Looking for Spring.....

My dog and I took a stroll through our back yard this morning hoping to find signs of spring.  The only thing I have to report, we saw three robins and heard lots of birds singing in the trees. That's the only sign of spring that we could find.  Winter doesn't want to let go this year.  Signs of snow along the edges of the field. Frozen fingers from the 20 degree temps cut our walk short.  I am just itching to get started in our garden.  Maybe next week.  I'm hearing rumors of a warm up?  Have a great day!

I've got my new blog up and running.  Stop by and check it out!

http://oilsofrestoration.blogspot.com/

All'asta Launch

As I promised earlier that I would share more about my new adventure.  Have you ever heard of All'asta?  All'asta has been changing the face of the Direct Sales business for two years.  It was founded by Kerry Shea Penland in 2012 and has been growing all over the United States.  All'asta is a French word for "auction".  Finally hostesses and their guests can go home with money in their pockets.  If you would like to hear more about the All'asta adventure or would like to join my team, I would love to hear from you.  http://www.allastaparty.com 

I hosted my launch party last weekend in a very cool loft/ retreat center .

A great time was had by all and we are all anticipating the next, upcoming All'asta party that will be held there on April 27th.  

 

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This is Crazy!!!

These pictures were taken March 24, 2012.  Everything was in bloom and so green!  Today everything is drab brown and ugly.  It's been so cold.  Seems like winter doesn't want to let go of its grip this year.  I am so ready to once again see the beauty of springtime.

I found the coolest website for all of you cookie bakers out there.....This is the recipe that I used for the bicycle sugar cookies.  I had oodles of compliments on their taste.  Nice and buttery (and rich)!!!   http://sweetopia.net/2009/12/sugar-cookie-recipe/

Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:

2  1/2 cups unsalted butter (at room temperature)

2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

seeds from 1 vanilla bean (or 3 tsp vanilla)

5 cups flour

1 tsp baking powder (*take this out if you don’t want your cookies to spread)

1 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low to medium speed.  (Use the paddle attachment).  Mix until thoroughly incorporated – for about one minute.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mix again for a few seconds more.

Over mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause too much air to be incorporated into the dough.  If you’d like a light and fluffy cookie, that’s ideal, however the dough will spread more during baking; not ideal if you’d like the cookie to hold its shape.

2. Add eggs slowly and mix.  Scrape down the bowl with your spatula at least once and mix again.

3. Cut open your vanilla bean and scrape the seeds out.  Add to mixing bowl.  Alternatively, add liquid vanilla extract.  Stir briefly.

4. Sift your dry ingredients together.  (Flour, baking powder and salt).

5. Add all of the flour mixture to the bowl.  Place a large tea towel or two small tea towels between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won’t escape.  Mix on low speed for 3o seconds.  Remove the tea towels and observe the dough mixing; when it clumps around the paddle attachment it’s ready.  It’s also important at this stage not to over mix the dough (the glutens in the flour develop and the dough can become tough).

6. Roll the dough out between 2 large pieces of parchment paper.  Place on a baking sheet and into the fridge for a minimum of 1 hour.

7. Roll out the dough further if you need to, and cut out cookie shapes.  Place on parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Re-roll scraps and repeat.

8. Put cookie dough shapes back into the fridge for 10 minutes to 1 hour to chill again.  They will then hold their shape better when baked.

9. Preheat your oven to 350°F or 176°C.

10. Bake cookies for 8-12 minutes or until the edges become golden brown.  The baking time will depend on the size of your cookie.

11. Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate!

Last weekend I hosted an open house to launch my other new business.  All'asta.
I just wanted to share the cookies that I made for the event.  The cookie baking was quite an ordeal.  I forgot just how tedious and time consuming sugar cookies can be.  They tasted better than they looked.  Not a crumb was left.  I'll share the cookie recipe later today.  Along with more scoop on the All'asta party.

Lots of wonderful things to share this morning.  I've been busy with so many new projects.  The first project I'd like to share is the launch of my new website.  If you love essential oils you will totally enjoy this website.  It's loaded with lots of good information.  The oils are pretty awesome, too!  http://www.debragrable.healwithoil.com/