Day...whatever...of Christmas Cookies

Well I'm not really going day by day on the Christmas cookies. It's my blog I can do what I want. So here is today's cookie!!!

Eggnog Sandwich Cookies

Ingredients:
Cookies:
1 C butter softened
1 1/4 C sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 C sour cream
2 1/2 C AP flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbs sugar
1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger

Filling:
1/2 c butter, softened
1/4 C shortening
2 1/2 C powdered sugar
2 tbs bourbon

Process:
Preheat oven to 350. (I had to boost my oven temp to 375 to make them brown on the bottom)
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk and beat until blended. Combine flour and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mix until well blended.

Combine sugar, nutmeg, and ginger in a small bowl. Form dough into small balls, dip top into sugar mixture, place on parchment lined baking sheet and flatten slightly.

Bake 12 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

Beat butter and shortening until well blended. Add powdered sugar and bourbon; beat until blended. Spread on flat side of a cookie and top with another cookie.

Blog Fail/Christmas Cookies

Ok, so I failed miserably at the Pumpkin a day recipe challenge...oops! But you know what... I'm in law school!! That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!

Anyways, finals ended on the ninth and believe me I have been baking since (and before) then, after all I hate studying.

So I'll just start catching up for December Christmas Cookies. Now I must remind you! I'm leaving on a cruise on the 24th...so that's when the cookies end!!

Alrighty, we're going to start with...

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies!
These were a request from Robert and I couldn't find a recipe I liked, so this is my own creation!! How fun!!

Ingredients
1 C Butter
1 3/4 C Sugar
2 Eggs
2 TBS Peppermint Extract
2 C AP flour
1 C Cocoa (Dutch Process)
1 TSP Baking soda
1/2 TSP Salt
1 C Chocolate Chips

Process:
Set oven to 375 F
In a bowl mix together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt.
Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in eggs and peppermint extract and mix until thoroughly combined. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet, you might want to do this in installments. When then is all combined and looks like cookie dough stir in the chocolate chips. Now, I added crushed peppermints! You can add these to the batter, or roll the cookies in the crushed peppermints, or sprinkle on top after baking...really whatever you want.
Now scoop them onto a parchment or silicone mat lined cookie pan and into your pre heated oven.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the cookies look done on the bottom. I check this by lifting one edge with a spatula. Since these are chocolate it's harder to tell, but feel the center, you don't want your finger to sink it, but you don't want it to be hard either (that's burned).

Oct. 18th pumpkin surprise

Hmmm, I don't even remember the last pumpkin I posted on here. I've been cheating and just saying what I've made on FB instead of posting pictures and the recipes on here. Don't worry, I'll catch up when I'm dead less busy. So today I'm going recipeless. I know what I'm making and have a recipe to base mine off of, but the original recipe is full of icky healthy things, like stevia, non dairy milk, and spelt...yuck! So I'm going to try it with lots of better things!! It's going to be an inside out chocolate pumpkin pie...and no I'm not explaining that. You'll just have to wait until I get the pictures and the recipe up! MWHAHAHAH!!!

12 days of Pumpkin!

So today is October 12...not really...but pretend ok!!

Today's recipe is...Crock pot pumpkin soup!!

1 small pumpkin; seeds removed and flesh diced
2 potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
olive oil
fresh parsley, chopped
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons cream
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons soy sauce
sour cream
chopped fresh chives

Place the pumpkin, potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic in crockpot with 1/4 cup water. Cover; cook on high for 3-4 hours or until soft.

Place vegetables and oil in food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Return to crockpot with parsley, salt & pepper, cream, butter, and soy sauce.

Cover; cook on high for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives.

Day 2!

And now I'm pretending it's Sunday, Oct. 2nd!!! And the recipe of the day is....

Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls!!

Now, this is the recipe I used...I think the rolls came out a little doughy so I will be modifying the recipe once I get a chance. I will update this then.


