies made with butter and margarine lost their shape while spreading. A taste will reveal a richer flavor in the butter cookies. Also the butter seems to enhance the flavor of the chocolate chips. An aftertaste seems to linger from the margarine cookies. Cookies made with the butter produces the chewiest ones.

Cookie

The lard recipe makes a dry cookie dough. Lard is the fat from pigs and used to be very popular in home baking. It is still the choice in shortening in many countries and makes very good pie crust. Although the cookies taste good, lard just does not have the flavor like butter does for those chocolate chip cookies. The spread of the cookies is even greater than the butter and margarine thus diminishing the appearance.

The cookie dough using solid shortening is firm but not dry like the lard. The most noticeable characteristic is apparent while baking. The cookies become puffier with less spread, which makes a nice appearance for presentation. The taste is good but not as good as chocolate chip cookies made with butter, lard or margarine. Using the same brand of solid shortening but with imitation butter flavor added, produces different results. The dough is a little softer, but the appearance of the baked cookies is about the same. The biggest difference comes in the taste, not rating near as good as the butter, lard, margarine or plain solid shortening. Both of the solid shortenings produce the crispiest cookies.

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Butter Vs Margarine Or What?

Frances Peffly Moore, chef and author, with help from her daughter, Kelly have created http://www.painlesscooking.com to help people with basic cooking. One important key in cooking and baking is knowing the difference in shortenings. http://www.painlesscooking.com/the-chocolate-touch.html

Dog Food Is Oven-Baked Or Extruded

Baked Dog Food?

Have you ever heard of oven-baked dog food, or even thought of how dog food is made? Pet food is baked, pressed or run through an extruder. It is a lot less expensive to extrude or press dog food than to bake or "kibble" it. All dog food that is mass-marketed is extruded.

Biscuit

Oven-Baked Dog Food - The process starts with the meat protein (chicken, lamb, trout, etc.) ground into a very small meal. This small meal is necessary for the mixing of the kibble. Think of trying to mix up a meat loaf without thawing the beef first. It would be impossible; the same is true for mixing a baked kibble. When all ingredients are blended the kibble is baked in "shortbread cookie" (small 2-inch biscuit) form and then broken into smaller, irregular kibble ranging in size from tiny morsels to about ½ inch. Baking temperatures are from 350° to 475°.

Extruded pet food is cooked by steaming it as quickly as possible, usually less than 2 minutes, then extruding it with high pressure through a machine with shaped die holes. The food will be uniform in shape. Oils are sprayed on to increase palatability so pets find it more appealing. You can sometimes feel the sticky oils when you handle the food. If low quality oils are used they can become rancid. Extruded pet food cannot contain more than 50% meat or it will clog the machine.

Oven cooked canine food changes hard-to-digest molecules of "raw" starches into easy to digest dextrins. This process acts as a pre-digest of the kibble food, resulting in less strain on the dog's digestive system and produces a greater degree of food absorption. It's not necessary to spay anything on the food for flavor. The oven baking retains the flavor.

Digestibility and Palatability

It has been shown that baked food scores in the high 90's for digestibility and palatability. Most extruded food is in the low 80's on a scale of 100. This means dogs will typically eat less of a food with higher rating and like the taste.

It is true that oven-baked kibble with natural preservatives has a shorter shelf life.

The shelf life may be shorter but does dog food really need a shelf life longer than the dog eating it?

You can see, smell and feel the difference in oven-baked and extruded canine food.

Some dogs do better with oven-baked kibble while extruded is good enough for other dogs.

Dog Food Is Oven-Baked Or Extruded

Robin Plan has researched natural pet care since her Sheltie died of cancer in 2003. Visit her Healthiest Dog Food site for the best safe pet products.

Delicious and Hearty Chicken Stew Recipes For Your Slow Cooker or Crockpot

Stews make great meals since they combine several food groups, are healthy, hearty and tasty. Making them in your slow cooker or crockpot makes is so nice to come home to a great meal ready to eat. Try these recipes for Chicken Stew with Dumplings or Chinese Chicken Stew.

