Baking Tools

I love to bake. I have a few tools that I love to use when I am baking.

I love my new cherry pitter. I can actually do four with mine, with two different size options. There is an attached tray to hold the juice and pits to save a mess. It makes cherry pie so much eaiser!

I love my pastry chopper/scrapper. I use it for herbs, pie crusts, you name it! It's a beautiful thing.

I love my apple corer. Ryan likes this gadget more than me, but it sure is helpful with apple pies!


I love my cookie scoops. I have 3 sizes now. They are great for well, cookies. And cupcakes. And muffins.

I love my Better Homes and Gardens cookbook. My favorite. And it's def. seen some better days.

And my favorite baking tool...my super duper heavy duty all time amazing, Kitchen Aid Mixer. LOVE IT!

Hadlies First Birthday-Baked Goods!

For my niece's first Birthday my Sis-in-Law asked me to help out. I decorated the main cake, and made some delicious cookies from my favorite cook book Better Homes & Garden. The cookies are called "Melt-m-your-mouth Sugar Cookies".

Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

Mix together butter and shortening. Add sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Beat in as much flour as you can and stir in the remaining flour.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 300 oven for about 15 minutes or until sides are set. Do not let edges brown. Cool on cookie sheet for one minute and transfer to wire rack and let cool. Yields approximately 60 cookies



For the cake we just used a normal sheet cake. We also used the ball shaped cake pans to make the lady bugs. A hostess snowball and black licorice made the face of the lady bug. To create the grass, I just used a grass frosting tip.