For the dough:
* 1/4 cup warm water
* 1 package active dry yeast
* 1/3 cup warm milk
* 1 egg beaten
* 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
* 1 Tablespoon melted butter
* 2 cups flour
* 1 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon cardamom

For the filling:
* 1 stick softened butter
* 2/3 cup sugar
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 2 teaspoons cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon allspice
* 1/2 teaspoon ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon cloves
* 1/2 cup hazelnuts, chopped (I left these out)

For the frosting:
4 ounces softened cream cheese
1/2 cup softened butter
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
3/4 teaspoon lemon juice
2/3 cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl, stir the water(warm) and yeast together. Let it stand for about 5 minutes or until it is foamy. Add the milk, egg, butter, pumpkin, brown sugar, whole pastry wheat flour, salt, and spices. Mix well for 2 minutes. Add the flour (a little at a time, about 1 1/2 cups to start) until the dough comes together.
Knead until the dough pulls away from the side. The dough will become smooth and elastic.
Put the dough in an oiled bowl. Cover with a towel and let sit in a warm place. Let the dough double, about an hour.

In the meantime you can make the filling. Mix together the sugars and spices.

When the dough has doubled, turn it out on a flour surface. Cut the dough in half.
Roll the dough out into a rectangle, approximately 12×16 inches. Spread the butter all over.


Sprinkle with the sugar mixture and hazelnuts. Roll into a 20 inch log. Slice the roll into 15 slices. Place the slices in a greased 9×13 pan or two 9 inch cake pans. Repeat with the other half of dough.
Cover the pans with a towel and let rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.


Bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes.


Cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Beat in the powdered sugar until smooth. Frost the rolls with the frosting and serve immediately. Alternatively, you can put the rolls in the fridge after you place them in the pan. You can take them out of the fridge and let rise and bake.

Day 11 of Pumpkin Madness!

Yes, I know I've missed a few days on here...I made the pumpkin things but haven't posted the recipes or pictures :(


But anyways!! This is Tuesday, Oct. 11 on this blog. And the recipe is....


Pumpkin Scones!!


Ingredients for the scones:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
3 tablespoons half-and-half
1 large egg


Plain glaze:
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk


Spiced glaze:
1 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (freshly ground)
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly ground if you please)
1 pinch ground ginger
1 pinch ground cloves


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silimat; set aside.


In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with fit the paddle attachment, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture. Mix on medium-low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal, with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half-and-half and egg.

Fold wet ingredients into dry ingredients,

and form the dough into a ball. (I had to turn the mixer back on for this, it just didn't come together with the folding)

Pat out dough onto a lightly floured surface and form into a 1-inch thick rectangle about 4 inches by 12 inches.

Use a large knife to slice the dough making three equal portions.

Cut each of the portions in an X pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until light brown.

Place on wire rack to cool.

While the scones are cooling, make the powdered sugar glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth. When scones are cool, use a pastry brush to spread plain glaze over the top of each scone. Allow to firm.

While the powdered sugar glaze is firming, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced glaze. Drizzle over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (I did this with a fork, it was quite fun...and messy :)

.

A Pumpkin A Day Keeps The...

Wow, it's been nearly a year since I last posted!! I've been busy to say the least.

Anyways, I've decided October is going to be the beginning of a pumpkin recipe a day challenge. It's a challenge between me and my kitchen, but if you want to join feel free! I have added some fun to my challenge though...I will not be using canned pumpkin, I will only be using fresh pumpkin that I make into a puree myself.


So to catch you up I'll pretend it's Oct. 1st and go from there!

Day 1 of 31 days of Pumpkin!!
The Recipe is...

Pumpkin Muffins!!!

Makes 30 muffins
3 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
2 cups canned pumpkin(or homemade puree)
2/3 cup water
3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
Optional: 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, or 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Fill muffin cups with liners or spray with a cooking spray (I did both).

Mix sugar and oil using an electric mixer. Add eggs and blend. Add pumpkin and blend. Add water and blend. Combine the remaining ingredients in a separate bowl and add slowly, scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. (If you want to add chocolate chips, add them now).



Fill muffin cups equally and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle of muffins comes out clean. (I just press the middle to see if it springs back instead of the toothpick test)

Catch up day! 3rd Day of Cookies

So, I've been making the cookies but have been failing to write about them! Oh no!! It's ok though because today is the last day of classes, after 5:10 today I will have nothing to do but study, bake, and write! Oh Joy!! So just to catch up: The 3rd Day of Cookies was Brown Sugar Shortbread! They were very tasty and super easy to make!


Brown Sugar Shortbread:
1 c butter, softened
1/2 c packed brown sugar
2 1/4 c ap flour
(yes, that is the whole ingredient list)

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually stir in flour and mix well. Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead 'til smooth (about 3 minutes) Pat into a rectangle(ish) 1/3 in thick, 11in x 8 in.

