Swedish Crispy Syrup Cookies

Last year, I participated in the first Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap and had such a blast that I thought I'd do it again!

This year, the GFBCS organizers asked that all participants donate $4 to the "Cookies for Kids Cancer" campaign. The participating bloggers raised $2,300, and OXO generously matched this donation, bringing the total to $4,600! Thanks OXO!!

Just like last year, I was matched with three bloggers to send my cookies to. These bloggers were:

Chris from The Keenan Cookbook (beautiful site, Chris and Rachel!)

Karen from Small Kitchen, Big Taste (great recipes for bakers and cooks alike!)

Becca from The Salted Cookie (she likes champagne, her grandpa, and Alton Brown-esque analog tweets... sounds like my kind of gal!)

And I received cookies from:

Kathy from Panini Happy and Cooking on the Side (she made Spritz cookies)

Jessica from My Baking Heart (she made Spiced Rum cookies)

Becca from It's Yummilicious (she made Almond Log cookies)

This year, I decided to make Swedish Crispy Syrup Cookies. I received a copy of Swedish Desserts: 80 Traditional Recipes by Cecilia Vikbladh to review from Skyhorse Publishing, Inc. (Thanks Skyhorse!) The recipe was really easy to follow, but the cookies didn't turn out as crispy as I thought. This could be "user error," as perhaps I should have rolled out the logs thinner. The cookies did stay soft and syrupy in the center, though, so I got that right :-). I would qualify these cookies as good "dunkers..." you know, the kind that go perfect dunked into your coffee. I think adding a little bit of cocoa powder to these cookies would make them the perfect accompaniment to hot chocolate.

I'm really looking forward to trying a few other recipes from the book, especially the variations of Saffron Buns for Christmas morning, lemon twists, and Panettone with Limoncello.

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Crispy Syrup Cookies
From Swedish Desserts: 80 Traditional Recipes by Cecilia Vikbladh
Makes about 40 cookies

1 1/3 sticks butter (room temperature)
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup light corn syrup
1 egg yolk
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder

1. Whisk butter, sugar, corn syrup, and egg yolk together, preferably with an electric mixer.

2. Mix and add flour, vanilla, and baking powder. Let the dough rest in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. Set the over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

3. Split the dough into four equal parts and roll them out on the two baking sheets so that they stretch from one end to the other lengthwise. Flatten them lightly with your hand. Bake for 15 minutes and cut into pieces while still hot. Let the cookies cool on the sheet. Store them in a tin with a lid.

No Kid Hungry

After a very festive, delicious, abundant Thanksgiving meal, it's hard to remember that there are people in my country that still go without. "How am I going to eat to today?" has never been a question I have had to ask myself (unless you count restaurant or meal-prep decisions), but that question forms the foundation of many lives here in the US. Life hasn't always been extravagant or easy for me, but I've never had to go without a good meal for lack of resources or affording it, even when things were tight.

One out of five kids in this country struggle with hunger. One in five! That means there is a good chance someone your kids (if you have them) go to school with, or a kid you pass on the street, is hungry right now. And we're not talking those 11am hunger pangs. No - this is real hunger.... hunger that becomes the essence of a life. The unbearable reality that penetrates every action.

Fortunately there are organizations like Share Our Strength who create initiatives like No Kid Hungry. Hunger seems like a dire dilemma (especially when you look at the numbers), but the No Kid Hungry campaign has created simple, accessible solutions to alleviate this issue in America. Right now, Share Our Strength is asking for a simple $1 donation to bring a child in need 10 breakfasts. Yep - 10 breakfasts! That's a whole lot of improvement for less than your cuppa coffee this morning. For $18, you can provide breakfast for one child for an entire school year.

Let's do some math here. Remember that Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latter shortage earlier this year? Let's say you would traditionally order a venti Pumpkin Spice Latte every day before work. And then the shortage hit, and your world fell apart. What if you took that money and donated to the No Kid Hungry campaign? You just bought breakfast for a kid, for an entire school year, and then some. Good for you!!

