Boxing Day

Normally I am a scratch baker, but with the holidays and schedules I am also a keep it easy and simple person, too.

While I was shopping at HEB, I found two boxed mixes to try -- Central Market (HEB's sister "foodie" grocery store) Peppermint Bark Brownies and King Arthur Flour's Essential Goodness Sour Cream Coffeecake Mix.

Both priced at $4.98 each, though they had a $1 off coupon for the King Arthur Essential Goodness mixes.

If you like peppermint, you will like the Peppermint Bark Brownies.  There is mint flavor in the brownie mix and of course in the crushed candies.  The vanilla bark is a packet of chips, which melted easily and had a nice, not artificial flavor.  I can't say the same for the candies - try a nibble before dumping the entire packet atop.  I ended up only using half.

Also be forewarned, the brownies are very rich -- you add 3 eggs and a stick of butter.   The directions veered away from traditional layout and you had to pay attention and actually read to follow along.  When you are pressed for time this can add a little to the frustration level.

I would rate this mix a C  - It's pretty and a gourmet brownie take up, but I don't think I will make it again.  Half of the brownies were still left after two days with three people.  And they asked for a "small piece"  You might be better off adding half a teaspoon of peppermint flavor to a brownie mix and placing some of those striped red and white chocolate Hershey Kisses on top while still warm and spreading like frosting.   Done and done.

The King Arthur mix also called for 1 stick of butter, divided between the topping and the mix, and only two eggs.  The directions were easier to read and follow on the back of the box.

And if you love the smell of cinnamon, be prepared.  The box says they use premium cinnamon and they do.  Halfway through baking, the house was infused with cinnamon.

Their mixes do not have preservatives, artificial colors, flavors and no corn syrup.  Just the essentials of goodness.

The King Arthur people know their flour and I knew in advance it would be good, but this was way better than expected.  (I use their flour in my scratch baking.)  The sour cream in the mix kept the cake moist and flavorful.  Even the next day, what was left was still yummy.   No one said, let me only have a little bit.  Except what was left - that person was lucky!

I also like the fact that with each box sold (see the rest of their line up here), they will donate one meal to Feeding America.

I would give this an A.  Try it for an easy and delicious weekend coffeecake, if it lasts the weekend.

Winter YummyLand - Mint Chocolate Delights

Let the Christmas Cookie 2016 tryouts begin!

I found this Nestle Toll House Winter Limited Edition Dark Chocolate & Mint Morsels chips at Super Target, and at HEB for around $1.50-$1.70 a bag.  I thought I would use them for my tried and true chocolate chocolate chip cookie recipe, but when I flipped the bag over, I saw their recipe for "Mint Chocolate Delights"  There is also another recipe on the bag for "Magic Mint Chocolate Bark" -- I'm putting that on the try list, also!

MINT CHOCOLATE DELIGHTS

2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened (I always use unsalted butter when I bake, easier to control the salt - different brands use different amounts)
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cups (10 ounce package of chips)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and stir.
Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy.
Add eggs and gradually beat in flour mixture.
Stir in morsels.
Drop by well-rounded tablespoons (or teaspoonfuls) onto uncreased baking sheets
Bake for 11-13 minutes (or 9 to 11 minutes) until cookies are puffed and centers are set.
Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to cool completely.
Makes about 4 dozen (6 1/2 dozen) cookies.

(I like to make smaller cookies - it is much easier calorie and mind-bending wise to be able to say to yourself or anyone/no one in the room, "I'll just have one or two cookies"...)

Sunday Suppers - Meatball Subs

New label - new recipes to try.  (this blog is nothing if not constantly evolving!)
Now that it is finally getting cooler (cough-cough - not going into the 90's and above), the kitchen friendly beckons me back in.   And the latest issue of Cook's Country October/November magazine.  And a 30-Minute Supper of Meatball Subs.

I have a meatball recipe already (Everyday Food #49), but it has ground turkey,  involves the crockpot and stove top splatter time pushing those balls around.  This one is beef, easy-peasy and is all done in the oven.

Here is the original recipe and my notations in ( ) for when I make it the next time.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/4 pounds 85 percent lean ground beef (I used Chuck and a one-pound package of Nolan Ryan Beef)
3/4 cup dried bread crumbs with Italian seasonings
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon garlic powder (may reduce it to 1/4 teaspoon since I later looked at the breadcrumb label and it had garlic already)
1 teaspoon salt (I left it out, see Italian seasonings bread crumbs)
1/2 teaspoon pepper (1/4 teaspoon)
1 1/2 cups jarred marinara sauce (I just used the entire jar - saucy girl!)
4 thin slices deli provolone cheese (Definitely get it from the deli if you can, it was thinner.)
Package of 6" Italian sub/hoagie rolls (Sara Lee with the sesame seeds)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease a rimmed baking sheet with oil.
Mix beef, bread crumbs, eggs, garlic powder, salt and pepper in bowl until well combined (I learned not to over mix or pack together too tightly from my Italian friends)
Form into 12 2" meatballs (I made mine closer to 1 1/2" and was able to get 18 out of one pound of beef, leftovers to freeze - hooray!)

