Permanent Templates for Custom Cookie Shapes . . . Works for Me Wednesday

So, here's the deal.  You guys are smarter than I am.

{But you already knew that.}

A while back, I wrote a post about making templates for cookie shapes when you don't have a cutter.  I was making them with clean cardstock or cutting up a new manila file folder.

Well, I got a sweet email from a reader who suggested I use plastic made for quilting templates.


Ding! Ding! Ding!

A. Using this method, the templates are reusable and WASHABLE!
B. My mom, who was a quilter, would have just loved this!

It's how I make all of my templates now.  All you do is...
 
go to the fabric store and buy the template plastic,


place the image to be traced underneath the plastic,


trace (I like a Sharpie),


cut out (I used my "good" scissors just for you guys).

Voila!  A cookie template you can use over and over again.  Works for me!

**Dear sweet reader who sent in the tip, please let me know who you are in the comments, so I can give you proper credit.**

Strike While the Cookie is Hot . . . Works for Me Wednesday

Have you ever needed a cookie to be cut out to an exact shape?

In Julia Usher's new book, Ultimate Cookies, she uses a special technique when she needs perfectly even cookies for 3D cookie construction...

...I decided to give it a try on some cookies to be adorned with an edible image.

Here's the skinny...cookies expand when you bake them.  Cookies are good at that...expanding in the oven, expanding my waistline. 

So, when they come out of the oven, they aren't *exactly* the same shape as when they went in.

I wanted to cut my edible images, using my cookie cutter as a guide and thought it would be cool if they were exactly the same size.

So, as soon as the cookies come out of the oven, use the cutter to press down on the warm cookies.


Push away the excess.


Voila!  Perfecto cookies. 


{Those scraps....they're cookie french fries.  Totally worth doing this just for that bonus.}

Now, would I do this for EVERY cookie?  No.  This technique leaves cookie edges a little rough, but for certain applications, like cookie construction, or when you *really* need an exact shape, it works!

{{Want to see a video of the process? It's over at University of Cookie.}}

How (not) to Blog . . . Works for Me Wednesday

{This post is not meant to create controversy or incite a riot. ;)}

Most of the questions in my inbox are about cookie decorating, but I get a good bit of questions about how to start a blog.

Well, let me tell ya, you might not want to ask me, because apparently I've gone about it all the wrong way.

Here's what you are SUPPOSED to do:

1. Your blog should be hosted on WordPress.  Bake at 350 is hosted on Blogger.  And, you know what?  I'm happy here.  Blogger is like my favorite quilt, it may not have all of the bells and whistles of an electric blanket, but it's comforting and familiar.  So far, I think I'm staying.  But, from what I hear, all the *cool* kids are on WordPress and it is the bee's knees.
2. Your blog should have its own domain.  Look up in the address bar.  That ".blogspot.com?"  That's baaaad.  Apparently, people don't think you take your blogging seriously when you're not a .com or .net.  You all think I take my blog seriously, right?!? ;) (How seriously must we take a blog about cookies, anyway?)
3. You MUST have a $1,200 camera and a $800 lens to go with it.  Are you noticing a pattern here?  Yes, I blogged for almost 3 years with a point & shoot camera. *gasp*  All of those pictures in my header?  From the point and shoot.  And last year, when I *did* break down and buy a dSLR, a $1,200 camera was just not in our budget...especially for a camera to take pictures of cookies. So, I did a little research and bought this camera...from WalMart.  And it's great for my needs...I'll leave the real photography to the experts, like my sister and Angie.
4. You should be very, very concerned with SEO.  (That's Search Engine Optimization to you and me...yes, I had to look it up after sitting in an hour long seminar 2 years ago, thinking, "what the heck is SEO?")  For example, your post titles should read something like, "Sugar Cookie Recipe plus Tutorial."  They should not be 25 words long, like this one.

So, as you can see, I've gone about it all wrong.  Maybe marching to the beat of my own drum has to do with growing up a curly-haired, pigeon-toed girl.  As much as I tried in junior high, my hair would never have "wings" or "feathers."  No matter how many ballet classes I took, these turned-in toes were never going into the fifth position.

Maybe being a bit of a rebel has been built-in.

My REAL blogging advice for you...

• Find your voice.  I was so afraid to SAY anything when I first started (and maybe I say too much now).  Let your personality shine through.
• Find a bloggy mentor.  Even if you never actually talk with that person, find a blog you like for inspiration.  See what they do that you like, but don't copy them, make your blog your own.
• Join twitter (or Facebook or Google+).  It's a great way to make friends with other bloggers and twitter is my go-to place when I have a blogging question. Don't feel obligated to join them all.
• Hire a blog designer to personalize your blog a bit.  It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg and there are plenty of wonderful designers out there.  Take a look at their portfolios (and prices!) and find one that suits your style. 
• Do what feels right to you.  Love WordPress?  Awesome!  Don't let my post change your mind.  Want to post every day?  Do it!  More of a once-a-week-post type gal?  Sounds good, too. 
• Have fun & believe in YOURSELF!  My friend Teresa posted a fabulous piece on comparing.  Do what YOU love, what YOU feel comfortable with, and you'll create a blog that you'll be proud to call your baby. 