CHICKEN STEW WITH DUMPLINGS
2 cups sliced carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1 large green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 cans (approx 14-oz each) chicken broth
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 large red potatoes, skin on and cut into bite-size cubes
1 pkg (6-oz) fresh mushrooms, halved
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/4 tsp dried tarragon
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream (or 1/4 cup fat-free evaporated milk)

Biscuit

Combine the carrots, onion, bell pepper, and celery in a slow cooker or crockpot. Stir in the chicken broth, saving 1 cup for later. Place lid on cooker and cook on low setting for 2 hours.

Stir the flour into the 1 cup of saved chicken broth until smooth. Slowly stir the mixture into the mixture in the cooker. Add the chicken, potatoes, mushrooms, peas, and seasonings to the cooker; cover and cook an additional 4 hours until the chicken is cooked through and the veggies are tender. Stir in the cream.

DUMPLINGS:
1 cup biscuit mix
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried rosemary
1/8 tsp dried tarragon
1/3 cup low-fat milk

In a small bowl combine the biscuit mix and herbs. Stir in the milk to form a soft dough. Spoon the dough on top of the stew in four large spoonfuls. Cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes then cover and cook for another 30 to 45 minutes. The dumplings should be firm and a wooden toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.

Yield: 4 servings.

CHINESE CHICKEN STEW
1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp peanut or canola oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 can (14-oz) chicken broth, divided
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 large red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 large or 3 medium green onions, cut into half-inch pieces
3 cups hot cooked rice, optional
1/4 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, optional

In a bowl, toss the cut-up chicken pieces with the Chinese spice. Stir in the red pepper flakes.

In a large skillet, heat the peanut or canola oil and add the onion and chicken; cook, stirring, about 5 minutes or until the chicken is browned. Add the mushrooms and garlic, cooking until the chicken is cooked through.

Combine 1/4 cup chicken broth and cornstarch in a small bowl; set aside. Place the cooked chicken mixture into a slow cooker or crockpot. Add the remaining broth, bell pepper, and soy sauce; stir to blend. Place lid on the cooker and cook for 3 1/2 hours or until the bell pepper is tender.

Stir in the cornstarch mixture, sesame oil, and the green onions. Cook another 30 to 45 minutes until the juices have thickened.

To serve, ladle into soup bowls and scoop a half cup rice, if using,into center of each bowl. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro, if desired.

Yield: 6 servings.

Enjoy!

Delicious and Hearty Chicken Stew Recipes For Your Slow Cooker or Crockpot

For more of Linda's slow cooker/crockpot recipes visit http://grandmasslowcookerrecipes.blogspot.com She also shares her old fashion recipes at http://grandmasvintagerecipes.blogspot.com

Maltese Recipes and Cuisine

Today, the Maltese people enjoy a varied Mediterranean cuisine, particularly influenced by Italian cuisine. Malta however has many historic links with other countries, and many other influences can be seen in Maltese cuisine, for example, Moorish influences.

Some popular Maltese dishes include:

Biscuit

- Aljotta - A fish soup containing garlic, herbs and tomatoes that is often served with rice.

- Brodu - A broth containing meat (beef or chicken usually) and vegetables, and served with pasta.

- Kusksu - A thick soup made from chicken stock, and containing broad beans, pasta beads (known as "kusksu"), onions, tomato paste and garlic.

- Minestra - A thick vegetable soup, particularly popular in Winter, and usually eaten with crusty Maltese bread known as "hobza".

- Soppa ta' l-armla - Literally translated, "soppa ta' l-armla" means "widow's soup", the dish supposedly having gots its name because neighbors donated it poor widows living in their communities. Soppa ta' l-armla is a thinner version of minestra (vegetable soup), but with the addition of fresh gbejniet (small, round cheeses, made from sheep's milk) which melt in the soup, and raw eggs added at the end to coagulate the soup.

