IN THIS ISSUE:
Recipe of the Month: Rolled Ginger Cookies
Sites of the Month - Two Links to Inspire You
Decorating Inspiration - Great pictures to inspire you
Hints and Tips - Secrets for Baking Cookies and Betty Crocker's Tips for Storing Dough and Cookies
Help!
FROM THE EDITOR - Don't Skip this Part!

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance." -- Franklin P. Adams

JOKE OF THE MONTH

The Sin of Lying

A minister told his congregation, "Next week I plan to preach about the sin of lying. To help you
understand my sermon, I want you all to read Mark 17." The following Sunday, as he prepared to
deliver his sermon, the minister asked for a show of hands. He wanted to know how many had
read Mark 17. Every hand went up. The minister smiled and said, "Mark has only sixteen chapters.
I will now proceed with my sermon on the sin of lying."

********

RECIPE OF THE MONTH 

It's the time of the year when we start thinking about our holiday baking. I hope this recipe helps with yours.

Rolled Ginger Cookies

3/4 cups vegetable shortening
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 T. dark corn syrup
2 t. ground cinnamon
2 t. ground cloves
2 t. ground ginger
2 t. baking powder
1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Melt shortening in a large saucepan. Remove from the heat and beat in the sugar, corn syrup and spices.

Dissolve the baking soda in the warm water and add to corn syrup picture, beating until smooth.

Gradually blend in the flour. Transfer the dough to a bowl, cover, and chill for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly grease 2 baking sheets

On a floured surface, roll out the dough as thin as possible (use your accu rolling pin or dough board).

Cut out cookies and place 1 inch apart on baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly colored. Cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transfering to cooling rack.

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SITES OF THE MONTH

Here are a couple of sites that might inspire you or give you some ideas for your cookie decorating:

http://www.customcandybarwrapper.com/cookies.htm

http://www.verizonsupersite.com/danascookiekitchencom/aboutus/

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COOKIE DECORATING INSPIRATION


Cindy was kind enough to send these pictures of her cookies.

Thanks so much for sharing!

********
Hints and Tips

Lucie sent us this tip for when we are decorating large numbers of cookies. She uses a 1 to 2" paint brush (could be a pastry brush) and thins her buttercream icing to a thick cream consistency. Then she just paints on the background color.

SECRETS FOR BAKING COOKIES

• Make sure your cookie sheets aren't too thin. The heavier your cookie sheet, the less likely
  your cookies are to burn. If you can't afford heavy-duty cookie sheets, you can cover your
  thin ones with layers of aluminum foil.
  
  
• Experiment with the temperature of your oven. My oven is always hotter than what I set it for.
  I set my oven 25 degrees cooler than what a recipe calls for.
  
  
• Always place your cookie dough on cold cookie sheets. If you don't let the cookie sheets cool,
  your cookie dough will spread too much from the heat of the cookie sheets.
  
  
• Don't bake the cookies for too long. They should be light brown around the edges. Keep in
  mind that the cookies will continue to cook from the heat of the cookie sheet after you remove
  them from the oven. I always let my cookies bake too long because I didn't think they were done
  yet. Your cookies should look a little underdone when they come out of the oven.
  
  
• Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet until you can lift them with a spatula without breaking them.
  Cool them completely on wire racks, if you have some, otherwise you can cool them on paper
  towels or waxed paper.
  
  BETTY CROCKER'S TIPS FOR STORING COOKIE DOUGH AND BAKED COOKIES
  
• Storing Cookie Dough
• Cookie dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 24 hours before baking. If it's too firm, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Cookie dough can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 9 months. Thaw just until soft enough to handle.
• To freeze refrigerator cookie dough, wrap rolls of dough in aluminum foil or freezerproof wrap
• Storing Baked Cookies & Bars
  For Crisp Cookies
• In a dry climate, keep cookies crisp by storing them in a loosely covered container, such as a cookie jar without a snug lid. In a damp, humid climate, store in a tightly covered container.
• Allow frosted or decorated cookies to harden or become set before storing. Store them between layers of waxed paper, plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
  For Crisp Cookies
• If cookies soften, heat them on a cookie sheet at 300ºF for 3 to 5 minutes to recrisp
  For Chewy Cookies
• Allow frosted or decorated cookies to harden or become set before storing. Store them between layers of waxed paper, plastic wrap or aluminum foil.
• Keep cookies chewy and soft by storing them tightly covered. Resealable plastic bags, plastic food containers with tight-fitting lids and metal tins work best.
  More Storing Tips
• To keep cookies longer, wrap tightly, label and freeze up to 6 months.
• Do not mix crisp and chewy or soft cookies together in the same container; the crisp cookies will become soft.
• Store different flavors and varieties of cookies in separate containers.
• Most brownies and bars can be stored tightly covered at room temperature, but check the recipe to be sure. Some may need to be stored loosely covered or in the refrigerator.
• Meringue, custard-filled or cream-filled cookies don't freeze well; the meringues become tough and the fillings become watery.
  
