Fresh Peach Cookies

I saw a recipe on Martha Stewarts web site. Ooh! It sounded so yummy to me and I thought to myself I need to find some good fresh peaches so I can try these. Well a few days later we were in the fruit belt of Washington state. I found peaches that were the size of a softball, they were HUGE! and YUMMY, JUICY and SWEET! The recipe calls for 2 large peaches but I only needed one of those babies...and it's a good thing because I only had 1 left... tee hee.

See the chunks of peaches?

Now I am a lover of raw cookie dough. In all my years of eating dough with raw eggs I have never gotten sick so you can't talk me out of it :). The dough was yummy so I thought the cookies would be good and they were.... BUT!

I just wasn't thinking! How many times have you heard or said that phrase? I'll use the lack of sleep as my excuse....only 3 hours last night :(. Anyway I know that when I try a new cookie recipe I need to bake a test tray first. Well I threw my first tray in the oven and loaded up the next 3 trays and sprinkled the cinnamon sugar on them and then it hit me! I peeked in the oven and sure enough, flat cookies! Groan!! I absolutely hate flat cookies and will not be sharing this embarrassing batch with anyone! I don't want to tarnish my cookie reputation, LOL! They still taste okay so Randy will sacrifice and eat them for me. Next time I make them I will start with a little extra flour. So here is the recipe:

Fresh Peach Drop Cookies

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus 2 tablespoons
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 large ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1/3 cup peach jam or preserves
• 2 tablespoons fine sanding sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.
2. Beat butter and granulated sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Reduce speed to low. Beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Add peaches and jam, and beat until just combined.
3. Using a 1 1/2-inch ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, spacing about 2 inches apart. If you don't have parchment paper spray lightly with Pam.(If not baking all of the cookies at once, refrigerate dough between batches; dough can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.) Combine sanding sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle each cookie with 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon-sugar mixture.
4. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until golden brown and just set, 11 to 13 minutes. Let cool on sheets for 5 minutes, and then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Plans Change

We got to my sister's place on Tuesday and found out that they wouldn't be able to "road trip" with us :( . Dan's mom was basically in a coma and not expected to live long and she passed away 4 days later on Saturday morning. So sad. So we decided to spend a few days with them just hanging out . Took a few blurry photos for you to see some of what we did :0 .
The first thing we did was go see my niece, Melissa who had just had a baby 4 days earlier. I love babies ! This is Ashya (pronounced like Asia). I think the blur makes me look younger and softer. Ha Ha Ha! Sometimes I can be so funny.

The next day, Wednesday, we decided to take a day trip with Dan and Peni over to the coast. This is a VERY tall tree near Lake Quinault which is near the Olympic Nat'l Park. There are so many green trees and plants, so very different from what we have in Utah.

While Randy had camera duty I and Dan and Peni stayed by the car to be sure it didn't roll away. The car actually looks clean for a change! Movin' on down the road....

we just happened upon Forks where the story and movie Twilight took place. We were hungry, which is pretty much an ongoing thing with me, and Dan spotted a cafe so we pulled in. Much to my surprise and happiness it was the cafe from the movie! I was so excited! And then disappointed :( . The food was not good. We ordered a hot beef sandwich and it came out looking like dark gelatinous chocolate over the entire plate.... not appetizing at all. It was yucky gravy. Now I make good gravy! Hmm... I wonder if I should get a job there as cook? Nope.

After lunch we stopped in at the Chamber of Commerce and got a picture of Bella's truck. It's not the actual truck, just a copy. Then we got a map of Forks and went and looked at Bella's house, and drove past Dr. Cullens Hospital. We also went to the local grocery store and bought some Twilight candy.

Then we drove around to Bainbridge Island where we caught the ferry across to Seattle. It was a short trip but riding the ferry is always kind of fun. Sometimes I am so easy to please!

Very faintly in the background is Mount Rainier. The day we came over White Pass we had several great photo ops for the Mount but silly me...I said "Oh, we'll be here for a few days, we can get a better one". Never count on that in Seattle! The rest of the week was overcast and the mountain was in hiding. Sooo...this is the best photo we got.

