Soft Christmas Sugar Cookies w/ Cream Cheese Frosting

I first tasted this sugar cookie a few years back when a girlfriend of mine
made these for her neighbor gifts. And any one who knows me I am the QUEEN of
Cream Cheese frosting. I love it on everything. So I talked Nicole into giving me the recipe
for the sugar cookies. I am not a fan of "crisp" cookies. And these are so soft, PERFECT!

Cream together:

2 eggs
2 C. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla

Then add:
1 C. Sour Cream ( don't use Fat Free, it doesn't work...I tried!)
1 C. margarine; soften

Add remaining above it well blended:

1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
5 C. flour

Mix well if dough is a bit "sticky" add a little bit more flour.

* now you can go ahead and roll it out and cut out shapes and bake,
at this point. Or you can chill the dough for a couple hours.
I have done both, I prefer to chill first.

Bake @ 350 for 8-10 minutes until edges are light brown.


MY Cream Cheese Frosting:

2 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese; soften
1/2 C. margarine; soften
2 tsp. vanilla
6 C. Powdered sugar

First beat together the cream cheese & margarine.
When smooth add the vanilla & flour.

*NOTE: you can freeze these cookies ahead of time and frost later.
And Nicole has even froze her's with the frosting on!

Christmas goodies.....

I know this doesn't look or even sound like it would be good.
But the combination is a nice surprise. I first learned about the Peppermint & Lemons from a college roommate. And ever since then when I see these "soft" peppermint sticks,
I grab some up and buy the lemons.
You really do have to try it ...before you turn your nose up!

All you need is some fresh lemons, a box or two of the "soft" Peppermint sticks.
(you can use regular candy canes, however it takes a while for you to make "holes" in the stick to suck up the lemon juice)

Cut a lemon in half, Bite off each end of the peppermint stick. Then push down into the center of lemon. As you begin to suck up the lemon juice, the stick with dissolve from the acid of the lemon. So I always use about 2 sticks per 1/2 of lemon.

Give it a try you will be surprised how good it is. Enjoy!

Las Vegas Rock-n-Roll Marathon

Well on Dec. 5th (my Birthday) I was doing something I wanted & loved to do!

I ran in the Las Vegas Marathon. I had hopes of doing the Full (26.2 miles) because this was the first marathon I ever did! So I was hoping to see if I could beat my time.
However.....my feet still have tender new skin spots on them from the 60 miles I did last month. And to add to that little problem, I broke my big toe over the Thanksgiving weekend. So I wasn't sure as to how well I would do.

And for the First time since I have been running marathons ( a year now) some family members came to support & watch me run! So I really wanted to do to well for them. But around mile 9 I knew my feet wouldn't hold out for the Full. So I choose to finish the 1/2 marathon. I was upset, but didn't want to make my feet worse by pushing it. It turned out o.k. though....I ended up getting a PR (personal record).

So now I am in training for the P.F. Chang's Rock-n-Roll Arizona 1/2 Marathon
that's on Jan. 16th 2011. I hope to have my feet fully healed by then.

And look who was at the running Expo......SUGAR RAY! (still looks good!)

And BRETT MICHAELS was the Finishers concert. He was AWESOME!
And he still looks HOT!

Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

Have you every bought or received a package of Sugar Cookie Mix?
And weren't to happy with the results?

Well I have a recipe for you to use that store bought mix, that will make you WANT to go buy another package! Ha, ha....no really!

You will need the following:

1 pouch (1 lb. 1.5 oz) of Sugar cookie Mix

1/3 C. margarine melted

2 TBSP flour

1 egg

2 (8oz.) packages of cream cheese; soften

3/4 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract

2 eggs

3/4 c. Strawberry spreadable jam (no chunks of fruit)

Preheat oven to 375

In bowl combine cookie mix, margarine, flour, and 1 egg. Mix until soft dough forms. Then press into a 9x13 sprayed pan. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool for 15 minutes.

In a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, extract, and 2 eggs until smooth.
Pour filling over cooled crust, place the fruit spread in a baggie and cut off a corner. "Pipe" 3 lines of filling over top. Then "pull" a knife through each line in opposite direction making a swirl pattern.

Return to oven and bake again for another 25-30 minutes or until set.
Refrigerate until chilled. (at least 2 hrs.) Cut into bars and serve.

Store in refrigerator.