cookies — A Southern Fairytale

Tea and Cookies

12:15 AM ByRachelFiled UnderDesserts, Giveaways

When someone says Tea around here, they’re talkin’ sweet. Possibly even with some fresh mint and sliced lemons.

Down here in Texas, tea is sweetened and served cold.

Pitcher of Sweet Tea

So, when I was offered some Tazo Tea flavors to try and a recipe book… well, you can guess which of those things piqued my interest . I’m game for trying new things and heaven knows that I’m not likely to turn down a recipe book (heh).

I was intrigued when my box of goodies arrived and I saw this:

Tazo Tea This pic is obviously AFTER I have already started to use the products

I have to say, the Iced Black Tea, Yum. I added the delicious Blue Agave syrup as a sweetener and it was really yummy! Nice and subtle with just a hint of citrus. I could easily see myself making this instead of our regular sweet Tea. The Green Tea was yummy too, which surprised me because, all the Green Teas that I’ve tried (you know the bottles) have been bitterish and not appealing.

So, the recipe book… I decided to make these lemon awake cookies using the Awake Tea packets.. The cookies, the kids loved. I mean loved, loved, loved. I loved, loved, loved this lemon icing that was made using the contents of an Awake Tea Bag, lemon zest, lemon juice and powdered sugar. Y’all.. I want to create entire desserts just to use this icing. It is.. nom.. citrusy, zingy, light.. just heavenly.

lemon cookies

As if my pretty pictures and opinion aren’t enough for y’all…

I have a Tazo Tea goody pack for TWO of y’all! Just like the one that I received! This is awesome. Trust me. The white platter is mine and not included in the goody pack (sorry).

One piece of advice: When you get your purty glass pitcher… Do not put hot tea into the pretty glass pitcher, because there’s a chance it might shatter. All over your kitchen counter and floor. (not that I know from experience or anything)

NOW The nitty gritty dirt band details:

Leave a comment telling me about your favorite kind of tea (1 entry)
Twitter this and leave the tweet url in a separate comment (1 entry)
Visit Tazo Tea’s website and tell me what flavor you’d most like to try in a separate comment (1 entry)

This contest is open from Sept 1, 2009 until Friday Sept 4, 2009 at 10:00 PM CST . Random.org will be used to choose the winners! Good luck y’all!

In case you didn’t gather it from the post… I was given the Tazo Tea goodies to try and if I so chose, write about. The giveaways for my readers.. just a bonus! I may have received these items for free (THANK YOU!) but, my opinions were in no way bought, paid for or compromised in any way. Y’all know that I’m as transparent as glass that has never seen a smudgey child’s handprint.

RANDOM.ORG - Integer Generator_1252952910707

Congratulations to our Winners! Ree from The Hotfessional and Stacy from A Boy Makes 3

Taggedcookies, tea 73 Comments

Kitchen Sink Cookies and The Start with Substance Program

9:00 AM ByRachelFiled UnderDesserts

As a participating blogger in the Start With Substance Program I’m sharing my favorite recipe using Quaker Oats. and it isn’t oatmeal.

kitchen-sink-cookies

This recipe makes about 5 dozen cookies and when I mention that I’m making them, there’s usually a line of people waiting for them.

Kitchen Sink Cookies

2 C Brown Sugar
2 C White Sugar
1 3/4 C quick cook oats
2 C unsweetened applesauce
4 eggs
4 C all purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 C cornflakes cereal
1 1/2 C chopped walnuts
1 1/4 C flaked coconut
4 dashes cinnamon
you can add 1 to 2 C raisins or craisins or dried cherries or chocolate chips

Pre-heat oven to 350 F
Cream together Brown Sugar, White Sugar, Vanilla, Applesauce and Eggs
Add flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and oatmeal. Mix well
In a large bowl mix cornflakes, nuts and coconut (this is where you would add the *extras*)
Slowly add the batter to this bowl, mixing well until the entire batter is completely mixed.
Drop by Tablespoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until they are a lovely golden brown.

These cookies are amazing and will disappear quickly. They are crunchy and chewy with just a hint of sweetness. My family can’t get enough of them.

How Cute are my two little Chefs in Training with our special cookie ingredient and our special guest chef!

monkey-and-princess-with-the-quaker-man
Want a darlin’ picture like this of your own?

Want to help me to win $5,000 from Quaker to donate the the Hunger charity of my choice?

You do?! Of course you do!

Here’s what you need to do:

Go to Quaker’s Facebook Page , add yourself as a fan, print the Quaker man**, take a picture of you or your family with him and then upload it to the Quaker Facebook page’s album and link back here in your comments. If in the next 24 hours from 9AM CST 1/13/09 to 9 AM CST 1/14/09 I have the most comments and pictures linking back to the Quaker page out of all 25 bloggers doing this. That’s exactly what will happen.

Quaker is also donating a case of oatmeal to my local food bank!! Yea!!!

and

They are providing two coupons, each good for $1.00 off any 2 Quaker products for me to give to two of my readers!

I will choose my two favorite Quaker Oats man pictures, or my two favorite Quaker Oatmeal recipes/memories from two of my readers and they’ll win the coupons.

The Fine Print aka The Nitty Gritty

The Official Rules
** The Quaker Man logo must remain intact and may not be modified in any manner. Readers must use the exact download of the image, and all entries need to be wholesome in nature. No nudity, defamation, obscene language or inappropriate, rude behavior in the photograph submitted will be accepted. Compliance with these rules is subject to the sole discretion of The Quaker Oats Company;

This program is taking place over 25 business days and the blogger who gets the most Reader submissions by 9 a.m. CST the following morning, (within 24 hours) will win the opportunity to select a hunger charity of their choice to receive a $5000.00 donation made to the charity by The Quaker Oats Company.

Taggedbrown sugar, cookies, Desserts, eggs, oatmeal, Quaker, treats 12 Comments

Cocoa Coffee Cookies

10:00 AM ByRachelFiled UnderDesserts, Mouthwatering Monday

These cookies are beyond description. They are rich, dense, chewy and the chocolate flavor is enhanced by the dry hint of coffee. They will tease your taste buds, tempt your senses and drive you crazy (in a good way). You will want a Paul Bunyon sized glass of ice cold milk to accompany these cookies.

1/2 C unsalted butter, softened
1 C packed brown sugar
2/3 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp instant coffee crystals
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2 egg whites
1 1/2 C flour

Dusting Powder

1/3 C sugar
2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

How To

In a mixing bowl, beat softened butter on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.
Add brown sugar, 1/3 C cocoa powder, coffee, baking soda and cinnamon
Beat until well incorporated, scraping bowl when needed
Beat in egg whites
Add flour in 1/4 Cup increments, blending each well before adding the next
Cover dough and put in refrigerator to chill for one hour
Pre-heat oven to 350 F
In a small bowl combine 1/2 C granulated sugar and 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
Shape dough into 1″ balls, shape each ball into a 1 1/2″ rectangle (log), roll each log in the cocoa sugar mixture and place each ‘cookie’ on the cookie sheet leaving about 1 1/2″ between each ‘cookie’
Bake about 7 minutes or until the edges are just firm.
Remove, sprinkle with remaining cocoa sugar mixture. Let cool on cookie sheet for 3 minutes, remove to wire racks
Resist the urge to eat immediately because you will scald your taste buds beyond repair and then you will be cheated out the chance to enjoy these dense, rich, insanely tonguegasmalicious cookies.