A Family Fave

Here is the most traditional Christmas cookie from my childhood: the chocolate macaroon.  I experimented a bit with this recipe because I did not want to have to rig up a double boiler to melt the ingredients as the family recipe requires.  I didn’t have the time or the patience.  So I went to the Eagle Brand Milk website and found a recipe very similar to the one we used growing up and took it out for a spin.  Not quite as chocolatey as the family recipe (I think this recipe called for much more coconut) but they taste about the same and I think the family liked them! Next time I will either cut back on the coconut or add more chocolate.

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons (from the Eagle Brand Milk website)

Ingredients:

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted (I did this in the microwave but the bowl got really hot, ouch.  I spilled some and then was short on chocoalte, so I threw in some unsweetened cocoa powder which worked out okay.)
14 oz bag flaked coconut

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, line cookie sheets with parchment paper
In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg white, vanilla, and melted chocolate.  Stir in coconut, then dropped by rounded teaspoonfuls on the lined cookie sheets.
Bake for 15-17 minutes, remove from cookie sheets and cool on wire racks.  Store in air tight container at room temp.

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Tired of Christmas Cookies Yet?

Well we are gearing up to celebrate Christmas with my family this weekend, so I am back in the kitchen baking away! I bought a bucket of 30 Christmas cookie cutters at Bed, Bath, and Beyond awhile back and couldn’t wait to use them. Hopefully my 18 month old niece will get a kick out of these colorful cookies! My sister and I had lots of fun decorating them together, I’m sure I’ll be finding sprinkles in my kitchen for months. I was so happy with this recipe, it was a really easy dough to roll out. I spread some saran wrap on the counter, dusted it with flour, and had no problems with sticky dough! I rarely bake with margarine due to the trans fat, but I figure once a year is allowable, and I think it really makes the cookies soft and tasty! The cookies are mildly sweet and frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness. Plus the frosting dries after awhile so the cookies can be easily stacked without making a huge frosting mess!

Jon’s Super Sugar Cookies (from Joelen’s Cooking Adventures)

Ingredients:
2 eggs
3/4 cup margarine
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon real vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups AP flour
frosting – recipe follows
1. Cream margarine and sugar well.
2. Add vanilla and eggs; combine well.
3. In separate bowl, sift the baking powder, salt and flour.
4. Add flour mixture to wet ingredients slowly until thoroughly combined.
5. Cookie dough must be chilled until firm, or overnight.
6. Remove dough from fridge and roll out to a 1/4 inch thickness.
7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
8. With cookie cutters or rim of drinking glass, cut out cookies.
9. Place cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, depending on oven. Check often to prevent over cooking or burning. Cool on baking rack when done.
10. Meanwhile, to prepare frosting – its a MUST for these cookies! (go all the way or not at all- lol)

Frosting:
1 teaspoon real vanilla
1 stick of real butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon cream or whole milk

11. Cream butter, milk and vanilla together.
12. Slowly add powdered sugar to butter until desired consistency. If you’d like, add liquid food coloring for festive cookies.
13. When cookies are cooled, slather this heavenly frosting. For more texture and color, press the top of the cookies in sprinkles, colored sugar or just eat plain!

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Easy and divine

If you haven’t heard about or tried oreo truffles yet you may live in a cave. Have no fear, it’s safe to come out and try them, just be aware you may become addicted. And if you make them for your family, friends, coworkers, be prepared for some very positive feedback. These babies are a crowd pleaser.

Oreo Truffles (original recipe from Kraft Foods)

Ingredients:

1 pkg Oreo cookies (I used regular for one batch and mint oreos for the other)
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened (light or fat free works great!)
16 oz. chocolate (I used Baker’s Chocolate, semi-sweet for one batch and white for the other)

Crush oreo cookies (I did this in my mini food processor)

Mix cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended (I did this with my KA mixer, but a wooden spoon or hand mixer is another option). Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls (mine were larger, I used my medium cookie scoop). Place on baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. Put baking sheet in freezer for 10-15 minutes until truffles firm up.

Dip balls in melted chocolate; place back on paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with cookie crumbs or sprinkles before chocolate hardens.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator. Can also be frozen.

Serve with a glass of milk!!!

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Everybody’s doing it…

Making Christmas goodies, it has consumed a lot of my time in the recent week (as I’m sure it has for many others!) For my co-workers I wanted to give something sweet as well as something that the diabetics could eat (half my office is diabetic!) I mixed up some chex mix (just followed the recipe on the back of the box!) and for a quick sweet treat I made peppermint bark. I made it for the first time a couple of years ago, just melted some white almond bark and sprinkled crushed up candy canes on top. This year I went for the more impressive and slightly more time consuming double layered bark that you can find, overpriced, at Williams-Sonoma. My co-workers really enjoyed this treat, a couple even asked for the recipe! I gladly passed it on.

Peppermint Bark (adapted from the version I saw at Elly Says Opa!)

Ingredients:

16oz semi-sweet chocolate (bittersweet or dark chocolate would also work)
16 oz white chocolate (I used Baker’s Chocolate brand)
crushed candy canes (I believe I used about 9)

Directions:

Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper (I used a 9×13 pan which in retrospect made for some thick bark, a larger pan would make thinner bark, which I personally prefer).