Today is the last day for Share Our Strength to hit its fundraising goals. And you can help! Just Click Here to donate to the cause (enter your desired amount in the "other" box). That's it! And if you really feeling up to it, try going without breakfast for a few days, then go to work and see how productive you are. Then you will really know how much your donation will change one kid's life. Pick-up some of these adorable holiday cards, too, to help spread the message!!

Thanks for being good eggs, my friends. I know I can count on you to help in this important mission!!! Xoxo :-)

Quick disclaimer: I am overjoyed to be working with The Mission List to bring this information to you. Please go check TML out, if you have a minute. Here's a little bit about donating to Share Our Strength/No Kid Hungry (since it is important that you know how your donation is used and that you donate to reputable sources!!): Share Our Strength is a registered 501(c)(3) private, nonprofit organization.

Federal identification number:52-1367538. Share Our Strength is a nonprofit and uses donations to connect children facing hunger with nutritious meals in their communities, homes and schools. Gifts made to Share Our Strength will leverage the time, expertise, and additional funds needed to end child hunger in America. All donations are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law. Donate today and help us provide a hungry child his next meal.

Food Day Favorites

I totally missed posting about World Food Day. And National Food Day. Ugh. But that doesn't mean I wasn't celebrating! Indeed, I was using the five steps of the GROW Method and continue to incorporate those ideas into my culinary pursuits.

Oxfam America GROW campaign has created some awesome Pinterest boards to help me with these efforts (well, not just me,  but everybody, I suppose). I thought I'd share some of my favorite ideas from the Oxfam GROW Method Pinterest page to help you incorporate the GROW Method into your own cooking style.

No-Bake Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Quick Whole Food Lunches

Honey and Soy Glazed Steak with Mango-Chili Salsa

Vegetable Tart

Poached Pears in Puff Pastry (say that three times fast)

Sauteed Kale with Red Onions and Garlic

Brussels Sprouts with Cranberries, Gorgonzola, Pecans, and Balsamic Vinegar

You can check out the rest of the Oxfam GROW Method Pinterest boards here (I highly recommend a follow!). Happy pinning and eating!

How the GROW Method Works

As I've mentioned, the Oxfam America GROW Method is a simple way to help folks like you and me make the global food system more fair. The GROW Method follows five principles to achieve this: Save Food, Support, Cook Smart, Seasonal, and Less.

Just like the above graphic shows, there are easy ways to help promote a fair food system from your own kitchen. Reduce the amount of waste your create, buy from small/independent producers, cut down on water and energy use, buy food that's in season (or better yet... grow your own!), and eat less meat and dairy on occasion to reduce greenhouse gas.

The below publication offers some more ideas from the GROW Method. Take a look, if you'd like.

Open publication - Free publishing

I'll be sharing more tips with you leading up to World Food Day on October 16. Stay tuned!

This post (and my sharing on social media) was inspired by my participation in a compensated program initiated by Women Online/The Mission List to raise awareness about Oxfam America's GROW Method. All commentary and opinions are, of course, my own. 

Oxfam America's GROW Method

I'm a big believer in eating local, buying sustainable products, and supporting small, independent farmers. I can see first-hand how doing so affect my life directly. Often I wonder about how my actions contribute to similar global causes - does this really help keep money in the community? Are my actions reflected in other communities? Does this to anything to help combat global issues like poverty, hunger, and the distribution of resources? Unless you have infinite hours in the day to read lots of reports and research, it's kind of hard to know (and this is coming from someone with a Masters degree in Political Science, aka a research junkie!)

Thankfully, there are organizations like Oxfam America who monitor these issues for me. And it doesn't only monitor, it creates programs to end disparities like hunger, poverty, and injustice. Working with individuals and groups in more than 90 countries, Oxfam saves lives, helps people overcome poverty, and fights for social justice. Oxfam America is one of 17 affiliates in the international confederation of Oxfam.

