Thursday, December 30, 2010

Fresh Orange Cookies

I don't know about you, but we ALWAYS have oranges lying around begging to be used up this time of the year! My little Makenzie will eat 4-5 a day if she's home and I like to have a couple, but it seems there are still plenty.  And I hate to see them go to waste! So this is my solution.... I just make cookies! They have to be "healthy" right? I mean, they are full of orange... a WHOLE orange.... peeling, the "white stuff" and all! I've always been told that the peeling and the "white stuff" of the orange is where the nutrients are.  However, I will spend an hour, if that's what it takes, to get as much of the "white stuff" off as possible before I eat the orange because I think it's rather bitter and because I'm just weird like that.  With these cookies, it's all hidden in there.  Oh my.....goodness! They are so soft and moist and chock full of orange goodness! I like them warm out of the oven, with a nice coating of glaze.  The kids love them.  I think they'll make a great addition to their lunch boxes when school starts back up on Monday...


Fresh Orange Cookies
adapted by From Cupboard to Cupboard
original recipe from "Old Fashioned Cookies"
printable recipe
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 unpeeled orange, finely chopped
Orange Glaze (recipe follows)

First, cut your washed orange into quarters.  Place the quarters into a blender or food processor {or by hand} and chop finely to equal to 3/4 cup chopped fruit.
Sift together flour, baking soda and salt.  In large bowl, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add egg and chopped orange; beat well.  Gradually blend in dry ingredients.  {at this point you could stir in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts if you prefer}... Cover and chill at least 1 hour.  Drop dough by teaspoons onto lightly greased {or SILPAT lined} cookie sheets.  Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Mine were perfect at 10 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Spread cookies with orange glaze while cookies are still hot.
Yields: approximately 4 dozen cookies

Orange Glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh orange juice { I roll the orange to soften it, cut in 1/2 then squeeze with open side up so seeds don't fall into mixture. I used the whole orange and got 2 Tbsp juice}
1 Tablespoon butter, softened
*you can add 1 tsp fresh grated orange peel also* {my family does not approve:)}

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients until smooth.


This recipe can be doubled.
I used a small cookie scoop and they were the perfect size and baked for 10 minutes.



Happy Cooking!

Teauna

Monday, December 27, 2010

Some New Year's Party Recipe Ideas...

Wow! December has been such a whirlwind! I spent nearly 3 weeks in bed, first bronchial pneumonia, then a nasty kidney infection, that I just could not kick! So needless to say, I was unable to spend the time needed on my blog. I mean seriously…. 3 posts in December? This is the foodie blog sin! For that I apologize! Then… we were gone for Christmas weekend to Wyoming, where my husband works. We had an amazing Christmas holiday! But now I am so ready to bake! I have looked thru so many different cookbooks while I’ve been in bed. And I’ve come up with a bundle of different ideas! So my neighbors better get ready for a whole bunch of goodies…. Just without Christmas sprinkles! I had some really cute sprinkles too! Darn it! I guess they’ll have to keep until next year! Oh and those really cute cookie cutters! I’m sure my family won’t mind Christmas-shaped cookies, ya think?
I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! It was so great for us! Santa treated us well and we’re just happy being able to spend time together as a family! I just love family-time! Of course, I would NEVER be able to leave home without my wonderful friends that keep things going on the home-front! Thanks Sis! I just love ya! And your cute little family too! I owe you guys BIG TIME!
So I’m thinking New Years Eve party at my house! Hmmmmm…….. and what to eat? Well for starters…. I’m thinking we should have some Sweet Sandwich Ham




Of course, there’s always the sweets you must have lying around while mingling…. Like Root Beer Cookies,


homemade Thin Mint cookies,


 homemade Samoa cookies,

... or maybe some soft and chewy homemade oreos



Of course, I’ll be using my SILPAT for all the oven-baked goodies! Did you enter the SILPAT giveaway? Well, I was a total slacker and drew the winner several days late! That’s what I get for choosing a drawing-date that I’m not even home and have no internet where I am! Only on my phone…. And there’s not a chance of making a post on my blog from my phone! Crazy stuff there!
Once I am done with all the New Years goodies, I can’t wait to start on VALENTINE’S RECIPES! I know, it seems so early to start that nonsense, right? Ummmm, not exactly! You see, Valentine’s Day is my birthday! {And you all wondered what made me so sweet? I was born that way ;)} Well, the way I see it… if I start baking Valentine’s food in January, my birthday will last for 1 ½ months! Hee hee! So we can all celebrate. I mean, 32 years of living as a “Sweetheart” deserves at least 1 ½ months of celebration, don’t you agree?
Well, I hope to see you here often, as I must make up for my LoooooNNNNNggggggg absence in December….

Make sure to go HERE to check out the winner of the SILPAT!!!!

Happy Cooking!
Teauna

Finally.... The WiNnEr is announced!