We got off the ferry right by Pikes Market at 5:45 pm and parked the car so we could explore the market. Guess what we found out? Pikes Market closes at 6 pm even during the summer and tourist season! How dumb is that?! At least I got to see a few pigs :)

I have no idea who this kid is, but the pig is Rachel and she is in front of the marketplace. I guess she is their mascot or something. The boy is asking his grandma for dollars to put in the pig! Whatever happened to putting pennies in a piggy bank? Inflation! :0 . We had dinner on the wharf at Ivars, which is a seafood place. I make better clam chowder! Maybe I should work at Ivars? Nope.

The next day I spotted a scrap booking store. So I drug Randy and Peni there and spent some time looking and drooling. Dan had an interview so he escaped the fun :). They had this fun card on display as their class for August. It looked like something I wanted, so, I put on my sad face and told the clerk that I lived far away and really, really would like to purchase the kit for this card. Normally they won't sell the kit unless you sign up for the class, but I can look really really sad when I want to. The lady was very nice and sold me one so now I can copy it and make as many as I want! I like to make cards.

The next morning we headed for Highway 101 to take the long way home since we had plenty of time. This is Astoria bridge that goes over the Columbia River from Washington to Oregon. Or the other way around if you are in Oregon! Magic! Anyway I think it is about 4 miles long.

That is one looong bridge. On the way down 101 we saw lots of coastline and water and trees. Its very beautiful along that route! Pretty soon we came to Tillamook, where they make cheese and ice cream.

Naturally we had to stop and go in. I pretended to be interested in the cheese making process all the while thinking about that yummy ice cream and hoping that we were going to get some. Positive thinking pays off! We shared a sampler with Marionberry, Rocky Road and some caramel nut kind, probably pecans. Randy likes the nutty caramel, I like the chocolate and we decided to be healthy and get fruit, LOL! Then like any decent tourist trap they had a huge store and gift shop so that took awhile for me to look at everything. Dang! I couldn't find a thing I just had to have. We left there and headed north to spend the night in Salem, Oregon. The next day we drove and stopped, and drove and stopped, and drove until we got to Ontario, Or. where we spent the night. The next morning Randy was like a horse headed for water and we were on our way home! We got home home 3 days sooner than planned but that's okay. Maybe next year we can do the Yellowstone trip with my sis. This was my last trip for awhile since I'll be tending grandkids now and going to work at a candy shop! Cummings makes better chocolate than me so I need to work there so I can eat it!! Hmmm.... wonder if there's any chocolate in the house? Silly question :0

I'm going on a trip....Again

And I'm going to take a suitcase....or two. In my suitcase I'm going to put....Do you remember playing that game when you were a kid? It's a good memory game and was fun trying to make someone forget or get confused :0. Back to my trip, after all this blog is all about me so I get to talk about my trip. Are you jealous yet? Let's see, no kids to whine, "are we there yet?", "I hafta go potty!" (that will be me saying that one, teehee) , "I'm hungry!" (me again :) ). Oh well it will be a peaceful trip for me but not for Randy...LOL.

Oh? Where am I going? So glad you asked! I'm taking Randy and we are going to Pasco, WA. and spend the night with my friend Dedie. Then we are going to my sis' house near Tacoma and spend a few days there with her, my brothers and some of my nieces and nephews. Then we are going to kennel Peni's dogs and pack up her and her hubby, Dan, and head across the state to Spokane area. We are going to stop and see what ever interests us and make our way to Yellowstone and Jackson Wy. From there we will head home to do some laundry and do a few "staycation" things here. Dan and Peni will be with us for a few days and then fly home on the 4th of August. Peni and I like to do a little road trip every once in a while and this time the guys got invited. Wonder how that happened?? :). So we're off bright and early in the morning and I'll try to remember to take some pictures to show you when I get back! Oh come on, I know you're interested...why else are you here? So check back after Aug 1st and I should have an update of some kind :)

Mom's Surprise Cookies

When I was growing up mom made everything from scratch. Not many people do that anymore with all the convenient mixes around. She didn't make a lot of sweets but did do cookies for the holidays. One of my favorite cookies were her hidden mint cookies. I've changed it up a little for my non mint fans:).

