Scavenger Hunt (June 2015)

These are my photos for this months Scavenger Hunt.  If you would like to join in, just leave a link on the Scavenger Hunt  page to your photos collection, on your  Blog. That way we can all see and enjoy them. I now have a Scavenger Hunt Button on my home page, that will link back to the Scavenger hunt page, It would be great if you could use the button on your Blogs.

J is for ?

 Jellyfish.

Rust:

 An old tin shed up near my sons school.

Smooth: 

A very smooth sculpture. 

Imagination:

An outfit made out of fruit and flowers.

Classic:

The Sydney Opera House an classic Australian icon.

Similar:

These little fish all look similar to me.

Bead:

Lot of different coloured beads.

Mug:

My husband got one of these mugs for fathers day.

Parallel:

Parallel fishing rods.

Socks:

I couldn't find any sock photos, so this will have to do. 

 Post:

Some posts in the ground made lovely art work.

Whatever you want:

My little Rosie enjoying the wind in here face.

If anyone has any ideas for the Scavenger hunt list please let me know, it would be a great help.

 

Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies #CreativeCookieExchange

This months theme for the Creative Cookie Exchange is Chips, Chunks or Bits, so I have made these very tasty Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate using Chocolate  Chips, make sure you add the salt to cut down on the sweetness.

Salted Caramel Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies
Makes approximately 3 dozen

• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 16 wrapped caramels, cut into 4 or 5 pieces each
• sea salt

Directions:

Line an ungreased cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Set aside.

In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together on medium speed until fluffy and light in color. Mix in egg and vanilla. Scrape down the sides as needed. On low speed, mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans. Dough will be thick and sticky. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350F.

Drop 1 Tbsp balls of dough onto cookie sheet OR used a standard-sized cookie scoop. Press a few pieces of caramel onto the tops of the cookies and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges. Do NOT cook them longer than 10 minutes. Remove and let cool for 3 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack.

*Make sure to keep dough cold at all times while the batches are baking. I kept my dough in the refrigerator in between batches. Do not drop dough onto warm cookie sheets; allow sheets to cool between batches.

The theme this month is Chips, Chunks or Bits! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links. Please be patient though, as this month Laura is off to Italy and will not be checking email quite as often! You can also just use us as a great resource for cookie recipes--be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start baking, check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Banana Pudding Bars from Study at Home Mama
• Cherry and Chocolate Chip Scones from Spiceroots
• Chocolate Andes Mint Chip Cookies from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Stout and Pretzel Cookies from Cookie Dough and Oven Mitt
• Flourless Dark Chocolate Espresso Oatmeal Cookies from Rhubarb and Honey
• Gourmet Iced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Hazelnut Espresso Cookies from 2 Cookin' Mamas
• Lemon Bits Oatmeal Cookies from Our Good Life
• Nibbed Caramel Blondies from What Smells So Good?
• Nutty Bits Cookies from Basic N Delicious
• Peanut Butter Chunk Cookies from Noshing With The Nolands
• Rocky Road Cookies from Upstate Ramblings
• Sour Cream Chocolate Chip Cookies from Magnolia Days
• Strawberry n White Choc Chunk Blondies from Baking in Pyjamas
• Trail Mix Cookies from Holly at A Baker's House
• Uncle Hector's 100 Cookies from Food Lust People Love

                                                        

Scavenger Hunt (May 2015)

These are my photos for this months Scavenger Hunt.  If you would like to join in, just leave a link on the Scavenger Hunt  page to your photos collection, on your  Blog. That way we can all see and enjoy them. I now have a Scavenger Hunt Button on my home page, that will link back to the Scavenger hunt page, It would be great if you could use the button on your Blogs.

Blue:

An under water seen from Vivid.

Crystal:

 Dew drop in the early morning.

Vintage:

Some old fishing reals.

Fluff:

 He pulled all the fluff out his new toy.

Global:

Master M now trains year round in an out pool, under the light of our global moon.

Mask:

bus:

Not the usual kind of buses we see in Sydney.

Frame:

Some of my Mum's art work, framed and hanging in photograph exhibition.

Collection:

A collection at Vivid.

Poster:

Ribbon:

Whatever you want:

Jellyfish at Vivid.

If anyone has any ideas for the Scavenger hunt list please let me know, it would be a great help.

