Vanilla cut out cookies

I found a basic vanilla cookie dough for the spritz cookies I made for Christmas. I'm not a huge fan of sugar cookies, so I thought I can use the vanilla cookie dough for these valentine heart cutout cookies I wanted to make. I think sugar cookies are so hard and tasteless, these vanilla cookies are softer, though they hold up shapes very well too, and they have more flavor, making it more delicious! :) I think I found this recipe off of Martha Stewart's website, it's very easy, the dough is easy to work wiht as well, no need to refrigerate or anything so cuts down on time:

Ingredients
-3 cups flour
-3/4 tsp baking powder (omit if making thumbprints, spritz or ball cookies)
-1/2 tsp salt
-2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
-1 cup sugar
-1 large egg
-2 tsp vanilla

Directions
Beat butter and sugar together until creamy. Beat in egg, then beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in separate bowl. Beat dry into wet ingredients until combined. You have to work the dough in your hands for a bit before it really comes together. otherwise, it will be a bit crumbly.

I have these heart shaped cookie cutters that is perfect for Valentines day (ick yes).

I rolled out the roll a bit at a time to about 1/4" thick and cut out the shapes with my cutters.

Bake at 350* F for 12-14 minutes until the bottoms are slightly browned.

I used a simple royal icing recipe with meringue powder to decorate. I used white as a base

to decorate on. I used a Wilton 1 tip which is the smallest tip for the piping. These are what the final products look like.

Yay!

Upside down Pineapple Cake

I was looking online for some new recipes when I came across one for upside down pineapple cake. I don't usually eat that, I think I've only had it once before at Dukes or something, but the more I thought about it, the more I started to crave it. Yes, I have the tendency to do that with food. Even if I wasn't thinking about it before, well now I am. I'm like a pregnant nonpregnant lady with all these random cravings (I am currently craving coconut cake, yes weird since I can't ever remember having it ever, but I just imagine it's sooo delicious..will have to make...) This recipe from Country Living looked pretty easy, so I wanted to make it for my taste buds!! :)

Ingredients
-1 can(s) (20 1/2 ounce) pineapple rings in pineapple juice
-12 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
-1/2 cup(s) light brown sugar, lightly packed
-1/2 cup(s) dark brown sugar, lightly packed
-1/3 cup(s) chopped pecans
-1 1/2 cup(s) all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
-4 large eggs
-2 large egg yolks
-1 1/2 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
-1 1/2 cup(s) granulated sugar

Directions

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

Drain the pineapples and discard the juice. Place the pineapples on six layers of paper towel and allow the excess liquid to absorb for 5 minutes. Flip the rings over onto a dry spot of the towel and repeat.

(I think if I make this next time, I'm going to try it with fresh pineapple, maybe it'll have more of a pineapple flavor than the canned ones..)

Melt 6 tablespoons of butter, pour it into a 10-inch round cake pan, and sprinkle with the brown sugars. Arrange the pineapple rings in a single layer over the brown sugars (I actually didn't have light brown sugar, so I just used all dark, turned out great anyways!), sprinkle with the nuts, and set aside.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Lightly beat the eggs, yolks, and vanilla together in a small bowl and set aside. Beat the remaining 6 tablespoons of butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
Reduce speed to low and alternately mix in the flour mixture and egg mixture. Pour the batter into the pan

and bake until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean — about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Cool in the pan for 10 minutes on wire rack. Run a small, sharp knife around the edge of the pan to release cake.

Sorry sometimes I get excited about the finished product that I forget to take additional pictures after it's been cut up. By the time I remember, it's been attacked and not very picture worthy. :) I took this over to my parents house and my mom and dad actually both complimented on the cake. Not too sweet (older Asians ALWAYS complain about stuff being TOO sweet..my mom usually refuses to eat any of the stuff I make..) so that's definitely a compliment...even though, I like 'em sweet. I mean, it's dessert, right?? :)