what can you replace for butter in this cookie recipe below?

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:16:38 +0000

This is a recipe for the very best sugar cookies you’ll ever make. Be sure to read entire recipe, most especially the notes at the bottom, before making these cookies.

Be sure to check-out the page with photo instructions too.
Prep Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes
Cook Time: 08 minutes
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups sugar
2/3 cup shortening or butter*
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-1/4 cups flour
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
Early in the day or the day before: In a large bowl cream the shortening and the sugar. Add the eggs, extract, and milk. In a medium bowl mix the dry ingredients with a wire whisk. Add the dry ingredients to the large bowl. Mix with mixer until well combined. With hands, shape dough into a ball. Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Roll** half or 1/3 dough at a time, keep the rest refrigerated. For crisp cookies, roll dough, paper thin. For softer cookies, roll 1/8 " to 1/4" thick.

With floured cookie cutter, cut into shapes. Re-roll trimmings and cut. Place cookies 1/2 inch apart on cookie sheets. Decorate*** Bake 8 minutes or until very light brown. With pancake turner, remove cookies to racks; cool. Makes about 6 dozen cookies.

*I’ve found that if you want "sturdy and tasty" cookies you should use 1/2 shortening and 1/2 butter. Shortening makes cookies sturdy and butter makes them tasty.

** Rolling Hints: Sue B. says: " Roll the dough out BEFORE chilling and then chill. I roll out my sugar cookie dough right after it is mixed up between 2 sheets of waxed paper, place it on to a flat baking sheet and put it in the fridge. Continue until all the dough is rolled out, stacking the dough sheets on top of the first one. You will go through a lot of waxed paper, but the convenience is worth it for me. When you’re ready to cut them out, take out one sheet at a time, peel off the top waxed paper, lightly rub some flour onto the dough, replace the waxed paper and flip the dough sheet over. Peel off the now top sheet of waxed paper and you’re ready to cut out your cookies. Collect the dough scraps in a plastic baggie so they don’t dry out, re-roll when you have enough for a large sheet. I reuse some of the waxed paper sheets for re-rolling the scraps. A couple tips….. If the waxed paper slips on the counter while rolling, wipe the counter with a damp cloth. And while rolling the dough, sometimes the bottom waxed paper wrinkles, flip over the dough and waxed paper, release waxed paper and re-roll. This method of rolling out cookie dough has been a real time and mess saver for me." ShadoeRose says: "I have found that it is difficult to roll if attempting to do so immediately after taking out of the refrigerator. Take a portion of the dough out and put the rest back in the refrigerator as you don’t want the dough to get to room temperature. Let the piece you are working with, warm slightly but keeping beneath room temperature. Experiment with different lengths of time of warming until you find the temperature you find the easiest to work with."

***To decorate with colored sugars: Prepare cookies by brushing with heavy cream or an egg white slightly beaten with 1 tablespoon of water. Sprinkle with decorative toppings.

***To decorate with food colors: Mix 1 egg yolk and 1/4 teaspoon water. Divide mixture among several custard cups. Tint each with different food color to make bright colors. (If paint thickens while standing, stir in a few drops of water.) Paint designs on cookies with small paint brushes.

What is the secret to anti aging in the face ?

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:04:41 +0000

I am 24 but my mother has a lot of wrinkles on her face I want to know how to start early taking care of my face so I dont get them so bad I know that people say to put soy milk in the microwave warm it up and take a wash cloth and put it on your face. I also heard that certain fruits can help but I wonder if there is a way that I can make a cream or something I mean I know they have a lot of creams they sell but who knows which ones work and what ingredients to look for not to mention that I am broke as a joke lol. I can afford clinique sometimes from macys but for now Im just putting the yellow moisturizer that they have for now. Well anybody have natural remedies?

I need help naming my new skin care line!!!?

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 01:22:24 +0000

I am starting my own line of skin care products that are just as good as the expensive brands, only cheaper… such as : anti-wrinkle/anti aging creams, vitamin c-serums (that actually work and are cheap!) moisturizers, face and body washes and scrubs, and eventually hair care.

I have invest soooo much time and money for the equipment and and supplies and months and months for the product testing… I really want to make this work!
I need help coming up with a catchy name that describes what it’s all about. I am at a total loss here.. You only get one chance to come up with something cool.
Here’s some info:

*** I use the exact same quality and amount of active ingredients as the expensive manufactures. Some of my products even have more (the ones that allowed me to turn it up a notch without causing skin irritation)

***I try to make them as organic as possible (some things like the vitamin c-serums need certain additives to keep them from going bad, most home made vitamin c serums you buy from ebay and etsy don’t have these additives and go bad after only 24 hours. This is one of my key advantages over the others

*** My products will be affordable for ANY budget. I’m not so much out to make a huge profit. I’m more concerned about making sure MY costs are covered (you are mainly paying what I pay for the products) This is something I enjoy doing and want people to be able to afford these products and be 100% happy with the results.