- Bigilla - A traditional bean dip made from mashed dried broad beans with seasonings and optionally chili.

- Kapunata - The Maltese version of ratatouille. Served hot or cold, and even used as a pizza topping.

- Mqarrun il-Forn - Baked macaroni with bolognese sauce and egg. Bacon and peas are added in some versions of the recipe, and the dish is usually topped with a layer of grated cheese or bescamella (white sauce).

- Timpana - A pastry covered version of Mqarrun il-Forn (baked macaroni). A small amount of ground (minced) beef, and sometimes hard-boiled eggs, are added, then then the whole thing is encased in a pastry crust.

- Ross il-Forn - Baked rice. This dish is similar to Mqarrun il-Forn, but with rice instead of macaroni (water is added before cooking), and the addition of curry.

- Ravjul - The Maltese version of ravioli, filled with ricotta and parsley (and sometimes spinach), or with minced meat. The dish is covered with a tomato sauce and topped with cheese.

- Bragjoli - A thin slice of beef surrounding a mixture of breadcrumbs, bacon, eggs and cheese.

- Fenkata - Rabbit served in tomato sauce or gravy. The meat is usually light fried and then simmered as a casserole for several hours.

- Laham taz-ziemel - Stallion meat with white wine sauce.

- Lampuka - Mahi-mahi, a white fish. It can be eaten pan-fried with olive oil, oven-baked with a tomato and wine sauce, or made into fish pies.

- Qargha Baghli - Stuffed marrows with ground (minced) beef and parsley. They can be baked or made into a creamy soup.

- Zalzett tal-Malti - A traditional Maltese sausage made from pork and flavored with black peppercorns, coriander seeds, parsley, sea salt, and sometimes garlic. There are varieties which are dried and others that are eaten fresh.

- Imqaret - A deep-fried pastry filled with dates.

- Pastizzi - Pastry stuffed with ricotta or a mushy pea mixture.

- Figolla - An icing-coated biscuit stuffed with sweet ground almonds. It is traditionally eaten at Easter, and made into shapes such as a fish, a lamb, a heart, etc.

- Helwa tat-Tork - "Turk's sweet" - The Maltese version of Halva.

- Kwarezimal - Biscuits, traditionally eaten during Lent.

- Pudina ta' l-Hobz - Bread pudding. Pudina ta' l-Hobz is made from stale bread, soaked in water over night, and milk, cocoa, sugar, dried fruit, nuts, and sometimes liqueurs, are then added.

- Qaghaq ta' l-Ghasel - A light pastry ring made with honey or treacle. Originally eaten at Christmas, but now popular all year round.

Maltese Recipes and Cuisine

Originally published at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/cook_maltese.php - visit this site for more information, photographs and cook books.

Discover more about recipes and cooking at http://www.recipesmaniac.com/

Fun Christmas Facts - The History of Gingerbread Men

Gingerbread has been around for a long time, but the recipes used to make it have changed considerably over the years. Initially gingerbread was made from breadcrumbs, ginger, and a sweetener, like honey. People discovered that ginger has preservative properties and used it accordingly.

The recipe for gingerbread changed, and by the 15th century (the 1400s), the breadcrumbs had been replaced by flour. Honey was replaced with molasses. The biscuit became lighter. Some recipes made sweet, thin crisps of ginger and others were thicker and more biscuit-like.

Biscuit

Pictoral scenes that told stories were carved in wood and the gingerbread was rolled and pressed into them.

It was first made into figures (like people) n the 16th century (the 1500s). Queen Elizabeth I of England is credited with the first gingerbread men.

Queen Elizabeth was queen of England starting in November of 1558. (She was the daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn.) Queen Elizabeth was known for having well dressed courtiers in her court. She has been credited with the first gingerbread men. The story goes that she had gingerbread cookies made and decorated to look like her favorite courtiers, and had the cookies presented to them.

