One of the best "refrigerator cookies" I've ever eaten from vintagerevivals.com
(Swig Sugar Cookies)

It is hot around here and, of course, we are moving into our new home.  We never move when it is cold, or raining... only when the sweat drips down your back from simply opening the back of the giant UHaul truck.  And don't get me started about the sauna that occurs in the truck after an hour or so in the sun.  The last thing I want to be doing during a move is cook!  I do, however, feel obligated to provide icy cold drinks, snacks and lunch for the various wonderful persons helping us pack and unpack that UHaul hotbox.  I try to get the kitchen cleaned and moved first, but if things get out of control and I can't manage that there is always the freezer! Currently I've got chili and THE BEST giant sugar cookies put away in the chill box for the crew coming. OMG. I sound like the Pioneer Woman or Ina Garten...

If I don't use the following recipes during the move, I certainly will for entertaining after we are settled.  I know you will find at least one that you will want to make this month.  They all are great and I have made and photographed them over the last few months and just want to "dump" them on you before I forget!  Heaven knows it is going to be hard enough for me to remember my new address...

Swig Sugar Cookies

I found this recipe on Pinterest.  It is from a blog by Mandi called vintagerevivals.com.  She is not a food blogger, but has fallen in love with a sugar cookie made at a little bakery called Swig.  Mandi has quite a life story including working through her husband's addiction and struggling to hold her family together.  From my cursory read, her faith has played an important role in her life.  Her story is interesting and I would encourage you to look at her DIY and decorating blog.

But back to the cookies...

Mandi experimented with many sugar cookie recipes and came up with this one that tasted like her beloved Swig cookies.  She asks on her blog that instead of giving out the recipe you refer people to her blog, but come on, seriously, she put it on Pinterest.

I have made these cookies twice.  The first time I frosted them (see the picture above).  The sour cream frosting is easy and delicious, but personally I feel like it is unnecessary.  The second time I made these I added lemon flavoring and they were delicious without any frosting! They are thick, moist if you don't overcook them, and can handle any flavoring you want to add to them.  Almond would be delish. These cookies are best kept in the fridge and hold-up well to freezing.  I'm feeding them to my moving crew for sure!!

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (room temp.)

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoons water

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter

1 teaspoon salt

5 1/2 cups flour

Directions:

Cream together butter, vegetable oil, sugars, water and eggs.  Combine the dry ingredients and slowely add to butter mixture.  Mix until combined.  The dough will be very dry.  Use an ice cream scoop and scoop balls of dough onto a parchment-covered cookie sheet.

Using the bottom of a large glass, flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch thick after dipping it into a small bowl of granulated sugar mixed with a pinch of salt.

Bake at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes.  They should be just slightly brown on the bottom.  Move cookies to cooling rack and once they are completely cooled refrigerate them in an airtight container.

Sour Cream Frosting

(This makes a lot of frosting)

One 2 lb package of powdered sugar (you might not use it all)

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup milk

red food coloring (optional)

Cream together butter and sour cream and salt.  Slowly add powdered sugar.  When it begins to get very thick add a splash of milk.  Alternate sugar and milk until the frosting is the desired consistency.  If you want it to be pink like the Swig cookie, add one drop of red food coloring and whip on high for 1 minute.

Mandi says that the "magic of a Swig Sugar Cookie is that the cookies are cold and the frosting is room temperature."  Therefore, keep the cookies and frosting refrigerated and let the frosting come up to room temperature before using it.  The cookie should be frosted just before serving.

Thanks Mandi!

Pizza with a salad on top!

Summer is coming to an end and so are the blackberries in Oregon.  For the last few years all I had to do was walk out my front door, get my ladder, and be careful of the thorns.  I always got a little peeved when others from the neighborhood would walk down our dirt road and pick the berries.  They were on the other side of the road and not on our property, but we cut them back every year, backed our cars into them at times accidentally, shoveled snow into them in January while I was trying to get my car up to the top of the driveway, and darn it, those people should have known better!  But I digress, and for the record, let me say that I never begrudged the cute little kids the berries,  just their parents and grandparents :) 

Whether or not you can pick your own blackberries as I did, or even if they are out of season, this brie pizza, or as the recipe suggests, small pizzas or "pizzettas," is delicious and could be topped with any sort of berry you can get your hands on.  I especially like the fennel browned with the onion topping, and just the right amount of salt and pepper to taste makes the perfect base for the fresh arugula topping.

As mentioned in the pictures above, I found a great quick yeast pizza dough.  This dough does not need to rise and holds up to all of the semi-wet toppings well.  It does tend to get a bit hard on the second day, but it is so good that hopefully you won't have much left.

Quick and Easy Pizza Crust

allrecipes.com

Ingredients:

1 package active dry yeast

1 teaspoon white sugar

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

In a medium bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water.  Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.  Stir in flour, salt and oil.  Beat until smooth.  Let rest for 5 minutes.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat or roll into a round.  Transfer crust to a lightly greased pizza pan dusted with cornmeal.  Top and bake.

Blackberry-Brie Pizzettas

Southern Living Magazine

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1 large sweet onion, thinly sliced

1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons EVOO

12 oz Brie cheese, sliced

1 1/2 cups blackberries or sliced figs or blueberries or raspberries

3/4 cup chopped toasted pecans (or other nuts - see picture below)

2 cups arugula

1/4 cup torn basil leaves

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and fennel and cook, stirring often until golden brown.  Shape pizza dough into 6 inch rounds and place on greased, cornmealed pans.  The above dough recipe will make 4-5 of these.  Brush each piece with EVOO.  Top rounds with cheese slices, blackberries, and onion mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown at the bottom. 

Toss together arugula, nuts, basil, and balsamic vinegar with a touch of olive oil.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle baked pizzettas with arugula mixture just before serving.