Drink Coffee Blog

I often get asked “what’s your secret?” about my cookies.  Truth is, there really isn’t one “secret.”  There are a series of things though, that home bakers often don’t do.  In the next few saturday posts, I’ll be talking about one of those things! 

Today, we’re talking about butter.  Really, for home made taste, this is my baking fat of choice!  There are definitely times when you should use shortening, but I am NOT a fan of using margarine or butter substitues.  Shortening is for crust.  No need to use it for cookies, unless you have a recipe that specifically calls for it. 

When you bake with butter, it’s really important to get it room temperature before you start.  This is a common “cheat.”  Here’s the thing: that first few minutes, when the butter and sugars come together is the key to fluffy soft cookies.  The sugar molecules get coated with the fat.  This keeps everything nice and moist and delicious.  If you use butter that is too cold, it doesn’t coat the sugar as well and then your cookies will have a different texture.   The same is true for butter substitues.  The sugar is not coated in the same manner and these will change the makeup of your cookies. 

Hope this helps!  Merry Mixing!

Soup is Asiago Cheese Bisque!

It. is. cold! And I guess it’s meant to get colder!  Yikes bikes.  Well, this is a hot chocolate day if ever I’ve seen one.  Come and get it.  Anne is bringing a wonderful new soup today, so you know that’s going to be great!

Sooo, I guess winter is back.  That little hiatus was fun while it lasted.   Take heart though, we have Asiago Cheese Bisque today!  All is not lost.

It’s been a quiet week in Door County.  Really nothing to report other than the weather has been nice.  It’s sunny and mild for January.  It’s not balmy or anything but it’s ok to walk to work.  Soup today is Basil Chicken Chili and it’s the perfect thing to take the chill off.

I have been in such a hot chocolate mood lately!  We are getting a brand new sugar free flavor this afternoon to try.  I’m going to have sugar free almond hot chocolate later.  I can’t wait!  We also have sugar free: vanilla, english toffee, hazelnut, coconut, irish cream and raspberry!  The sugar free flavors are all sweetened with Splenda and have no calories.  So, a small skim sugar free latte has about 110 calories and 10 grams of protein.  It’s a really good choice!  Keep those resolutions, right?

Soup is Vegetable Beef.

I am SO happy that we are finally out of the deep freeze around here!  Good grief.  It was getting to be a little much.  I submitted my recipe for chocolate bacon brittle to the MJS so hopefully we will hear something exciting soon. 

The Top Shelf is bringing us something delicious for soup today.  Come by later or call to check it out!

Morning All.  I’ve been hearing from some of the snow birds that it’s FREEZING all over the country.  At least we are prepared for it.  To steal a line from Gerry, the poor people down in Florida are bundled up trying to keep their botox and silicone from freezing.  Not. Fun. 

Soup is Roasted Garlic Tomato.

I think we might have actually lucked out with this weather!  I can’t believe it either as it is approximately 2 degrees, but it’s a LOT colder and snowier a lot of other places!  Matt actually said that when they were driving to Florida on Tuesday it was 27 degrees all the way to Ft. Myers Beach.  Yikes!

Well anyway, we have Acorn Squash Bisque and delicious sandwiches to warm up your frigid fingers!  We’re here ’till 3.

Here comes more snow!  I am so glad the bulk of it is staying south of here though.  It will actually be nice to have the brown stuff covered up with some new fluffy white!

Soup today is Roasted Garlic Tomato.  I can’t think of anything better today than a cup of Tomato Soup and a Grilled Tomato and Cheese sandwich!  come and get it!

That’s why we drink it here.  And when we’re gone from here, our friends will be drinkin on all the beer!

Iowa won the Orange Bowl handily last night so that’s the winning polka song.  It was very exciting around my house! 

Soup today is homemade Acorn Squash Bisque.  I had some for breakfast when Anne brought it in.  It is DELICIOUS.  On another cold and cloudy day, it really hits the spot!