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The Bible is the place I go to for strength, encouragement and wisdom. It's never-changing, despite the shifting sands of an uncertain, ever-vacillating world. Never failing to give me proper perspective on life and hope for the future, it's stood the test of time and is as true today as it was a thousand years ago.
There's one verse that, though the Bible certainly needs no embellishment from me, I'd love to revise just a bit; it's found in Psalm 127, verse five. It speaks about children and it goes like this; "Blessed (happy) is the man whose quiver is full of them." This is my revision, not exactly Biblical, but certainly true for us; "Blessed (happy) is the man (and the grandparents) whose quiver is full of them".
Those of you who are regular visitors at The Café know that our quiver is quite full with three sweet little girls and a recently added new grandson. I can't begin to tell you how very blessed and very happy we are with these precious little ones.
But guess what? (drum roll please!) .... The Café's "quiver" is about to get fuller! I've been waiting for 2013 to roll out to make this fun announcement. Our son, Nick and daughter-in-law, Lindsay are expecting their first child in March. We're thrilled about this new addition to our family. They've been busy as little bees getting the room ready. Lindsay and I will be making the drapes sometime this next week. It's all very exciting and we're counting down the days.
The cool part is that Nick and Lindsay live only a few miles from us. We're so happy with the thought of being able to see this little girl (yes it's a girl!) grow up right before our eyes. Our other grandchildren live in London and, though we get to see them quite regularly, we miss them like crazy in between visits.
And we do, most definitely, know what to do with little girls here at The Café! We've got a huge trunk full of princess, ballet, and every other type of girlie dress up clothes. There's lots of jewelry, baubles, bangles, fancy hats and high heeled shoes. We've got Disney-princess bikes, games, puzzles and coloring cooks. The girls have a wonderful time playing with our dolls, strollers, baby beds and tea party sets.
Oh, and if you take a peek in my baking cupboard? Well, you'll see every type of sprinkle, jimmy, confetti, sanding sugar, nonpareils, and food coloring, all in varying shades of pink, pink, pink .............. and more pink. Do you see what I mean? We really do know what to do with girls!
I pulled out an old classic recipe for this announcement and gave it a new twist. A friend of mine, many years ago, brought a plate of these Melt Aways w/ Brown Butter Icing to a gathering of friends. They were small with an off-white icing spooned over the top. Honestly, they weren't anything you'd take a second look at. But, oh my... when I took a bite, I was simply blown away. They're crisp, buttery and the most melt-in-your-mouth treat I've ever had. I begged her for the recipe, she obliged and it's been a treasure here in our home ever since.
I had some new fun with the Melt Aways this time. I made my own version of the brown butter icing, added a bit of gel food-coloring and loaded it into a pastry bag with a Wilton 2D tip, also known as a "rose" or "drop flower" tip. I held the tip perpendicular to the cookie and, starting in the center, simply piped a swirl to the outer edges. It does come out looking like a rose, don't you think? A bit of my pink decorating "loot" was showered over the tops for a fun effect.
Don't skip the brown butter; it adds a delicious flavor to the icing you won't want to miss. I brown my butter in the microwave, a super-easy way to do it, without making a huge mess on the stovetop.
If you want a delicious everyday or after-school treat, these cookies are fabulous on their own or with just a simple smear of frosting atop. But, if you're having a party or celebration, want to impress your boss, want to take a lovely gift to a new neighbor, or maybe just say I LOVE YOU to someone ............... these rose-swirl topped cookies will be the perfect, festive and fun touch. Oh, and if there's a new baby girl on the horizon, these are a spectacular way to say "welcome to the world, sweet one"!
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Brown Butter Icing
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3-4 tablespoon milk - you might need a bit more
Instructions
- Place butter in a microwave-safe, medium size bowl. Cover with plastic wrap. Place in microwave and cook on high power for around 4-5 minutes, depending on the microwave. Watch carefully after three minutes; every microwave is a little different. Once the butter begins to turn golden brown, remove from microwave. It will continue to cook a bit more as it sits.
- Add powdered sugar and 3 tablespoons of the milk along with the vanilla and almond extracts. Start slowly beating. Once powdered sugar is fully incorporated, increase speed on mixer to medium high and beat for about 3-4 minutes. If is too thick, add a bit more milk and beat for another 30 seconds. (You want icing to easily flow from a decorator tip without being runny). Add food coloring as desired. Start with a tiny amount, especially if using gel-type food coloring. You can always go darker, but once you've added too much food coloring, it's impossible to go back!
