Oh my lucky charms!

Blah

Have I ever told y'all I hate being sick?? Well I do, a lot!! I got hit with something last Friday and it knocked me out!! Fever, body aches, cough, it was horrible. Thank goodness it was over the weekend and Justin was there to help. I'm just now starting to feel like my self. I think that's what I hate the most is not feeling like my self and just laying around all day, not me. Watched way to much tv, we had all 5 TVs going at one time, how sad is that! But I am sounding more like me and not a dude, coughing less and finally made me some chocolate chip cherry scones his morning.
I'm also bummed out and trying not to let myself get into a funk about Justin leaving for India in a few weeks, he has to go for work and for 5 weeks!!!! It's going to be the longest month of March-ever! I'm trying not to think about it to much, if it wasn't a third world country I don't think I would be worried as much. You should see the list of meds. They want him to take with him! I know the lord will watch out for him and us, I just don't like being apart from him, like a part of me is gone. Now I'm getting sad so let's talk about the up side to all this! Trying new recipes!!! Since Justin doesn't like new things and is super picky I can never try new recipes out, so I'm making a list and going to have fun with that. Also I hope to get a lot of the house organized while he is gone. That will keep me busy for sure! The kids also have spring break in there so we will have to do something fun.

I'm watching Julie and Julia for the hundredth time, I should be picking up the house it's trashed from mom being out all weekend! but I'll do it later. Right now I'm gaining energy while watching people cook and live in Italy! :)

Lay your head on these!

Chocolate Pillow cookies
slightly adapted from Baking by Flavor

Cookie dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened Dutch processed (alkalized) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
½ cup unsifted confectioners’ sugar
2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ cup + 1 tablespoon ground almonds
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips( I left these out and they made a bit dryer cookie)

Cocoa rolling mixture
1 ¾ cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon unsweetened Dutch processed (alkalized) cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350ºF; line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. (Cookie sheets need to be heavy to prevent bottoms of cookies from scorching. Use one sheet on top of another, if necessary.)

Make the dough: sift together flour, cocoa, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

Place melted butter in a large mixing bowl. Sift over the confectioners’’ sugar and mix it in with a wooden spoon; the mixture will have small lumps of sugar. Blend in vanilla extract and almonds. Stir in half of sifted flour mixture and all the chocolate chips. Stir in half of the remaining flour mixture, then the rest. Dough will be malleable and workable.

Spoon up scant-tablespoon quantities of dough and roll into chubby balls. Place balls about 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until set; tops will crack slightly here and there. Let cookies stand on sheets 1 minute, then carefully remove them to cooling racks, using an offset metal spatula. Cool 5 to 8 minutes.

Rolling mixture: sift together confectioners' sugar and cocoa into large bowl. While cookies are still warm, carefully dredge them, a few at a time, in sugar-cocoa mixture to coat, then transfer to a sheet of waxed paper to cool. Dredge them lightly again, if you wish – the cookies will look prettier.
Store airtight at room temperature up to 5 days.

These are kind of like Mexican wedding cookies, only chocolate, and better!!

Angel food cake

Angel food cake

Ingredients

12 eggs
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar

Directions

Separate eggs; discard yolks or refrigerate for another use. Measure egg whites, adding or removing whites as needed to equal 1-1/2 cups. Place in a mixing bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, sift confectioners' sugar and flour together three times; set aside. Add cream of tartar, extracts and salt to egg whites; beat on high speed. Gradually add sugar, beating until sugar is dissolved and stiff peaks form. Fold in flour mixture, 1/4 cup at a time. Gently spoon into an ungreased 10-in. tube pan. Cut through batter with a knife to remove air pockets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-45 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Immediately invert pan; cool completely before removing cake from pan.


I would have made some fruit to go on it but strawberries are $4.00 a pint, could have made some chocolate sauce but just plain angel food cake is good too!
I don't know why I didn't have an angel food cake pan, I love angel food cake, and now I can make it!!