In a double boiler (I use the microwave, following the melting directions on the back of the chocolate), heat the chocolate until it’s melted and smooth. Pour the chocolate onto the baking sheet and spread the mixture evenly with a spatula. Let the chocolate set, on the counter or in the fridge, until it’s firm.

Melt the white chocolate. Allow to cool slightly before pouring over the firm bittersweet chocolate layer. Spread evenly, and then sprinkle with the crushed peppermints. Set the bark in the fridge and break into pieces when cooled and firm. Bark can be stored in an air tight container at room temp, refrigeration not necessary.

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The incredible egg

I didn’t eat eggs growing up, in fact the first time I remember having eggs in any form was when I was 15 and staying at a ski lodge where amazing breakfasts were served up every morning. The omelets looked so good I just had to try it. When I was a baby I had an allergic reactions to eggs which led to my years of egglessness. I had no idea what I was missing. I tried the omelet and had no adverse reaction and since then I’ve made eggs a regular part of my diet. I learned to make scrambled eggs in a cast iron skillet over a campfire when I was a camp counselor. I taught myself to make omelets on the griddle in the cafeteria in college when the meal offerings got truly bleak. A few weeks ago my father in law made “egg in a hole” for us while we were in Texarkana for Thanksgiving. I had no idea what an “egg in a hole” was but was pleasantly surprised when he put it on my plate. It’s just an egg in the middle of a piece of toast, yum! So simple! So tasty!

So today I was craving eggs, like I usually do on the weekends. I wanted to make my own “egg in a hole” for lunch but with a twist. So I present to you, courtesy of my assortment of Christmas cookie cutters:

“Egg in a Mitten” and “Egg in a Snowman”

Ingredients:

slice of bread
egg
cookie cutter of some kind (or a glass could be used if you want a plain old circle)

Directions:

heat skillet over medium heat, grease skillet, cut hole in bread and place in skillet. Break egg open and drop egg and yolk into the hole in the bread. Cook on both sides until egg is at your desired consistency and bread is toasted. I added some salt and pepper to the egg but that’s just personal preference.

slightly blurry picture of my snowman creation :

and what do you do with the leftover piece of bread? Why cover it with jam of course

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more fun with gorgonzola

We had some gorgonzola left over from our mac n cheese and I decided to try out another Cooking Light recipe. This was a very fast meal to whip up and tasted SO great. We were a little short on the gorgonzola so we topped it with a bit of fresh grated parmesean (if you are still using the canned Kraft stuff it’s time to make the switch, a block of fresh parm isn’t that expensive and it lasts a LONG time, tastes way better too!) This made just enough for dinner for each of us and leftovers for lunch the next day. You could also add more veggies or some grilled chicken to this pasta to make it a more hearty meal. As is, it’s meatless but still quite filling!

Linguine and Spinach with Gorgonzola Sauce (original recipe from Cooking Light)

Ingredients:

1 (9-ounce) package fresh linguine
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk (I used evaporated 2%)
3/4 cup (3 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (or more or less per your preference)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (6-ounce) bag fresh baby spinach (about 6 cups)

 

Preparation:

 

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat.

While pasta cooks, melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly with a whisk. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly with a whisk. Increase heat to medium-high; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer 3 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, and stir in cheese, salt, and pepper. Combine the sauce, pasta, and spinach (I recommend you tear the leaves into smaller pieces so they wilt better), tossing gently to coat.

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Down Home Cookin’

With an ice storm brewing I figured it was a good weekend for some classic comfort food. I had two ingredients in my kitchen I was anxious to use. 1: the chicken legs I bought a couple of months ago that were still sitting in the freezer and 2: the gorgonzola cheese I got for super cheap at the store the other day. After several hours browsing the Cooking Light website I decided on oven fried chicken and mac n cheese. Yum! We really liked the mac n cheese, the gorgonzola gives it a real kick (if you haven’t tried it before, it tastes a lot like blue cheese.) Tyler said the oven fried chicken was “nothing special.” It was good though, just kinda plain.

Oven Fried Chicken (original recipe from cookinglight.com)

Ingredients:

1 cup low-fat buttermilk (didn’t have so I subbed 1 cup milk w/1 T lemon juice in it)
2 large egg whites, beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4 1/2 ounces)
1/3 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
6 chicken drumsticks, skin on.
2 tablespoons canola oil
Cooking spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°.Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine buttermilk and egg whites in a shallow dish; stir well with a whisk. Combine flour, cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and red pepper in a separate shallow dish; stir well. Sprinkle chicken evenly with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture; dredge in flour mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Place chicken on prepared baking sheet; lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until chicken is done.

Macaroni and 4 cheeses (original recipe from cookinglight.com)

Ingredients:

1 pound uncooked medium elbow macaroni
1 (1-ounce) slice white bread (I used bread crumbs I already had on hand)
2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk (I used 2%)
2 bay leaves
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Emmenthaler or Swiss cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons minced fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
2 teaspoons butter or stick margarine, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°.Cook pasta in boiling water 5 minutes or until almost tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Place pasta in a large bowl.

