ENERGY DAY

So... despite going to bed at 1:40 last night, I woke up at 7am ready to do stuff! I couldn't go back to sleep, so I got up and decided to take advantage and go to a ballet class. It was good! Then I came home and did some dishes/non-interesting but productive stuff and then I tackled making my costume, which I had been feeling kinda discouraged about making after my first attempt, and feeling overwhelmed because I didn't have a pattern. It's not done yet, but I think it is going to be awesome and I think it looks pretty darn good even though I didn't have a pattern or even really measure anything with any accuracy. Updates and pics to come about that I'm sure. Nathan made curry for dinner and then we went to the grocery store (because we can only buy what we can carry, I end up going to the grocery almost daily) and then I tackled tonight's baking project: Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies. So...I accidentally confused the 1/2 and 1/4 cups and so the first tray of cookies had 1/2 the sugar they were suposed to and they turned out super dome-y. They still tasted ok, so I put the pumpkin frosting on them anyways, but they are so round they just roll around. I added more sugar to the batter and the second batch came out normal, but not "mini" in anyway, so the next few batches I used 1tsp for scooping out the dough, and these are perfect size for party cookies!

They taste pretty good, but could use improving. Not very sweet actually. The recipe calls for dark brown sugar and I used light brown, and I also used 2% milk instead of whole, because this is what I had on hand, so maybe if I actually followed the recipe they would be improved. I also should have added food coloring to make the frosting more orange. Oh well.
This one is from Martha:

• FOR THE COOKIES
• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• FOR THE FILLING
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup canned solid pack pumpkin
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg

Directions

1. Prepare cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
2. Place butter, shortening, and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half the flour mixture, then the milk and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
3. Drop about 2 teaspoons dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer baking sheets to wire racks and let cool 10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheets and transfer to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.
4. Prepare filling: In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip together cream cheese, butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg; whip until smooth, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
5. Pipe or spoon about 2 teaspoons filling on the flat sides of half the cookies. Sandwich with remaining cookies, keeping the flat sides down.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies - Martha Stewart Recipes 


Also, there is a video from her show of martha making these cookies with her guest... Cookie Monster! I guess I hadn't watched sesame street in a while, but I was just cracking up! Those muppets are just so funny.


Ok, still going strong, but I suppose I should go to bed. Hopefully all the energy I expended today dancin' around and such won't have a rebound effect tomorrow...