• ********

HELP!

Cindy wants to know anyone has frozen piping gel. Does it freeze OK? Any thoughts or tips?

If you have made and decorated some cookies you are especially proud of, don't forget to take pictures 
and share them with us.  You can generally find me sitting here:  lesley@kitchengifts.com

*******

FROM THE EDITOR

As seems to be the usual case, this newsletter is a little late. I guess I was a little gun shy after last month's fiasco with not blind copying. Geez, I hate it when I do that.


Al is always bringing home catalogs and new kitchen products for me to look at. I only add the ones that I really like -- I figure if I don't like it I can't sell it. Well, I LOVE Toland rugs. I have a whole collection of seasonal ones that I put by the front door. My friends love them as well but very few stores carry a large selection so it' difficult to find ones that really grab me. Never one to stop when I hit a wall, I contacted Toland Enterprises and opened an account with them. We can now offer them to you! I've only gotten the fall and winter ones up on the website but I'll continue to add them as I get time. Checkout the ones I have up at: http://kitchengifts.com/tolandrugs.html

I've added several new designs to our extensive collection and continue to do so. The hottest selling new design is the devil's head. I'm hoping someone sends me a picture of their little devil when they get it decorated.

Is everyone watching the new Martha Stewart show? If you haven't set your recorders and get to it. The show is great!

Keep in touch! Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Happy Halloween!

Lesley

IN THIS ISSUE:
Recipe of the Month: Honey Orange Crisps
Sites of the Month - Cookie Decorating Tips and Decorated Cookie Images
Decorating Inspiration - REALLY great pictures to inspire you
Hints and Tips - Chewy, Crisp, or Puffy
Help!
FROM THE EDITOR

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

It takes a long time to grow an old friend. -- John Leonard

JOKE OF THE MONTH

College Grad's Starting Salary

Reaching the end of a job interview, the Human Resources Person asked a young engineer who was fresh out of MIT, "What starting salary were you  thinking about?" The Engineer said, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package." The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5 weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years - say, a red Corvette?" The Engineer sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?" The interviewer replied, "Yeah, but you started it."

********

RECIPE OF THE MONTH 

I'm always on the lookout for variations on my cutout cookies. These are nice treat and would be great with royal icing where you use orange juice as your liquid.

Honey Orange Crisps

3 cups flour
1 1/2 t. ground ginger
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup honey
2 T. frozen orange juice
1/2 t. orange extract

Combine flour and ginger in a bowl.
In a large bowl cream the shortening and sugar. Beat in the egg and then the hone. Add the orange juice concentrate and the orange extract.
Gradually add the dry ingredients blending and you add.
Cover and chill.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On a floured surface (or you dobord lined with parchment paper) roll dough to 1/8" thickness. Cut with desired cookie cutters and put on an ungreased cookie sheet (or line it with parchment paper). Place cookies 1" apart.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until just starting to tan. Cool for 5 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to a cooling rack.

********
SITES OF THE MONTH

I found this site with some valuable information on decorating cookies. Check out: http://www.christmas-cookies.com/bakingtips/decorating.php

Here's another site where, it appears, people submit their images of decorated cookies. It's kind of fun. http://community.webshots.com/album/279205469MAaBis

********

COOKIE DECORATING INSPIRATION

I still think receiving pictures of your beautiful cookies is the best part of my job. This month was no exception. Cynthia ordered a custom design a couple of weeks ago and kindly sent us a picture of it decorated. Beautiful, huh?

Stacy also ordered customs. She did these all by her little self -- wish I could do that! Stacy said this is a hobby! Her hint was that she takes about three days to make 20 or so cookies. She lets each layer thoroughly dry before going to the next -- otherwise she has problems with the colors running.

Helena made these cookies for guess what sort of event? She's starting her own home-based business in Baltimore.