Place bread in a food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form. Set aside.

Bring milk and bay leaves to a simmer in a small saucepan. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a small bowl; gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until well-blended. Return milk mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat until thick, stirring constantly with a whisk. Remove from heat. Add cheeses, salt, and pepper; stirring until cheeses melt. Pour cheese sauce over pasta; stir well. Spoon mixture into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Combine breadcrumbs, sage, and butter in a bowl; toss with a fork. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over pasta mixture.

Bake at 400° for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

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Tasty Tostizzas

We live across the street from a Half Price Books. It’s a dangerous place to live. I feel drawn to the store, pulled in by the cookbook section, where I can peruse hundreds of cookbooks at discounted prices. A few months ago I purchased a copy of Pillsbury Best of the Bakeoff cookbook. I brought it home, flipped through it, and then set it on my bookshelf where all of my cookbooks sit, untouched. See I really prefer to find recipes online where I can read reviews. I have been burned by too many recipes where I followed them to the letter and they turned out terribly (i.e. the lasagna with 5 tablespoons of italian seasoning, blech). Now that I’m figuring out this cooking thing I figure it’s time to turn to my cookbooks and trust that maybe, just maybe, they won’t let me down. Tonight’s dinner was quick, simple, and very good. I love Mexican food, anything Mexican-ish I will try and likely love (oh, except for mole, Tyler loves it but I do not).  I think this recipe is a keeper, especially on game days!   It’s a good football finger food!

Chicken and Black Bean Tostizzas (from Pillsbury)

Ingredients:

1 can large refrigerated flaky biscuits
1/2 cup thick and chunky salsa
1 cup diced cooked chicken
1 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed.
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon cumin
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup green or red bell pepper strips
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Garnish: guacamole or sour cream

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Separate dough into 8 biscuits (my can had 10).  On ungreased cookie sheets, press or roll each biscuit into 5 1/2 inch circle (mine were not that big, maybe 4 inches max).  In medium bowl, combine salsa, chicken, black beans, cilantro and cumin; mix well.  Spread evenly over biscuits to within 1/4 inch of edges.  Top evenly with green onions, bell peper strips and cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 24 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and cheese is melted.  To serve, garnish with sour cream and guacamole.

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Goat Cheese, our new favorite

We had goat cheese for the first time about a month ago on a pizza at Spin! We were instantly addicted! So I bought some at the store this week and we used it on our pizza (see below) and had some leftover so I wanted to try a new recipe with it. I’d heard from several people that Cooking Light has a great goat cheese stuffed chicken recipe so I went in search of it and I *think* I found the one they were talking about! Either way, it’s delicious and definitely a keeper! Tyler made the chicken and I made the sides: asparagus and potato pancakes. What a great dinner! I love it when we cook together!

 

 

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Garlic and Herbed Goat Cheese (from cookinglight.com)

Ingredients:

1 whole garlic head
1/3 cup (3 ounces) goat cheese with herbs, softened
6 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Remove white papery skin from garlic head (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap head in foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins. Combine garlic pulp and cheese, stirring well; set aside.

Cut a horizontal slit through thickest portion of each chicken breast half to form a pocket. Stuff about 4 teaspoons cheese mixture into each pocket. Sprinkle chicken evenly on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes or until lightly browned. Turn chicken over. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°; let stand 5 minutes.

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Victory

Tyler loves these cookies and requests that his mom make them every year at Christmas. I attempted to make them our first Valentine’s Day together back in 2004. It was quite a challenge to gather all the tools necessary for this recipe and then bake the cookies in my small dorm kitchen. They did not turn out very well, but I mailed them off to Tyler anyway and he ate them, only complaining a little. I think they were rock hard and crumbly by the time they got to him! I have not attempted this recipe since then.

I have a real aversion to any recipe that calls for rolling out dough. I was ready to try again though, and I made sure to follow the directions closely and work quickly once I got the dough out of the fridge. As it warms up it becomes sticky, so you have to move fast to get it prepared and rolled up. Next time I will probably chop the cranberries, walnuts, and orange rind in the food processor so I can get the pieces more finely chopped. I will also try rolling the dough out on flour covered parchment paper, since the dough started to stick to the wood cutting board I put it on. Despite my fears and struggles, these cookies look and taste very good!  The combination of cranberry and orange just screams Christmas to me.

Cranberry Walnut Swirls (recipe given to me by Tyler’s mom, I believe it is originally from Southern Living)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cranberries
1/2 cup ground walnuts
1 tablespoon grated orange rind

Directions:

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beating until blended. Gradually add flour, baking powder, and salt, beating until blended. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Combine cranberries, walnuts, and orange rind.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll into a 10-inch square. Sprinkle with cranberry mixture, leaving a 1/2-inch border on 2 opposite sides.

Roll up dough, jellyroll fashion, beginning at a bordered side. Cover and freeze 8 hours.

Cut roll into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Place slices on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes (mine took exactly 11 minutes) or until bottom of cookies starts to brown. Can be frozen up to 1 month.

Made 2 1/2 dozen cookies, but that just depends on how thick you cut the dough.

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