Oxfam America has created the GROW Method to help average peeps (like you and me) contribute to the mission of making the food system more fair for everyone. The above slideshow has five easy tips for doing this from your own dining table. Save Food, Support, Cook Smart, Seasonal, and Less are the guiding principles for the GROW Method, and Oxfam America have pulled together a whole host of resources to help you in this information. Check out Oxfam's Pinterest boards, or like Oxfam America on Facebook.

I'll be sharing more tips with you leading up to World Food Day on October 16. Stay tuned!

This post (and my sharing on social media) was inspired by my participation in a compensated program initiated by Women Online/The Mission List to raise awareness about Oxfam America's GROW Method. All commentary and opinions are, of course, my own. 

How to Live Sustainably: Go Vintage

One of the basic tenets of living sustainably is to follow the three Rs: Recycle, Reduce, Reuse. Sure, I buy new things when I need to, but the thrill of finding a great vintage or thrifted item is too good to pass up. Edith and I didn't make it out to the antiques festival this weekend (we all slept in a bit on Saturday morning, then decided to include "the boys" on a family breakfast down at the Duanesburg Diner), but I did make a quick stop at the local Goodwill. In search of some new entertaining pieces, I easily could have hopped online and ordered from Pottery Barn; instead, I used the opportunity to live sustainably and go vintage.

I really love the look of pressed- and hobnail glass, and had been eying these tumblers from Pottery Barn for a while:

Set of six Victorian Tumblers, $36

I lucked out and found a similarly-styled version at Goodwill:

Sure, they aren't exactly the same, but they feel heavier and of better quality than the PB option. I could only find four, but that amount will certainly suffice for a few mojitos or Pimm's Cups shared with friends on the sunporch this summer. And the best part? This set was only $8.

I also stumbled upon this set of pressed-glass serving bowls. Perfect for candy, nuts or relishes ($4):

My favorite find of the day might be these little candle holders. I can't wait to use them ($4):

In one trip to Goodwill I was able to practice the three Rs, and found three sets of new goodies for less than half of what I would have paid for the PB purchase.* Before you toss out old household items, think about donating or saving for a tag sale. If you are looking for a few new pieces to add to a collection, consider hitting up your local thrift shop. It's a fun way to encourage sustainable living!



*In my opinion, if you can't find a second-hand item that fits your needs or makes you happy, buy new. Don't feel guilty about it! If you are against thrifted items all together, consider purchasing new goods from companies that include social and environmental responsibility in their practices.

Sustainable Snippets

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Happy Friday! Man, can you believe March is more than half-over? 2011 seems to be flying by. Another week nearly done. I trust you have recovered from your St. Patty's Day hangover by now (depends on if you were drinking green beer or Irish Whiskey, one supposes!).

I thought I'd use Fridays to share some articles from around the web about issues related (in some way) to sustainability. So, here's round one. Happy reading!

A few simple ideas for DIY foodstuffs (this is SO the Silly Goose Farm lifestyle!)

Good thing growing season is right around the corner!

One must really like pigs to give-up vacations (did you know some breeds of pigs are smarter than dogs?)

Where was this when I was single? (I met my husband in a restaurant)

Get your Chicory Stout while the getting's good (yay craft beer!)

I've got to get that garden planned

For Japan With Love

All posts originally scheduled for today will be available tomorrow. Instead, I'm joining the bandwagon and participating in a day of silence for Japan. All the destruction is truly horrific, but the images and stories of parents not being able to find their children are what really break my heart. I can't even imagine (Eric crawled under the couch once and I freaked...). I hope you will consider making a donation to help relief efforts. In the meantime, here is an interesting story about American donations to Japan.

What Does Artisanal Really Mean?

Just wanted to drop in quick to give you a heads-up about a post I just added to my other blog. It's about the meaning of artisanal. You might be surprised. If you would like to check it out, click here.

Sorry for my silence as of late. More on that soon. In the meantime, we just received another FOURTEEN INCHES of snow at Silly Goose Farm, and we're all going crazy. Even the dogs. As soon as they saw the snow, the tried to climb back inside the house and howled and wimpered like they were being toutured.

Hope the weather is to your liking where you live. And thanks for stopping by :-)