********
Hints and Tips

I was watching my favorite channel, the Food Network, and was fortunate enough to see Alton Brown's Good Eats episode on cookies. He explained carefully how to make chocolate chip cookies thin, puffy, or chewy. You can find the recipes at this site: http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/show_ea/episode/0,1976,FOOD_9956_17114,00.html

********

HELP!

If you have made and decorated some cookies you are especially proud of, don't forget to take pictures 
and share them with us.  You can generally find me sitting here:  lesley@kitchengifts.com

*******

FROM THE EDITOR

My son turns 16 today. I'm pretty sure I'll be having a crying session at some point during the day. He gets his driver's license this afternoon and will go driving off without me for the first time shortly thereafter. The insurance agent called last night to inquire as to his driving status -- that may be part of the reason for the tears.

This newsletter is a little later than I planned. I tried to move my address book from my old computer to my new one. While doing so I somehow blew out all of your email addresses. Boy, was that depressing. Fortunately, I had a hard copy so I've spent many boring hours this month typing them back in. No offense, but some of you have really weird email addresses. Anyway, hopefully I got most of them right. If by chance you get two letters and only want one, let me know so I can delete the unwanted email address.

I've got two boxes of new designs that I'll be adding to the website this weekend and next week. Keep the "What's New" page bookmarked: http://kitchengifts.com/whatsnew.html and check it late next week.

As I mentioned last month, I think, we have added PayPal to our online payment methods . We have had quite a few customers use it. Personally, I've never used PayPal so I'm curious about the motivation for using it rather than a credit card. Any PayPal folks out there that want to share their stories?

Keep in touch! Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Lesley

 

IN THIS ISSUE:
Recipe of the Month: Big Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sites of the Month - Great Cookie Inspiration Sites
Decorating Inspiration - Plenty of great pictures to inspire you
Hints and Tips - Tips from you!
Help!
FROM THE EDITOR

Newsletter from February - June 2005
Newsletter from August 2002
Newsletter from February - July  2004
Newsletter from June & July 2003
Newsletters from October 2002 - March 2003
Newsletters from July - Sept., 2002
Newsletters from Jan 6 to May 2002
Newsletters from Nov. 11 -Dec. 14
Newsletters from Oct 1 - Nov. 4
Newsletters from Aug. 5 to Sept 23

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

Remember that happiness is a way of travel -- not a destination. Roy M. Goodman

JOKE OF THE MONTH

Observing a light across the water,
the captain had his signalman instruct the other vessel to change her course ten degrees south.

The response was prompt:
Change your course ten degrees north."

"I am a captain," he responded testily.
"Change your course ten degrees south."

The reply: "I'm a seaman first class--change your course north."

The captain was furious.
"Change your course now.
I'm on a battleship."

"Change your course ten degrees north, sir--
I'm in a lighthouse!"

********

RECIPE OF THE MONTH 

Folks tend to think that because I own a cookie cutter company I know about ALL kinds of cookies (which is definitely not the case). Hence, I get a lot of requests for chocolate chip cookie recipes. This is the one I like to share because it's chewy and moist. Enjoy !

Big Fat Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 (8-ounce) block dark chocolate, coarsely chopped Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Place the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chocolate chunks using the spatula.

To form the cookies, scoop about 1/4 cup of cookie dough into your hands and roll it around into a ball; place them about 3-inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets; you should get about 4 cookies on each pan. Press down the tops of the dough slightly and bake until the cookies are light brown, 12 minutes for chewy cookies, or about 15 minutes for crispy cookies.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough/cookie sheets.

********
SITES OF THE MONTH

I just love browsing the web for sites that do decorated cookies. Here's a fun one that will provide tons of inspiration http://store.corsoscookies.com/

Newsletter reader Marisa wrote to tell us about her website: www.sugarcoatedinc.com. Click on the cookie gallery link to look at her beautiful cookies.

Here's another one: http://www.giftbasketsremembered.com/cookiebouquet.html

********

COOKIE DECORATING INSPIRATION

The best part of my job is when you send me pictures of your beautiful cookies. Two of you sent me pictures this month and I am so inspired. Below are Lynn's cookies that she did for her aunt and uncle's 50th wedding anniversary. She did 125 of these beauties. They are covered with rolled fondant then brushed with gold luster dust. The hydrangeas and leaves are cut individually from fondant. Aren't they incredible?

Laura, who plans to be the newest member of our "Need Cookies?" page sent us these pictures of her beautiful work. Laura's website can be found at: http://sunflowerbaking.com/

Laura says cupcakes are "HUGE" in LA. She found a use for our mini designs on her cupcakes. She took our mini butterfly and made a gumpaste cutout to add to her cupcakes. VERY cute.