Gingerbread men tend to have vague shapes. For instance, the legs do not have definite feet, and they certainly don't have any toes. The arms don't have definite arms, and they definitely don't have any fingers. Gingerbread women are equally simple in design. Gingerbread expands when it bakes, even recipes without eggs. As a consequence, the cookies work better when they are not overly detailed.

The detail work comes into play when you decorate these cookies.

So, gingerbread men and women needed houses, chairs, tables, beds, wagons, trees, and livestock that is also made out of gingerbread, and bakers created these.

The Brothers Grimm wrote Hansel and Gretel in 1812. The story told of a witch that wanted to eat the children, Hansel and Gretel. She fattened them up with candy and other sweets, and the children munched on a house made of gingerbread. Gingerbread houses became popular at that time, especially in Germany.

Gingerbread houses are popular in the United States and many parts of Europe, but oddly, not England. These houses are most common during the Christmas season, but also work well for every other holiday. Valentine's Day houses are decorated with pink, red, and white candy. Halloween houses have ghosts popping out of them and are often purposely constructed "wrong." The only limits with gingerbread houses are your imagination and the size of your cookie sheets. (I like to design one or two each year from index cards. Remember that gingerbread is thicker than paper, but put together the cards into whatever kind of house you can design.)

My favorite recipe for gingerbread houses is called " the alternate recipe." I replace the shortening with butter and use corn syrup instead of molasses.

Fun Christmas Facts - The History of Gingerbread Men

Gwen Nicodemus is a freelance engineer/writer and a homeschooling mom. Visit her website, Notion Nexus, for unit studies, worksheets, notes, and educational videos.

Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

The sour cream chocolate chip cookie recipe turns out a light and fluffy, moist chocolate chip cookie! Don't blink your eyes-these delicious morsels will be gone that fast!

Ingredients

Cookie

2/3 cup salted butter, softened

1/2 granulated sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sour cream

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Hardware

Whisk

Large bowl

Medium bowl

Cookie Sheets

Mixer

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Step 2: Lightly grease cookie sheets; set aside.

Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Step 4: In a large bowl, with an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.

Step 5: Add sour cream, egg, and vanilla extract; beat until well blended.

Step 6: Stir in flour mixture; blend well.

Step 7: Stir in chocolate chips, and chopped nuts (optional).

Step 8: Drop tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Step 9: Bake 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer cookies immediately to a cooling surface.

Makes about 40 cookies.

For more information on baking procedures and hardware used in this recipe see our Baking Tips section.

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Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

For more great chocolate chip cookie recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/chocolate-chip-cookie-recipes.html

For some great tasting scone recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/scone-recipes.html

For cookie baking tips and a wide selection of recipes visit http://kicked-up-cookie-recipes.com/

A Must Have Recipe For Cracker Barrel Biscuits

Cracker Barrel has been known for their fine food and how satisfying their menus can be.

There are many people who wonder how these meals are made, especially the Cracker Barrel biscuits. There are a number of different versions for the recipe for cracker barrel biscuits available in the World Wide Web for all to try and enjoy.

Biscuit

There are recipes for cracker barrel biscuits which require the use of buttermilk while there are some which require self rising flour. People who have tried them have attested to the fine outcome and how delectable it is.

One particular recipe uses a fair amount of instant biscuit pre-mix, some buttermilk, sugar and melted butter both for the dough and for brushing. It requires having all the ingredients mixed together in a bowl until it forms a soft dough.

A pre-heated oven with a temperature of 450 degrees should be standing by as well. As soon as the dough is formed, it should be transferred to a floured surface and kneaded for 20 times and rolled to ½ inch thick (unless one would like the piling biscuits then it could be thicker).

The butter in the dough will prevent the biscuits from sticking to the sheet so; ungreased baking sheets can be used. The cut dough should be placed close together and brushed with the melted butter. Bake the batch of biscuits for 8 to 10 minutes (though a lot finds and prefers 8 minutes to be ideal).

