Tag Archives: memory

one tiny footprint…

Who would have ever guessed that three little numbers would forever change the lives of a nation.  Our nation.  9/11.

We all remember where we were on that fateful morning.  It’s etched in our memories forever.  The horrors of the day; the names, the faces, the stories…. They will all be relived today.  We mourn as a nation.  We pray for the lives of those whose hearts still ache for loved ones, lost forever.

Yes.  There is evil in the world.  But there is also good.  And lots of it.  I have this outlook on life that is kind of a “rock, paper, scissors” kind of thing.  The way I see it, besides kind and evil, we also have the obstacle of indifference.  As a nation, our problems are too overwhelming.  It’s just too much.  After all, we are just one person… Right?  So what to do.  Well, for me, it’s really all about me… You see, I feel that in this “rock, paper, scissors” game of life… good always wins over evil AND indifference.  The problem is, it’s two against one!  I can’t control the thoughts or actions of another human being – but I can control what I give to this world.  I choose kindness.  Honesty.  Respect.  Love.  I vow to make a difference within this tiny little footprint that I have in this world, because it’s all that I have.  And even though I cannot “control” other people; I most certainly can influence them through my own actions.  After choosing the quote (above) to include in this post, I had to smile.  It’s from Nike; a company that truly is all about “the game”.  And in this particular quote it is “the game of life“, as well.  As a nation, we will never be able to eliminate evil; nor indifference.  But we do have that tiny footprint, and we can choose good.  Every day.  Kindness is contagious… Just do it!

sugar cookies

So today is “National Sugar Cookie Day”… and for me, that brings back a flood of “warm, fuzzy” memories!  With my mom, with my grandma, with my kids.  Easter, Halloween, Christmas, just because. Sugar cookies on a stick for every “half birthday party” at school.  Ahhh… It’s like a little trip down memory lane; and I am suddenly missing those “”above mentioned people” very much… Tuck these recipes away for a rainy day, and create a future memory with someone that you love.  Enjoy!

Sweetopia’s Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups 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
1 tsp salt
Instructions:
1.  Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer on low tomedium speed. (Use the paddle attachment). Mix until thoroughly incorporated – forabout one minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a plastic spatula and mixagain for a few seconds more.Over mixing the butter and sugar in this step will cause too much air to be incorporatedinto 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 andmix 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 teatowels between the edge of the bowl and the electric mixer so that the flour won’tescape. Mix on low speed for 3o seconds. Remove the tea towels and observe the doughmixing; when it clumps around the paddle attachment it’s ready. It’s also important atthis 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 bakingsheet 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 onparchment 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 bakingtime will depend on the size of your cookie.
11.  Let cookies cool to room temperature and decorate!
 A few notes about the recipe:

*Butter – The butter needs to be soft, or room temperature. I leave mine out the night before I do my baking. If you forget, you can grate the butter on the largest hole of your box grater, so that the sugar and butter will mix together better.
*Baking powder – I hardly use any baking powder in my recipe because the dough willspread and rise more during baking, thereby making the shape of the cookie less crisp.

I’m so very happy you are here…

OK, so here I am… my very first post on my brand new blog and I’m so excited that I don’t really know where to start!  Some of you reading this are dear friends and loved ones that know me and my crazy ways and thoughts (Ha!  Well…maybe not ALL of them!)  To all of my new (and old) friends, this fresh new blog is a journey for all of us, myself included, into the very center of my heart, my thoughts, my passions.  With each post I will be sharing a bit of myself with you; a favorite picture, a memory, a recipe… anything that reminds me to “live happy” today.  We will share funny stories, deep thoughts, big belly laughs and maybe even some tears.  After all, that’s what friends are for.  In my mind, with each and every post, I will picture you, my friend, sitting right here next to me, with a cappucino or a cup of tea and a yummy chocolate covered biscuit. So pull up a chair and let’s have a chat.

 I am so very happy that you are here…   live happy~ laugh, love, dream, create