Thanks to both of you for sharing.

********
Hints and Tips

Kara wrote us with this great tip. She says she's not a fan of royal icing but loves buttercream icing. In order to solve the problem of stacking cookies iced with buttercream she and her aunt discovered that if they put the buttercream frosted cookies in an oven that has only been preheating for a couple of minutes, then turn off the oven leaving the cookies for about 7 to 10 minutes the frosting dries enough for the cookies to be stacked.

Sue says she uses a funnel to get her royal icing into her squeeze bottles. She admitted that her icing might be a little thinner than mine.

In response to a request a couple of months ago for glow in the dark icing. Barbara found a product called "Candy Pants, Glow inthe Dark Body Paints" The bad news is she found it on a Porn site. I'm not even going to hyper link this one -- if you want to check you'll have to type: www.candypants.com

********

HELP!

If you have made and decorated some cookies you are especially proud of, don't forget to take pictures 
and share them with us.  You can generally find me sitting here:  lesley@kitchengifts.com

*******

FROM THE EDITOR

The summer is racing by. Back to school items are already starting to appear at Walmart. That's almost as depressing as seeing the Christmas aisle's come back before Thanksgiving.

I was at the shop a week or so ago (I generally do my website work and email answering at home) and I asked one of the girls who works there if she had time to help me figure out what some of the new designs were. She said, "No problem, I'm just finishing up this order for Wolfgang Puck". She was MUCH cooler about it than I was.

Speaking of those new designs, I added several to the website this month. Go to http://kitchengifts.com/whatsnew.html to check out a bunch of them. One of the new designs was requested by you. In last month's newsletter MaryAnn shared the picture below of her ballerina cookies. Several of you wrote me to ask if it was our design -- it wasn't but it is now!

Keep in touch! Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Lesley

IN THIS ISSUE:
Recipe of the Month:  Lemony Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
Sites of the Month - What's New, Kitchen Gadgets, Park Avenue Pastries and MORE
Decorating Inspiration - Plenty of great pictures to inspire you
Hints and Tips - Relax!
Help!- Starting a home business
FROM THE EDITOR

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"Human beings are the only creatures on earth that allow their children to come back home." Bill Cosby .

JOKE OF THE MONTH

A couple phoned a neighbor to extend birthday greetings. They dialed the number and then sang "Happy Birthday"
to him. But when they finished their off-key rendition, they discovered that they had dialed the wrong number.

"Don't let it bother you," said a strange but amused voice. "You folks need all the practice you can get."

********

RECIPE OF THE MONTH 

Lemony Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

1/2 cup butter 2 cups sugar 3 eggs, at room temperature 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1 cup sour cream, at room temperature 3 1/2 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. Sift together
dry ingredients; set aside. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and lemon extract; mix
well. Stir in sour cream. Stir in dry ingredients; mix well. Stir in walnuts. Drop dough by teaspoons onto
lightly greased cookie sheets. Add a pinch of sugar to the top of each cookie before baking. Bake 8 to 10 minutes.

********
SITES OF THE MONTH

I've been busy updating the web and adding new designs to our EVER growing collection of cutters. Check out the cheerleader outfit and the baby boy and girl heads on our What's New page -- www.kitchengifts.com/whatsnew.html

Also, check out all the work I've done on the Gadgets page: www.kitchengifts.com/kitchengadgets.html We've added a lot of interesting kitchen gadgets that you might be interested in. I LOVE the mesh strainers and the stainless steel wine glasses. We are having trouble keeping the spice labels in stock!

Park Avenue Pastries is the newest addition to our "Need Cookies?" page. Kim and Terri do incredible work. Here is a sample!

I've had several people call or email me recently regarding how to decorate wedding cookies. One of the first things I tell them is to Google "decorated wedding cookies" to gather inspiration and ideas. For those of you who haven't yet emailed or called, here are some great sites that might offer you some ideas.

Rolling Pin Productions is one of our customers and they do beautiful work. Check out: http://www.rollingpinproductions.com/Wedding.htm

Diane's Cakes and More will awe you: http://www.dianescakesandmore.com/cookies/cookies.html

********

COOKIE DECORATING INSPIRATION

I was so blessed this month to have three of you share your beautiful cookie pictures. The first several are from Helen. She is an excellent decorator -- of cakes as well as cookies. After you are done admiring her work, check out her website: http://www.marmaladecakecompany.com/home.html. By the way, I checked with Helen and she did use Lustre Dust on the golf clubs.

