Xmas Gifts....

Christmas time is the time for giving, sharing and gifting....Sometimes in the mad rush of commercialization and life getting in our way.. we forget the simple joys of giving home made and hand made gifts....The store brought cookies are loaded with fat, sugar and don't know what stuff goes in those while making them as good as they taste.....but ever read the label.. there are so many things.. whose names are so difficult to even read....that it has started to take away simple joy of giving someone a gift that will be remembered and cherished....so am getting back to the basics in a slow and steady way....not that I don't hit the stores...for gifts.. but when I can and have time, I do like to add these cookie bags to the gifts too.....I am in the process of making the gifts....First to be done are these Cookie bags....next am packing few Banana Nut Cake rusks.. M are you listening.....I did Finally RUSK it......and it does taste superb.. thanks a ton for gifting that post!!!!

For the cookies.. run after;

http://indulge-ashscorner.blogspot.com/2010/12/xmas-cookies.html

and for the Rusk..Grab this;

http://acookatheart.blogspot.com/2010/12/so-i-decided-to-rusk-it.html

The pictures of more gift bags will follow when I am finished wrapping them....

Till then Happy Holidays and Goodwill and Peace from my heart!!!!

Love Ash.

Xmas Cookies

Christmas time is for Secret Santa's.. Baking and Much more.....when we were kids we never had any of this at home.. but being form a Church school.. Christmas was celebrated in my school every year.. with class parties followed by a week long vacation.....When I came to US, I was always amazed at the Christmas spirit... shopping in COLD... for days and weeks ahead....going home and baking the treats....then gift wrapping and the parties........it was surely a lot of work for one and all....we never had it at our home.. till.. we had KIDS..... then when my elder one turned 3-4...my Hubby became his secret Santa..and now we also follow this tradition.. of exchanging gifts, baking cookies for Santa and keeping sugar for his Tired Reindeer's.... and The TREE!!!!!!! how can we forget that...Although I am against cutting trees; so we GO GREEN by using the same tree every year.. till the time I can.. at least.....

Coming back to my version of Xmas Cookies

2 cups-All Purpose flour
1.5 sticks Butter chilled
1 cup Sugar
Juice of one Lime and Zest from that lime..
Milk As required
Coloured Sugar for Decoration


Preheat the oven to 350°F. Take flour in a bowl. Add chilled butter cut into small pieces and mix with fingertips till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.  add the zest of the lime and the juice..Add powdered sugar and mix. Add milk if needed and knead lightly taking care not to overwork the dough. Chill the dough in plastic wrap for about 30 mins....Sprinkle some flour on the worktop and roll out the dough to one-fourth inch thickness. With Heart shaped cookie cutters cut out Cookies. top them with coloured sugar and bake for 10-12 minutes...Cool and enjoyy...

Happy Holidays.. HO Ho Ho!!!!
Love Ash.

Elmo Cake---

MY Son turned " 3" this Month.. so as all kids he wanted a Special cake for home bday.. school bday..so I made this cake for his School friends.. they were a bunch of delighted toddlers.. they literally pounced on me when I entered the class with ELMO...By Far the most popular Character in this age group.....I just cannot forget the feeling I get, when 20 pairs of eyes shine with amusement and smiles that go form ear to ear....They all now want me to bake this Cake for their bdays... as well!!!!!!

Hope you bake this for your little ones!!!!

I baked my fav Choc Date Cake without nuts-- as I feel it is by far the healthiest cake I have ever baked before....

http://indulge-ashscorner.blogspot.com/2010/09/date-with-choc-walnut-cake.html

and frosted this cake with regular whipped cream frosting.....

Till I bake again,

Love Ash.

This is on my mind....

I am participating in Rhonda Jeans of Down-to-earth blog fame" This is on my mind Friday Feature".. I made this cake last Sat for my sons 3rd bday.. but it was so cute.. that I have been asked to make It again this weekend....so this is what is on my mind now......
http://indulge-ashscorner.blogspot.com/2010/12/carousel-cake.html

Thanks for visiting and  do leave  a comment.....

Love
Ash.

Carousel cake

My Younger Son Turned '3" on Saturday!! Yippeee.. the age where he becomes Independent and I get some time on my hands.....or so I Wish!!!!!!!!!

For his B'Day, he wanted  a Carousel Cake like the real thing in the MALL...with some convincing, I bargained him into replacing the horses for  the Cars and Air Planes......well I did try baking the horses and the whales...but the cookie dough was runny and it did enlarge the horses into giant size....so it went into my kids tummies and not on the cake....

I simplified my job with the rolled fondant and cut into the shape of cars and planes.. and placed them on the cake....and did the two tier cake with the lower tier as the base and the upper tier decorated as the circus tent with a clown face.. the cake was a sure hit with my kids...who hugged me and made my day!!!!!!

Till I Bake Again,

Love Ash,.