Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
3-4 cups flour
12 oz bag chocolate chips

Cream sugars and butter. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in all dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips. Drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F for 8-10 minutes. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

4 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup shortening
5 Tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring

In a large bowl, cream together sugar and shortening until smooth. Gradually add milk and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Color with food coloring if desired.

Decorated Sugar Cookies

3 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Butter, softened
1 1/2 cups White Sugar
2 Eggs
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together, set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at at time, then stir in the vanilla. Gradually blend in the sifted ingredients until fully absorbed. Cover dough and chill for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. On a clean floured surface, roll out small portions of chilled dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes using cookie cutters.

Bake 6-8 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are barely brown. Remove from cookie sheets to cool on wire racks.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Frost using your favorite frosting (here's mine). To decorate like the ones in the picture, use this Royal Icing recipe. For tips and other directions on how to use the frosting, check out Sweetopia. That is where I learned all I know about frosting cookies with Royal Icing.

Royal Icing

3/4 cup warm water
5 Tablespoons Meringue Powder
1 teaspoon Cream of Tatar
9 cups Powdered Sugar
1 teaspoon Clear Vanilla
food coloring

In mixer bowl, pour in the warm water and the meringue powder. Mix it with a whisk by hand until it is frothy and thickened...about 30 seconds.
Add the cream of tartar and mix for 30 seconds more.
Pour in all the powdered sugar at once and place the bowl on the mixer.
Using the paddle attachment on the LOWEST spped, mix slowly for a full 10 minutes. Icing will get thinck and creamy.
Cover the bowl with a dampened tea-towel to prevent crusting and drying.
Tint with food colorings. Thin the icing with small amounts of warm water to reach the desired consistency.
Frosts about 10 dozen cookies. You can store the icing in plastic tubs for up to two weeks.

For tips and other directions on how to use the frosting, check out Sweetopia. That is where I learned all I know about frosting cookies with Royal Icing.

Asparagus Soup

Submitted by Mom

2 medium potatoes

1 small onion

Chicken stock

1/3 stick butter

2 rounded Tbsp flour

2 cups half and half (or milk)

Big bunch of asparagus

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

hot sauce or red pepper flakes (opt.)

Peel and dice potatoes and onion.  Put in a medium sauce pan, and cover with chicken stock.  Cook until potatoes are just barely tender.  Remove the potatoes and onions from the stock with a slotted spoon, saving the stock to cook the asparagus.

While the potatoes are cooking, make a white sauce.  Melt butter in a frying pan and add flour.  Stir until well mixed and remove from heat.  Add milk and whisk until butter and flour are dissolved.  (He used half and half instead of milk)  Return to heat and cook on medium until it boils, stirring constantly until it has thickened.  Turn the heat down to a low simmer and cover to prevent a skim from forming.  Add the potatoes and onions and continue simmering.

Prepare asparagus by washing and snapping off the ends.  Discard ends.  Cut the asparagus into 2 inch lengths, setting aside the tips.  Cook the asparagus (except the tips) in the potato water/stock sprinkling Italian Seasoning over the top.  Cook until the asparagus is well done.  Cool.  Pour asparagus and stock into a blender and puree until smooth.

Transfer the white sauce, potatoes and onions into a large pot and add the pureed asparagus.  Rinse the blender with a little water and add to the soup.  Let simmer covered, until ready to serve.  Just before serving, cover the tips with water in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Cook 1 to 2 minutes longer and pour the tips and water into the soup.  Stir and serve. (Serves 4)

If you like it spicy, try adding a little hot sauce or red pepper flakes along with the Italian seasoning.

Enjoy!