Bridal Expo Cookies

Here is a video showing all the cute cookies we added to our tables at the show. I am going a bit fast to get it all in, and I apologize for my video skills. I will post photos so you can see them more clearly after the show. We are there again from 12:00 - 5:00 today. Stop by and visit us if you come down. We will have everything on display at the bakery on Tuesday.

Sneak Peek at Bridal Expo Cakes

We had a nice long break after Christmas and enjoyed the time off to re-energize. This week the bakery was busy preparing for the Bridal Expo at Century II. It starts at 10:00 and goes until 5:00 today and 12:00 - 5:00 on Sunday. Here is a little peek at our booth. It is just of the cakes that we got set up last night. Aurora, Sara and I will head down there to finish putting cupcakes on the cupcake tree and adding all the cookies to the tables. If we add them on Friday night, we always seem to be missing a few by morning. I will put a full video of the completed booth after the show. If you are heading down, stop by and say hi! This is the biggest show of the year and we always look forward to it. I hope you like our new designs.

Cheri's on Facebook!

I hope everyone is off to a good start on 2010. I am still relaxing and being as lazy as possible while the bakery is closed. We go back to work Tuesday the 5th. The bakery is still decorated for Christmas. So our biggest project is to get everything put away and clean when we get back.

If any of you are on facebook, I have just gotten a page going for the bakery. It is Cheri's Bakery Wichita. Please be a fan to learn about what is new at the bakery, see new cake & cookie designs and check-out our behind the scenes photos.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

From My Family to Yours...

WE WISH YOU A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS & ALL THE BEST IN THE NEW YEAR!

Holiday Open House 2009

What a fun day it was here at the bakery today. It was great to see all the kids visiting Santa. There were a lot of smiles, and just a few tears too. Not everyone was ready to sit on Santa's lap.

Here is my Grandson, Paxton, 6 weeks old, sleeping in Santa's arms. He is just adorable! But, Grandma is just a little bit biased. :)

My daughter Bryn posed with her friend Jennifer. They are in 6th grade this year. I'm glad they are not too old to sit on Santa's lap.

Here is Brekston, 13 months, with my daughter Bryn. He is shown on the last posting of this blog as an infant in Santa's arms. This year he didn't want to pose or even get too close. Maybe next year, Brekston.

This is cake decorator, Kalee's little boy, Memphis. He is 8 months old and was happy to visit with Santa and flirt with the rest of the cake decorators.

Here is Addie, 2 1/2, eating her cookie. She didn't think sitting on Santa's lap was a very good idea. Staying on the other side of the bakery was as close as she wanted to be this year.

This is Kamilah, the 5-year old daughter of assistant baker, Elida. She wasn't shy at all and was happy to visit with Santa.

Here are sisters Kylie, 6, and Kayla, 4, telling Santa what they want for Christmas. They even brought their own reindeer antlers to wear.

Six month old Adrianne is picture perfect sitting with Santa. She wasn't too sure at first but then turned on the charm to pose for pictures.

Thanks everyone who stopped by the bakery today. I appreciate you so much!

Holiday Open House Saturday, Dec. 5th

Stop by the bakery for our annual Open House on Saturday! Santa will arrive at 10:00 and be here until 1:00. Bring your camera to get that memorable photograph. We will be open our regular Saturday hours from 8:30 - 3;00 and will have cookie treats for you to sample. See you on Saturday!

Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

Here is the basic cookie dough recipe that I demonstrated on Channel 5 this morning.

3/4 cup Butter (no substitutions)
1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 Egg
1 Tbsp. Milk
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 1/4 cups Flour
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1/8 tsp. Salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg, milk and vanilla and mix thoroughly. Blend baking powder and salt into flour. Add to creamed mixture until blended. Refrigerate several hours until firm enough to work with.

Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 minutes depending on cookie variety.

Now there are all kinds or variations that you can do from this one dough. It makes about 3 cups of dough. I have variations below using a 1/2 batch (approx. 1 1/2 cups) of dough.

Pinwheels - Roll the dough 1/4 inch thick and about the size of a piece of computer paper. Top it with a thin layer of your favorite preserves, keeping it about 1/2 inch from the edge. Roll it up and put in the refrigerator until firm. Cut into 1/4 inch slices and bake.

Chocolate dough - Add 2 Tbsp. of cocoa to the dough and knead to blend. If dough seems a little dry, add a Tbsp. of chocolate syrup to make it more pliable.

Thumbprints - Roll dough into balls and add jam in center before baking. You can also roll them in nuts before making indention for another variation.

Cherry Nut - Add 6 finely chopped maraschino cherries and 2 Tablespoons of chopped nuts to dough. Form in a log and refrigerate until firm. Cut in slices and drizzle with chocolate after baking.

Orange or Lemon - Add 2 tsp. of grated peel to the dough. Dip them in chocolate or glaze them with a powdered sugar icing using orange or lemon juice as the liquid.

These are just a few variations. Use your imagination and make up some of your own!

Happy Baking!

Cheri