First thing you do is grab a bag of mini Milky Ways, (or snickers, rolos, mint wafers ...you get my drift?) and unwrap them and set them aside. Okay go ahead and eat one, you may have an extra anyway:). Then pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.

Now you need some softened butter, secret ingredient #1, granulated sugar and brown sugar and mix it up til its nice and smooth.


Then add your eggs, a little water, and some vanilla...I like the real vanilla. Mix that up and then take the beaters out of your machine and put in the dough hook. Your dough is going to be stiff after we add the dry ingredients.

Now you're going to add flour, secret ingredient #2, baking soda and salt and mix that until it's all incorporated.

Okay grab a scoop, my favs are the pampered chef ones and for this recipe I use the medium size. Scoop up the dough and press a candy in the center, pop it out and smooth the dough around the candy. Make sure there's no holes or the chocolate will ooze out. What a waste!

.............................This is what they will look like pre-baked

-------------------And baked. Be right back gotta go have a cookie :)

Since I made a double batch I had some dough leftover so I looked in my freezer and found some partial bags of chips, in this case they were chocolate and peanut butter chips. I threw them in and Voila! two kinds of cookies for my card party!

My secret ingredients? You shouldn't give away your secrets but since I don't have a very large following I'll share this time:). I like to substitute cream cheese for SOME of the butter. I go 1/4 cream cheese to 3/4 butter unless I'm feeling rich then I go 1/2 and 1/2. I also like to throw in a small box, per batch, of pudding. any flavor will do. It gives the cookie better flavor and we all want cookies with better flavor, LOL! Okay here's the recipe without the secret ingredients added in::

Mom's Mint Surprise Cookies

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mini Milky Ways or
candy of your choice, unwrap and set aside

1 cup softened butter
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 TBSP water
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt


Mix well the butter and sugars. Then add the water, vanilla and eggs and mix again. Change out your beaters to the dough hook and then add the dry ingredients and mix well. get your scoop and get a scoopful of dough and place a candy in the middle and wrap so there are no holes in the dough. Repeat about 3 dozen times! :0. Bake for about 12 minutes until they start to get golden brown. Do not overbake! This should be a soft cookie. Let cool long enough so you don't burn your tongue and taste test. Mmmm, okay maybe I better go have another cookie :).

BONKO!!

Or is it Bunko? You decide which you like...our group says Bonko. Plus we play differently than other groups.....so I've heard. We just like the sixes :). Our group was started in the early eighties with 12 women from the same neighborhood and a relative or two thrown in. I joined in about 1990. Of the original 12 who started the group we have, I think, 6 who still play.


Every third Wednesday of the month we get together with our dice, and of course table treats, to throw, yell, tease, joke and laugh together. We've supported each other through births, divorces, moves, sicknesses and even deaths. We are friends. We love each other. Most of the time, tee hee. We are female :0 Meow!


My favorite part of Bonko is...surprise! the food :0. We try to have something semi-healthy and good for you. Last night since I was the hostess I got to decide and fix the food, so I chose spinach salad with dried cranberries, mandarin oranges and nuts with an oil and vinegar dressing. Pretty yummy. We also had Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip....heavenly! I love bonko because I get to eat things like that dip. Randy does not appreciate "girly" food. And for dessert......


Tah Dah! Homemade Carrotcake Cheesecake. OMG!!(oh my goodness). Seriously, I thought it was as good as Cheesecake Factory at about 1/10th the cost:) Note to self: do not use previously frozen cream cheese next time. I really know better but I didn't want to go to the store....again! which I ended up doing anyway :|. It was still good, the cheese just kind of absorbed into the cake instead of being "globbed". I have great cooking terms :0.


I really need to get a better photographer or a better camera. Which is it? Guess my hands were a little shaky. Oh wait! I should say I blurred everyone to protect their identities! yeah, thats what I did. :) Sharon (plaid) and Marilyn C(red) have been in the group since the beginning. BTW we have THREE Marilyns in the group! Jenny (white) is an original who took a break for about 10 years and then came back. Janis is Sharons friend from work and has been in about 10 years.

