Pink Cookie Recipe - Banned Recipe in Elyria, OH - Speakeasy at the Back Door for the Recipe

Feds ban school's beloved "Pink Cookie" in Elyria, Ohio

Th recipe below makes 3 dozen of the famous and beloved sour cream sugar cookies with soft pink frosting.  This has been shored down because at home you probably don't want to make 12 dozen now, do you?  

From Fox News School children in Elyria, Ohio are mourning the demise of a 40-year tradition – the loss of their beloved pink cookie. The fabled cookie, long served in local school cafeterias, was done in by a pound of butter, six cups of powdered sugar and the Obama administration’s food police.Click here to finish reading the article

Speakeasy at the Back Door for the famous banned PINK COOKIE recipe

Ingredients For the banned Cookie and Pink Frosting Recipe:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/4 cup Crisco
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 large eggs - (1 egg and 1 egg white)
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup sour cream

Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar
Pinch of salt
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Red Food coloring, not optional but use sparingly :)

Preparation:

1.  In a separate bowl, add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt: sift together well.
2.  Set bowl aside.
3. In a second bowl. cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is mixed in. Add vanilla extract and sour cream beating until combined.
4. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined. Divide dough, which will be a little sticky, into 2 sections.
5. Push down into rectangles about 1½ inches thick, then wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.
6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
7. Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Lightly flour the counter. With a floured rolling pin, lightly roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thick.
9.  Using cookie cutters, cut and place on baking sheets.
10. Bake for 7 minutes, until cookies are finely golden at edges.
11.  Transfer right way from cookie sheets to a rack to cool.
12.  Cool cookies completely before frosting.
13.  Using cookie cutters, cut and place on baking sheets.
14. Bake for 7 minutes, until cookies are finely golden at edges.
15. Transfer right way from cookie sheets to a rack to cool.
16. Cool cookies completely before frosting.

Frosting Directions:

17. In a separate bowl cream together the butter and vanilla extract.
18. Beat in powdered sugar and pinch of in a separate bowl cream together the butter and vanilla extract.
19. Beat in powdered sugar and pinch of salt.
20. Add in heavy cream and beat at medium speed for a minute or two until fluffy.
21. Add red food coloring, one drop at a time, and beat until combined until you see pink. Rule:  One drop of red food coloring at a time.  Frost completely cooled cookies.  Allow frosting to set.

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Usually my oven is low and slow. Buy Now! Cheryl's 
Creative Slow Cooker Meals:  Use Two Slow Cookers for Tasty and Easy Meals by Cheryl Moeller Click here

Family Humor
by Cheryl Moeller
More at www.momlaughs.blogspot.com

You know it's time for summer to end...

1) When you start telling your kids that you're bored.

2) You've quit wearing perfume and instead settle for two sprays of misquoto repellent..

3) You've grilled everything you can think of including your husband's favorite pair of flip flops.

4) The only family vacation you want to take is to Slumberland.

5) You cut the grass in the shape of a giant calendar to you can mark the days until school starts.

6) You've started using the hedge clippers to trim your own hair.

7) The lemonade has turned ruby red -- exactly the same color as the tube of lipstick you can't find.

8) You've eaten so much sweet corn that you now chew your green beans holding them with both hands.

9) Your garden produced so many zucchinis that you have started hiding them in the purses of friends who visit.

10) You get caught trying to buy school supplies for yourself.

Laugh Your Way Through Parenthood, More of Momlaughs

100 More of Momlaughs at Families Online Magazine, One of 15 magazines that use Momlaughs syndicated Humor Columns

So who is so funny that she is causing laughter in audiences everywhere?

Cheryl Moeller cranks up the spin cycle on her washing machine and life to help parents cope with too much laundry, raising preschoolers (on 12 hours of sleep per year), surviving teenagers, pleasing relatives, understanding spouses, and the 1,000 other challenges. She uses her over-the-counter humor to make parents laugh until it feels better.

Cheryl is a sister, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a niece, an aunt, a granddaughter, a friend, a volunteer... well you get the idea. Let.s just say she.s a lot like you and has decided the best way for us all to cope is to laugh (don't try to inhale at the same time, it only makes matters worse).

Cheryl is a wife to Robert for 35 years. Mother to Duke, Missy, Pooka, Skippy, Megs and Kenzie. One fish - Poncho. Cheryl cranks up the spin cycle on her dryer and life to help parents cope with too much laundry, raising preschoolers (on 12 hours of sleep per year), surviving teenagers, pleasing relatives, understanding spouses, and the thousand other challenges.  momlaughs@gmail.com @momlaughs Momlaughs Facebook  

Take a Last Days of Summer Trip with the Kids....  :)

Blue Gate Restaurant

When we told the kids we were going to Amish County last week, they said, "Great mom, we already are Amish!

When you visit the Blue Gate Restaurant & Bakery, you will enjoy a warm and inviting atmosphere, great home-style cooking, friendly service and all the baked goods your little heart desires. While your table is being prepared, enjoy a peaceful moment on one of the many gliders that line the very quaint and beautiful wrap-around porch.   

The Blue Gate Menu Click here

"Everything was perfect from start to finish. I'd like to return."  

"Hard to describe how soft and sweet."  

                                                 "Now that is old fashioned goodness."

