Baking Through A Heat Wave!

I am lucky enough to not have lost power during the last heatwave a little over a week ago. I know a lot of people in the surrounding states did lose power for almost a week. My heart goes out to all of them.

With the air conditioner blasting, I baked a lot of cookies this week. Here are a few the VERY different orders I had to complete this week

KISS cookies for the ultimate fan! 

Real Estate Thank You cookies for a great Agent 

Cookie Monster and Elmo!

I love how many different cookies I had to make this week. What a blast! 

Kim's Cookies!

What have I been up to? Baking of course! I have been reluctant about saying I would like to start a business or to consider taking things further than just making cookies for family or friend events. But the more I learn the more I want to share what I can do. I have decided to start moving into the promoting of my business and think about moving forward in this field. As of today you can find me on Facebook and on Twitter at @KimsCookiesNY.  Please come check out my new Fan page and follow me on Twitter! Below are a couple sets of cookies I have made this month so far.



Mini Cookies for a Baby Shower

80 Communion Favors baged and tagged

All cookies had edible sugar rosettes

13th Birthday Funky Platter

March Goals

Planned on posting these last night, but didn't get to it. Here are my goals for March. Safe to say that these are very ambitious.

1. Read 3 books
2. 6 visits to my Gym
3. Finish 2 knitting projects & 2 Crochet projects
4. Roast my first chicken or turkey
5. Bring lunch from home 3 days a week
6. Print pics for frames at home (last months goal)
7. Bake 75-100 cookies

Wohaa wish me luck! What are some of your goals?

Kim in the Kitchen - Cookie Order

This year marks the 200th Anniversary of my church, Bay Shore United Methodist. I have been a member since I was 8. Sunday October 24th is the celebration. We are having a Pot Luck lunch, I decided to bring baked ziti and also cookies. It was mentioned that if I could do "200th" cookies it would be cute. So, that is what I did. Below are the some of the cookies that I made for this event.

small & large squares / crosses 

packed up and ready to go

It took a while to get 200 cookies baked, glazed and just basic decorating. I give tons of credit to the other cookie makers out there who do multiple orders in one week!

 

 I made these cookies along with the Church order. The Pink Ribbon with the "Thank You" tag were for my Hematologist office. I made 20 individual cookies wrapped.  I am there at least twice a week for treatments and they deserve something sweet for the excellent care they give. The "A" cookies were a small pack of 20 I made for Book Club. We read The Scarlet Letter this month and I figured... Why not! 

Organizing the Cutter Clutter

Over a year ago I went to a Cookie Decorating class. Since then, You can read about them Here , here,  and here. I have collected a lot of cookie cutters and they were getting a bit out of control in the box I was keeping them. I had to figure out a few things:
1. What ones & how many I had
2. A neater way to store and find them
3. Where to store them

I took Sunday afternoon and tackled this project. I separated them into categories, catalogued them, then put them into groups in clear shoe boxes (thanks to Target). I realized then that I was over 150 cutters and there are still a few I want need.

 

 When I finished that- I had to start baking for a LARGE order for this coming weekend. Here is a hint of what I am working on.

Check back later this week for the finished results and more about this order.

Life in The Fast Lane

This was a QUICK week.

You know when you feel like time is flying- Well that is what I feel about this week.

I was able to accomplish A LOT - including baking, decorating and packaging 60 cookies for Shower Favors. I also started a new book, and abandoned another. I usually do not like to start a book and not finish, but I could not get past the first 20 pages of Dear Neighbor, Drop Dead- by Saralee Rosenberg. I did start Dune Road- Jane Green. So far this book seems more interesting, and well written. I was able to do a good house cleaning and host game night with our friends... then re-clean the house! LOL

All in all, I am happy with the week, except for not making to the gym once, but there is always next week.

I wonder if anyone else on the East Coast is sad about putting their clocks ahead tonight and losing an hour of sleep? LOL I am bummed. But there is a great trade off, of more daylight and the promise of warmer weather.

Hope you have a good coming week.

What a week!

It was a crazy week at my house! I was able to get in and start my goals, mainly the practicing baking and cookie making one- I was asked to make a platter of Garden themed cookies for a member of my church. I was a bit rushed but, I was able to complete it and have it ready in time for this past Sunday. I was a little disappointed because I ran into some glazing problems that I am googling today. The pictures here you can not see the 'white blotches" as I called them - ok I cursed them to no end when I saw them come out the next day. LOL But all in all they were highly impressed, which made my day!



I also went to a St. Patrick's Day Parade with a group of friends. Unfortunately my hubby was working his second job and could not make it, but I did have a good time, just for him! ;) It was a BEAUTIFUL day out, and we had a blast being outside and walking up to the parade. Our host, Amanda made Corned Beef, Mac 'n Cheese, Sheppard's Pie and various other snacks. We were able to enjoy a few drinks and celebrate what I hope is the start of Spring.


I hope that you also had a fun filled week!

Be Mine

Happy Valentine's Day -belated ;)

I once again hosted Coffee Hour at my Church with my Grandpa this past weekend. I really like doing it, it is nice to have something for people to enjoy (besides weak coffee) after church. My church is Bay Shore United Methodist. Greg and I were married there in 2008, and I have been a going there since I am 8. Here is a favorite photo from our wedding of the alter of the church.

The past week I made over 70 "Conversation Heart" Cookies for the coffee hour. They went over great! I am thinking that I might have to host more often.

Kim in the Kitchen

Wahooo! I have been keeping up on trying new recipes and cooking more at home. These are some of my goals for the year. Here is what I made:
I attempted Sheppard Pie for the first time and it was a HIT! The recipe was right off of Food Network and was from Rachael Ray.

I did my own version of Scalloped Potatoes and Pork Chops. I used a bit of olive oil and a packet of Lipton Soup mix to make some "Delicious" (as my husband described them) potatoes.

I also used the Food Network website to make Homemade Mashed Potatoes (Paula Deen), Lime Talapia (Bobby Flay) and edamame.


The cookies I made 2 weeks ago came out really nice! I made 50 Crosses for my Church Coffee Hour that I was hosting with my Grandpa. I also made Onsie cookies for a surprise Baby Shower for one of my girlfriends.