I made a BIG mistake when I chose Christmas Eve as the drawing date for the SILPAT giveaway!  Considering the fact that I was away from home and had NO internet, it was pretty much impossible for me to choose a winner!  But, better late than never, right?  So with no further waiting.... {since you have waited long enough!} 
Congratulations to:

jenjgjn said:

K Teauna it's no secret I don't cook much in fact I hate it I know i know painful to your ears I'm sure but its exactly why I started following your blog. I was hoping your love of cooking might just rub off and indeed it has thank you! Ad far as a favorite cooking utensil would have to be a mixer!

So.... CoNgRaTuLaTiOnS to you!  You are going to LOVE it!  Please contact me at teawclark@gmail.com and I'll get it mailed out to you!

For the rest of you... you can easily order SILPATs online @ Kitchen Kneads....

Happy Cooking!

Teauna

Friday, December 10, 2010

A Cause for Celebration. . .and a GIVEAWAY!

*** Drawing is Closed***


Happy Holidays to all of you!  I had such a rewarding week this week!  I've been waiting and waiting for this week to come....because it meant my name was to be published in Woman's World Magazine. 

This is the cover...
A couple months back I received an email from an adorable girl {love the way she writes} asking me if I would be interested in having my opinion on BAKING TOOLS published in the Woman's World Magazine... ummmm, well, perhaps I should think for a minute...... well, YEAH!!!  At first I thought maybe it was a joke!  So, I emailed her back with a response and some follow-up questions.  An immediate {and I mean IMMEDIATE} reply popped up with a phone number to call for the interview, but the following day.  Of course, what to do first... CALL MY MOM!  Second, text my husband... Third, dance around the house like a little girl on Christmas morning that just got a pink pony! Fourth, SCREAM! Alright, you get the picture, right?

So, the following day I called her... we chit-chatted like old friends. What a fun gal she is! It was so weird to me how in that little moment, my hard work was truly paying off.  You know, when I started my blog, it wasn't because I wanted to be famous or become rich off a blog.  I just didn't see the possibilities in all that.  I just wanted to share the passion of what I loved.... baking, cooking, and being a housewife!  I have wanted to be a housewife my whole life and this was just an amazing thing to be able to do from home.  As the last year has went by, my blog has become PART of me.  I love it. And when I don't spend time there, I MISS it!  I get to bake all sort of yummy goodies for my friends, family and neighbors, take pictures, and share the recipes will others.  I get to intereact with people whom I have never met in person, but who I truly adore and appreciate, because they are part of my life now.  I also get to hear from those I do personally know and love.  I don't mean to be all mushy, but I just want to thank everyone for all of their support in the last year!  THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

You Deserve the Best!..... pg 40.... can you see my name?
Did I say thank you?  Well, probably not enough..... so I would like to show you how much I thank you!  Can you guess what my favorite baking gadget is?  What do I use alot in my recipes?  Of course, there are sooooo many things I love.  But this year, my most favorite gadget was the SILPAT!  So, I AM GIVING ONE AWAY!  {This is the moment where YOU jump up and down and SCREAM like the little girl on Christmas morning with the pink pony :)} 


To enter to win a SILPAT, just take a minute a do the following things:
Each one of you has FOUR chances to win!

1. Become a follower of From Cupboard to Cupboard..... leave a comment stating you are a follower. If you already are a follower, THANKS! But make sure you leave a comment letting me know.... :)
2. Like From Cupboard to Cupboard on facebook..... leave a comment stating you LIKE me.  If you already like me, leave a comment anyway and let me know!
3. Leave a comment letting me know what YOUR favorite baking or cooking gadget is... I really want to know!
4. Tell all your friends about this drawing!  Share From Cupboard to Cupboard!  I would love to see them here! 

*Drawing will be held December 24th*

Thanks again to all of you, my friends!


Happy Cooking!

Teauna

Monday, December 6, 2010

And the WINNER is..........

After an extremely icky weekend stuck in bed with a NASTY flu bug, I finally am feeling good enough to sit up and get on the computer for a minute.  So I threw the comments in Bradey's hat and reached in and grabbed one.... The winning comment says:

"I love you on facebook!"

Yeah, that's right!  HATCH WON!


Congratulations! 

Please get your contact info to me via email and I'll get it over to C & C Paperie! teawclark@gmail.com


I want to give a HUGE shoutout to C & C Paperie!  These are some talented girls with so many adorable cards to offer in their ETSY shop!  Make sure you go take a look!  Thanks C & C Paperie for this great giveaway! 


Happy Cooking!

Teauna

Friday, December 3, 2010

Deadline for giveaway is TONIGHT!

Just throwing out a reminder for all of you to enter the giveaway from C & C Paperie, if you haven't already!
They have the CuTeSt stuff!  Love them! 

Go HERE to enter!

Good Luck!

Happy Cooking!

Teauna