Friday, November 4, 2011

the mission to drink from a Starbucks red cup

The Starbucks red cups have been in stores since November 1 and have always heralded the start of the winter holidays for me.  This year the red cups seemed especially seasonally celebratory thanks to an email series my former roomie Sarah started to chronicle every day between Nov 1 and Dec 25 to celebrate the coming of Christmas.  She has extolled the Christmas-y joy of the red cups, and her excitement is usually infectious. Starbucks is a treat in this house, and an extra-special treat with all this build-up!

For our journey to drink from a red cup, Elliott packed some old-fashioned soft pumpkin cookies, which I made a couple of days ago with my fourth can of pumpkin so far this fall.  Here's a photo that will hopefully make you want to come over and sip coffee with me while we discuss knitting projects and eat cookies...

(recipe included at the end of this post)

Anyway, back to our journey to Starbucks.  We decided we had to work for our rewards, so we were going to take a long walk to a large downtown Starbucks.  We set off on that chilly Thursday with Lena's Peter Rabbit blanket tucked around her legs in the stroller.

First stop was at the San Antonio Art League Museum, which is down the street from our house.  Elliott snapped this gorgeous photo of Lena in their permanent collection upstairs.


Next we slipped into the steamy warmth of The Filling Station Café, a former car repair shop that has been transformed into a popular lunch spot.  We all read the paper while we waited for our pizza.  Reading the paper was easier for some than others.


And finally, on to Starbucks!  After a long walk, we pushed the stroller into the cozy store, interlaced our fingers behind our backs, and studied the menu.  It didn't take long to decide.  Peppermint mochas for both of us.  Ahhh.  Christmas is coming!


Near the Starbucks is Hemisfair Park, which has a fabulous playground that reminds me of my favorite childhood playground in Australia.  We introduced Lena to slides for the first time, and she loved them!  (This was her last ride down the slid out of many, during which Elliott sent her down and I caught her, and photos were impossible to take.  That baby traveled fast.)


Here's the recipe for the old-fashioned pumpkin cookies, which I found on this creative blog:


Old-Fashioned Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients:
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) softened
  • 1 cup 100% pumpkin (Libby's)
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • Glaze (see below)
  • Optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips or nuts
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 350. Grease baking sheets.
  2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and set aside. 
  3. Beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended.  Beat in pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.  Gradually beat in flour mixture. 
  4. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets.
  5. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges are firm. 
  6. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Drizzle glaze over cookies.
For Glaze
Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon melted butter and 1 tsp vanilla in small bowl until smooth.

6 comments:

  1. she's so cultured! and is she old enough for slides?? time is moving too fast!!

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  2. she's barely old enough! she got this big grin on her face each time i caught her. her parents may have been more excited than she was...

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  3. yay! overalls! i'm pretty sure my life is complete :)

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  4. omg she's SOOOO CUTEEE <3
    i am a new fashion blogger from indonesia living in singapore :) i really like your blog. i will really appreciate & it will be an honor to have u as my blog member.

    and of course i will folback!:D also, u can mention me anytime on twitter @tiodang if you want me to check out your latest post & leave a comment ^^ ,please list me on twitter, so i will know u're my follower!! ;)

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  5. I need to make those cookies. and i love that pic of Lena in the gallery!

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  6. think i'm going to make these cookies tomorrow!

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