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brownie roll out sugar cookies.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

These are for you.

(Recipe lightly adapted via Smitten Kitchen.)

Brownie Roll Out Sugar Cookies:

3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup lightly salted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Whisk dry flour, salt and baking powder in bowl and set aside. Mix butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla and cocoa in mixer. Gradually add flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least one hour.

Roll out cookie dough on floured counter. Cut into desired shapes, brushing extra deposits of flour off the top.  Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 8 to 11 minutes (the former for 1/8-inch thick cookies, the latter for 1/4-inch cookies) until the edges are firm and the centers are slightly soft and puffed.

Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

 

*I halved the recipe, and still had plenty of cookies. Phew.

**I used Ghirhardelli cocoa power for the “good stuff.”

Shirley - February 16, 2012 - 11:26 am

Thank you for the cookies, the pictures are so stunning I could almost smell and taste them.

kenniston - February 15, 2012 - 2:54 pm

gorgeous blog. Your photographs are so stunning.

Crystal - February 14, 2012 - 3:47 pm

I can’t even tell you how happy I am that your Valentine’s Day post is about chocolate.

dane.

Mario Treto - March 5, 2012 - 1:11 pm

Beautiful pictures of a beautiful boy and joyous family.

Chris Forest - February 10, 2012 - 3:26 pm

What a blessed family! I’m so very happy for you. These photos are amazing!

Lulu Piault - February 9, 2012 - 1:39 pm

Beautiful all of you!!! a baby changes our life. Forever.

Rachel - February 7, 2012 - 9:11 pm

Beautiful photos of an absolutely beautiful family! Well done Tegyn and Congrats to Aaron and Marly!!

Laura - February 7, 2012 - 3:14 pm

Precious moments. Absolutely a BEAUTIFUL FAMILY!!

kathy - February 5, 2012 - 6:29 pm

What a pretty baby. Best wishes to your family. My the lord bless you both.

Stacey - February 5, 2012 - 5:47 pm

Wow! These pictures are breathtaking! Little Dane is so handsome and we love him so much already!!! Congratulations, Aaron and Marly!!!!!

Mayra Galvan - February 5, 2012 - 4:48 pm

Your pictures look amazing! Dane is so cute! 🙂 congratz Marlena!

Marly - February 5, 2012 - 4:14 pm

You are so talented Tegyn! I knew I asked the right person. Thank you so much for taking such beautiful pictures of our little Dane. It was a joy to have you in our home and these pictures will be cherished.

Kellie Larsen - February 4, 2012 - 9:18 pm

These are beautiful!!

saunders family.

the happiest family.

with the prettiest blue eyes. and the cutest, funniest, most lovable kids ever.

Kayla - February 4, 2012 - 9:32 am

I LOVE the Saunders family!

Marcy - February 1, 2012 - 8:08 pm

how lovely!! can’t wait to see more! xoxoxo

lately.

lately I:

have been from the mountains to the beach.

have been baking, cooking, eating, and photographing.

have been running, squeezing in pilates and training for this race.

have been having so much fun nannying two awesome little boys.

had a birthday.

have been enjoying the unseasonably warm (but sometimes rainy?) weather.

have been to the shooting range and gone go kart racing. so fun.

….and have pictures all thanks to instagram. (@tegyn)

whole wheat margherita pizza + avocado

remember when I promised that I would one day publish a food photography post that didn’t involve chocolate/ice-cream/cookies/anything desserty??

 

yes. me too. today is a big day.

 

WHOLE WHEAT PIZZA DOUGH:

(slightly adapted from all recipes’s website.)

 

  • 1 teaspoon white sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
  • 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups whole wheat flour
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

  1. In a large bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over the top, and let stand for about 10 minutes, until foamy.
  2. Stir the olive oil and salt into the yeast mixture, then mix in the whole wheat flour and 1 cup of the all-purpose flour until dough starts to come together. Tip dough out onto a surface floured with the remaining all-purpose flour, and knead until all of the flour has been absorbed, and the ball of dough becomes smooth, about 10 minutes. Place dough in an oiled bowl, and turn to coat the surface. Cover loosely with a towel, and let stand in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  3. When the dough is doubled, tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and divide into 2 pieces for 2 thin crust, or leave whole to make one thick crust. Form into a tight ball. Let rise for about 45 minutes, until doubled.
  4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Roll a ball of dough with a rolling pin until it will not stretch any further. Then, drape it over both of your fists, and gently pull the edges outward, while rotating the crust. When the circle has reached the desired size, place on a well oiled pizza pan. Top pizza with your favorite toppings, such as sauce, cheese, meats, or vegetables.
  5. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes (depending on thickness) in the preheated oven, until the crust is crisp and golden at the edges, and cheese is melted on the top.

 

I added a good quality tomato sauce, basil, oregano and avocado (from the tree in my backyard!) to the toppings. And i also added some ground flax seed to the dough…because I’m sneaky like that.

 

 

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