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Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Julie of Joy's Hope & Her Betty Crocker Fantabulousness

I met Julie at Blog Sugar last February and I asked her nonchalantly "What do you blog about?" Do you remember that Julie? She said in reply, very nonchalantly, "Oh, this and that." After Blog Sugar, I went home and blog stalked all the people I had met that day, including, Joy's Hope. And I said "Dude! This girl's like, big-time. Like the biggest name in blogging I've met IRL." (We're from Southern California, so it is totally appropriate to still, at age 34, say words like Dude, Like, and Totally. Just so you know.) There is a reason Julie has such a following. She is real, funny, dang good in the kitchen and dang good at making a ginormous chalk board. But she is also amazingly encouraging and filled with faith. Need a pick me up ladies? Head on over to Joy's Hope. But I'm sure most of you already know that...so here is Julie in all her Betty Crocker loveliness.

Last month I was invited to bake in the Betty Crocker kitchens.  It was a dream come true.  A dream that I didn't even know was possible to have.  We spent the day going from station to station, with everything set up for us, then someone to clean up after us.  Pretty much baking bliss.
A highlight of all of the recipes were a simple, yet elegant version of sugar cookies.  They were called Citrus Kissed Fig Thumbprints.  Beautiful, festive and incorporating figs, which are apparently all the rage in culinary circles.  Speaking of which, I would love a bowl of Andrea's Vanilla Fig ice cream right this very minute.
But so much of me wished I had smuggled my most favorite preserves through airport security.  Three ounces totally disguised as shampoo?  Not questionable at all.  I knew what I would make when I returned.  Citrus Kissed Thumbprints with a desert island twist.
A nice benefit of having a giant chalkboard in your kitchen, is that you can randomly write recipes upon it. Easy to refer to as you are baking, say if you lost your glasses...
This is difficult.  Very difficult.  This sad little bottle of vanilla is a cold harsh reminder of the one that has gone before it.  My precious, precious Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Vanilla.  My beloved friend that took a dive off of the pantry shelf to it's ultimate untimely demise.  I'm still not over it.  I may never be.  That is until he is replaced.  But my pantry does smell delightful.
I discovered and fell in love with Betty Crocker's easy pouch cookie mixes.  I don't know where they have been all of my life.  There are a million and one ways to doctor them up.  My favorite jams and jellies being one of them.
I am not a foodie.  I am not a snob.  Well not totally true.  I truly believe that life is too complicated to eat store bought frosting.  Or bad preserves.  I still remember the toast and marmalade I had in Australia nine years ago.  I even smuggled quite a bit home with me.  There is really no comparison to handmade, homemade, small batch jams and jelly.  The care, creativity and freshness that goes into each jar cannot be duplicated by store brands.  Last fall I fell absolutely in love with a jar of Blackberry Jalapeno Jelly from Edible Creations.  Honestly, I always thought jalapeno jelly was weird.  Maybe because the ones that I had seen previously have all been a strange glowing green.  But out of curiosity I tried it.  One taste.  My knees nearly buckled.  I was done for.  I originally bought it to pour over warm brie for girl's night out.  But then I came to my senses.  This was not to be shared.  This was mine.  All mine.  Not even with my best friends.   But today I am feeling crazy.  Generous even.  Mark it down.  Days like this are few and far between when it comes to my precious.
I always do my best baking while listening to good music.  My current love is Mumford & Sons, although they sort of make me want to put on a wool coat and drown my sorrows at the local pub.  I'll drown them in a bowl of sugar cookie dough instead.

So what do you do with the ingredients, you ask?
Preheat oven to 375º

Combine cookie mix, flour, melted butter, lemon peel, orange peel, vanilla and egg until a soft dough forms. (I used the zest of an entire lemon and an entire orange.  Trying to collect it and put it in a measuring spoon... who has the patience for that?  If you don't have yourself a microplane yet, do yourself a favor.  You will be zesting like it is your job!)