- Fit a decorating (pastry) bag, or a heavy-duty ziplock bag with one corner snipped off, with a large drop flower tip (if using Wilton, it's their 2D tip).
- Starting at the center of a cookie, with tip perpendicular to the cookies, begin piping. Continue to pipe in an outward swirl until icing covers most of the cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. (See tutorial here.)
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Melt Aways
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ½ cup corn starch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line two sheet pans with parchment baking paper.
- Beat butter until very light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add powdered sugar and cornstarch and beat until well-incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Add vanilla and almond extracts, flour and and a pinch of salt. Mix until well combined.
- Using a small cookie scoop, make equal size scoops of dough. Roll each scoop into a ball and roll in sugar. Place on prepared sheet pans and flatten with the bottom of a glass*. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and place on a cooking rack.
Notes
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I've been making this cookies for several years now, and I always get requests for more. Thanks for posting - they are a hit!
I keep coming back for the recipe and thought I'd share 🙂
Thanks so much Cara!
These are my new favorite cookies. I've made them on two separate occasions and have gotten such great feedback! They turn out beautiful (thanks to your helpful tips!) and are delicious - perfect taste and texture, they truly to melt in your mouth! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much, you reminded me how good they are, I might have to whip up a batch myself! 🙂 I'm so happy you had good results, thanks for taking the time to leave a comment ~ Chris
Oh apparently I'm a creature of habit. This looks like my comment from a few years ago. Thanks Chris!
Somehow I missed these when you first published. Can't wait to make them for the next little girl baby shower.
And congrats on the new baby girl. What fun to have her close and get to see her much more often!
Wow! Exciting news. My mother in law has 4 granddaughters. I am sure it is thrilling with so many girls to spoil. I don't know what to do with a boy. Enjoy your spoiling Chris! Great photos and the cookies look delicious.
Congratulations on your wonderful news!!!
Your new year is off to such a good start, I like the way you're celebrating 😉
How exciting!! Congrats to your family. What a perfect way to make an announcement!
Congratulations! What a lovely family, and now to have a grandson. So much fun! Your cookies are absolutely gorgeous too. 🙂
Congratulations!! Such wonderfully happy news!! Your cookies look incredibly beautiful!!
Dear Chris! So happy for you! How wonderful! Children are a heritage from the Lord, indeed! What a great way to welcome 2013! And those cookies are fabulous and I am at a lost for words on that beautiful icing. Love your food photography - always amazing!
Congratulations Chris! Such happy news 🙂 The melt always are gorgeous, you make so much effort to style the food and take these beautiful photos - thanks!!
Congrats on the big news! You must be very excited, and happy. And the cookies you're sharing with us are so perfect for such a celebration!
Congratulations Chris, what wonderful news! And such beautiful cookies to celebrate with 🙂
Congratulations Chris and Nic and Lindsay! What wonderful news. I can't wait to hear of her safe arrival.
What a lucky little girl she will be to have such a wonderful grandma. These cookies are just adorable. I haven't baked for weeks and you've given me instant cravings to jump straight into the kitchen.
Happy New Year! xx
These are just gorgeous and I can think of so many occasions that they would be perfect for!
Chris, congratulations indeed! What great news! And this time, they live close to you - it's gravy on the biscuit! And what a proper announcement recipe you have here! Wish WE lived close to you so I can drop in for some tea and (very pink) cookies.
Congrats! That is such amazing news! And these cookies - GORGEOUS! I definitely have to make these for my little niece!
Congrats dear and these look absolutely beauty!
Congratulations!!! Love these cookies and such a perfect little treat. The photo of the two little gals is precious!
Chris, drum roll for you! Congratulations! What a great surprise! I can only imagine how happy you are! 🙂
This looks, sounds and probably tastes like any little girl's idea of heaven!
How exciting to be expecting another grandchild, congrats! I have four nieces and two nephews and it's always so fun when I'm around them. I bet they love all the beautiful sweets you make for them.
I so, so agree with your first paragraph. 🙂
How exciting to be expecting another grandchild, congrats! I have four nieces and two nephews and it's always so fun when I'm around them. I bet they love all the beautiful sweets you make for them.
I so, so agree with your first paragraph. 🙂
Omg...this .such a stunning post...first time to ur space..am completely happy...discovered another wonderful blog....
Cheers
Siri
http://Www.sirisfood.com
Hi Chris, congratulation to you. I'm in love with your cookies. Very delectable and pretty. Your piping skill is excellent.
