From Cookie Jar to Cookies..Captain Morgan Rum Cookies

Well, yesterday you saw the cookie jar that is perhaps meant to be a bead.  So today, you get the official Captain Morgan Spiced Rum Ginger Cookies that I made, (kind of) today.

Here's the "official recipe".
Captain Morgan Spiced Rum Ginger Cookies
1 C. sweet butter softened                        2.5 C. flour              3Tbsp crystallized ginger, minced
1 C. confectioners sugar                           Pinch of salt             1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 C. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum

Cream butter and sugar.  Add remaining ingredients.  Shape dough into cylinder 2" diameter and wrap in plastic.  Refrigerate 2 hours or freeze 45 minutes.  Slice dough 1/4" thick.  Bake at 400 degrees 12 minutes or until edges are light brown.  Cool.  Makes 6 dozen.


 I had changed the recipe.  I used mostly Captain Morgan Rum, but instead of the full half cup, I put some Grand Marnier in too.  And I didn't have the crystallized ginger, so I used some cinnamon in place of it.  And I didn't roll the dough into a log...instead I scooped it with a spoon when cold, and then covered half of it with a cinnamon sugar mixture before baking.  They're still not quite moist enough for my taste, but I can taste the rum and liqueur in them.  I'm not sure what I would do to change them.  I know some folks liked them for their shortbread type light flavor.

I was glad to try out this recipe and hope that if anyone actually follows it correctly, I'd love to hear how it turns out- or any other variation you choose!

Better Scents in the Studio

Good smells put me in a good mood. I know all of us have different tastes in what smells good. My particular choices tend to center around fresh baking. A little pumpkin pie, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla mixed with other scents, bring a smile to my face every time I'm around them. I can't wait until it gets cold outside, and then I switch to holiday pines and really feel the spirit.

And probably by now, you're wondering, how does this relate to glass? Well, stay with me, I'll show you how it does in its own way.

Today's tip is something that I do. I use soy melts, similar to the ones pictured above, in my studio. I have a kiln with a bead door, so my kiln is essentially front loading. The top of my firebrick kiln (AF-99) is always warm and just hanging out, wishing that it could be of use too. So I put my soy melts inside of a small pyrex heat proof bowl and then place that on top of my warm kiln. They scent the room and make it smell delicious. I like that I don't have one more flame lit in the studio for a candle. (Please note: just one at a time is plenty so there's no chance of spills and only while you're in the studio. Safety is always important.)

These photos are for MULLED CIDER Dye Free Soy Break Away Tart Bar - 3oz and 4 PUMPKIN SOUFFLE Dye Free Soy Blend Wax Muffin Melts / Tarts - 4oz courtesy of etsy shop, TenDigitCreations also from Georgia. You can find these at http:www.tendigitcreations.etsy.com or other similar shops on etsy too.

Let me know if you have some favorite etsy shops for these types of melts and what scents have you tried that you like? I'm always open to finding more sources of delicious smells.