Gingerbread Man Cookies

A Very Merry Christmas From The Fox Kitchen!

I forgot my password to this account and gave up trying to access it when the fall semester started. Luckily it came to me. I was so sure it involved some variation of my school ID and my dog's name, Pippin. Turns out it had nothing to do with either.

Although Christmas in Waco has been rainy and gray instead of the ideal white, I'm glad to spend it home with my family. God bless us, everyone!

This post is dedicated to my first experience with making Gingerbread Man cookies ooOOOooOOoo.

It's pretty straightforward. I just wanted to blog about it.

INGREDIENTS

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons ginger 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup of molasses. (Must be made by your grandma.) 

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix flour, ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, nutmeg and salt in large bowl. Set aside. 

2. Beat butter and brown sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.

3.Add molasses, egg and vanilla; mix well

4. Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.

 (Make sure the wires of your electric mixer are NOT wound around the beaters before you mix. You'll look like an idiot, and your mother will yell at you. That's why I've saved wine for step 6.)

5. Press dough into a thick flat disk. (It will seem crumbly and dry. Don't worry!) Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

  

6. **IMPORTANT**

Enjoy a glass or two of mulled wine while you wait. Adds some cheer!

7. Preheat oven to 350.

8. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured work surface. 

9.Cut into gingerbread men shapes with 5-inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets.

10. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until edges of cookies are set and just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks; cool completely. Decorate cooled cookies as desired. Store cookies in airtight container up to 5 days.

11. As always, enjoy!

America's Favorite: The Oreo Truffle

         I've seen these balls of delight make appearances at birthday parties, rush events, and romantic college lobby nights (Notorious Nelson, sorry). There's enough in each recipe to go around for you, your friends, their boyfriends, and professors!

    I asked pastry aficionado, Chad Davis, to review my truffles. 

   After giving the white chocolate peppermint truffles a try, Chad concluded they tasted "good." (Unscripted)

• Ingredients:
• 1 (16 ounce) package OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
• 1 (8 ounce) package PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 2 (8 ounce) packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted (I used 1 pkg. of milk chocolate and 1 pkg. of white chocolate.
• 
  

1.Crush cookies in a food processor or large plastic bag.

2. Place in medium bowl. Add cream cheese and mix until well blended with hands.

3. Roll into 1 inch balls.

4. Melt chocolate and dip balls. (You could try drizzling the white chocolate over the balls dipped in the dark chocolate to make them ooOOOooOOOoo so fancy.)

5. Place on wax paper and chill in refrigerator.

I dusted some in sugar, candy cane bits, and sprinkles!

Goldilocks: Cookies for the Fall semester

These cookies are easy to fit into your busy school schedule! I always make them in the fall because of their nutty, toffee flavor and golden brown color that matches the leaves. I assure you, you'll be tempted to make them any season of the year.

Let's hear from two trusted food critics:

"The autumn cookies are aptly named--it's literally like taking a bite of the fall season! Thinking of the sticky, sweet, molasses taste makes me crave both the cookies and the fall months."

-Brantly Houston, sophomore at ACU

"Uhm they were perfect. Lol."

-Bryson Day, sophomore at ACU

Ingredients:

1 Box Betty Crocker Butter Pecan cake mix

1 pkg. heath bar bits

1 cup chopped pecans

2 eggs

1/2 cup oil

Directions:

1.Pre-heat oven to 350

2.Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl.

3.Drop golf ball size balls on ungreased cookie sheet

4.Bake for 11-13 minutes. Cookies will not look done!

 

DIY: Cropped Denim Shorts

You know the lame kids with the cruel parents who made them wear high-rise pants with their shirts tucked it to school? They were also were forced to play the French horn. Don't let those images freak you out when experimenting with high-waisted fashion. Some of the most popular clothing lines such as American Apparel and Urban Outfitters are bringing this 'not-so-long-ago' retro look back. Get in on the action!

You’ll need:

High-waisted jeans (Find them at Goodwill or other thrift shops!)

Chalk or pen for marking

Scissors

Cutting board or other hard surface that can fit inside of the jeans.

1.Lay your jeans out flat and mark 3” (or longer, depending on desired length) below the crotch.

2.Cut across the leg at a slight angle (this gives a more flattering shape)

3.Run your scissors back and forth repeatedly against the bottom of the shorts. You might want to make several small vertical cuts all the way around the cuff of the shorts. After you wash them, the shorts will fray.

4. Place your cutting surface inside the pants where you intend to make cuts. Take the point of your scissors and run them horizontally back and forth over the spots where you want added holes. Stop when the material just begins to split. After washing and drying, this area will also fray and the hole will widen.

5.Run through the washer and dryer.

Easy!