This one is from Maryann. She did these cookies for her daughter's last day of dance class. She made the outfits to match their ballet recital costumes. Aren't they just too cute?

Finally, Lisa sent pictures of her beautiful cookie bouquets. She started this as a hobby and has now found that people want to pay for her work. She's new to the "selling cookies" game and is looking for any thoughts we might have. I'll remind you in the "Need Help" section.

********
Hints and Tips

It's a cookie! It isn't a train, a fire engine a ballerina or a real basket of flowers. When you decorate keep in mind that folks are going to be so darn pleased that you even took the time to try to decorate cookies that they won't notice if it doesn't look exactly like a real baby buggy.

Is you sugar cookie dough crumbly? You need to remember to add the flour to the butter mixture slowly and give each addition time to incorporate into the butter/sugar/egg mixture. If you dump it all in at once your dough will not pull together without a lot of mixing and by then the dough will be tough.

********

HELP!

Lisa's cookie bouquet hobby is turning into people offering to pay for her beautiful cookies. She needs any help we can offer as far as starting her own business. She's in Pennsylvania and would love to hear from anyone who has gone this route and is willing to share. Email me at: lesley@kitchengifts.com and I'll pass the info on to her.

If you have made and decorated some cookies you are especially proud of, don't forget to take pictures 
and share them with us.  You can generally find me sitting here:  lesley@kitchengifts.com

*******

FROM THE EDITOR

Where did May go? As I look back on my May I see that it was devoted to web updates and yard work. There is never a reason to say, "There's nothing to do" when you have a website and house to look after.

Keep in touch! Any and all feedback is appreciated.

Lesley

This newsletter is sponsored by:

Kitchen Collectables, Inc.

 

IN THIS ISSUE:
Recipe of the Month:  India Tree Royal Icing Recipe
Sites of the Month - Lesley's videos!
Decorating Inspiration - Great stuff!
Hints and Tips -- pearlized icing revisited - Peggy Porchen's beautiful book
Help!- Glow in the dark icing??
FROM THE EDITOR

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like and do what you'd druther not.
--Mark Twain

JOKE OF THE MONTH

What do you get if you divide the circumference of a pumpkin by its diameter?
Pumpkin pi.

What do you call a stolen yam?
A hot potato.

********

RECIPE OF THE MONTH 

India Tree, our supplier for our most beautiful sparkling sugars and dragees sent us some promotional material including their recipe for royal icing. (I think it's also Martha Stewart's recipe) Thought you might like to try it.

ROYAL ICING

2 egg whites or 5 tablespoons meringue powder mixed with 1/2 cup of water
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons water
1 pound (4 cups) confectioner's sugar
food coloring as needed

Slowly blend all ingredients together in an electric mixer. Beat at medium speed for about 5 minutes until the icing forms stiff peaks. Add more water to soften to desired consistency.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Stir to restore original consistency, but do not beat again. When working with royal icing, cover the bowl with a damp cloth to prevent drying.

Use a #2 tip for piping, a #3 tip for floodwork on small cookies and a #5 tip for floodwork on large cookies (the icing for floodwork should be the consistency of squeeze-bottle mustard). Smooth out floodwork with a metal offset spatula or clean brush.

********
SITE OF THE MONTH

OK, bragging rights again. Al bought me a new video camera and after a lot of frustration and, for me, a very steep learning curve, I figured out how to use it. Besides taping my 15-year-old and listening to him say "Turn it off!" I have put together a couple of "how to" videos for the web site. You can find them on the web site or use the links below.

How to use the Dobord
How to Use Royal Picture Icing (would be a help to anyone making royal icing and using squeeze bottles)
How to decorate cookies with cookie dough (this was my first attempt at video production so be kind)

In the process of being edited are videos on making cookie dough and using lustre dust. You will notice that my face does not appear on any of these videos. There is a long story behind that but just leave it at I'm still recovering from a very rude comment made my a lady who was talking too loudly on her cell phone while Al and I were having dinner at a nice restaurant.

********

COOKIE DECORATING INSPIRATION

Tiby, our cookie decorating friend from Mexico sent us these picture of her work.

Amanda sent us these picture of her cookies.

Rosemarie made this beautiful tray of cookies her Super Bowl party -- she was kind enough to resend it after I lost it last month.

