Root Beer Cookies

I found a recipe over at www.makeandtakes.com/root-beer-cookies for root beer cookies and loving root beer and cookies I decided to make them yesterday for a MOMS luncheon I was attending. They are very good...make sure you like root beer if you make these. I'm going to post the basic recipe, but if you want more pictures and more insight into root beer concentrate or different ideas of what to do with the batter, jump on over to the above mentioned blog.

Recipe for Root Beer Cookies:

Makes about 4 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. root beer extract
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup water (optional–only use if dough is too dry)
Root Beer frosting (recipe below)

1. Cream butter and dark brown sugar until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the root beer extract. Whisk dry ingredients together. Add a little at a time to the creamed mixture.
2. Chill for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease several baking sheets, or line them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Roll into small balls (about 1″ diameter). I like to use a mini-ice cream scoop so that the cookies end up evenly sized. at least an hour.
4. Place them on the pan, leaving a bit of space between the cookies. Gently press the tops of the dough. (If you leave out the water, sometimes the cookies don’t spread very much.) Bake for 6-8 minutes, rotating cookie sheet halfway through.
5. Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet before placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.

Frosting Recipe:
1 cup butter
3 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. root beer extract
a few tablespoons hot water

1. Beat butter on high with an electric mixer until it is fluffy. Add a little powdered sugar and the root beer extract. Beat until smooth. Add remaining powdered sugar alternately with a little hot water until a nice spreading consistency has been reached.
2. Frost the cooled cookies and let stand for a few minutes to let the frosting set up. (It should dry a bit on the top.) You can leave out the root beer extract and you’ll have a tasty, soft brown sugar cookie.

Heart & Sole

Heart & Sole is a 6 week program sponsored by the local Hospital to encourage people to get out and walk for a healthier lifestyle. Area residents can sign up as an individual or a team and they record their steps daily. There aren't any prizes, but of course some of the groups are very competitive. I've joined my MOMS group team and we hope to beat the MOMS group from across town!

It gives me a reason to get out there and walk as often as possible. So far I've been out twice this week and my goal is 5 days. I walked a mile this morning (about 3300 steps) and I'm thinking I can up that to a mile and a half either at the end of the week or next Monday!

An exhausting week...

I had just walked into the house with my groceries Monday morning and my phone rang...on the other end was the call system for an afternoon substitute job at a nearby school...and I thought, "Okay, I can do half a day..." I get to the school and the secretary looks at me with a "deer in headlights" look and tells me that she had put in the wrong day for the library substitute job, BUT, one of the teacher's needed to leave on an emergency family call and they could use me in her spot. It turned out the teacher would need to be out of work for the week and so I spent the last week in a classroom of KINDERGARTNERS!!! I've been exhausted! Who knew a classroom of 5 yr. olds could wear a person down. Oh well, its OVER! and now I have a nice bit of extra money to start buying X-mas presents with.

I think I'm going to take this week off...except for the library substitute position which is later this week, and I'm going to do some shopping!

Operation "A New Me"

• It's been 2 weeks since my last update. Things are going slow...not how I want it to go, but it is going. Last week I had re-gained 2 lbs. from my last lose of over 9, so I was pretty bummed! I seem to be busy all the time and it has gotten hot and humid again...and yes these are excuses for not exercising the last 2 weeks!

I've re-lost that 2 lbs., so I'm holding steady at the weight I was 2 weeks ago, but I have to start getting that exercise into my routine. My goal this week is to walk 3 times. I need to get "my rear in gear"!!!

My goal is to only eat 1500 calories everyday, but it usually turns out to be about 1650-1700. I can live with that number, if I can get the exercise in, I know I will start dropping the weight, since 1700 calories is probably 1000 calories less than I was eating 3 weeks ago. If I can stay near that 1500 number, I allow myself a little candy every night...and believe me I want that candy!!! so I really try to stay at 1500 calories.

• Water is my friend. I have upped my intake from about 1 cup a day to 5-6 cups a day...some of them come in the form of crystal light, but not all. I'm remembering how much I like drinking water. I've cut a lot of bread from my diet. Burgers are usually bunless now and last night when I read the calories for a cup of couscous and realized that I couldn't eat that much in a sitting, really boosted my confidence.
• I think I'm doing alright. Even my friends are amazed that I'm sticking to the diet. They are VERY encouraging. Thank you friends and family!

Happy Birthday Hubby and Son!

My Husband and Son were both born on Labor Day, although they have different birthdates, so we usually spend Labor Day weekend celebrating their birthdays.

My Youngest decided he wanted to go with an Indiana Jones theme this year, although it was a toss up between it and Star Wars...I steered him toward Indiana Jones, since he had a Star Wars birthday last year. Unfortunately my Husband doesn't usually get his own cake. One a weekend is enough in this house! He did get Bratwurst (his favorite) and he went and bought himself some imported dark beers from the liquor store.

Indiana Jones 2 for the DS...he's been asking for this game since it came out.

Grandma has to buy him clothes...he loves his new Star Wars shirt.

Star Wars and Legos...2 of his favorite things combined!

Some of the Cousins were here for the party. Aren't they cute?

Grandma and her boys. It was a great party.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!