Cut into 2 in x 1 in strips. Place 1 inch apart on baking sheet. Prick with fork.

Bake at 300F for 25 minutes (mine took 18) or until lightly browned. Cool!

2nd Day of 25 Days of Cookies!!

Thursday was my second day of cookies, I had no inspiration for what cookie to pick so my roommate chose for me. She picked a white chocolate peppermint drop. They turned out quite tasty I must say even if I did mess up the recipe (shhh!)

Here's the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens:

8 oz white baking chocolate with cocoa butter, chopped
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 c ap flour
2/3 c crushed candy canes

Preheat oven to 375F, in a small saucepan melt 4 oz of the white chocolate over low heat, cool slightly.
In a large bowl beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in melted white chocolate. Gradually beat in flour. Using a wooden spoon stir in remaining white choclate and crushed candy canes.
Drop dough by rounded teaspoon onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or lightly browned edges. Transfer cookies to cooling rack.

25 DAYS OF COOKIES!!!!

Since today is the first day of December I decided it should also be the first day of 25 of cookies! The general idea being that I am going to make one type of cookie a day until December 25th. On December 25th I will either make a 25th type or make the favorite of the previous 24, haven't decided on that part yet.

Anyways my first cookie is a gingerbread "snowflakes". I didn't have a snowflake cookie cutter so mine are gingerbread snowmen, angels and christmas trees.

Here's the recipe!
1 c butter, softened
1 c sugar
1 c molasses
1/4 c water
5 c ap flour
2 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in molasses and water. Combine flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, salt; gradually add to butter, mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hr or until easy to handle.
On lightly floured surface roll out to 1/4in thickness. Cut with cookie cutters dipped in flour. Place on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until edges are firm. Let cool on racks.

Frosting:
3 3/4 c powdered sugar
1/4 c water
1 1/2 tsp light corn syrup
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In small bowl combine frosting ingredients. Beat until smooth. Transfer to plastic bag, cut a small hole in the corner of the bag, pipe onto cookies.

Christmas Countdown

I know it seems like I've forgotten I have a blog...ok maybe I did for a little while! But hey I'm back now!! I've been sooo busy with school and graduation plans and after graduation plans etc etc. Anyways enough of my excuses on why I've neglected you. So it's something like 7 weeks til Christmas and I've decided that every week will be a new cookie or dessert for Christmas. I don't have one picked out yet, but I should have it by Wednesday since that's when I plan on baking. So if I'm not back tomorrow I will definitely be writing on Wednesday! Until then...BYE!!

The beginning of the end

I began my last semester of undergraduate today. During my two classes I didn't feel any pangs of nervousness or anxiety about the prospect of graduating, probably because it doesn't seem real to me without an accepted degree application.

But now it does feels strange, it's not the senior year of high school, can't wait to get out and into college feeling. It's more like what in the world am I getting myself into feeling. What do I do once this is over? I have so many choices and options its slightly overwhelming. Although I do still plan on attending law school, it won't be for at least a year, so what do I do in the meantime? Work on a graduate degree? Teach? Get some other sort of grown up job? I have no idea, I don't even know where to begin really.

But I'm sure all that knowledge will come as the semester wears on and the novelty of the beginning of the end has faded. It will be back to the grindstone of reading and writing papers, translating an ancient language and translating a language of symbols.

Who knows maybe I'll discover something else I want to do, or take a dramatic turn and go to pastry school. It's all just a couple of months away, yet far enough in the future that I'm not overly concerned right now.

Back to bed then, to start a new day, attend new classes, and meet new people.

New City Same Story

Welp, I've been "settling in" to Austin now for about 3 weeks. although I'm sure there is much to do here, I've haven't been able to experience any of it thanks to my INTENSIVE greek class. It's worse than a full time job, after work you go home and rest, after Greek you go home and do more Greek! But I'm learning tons and getting much better at Greek! Even being an Aggie at the other school hasn't been too bad, there's only classmate who makes a big deal about it, but we all just ignore him :) All in all, Austin is growing on me, I like it here. And once I get to go out and do things I'm sure it will be even better!

AT THE BEACH!!!!

We have successfully made our yearly migration to the beach! By we I mean my mom, two of my sisters and my and grandma. We are also about a month early. All these things have to do with my summer schedule. I am taking an intensive greek class at that school in Austin ALL summer long. My mom didn't want me to miss out on the beach so we decided that us (college) girls would head to the beach early! YAY!

