Saturday, December 22, 2012

New Budgies!


Meet Fili (blue) and Kili (green).

After Bert the Beautiful Blue Budgie Bird died a few weeks ago (sad, sad day) we discovered we missed having a bird in the house.

We found these two on Kijiji, from a lady in St Thomas.  Her daughters pet budgies had babies, and they were selling them.

These little guys are about 6 weeks old, and hand-raised, so used to being held.

Deanna named them after some dwarves in the Hobbit.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Shortbread

Last week for our Sandink Sinterklaas, I made some Christmas cut-out cookies (with cookie cutters) to share.  While they looked pretty, I found them pretty tasteless.  I was hoping for more of a shortbread type cookie...

I went on a search for a good shortbread recipe, and found this one in one of my Robin Hood Baking Festival magazines (I love those little books - we used to get them with the Readers Digest)

You should know this about me:  my rolling pin and I - well, we're not the best of friends.  Pizza dough - ok, that's pretty easy, but pie crust or cookie dough.... well, let's just say it's not a pretty sight.  It may or may not be true that Art has banned me from making my own pie crust - apparently I am not a pleasant person when I'm fighting with the rolling pin

This shortbread rolled out no problem, didn't stick (if it started to, I put it back in the fridge for a few minutes) and it is delicious!


Here's the recipe:

Grandma's Shortbread Cookies

1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup icing sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened

Combine flour, cornstarch, icing sugar in large bowl.  With large spoon, blend in butter.  Work with hands until a soft, smooth dough forms, shape into a ball.  (Edit:  I just put everything into my food processor and pulsed it until I got a nice dough.  I doubled the recipe too...)
If necessary, refrigerate 30 minutes or until easy to handle.  ROLL dough to 1/4" thickness.  CUT into shapes with cookie cutters.  Place on ungreased baking sheets.  Decorate as desired with colored sugars, sprinkles, etc...  BAKE at 300 F for 15-25 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned (20 minutes in my oven).  Remove and cool completely on wire rack.  Store in tightly covered container.
MAKES:  about 24 cookies, depending on size...
Aren't they pretty??  We got some neat sprinkles at Bulk Barn

I found these cute little cookie boxes at the Dollar store - I'm thinking teacher/neighbour gifts!!