Mai Mai's Sugar Cookies

Supplies!

Mixing!

Getting ready to roll out the dough (small batches is key!)

Ready to Bake!

Finished product!

Happy Holidays!!

I have decided to give you all a present, yes it is my world famous Sugar Cookies (recipe that is)!!!  It's also my unofficial tribute to THE cookies that really started my passion for baking and creating my own cookies.  I remember always baking in my house, my mom is the best baker I know and she and I were always making homemade bread, cookies, or anything else we wanted (love ya momma:).  Anyways, my sister and I came up with this recipe when I was in high school (forever ago!!) because we wanted something that was ready to go right after mixing, which is huge because most recipes have to be chilled for at least an hour!!  And if you know me at all, patience is not my strong suit LOL!!  My friends from high school will remember these I am sure because it was pretty much like a tradition of mine, that whenever it was your birthday, I would make you my sugar cookies!!!  I really began to love and enjoy doing this because the happiness and excitement it brought to everyone's faces, wow, it just makes me smile thinking about it.  I think it is such a simple idea, a cookie with some frosting, but it truly is a cookie that makes you smile. You just can't go wrong on these (sorry bout the gushing, I just love these!!)..... So when the opportunity came to bring cookies for my son's preschool class, I jumped at the chance!!!  I know you must be thinking I can go buy these at the store and be done with it, but trust me, there is no comparison between these and store bought, plus all the junk they put in those things, no thanks!!!  These are so easy to veganize and the key to my sugar cookies is to keep them thick, I can't stand thin sugar cookies, I like them to be thick and chewy!!!  Then I frost with my "better"cream frosting and sprinkle for fun.  When these come out of the oven they need to be moved to a cooling rack before you frost them and completely cooled.  After frosting you may think these are a bit hard, but not to worry store in an airtight container and they will soften up overnight and be perfect the next day.  I personally like to do mini cookies because they are so much more fun this way and a lot less commitment to eating a big cookie, of course it may make you eat more because you think they are little, either way they are a special treat, definitely worth the calories!!!  I hope that at any special occasion or whenever you need a pick me up that these can come to the rescue! From my heart to yours... p.s. this is the first time I have given this out, consider yourself very lucky;)

Mai Mai's Sugar Cookies
1 cup Cane Sugar
1 1/2 sticks of Earth Balance
1 egg replacer (you can buy this in any grocery in the natural dept. it's 1 1/2 tsp. mixed with 2 TBSP. warm  water)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 3/4 - 2 cups flour (I mix white whole wheat and all purpose)
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F
Beat the "butter" and sugar together until creamy, add the egg replacer, vanilla, salt and baking powder.  After it is well combined slowly add 1 3/4 cups flour (then use additional 1/4 cup as needed in mix or to use while rolling the dough to prevent sticking, you want the dough to be firm and not sticky, but also to not be too crumbly).  Roll out the dough in small batches keeping the dough at least a quarter of an inch thickness.  Use the cookie cutters and place on parchment paper or silpat, to prevent sticking.
Bake for 9-12 mins or until bottoms are golden brown. Remove and place on wire racks to cool. Frost after they are completely cooled.

"Better"cream Frosting
2 TBSP. Earth Balance
1 -2 TBSP. Plant Milk
8 oz. Powdered Sugar
(food coloring if desired)
I cream the "butter' first and then add the milk, adding in the sugar slowly as needed.
To be honest I never really measure this part, I just add a little milk if I need or more powdered sugar, I like the consistency to not be sticky but firm enough so that the frosting can harden up and make it easier to stack cookies after the frosting has dried.  I will be making these again soon for Nana's holiday party so I will measure then and update and post more pics too!!!  Happy Holidays!

Vegan Pesto Sauce

Supplies!!

Bout to blend!

Blending!!

Heating to Serve

Mixing!

Time to Eat!

she was loving it!

yummy

Gotcha, eating your dinner, Yay!!

on the left she's saying "cheeze" too cute:)

Happy kids = Happy momma!!  my angels:)

On a personal note, I just wanted  to say a prayer for my family, who has lost Gordon Jones today, he was a great man and I feel blessed to have known him!!  We will miss you!! 

I realized after saying that I was going to make this tonight, that I had no fresh basil on hand, which to make basil pesto would be an issue for most.  But I like to think I am a bit inventive on substitutions around this joint, so I decided to use some frozen basil cubes to get the flavor and in place of the actual leaf to do  some baby kale, to act as my green veggie!  Adding this to my dish not only improved the flavor, but if you haven't heard, Kale is a superfood and does wonders for your body.  This would be a great sauce to do in raw form (as in no heating, except the hot noodles warming the sauce), but with the garlic it can be a bit overpowering especially for my kids.  So I actually warm and cook the sauce, but you could do either way with the same yummy results!  You need a good food processor or a sweet blender, which we invested in a couple of years ago, one of the best purchases ever!!  Then I add in all the ingredients and blend until smooth.  Now if you wanted to have this not as creamy, you could lower the avocado amount down to half an avocado and add more oil, but not in this house.  My one year old saw the cut up avocado and couldn't get enough of it just plain and she wasn't feeling so great today, so I knew she was gonna love this sauce!!  Anyways, I serve with my penne brown rice noodles, but you could do on anything, it would also be great on pizza or garlic bread; I guess I should say anything Italian would be a yum!!!  Enjoy and have fun with it:)

Raw Vegan Pesto Sauce
1 1/2 cups fresh Basil (this is where I did the Baby Kale and then about 8 tsp of basil)
2 TBSP. Pine Nuts
1 whole avocado
2 cloves of Garlic
3 TBSP. Nutritional Yeast
1 TBSP. Lemon Juice
Bragg's to taste
1 TBSP. Olive oil (more if needed)

 

Blend together and serve over hot pasta or heat and serve!!  

"Buttered" Noodles with Basil, Garlic, and NT

So.... It does seem a bit silly to post about the classic and "anybody can do this, no way to mess up" dish, but having two young kids, I am a realist.  I know those nights where you look into your fridge/pantry and think "what can I make that is quick and my kids will eat?" And usually this is where I end up, making good old buttered noodles.  OK, so pasta and butter may not be a top healthy food but veganizing it and adding a couple more ingredients does upp the nutritional value a bit.   I did try to switching to whole wheat, which I just found I couldn't use in everyday dishes, lasagna yes, but anything else I was sticking with my white noodles.  I was wandering the aisles at Trader Joe's, a favorite pastime of mine, and I came across this organic Brown Rice pasta and I was totally interested, they make three types, a fusili, spaghetti, and penne.  I bought a bag of each to try out and when we made the penne, we fell in love, not only is it totally kid friendly, but soooo yummy!!  We also think that after eating this pasta we feel much less bloated and overfull and it's wheat free, carbohydrate free, sodium free, and to top it all off, gluten free!!!  I am in no way getting paid by trader joe's, though after reading this, they should definitely be paying me, haha!)  The key to this pasta is making sure to cook properly, I do the whole ten minutes and drain without rinsing, then serve hot, this is the best way to enjoy them!!  There is two whole ingredients in these noodles; organic brown rice and water, I mean really, its a no brainer!  Anyways, my little twist on the classic buttered noodles is to use Earth balance of course, and add in the basil, garlic, and nutritional yeast, sprinkling with Bragg's to flavor.   This is one of my favorite combo's in flavoring for almost anything too!!

Twisted "Buttered" Noodles
1 package Organic Brown Rice Pasta (penne)
2-3 TBSP. Earth Balance Vegan Butter
2 tsp. Basil
2-3 TBSP. Nutritional Yeast
Bragg's to taste