Catherine and I flew out of Midland International Airport Sunday morning, we met my mom and grandma in Dallas, they had flown from the San Angelo airport. Then we flew to Norfolk, VA where we met Candace who had flown from Houston to Miami to Norfolk. Quite an exciting way to meet up don't you think?

Well from Norfolk we jumped in our rental car and headed to Nags Head, NC, home of our beach house. It's only a 90 mile drive, but it was already dark and it's been raining since we got here...not much beach time :(

Oh well I'm still sitting in my bedroom with my windows open, listening to the ocean roll in and out, the rain hitting the shingles, and my sisters cleaning downstairs (hahaha), waiting on my mom to get back with some delicious Dixie BBQ, pork not brisket as we are in the South and not in Texas. All in all it's going to be an awesome 2 weeks (if it stops raining).

Pet Addiction?

So if you've even glanced over any of the pictures on here you might have noticed that I have pets. My two lovely labs Lizzy and Dixie and my fluff cat Pliny (Iske's brother), Pliny's mother returned home a couple of weeks ago, the prodigal pregnant cat. She was very very preggers so I brought her in, went and bought kitten food and made her a box in the garage. The next morning I come out to 5 tiny mewing babies. They are adorable, but really...I now have 7 cats.

Which brings me to my point, my pet addiction. I've found a new hobby as of late, I can't help myself but to stop anytime I see a lost animal running around. I pick it up, take it home, feed it and love it, and post on Craigslist that I've found it.

The first time this opened was about a month ago, I rescued 3 puppies that were chained together running down Victoria, well really the lab puppy and pit mix puppy were dragging the dachshund puppy along with them. I had them for 2 days and a night when their very grateful owners called me from my ad and came and picked them up.

Well it happened again last night, I was outside with Dixie admiring my new walkway lights when two big dogs came bounding down the street. A big German Shepherd mix and a Yellow Lab mix. They had collars but no tags, so I brought them in and put them in the backyard. My neighbor went walking Peanut and Dixie and happened upon the missing dogs owners out looking for them. Another happy ending!! I just can't help it, it's addicting to take in these animals, care for them, make sure they're not out in the elements and then reunite them happily with their owners. Is this wrong? I could get in trouble in the long run if owners don't show...then what do I do with the babies? Oh well, to quote Ms. Scarlett O'Hara, "I can't think about that right now. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow."

Lemon Poke Cake

I know, I know, I've been away for a while. I've been busy and distracted and bla bla bla...really I've just been too lazy to post anything. Sad. Well today I was pretty productive and made a seafood gumbo and a lemon poke cake. I used to make this lemon cake when I was 14 or 15 over the summer at the beach, so just the smell held some awesome memories for me. Well here's the recipe, and hopefully if there is any cake left I'll get some pictures up.

3/4 c water
1 .3 oz pck lemon jello
4 eggs
1 bx lemon cake mix
3/4 vegetable oil
juice of 2 lemons
2 c powdered sugar

Mix water, jello and eggs. Beat 1 minute on medium. Add cake mix, beat 2 minutes. Add oil and beat 1-2 minutes until smooth. Bake in a 9*13in pan at 325 F for 35-40 minutes. While cake is still warm poke lots of small holes all over the cake, mix lemon juice and powdered sugar, drizzle all over cake.

Aloha Baby!

Spring Break 2010 was an amazing week of adventures. The family and Sparky (Candace's BF) flew out to Oahu, Hawaii on Sunday.

The majority of the family drove from Monahans, Tx to Midland, Tx and caught a flight to Dallas. I drove from College Station to Stephenville, dropped off my pups and Cafrine and I drove to Dallas to meet them at the airport. From Dallas we flew to LAX, had an hour layover and then flew to Honolulu, Hawaii.

