Sugar Cookies (not just for Christmas)

Okay, so it was 2 weeks before Christmas and I had nothing to do. I had never done cookies like these before but I was eager to try.

Lucky for me, I came across this recipe. (From allrecipes.com)

Ingredients

1 1/2 c. butter, softened
2 c. white sugar
4 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. salt
5 c. all-purpose flour
2 t. baking powder

Directions

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

This is the part where it gets fun. Make an icing with milk and powdered sugar until you get a consistency so that it can be poured and run off the edges a bit. Color it to your taste with liquid food coloring.

Put all of your cookies on a drying rack, and position the drying rack over a dish towel or a few paper towels (to catch the icing that falls). Pour the icing over each cookie, making sure it reaches all edges. You may want to do another coat after the first one is dry.

After the icing dries, you can use food markers to draw in the details. :)

Best Banana Nut Muffins

Okay, so I kinda have a history when it comes to muffins. I first started baking when I made blueberry muffins a lot with my mom when I was, probably about 8. Ya, they're like a family favorite :)

These are also (I recently found out) a favorite of my girlfriend as well :)

I found this recipe on A Sweet Pea Chef and fell in love with it. You will too, I promise. Okay, the recipe:

Banana Nut Muffins

Makes 18 regular muffins


4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted butter
¾ cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter into the mashed bananas with a wooden spoon. Mix in the sugar, egg and vanilla. Add the baking soda and salt. Add the flour and mix until just incorporated. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
Pour mixture into prepared muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Bake 25-30 minutes until golden brown or once a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool on a rack.
Enjoy!

swapped the nuts for semi-sweet chocolate chips in one batch (my little brother isn't a big fan of nuts), and they turned out great.

My Girlfriend :)

Hey, have I mentioned I'm in love? It consumes me, drives me places I never thought I'd go, ever. She's the light in the darkness, the moon to my night sky. I don't know what I'd do without her. This is basically an appreciation post for the girl of my dreams, the princess I had the chance to save, who in turn saved me.