Love the teapot and teacup, so pretty and cute.
Have a nice weekend.
these cookies are so cute, I love them 🙂
Congrats to your family that's wonderful news! How fun, I want to be that kind of grandma to my grand kids some day. The cookies ate adorable. Pink is my favorite color too it's just so pretty.
Congratulations Chris! You really know how to celebrate and I love teh beautiful rose icing cookies! I wish my parents are near so my kids can spend more time with them too. You must be very excited. I'm so happy for your new forthcoming granddaughter. Congrats again!
congratulations! i can see how exciting you are, how nice to be able to stay near your son..hmm..i guess you will be much more busier by then:) Your melting moments are so pretty and i like all your pink stuffs, especially the teapot!
Such wonderful news, Chris! Another sweet grandbaby!!! Your cookies are gorgeous and PERFECT to celebrate the sweet little girl to come...congrats to you all!
Ooooh, I'm late to the party! Congratulations to you!!! I came from a family of all girls, and I had only girls myself. Girls rule! How wonderful that your son lives so close! And your pink frosting is absolutely stunning.
Congrats!!!! The cookies are so gorgeous!
Oh Chris I'm SOOOOO thrilled for your family !! as a mum of 4 girls I truly know how wonderful little (and big) girls are - what fun you will have!! Beautiful beautiful cookies :))
Mary x
What wonderful news, congratulations!! I am sure that little girl will have the best time visiting with you and eating all of your delicious treats and meals. Have a great weekend!
That is wonderful news! Congratulations! There is nothing like grandbabies, near and far. You and your family are blessed. The cookies look marvelous...perfect for the celebration.
Congratulations!
The brown butter icing looks amazing.
How exciting it will be to have a grandchild so close by...wishing the whole family congratulations. And your cookies are too cute!
Congratulations on the new grandbaby! You are truly blessed. Cookies look awesome, as always.
Congratulations Grandmother to be, such exciting news. I wish all the best for our family and a happy, healthy little one.
Congratulations! You guys sound so much like my parents, who have their grandson just four blocks away. Their house is like a fantasy realm for him, with every conceivable toy he could ever want.
Those cookies sound heavenly and even look like they belong there. They're perfect!
Blessings abound in your household!! Looking forward to lots of pink Yummies!
I agree with Veronica -- you are a sugar artist. What a great way to celebrate the arrival of a little girl.
Congratulations on such delightful news. I'm a girl and I want to come play with all that pink stuff too.
Congratulations! How exciting for all of you! 🙂 I don't live as far away as London from my family but 400 miles seems that far at times 🙁 I'm sure you guys are missed a great deal too! I love the icing and little pearl candies on those celebratory cookies!
Congratulations! That is such wonderful news to hear. I would have loved to visit your house if I was still a little girl...so many pretty things to play with and eat. Your granddaughters are so lucky! Your biscuits with pink icing look delightful too. I have a new icing bag and nozzles, so will be able to give these a try...yum!
Congratulations on your granddaughter! So exciting that you'll have her so close! But your poor grandson, he's definnitely outnumbered. The family better get to work on evening out the score-lol! Lovely cookies Chris! You are a sugar artist.
The cookies sound yummy, great pics! Congrats on your new granddaughter-enjoy:@)
Congratulations! I am so happy for you and your family! How wonderful and to have your grandbaby so close to you!! What a wonderful way to celebrate with these beautiful cookies! Congrats to you and your family!!
Congratulations to your family! That is exciting news. These cookies look so perfect! I love the effect of the pearls sprinkled on them.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Very exciting news! You are after my heart with all that PINK!!! My favorite color for sure. It took me 42 years to get a little girl in the family. My grandson had a our first great grand daughter. PINK is over flowing at my house and I LOVE it.
Cookies are beautiful.
Congratulations are definitely in order!!! So many little ones to hug.
Woo Hoo!!! Congratulations!! Liv saw your meltaways and is ready to start whipping up some of our own! She also mentioned that she might want to be adopted by you as she loves all that girlie stuff too! Well, she might a big old now, but it would have thrilled her a few years back.
So excited for the new parents to be and also you the grandparents.
Oh, I'm so happy for you! The cookies are adorable, would like to have one right now! Have a great weekend!
Oh, these cookies are so cute, made me wish to be a little girl again 🙂
These melt aways are so pretty, Chris! Congrats on your forthcoming arrival! I love what you shared about the Bible - I've found that to be true in my own life as well :).
That's such exciting news- congrats!
These cookies look delicious- and gorgeous!