My July Netflix Obsession | Once Upon A Time

Todays’ Make It Monday is a Sugar Cookie..basic, but delicious! It’s sweet, but not too sweet, and light, rolls perfectly, bakes nicely, stays soft, freezes well, decorates great,…and of course it’s pretty simple to make! Here’s what you will need:3 cups flour1 TSP baking powder1 cup unsalted butter1 cup sugar1 large egg
1 TSP vanilla extract
**I’m generally able to make 18-30 cookies per batch of dough. However this varies with each person depending on the thickness of the dough they are using and the size of the cookie cutter. About a half hour before I start, I pull out my butter and egg and let them sit on the counter. You don’t want to over soften your butter. If you forget do not stick it in the microwave. Just chop it up in several little pieces before starting.
Instructions:
1: In a separate mixing bowl whisk together flour and baking powder.
2: In the bowl of a kitchen mixer, beat together unsalted butter and sugar. Once mixed well, add in egg. Mix again, then add in vanilla.
3: Slowly add in flour mixture. Mix until dough forms and begins to clump together. If your dough is still crumbly, keep mixing! My dough starts out crumbly and then comes together to form a really nice dough. 4: Gather up dough and knead it with hands until it’s nice and smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and place in fridge to chill. I like to let min chill about 20 minutes. You will want it to be kind of firm but not hard. If it’s too hard…just leave it out on the counter for just a little bit until it softens up. Then you can work it a little bit to soften it back up. Even if it’s rock hard it will come back to a nice workable dough.
5: Preheat your oven to 350 and line a large cookie sheet(s) with parchment paper. Another option is to use the silicone baking mats made especially for this.
6: Roll out the dough. I like to do so in between a lightly flour dusted sheet of parchment paper (on bottom) and wax paper (on top). The purpose of the papers is it keeps the dough very smooth, leaving no marks from the rolling pin. The reason why I use one of each is I like the flexibility of the wax paper on top and I like the parchment paper on bottom because it’s heavier and if I am cutting a difficult shape I can bake right on the paper that it was cut on after removing excess dough. The wax paper can wrinkle and leave marks on the dough. When I first lay my ball of dough down I use my hands and push it flat just a bit, then lay my wax paper over, so my rolling pin can then roll it out smooth. 7: Once my dough is rolled out I use my cookie cutters to cut out the shapes. If the cookies are sticking in the cutter you can lightly dust it with flour to help. For the most part the cookies will stay right in the dough where you cut them. Once your done cutting all the cookies, tear away the excess dough. Then you can gently lift the cookies by pulling up the edge of the parchment paper and gently transferring the cookie from the paper to your lined baking sheet with my hand. 8: Once cut out and laid on a cookie sheet place the cookie sheet in the freezer for about 2-4 minutes depending on the size. This really helps the cookies keep their shape. Once they have chilled for a few pop them in the oven. Baking times really really depend on size of cookie. These cookies were about 2.5 inches and baked perfectly at 7 minutes. Simply turn your oven light on and start the timer for six minutes. Check them then and add a minute or two as needed. I like my cookies to be really soft so I pull them if I notice any bit of golden on the bottom. 9: After removing them from the oven I let them sit on the warm pan for a minute or two. This gives them a minute to firm up and bakes just a bit more. Then I carefully grab the edges of the parchment paper and slide them off, parchment paper and all, onto wire cooling racks. It helps so much to pull them off still on the parchment paper. Using a spatula often squishes them, or even breaks them.
10: Once the cookies are cool, you can stack them or decorate them as you want.
Tips:
Bake similar sized cookies together. If you have a tiny cookie and a large cookie the smaller one is sure to over bake.
Less flour is better. With this process there is really no need to go crazy on flour, just dust your parchment paper/wax paper lightly and your good to go.
If you have a cutter that’s sticking especially due to small parts, rub a little bit of flour on it.
If your in a time pinch, you can let the dough chill in the freezer for about 5 minutes.
New dough is best. Try to cut out as many as you can each time you roll the dough out.
Store cookies in an airtight container, and decorate within a week.
To freeze cookies simply stack in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month.
3 cups flour
1 TSP baking powder
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 TSP vanilla extract
In a separate bowl whisk together flour and baking powder.
Beat together unsalted butter and sugar. Once mixed well, add in egg. Mix again, then add in vanilla. I like to use my Kitchen aid and dough hook.
Slowly add in flour mixture about a cup at a time. Mix until dough forms and begins to clump together.
Gather up dough and knead it with hands until it’s nice and smooth. Roll it into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap, and place in fridge to chill. I like to let min chill about 20-40 minutes. You will want it to be kind of firm but not hard. If it’s too hard…just leave it out on the counter for just a little bit until it softens up. Then you can work it a little bit to soften it back up.
Bake at 350, time will depend on cookies size and thickness. Normally between 7-11 minutes.
Do you have a recipe or craft that you want featured on Make It Monday? Contact me at fryrebecca3@gmail.com!