*** I’d like to have "diva or divas" as part of the name… but don’t know how to describe (in one word) all the other information. Like… what word describes "affordable" "organic" or "natural" and "just as good as the most expensive products on the market"

I wish I could offer free samples to those who reply. I don’t know if my question would get deleted if I include my contact information?

Thanks!
excellent suggestions! i’m amazed <3
thank you all so much!

Can I use this sunscreen as my daily moisturizer?

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 04:31:09 +0000

I have dry skin, and currently use Eucerin, which doesn’t have sun protection. I want to use Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control Cream as my daily moisturiser, is it ok to use this daily? It’s got sesame oil and aloe extracts for moisturisation so it should work well as a moisturiser too.

The reason I want to use this is because it doesn’t contain oxybenzone (aka benzophenone-3), which has been linked to skin cancer (not something I want in a sunscreen! – see link below), and also doesn’t contain zinc oxide, which leaves a film on my face.

http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ingredient.php?ingred06=704372

So yeah, ok to use this daily?

Could it be a bad sign when an eye cream causes a burning sensation when first applying it or is this normal?

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:08:40 +0000

I have posted questions like these on here before as I am trying out different facial products and my face seems to be somewhat sensitive to some ingredients in a lot of them. The latest product I am trying is Neutrogena Anti-Oxidant Age Reverse Eye Cream and when I first apply it, I feel a burning sensation, but it doesn’t last long and it doesn’t make my skin red or irritated looking. It just doesn’t seem like it should do this. Is there something better out there for people like me who have this problem? I am over 40 but have very good skin with no wrinkles or blemishes. I am intrigues by products that promise to keep your skin youthful looking but it’s ironic that these are usually the products that irritate my skin.

Does anyone know of a less expensive version of this cream?

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 01:29:06 +0000

I’m in my early 20’s and I was reading an article in cosmopolitan magazine on how to stay looking young in your 40’s. They recommended using a night cream now to ensure long-lasting results. Here is the cream they suggested:

Chanel Ultra Correction Lift Lifting Firming Night Cream
(It’s made with Elemi PFA, which derms say keeps cells alive for an extended period of time so skin stays lifted longer, preventing wrinkles and sagging)

The only problem? It costs 5. Does anyone know of something similar with the same ingredient as this cream for a cheaper price?? Thanks!

What sunscreen is best for oily acne prone skin?

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:36:16 +0000

I live in Arizona where the sun seems to always be shining. I want to do what I can to protect my skin from the UV rays, but everytime I where sunscreen I break out really bad. I have super oily skin and always break out if I put something on it that it doesn’t agree with. Any suggestions on the best sunscreen for me? Thanks!

beauty products?

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:36:12 +0000

consumers digest has a magazine that tests and rates cars and appliances and so on. the funds for the research and the printing of the magazine comes from the consumers purchasing it. all this has nothing to do w/ the companies paying them to pick there own product by bribes, advertisements and etc. My question is this: are there any such magazines, webs etc. that offer the same honest tests and results on beauty products such as wrinkle creams, shampoos, conditioners, etc. and the ingredients that really are the best? I absolutely 100% know and believe that NAME BRAND PRODUCTS are simply that, JUST A NAME YOU ARE PAYING FOR. Even the "testimonies" from so called dermatologists are B.S. They are paid to say what they say. Also, if alcohol is the worst thing for your hair, why is it the second ingredient, after water, in every conditioner on the shelf? Even the .00 ones? Go look at yours.

What’s a way to put sunscreen on without it somehow getting in my eye?

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:19:35 +0000

Okay, to help prevent more wrinkles, I have been using sunscreen. When I first started I got the spray kind. The good thing about it is the sunscreen disperses evenly. But when I used it, it would get in my eye.

Now I use the cream form. I don’t put it on my eyes, but somehow a bit ends up in my eyes anyway. It stings.

How can I put on sunscreen and spare my eyes the trouble? Any tips?

What sunscreen do lifeguards use on the beach?

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:21:59 +0000

What sunscreen do lifeguards use on the beach? Specifically Myrtle Beach. They’re always extremely tan and are never burnt.