"Add mashed potatoes and reach perfection, then end with pie."  

"So simple to make, but they make it better than me.

    

              I highly suggest the sugar cream pie Stop by, even if it's only for some pie." 

"This is not fishy fish.  It's worth the drive and the effort."  

Don't forget they have a bakery and a world class theater  Click to reserve your spot for dinner and theater

Blue Gate Restaurant Website

Mckenzie House Bed and Breakfast, Middlebury, Indiana, Future Venue for a Marriage Retreat or Writing Conference

We first noticed Mckenzie House above the other bed and breakfast establishments in Amish County because our youngest daughter is named Mackenzie, so it was worth clicking on the website.

What we found when we visited where the air is sweeter and the birds are whistling a clearer sound was spectacular.




Please look around on Mckenzie House Bed and Breakfast website Click here
Featured recently in Midwest Living Click here
Updated information for latest happenings on facebook for Mckenzie House Click here

Can you believe we had never been to the Shipshewana and Middleburg area of Amish Country in Indiana?
We discovered a real delight that we want to return to soon.

Equally delightful as the venue were the InnKeepers, Bruce and Sherry...

The Bed and Breakfast and rooms are named after their grown daughters.  Bruce and Sherry are just like family, as hosts and as cooks. Excellent breakfast with all of the fixings done like a festive holiday brunch.  We could not have been more well pleased in every way.

We are thinking of doing a marriage retreat and/or another event like a writing conference at this venue fall 2014. What do you think?  Would you like to attend?  Write to us at cheryl@forkeepsministries.com or leave us a comment

Ten Ways to Save on Back to School Shopping by Stephanie Nelson, CouponMom.com

by couponmom.com

1.  Inventory so you won’t overbuy. Go through drawers and closets to inventory your child’s current wardrobe. Sort items that are too small or never get worn at all and donate them to a local charity.  Older children’s acceptable outgrown clothes can go to a younger sibling, if possible.  After determining the number of acceptable outfits you already have, you can make a realistic list of specific items you need to buy. 

2.  Plan. The key to saving is planning. Before you leave the house to start buying  school clothes, backpacks and supplies, sit down and plan what you need to buy with your student.  Discuss what your student wants and make a specific list of what they need to buy – this will save money, time and stress. While you are out do not overbuy, it‘s easy to do before you see what your children like. Once the school year is going for a few weeks you can sit down again with your child and plan what they need and prefer. 

3. Tax Free can save you up to 10%! Take advantage of tax-free holidays in some states to save the cost of sales tax.
http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/sales_holiday.html  

4. Check newspapers and websites. Watch for special promotions in the newspaper ad circulars.  Many will have generous coupons in addition to sale prices. Also, check out store websites where you can find great coupons such as
www.rackroomshoes.com, www.payless.com, www.shoecarnival.com, www.premiumoutlets.com. 

5. Email. When you check your favorite store websites for coupons and promotions also sign up for their email newsletter to get special coupons and discounts. Be sure to subscribe to the email newsletter of your local mall,too.  You will be sent information and free coupons for special promotions.

6. Purchase a few extras now. Watch for sale prices of up to 90% (or even get free items) at this time of year and stock up for the entire year. Look at store ads for grocery stores, drugstores, big box discount stores, and office supply stores. Bargains will continue starting now through September. When a note comes home from the teacher in January requesting more paper or crayons you’ll have extra on-hand.

7. Price Match. Take advantage!  Basic school supplies are at their lowest price during this time of year (50-90% off)—some items are as low as 1 cent each, or even free after a coupon or promotion.  Check the advertising circulars for grocery stores, drugstores, office supply stores and even dollar stores. Find the lowest advertised price for every item that you need, circle the item and price in each circular, and take all of the circulars to the closest store that “price matches,” meaning they will honor any other store’s lower price. Walmart and Target stores have a national price matching policy.  Call your local stores ahead of time to ask if they price match and many will match competitors’ prices if you ask. Save time, money and gas!

8. Backpacks. For younger children, the $5 to $10 backpacks on sale at discount and drugstores may be all they need.  As students get older, it could be worth investing in a higher quality backpack to last several years. You can expect a good backpack to last a few years and provide the necessary support and padding for heavier books. 

9. Shoes. The back to school season is the busiest time of year for shoe sales.  As a result, stores have many special promotions to get our attention.  Because common promotions are “buy one pair, get the second pair 50% off” it makes sense to take your entire family shoe shopping together.  If you can find a coupon to use along with special promotions, you will really save. And, if you know the size and style of shoe you need, check online shoe retailers for bargain prices, coupons and free shipping to save time and money.

10. Wait and save with online shopping. Shop summer sales to get a few new items for the beginning of the year. Then, wait to shop for fall/winter clothing in a month or so when those items start going on sale.  Check the retailers’ websites for special coupons, promotions and free shipping offers.
 

Stephanie Nelson is the Coupon Mom. Her website, www.CouponMom.com, has 7 million members, and she is established as the nation’s top expert in couponing across the country. Stephanie has been on every major national television talk show and taught millions how to save money for the past 13 years. She has been called ‘”the rock star of the recession” by the Washington Post and her book, The Coupon Mom’s Guide to Cutting Your Grocery Bills in Half, is a New York Times best seller.