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Disclosure: This post may include affiliate links with fund the Mom of 4 Boys blog, however I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. No other compensation was received. Please see our disclosure policy for more information.

This is a sponsored post on behalf of Starbucks Refreshers, however all opinions are 100% my own.
With summer hitting hard here in south Texas, and I do mean hard … it was 106 with heat index today, it’s hard to keep your body & mind refreshed. As a kid, the heat didn’t bother me so much, but it seems as I get older, the heat tends to bother me more and more. I grew up in Austin which isn’t hard from here so the temperatures tend to run almost the same, but I think with our humidity down here it feels much worse. So, needless to say, cooling down during the summers here isn’t an easy task, but is a must. Here are a few ways to keep yourself and your family refreshed this summer.
1. Take up yoga. Yoga is something the whole family can do and it will refresh your mind and your body to get you ready for your day. Try this sequence to feel refreshed: Cow, Cat, Extension, Elbow to Knee, Bind, Low Lunge Variation, Low Lunge/Side Psoas Stretch, Half Splits, Lizard Pose Variation, Twisted Monkey, Side Plank Variation, Downward Facing Dog … the whole sequence takes less than 10 minutes of your morning.
2. Stay inside and enjoy exploring new & different worlds through books. Pick a “book” day, create a whole day around it from breakfast, lunch and dinner to various craft projects, to go along with your reading.
3. Get some water, and no I don’t mean drinking water, I mean a pool, the ocean, even a sprinkler will feel so refreshing on a super hot day. I loved spending my day as a kid just running through the sprinkler or the slip in slide. I loved it even more when we were able to go to the lake or go tubing on the river. Water is a great way to keep your body refreshed, and the relaxation and fun will help to keep your mind feeling refreshed as well!
4. Grab a refreshing ice cold drink. I love the new Starbucks Refreshers™, in flavors like Strawberry Lemonade, Blueberry Acai, & Raspberry Pomegranate. They help me to stay refreshed and energized so I can keep up with the boys, no matter what they throw my way. My favorite is Strawberry Lemonade with lots of ice. Who doesn’t love ice cold lemonade to keep them refreshed during the summer.
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No matter what you do to keep your mind and body refreshed, starting your day with a Starbucks Refreshers™ is always a good idea. With a revitalizing blast of real fruit juices, B vitamins, and ginseng. Starbucks Refreshers™ has all the goodness you need to get the most out of today.
What’s your favorite way to stay refreshed during the summer?
Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a “sponsored post.” The company who sponsored it compensated me via a cash payment, gift, or something else of value to write it. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Just walking outside daily can have a major effect on your skin, there are many toxins in the air, as well as the suns rays, so why would you put a product on that has many chemicals in it? I love finding new skin care that is natural and protective. I was able to try out Ocean Elements, which is a marine-based skin care.
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Keep your skin hydrated and protected every day with this gentle, effective marine-based moisturizer with SPF 30 that looks and feels great. Formulated for sensitive skin, Ocean Elements reduces damage from daily sun exposure while nourishing your skin with a host of natural moisturizers, antioxidants and anti-inflammatories. The smooth, matte finish is perfect alone or under makeup.
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For use on your face, neckline and other exposed skin, Ocean Elements moisturizes and protects your skin wherever the day takes you.
Ocean Elements has a pleasant scent and is not sticky, and goes on smoothly. If your looking for a more natural skin care with SPF, I highly recommend checking out Ocean Elements!
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”