High-Waisted Shorts:Hotter than a Middle Eastern Climate

By now you might have noticed the 90’s making a come back in today’s street fashion with the same cut of jeans and skirts worn by our mothers. Embrace it! High-waisted shorts that sit just at or slightly below the belly button slim your waist, lengthen your legs, and draw positive attention to your backside ;-) 

 Like these looks? Check them out at http://www.etsy.com/shop/LCmintvintage! (You’ll also find cute vintage accessories and other customized apparel.)

To avoid the ‘Mom Jeans’ effect, avoid pleated looks, tightness, and make sure the crotch doesn’t ride up to high...(no 9” zippers). If you're creating a DIY pair of cropped denim shorts, give the look an edge by showing off more thigh ;-)

Disclaimer: Granted, we all have different body types. However, for the majority, mid/high rise cuts work better than the muffin top low-rise. Also, with a DIY cropped denim style, you get to control the length. For dressier styles of pants and skirts, consider other details such as the flare width in the thigh and zipper length.


Photo Credit: Lexi and Chloe French, owners of the LCmintvintage shop on etsy^

Viva La Crêpes!

        Below I've posted the recipe for your standard crêpe. It's up to you to be creative as far as toppings go! They can be savory with ingredients like mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, sirloin. On the flip side they can be sweet with strawberries (as pictured), bananas with nutella, caramel, whipped cream. Bon Appetite!

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1 cup flour

3 TBS melted butter

Butter for coating the pan (I actually used pam)

Because I prefer the sweet kind, I included:

3 TBS white sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1.Combine all ingredients and whisk together for thirty seconds.

2.Place batter in the refrigerator for half an hour (This allows the bubbles to subside, making the crêpe less prone to tearing.

3.Heat a medium sized non-stick pan and coat with either butter or pam.

4.Pour 1 oz of batter into the center of pan and swirl to spread into a large, thin circle.

5.Cook 45 seconds and then flip crêpe for another 45.

6. Lay flat on plate to cool.

7. Like an omelette, put toppings on the crêpe and then fold. Top with what ever else your heart desires!

To truly love another human being.

          This picture means a lot to me. It’s my grandma and grandpa kneeling together on a dock. It looks like a still from some classic, romance film. 

           This topic isn’t meant to be directed just at my generation. I think this truth is always relevant and universal. I'm not going to pull out scripture. The issue I’m addressing is about something many people have misdefined or taken lightly: what it means to really love another human being. (This applies to any relationship) I know I’m only nineteen, and I’ve much life experience ahead of me, but maybe people need the guessing perspective of someone young. 

          I’m an extrovert. I’ve always got to be socializing or networking with people. I’ve been told numerous times on first encounters that others feel like I’m an old friend after one conversation. I crave deep relationships with people. I don’t care about numbers, I just want to know that people are thinking of me. 

          That’s a little selfish, right? I want people to be interested in me because I think I’m interesting and deserve attention. But that’s human. Also, I notice my own problems first and secretly want others to as well. I want the spot light on me. When people say I’m like an old friend to them after one conversation, it’s probably because after “Hello” I’ve spilled my heart out. I crave deep friendships because I benefit emotionally. I feel secure, but it’s one sided. I’ve mistaken what it really means to connect with others. I don't think I'm alone on this.

          Some approach friendships in order to find their own happiness. Love is always fun and exciting! Girls rush to get their MRS degrees thinking that love is the attraction they feel then, a mix of youth, attention, and laughter. Personally, marriage scares me. I’ve come to realize that it’s a lot harder to love than I thought. Love will fill you up with so much joy, but there is a cost. It’s not one-sided. To truly love another human being is to have deep empathy and the willingness to relate towards the other. You will hurt when they fail and when they experience pain. You will feel what they feel as their needs become your own. So the spotlight is shared.

         Love is not something to be taken lightly, but I know it’s worth it. Empathy sparks compassion and patience, two keys to making a friendship last. Listen intently to each other. When we focus on only ourselves, we become absorbed in our own problems and don’t realize that others are experiencing as we do.

         It’s been sixty years since the photo on the dock was taken. I’ve watched my grandpa battle Parkinson’s for the last ten years and my grandma spend every moment of her day caring for him. Putting on his clothes, giving him a bath, cooking, cleaning. The energy and sacrifice is overwhelming for me to think about now that I’ve matured and become more aware. The time came when my grandpa was moved to the Veteran’s nursing home because he needed twenty-four hour attention. My grandma was finally getting to focus on her own health, but she didn’t care. She wanted to be with her best friend and know that he was ok. I cried when I imagined the pain they must have felt. I still can’t imagine. 

         I want timeless friendships that won't crumble. I’ve always been envious of the wizard trio, Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Constantly taking the hit from enemy wands for each other. Haha is it dramatic that I want friends that I’d give my life for? I hope a love like that isn’t fictional. 

Only connect.