As soon as the biscuits are done, take them out of the oven and brush them again with the melted butter. This is a recipe which will certainly be enjoyed by people of all ages.

A Must Have Recipe For Cracker Barrel Biscuits

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Christmas Cookie Decorating 101

Many bakers ask for tips and instructions on decorating cookies. Well that’s a tall order because there are as many ways to decorate cookies as there are cookies! Here are a few guidelines for novices and experienced bakers alike to help you generate your own ideas for cooking decorating.

DECORATING COOKIES BEFORE BAKING

Cookie

Cookies can be decorated before baking with materials that withstand the heat of baking. Some things that you can place on your cookies before baking are:

-colored sugars or natural sugars such as pearl sugar

-jimmies, non-pareils, silver and gold dragées, and other sprinkles

-raisins and dried fruits such as cranberries

-nuts

These items can be placed on top of almost any cookie to dress it up a bit and give it a more festive appearance.

Paint a masterpiece

You can also paint your cookies before baking them. Make an edible food paint out of an egg yolk mixed with a few drops of food coloring and paint the cookies with a clean paintbrush. The paint will dry while baking and give the cookie a colorful, glazed appearance. This is a fun activity for kids!

A bit of trompe l’oeil

The folks at Better Homes and Gardens have a creative recipe for Colored Cream Dough ( [http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?page=2&storyid=%2Ftemplatedata%2Fbhg%2Fstory%2Fdata%2F11429.xml&catref=SC1407] ) which is a dough of frosting consistency that can be piped onto cookies with a pastry bag fitted with a writing or star tip, and then baked. The result is a cookie that looks like it has been frosted but the frosting is baked on and hard.

DECORATING COOKIES AFTER BAKING

Decorating cookies after baking them requires that you apply some kind of liquid-based substance that will adhere to the baked cookie, or that will act as a glue to attach other items. Usually, this takes the form of frosting, icing, or melted chocolate.

Frosting vs. Icing

There is a big difference between frosting and icing. Frosting is thick and holds shapes like rosettes and shells like those you see piped around the edges of a birthday cake. It remains soft to the touch and has a creamy texture, and most people think it tastes better because of the creamy buttery flavor. Icing, on the other hand, is a thinner, more liquid substance, and as it dries it thins out, becomes very smooth across the surface of your cookie, and hardens. This is the icing to use for the most beautiful, professional results.

Working with frosting

You can use frosting in two ways. One way is to simply use a knife or rubber spatula to spread the frosting across the whole surface of your cookie. The other way is to place the frosting in a pastry or decorating bag fitted with a small tip and piping out thin lines or rosettes of icing onto the cookie. Either way, once the frosting has been applied to the cookie you can then further embellish it by using colored sugars, non-pareils, or any of the decorating items mentioned in the Decorating Before Baking section above. Christmas-Cookies.com has a delicious recipe for Buttercream Frosting at http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe.php?recid=306. See detailed instructions on piping frosting from Better Homes and Gardens at [http://www.bhg.com/bhg/story.jhtml?page=3&storyid=%2Ftemplatedata%2Fbhg%2Fstory%2Fdata%2F11430.xml&catref=SC1407]

Working with icing

Icing is a little more difficult to work with but its smooth surface produces the most beautiful results! Icing should always be piped onto a cookie because it will run off the edges if spread with a knife. Once iced you can apply silver dragées, or other sprinkles just as mentioned with the frosting above, before it hardens. Christmas-Cookies.com has an excellent recipe for Royal Icing at http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe.php?recid=42. There is also a recipe for Powdered Sugar Icing ( http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe.php?recid=288 ) that dries less hard than Royal Icing and has a shiny surface. Martha Stewart's website features an excellent article on how to pipe icing onto cookies for professional-looking results ( http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel172011&catid=cat258 ).

