New Moon's, Kristen Stewart...a baker? Who knew?

In an interview with Harper's Bazaar, New Moon's leading lady, Kristen Stewart, announces that she can make one mean apple pie. Best known for playing the character of Bella in the Twilight series, Kristen seems to have a little bit in common with her character's domestic side. With the holidays approaching, it would be interesting to know if Kristen has a secret technique or any baking tips for turning out a great apple pie. For now, here is "Grandma's" recipe for a good old fashioned apple pie:

Pie Dough Directions:

2 Cups Sifted Flour

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup Crisco shortening

Add all of the above ingredients together and cut the Crisco into the flour until texture forms

Add 4 Tablespoons of cold water. Fold in the dough until easily able to work with it. Roll out evenly into two thin rounds.

Apple Pie:

12 large McIntosh, peeled and cut thinly (yes, we did say McIntosh, not Granny Smiths)

1 cup Sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp cornstarch

1 tbls butter

1 tbsp milk

Mix sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch together. Leave a tablespoon of mixture on the side to use later and sprinkle on the top of pie crust. Mix apples and remaining mixture together.

In a 9" pie plate, spray a bit of cooking spray and lay out dough on the bottom of plate. Poke bottom with fork. Pour in apple mixture Place 1 tablespoon of butter on top of apples. Lay the second round of dough on top of the apples, cut excess and press the crusts into "S" shapes using your thumb and pointer, creating a seal. Use water on edge of dough to make the seal easier to handle. Cut mini slices on top crust to let steam escape during baking. Spread 1 tbsp of milk on top of dough and sprinkle remaining tablespoon of cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

Tips:

- Cover just the edges of the crust with aluminum foil to prevent burning.

- Use pre-made pie crust (i.e. Pillsbury pie crust located in the refrigerated section of your grocery store).

- Make pie ahead of time, except for the baking part and freeze. Thaw out a day before and bake as directed.

Apple pie comes out crispy, apples tender surrounded by a perfect cinnamon syrup mixture.

Any additional tips or variations, please post in the comments section.

Halloween Fun with Edible Cookie Tattoos

Halloween Party Fun!

Get your Halloween party started this year by involving your little ghouls and goblins. Baking cookies and cupcakes can be so much fun when you add a little flare. Try these tips:

1. Don't go crazy with "made from scratch" baking. A box of cake mix and tub of frosting satisfies your little chef's need to help and their somewhat limited attention span. In our house we used marble cake mix to create these fun-sized cupcakes. Scooping the batter out and squeezing the chocolate on top in the shape of a smiley face provided the "big girl/boy" feeling and yet creative enough to maintain their interest.

2. What child doesn't love tattoos? Edible tattoos are great fun for kids. Each 3 1/2" round tattoo can be applied to a simple round cookie/cupcake by peeling and sticking to frosting. For extra fun, I have the kids cut around the shape (i.e. scared cat or pumpkin) and stick onto these mini cupcakes. Crafts and cooking all in one. Just imagine how proud the party goers will be to make their own snacks!

3. Don't forget to allow time for licking!!

Happy Homemade Cookies Day

Happy Homemade Cookies Day!

Celebrate by baking up some traditions, straight from family recipe books:

Polish Cookie Cutouts (flakier and tangier)

Ingredients:
1 lb. butter ( I never promised low-fat)
3 cups Flour
3 Tablespoons vinegar (white)
5 Tablespoons water

Mix together butter and flour. Add the vinegar and water. Separate batter into 2 sections and refridgerate overnite for at least a few hours. Roll out each section to 1/8 inch. Cut into squares or cute cutout shapes. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until the cookie stops bubbling and is light brown. Frost with smooth/cookie icing is best. Makes about 5 dozen.

New spin on cookie cutouts: stick on cookie tattoos to your finished product. Just cut around the edible picture, freeze, peel and stick onto any frosted cookie to create a one-of-kind cookie design.

Not enough time for cookie cutouts?

Try these easy Peanut Butter Squares

Ingredients:
1 - 28 oz jar crunchy peanut butter
2 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla

Topping:

12 ounces of chocolate morsels
1/2 cup of butter
1 1/2 teaspoon of water

Mix with hands (great for kids to help with). Press into a small cookie sheets (13x9). Melt the chocolate morsels and butter in a double broiler (sauce pan filled 1/4 of the way with water and glass bowl placed over top of water - place on stove on high, water will begin boiling under glass bowl). Add water and spread on top of peanut butter mixture. Chill in refrigerator and cut into squares.