Thanks to all of you for your inspiration and for sharing!

********
Hints and Tips

On the subject of pearlized cake icing, a reader thought that perhaps spraying dissolved lustre dust might work. She also suggested we refer to Colette Peter's cake books. I just did a quick Amazon.com search for Colette Peters and see she has several really nice books on cake decorating. Check them out.

Peggy Porschen, a KCI customer from London and master cake and cookie decorator sent us an advance copy of her new book titled Pretty Party Cakes. The name sounds like it is about cake decorating, but alas it has tons of ideas for decorating cookies and tea cakes as well. I immediately fell in love with the book but when we contacted the publisher about marketing it we were told it wouldn't be available in the US for at least a year. I did a search on Amazon.com.uk and found it but I'm not sure if they'll send it to those of us in the US. Below is a picture from the book -- on the opposite page she give step-by-step directions for decorating these cookies. She also uses a lot of fondant and lustre dust and gives some great tips for using them.

********

HELP!

Debbie's daughter is in x-ray tech school. She wants her mother to make cookies that would glow in the dark. Any ideas?

If you have made and decorated some cookies you are especially proud of, don't forget to take pictures 
and share them with us.  You can generally find me sitting here:  lesley@kitchengifts.com

*******

FROM THE EDITOR

Thanks so much for all the great feedback on the new look our web site has taken on (www.kitchengifts.com). We're still a work in progress but I really do think it is easier to navigate. My job at the moment is linking all the items on our old pages -- which still come up when you do a search for cookie cutters -- to the "buy one now" page on our shopping cart. It's a slow and boring job but nobody else is going to do it.

We're still adding new designs so do check out our "What's New" page -- www.kitchengifts.com/whatsnew.html One of the things that doesn't appear on the What's New page is all the mini designs we have added. If you type in the name of the design you are interested in on our "SEARCH" link you can tell if it is now available in a smaller version.

Welcome Spring!

Lesley

Welcome to our New Look!

IN THIS ISSUE:
Recipe of the Month:  Sandy Sugar Cookies
Sites of the Month - Cookie Club Ltd.
Decorating Inspiration - Amanda's cookies
Hints and Tips -- Jello Cookies and Pearlized Icing
Help!- PLEASE help
FROM THE EDITOR

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"If at first you don't succeed, shouldn't you try doing it like your wife told you to do it?" -- Any wife

JOKE OF THE MONTH

A school teacher injured his back over the summer break and had to wear a plaster cast around the upper part of his body. It fit under his shirt and was not noticeable at all. On the first day of school, still with the cast under his shirt, he found himself assigned to the toughest students in the school.
Walking confidently into the rowdy classroom, he opened the window as wide as possible and then busied himself with desk work. When a strong breeze made his tie flap, he took his desk stapler and stapled the tie to his chest. Incidentally, he had no trouble with discipline that year.

********

RECIPE OF THE MONTH 

Sandy Sugar Cookies

I found this recipe in a magazine and was intrigued by the use of cornstarch -- had to try it, and by golly they are good!

2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter - softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 t. finely grated fresh lemon zest
3/4 t. vanilla

Whisk flour, cornstarch and salt in a bowl.
Beat butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until fluffy -- about 2 minutes.
Reduce speed to low and add zest and vanilla. Mix until combined.
Add flour mixture and mix until soft dough forms.

Gather dough into ball and flat into a 7-inch disk. Chill until firm -- 4 to 24 hours.
(OK, you know what I did here -- rolled the unchilled dough on between sheets of parchment paper and then
chilled it)
Bring dough to room temp and roll on lightly floured board to 1/4" thickness -- unless you took my advice.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut with fluted round cutter or cutter of your choice.
Sprinkle with colorful sanding sugar.
Place on ungreased baking sheets about 1 inch part. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until pale golden.
Reroll scraps and cut as above.

Cooled cookies, kept in an airtight container can be kept up to a week.

Recipe makes about 3 dozen medium sized cookies.

********
SITE OF THE MONTH

Ckie Club, Ltd.

We have been busy updating the Cookie Club. The Cookie Club is a home marketing program for women, and I guess men, who want to make extra money by selling our products via home parties. Think of a Pampered Chef party but a lot more fun! Sandy Heyd is not in charge of the program and would be happy to visit with you about it. Check out the web site at: www.kitchengifts.com/cookieclub.html and then contact Sandy at sandy@kitchengifts.com.