Ranae (white and original) and her daughter Janae(blue), Joan is an original but she had to quit last year when her hubby got sick. He has since passed away and I think Joan will fill the next vacancy ?! I hope :) Gwen is one of our honorary subs :0... we've asked her to be a regular but she likes not having to be a hostess. She plays nearly every month.


July is a hard month to hostess :(. Here is a table full of beautiful subs!! I had to have 5 subs this time. My girl Kaylene (yellow) used to be a regular but has had to cut back, her friend Julie (green) was a real lifesaver this month! And then there is my Brenda, she likes to play once in awhile but not to often...When you have five kids and a hubby who travels your priorities are a little different than us "old ladies".

Tonight I am having a card making party( another addiction) and I am making the dip again. Tomorrow I will post the recipe and photos of it:) YUMMY YUM YUM !

Oquirrh Mountain Temple

Yesterday I had the opportunity of voluteering at the open house for the new Temple in South Jordan. It is called the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. Pronounced "Oker", it has the same name as the mountains that are behind it. I signed up to be an usher and figured I would spend my four hours pointing people in the right direction. Imagine my surprise when I was assigned to stand in the celestial room! It is the most beautiful room in the Temple. It is a very peaceful room where you can sit and pray or meditate for as long as you wish. There are no pictures to distract you, however there is a huge gorgeous chandelier! I heard children as young as 2 to adults in their 70's and 80's gasp and exclaim how beautiful the chandelier was and is. All the layers are shaped like stars and I would guess it probably has 7 or 8 layers. It is HUGE! No I do not know how many crystals are in it or how much it weighs or cost. The window behind the chandelier has stars etched into it....something I did not notice when I took the tour last month. When you stand in one place for 4 hours you pretty much notice everything. I had people ask me what I did to get the best spot and I also had some ask why I was being punished and had to stand inside my little fence. I would quietly tell them I was just lucky :). We were instructed to stand and smile and not encourage people to talk. I left with achy feet and my bum knee a little sore but the discomfort was soon forgotten. I also left feeling good and being happy that I took the time out of my not so busy life to serve others and see the joy on peoples faces as they walked into that very beautiful and peaceful room.

Freshly Picked

My "niece" is giving away this magazine on her blog. She did a tutorial on making a pillow case dress. Wish it was in my size ***sigh***. Susan is very talented and I would like to say that she inherited her talent from her auntie Barb but, alas, I cannot tell a lie! She inherited it from her mother :). Sewing is not my forte...I know just enough to be called upon by my girls to do their mending and a few little projects. Now if you want baked goods.... Give me a call :0

Anyway, check out Susie's blog and enter for a chance to win this magazine!

A Simple Giveaway

posted by Susan Petersen at Freshly Picked - 10 hours ago

Thanks for the magazine love, you guys really are the best. I have 2 issues of Simply Handmade ($15 value) to giveaway. This magazine is packed full of fun and creative projects. Comment on this post to...

Happy 4th of July!

Today we went to my niece Laura's place for a BBQ.( Really she is Randy's niece but I claim her as mine :) ). Laura is the one in the red against the wall. She loves to entertain and has the perfect home for it. She has a large backyard with a pool...

and a hot tub...


there was a cute little playhouse and a trampoline and even a bouncy house with balls.


We had tons of food....burgers,

..................hot dogs,

.................salads, fruit and

DESSERTS !! Somehow I missed getting a picture of the birthday cake, brownies, Strawberry cream cheese pie, rice krispie treats and Jen's yummy homemade sugar cookies. You can tell I was not thinking clearly!

We had four generations of Larsens there! Crystal and her sweet little Silas belong to Laura.

Dennis, Norma and Reid were the oldest

and Weston was the youngest. He finished his hot dog and went and took a 3 hour nap! He had his binky close at hand just in case.


Some of the teenagers off in their own little space...the rest are either in the house filling their plates or playing poker!

The get together was a success in my humble opinion. We had a fairly good turn out and nobody went home hungry...if they did they had no one to blame but themselves:) We did miss Great Grandma Larsen, this was always one of her favorite holidays and she loved having the picnic in the park in Provo with most of her family there.