Place on prepared sheet and bake about 15 minutes until meat registers 160 degrees.
Remove meatballs from sheet (and place into the saucepan of sauce, which has been simmering become of timing issues.  Plus it adds additional flavor.)
Place parchment paper on baking sheet (telling yourself you will or have hubby deal with bits of meat still on the sheet during clean up - surprise!  It actually wasn't that bad)
Place rolls on sheet and lay 3 meatballs inside and top with cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted.

Sunday Breakfast - Red Velvet Pancakes (with cream cheese topping!)

Today for breakfast we tried the Red Velvet My Favorite Pancake Mix we found at Cost Plus World Market yesterday.  I usually make my pancakes from scratch or Bisquick, but I must say I was impressed with the flavor and the texture of these.  Not too heavy, not too thick.  You just add an egg, water and butter/oil.

The color is a pretty dark red - I think these would be also nice for Christmas and Valentine's Day.  And, if you are feeling ghoulish - Halloween.   When I spilt a few drops of batter on the floor, yeah, it looked a little like a crime scene.

Sorry, no photo of the pancakes - they were inhaled.

For the topping I mixed 1/2  package Neufchâtel cream cheese, 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 tablespoons of confectioner's sugar to get a good consistency to spread over the warm pancakes.  An electric hand beater helped.

A one cup serving of the mix prepared enough pancakes to serve three people.  Next time you get an email coupon or are in the store, grab a can.   They have other yummy-sounding flavors.  And you can use it in your waffle maker, too.

Mix It Up!

Here are some of my favorite seasoning mixes -- I like making my own to avoid the additives, extra salt and sugar, and anti-caking ingredients the commercial mixes have.

Bonus, many spices have positive health effects.   Did you know these spices have and can. . .

Antioxidants:
Turmeric
Rosemary
Oregano
Basil
Cloves
Cinnamon
Black pepper
Paprika
Ginger
Garlic

May help lower blood glucose:
Cinnamon
Garlic
Ginger
Basil
Oregano
Nutmeg
Bay leaf
Allspice
Curry

May have antibacterial properties:
Garlic
Allspice
Oregano
Thyme
Cinnamon
Cumin
Cloves
Lemon grass

So here's to your health, more money in your wallet, and good eating!

Poultry Seasoning

1 teaspoon each:  dried rosemary, sage, thyme, marjoram and celery salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Pinch of nutmeg.

I usually double or even triple the ingredients to store in my spice jar.

Poultry Rub

1 teaspoon kosher salt or 1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander (optional for me)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne

Makes about 3 tablespoons, enough to season a 4 pound whole chicken or 8 bone-in or boneless chicken breasts.

Enchilada Sauce

15 ounce can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon chili powder (or a little less for less heat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
a few shakes of garlic, onion and chipotle powder

Simmer for 20-30 minutes.  Makes enough sauce for 9-10 enchiladas.

Cajun Seasoning

1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Great recipe - Coat 4 lean boneless center cut pork chops 1/2" thick on both sides.  Heat 2 teaspoons butter over high heat until it starts to brown.  Put chops in pan, reduce heat to medium.  Fry on both sides until dark brown, about 6-8 minutes.

Another Cajun Seasoning

2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

Mediterranean Spice

1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Great recipe - 2 large sweet potatoes (~2 pounds) skins on, scrubbed and cut into 4" sticks each 1/2" thick, 3 large egg whites (a scant 1/2 cup.  Preheat oven to 450 with racks in upper and middle positions.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and rub with oil.  Put sweet potatoes in microwave safe container, cover and micro 2 minutes.  Stir gently, cover and micro 1-2 minutes more until pieces are pliable.  Let rest 5 minutes covered, pour onto platter.  In large bowl, whisk egg whites until frothy, add Mediterranean Spice and whisk to blend.  Toss the sweet potatoes in the seasoned egg whites and place on single layer on prepared baking sheets.  Bake 10 minutes, then flip over with a spatula.  Rotate sheets and bake another 15 minutes or until dark golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Grilled Vegetable Seasoning

Bonus it is salt-free, you'll never miss the salt!

