Guest Post: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star

Merry Christmas my friends, can you all believe the holiday season everyone dreams about is finally here for us 😀 😀 😀 😀

I hope you are all celebrating with family friends this joyous occasion of 2012, with lots of wonderful festivities, food and laughter 🙂

I wish I could be here with you all, and I promise to celebrate with you all belatedly but right now, I am with my family in India as I should be during this fabulous time 🙂

But no fear, no fear, I have some incredible guestposts lined up for you all and I hope each and every one brings a smile to your faces like they did mine – what else is Christmas and New Years about if not grinning? 😀

Happy Holidays!!!

P.S. I will not be commenting on ANY blogs for approximately 2 weeks so please do not think I have forgotten about anyone, I will be back on task straight after holidays 🙂

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As I type I am just about to leave for the airport so I better make this quick! Today, I will be on a plane whisking me off to India so without further ado, today’s guest post comes from a blogging friend of mine very close to my heart, Kim from A Little Lunch. She is one of the sweetest people I know, and I know you will discover more about that just by reading her amazing guest post. Being so close to the wonderful holiday season, I asked for a traditional holiday recipe and this recipe, so personal, familial and lovely was perfect.

Allow me to present to you all Kim, affectionately called Kimby 🙂

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Hi everybody! Kimby here. When Uru invited me to do a guest post for the holidays, I couldn’t have been more tickled. I didn’t get to bake much this past summer (record-setting heat wave in Oklahoma), but with the recent cooler temps, baking was the first thing that came to mind. After all, her blog is named “Go Bake Yourself!”

Although Uru and I live half a world apart, it occurred to me that we both live under a beautiful starry sky. Someday I’d like to see the Southern Hemisphere constellations, but in the meantime, I’ve baked an entire galaxy for us to enjoy.

I also couldn’t resist making my lovely hostess a couple of “sammich cookies”. Uru is well known for combining things, especially where chocolate is concerned (I refer to her stellar concoction, the Brookie…) This one’s for you, Uru.

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Of course, I had to taste test 😉

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One of my favourite holiday traditions is making rolled-out cookies. When my kids were little, they’d help and we’d break out the whole “decorator arsenal” – coloured sugars, sprinkles, multi-coloured batches of frosting, you name it. But knowing how busy everyone is (especially Uru), I decided to keep things simple. A drizzle of melted chocolate, a sprinkle of coarse sugar, and these cookies were decorated in no time!

Rolled Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (2 sticks) butter (room temperature)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 cups plain flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cups chocolate chips, for garnish
  • Coarse sugar, for garnish

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F)
  2. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add egg yolks, milk and vanilla; mix well
  4. Gradually add the flour mixture (I used a wooden spoon for this) until combined. Cover and chill dough until firm
  5. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough with a rolling pin until 1/8″ thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters (dip cutters in flour to keep them from sticking). Transfer cut outs to ungreased cookie sheets; bake for 8-10 minutes until the bottoms are light golden (check them at 8 minutes). Cool on wire racks
  6. When cookies are cool, melt chocolate chips in a double boiler over simmering water. Drizzle melted chocolate over cookies and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Alternatively, sprinkle coloured sugar on the cut outs prior to baking, or decorate them “traditionally” with powdered sugar icing once they’ve cooled.

Recipe Credit: My elderly neighbour, Florence, who delighted in surprising my family with a plateful of cookies each year.

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No matter where you live in the world, the stars always seem to shine a little brighter during the holidays. Happy Holidays, Choc Chip Uru and everyone!

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Aaah, Kimby you are so refreshing. I am looking up at the stars as I type this and you are right. We are all under the same roof in a way :). It was lovely to have you and your beautiful cookies featured here today my friend, thank you so much!

Have a happy holiday and if everyone wants to see more spirit and gusto by this wonderful blogger, visit her beautiful blog right now 😀

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81 Comments

  6. Denise says:

    My kids, even though they are large, will love making these. Think I’ll plan for it on New Year’s Eve…it’ll be a great treat after we run the Flashlight 5k.

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    • Kimby says:

      This was the first time I’d used chocolate to decorate these cookies, Foodie Affair, and you’re right — everything’s better with a lil’ bit of chocolate! 🙂

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  14. Shirley Tay says:

    Howdy! It’s awesome seeing two lovely bloggers sharing their post. Both of u are such wonderful & cheerful people & u know I’m a huge fan of your blogs, right? These X’mas stars are twinkling in my heart & I want them all for myself! Hahaha! When r u ladies gonna bake for me?? Merry X’mas, Uru & Kim!!

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  16. Veronica says:

    Very tickled to see you on Uru’s blog, Kimby, and I love that you used stars and your thoughts about living under the same ones as Uru, even continents away. The cookies are so pretty, and love your “sammich” cookie! 🙂

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    • Kimby says:

      Dear Food Stories, I love that we “met” in Australia! Merry Christmas and I hope you get some time to put your feet up. Personally, I think you’re a saint — nurses ROCK!!! 🙂

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  29. Balvinder says:

    The previous comment was for Guru URU

    Hi Kimby, Your sweet snacks are always a sensation. These cookies with sugar and chocolate on top looks gorgeously twinkling. Have wonderful Christmas!

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  36. mmmarzipan says:

    Oh I love the look of these cookies and I know my son would too! He loves to sing ‘Twinkle, twinkle little star’ and does so every time he sees a star shape (so rather a lot at this time of year 😉 )! Lovely guest post! All the best to you and your family CCU! Happy holidays xxx

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    • Kimby says:

      Thank you, A_Boleyn! This recipe can also be adapted to “every day” use — roll the dough into 1-1/2″ balls & press them down (on a baking sheet) with a glass dipped in sugar — no frosting required. (But I’m kinda partial to chocolate and sparkles!) 😉

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    • Kimby says:

      Pleased you could join our lil’ party here, John! I see you’re on a quest for “flavor” (per your early posts) — lol, I grew up on Spam with brown sugar, too. Glad you enjoyed the post — and the cookies! 🙂

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  42. Kimby says:

    Uru, thanks so much for allowing me to fill in while you’re enjoying time with your family! Rest assured, I’ll respond to comments (hopefully with as much flair!) as you typically do. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and get some SLEEP! 😉

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  43. Pingback: My Guest Post for Choc Chip Uru on Go Bake Yourself « a little lunch

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