Melted chocolate

Just about any cookie can be embellished simply by dipping it in chocolate or drizzling chocolate over it. You can even dress up the everyday chocolate chip cookie for gift-giving or serving at parties. Melting chocolate is a simple process, but a few rules must be followed in order to make it a success. For Easter, try using white chocolate tinted in pastel shades with food coloring. Use the gel, paste or powdered kind of food color, because the liquid drops may make the chocolate seize up.

What you need

You can either use chocolate chips or baking chocolate (the kind that comes in 1-ounce squares) and the same process applies whether you use dark chocolate or white chocolate. A small amount of shortening should be added at the ratio of 2 tablespoons shortening for 1 cup of chocolate chips or chopped up baking chocolate.

Double boiler

Place chocolate and shortening in the top half of a double boiler or in a metal bowl that has been placed on top of a saucepan filled with hot water. The water must be very hot, but not boiling, because the steam generated by boiling water could get moisture into the melting chocolate which makes it curdle. Allow the chocolate to melt over the hot water and stir it occasionally until it has achieved a liquid consistency.

Microwave

Place your chocolate and shortening in a microwave safe bowl and microwave it on medium power for 1 minute. Stir. Continue microwaving 20 seconds, stir again. Keep doing this until the chocolate is almost melted. Remove it from the microwave and stir it until completely melted.

Dipping

Dip one end of your cookie, or half the cookie, or even the whole cookie into the melted chocolate. Set the cookie on a wire rack to let the chocolate harden. If you wish, you can sprinkle chopped nuts, coconut, or non-pareils over the melted chocolate before it hardens.

Drizzling

Scrape melted chocolate into a ziplock baggie. With a sharp scissors, snip off a very small corner of the baggie. Drizzle top of cookies with zig-zags of melted chocolate. Cool until chocolate is set.

Using these simple techniques will help you produce a variety of beautiful-looking cookies at Christmastime and throughout the year.

Copyright 2004 Mimi Cummins. All Rights Reserved.

Christmas Cookie Decorating 101

Mimi Cummins is co-author of the book "Christmas Cookies Are for Giving: Recipes, Stories, and Tips for Making Heartwarming Gifts." This book, "enthusiastically recommended" by Midwest Book Review, is full of baking tips and hints, including nearly 50 recipes each with a full-color photo. For more information visit [http://www.christmascookiesareforgiving.com/] or order from your favorite online bookstore.

[Note to webmasters: you may include a link to the book using your affiliate program (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or other) if you wish.]

Cabinet Face Frame Construction - Choosing the Best Method

There are two basic types of cabinet: "frameless" cabinets, which are essentially just a box made of plywood or particleboard, and "face frame" cabinets, which have an added wood frame on their front edge. When building face frame cabinets, joining the parts of the face frame together is arguably the most challenging task in the entire process. So, what is the best joinery method for cabinet face frames? There's no shortage of options: pocket screws, mortise and tenon joinery, dowels and biscuits all have their champions. In the end, the choice really depends on your situation and objectives.

For most professional cabinetmakers, the decision to adopt one method or another has to square with a pressing interest in getting cabinets out the door as quickly and efficiently as possible. For the hobbyist, who has much more freedom to experiment, it's a slightly different story. If your livelihood doesn't depend on shaving a few seconds off of this process or that, then the choice really depends on the conditions the cabinets will have to face, your skill level, the equipment you have available, the amount of time you want to give your cabinetry projects, and what you think it takes to join a face frame "right".

Biscuit

Mortise and Tenon Joints

Some cabinetmakers just seem to prefer time-tested joinery methods, and may go to the length of cutting a bona fide mortise and tenon for every face frame joint. There's little doubt that this method is the slowest, but there's also no question that it produces the strongest joint. Many would argue that structurally, a mortise and tenon joint surpasses overkill in this application. But if you're dedicated to making cabinets in the highest possible craft, then the knowledge that you've used the most resilient joint possible may be worth the extra effort.