 

Scavenger Hunt (April 2015)

These are my photos for this months Scavenger Hunt.  If you would like to join in, just leave a link on the Scavenger Hunt  page to your photos collection, on your  Blog. That way we can all see and enjoy them. I now have a Scavenger Hunt Button on my home page, that will link back to the Scavenger hunt page, It would be great if you could use the button on your Blogs.

Upside down: 

My view of a palm tree while relaxing on the beach.

Clouds:

I wonder what BB stands for.

Chair:

A bench seat at the end of our garden,

 a birthday present from mum a couple of years ago.

Something sweet:

I made some chocolate orange cookies.

Growth:

We have watched this little Butcher Bird growing up in our garden.

Glass:

A glass ball I saw at the markets.

Bedroom:

How nice it is to have your bed made for you each day, 

and to have fresh flowers laid on your pillow is a real treat.

Rain:

Sydney has been hit with some really heavy rains last week,

it was very dangers driving, school pick was a nightmare.

Eggs:

Eggs for baking something sweet.

Fresh:

I saw these fresh herbs on the front of a van,  

having just been picked from a market garden.

Feet:

He had to use his feet while surfing.

Whatever you want:

On the 25th of April was ANZAC day,

this photo was taken at a poppy field made for the 100 years  

centenary. 

If anyone has any ideas for the Scavenger hunt list please let me know, it would be great.

 

Choc Orange cookie sandwich #CreativeCookieExchange

Well this months theme is sandwich cookies, so I came up with the idea to make a chocolate orange cookie what could be better than the flavours of chocolate and orange together. These cookies have a very soft cookie Choc Orange cookie all most cake like with a tasty orange butter cream.  

Ingredients

• For the cookies:
• 64 gm butter (½ cup unsalted butter, softened)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 cup fat free buttermilk
• 2 cups plain flour  (all purpose flour)
• ¾ cup dark dutch process cocoa
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• For the Frosting:
• 120gm (6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened)
• 3 cups icing sugar (powdered sugar)
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 tablespoon orange juice
• 2½ tablespoons heavy cream
• For the Ganache:
• ¼ cup heavy cream or half and half
• 225gm (6-8 ounces dark chocolate) (chips or baking bits; semi sweet works as well)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 175C 350F and line a baking sheet with baking paper (parchment paper) or grease VERY lightly.
2. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for about a minute. Slowly pour in the buttermilk and mix.
3. In a smaller bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix until just combined. The dough will be sticky.
4. Scoop the dough out using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon (the sticky dough makes a cookie scoop the easier route) and place about 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
5. Bake for 8-9 minutes but NOT any longer! You don’t want dry cake.
6. Let the cookies cool for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. To make the icing (frosting), beat together the butter and icing sugar (powdered sugar), starting out slowly and gradually increasing mixer speed (this is so you don't explode powdered sugar everywhere). The mixture will be dry.
8. Add the orange zest and beat for about a minute. Then add the orange juice and cream. Beat the frosting until it's fluffy. Add more cream if it seems too thick.
9. To make the ganache heat the cream in a small saucepan until it simmers. Place the other ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate butter and orange zest. Let it sit for about 4 minutes. Stir until smooth. You can add the mixture back to heat if it cools before the ganache is smooth. Melting the chocolate this way makes it smooth and shiny.
10. Frost the sandwiches with the ganache and let it set up before serving.

The theme this month is Sandwich Cookies--any kind of cookie presented as any kind of sandwich, we’re laid back because that means more cookies for everyone! If you are a blogger and want to join in the fun, contact Laura at thespicedlife AT gmail DOT com and she will get you added to our Facebook group, where we discuss our cookies and share links.

You can also just use us as a great resource for cookie recipes--be sure to check out our Pinterest Board and our monthly posts (you can find all of them at The Spiced Life). You will be able to find them the first Tuesday after the 15th of each month! Also, if you are looking for inspiration to get in the kitchen and start check out what all of the hosting bloggers have made:

• Lemon Kissed Funfetti Sandwich Cookies from Baking in Pyjamas
• Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies with Peanut Butter Chocolate Ganache from The Spiced Life
• Lemon Sandwich Cookies from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Cream Cheese Filled Orange Cookies from Food Lust People Love
• Linzer Cookies from A Baker’s House
• Chocolate Mint Sandwiches from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
• Choc Orange cookie sandwich from Made With Love
• Chocolate Amaretto Creams from Our Good Life
• Maple Cream Cookies from Upstate Ramblings
• Mini Alfajor Cookies from Basic N Delicious