When the dough is good and combined roll it into 1 inch balls.  Then roll each one in sugar.  Feel free to use regular, super fine or course.  Sometimes I love the crunch of course sugar, but I don't always have it in my pantry.
I happened to have four flavors of Edible Creations in my fridge.  Two for me, two for the husband and kids.  I decided to make a myriad of flavors to please everyone, but I had to make a concerted effort not to grab a spoon and eat them straight out of the jars.
Can we chat for a minute about mason jars?  I love them.  Adore them.  Their timelessness.  Their usefulness. Old ones.  New ones.  Cupcakes in them.  Flowers in them.  Lemonade in them.  They are one of my favorite things.  There is no such thing as too many.  Don't get me started on this drink dispenser... sigh.  It is just too wonderful.
 But back to the cookies.  Place them two inches apart on ungreased baking sheet.  Using your thumb or for your OCD girls,  the handle of a wooden spoon, make an indentation in the center of each cookie.  Spoon about 1/4 teaspoon of preserves into each indentation.
Bake at 375º for 7-9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.  Cool two minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.  If by chance there are any left over, store tightly closed at room temperature.
And while I want to keep every single scrumptious morsel of my desert island jelly, I want to spread the good name of jalapeno in jellies.  I want the world to know the wonder that is Edible Creations.  This 16 oz. jar of awesome is looking for a new home.  A home that will love it as much as I do.
I also couldn't resist throwing in a copy of Betty Crocker's Fall Baking magazine.  I am not a big fall girl, mainly because in Cali we don't see much of the season, but I do love me some cozy fall food.  I could make one of every single recipe in this pretty magazine.  With Bakerella on the cover, no less!

Thanks for taking this rambling cookie making journey with me.  For letting me ramble on about my girl Betty Crocker, preserves and mason jars.  Happy baking.  Let me know how they turn out!

Alright friends, you know what to do! Leave a comment, get an entry. Tweet, Facebook, blog, become a follower, you name it, get even more entries! Just leave a separate comment for each shenanigan. And one of you lucky souls will walk away with some JAM and a dang cool COOKBOOK!

58 comments:

  1. I absolutely LOVE this post!!
    How exciting you got to bake in their kitchen!!
    Love all of your pics too....your blog looks fabulous!!

    Enter my F21 Giftcard Giveaway!!
    Statements in Fashion Blog

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  2. Yummy...though I must admit that I am a fan of the Smucker's grape variety. Could I be any less jelly-snob? Will work on it when I WIN your jelly!!!!

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  3. Those cookies look great! Love your blog!

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  4. Hi Andrea, I'm a new follower! Just love those little Betty Crocker cookbooks at the checkout. They always get me, I really should just get a subscription!
    How cool that you got to cook in Betty's kitchen!

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  5. Andrea, I like the "new" site! Nice!

    And, the guest bloggers too! And, well, I l-o-v-e raspberry jalp jelly! Would love to win some. This was a great post. I like the semi-homemade ways of doctoring up a cookie mix!

    ~Jodi

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  6. Love Julie's blog and happened upon your fun blog through Megan's wonderful Whatever blog! They are two of my favorites that's for sure. :)

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  7. Can't wait to try these! Delish!! I also LOVE those Betty Crocker cookbooks. My Grandma started a collection of them for me. They always remind me of her when I'm baking.

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  8. Julie IS RAD! She made me like Cali again! If you don't read her, RUN and gobble up her lovely blog and how she delights in her family, friends, Jesus, crafty and yummy goodness and her beloved GAWgeous aqua. She rocks!

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  9. Great post and how cool that you got to bake in Betty's Kitchen.
    You know my love for cooking and baking . . .I just don't like the clean up!

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  10. first of all, i can't believe you didn't know who julie was! i sort of can't get over that. second, i may not be able to cook, but baking is my friend. i will definitely be making some of these goodies.

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  11. I love Julie's blog and her recipes. This recipe is a keeper.

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  12. yum.
    i was thinking about giving up sugar again....maybe not.

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  13. I need me some jam, pear would be lovely and Joy said I have to try something. I told her I was going to try the raspberry jalapeno but I'm scared (don't tell her).