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COOKIE DECORATING INSPIRATION

Amanda was kind enough to send us these pictures of some cookies she recently made. I'm inspired!

Rosemarie sent me a beautiful picture of cookies she did for her Super Bowl party. I failed to save it to a separate file and when I went to find it in my email the picture was missing. I sent her an apologetic email asking if she'd mind resending it -- gosh I miss the days when we didn't have to fight with email!

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Hints and Tips

Last month a reader asked for a recipe for Jello cookies that were shaped like strawberries and rolled in red colored sugar. Two of you were kind enough to share your recipes:

From Kimberly:

Strawberry Bon Bons

1 can sweetened condensed milk
5 cups flaked coconut
1 6-oz. package strawberry Jello
1 cup ground almonds
1 t. almond extract
red food coloring
2 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large bowl, combine milk, coconut, 1/3 cup jello, almonds, almond extract and enough red food color to tint mixture to a strawberry shade. Chill until firm enough to handle.
Form small amounts into strawberry shapes. Sprinkle remaining jello into a flat dish and roll each strawberry to coat. Place on waxed-paper line baking sheet Refrigerate.
To make a hull, combine icing sugar, cream and green food coloring. Use a pastry bag to pipe a small amount on the top of each strawberry. Cover and refrigerate.

From Barbara:

2 small boxes of strawberry Jello
1 cup finely chopped pecans
3/4 cup Eagle Brand Condensed milk
1 can flaked coconut
Red and green sugar

Mix all but sugars. Refrigerate for one hour. Form into strawberry shapes and roll in red sugar. Dip the stem end into the green sugar.
Hint: You can also use orange Jello and make oranges.

Regarding Kim's Question about chewy chocolate chip cookies:

Dora wrote that she found melting the butter and letting it cool a bit before creaming makes a nice chewy cookie. Also, baking at 325 degrees and not as long as the recipe suggests -- maybe a minute or two less. She also suggested using more brown sugar than white sugar.

Regarding Julia's Question about pearlized icing:

Lynn wrote that the pearl dust is usually either airbrushed on (mixed with vodka or lemon extract) using an airbrush specially for cake decorating, or brushed on dry -- once the icing is dry using a fluffy make-up brush. She added that you can also mix it with piping gel and pipe it on. I'm going to try that idea!!

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HELP!

No one seemed to have serious issues this month. I received a few emails from customers regarding icing that bleeds, egg free royal icing, and finding cookie decorating classes, but I was able to handle those.

If you have made and decorated some cookies you are especially proud of, don't forget to take pictures 
and share them with us.  You can generally find me sitting here:  lesley@kitchengifts.com

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FROM THE EDITOR

What a month! I'm still trying to put out web site fires and adding tons of new designs that the girls at the shop have come up with. Check out our What's New page to see "most" of them. We added a bunch of new dog head and bird head designs -- you just need to click on the links on the What's New page to find them.

My current job is changing the old style web pages to the new look. It's a painful process. I equate it to moving day. You have carefully loaded all your valuables into the big truck and sent it on to the new house. When the truck arrives you discover that about a third of your stuff has fallen out of the back somewhere on the way. So now not only do you have to put the stuff that arrived away but you have to go back and try to find all the items that fell off the truck. I'm still finding pieces here and there.

Lesley

This is a somewhat abbreviated issue -- read "Site of the Month" and you'll know why.

IN THIS ISSUE:
    Recipe of the Month:  
Chocolate-Ginger Cookies
    Sites of the Month - KCI's new look!
    Decorating Inspiration - Valentine's Day Ideas
    Hints and Tips - Baking with Splenda
    Help!- PLEASE help

     FROM THE EDITOR

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

JOKE OF THE MONTH

The checkout line at the hardware store was getting longer and longer as the clerk labored 
to get the new cash register to cooperate.

At one point she wailed "Oh no, NOW what do I do ? It just rang up sixty-four thousand, 
five hundred seventy four dollars in sales tax on a ten-dollar sale !"

Surprisingly, the customers in front of me didn't seem too upset by the delay.

Some even chuckled sympathetically. It wasn't until I got near the front of the line 
that I saw the neatly hand-lettered sign in front of the register: WE ARE CURRENTLY 
DOING BATTLE WITH OUR NEW COMPUTER FOR CONTROL OF THE STORE---
WE APPRECIATE YOUR PATIENCE.

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RECIPE OF THE MONTH 

I tried this recipe out at girl's night last week and they really enjoyed them. The cookie dough wasn't as sweet as I prefer so I iced and decorated them with royal icing flavored with almond.