 

Want to read more about starting a blog? Kristan from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen has great tips here. 

Cheater's Creme Anglaise . . . Works for Me Wednesday

Have you ever come across a recipe that called for a dessert to be topped with, not whipped cream, but creme anglaise?

Creme Anglaise is described as a thick, pourable custard and is made with eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla bean.

Well, I came across a recipe not long ago that called for cream anglaise to be served with the cake, but I was feeling lazy.  Then, I heard a voice in my head telling me to use melted ice cream.  I'm pretty sure the voice was Alton Brown's from a very, very old episode of Good Eats.  It sounded like him anyway. ;)

So, that's exactly what I did.  And it was heavenly.

I highly recommend this Haagen-Dazs Five Vanilla Bean Ice Cream.  I'm not a vanilla ice cream girl, but I could eat this entire container in one sitting (melted OR frozen). 

Let it melt in the fridge....it will still be nice and thick and perfect to spoon over that dessert.

The cake it was meant to top wasn't my favorite.  

But the Cheater's Cream Anglaise?  It works for me!

Storing Nuts for Winter (Spring, Summer or Fall) . . . Works for Me Wednesday

{Spicy Rosemary Roasted Nuts brought to you by Sylvie of Gourmande in the Kitchen...totally gorgeous, right?}

For years, I bought those little bags of nuts in the baking aisle of the grocery store, brought them home and tossed them in the pantry.  Then I read, that nuts can go bad (like rancid bad, not Lindsay Lohan bad).  I had no idea.

What works for me?  Storing them in the freezer.  

Now, I buy nuts in the grocery bulk section. When I come home from the store, it's second nature, I just pop them right in the freezer door.  They stay fresh until I need them.  No thawing; they're just ready to go.

It works for all nuts...almonds, pecans, hazelnuts...

{...and pistachios, like these from Amy of She Wears Many Hats, getting ready for They'll Make You Sing Muffins .}

Do you have a quick tip that works for you in the kitchen?

{Thank you to my pals, Sylvie & Amy for letting me borrow their pictures. I have no pretty pictures of nuts. Yes, that was as awkward for me to write as it was for you to read.} ;)

How I spend my free time : Pinterest . . . . Works for Me Wednesday

Have you heard of Pinterest?

Pinterest is the greatest thing since, well, twitter.

Here's the deal....Pinterest is an online bulletin board.  Instead of ripping pictures out of magazine, you "pin" them and Pinterest automatically saves the link, so you can go back to the original post.

And you aren't just limited to one board...you can have all kinds of boards!!! (These are mine.)

I've pinned oodles of goodies pinned on a board I call "Swooning Over Food" (shocker, I know).


But, "Yellow" is another one of my favorites.


My favorite part of Pinterest?  Seeing what other people are pinning.  You can find friends or follow people you don't know (that sounds like stalking, but I promise, it's ok).

Here are some I love....

"Color Inspiration" from Courtney of Poppy Pedals



"Travel" from Kristen of Dine & Dish 



"Cupcakes" from Laurel of Go Against the Grain



"Make me SMILE" from Teresa of Blooming on Bainbridge

Are you sold, yet?  Pinterest...it works for me & I'm lovin' it! :)

Making Cookie Decorating Easier (with color) . . . Works for Me Wednesday

*Let me tell you a little cookie decorating secret*

Making 48 cookies in a similar color scheme is easier than making 18 cookies in all different colors.

I love cookie assortments.  And Eleni's in NYC has the some of the most creative and beautiful assortments around.  Like this gorgeous one...

{source: birds & butterflies assortment, Eleni's}

Now, I count...eleven colors in that assortment of 24 cookies.  If you are making these cookies at home, you'd better have tips and couplers and squeeze bottles out the wazoo, or be prepared to do some washing.

Making and planning a million different colors for one batch of cookies can rattle even a seasoned cookie decorator. (OK...I haven't actually asked anyone else, but it rattles ME.)  You'll also end up making lots of extra icing, just to ensure you have enough of every color.

Want to streamline the process?  Pick just a few coordinating colors.  So, from the Eleni's example, maybe just the purple birds, butterflies and flowers.  Just as pretty and and it will save you time and headaches. TRUST ME.


I actually LOVE how cookies that are all in the same color scheme look on a dessert table or in a basket.


This assortment?  Three different cookie designs, but using the same 3 colors.

Color coordinating cookies....they work for me!

The "Supers" . . . Works for Me Wednesday

I've touched on this before on the blog and just in case you dozed off in the middle of one of my lectures, I think it bears repeating...

If you are making black or red icing, PLEASE treat yourself to some AmeriColor Super Black and Super Red gel paste food colorings. 

If you've tried another brand, you've probably noticed that you had to use the entire bottle to get a true, deep color.

