Red, White, & Blue...

So this is it.

Blah.

I am embarrassed to say that for the past two years, I haven't done any July 4th cookies.

I have so many ideas floating around in my head...

But the truth is...

We always take a family trip over the July 4th holiday and so I am never home to decorate cookies during this time.

I did get these out last minute.

I had frozen a variety of cookies...and had some leftover icing...

So what better "last minute" way to get in a little "Red, White, & Blue"!!!

This is not my best work (obviously).

This icing was from my "botched" batch, which I never figured out what quite went wrong.

It had bubbling, cracking, and drying issues.

Don't know if I over-mixed.

Don't know if it was the humidity.

We'll never know.

But...

The kiddos loved them...

And as I end so many of my posts...

THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT!

Sweet 16!

 Sweet 16...

Do you say "Sweet 16" for a guy?

"Suave 16"..."Super 16"..."Stylin' 16"...

Ok...I'm sure at this point my son would tell me I'm being rather corny and to knock it off, LOL!

Anyway...

My son is turning 16 and it is time to celebrate!

 My son isn't a big cake eater.

He's not into my decorated sugar cookies.

He a simple kid.

He requested a giant chocolate chip cookie pie for his 16th birthday.

(Yes...Sweet Ivy Confections can make one for you too!)

I offered to put some more decorations on it.

But like I said...my son is a "simple" kid.

A "less is more" kinda kid.

But alas...blue is his favorite color, so I did the writing in blue.

It turned out really yummy.

We served it warm with ice cream and hot fudge.

It was quite the dessert!

And if you're wondering...Sweet Ivy DOES take orders for giant cookie pies!

This is a 15 inch chocolate chip cookie pie.

We can also do other flavor cookies and a variety of decorations, lettering for you!

Happy 16th birthday Evan!

And...stay off the roads my friends...he's drivin' now too!

LOL!

Just kidding...kinda...hehe!

Lemon Cooler Cookies

Growing up, I always remember my dad loving Lemon Cooler Cookies.

We'd buy them at the store all the time.

Over the years, it seemed they were harder and harder to find.

 There have been some "knock-offs" and "remakes" of them...but I don't think we've ever been able to find the REAL Lemon Coolers anymore.

Imagine my joy when I found this recipe for HOMEMADE Lemon Cooler Cookies!

I knew I just had to try making them for my dad.

And you know what?

They are really great!

I decided to put together a little gift basket for him for Father's Day full of these Lemon Coolers!

I have to thank Confessions of a Cookbook Queen.

It was SHE who found this amazing recipe!

I can't wait to make these again!

Next time...for ME!

Botched Baseballs...

 My son is playing his second year of baseball this year through our local recreation department. 

It was "funny"/ironic...

On the registration form it asked, "Would you be willing to help out?"

My husband checked the box "yes"...assuming that it meant what it said...

"HELP OUT".

He gets a letter in the mail a couple weeks later telling him he's the coach, LOL!

Well...he kept his comittment and has coached the team this season.

The boys have had a great season, only losing one game!

(even though they "technically" don't keep score, hehe!)

 Well, tomorrow is the last game of the season...and it's our "snack week".

So we are in charge of snacks and drinks.

Last year, I did baseball cookies for the boys.

But this year, I thought it would be fun to add bats and team jerseys with their names and numbers as well!

 Well, who knew it would be so hard to find a baseball bat and shirt cookie cutter!

Yes, they ARE available to order online...but this girl didn't have time.

So I improvised and once again "hand-cut" my cookies with patterns I found off the internet.

 The strangest thing has been happening with my royal icing.

I've been using the same recipe for a year and a half.

I "thought" I was getting it down and "learning" the ins and outs.

Of course I still have issues and grow my skills each time.

BUT...

 This time (and last week as well) my royal icing had a mind of its own.

It mixed up just fine.

But when it dried on the cookies, it got all..."crystaly" and "dry"...almost wanting to "crackle" in certain areas.

 I posted close-up pictures in several of my cookie groups and the only thing they could think of was possibly "over-mixing" (yet I followed the directions just as I always do)...

And also...

The COLOR.

 I ran out of a couple of my Wilton/AmeriColor food color gels...and I substituted with regular food coloring drops (liquid).  I am wondering if this is a big "no-no" in royal icing.

Someone said they thought that regular food color may have oils in it, which is ALWAYS a big no-no with royal icing.  So that could have been it.

I know weather affects royal icing but I had my a/c on, so I don't think that was it.

 It's happened twice now.

And that is the only thing that I can think of that may have affected it.

The food coloring.

So, off I go to stock up on more colors of my Wilton or AmeriColor gels!

Thankfully, it wasn't a paid order.

It's just a treat/snack for my son's baseball team.

(Of course I always put pressure on myself for perfection no matter what.)

But...

I think the boys will enjoy them for a snack regardless.

Hey...at least it's not another granola bar or bag of pretzels, eh?

LOL!

Cupcake Cuties

Friday was the last day for one of my daycare girls.

She is moving on to school full-time.

So we had a little farewell party.

I love the "idea" of cupcakes for a celebration...

But...

When you're talking a houseful of toddlers and preschoolers, cake turns into one big mess!

Plus I've found in the past, when we do have cake with the kids, all they do is lick the frosting off and then crumble and play with the cake itself.

It never truly gets eaten.

So what better way to have the "look" of cupcakes, than with cupcake cookies!

I made  one for each of the kids to have for dessert and then some to take home as little "favors".

This was the first time I'd used my cupcake cutter.

I wasn't sure how I was going to decorate them.

As it turned out, my week was so busy with other things going on, I just decided to keep it simple and do pink "liners" because that's my little daycare girl's favorite color.

And then just added sprinkles.

Can't go wrong with sprinkles!

Maybe next time I'll get "fancier", teehee!

Thank-You Lincoln Elementary...Cookies For A Decade Of Learning!

We are closing another chapter in our life in The James Family.

This is our last year...last week...at Lincoln Elementary.

Ten years...ten...LONG...years, LOL!

When someone saw "10 years of learning" on that cookie, they asked, "Did someone fail a couple grades?"  LOL!

NOOOOO...hahahaha!

My oldest finished grades 1-5 and then right as he moved on to middle school, my youngest started up with grade one...and is now finishing grade 5.

We've been with Lincoln for 10 years...learned a lot, had lots of fun, built frienships, made memories, and more.

I made this platter for the entire staff of the school.

I will take them to the office and ask them to place them in the teacher's lounge for everyone to share.

I did these in a classic sugar cookie with royal icing.

The weather (heat and humidity) gave me some fits with the royal icing.

If you look closely, you'll see my icing did some bubbling/separating.

But all in all, they turned out ok.

I think the staff will enjoy them.

I flavored both the cookies and the icing with almond extract, which has become my new all-time favorite flavor extract.

These two goodie bags went to our bus driver and also my youngest son's classroom teacher this year.

It's been a long road...but we did it!

A DECADE AT LINCOLN!

Good bye and we'll miss you!!!

My beautiful sign from my sweet momsie...

How did I forget to post about this?

My wonderful momma gave me the sweetest gift.

She is so crafty and talented and creative and...

I could go on all day.

Anyway...

She made me the cutest little sign for my baking.

Not that I have a shop.

Not that I get a lot of orders.

But it's my name.

And my little "logo".

And pink is my favorite color.

And it's awesome...

Because it's from my momma.