1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon tarragon (optional for me)
1 teaspoon dried chives (optional for me)
1 teaspoon majoram
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried savory or rosemary
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

No Taco Bueno

Ouch!  I may just go back to making my own taco seasoning.  I will admit Penzeys has some terrific blends and spices and seasonings, but this latest price jump for my usual 3/4 cup bag of Bold Taco Seasoning has me rethinking this particular purchase in the future and going back to making my own.

(By the way, I do love Penzeys Apple Pie Spice on oatmeal in the morning with toasted walnuts and chopped apple.)

c. 1995  641.5
ISBN: 1-55561-073-0
1-55561-107-9

I love this Make-A-Mix book by Karine Eliason, Nevada Harward and Madeline Westover.  I still have the receipt from the now defunct Crown Books wherein I paid by check on February 7, 1996 for $17.49 including tax.  (I saved 10%!)  It also has great recipes.

I leave out the cornstarch and reduce the salt

Through the years, I have also scribbled, stuffed and taped my own mix recipes to the pages, which I shall also post later today.  Gotta keep my Foodie Blogroll bonafides! ; )

The 2014 Christmas Cookie Search Continues with Almond Joy Cookies

ALMOND JOY COOKIES

INGREDIENTS:

7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons coconut extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstach
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
a pinch of salt
1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
3/4 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
1 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

Combine the butter and sugars, then add egg, extracts and beat on medium-high speed until creamed and well combined, about 4 minutes.

Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, optional salt, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 1 minute.

Add the coconut, almonds, chocolate chips, and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.

I baked these with unchilled dough.  They spread and flattened a little, but still turned out looking temptingly good!  The original directions called for refrigerating the dough prior to baking, which I didn't see until writing this post.  

Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, a silicone sheet or spray with cooking spray. Place dough mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart and bake for 8 minutes, rotating halfway. Do not overbake. Coconut is prone to burning.  Cookies will be pale and look un-done, but firm up as they cool.  Good luck with allowing cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before serving. 

I modified these from the original found on Pinterest, which was pinned from this website.
I did not chill mine, so they did indeed spread a little, but not that much.  I also make my cookies smaller, using a rounded teaspoonful instead.  That shortened the baking time to 8 minutes, rotating the cookies halfway.  I lightly toasted the sliced almonds and cut back to 3/4 cup.  I also increased the chocolate chips to 1 1/4 cup (to make up the difference in the almonds -wink-).

How good were these?  I couldn't get an accurate count of how many I was able to get from the recipe as they kept sneaking and re-arranging the cooling cookies.  I'm thinking by my making them smaller than the original recipe called for it made 4-5 dozen.

A most versatile cookie...

Red Velvet Edition!

My daughter saw Red Velvet Cookies on Pinterest.  I liked the idea, but was hesitant to take a chance on a new recipe.  Instead, I used our tried and true 1995 McCall's Magazine Cocoa M&M's Cookie recipe (click here).
FYI:  With or without M&M's, this is a great basic chocolate cookie you can have a lot of fun with and enjoy eating!

RED VELVET COOKIES

1 ¼ cups flour
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup sugar
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
New!  1 1/2 tablespoons Adams Extract Red food coloring

Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In large (to be covered) bowl, combine sugar and butter. At high speed, beat 2 minutes until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla, beat 2 minutes. Beat in flour mixture. Chill one hour or until dough is firm.

Roll dough in 1” balls and then roll in colored sugar, sprinkles/jimmies and/or powdered sugar.  Place 2” apart on cookie sheets. Bake 10 minutes, switching racks at 5 minutes. Cookies should start to have cracks.  If possible, cool and enjoy!  Hubby and daughter polished off a dozen warm while my back was turned.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Though I am composing a letter to Adams Extract about making their bottles a little bit easier to pour and measure.  Yikes!  Be forewarned to have lots of paper towels handy...and to hide them in your garbage can lest your kitchen look like crime scene!

Christmas Cookie Exchange Cookie 2014!

This cookie made the cut for the annual Christmas Cookie exchange party, but will it also take the honor of Christmas Cookie 2014?!  What we like -- the recipe makes practically a gazillion (5-6 dozen, depending how big the dough ball becomes towards the end.  The relatively low calorie/low carb stats (see previous sentence) - 54 calories/4 g complex carbohydrate.  While the "strong coconut flavor" (read extract) is optional, I think it might give a more coconut-y flavor boost...Even though I used the "good stuff" Baker's Coconut.  It was fun to also add sprinkles to make them more Christmas-y.  I also liked the blingy touch of the candied cherry.  A very fun and festive and tasty cookie!

Coconut Jumbles 

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 6 ounces) unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar (5 1/4 ounces)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon strong coconut flavor (optional)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (7 1/4 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups (4 1/2 ounces) sweetened flaked coconut
About 36 candied cherries, cut in half, or 72 macadamia nuts, or chocolate chips

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease two baking sheets.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and coconut flavor until light and fluffy. Sift salt, flour and baking soda together into a small bowl and gradually beat them into the egg mixture. Stir in the coconut until everything is well combined.

