Julie Surprise: Apple Stuffed Snickerdoodles (Experiment)

This baking endeavor actually took place back on February 13, 2012 . . . I was trying to come with some sort of non-traditional but still Winter appropriate Valentine's Day treat. I believe the thought of using apples came out of  necessity, since we'd bought something like twenty-five pounds of extra apples from Bountiful Baskets that month. So any way to use them, besides just eating them as is, seemed like a good idea.

I first thought of making little pies, but I'm honestly not a huge fan of pie crust. Finally, after looking at all kinds of recipes for inspiration I thought maybe I'd just make some roll out gingerbread cookies and then stuff those with apples. This sounded pretty good to me, but when I went to look in my Mother's recipe book, I couldn't find her recipe for roll out gingerbread in it anywhere! My parents were out of town for my nephew's birthday so I couldn't just call my Mom and have her send it to me. However, in searching for the gingerbread recipe, I kept going past the snicker doodle recipe and wondering if that would work at all.  Snickerdoodles are not roll out cookies, but it seemed to me that maybe, just maybe I could make it work.

They seemed to cut out okay with the help of wax paper and keeping the dough and the marble rolling pin chilled.

I could have made the apple pieces a lot smaller, but I thought larger chucks would be yummy and sort of refreshing in the midst of the richness of  a Snickerdoodle.

 

Of course I tried to get all fancy with the pie-esque vents I cut in the top of each cookie.

 

They really didn't come out as pretty as they went in though.

 

Which wasn't saying much in the first place. . .

So even though I gave up on cutting fancy vents

they still were not the prettiest Valentine treats I've ever seen . . .

The little one's were kind of cute though, and my goodness!

These were really tasty cookies!

I also made some more heart boxes, like the ones I helped my kids make and gave a few of the best looking cookies away to a couple of friends as a thank you for really helping me a lot out in that past little while. 

(Giving me rides when I didn't have a car and/or babysitting my kids on ridiculously short notice.) 

Needless to say, I really felt like I should do something nice for these ladies . . .

I wish I had taken a picture of this one when it was filled. I decorated it to match the thank you card I chose for it. It had a cute drawing of a cat in a field of flowers, many of which looked like the heart shaped ones in the stamp I used. My friend Susan really has a thing for cats so I thought she'd like it. I also filled it with pink gingham print tissue paper, to match the gingham heart and ribbon on the box.

I wish I had also shown the card that inspired this design. My friend Tenaya seems to really like vintage styles and such, so I chose a vintage style card with a drawing of a little girl wearing a blue gingham dress with a white apron and bonnet, carrying a basket of bright peachy-pink roses. Hence, I use the blue and white ribbon and lace, the pink roses and the pink gingham ribbon stripes. It was really fun to make these little thank you gifts and I really hope these ladies know how much their help really was appreciated.

Susan told me that the apples inside the Snickerdoodles really surprised her! So I guess it is fair to say it was a Julie Surprise recipe. She raved about them though and said they were really yummy. 

I rather thought so too, though maybe next time I can find a way to make them prettier as well. 

April 5, Texas Roadhouse Fundraiser

Queen it's a New Day is having their first fundraising event this April on the 5th from 11Am-2PM. The good people of Texas Roadhouse Sandy (which is usually closed for lunch on Thursdays) have graciously volunteered to donate their time and services to Queen it's a New Day. $15 per ticket. (Cash only, pay at the door) will buy you BBQ Chicken, Salad, Hot Buttered Rolls, Soda and Fries. Plus entertainment and the cash donation is tax deductible so be sure to get your 5013c receipt before you leave!

http://www.facebook.com/events/128890817236590/

Source: queenitsanewdayutah.org via Julie on Pinterest

Queen, It's a New Day

Queen, It's a New Day was started in Seattle and has been successful in changing the lives of hundreds of women for years now. This event is coming to Salt Lake for the first time this year! December 11, 2012!




I have volunteered to be Head of the Clothing Committee for this event. Here is my first personal donation.




Believe it or not, all of this is all my own jewelry from my own collection and my jewelry box (even with all this removed) is far from empty. :}

I am so excited to be able to donate this jewelry to the Queen, It's a New Day Event!
I am so pleased to find that I have something to offer that can bless women's lives and help them to feel special.

It's also nice to know that all of this beautiful jewelry will no longer be neglected as it has been for the past year or more.

If any of you women out there want to donate to this cause, we need like-new professional clothing, cleaned and on hangers, NEW undergarments: Panties, Bras, Camis, Slips, Pantyhose etc . . . As well as donations of shoes and jewelry.

Oh, we also need formal attire in various sizes donated as well.

Please take the time to look through your closets and drawers, all donations are tax deductible.
If you find you have something to donate please contact me.
We also need more volunteers for the clothing committee and other committees, so even if you don't feel like you have material items to donate, please let me know if you are interested in donating your time to volunteering for the event.

Thank you all!

~Julie:}

icypixyinafurcoat@gmail.com