Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Sugar Sugar...



Before I tell you about the sinful sugar cookie bars up there...I just have to say that it's a darn good thing that I have Pinterest since I can't find my dang camera anywhere.  If it weren't for all the crazy pinning I do, I would have lots of photo-less posts which aren't near as fun for me to do.  Those pins sure are an inspiration to me and I come up with posts in the middle of the night sometimes from one little photo I pinned earlier in the day.  I just don't have enough time in my day to write up the posts and then I forget them.  Note to self:  place notebook and pen on my bedside table tonight for middle of the night scribbles.

So, what do you think about those bars up there?  Let me tell you they are Delicious with a capital D!  Several people were pinning them yesterday and I did the same.  I tried the recipe and it was a huge success.  I mean...who doesn't like sugar cookies and if you can just press them into a pan and make bar cookies it's even better.  Now, to be totally honest, mine didn't exactly look like the photo above.  Mine weren't as white...more of a buttery yellow color and I didn't have the cute sprinkles.  No worries... they tasted great and the men in the house didn't complain one bit about the color...not that they would ever complain about cookies!  Oh, and a shout-out to Ice Cream Before Dinner for the recipe.

Enjoy...

Sugar Cookie Bars
Ingredients:
1 stick of butter, softened
1 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda

Preheat to 375. Sift together the flour, salt & baking soda to combine, and set aside. Spray a 9 x 13 cookie sheet (with raised sides) with non-stick spray. Put the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and turn on to cream the butter. Slowly add the sugar and mix until creamy, about two minutes. Add the eggs and mix to combine. Add vanilla. In three parts, add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and stir just to combine, scraping the bowl in between additions. Spread the dough in the 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 14 - 19 minutes, or until it is slightly golden around the edges. Leave in pan to cool, on a wire rack. When completely cool, spread with about 1 cup of frosting (recipe below), or to taste. Wait until frosting has set a bit before cutting, at least a half hour.

Butter-cream Frosting
this recipe makes a lot more than you'll need for this, but it stores really well in the frig. I just make it in big batches and save it for future use.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 C solid white vegetable shortening
2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
1/3 C + 2 tablespoons warm water
a 2 LB bag of confectioner's sugar

Add shortening to the electric mixer bowl and turn on to cream it. Add 1/2 the sugar and mix on low to combine (you'll certainly want your bowl's dust lid/shield thing on at this point!). Add the warm water and mix to a paste. Once it is creamed, add the rest of the sugar. Mix. Add the extract. Mix to combine completely, scraping the sides of the bowl occasionally. Then, turn mixer to high and beat to about 8 minutes. Store in the frig for up to 8 - 12 weeks


Until Next Time,


Jackie

2 comments:

  1. Not only do those bars photograph well...they look yummy~
    Bristol

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  2. I saw them.. printed the recipe. I was going to make them last night but I was too tired. I'm supposed to be cutting out the evil sugar-sugar from my life, but who could resist these?? Thanks for the review - somehow I knew this one was a winner :) I might whip these up tonight (shhh, don't tell on me). -Tammy

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