yummy shortbread cookies

Yes, this is what I am enjoying at the moment. Along with a cup of homemade soy dark hot chocolate and a fire crackling in the fireplace (courtesy of my homemade java log, see previous post).

Made shortbread cookies for the first time ever today!! And they turned out pretty good, if I may say so myself. :) Shortbread cookies are a common joy in the home where I grew up, and they are my dad's favorite type of cookie.

Here's the recipe I used:

Maraner's Shortbreads

1 cup butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp white sugar
1 small egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour

Cream butter with sugars; add egg and vanilla. Blend in flour. Fashion into balls; flatten with cookie stamp on cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 minutes.

Super easy, huh? Got this recipe from my Grandma who also gave me some Maraner's stoneware cookie stamps, which are adorable! They kinda worked out for this batch, as you can see, but I think next time I will refrigerate the dough, then stamp it, and it will probably hold the mold a little better during baking.

Here are some more pictures of the little tasties:

And a picture of the cookie stamps... I bet a person with access to clay and a kiln could make their own!

And proof that I ate... a few. :)

Give them a shot... and let me know how it went! Mess was minimal and they didn't take a whole ton of effort. Enjoy!

diy fire-starter log

Alright, I know. It's been a while. I got busy with work... and had no time for creativity. :(

But... good news! I was able to test out a project I pinned on pinterest a while ago and never actually tried (mostly 'cause I was building up supplies).

Here's the "instructable" I pinned, and I have posted my results below.

 http://www.instructables.com/id/Java-Fire-Log-In-A-Used-Paper-Coffee-Cup/

As stated in the comments posted in the instructable, you need to be careful and keep checking the cup to make sure you do not get a wax fire in your microwave. I actually did not need to completely melt my wax, as I stirred it with a stick to mix with the coffee grounds, it melted eventually on it's own. I used old candle wax. Also, I used brown sugar instead of molasses and it appeared to work just fine. Oh, and I didn't press it down, I figured with the amount of wax I used it would hold together nicely. My coffee grounds were dried in the oven on a cookie sheet and placed into a gallon ziploc bag awaiting my creation of a java log. :)

Here's my "java log":

I decided to make mine a little smaller (my mix filled this 12 oz cup a little over halfway) because I want to use mine as a fire-starter for my fireplace, because I had a particularly difficult batch of firewood that did not want to start.

Here it is just lit:

And getting going...

The java log lasted for about 45 minutes or an hour, and lit the wood up very nicely. Didn't have to do a thing except take 5 seconds and light the paper cup. Will definitely be making more of these... so easy to start a fire. :) Obviously, do not cook over the wax... don't want your food tasting like waxy coffee. :)

In the comments on the original link, someone suggested filling up egg carton slots with the mix and cutting them apart to make little starters. I wonder if this would be better suited for a fireplace...?