Salt Can Fix Anything

My kitchen has been the scene of barely ordered chaos this week as I've been testing cookie recipes.  My counters are still slick from countless unwrapped sticks of softened butter and there is that sweet smell in the air and in my hair that doesn't quite go away.  You clean up as best you can before you stagger off to bed, then you stumble into the kitchen the next morning to pour a cup of coffee, only to discover dried bits of cookie dough and greasy handprints all over the faucet, refrigerator handle and oven door.  Yuck.

I'm a pretty good baker.  I'm willing to tackle just about anything, usually with some success.  I can make killer pastry and while my decorating skills suck (we've addressed this before), my cakes rock, at least as far as taste goes.  While I will occasionally burn a pan or two of something, failure in the kitchen is not something I experience often.  Even in my crappy kitchen.

Until (drum roll, please)...........THUMBPRINT COOKIES.  Seriously.  Now I could understand it if we were dealing with some complicated recipe involving tempered chocolate or even a dessert souffle (which I always seem to nail).  But no, we are talking about simple, basic thumbprint cookies.  Can it get any more humbling?

I found a recipe in one of my old cookbooks and decided to try it since it included the addition of oatmeal.  I thought it sounded interesting.  What I didn't notice was that the recipe did not call for eggs.  Well, I didn't notice it until after I baked the things.

Hmmm .... I rolled them, indented the centers and even stuck them in the freezer for an hour before baking.  Popped them into the oven for 10 minutes, then pulled them out to fill the centers with raspberry jam before returning to the oven to set.  Simple, right?

They started out like this

Well, it didn't quite work out that way.  I looked at them after 10 minutes and THEY WERE COMPLETELY FLAT.  Like little silver dollar pancakes.  Not what I was looking for.

But they ended up like this.  No thumbprints in sight!

As much as I wanted to drag that pan out of the oven and fling it across the room, I didn't.  I left in in until they were just golden then set them out to cool.  My eyes narrowed as I comtemplated them.  Wait a minute.  Maybe all was not lost.  I grabbed my container of pink Hawiian sea salt and hit them with it while they were still warm. 

Pure.  Genius.  They were crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and the salt gave them just that little extra kick that pushed them over the edge.  I gave one to Henry (no food police in sight) and the response was "can I have another one?"  Well, maybe those food police weren't so far away after all......


ANTI-THUMBPRINT COOKIES

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups oatmeal (regular, not quick-cooking)

In electric mixer, cream butter, sugar and salt until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, scraping bowl down several times.  Add vanilla.  Add flour and mix briefly on low speed to blend.  Scrape bowl, then add oatmeal and beat on low speed until mixture is just combined.

Remove dough to a sheet of plastic wrap.  Form into a disk, wrap well and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes.  Use a small ice cream scoop to form into 1-inch balls, then flatten slightly and place on a parchment-lined tray.  Freeze until very firm.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350-degrees.  Place balls about 1 1/2-inches apart on a parchment or Silpat-lined baking sheet.  Bake until lightly golden, about 13 minutes.  Sprinkle with Hawiian pink sea salt and cool completely on a baking rack.

Yield:  about 36 cookies

So I guess this is the perfect example of making lemonade when life gives you lemons.  At least you get to learn from my mistakes!

Oh boy, you make me feel like...!

Last week, Laia and I receive a wondeful package from Sweden full of cute things: candies, tea, a lovely postcard, animal toys, a crown and a little Eiffel Tower. It all were presents from lovely Sandra Beijer, the girl behind Niotillfem. Sometime ago we sent a lovely package to her and she sent us back all these cute things!

(more presents around here!!)

But not only we receive this; my lovely Vane brought us some french macaroons from Paris Ladureé. It was the first time I was eating these macaroons, and I must say that the raspberry and vanilla one were my favourites!!

They were a little bit broken but so delicious anyway!!

Among other things, sweet Naka gave me another wonderful award:

So I have to tell you about 10 things that I like... here you've got!

1. Rain

2. Music

3. Vanilla

4. Cats

5. Cute shoes

6. Hello Kitty

7. Fenec Foxes

8. Sushi

9. Daisies

10. Cold.

So I want to nominate:

Pandore, from One girl from Paris;
Laia, from Let me feel like a doll;
and Mo, from Me, Mo and Myself.

And one thing more: I add some pages on the top of the blog, under the header, as you can see. And as I made some changes, I want to ask you if there's something you would like to see/read at my blog.
Is there something you misse on it? Something you would like to read about? I think that sometime's goo asking you for improving it :)

Thank you so much for being there, lovely people!!

Happy Little Coasters

Last year around Christmas time we did secret Santa at work. I received this bundle of coasters, and was happy I got what I wanted, but was appalled at the design on the front. Anyway, I was looking through my army trunk and found them yesterday. I decided to put them to use, but beforehand I had to give them a makeover. Didn't they turnout cute! I picked out some of my favorite scrapbook paper that I had laying around. I sanded the graphic-side first so the paper would adhere better to the tile. I used mod podge to glue it on, and several coats of polycrylic for water protection and shine! Voila, some bad-ass coasters. Before and After. :)

This next one isn't new, I've just never posted it. Last fall when I was trying to organize and plan our wedding I ordered a bunch of real pussy willows from up north. When I got them and opened the box, I was very disappointed that they were like 3 inches long, when I thought they were going to be at least a foot long. They sat in a closet for a long time until I decided I had to do something with them. I found two great little tins from Joann's for like a buck. Had some leftover floral foam from the wedding and found some Spanish moss from the tree down the street. Now I have two great pieces for our bathroom windows!

when love doesnt work

A girl asked God for someone to love and to share.
Then, that girl found the boy.They really loving each other.

"I love you, really..."

As time goes by, they are going through a hard relationship with the contrast differences found after a while. They fighting for the relationship. They thought love is everything. But, their love doesnt work.
Then she is slowly loosing the boy now. The relationship are broke.

So she asked God, “God why is this happening? I love him a lot”

Then God said, “I'm sorry my child, its better for you to leave it broken separately rather than make you hurt by fighting for the relationship when you together"

"It really hurts me to leave you, but it hurts me more when I still stay with you"

jms pictures