The ABC's of baking cookies

Did you know that most children loose about 30% or more of what they learned during summer?

Only 3 more weeks of summer vacationing, then back to school. For young readers, a fun way to get back in the "swing" of things is to re-introduce sight words through fun and inventive techniques. Cookie cutters, shaped in the letters of the alphabet, are a great way to ignite interest. Sold individually(through Press Dough), kindergartners and 1st graders have fun using letter shaped cookie cutters to spell, decorate cookies, and work on projects (dip in fingerpaint for letter impression).

For an additional teaching opportunity, get the children measuring, mixing, and rolling out cookie dough for that arithmetic advantage. A connection between academics and real life begin to make more sense and will engage children in understanding why they need education. It is an effective way to get your child on the right path in realizing the importance of studying and school work.

Teachers:

Alphabet/lettered cookie cutters will keep the child engaged. Use for child assessments or as a visual for handwriting, particularly students who may need extra tools and/or techniques (i.e. special needs, autistic students). Handwriting without tears is a method used in many school districts to give students a breakdown of each letter. For some students a visual support is necessary. Letters made of cookie cutters can change things up a bit and may actually get the student(s) more focused on the task at "hand".

Jazzed Rice Krispies Treats

Rice Krispies Treats are fun and easy. Don't stop at cutting then into boring squares. With a little extra special touch, Rice Krispies treats can be jazzed up and exciting to eat.

Rice Krispies Treats Recipe:

Melt, on low heat, 3 Tbls. of margarine or butter in large pot. Add 4 cups of mini marshmallows or 1 10 oz. package of regular marshmallows (stir frequently). Take off heat and stir in 6 cups of Rice Krispies. Spread into a greased (cooking spray) 13x9 pan and let set for a couple of hours.

When Rice Krispies treats are ready, gently release the sheet of treats from the pan and place on wax paper or counter. Jazz the treats by:

1. Cutting into fun shapes with ease using the Press Dough cookie cutters.

2. Create chocolate covered (w/sprinkles) Rice Krispies Suckers - Just cut treats into round (or other) shapes and push popsicle or cookie sticks into the bottom sides. It's a great way to limit messy fingers too!

Melt chocolate: Melt 1 cup chocolate morsels and 1 Tbls. shortening in a double broiler (heat resistant bowl over pan of boiling water). Stir continually. Dip sucker treats into melted chocolate, place on wax paper, and sprinkle with sprinkles. Refrigerate to harden then wrap in plastic wrap or plastic gusset bag. For an even more festive look, tie plastic with ribbon.

3. Rice Krispies Sundaes - Use the remnant pieces of Rice Krispies treats after cutting shapes or rip off small pieces and place in sundae dish or bowl. Drip melted chocolate over pieces and sprinkle, sprinkles on top. Place in refrigerator to harden.

Note: Substitute chocolate syrup or caramel for ease or place remnant pieces in a baggy. The small pieces are perfect to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Star Spangled Cookie Cutter Craft

In need of some crafty-kid ideas for your BBQ?

Paint with cookie cutters!

Any cookie cutter shapes will do(hearts, trucks, trains, stars, letters). Star shapes will add to the Independence day theme. Kids can "create" their own firework display.

Supplies:
Cookie Cutters
Washable paint (tempera or finger)
paper plates
paper
old t-shirts

Directions:
1. Squeeze a fair amount of paint on each paper plate (1 color each plate)
2. Give children old t-shirts to put on, a piece of paper and choice of cookie cutter(s).
3. Just dip cookie cutter into paint and stamp on piece of paper for a collage look or to color in later.

Once dry - kids can color in their shapes or create their own special fireworks display!

Tip: Kids love to see their name. Using letter shaped cookie cutters is a teaching opportunity and allows each to learn to spell their own name, read, or simply understand the alphabet.

Crafty & Cheap Summer Fun

Bubble Blower

Kids love this simple (& crafty) toy!

Supplies:

• plastic cup
• round piece of felt
• rubber band
• straw (cut)
• dish soap
• water (spray bottle)

Directions:

Tie felt around plastic cup. Cut small hole in the top of the plastic cup to feed straw through. Cut straw length just enough to touch top of felt (straw should be angled upwards). Pour small amount of dish detergent on top of felt. Spray felt with water.

Have Fun! Once the kids blow into the straw, bubbles will begin to form on top of the felt. They love this. Go outside with some breeze and see the bubble float through the neighborhood. This will keep the kids distracted for tons of time.

Hint: Great party idea!