Sunday, December 13, 2009

Deck the Halls With Boughs of Holly Falalalalalalala


Seasons Greetings everyone. Hope your shopping and baking and decorating are in full swing. Bill and I have decorated the Inn and are planning our holiday party. We have been baking goodies for almost a week now and hope to surprise our friends and family with delicious desserts this Christmas season.

We have just gotten back from visiting my daughter and son-in-law, Rachel and Mario and my beautiful new grandson Joseph Michael. Christmas sure does take on a whole new meaning when there are young children in the family. One sees the holiday in a whole fresh new light when seen through the eyes of a child. And it makes the season all the more magical.

We have been busy at the Inn making our guests feel at home and full of the holiday spirit. Its nice to see guests sitting around the fireplace and having a glass of wine or a hot cup of cider and admiring the tree. Many of our guests are here to shop at the Woodbury Commons so they are eager to talk about the great deals they made and who they are shopping for. All in all it makes for great fireside chat and friendly banter. These are the little things that make being an innkeeper such a rewarding experience.

I had promised in a previous post to give you some of my cookie recipes. Well today I would like to give you my most popular cookie, the Snickerdoodle. Very easy to make and very quick to be eaten. This is a very popular cookie at the Inn and especially a favorite of Innkeeper Bill.

Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup of shortening (crisco)
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tblsp. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Start by creaming the 1 1/2 cups of sugar and shortening with electric beater.

Next add eggs to the shortening and sugar mix. Beat until well incorporated.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the egg, shortening and sugar mixture. Mix all
ingredients thoroughly.

In a shallow dish mix 2 tbls. sugar and 2 tsp. cinnamon.

Form dough into small 1 inch balls. Roll the balls in the sugar/cinnamon mix
and place on on ungreased cookie sheet. For better results, use parchment paper lined cookie sheets.

Bake cookies in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake.

Makes about 2 to 3 doz. cookies.


I like to call these my magic cookies because before you know it, they
disappear before your eyes. (smile)


Well folks, must get back to baking. I am making 17 different kinds of cookies this year and I am only up to #8. But I will be back next week with another great cookie recipe and news of whats going on at the Inn at Stony Creek. Have a wonderful week and hope to see you soon.