Orange Pistachio Ice box Cookies

          Today has been a huge baking day in my house. When I say big, I am talking about 3 batches of my grandma's sugar cookies, 2 batches of chocolate chip cookies, and 1 batch of the orange pistachio ice box cookies.

          The inspiration for the orange pistachio cookies came from a 6 hour flight to Minneapolis from Alaska and watching the first episode of  Holiday Baking Championship on the Food Network. The original recipe for this cookie was just a regular ice box cookie that has been in my family and passed down for years.

Orange Pistachio Ice Box Cookies on vintage china

Orange Pistachio Ice Box Cookies

Zest of two oranges

1 1/2 tsp of orange extract

2 C Shortening (butter or Crisco)

1 C Brown Sugar (Packed)

1 C Sugar

2 Eggs

5 C Flour

1tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 C chopped pistachios

1.     Zest the oranges and set aside

2.     Cream the shortening, sugars, and eggs until pale yellow color

3.     Add in orange zest and extract

4.     In separate bowl place the flour, salt, baking powder and mix lightly

5.     Spoon the flour mixture and nuts into the wet ingredients.

6.     Mix until they are combined.

7.     Place on a sheet of aluminum foil forming a large roll.

8.     Stick in the freezer for about 12 hours.

Before baking pull out of the freezer. Slice them to the thickness you like and bake at 350 until edges are golden brown. 

Breakfast Sandwiches

In the last couple weeks, I have done some serious money watching and realized that I spend too much on McDonalds breakfast because of not enough time to make something in the morning. Lightbulb moment, I decided to try and make a healthier version of the egg sandwich that can be frozen and reheated to eat in the morning.

Supplies
6 eggs
6 whole wheat English muffins
6 slices of American cheese
6 slices of bacon or sausage

Eggs pre-oven 

1) Preheat oven to 350
2) Spray muffin tin for the eggs. Crack the eggs into the muffin tin, add salt/pepper or other seasonings

3) Stick that tin in the oven, set the timer for 13 minutes.
4) While the eggs are cooking, cook the bacon and drain it.

Eggs out of an oven 

5) When the eggs are done, pull them out of the oven and set aside. 







6) Line up the English muffins on the counter, unwrap and place the slices of cheese on the muffin. Put the egg on top of that  and finish it with bacon on top.
7) Place the tops on the sandwiches
8) I used my fantastic panini maker we got as a wedding gift to melt the cheese and make them look beautiful

  

9) Wrap in foil and stick in the freezer. Pull out the night before and stick in the fridge for the morning.

I am so excited to eat them this week for breakfast... Now off to meal prep for the entire week