Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Tasty Tuesday

Coconut-Raspberry Linzer Bars:

 1 1/2 cups flour            1/4 tsp salt      
                 1 cup slivered almonds            1/4 tsp ground ginger (or cloves)
               1/2 cup sweetened coconut           3/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces
1/4 cup sugar           2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon         1 cup raspberry jam   
1/2 tsp grated lemon                                      


Here are several of the ingredients. 
Process the first 8 ingredients in a food processor until almonds are finely ground.

Add butter: pulse 10 times or until crumbly.

Add egg yolks; process 15 seconds or until dough forms a ball.


Mine didn't mix all the way, so I had to finish mixing it by hand.

TA-DA!

Set aside 1/3 of dough.  Press remaining dough in bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of a lightly greased 11x7 in. baking dish.  Spread jam to edges of dough.
(oops, I didn't put dough up the edges.)
I  didn't get a picture of the jam being spread on the top.  It all happened so fast!

Roll out remaining dough to 1/4 in thickness.  Cut dough into 1/2 in wide strips; carefully arrange strips over jam in a lattice design.
This was harder than it sounded! 
The dough was sticking to the counter. So, I took care of that with some flour, but then the strips kept breaking when I tried to pick them up.   

But as you can see, I was able to complete the task!
Bake at 325* for 36-38 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool in pan on a wire rack. 
Cut into bars and enjoy!!

I did not have an 11x7 pan, so I doubled the recipe and baked it in a 9 x 13 in pan. 
 I had some left over to make a small one.
I hope you enjoy them and that they were OK after being man-handled by the USPS.  
It is a pretty crumbly cookie. 
You may just want to put it in a bowl, pour milk over it and eat it with a spoon. lol!

Monday, April 23, 2012

Getting Back To Life

How long has it been since I wrote anything? mmmm, it's been a while.  Things have been crazy around here.

So crazy, that as of January 2012, I have decided not to sell cakes from my kitchen anymore.  I still have a cookie of the month club, but I am not chained to my kitchen on the weekends.  The first few weeks in January, I couldn't say the words "no more cake", but I would tell people I was on a sabbatical.  The next few weeks, I could say "no more cake", but I would cry. (sorry if you tried to order a cake at that time)  Now, no problem.  I can even say it with a smile.  At the beginning, I felt like I had lost my identity.  I was no longer the "Cake Lady".  I walked around in circles, looking for something to do.  I wasn't sure what to do with all my free time. 

When the weather started getting warmer... in Texas, it happens about February, I started a garden and cleaned up my backyard.  I also started cooking different meals for my family.  No more spaghetti, tacos, and porkchops every night. 

I look forward to sharing all I am doing with you.  I will take pictures and show you my garden, share new recipes, and hopefully, I will get back to crafting, which I have missed.  I really need to paint my entryway.  (any voluteers?) Yeah, that's why it's not painted yet.  Maybe this summer.