Of course there are many ways to make a mortise and tenon joint, some being much faster than others. If you're committed to idea of building cabinets suitable for centuries and centuries of use, but prefer to move along as quickly as possible, here are a couple of options to consider.

Quicker, Easier "Loose" Tenon Joints

Arguably every bit as strong as a traditional mortise and tenon joint, a "loose tenon" joint is typically much easier to make. The "loose" in loose tenon joinery simply means that instead of cutting the end of one joint member into the shape of a tenon, a mortise is cut into both parts and then the two are joined by a separate piece of stock. The process is easier because the primary task is simply making two identical mortises, rather than the exacting procedure of cutting a precisely matched mortise and tenon in two separate - often set up-intensive - steps. The loose tenon stock itself can either be purchased ready-made as part of a joinery system, or can be easily made with common woodworking tools.

The affordable BeadLOCK Joinery System is a longtime favorite among weekend woodworkers and produces loose tenon joints easily and fairly quickly. The BeadLOCK system employs a uniquely shaped mortise made up of overlapping drill holes and a matching "ribbed" tenon stock, which is available ready-to-use, or can be made using tenon stock router bits and a router table. The BeadLOCK Jig consists of a multi-holed drill guide and a mechanism for positioning it on the stock so that the BeadLOCK mortise can be reliably and repeatably executed using an ordinary hand drill. Recently redesigned, the BeadLOCK Jig now comes in a Basic and Pro version, both of which can be upgraded with accessory kits that allow greater versatility in mortise/tenon size. A BeadLOCK joint can be made in a fraction of the time that it takes to cut a traditional joint, and many devotees argue that the unique, interlocking shape of the parts actually produces a stronger bond.

The Festool Domino Joinery System also produces a loose tenon joint, and makes the process as slick as it's ever likely to get. The Domino looks similar to a biscuit joiner, and produces joints about as fast, but the similarity between the two tools ends there. Instead of cutting a thin slit into the stock, the Domino uses an oscillating carbide cutter to make a mortise wide enough to house one of the system's specially designed "domino" shaped hardwood tenons. The result is a rock solid joint in record time. Of course all of that speed, strength and precision doesn't come free; the Domino's price tag isn't exactly for the faint of heart. But if you plan on being in the cabinetmaking game for a while, like to speed along as quickly as possible, and prefer a joinery method that will leave no questions about the integrity of your face frame joints, the system is impossible to beat.

While the Domino is definitely not to be confused with a biscuit joiner, that doesn't mean that a biscuit joiner can't be used to join face frames. In fact, the Porter Cable Deluxe Biscuit Joiner comes standard with a second, smaller cutter designed specifically for the task of cutting biscuit slots in 1-1/2" face frame stock. In terms of strength, a biscuit joint is no match for any type of mortise and tenon joint - loose or otherwise. But many cabinetmakers find that fact to be simply beside the point. When you get right down to it, a face frame joint really doesn't have to stand up to a whole lot of stress. Once it's attached to the cabinet box, it simply has to remain stuck together. And we'd guess the majority of cabinetmakers would deem a biscuit joint more than equal to the task.

Faster Still - Pocket Screw Joints

Still more cabinetmakers swear by pocket hole joinery for joining face frames. Pocket hole joinery is used widely in the cabinetmaking industry, and by all accounts is the clear winner when it comes to getting through the face frame assembly process fast. A pocket hole joint doesn't require clamping, but instead comes complete with its very own permanently installed clamp - i.e., the screw. That means that once its assembled, a face frame joined with pocket screws is ready for the next stage in the process, and can be joined to the cabinet box without further ado. Fast, strong and self-contained, pocket hole joinery appears almost tailor-made for face frame joinery, where joint stress is low, and a visible fastener on one side of the finished product is not a problem.

