Frosted Cashew Cookies

Frosted Cashew Cookies

My trusty helper

So my first recipe had a few surprises.  I don't think I've ever made a cookie with sour cream in it.  I also don't think I have ever browned butter before.  I thought they would start from easiest to most complicated.  If this is the easiest, I'm in trouble.  Just kidding.  These were actually pretty easy to make and normal ingredients except the sour cream.  I did have to go buy some cashews because if they are in the house they usually don't last too long.

The critique of the cookie has not hit rave reviews from the younger ones.  The 4 yr old took one bite and handed back.  The 8 yr old looked and it and said, "No thanks."  Good news is my 16 yr old liked them. Actual response was, "YUM!"  My husband's response was raised eyebrows and "I like them.  I need coffee, but I like 'em."  He also added that he is not as addicted to chocolate as I am so that is why he likes them so much more than me.  My response is not as positive since I'm not a huge fan of frosted cookies and then there is that lack of chocolate content.  For frosted cookies they are pretty good.  The browned butter gave the frosting a nutty flavor to go with the cookie.  I guess that "nutty" flavor versus a "bitter" flavor means we did it correctly.

Overall, the star rating is about a 3.5 out of 5.  Bake again?  Not sure....

Next up?  "Brown Sugar Shortbread Puffs"

The Baking Adventure Begins

As I looked at the New Year, I decided it was time to do something new.  It's not like I do anything anyway.  Come on I'm a stay-at-home mom for goodness sake.  Sure I took on homeschooling 3 kids 3 years ago, but that's easy.  And co-coordinating a MOPs group is such a breeze.  And that college class that I added this Spring, that won't take up any of my time.  I need something to fill that void.  That endless space of time when my husband leaves on Monday to travel for work until Friday leaving me to care for his perfect children that are always so helpful and joyful.  But what could I do?  That was the question....  

Then it came to me.  I was grabbing down my recipe box in order to make chocolate chip cookies when I glanced over and saw the huge mound of recipe magazines and cookbooks sitting on my shelf.  I asked myself, "When was the last time I pulled one of those out and made something new?" The answer was at least months if not a year.  Maybe more?

I make the same cookies month after month.  They are the same chocolate chip cookies that won a Blue Ribbon at the State Fair when I was in 4-H in High School.  Okay, that was near 30 years ago.  But hey, I never hear anyone complain about them, and I have yet to throw any away.  Why change a good thing?

So I decided to focus on cookies and I decided that I would start at the front of a book and work my way thru. My first book that chose is Pillsbury's "Best Cookies Cookbook" copyright 1997.  Yes, I buy alot of books thinking I'm going to try something new and never get there.  That's why I'm creating this blog on top of it.  I mean just making cookies will not fill that entire void of time. My goal is to make one recipe a week and post my critic and probably more importantly my family's critic of the chosen cookie.  Since the family includes a 4 yr old up to 40 something, we'll get a view from every age group.

I know some of you are going to say I'm already behind by 4 weeks.  I planned to start, but then some major family happenings occurred and I pushed off the start time.  Remember all that free time I talked about?  It doesn't really exist, but we'll try to ignore that fact okay?

First cookie up "Frosted Cashew Cookies".  They've been made and review will follow shortly.  Hopefully, pictures too?