Today, July 24, we here in Utah celebrate the Days of '47 or Pioneer Day. There is a big parade, a rodeo, fireworks and lots of people get the day off from work. My husband and I were lucky enough to get tickets to the rodeo. This year they built a brand new stadium at the Utah State Fair Park for the rodeo. Here are some pictures of the highlights from the rodeo.
One of my sons was married this last week. He and his new wife celebrated with a beach themed reception. It was a beautiful day. We made a lot of cookies to add to the festivities. We served pineapple Dole Whips because we knew it would be a really hot day. Since my son moved out I was able to make his old room into my new sewing room. I sewed new valances for the windows and my husband even helped pay for a new sewing machine that I have been saving for. It's a Baby Lock Crescendo. I'm still trying to learn how to use it but so far I LOVE it!
Chocolate Sugar Cookies
¾ cup
butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp.
vanilla
1 ½ cups
flour
¾ cup cocoa
powder
1 tsp.
baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
In a mixer
bowl with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed
until smooth and creamy. Add the sugar
and beat on medium high speed until fluffy and light in color. Beat in the egg and vanilla on high
speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl
as needed.
Sift the
flour and cocoa together in a medium bowl.
Whisk in the baking powder and salt until combined. On low speed, slowly mix into the wet
ingredients until combined.
Divide the
dough into 2 equal parts and roll each portion out onto a piece of parchment to
about ¼ inch thick. Stack the pieces,
with parchment paper in between, onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for at
least one hour.
Once chilled,
preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line
2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove one of the dough pieces from the
refrigerator and using a cookie cutter, cut the desired shapes. Transfer the cut cookie dough to the prepared
baking sheet. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is
used.
Bake cookies
for 8-10 minutes; the cookies will still appear soft. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes,
then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing. Ice and decorate cookies as desired. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Sugar Cookie Icing
1 cup powdered
sugar
2-3 tsp.
milk
2-3 tsp.
light corn syrup
¼ tsp.
almond extract
food coloring
In a small
bowl, stir together powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until
icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is
too thick, add more corn syrup or milk.
Divide into separate bowls, add food colorings to each to desired
intensity. Outline design on cookie with
a small tip in a decorating bag and then fill in the rest of the cookie with a
spoon. Add decorations while icing is
still wet.
