Cookie-Palooza 2014: The "Mother Dough"

Thanks to everyone who suggested recipes on Tuesday. All of them look and sound so delicious, and I will definitely be making them between now and the end of break.

I feel like cookies are an essential part of Christmas. I never really have as much of a taste for cookies  during the rest of the year as I do around the Holidays. And luckily for me, cookies are everywhere. With so many parties to go to, and so many of the invitations requesting I bring a dessert, I wanted to find a way to minimize how much baking I was doing, without having to bring the same, boring cookie to each party.

Behold, the "Mother Dough". Thank you, Google, for providing immediate results when I searched "One dough many cookies". I'd seen examples while perusing Pinterest, but had never looked into it until now. This particular recipe comes from Good Housekeeping, and serves as not only a standalone cookie dough recipe, but a base dough for eleven other recipes. It's not even limited to cookies! Due to ingredient limitations, I only made the standalone cookies, but I will include links to the others so you can see the potential of this recipe!

I'm just finding out now that my phone deleted almost all of the pictures from this project. Oh, technology. But either way, it's fairly self-explanatory.

1. In a stand mixer, beat one cup (two sticks) of butter, and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar on medium speed for about two minutes, or until creamy. My wonderful parents found me a beautiful KitchenAid mixer on craigslist as an early Christmas Present. Having a stand mixer made this recipe much more fun, and easier! 
2. Combine 2 and 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. 
3. After the butter and sugar are creamed (baking word!) add one egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Continue to beat on medium speed until well mixed. I can crack my eggs with one hand now, guys. It's progress. Also, I added a little more than a teaspoon- I like my vanilla. 
4. After well mixed, reduce speed to low, and add mixed dry ingredients in even increments until fully integrated. Beat in until just blended. 

And there you have it- the Mother Dough. For fluffier cookies, I chilled the dough for twenty-four hours before rolling out and baking it. 

For baking:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. After chilling for twenty-four hours, take the dough and roll around in your hands to warm it slightly and improve the malleability. Maybe flour your hands for this. 
3. After slightly warmed, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. This dough is very sticky! When in doubt, use flour. 
4. Cut dough with cookie cutter of your choice and place on an non-greased cookie sheet. 
5. Place in oven and bake for ten to thirteen minutes, or until edges are golden brown.  
6. Let cool on wire rack.
7. Enjoy plain or with frosting and other edible decorations.

The end result is a delicious, fluffy, buttery cookie. Not only that, but as I said before, this dough serves as a base for eleven other recipes, including: apple pie rugelach, fruit bars, pinwheels, peppermint sticks, moon pies, gingerbread, Mexican wedding cookies, and even stained glass cookie ornaments. Hopefully, I'll find some time this break to try one of the other recipes!

Hopefully, this marks me being back on track. I've missed this little project in all of the end-of-semester chaos. If you have any suggestions for recipes or techniques to try, please don't hesitate to comment below or email me at dontexpectmiraclesblog@gmail.com. I'll post again tomorrow with a similar cookie recipe that has a little bit of a twist- Spritz Cookies. Thank you for reading! 

Original recipe: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/basic-cookie-dough-ghk1207 

One Dough, Twelve Recipes: http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/holidays/christmas-ideas/easy-holiday-cookie-recipes 

Thanksgiving!

I know, I know. It's been a while. Sorry. But don't worry, you get two recipes today!

I'm glad I have this blog (and apparently quite a few readers!) keeping me accountable. Otherwise, I honestly would've probably given up by now and resigned myself to a life of pasta and lean cuisines. But no time for that here!

Finals week is upon us-or at least the paralegal program. The week after Thanksgiving break is a very strange place in the semester for exams that can make or break grades, but I'm just glad it's almost over. Then I can get back to Chicago and take advantage of my parents' beautiful kitchen :)

Thanksgiving was an interesting, but fun experiment! I had the pleasure of making some of our Thanksgiving favorites with my Dad, because for the first time in my memory, we celebrated Thanksgiving with just our little nuclear family this year (another interesting- yet fun!- experience).

Here's one of the recipes from Thanksgiving!

First: They-might-contain-meth Mashed Potatoes!

You will need:

• 2 to 2 1/2 red potatoes for each person if not more. Trust me on this one.
• 1 cup of Sour cream
• 1 stick of Butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• Chives

1. Cut potatoes (leave skin on), boil in large stockpot for 30-35 minutes, or until tender.
2. Drain potatoes.
3. Place potatoes in a large mixing bowl, and mix on a medium speed until they have achieved a slightly more "mashed" consistency. Do not mix all the way. 

   

   After adding the butter
4. Cut stick of butter into pads, add to potatoes. Mix until integrated (that's a cooking word, right)
5. Now's the fun part! Add in the sour cream, chives, salt and pepper to taste. Mix in with the hand mixer until potatoes are smooth and toppings completely integrated. It doesn't sound fun, but it is, I promise. 

These potatoes were great. And now I know how to make them, so I don't have to beg my Dad to do it! 

Now, you've seen one of my Thanksgiving favorites. Let's see one of my Mom's!

My mother's personal favorite for Thanksgiving is fried cauliflower, a dish my Grandma has perfected. This year, as my Grandma would not be celebrating Thanksgiving with us, my Mom asked my Dad to figure out a recipe. I did my best to document that particular endeavor. 

You will need:

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 stick of butter
• Two boxes of bread crumbs. Or roughly three cups. Whatever.
• Four eggs

1. Cut butter into pads, distribute evenly in a sauté pan. Turn burner onto low-medium heat, allow butter to melt and coat bottom of pan. Guys, I know my pan types. Or at least the internet does. 
2. Cut the florets (cooking word!) off of the stalk of cauliflower, place to the side.
3. Crack eggs, whisk in a medium mixing bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a round cake pan. 
4. Coat floret in egg, roll in bread crumbs, and place in sauté pan. 
5. Continue until all florets are in pan. Increase heat to 3/4 power. Flip with tongs as needed. 
6. Once cauliflower is thoroughly fried, remove and enjoy!

This Thanksgiving was wonderful. I had tons of fun hanging out around the house with my family, seeing my cousins, and seeing friends from High School. I can't wait to be back in Chicago in two weeks for Christmas Break!

All of the delicious food we made

Having so much extra time on my hands, as soon as finals are over (December 9th!) I will be posting daily. I know, I know, I said that last week. But now I promise! And I have plenty of great ideas for the next month.  If you have any suggestions for recipes or techniques to try, please don't hesitate to comment below or email me at dontexpectmiraclesblog@gmail.com. Thank you for reading! 

Our Beautiful Table (Thanks Mom!)

 From my family to yours, a very happy (and belated) Thanksgiving!