Multi Tasker + Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Ted and I are both up and around about  2 to 3 hours in advance of our breakfast time but STILL feel a time crunch when making our morning meal.  You would THINK we would allow more time to eat, read the paper and relax.  We don’t.  We have to rush and that results in the attempts at multi tasking.  On this particular morning, Ted’s lack of  “Muti Tasking” skills shone through. 

THE SCENE:

As I was preparing my breakfast, I heard the coffee maker buzzing, gurgling, snorting, and finally pouring away.  I looked over and saw the above scene.  Odd? It really sounded like coffee being poured into the cup.  Hmmm, well… maybe it was just refilling the water well. 

This is what happened:  Ted put the coffee in the brewer, put cream in his cup, pressed the button but forgot to put the cup under the brewer as he hurried over to the stove to finish making his breakfast.  Meanwhile, the coffee poured into the drip tray, barely containing the 12 ounces of liquid. 

After I questioned his intent:  “Honey? Are you trying something different over here or did you suffer a brain fart?   Ted said “OH NO! I was Multi-Tasking.!”  

Sometimes multi tasking in an attempt to save time results in costing you MORE time.  In this case, EXTRA CLEANUP.  No more multi tasking for Ted.  Both he and I are now very nervous every time he considers making coffee.  In fact, he said there should be an instruction sheet attached to the coffee maker.

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT!

I discovered a new APP!  I have a Kindle but rarely take it anywhere with me. It’s my bedroom reading material.  When I saw this app for Kindle download for the iPhone, I thought “I’ve GOT to get that APP!”.  It was FREE and I love it!

This is what I read today:

Great  short story about the two runners who fueled each other to make Boston Marathon history.  Exciting! 

A quote from Alberto Salazar that I copied and will keep re-reading for motivation:

Survival. Toughness.  It’s your ability to hold on just a little bit longer than anybody else.  You cry, and wish you could end it, and you have all these doubts, but if you want to win, you have to hold on and not let go.

The “win” for me translates into “achieving your goal”.

What’s your favorite iPhone app?

SOUR CREAM SUGAR COOKIES

A recipe from Cuisine at Home eRecipes.  Light and lemony.  I love biting into these mildly sweet, smooth and bright seasonal gems.

Makes 4 dozen – depending on the size of your cookie cutter

• 3 1/4 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/4 cup light sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• zest of one lemon
• 2 sticks unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a bowl, combine the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt. 

Whisk the sour cream into the beaten eggs.  Add the vanilla.  Set aside.

Using your mixer, cream the butter with both sugars and add the lemon juice and zest.  Add the egg and sour cream mixture. 

Add the flour half at a time and mix until incorporated. 

Divide the dough into thirds, wrap in wax paper and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper *When you line your baking sheet with parchment, this prevents the bottom of the cookie from turning brown which is important when baking cookies you wish to decorate later.

Roll out one third of the dough at a time and use a cookie cutter to form desired shapes.  Place about 1” apart on baking sheet and bake about 12 minutes. 

*You can freeze these in an undecorated state for up to one month.

Decorate the cookies on Christmas Eve and make sure to leave a plate out for Santa!

Does Santa get a plate of cookies at your house?

Joanne