And then, you probably noticed a not-so-pleasant taste?


AmeriColor "Supers" are the way to go.  Just a bit gives nice, saturated colors...and the taste?  What taste?  All I taste is icing.  (That's a good thing.)


Where to buy it?  Well, here are just a few options:

• your local bakery supply shop
• Sweet!
• Copper Gifts
• Bake It Pretty
• Layer Cake Shop
• Amazon

AmeriColor Super Red and Super Black...they work for me!  They'll work for you, too.  Trust me, I'm a doctor, um, baker.

How to Stop the Bleeding . . . Works for Me Wednesday

{that sounds kind of creepy, huh?}

The tips here are not a guarantee against bleeding icing colors, but hopefully they will help.

First, a little general advice:

1. Use a high quality gel paste food coloring (I like AmeriColor).  I LOVE their Super Red and Super Black food colorings.
2. Use as little food coloring as possible to achieve the right color. Remember that colors, dark colors especially, will deepen over time and as they dry. Over-saturated colors tend to bleed more than others.

 
For applications, like this one, where you are applying thinned icing on top of wet icing:

1. Work several cookies at a time, filling in the base color, then going back to the first cookie filled and applying the second color.  This will allow the base coat a few minutes to set before applying the second color.
2. Thin the icing colors out to as close to the same consistency as possible.

 
{Why did one cookie bleed and the other didn't?  I'm not sure.  It's a cookie mystery.}

For applications involving a dark outline:
 

1. If filling a cookie that has a dark outline, give the outline a little extra time to dry.  For a black outline, I let the outline dry 30-60 minutes before filling with a lighter color.  Another cookie maker I know (hi, Jen!) waits 3 hours.  And her cookies are perfection.
2. If adding detail piping in a dark color on top of a light color (like the beer mugs or the white hearts below), give the flood icing at least one hour to dry before adding the detail.

 

 Here's my most important tip for bleeding icing...

don't sweat it! 

It's just a cookie; it doesn't have to be perfect. 

YOU are probably the only person who notices. (I promise.)

{Plus...once it has been eaten, there will be no evidence!} ;)

Tasty Kitchen . . . Works for Me Wednesday

{Oh, you must try this Greek Pizza!}

Tasty Kitchen...have you been there?

Tasty Kitchen is the brain-child of Ree, The Pioneer Woman (y'all know Ree, right?).  It's a "happy cooking community" where real people like you and me share recipes.  Real recipes. Delicious recipes.

Every member has a recipe box...and the site is also searchable by type of dish.  Want chicken main dish? It's there.  A pizza? Yep.  Brownies?!?  Of course!

This is my recipe box.  Although there are sweet recipes, I started adding some of our savory favorites here, too.  (Including my latest obsession, Rosemary Cayenne Sweet Potato Fries...)


What I love most about Tasty Kitchen (well, besides the recipes) is that once your recipe is entered...it's printable!!!  You can print as 3x5 cards, 4x6 cards or a full page!  It's a great way to share recipes with friends...or your sister. (Hi Molly!)

Here are some I'm printing...and trying SOON!

Oregano and Lemon Chicken Souvlaki from Wenderly.  I can almost taste it now.


Creamy Caprese Pasta from How Sweet Eats.  Pretty sure my waist is expanding just from looking at the picture.


And Frozen Strawberry Squares from She Wears Many Hats.  How perfect is this for a hot summer day?

Are YOU a member of Tasty Kitchen?  Leave your member name in the comments so we can all be TK friends and share recipes!

Sprinkles and Sugars and Dragees, oh my! . . . Works For Me Wednesday

Here's a little secret about cookie decorating...everything looks cute covered in sprinkles or sanding sugar or jimmies, etc. etc.  Don't like how your cookie looks?  Cover it in sprinkles!  Instant Cute!

Here's the low-down on the different types of cookie accoutrements:


Nonpariels: These might be my favorite.  Maybe it was all of those years eating "chocolate stars" at the movies.  Remember those?  Anyone?

The multi-colored ones are really cute, too.  Can't find the mix you want?  Mix them yourself!  I mixed black and white nonpareils for these cookies.

 
Sugar Pearls: a little bigger than nonpareils and with a pearly sheen.  I have never used these, but could not resist buying these sweet pink ones.


Next we have jimmies.  Chocolate Jimmies are the most common jimmies...and every time I use them, I can't help but think of Seinfeld. "Jimmy likes these jimmies."

 
Dragees: Did you eat these as a kid?  Me, too.  Now they are for "decorative purposes only." Yeah, right.

{PS...dragee is pronounced "draah-zhA," not "drag-EE" like someone might have said in front of a group of people at THE Lodge. *blush*}  It's dragees, dahhhling.


Sparkling sugar versus sanding sugar: Sanding sugar is finer than sparkling sugar and, I think, a little more sparkly.
 
Sugars come in all sorts of colors...even gold!


And, last but not least.....SPRINKLES!!!

Repeat after me....."Sprinkles fix everything."