Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A Favorite Christmas Cookie


Berry sage thumbprints have become a must have on the cookie platter around our house. This is my husband's favorite Christmas cookie so I especially enjoy making them. The fresh lemon zest paired with sage, tart blackberry and the slight crunch of yellow cornmeal is delicious and refreshingly different.

Berry Sage Thumbprints

2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup yellow corn meal (not self-rising mix)
1 1/2 tsp. dried sage, crushed (mine is a powder)
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup blackberry preserves (I use b. berry jelly because I don't like the seeds)

preheat oven to 350 degrees

combine flour, cornmeal, sage and baking powder. Set aside.

Beat butter for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar and beat until combined, scraping sides occasionally. Beat in egg yolks, lemon peel, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Stir in remaining flour.

Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls. Place 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Lightly press the tip of your thumb into the center of each ball. Fill the centers with about 1/4 tsp. of the blackberry preserves. bake about 10 minutes or until the bottoms are lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool completely. Makes about 60.
From Better Homes and Garden's December 2001


Hope you enjoy. Maybe this will become a new favorite in your family too.

Friday, November 11, 2011

Turkey Handprint Shirt

Reposted from 11-2009
A few days ago I went to Made with Love and Glue and pulled up Rachel's archives from 2008. I remembered that she made 4 of her 5 kids Turkey Hand Print shirts last year (see picture below) and wanted to make my Sweet Girl one this year. (Picture courtesy of Rachel at Made with Love and Glue)

Aren't these adorable??? Love the little one below...
Rachel turkey shirt 2

I followed the link she provided to One More Moore and followed the tutorial she listed. I also googled reverse applique and came across this blog and tutorial that was very easy for me to follow.

First I turned the tshirt inside out. Then I pinned the right side of the fabric scrap to the shirt

I turned the shirt right side out, traced Sweet Girl's hand on paper, cut it out and pinned it to the front of her shirt.


I sewed around the outline of her hand print.

cutout


Yes, my turkey legs are a bit small compared to the body. :)


Being very careful, cut a slit in the t-shirt...then cut out the design.
Sew a button on...
buttonturkey

and voila (well 30 min later) you have a Turkey Handprint Shirt!

largeturkeyshirt

The sick girl modeling her shirt...
agsturkeyshirt

Have a wonderful weekend!

~Victoria~