We arrived around 8pm...which back home in Texas is 1AM and not a good time to call the boyfriend :). My mom had a special surprise for us and she had rented 2 Sebring convertibles! A red one and a white one. I rode in the red one all week! Being thoroughly exhausted we drove to our hotel, got somewhat settled and then the family headed out to P.F. Changs for dinner.
The next week was full of activities, adventures, learning experiences, and no end of hilarious moments! To summarize:
Monday: loaded up the family in the convertibles, put the tops down and drove completely around the island. We stopped at beach on Northshore where Cassandra lost a battle with the waves. Grabbed lunch at a local surfer grill and shared our lunch with the numerous cats and chickens roaming the patio. We also drove to the military base...they won't let you in...then we made a stop at the Dole Plantation, I found pearls in some oysters, had some of the best pineapple ice cream I've ever tasted and enjoyed listening to the history of the plantation. We stopped for a photograph moment at a small cove, I fell out of a tree, and then headed back to the hotel for Happy Hour!! We definitely got happy...everyone was pretty toasty for the rest of the night, so we walked to dinner at Duke's.
Tuesday: We made a more historical visit this day, we went to Pearl Harbor. We boarded the USS Missouri, took a boat to the Arizona and learned about the Zeros that bombed Hawaii at the Pacific Aviation Museum. We headed back to the hotel for yet another Happy Hour and had dinner at Tony Roma's...not Tony Romo's because as my dad said...we would choke.
Wednesday:
On Wednesday we went to the Swap Meet at Aloha Stadium. Lots of shopping, but not a lot of money spent :) my favorite! The rest of the day was spent at the beach where we ate a fresh pinapple! Then more happy hour and dinner at the Yard House, and because it was St. Patty's day, Sparky and I had an Irish Carbomb. I had fish and chips and the rest of the family had Shepherds Pie. I also enjoyed a Maui Brewing Coconut Porter.
Thursday:
Thursday started out as a beach day, we rented an outrigger and with the help of the captain and his first mate, rowed somewhat in sync out into the breakers. I was the lead...and believe me, it's a lot harder than it sounds to get everyone in rhythm. We caught a few waves, and turned it. Then we loaded up and headed to the Polynesian Cultural Center to learn about the history of the Polynesian Islands from natives (with a BYUofH spin of course), we enjoyed a luau and then watched HA! The Breath of Life. This lasted until around 9:30 so afterwards we just went to bed.
Friday:
We had made plans for a "hole in the wall" food tour with Michael Gray for Friday, and believe me it was the best idea ever! We stopped at some cool bakeries, walked around Chinatown and learned alot about the history of the food we were eating. It was amazing! Then more happy hour, and we ate at a surfer grill that I can't remember the name of right at the moment.
Saturday:
Saturday was adventure day! We went to the beach and surfed, then went parasailing. That what truly one of the most amazing experiences of my life! I suggest you try it! After that we changed and headed up the Diamond Head. The hike up Diamond Head is supposed to be 45 minutes, well we made it up in 18. Talk about being in pain...the burn was powerful and I felt bad for the soldiers and mules who used to make the climb daily. After Diamond Head we...you know where this is going...went to Happy Hour. For dinner that night we went to a local diner. It was probably some of the best food we'd had the entire trip.
Sunday:
Sunday was a rush of packing, repacking, and hustling to get to the airport by 11AM. We flew out of Honolulu at 12:45 and landed in San Francisco for a 2 hour layover. We landed in Dallas at 5:40AM Monday morning. Quite a trip.

Pictures should be up soon!

Pliny Thursday

Pliny guarding his closet fort

Cute Little Boutiques

Have you ever driven by one of those cute little boutique stores with their antiques and adorable home decor?

Well I made the mistake of driving down Longmire yesterday and was tempted by one such store called the Checkered Corner. I went in to peruse the merchandise and left with some purchases.

One purchase is the mug you see here. Isn't it adorable with my initial and everything!! I just couldn't pass it up! And it was on sale (shhhhhh)! My other purchase was a candle whose title is "sandcastle". I don't know if it actually smells like sandcastles, but it does remind me of the beach so I'm happy with it.

These little antique stores are really my weakness, I can't pass up the original art and other unique things they have!

Well I'm off to enjoy a fresh cup of tea in my new mug!

Craving Coconut

As I was sitting in my kitchen messing with my computer I had a sudden urge for coconut, so I thought about what I could make and macaroons immediately came to mind! So here's my recipe! And they are tasty and satisfied my urge! Also...I have no idea what to do with the 4 left over egg yolks...any suggestions?

Super Easy Macaroons
1 14oz package angel flake coconut
2/3 c sugar
6 tbs flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1 tsp almond extract

Preheat oven to 325F.
Mix coconut, sugar, flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in egg whites and almond extract until well blended.
Drop onto a parchment lined coookie sheet. I use my tablespoon to do thing, makes them all even and pretty.
Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are golden brown, watch them after about 12 minutes, I burned my first batch.
Immediately move to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
If you feel crafty, drizzle some melted chocolate over them, or dip them half way in chocolate...the possibilities are endless