The Beauty of Fall

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Fall 2021

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Cake Mix Lemon Cookies

Cake Mix Lemon Cookies

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter

3 oz cream cheese

2 large eggs

1/3 cup King Arthur’s flour

1 box Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme cake mix

1 cup Ghirardelli white chocolate chips

Powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Tin foil cookies sheet with non-stick tin foil.

Melt butter and cream cheese in microwave for 30 seconds.

In the mixing bowl pour in cake mix and flour. Add melted butter and cream cheese.

Mix briefly – Just a minute or 2. Add eggs and mix well.

Add 1 cap full of orange extract and mix for another minute or 2.

Add chocolate chips and mix.

Drop teaspoonfuls of dough into a bowl of powdered sugar. Roll them around until they’re lightly covered. Once sugared, put them on cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 -10 minutes or until the tops look set. Bottoms will be light brown. Let cool before removing from pan. Makes about 24 cookies

Snow-Topped Chocolate Mint Cookies

Our family volunteered for several summers, taking in Japanese students from a student exchange program. Our older daughters were taking Japanese language classes at college during this time.

This is a family favorite cookie recipe from 2008 translated from Japanese.

Kris Krinkles (or Snow-Topped Chocolate Mint Cookies)
2 C. mint semi sweet chocolate chips, divided
6 tablespoons butter, softened
1 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
1 ½ C. flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
confectioner’s sugar

1. In microwave, melt 1 c. chocolate chips: set aside to cool.
2. In mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in melted chocolate chips and vanilla. Add flour, baking powder and salt. Stir remaining chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours.
3. Roll into 1-inch balls, then roll in confectioners sugar. Place 2 inches apart on non-stick cookie sheet. Bake 350 degrees for 10-12 min. or until edges are set.

Cool for 10 min. before moving.

Embracing Winter

I am keeping my decorations up much longer this year.
In years past we had real Christmas trees. I always took them down the day after Christmas. Then I started putting away all the knick knacks. By Jan 1st the house was bare.

We have an artificial tree this year. We had it last year too. But last year I rushed as always and put everything away.

Not this year. I have been questioning many things I do in an effort to make my life more simple in activity and stress.

In past years I also rushed to put out my spring decorations. As if that would hurry up spring and make the cold gray days go away.

Not this year. I have pretty red and white decor that I am leaving out till Valentine’s day. I am going to try and put up photos of my red and white items

Chilly Morning Tea Time

I have bee playing with tea the last couple of months. My current favorite is the above!

One tea bag of each, seep in my favorite cup, add some milk. It was prefect this morning.