For the hobbyist, the name Kreg has become synonymous with affordable, easy to master pocket hole joinery systems. Over the years, Kreg has continued to improve its groundbreaking jig, and now offers a number of kits. Starting at under and ranging up to around 0 for the K3 Master System, Kreg jigs are available for virtually every woodworking budget. And later, when you turn pro, the semi-automatic Kreg Foreman will bring you up to industry production speed.

More Options...

Still other cabinetmakers prefer to dowel their face frame joints. Nothing wrong with that: Dowel joints have been around for hundreds of years, are more than strong enough for a face frame and - provided you already own a hand drill - require only a modest investment in a doweling jig and few dowels.

A Side Benefit - Learning New Skills

None of the joinery methods mentioned here are limited to face frame assembly, of course. All can be used in a wide variety of woodworking situations. In other words, buying the equipment necessary to try one or more on a specific project involves very little risk - if it turns not to be the preferred method in one situation, you will, without a doubt, find a use for your newly acquired joinery technique somewhere else.

Cabinet Face Frame Construction - Choosing the Best Method

Find more skill building cabinetry and woodworking articles, along with expert information on woodworking tools and techniques of all kinds.

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipes: From Delicious Drop Cookies To Fun, Tasty Cut-Outs

If you're in the mood for something sweet, there are a lot of easy sugar cookie recipes to choose from. But sugar cookies come in all sorts of different shapes and sizes. They can be as simple as drop cookies, a spoonful of dough dropped onto a cookie sheet, or as elaborate as carefully cut-out cookies decorated with pretty, colorful icing.

So which one of those easy sugar cookie recipes should you pick? Which one will give you the best results for the type of sugar cookie you're trying to make?

Cookie

The truth is, most easy sugar cookie recipes use the same basic list of ingredients, with maybe an added spice here or there. What it really comes down to are the quantities of each ingredients, and how you treat the dough.

Each ingredient in a sugar cookie has a specific role, and tweaking its quantity will give you a slightly different cookie. So what goes in a sugar cookie?

• Flour. Flour gives the cookie its structure. When you mix flour in liquids, it forms tough strands of gluten. The more you mix it, and the more flour you add, the tougher a cookie you get.
• Butter. Butter doesn't just add flavor. It also helps the cookie stay more tender by preventing too much gluten from forming. It also lets the cookie spread out more.
• Sugar. Sugar helps the cookies be more fluffy by trapping air inside the butter when you cream it. Also, if you don't cream it enough, the undissolved sugar will make the cookie spread out more.
• Eggs. The yolks help make a more tender cookie, and the whites help give it structure. They also add some moisture.
• Baking powder. Baking powder helps the cookie rise.
• Baking soda. Baking soda makes the cookies brown faster, and makes the cookie more tender.
• Vanilla. Vanilla is just there for flavor, but it really does make all the difference.
• Salt. Like vanilla, the salt is just there for flavor, although it can toughen the cookie, too.

But it's not just the ingredients that matter in easy sugar cookie recipes. How you handle the dough will affect what kind of cookie you get.

• The longer you cream the butter and sugar, the fluffier a cookie you'll get. It also won't spread as much, perfect to help cut out cookies keep their shape.
• The longer you mix the flour with the wet ingredients, the tougher a cookie you'll get. If you're looking for something fluffy, avoid over-mixing.
• If you want to roll out the dough, you'll need to refrigerate it until it's firm enough to work with.
• You can also refrigerate the raw cookies once they're shaped. It helps them keep their shape in the oven.

When you're baking, it's always a good idea to start with a recipe. But once you have a decent recipe, you can tweak it to suit your tastes and purposes, and make your own easy sugar cookie recipes.

Easy Sugar Cookie Recipes: From Delicious Drop Cookies To Fun, Tasty Cut-Outs

Cooking is Melanie Steele's passion. She created www.enjoy-how-to-cook.com to inspire that love of cooking in others. Visit her site to discover her delicious cookie recipes.