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  14. Thanks for the recipe! Those cookies look delish! That fancy jalapeno jelly scares me a little...but I know my hubs would LOVE some if I won! {Plus, Bakerella on the cover of the Betty Crocker book?! TOO cool!} ;)

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  15. Oh my lovliness! Julie is one of my fav people in blogland!! A very "true" person!! And the jams- I'm off to the website!! :) Thanks!

    candy at fiber dot net

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  16. Oh yes, I follow you now too :)

    candy at fiber dot net

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  17. Love, LOVE, LOVE Julie! Thanks for hosting her!

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  18. These look fantastic- can't wait to try them!

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  19. This blackberry jalapeno you speak of and the raspberry jalapeno Julie speaks of needs to be at my house, like pronto. I'm heading to Edible Creations next to scope out the goods! YUM!

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  20. p.s. i became a follower of your lovely blog!

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  21. Yum! Those look delish. Thanks for the recipe Julie. :)

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  22. i believe i NEED that jelly! yum, it looks so good.

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  23. Thanks to these yummy looking cookies I am now a happy follower of your blog!

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  24. Love Julie's blog! LOVE this recipe. I can't wait to get my fingers on some of that raspberry jalapeno jelly. YUM-O! We love all things jalapeno here in Texas.

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  25. Yummy ...cant resist...gotta get my bake on !

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  27. Loved this post and those cookies look so yummy! I am a new follower and cookbook addict, so I would love to win this little book and some tasty jelly :)

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  28. Love Julies Blog and now yours;)

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  29. I am now a follower of your blog:)

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  30. love julie's blog! I've been eyeing that cookbook every time I'm at the grocery store.

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  31. What a fabulous post! I love Joy's Hope, Baking, Bakerella & Jellie! :) I hope I win!

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  32. I love her blog. I read EVERY day. Now I love your blog too! I hope I win!

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  33. Yummers!! That cake stand is to die for. As soon as I can turn the oven on and not die from this heat i'm going to try these

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  34. Always want to make thumb print cookies and never want to take the time...BUT ...I NEVER thought of doctoring some Betty mix! Thanks!! I will be making these :)

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  35. Did I hear cookbook? I could use that! My poor husband married me two months ago and is now loosing weight! I'm not lying. Its true!

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  36. I follow you on twitter: @Kara_Photo. Now, for one more point, will you follow me?! :D

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  37. Oh Wowwwwyyy!!!! I would be soooo Happy to add this baking book to my fall collection.. Awesome Giveaway!!!!

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  38. Yum! I am a big fan of regular jalapeno jelly so I definitely want to try a rasPberry version :) I love reading Julie's blog too!

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  39. Love Julie & all her fun recipes! She has never let me down & I can't wait to try these cookies! YUM!

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  40. you had me at COOKIES!! love the new look of your blog FABulous baby!

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  41. How yummy I love thumbprint cookies...think I need to order some jam :)

    Heidi
    heicoc@yahoo.com

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  42. My sister makes a great jalapeno jelly. I also thought it was weird until I tried it. So delicious!

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  43. now if only I could taste those jams through the computer...

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  44. Love your blog site! I've been fortunate to have several jars of the jalapeno blend jellies and jams from my friend Flo. She's amazing and Smucker's has got nothing over her. I will enjoy seeing more of your site. Food is the vehicle to the heart - and my heart is full knowing that someone else shares my love of Edible Creations jams and jellies..... That reminds me, I'm all out of my jalapeno blueberry ;-)

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  45. just found your site through Joys and love it! great design! excited about the giveaway as well

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  46. I love love those b/c cookie bags when I am in a pinch or feeling lazy! ;) especially the sugar cookies, gingerbread and ok fine peanutbutter ones too! ha ha! they make great cut outs for christmas cookies too! and snickerdoodles! yummy!! ;) I will try your version of citrus thump prints too! my kids are sure to love em!

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  47. I would love eat one of those cookies right now!
    Thanks for the great post and giveaway.

    :) Laura F.

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  48. I'm now following your blog also.
    Thanks for the chance to win!

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