Chocolate Ginger Cookies

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/2 t. ground ginger
1/2 t. ground nutmeg
1/4 t. ground cloves
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
12 T. unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup dark unsulfured molasses
1 T. fresh, finely grated peeled ginger

Sanding sugar or royal icing for decorating

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. (Actually, don't do this yet)

Whisk cocoa powder, flour, spices, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl to combine.

Cream butter and brown sugar in mixer on medium speed for about 4 minutes. Add egg, molasses and
grated ginger. Mix until combined. Slowly add flour mixture on low speed until just combined.

At this point the recipe says to halve the dough, flatten into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap and
refrigerate for an hour.  Then remove and roll on a lightly floured board. See below for what
I did instead.

OK, now preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

I took 1/3 of my dough put it on a sheet of parchment paper, put another sheet of parchment paper 
on top then rolled the dough out.  I then put that sandwich of dough and parchment paper on a cookie 
sheet and stuck it in the refrigerator.  I did the same with the rest of the dough.  I let it chill for a couple 
of hours then removed it, sandwich by sandwich, and cut it with  my cookie cutter.  The scraps were 
re rolled and refrigerated again.  This way I didn't add any extra flour to the dough.  This dough
is a little sticky, so make sure you keep it good and cold.

The recipe says to sprinkle with sanding sugar before baking.  I tried this with the first batch but
decided the cookies weren't sweet enough so I waited until the rest were baked and cooled and then
decorated them with royal icing, flavored with almond.  

Either way, bake them for 11 to 13 minutes then allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes
before moving to the cooling rack.

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SITE OF THE MONTH

This newsletter is a month late getting to you but I have a good excuse!  We have been having
a website nightmare here.  It's a long story --- lots of issues that you probably don't want to hear about.
In a nutshell, the web has been up and down for a month as we've tried to correct the problems.  
After many tears and lots of work we're pretty much back up and have an entirely new look -- hopefully 
one that makes shopping and browsing our site easier.  There is still a lot to be done and things to fix, but 
take a look and let  me know what you think.  Go to www.kitchengifts.com  then send me an email
 (lesley@kitchengifts.com) and give me your review.


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COOKIE DECORATING INSPIRATION

If you sent me pictures of your cookies and they aren't in here I apologize -- see "SITE of the MONTH".
I was surfing and found some great sites that might provide inspiration for your Valentine's Day cookies.

http://www.cookiegarden.com/
http://www.custommadecake.com/stvalentine.htm
http://www.customcandybarwrapper.com/cookiesvday.htm

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Hints and Tips

I've had several emails from folks asking me about substituting Splenda for sugar in their cookie
recipes.  Personally, I've never tried it but I found these two websites that might be helpful if you are
interested in trying it:  http://www.splenda.ca/en/recipes/baking_hints.html  and http://www.splenda.com/recipe_detail.jhtml?id=splenda/recipes/de_raspberryheartcookies.inc
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HELP!

A reader is looking for a recipe from the Jello or Eagle Brand cookbook.  The recipe was classified as
candy.  The recipe used strawberry Jello, condensed milk and ground pecans. The candies were 3-D
shaped as strawberries and rolled in red colored sugar.  She used green sugar to create the stem.
Does anybody remember it and have a copy?

Julia wrote me with this question:  I am trying to figure out how to get a pearl look to my icing (royal, buttercream). 
 I know that I can use Pearl dust…but the only instructions that I can find for it include painting the piped design with 
the dust mixture.  I have seen cakes and cookies decorated with “pearlized icing” and I can't figure how they do that! 
I haven't a clue, do any of you know how to make pearl icing?

Kim asked:  I want to make my family chocolate chip cookies, but they always turn out like cake cookies. 
I want old-fashioned chewy cookies like my grandma use to make. How do i make them chewier?? Thanks for the advice if any.

If you have made and decorated some cookies you are especially proud of, don't forget to take pictures 
and share them with us.  You can generally find me sitting here:  lesley@kitchengifts.com

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FROM THE EDITOR

After a month of talking to tech support people and trying to work through web site issues I am exhausted!
Please take a moment to review our "New" look at www.kitchengifts.com  and let me know how you
like it.  Try to be positive; I'm very fragile right now.  You can find me at: lesley@kitchengifts.com

Please help me write this newsletter by sending me questions, suggestions, pictures, recipes, etc.  You
are so much more interesting than I am.

Lesley