Drop the dough by the teaspoonful onto prepared baking sheets; use the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar to press each ball down slightly.
(Or pat and form into a flattened round shape, using sugar if needed to control sticking to fingers)
Bake the cookies for 9 minutes, or until they are light golden brown and just firm to the touch.
(I rotate the sheets half way through, sprinkling colored sugar on the cookies)

As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, plunk half a candied cherry round side up, or a macadamia nut, or a couple of chocolate chips, into the center of each and press down gently. Cool the cookies on a wire rack.

Makes about 5 to 6 dozen cookies.

Source:  The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion

Wednesday Work in Progress - 2014 Christmas Cookie of the Year Edition

It's that time…what recipe will earn the title of 2014 Christmas Cookie?
Previous winners have included:  2013 Chocolate Sugar Cookie…2012 Irish Cream Cookies...2011 Chocolate Peppermint Kiss Cookie…and 2010 Sparkly Peppermint Cookies
The cookie bar is set pretty high!

First up,  Caramel Pecan Cookies
Actually they are called "Jeweled Pyramids"
and were a finalist in the current Cook's Country magazine Christmas Cookie Contest (December/January 2015 issue)

Caramel Pecan Cookies

What I liked:  You mix all the ingredients in the food processor, one less bowl/mixer to clean up.
It made extra caramel sauce!  And there are leftover chopped pecans to use for other recipes.   There aren't any eggs in this recipe.  Not much (brown) sugar, either - only 1/2 cup.

However -- Two sticks of butter!

What made me go "Hmmm…":  They were still gooey (the caramel) almost 6 hours later.  I also live in humid Houston but today was not really an especially humid day.  Definitely reconsider making these in the Summer!  I am running an experiment to see how they freeze after being dipped in caramel and pecans.   Perhaps if you want to make them in advance, you could bake and then freeze to the point before dipping.  These may not be a mailable gift treat.  (Apologies to the volunteer taste-testers mailing distance away.)

2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all purpose flour
2 1/2 cups (10 ounces) pecans - 1 cup is for the dough, the rest for the dipping
2 sticks (16 tablepoons) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces and chilled.
1/2 cup packed (3 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bag of Kraft caramels
1/4 cup milk (I used skim)

1.  Adjust oven rack to upper middle and lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees.  Line 2 (4) baking sheets with parchment paper.  Pulse flour, 1 cup pecans, butter, sugar, vanilla and salt in food processor until combined and dough starts to hold shape.  Transfer to bowl and press together.
2.  Original instructions-divide dough into 24 balls, form each into a pyramid shape and space evenly on prepared sheets.  Bake until light golden, 20-25 minutes, switch and rotate sheets halfway through. Let cookies cook on sheet for 5 minutes, and then transfer to wire rack and cool completely.  Save the parchment paper on the cookie sheets.
3.  Microwave caramels and milk in bowl, I stirred about every 20-30 seconds, until melted and smooth, about 3 minutes.  Place remaining pecans (see my advice below) in a shallow dish.  Dip the top point of each pyramid/cookie in caramel to coat and then lightly dip into the pecans.  Return to sheets and let cookies set for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Advice:
- When I can, I weigh my ingredients.  I feel it is more accurate, especially for flour and nuts.
- I also pre-chopped the pecans in the food processor first, emptied it and then filled with the rest of the ingredients.
- Also forewarning, you only use 1 cup of pecans in the dough.  I also think you could get away with 2 cups of pecans.  I had a lot extra.
- Don't pour out all the chopped pecans on the dipping plate.  Replenish as needed.  Those that don't stick on the first pass will start to pick up the excess caramel. A tasty treat for the clean up crew, though.
- If you make the dough balls/triangles big gum ball sized (not jaw-breaker ones), you can get over 4 dozen instead of the two dozen the recipe indicated.   They still baked for about the same time, 21 minutes.  
- With the salted caramel craze, perhaps a sprinkling of sea salt might be yummy, too!

On to the next contender!

Triple Threat

Triple Chocolate M&M Cookies

Here is another version -Fall Harvest Halloween Thanksgiving- of the Cocoa M&M Cookies from the March 1995 issue of McCall's magazine. I grabbed a bag of M&M's at Target's After Halloween Sale.  I was planning to make a double batch for a Chili Cook-Off fundraiser.  Alas, the bags are no longer two cups -- but 12.6 ounces now.  However, I made up the difference with dark chocolate chips.  I think they even turned out better and more chocolate-y!

COCOA M&M COOKIES

1 1/4 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (you can easily lop off 1 1/2 tablespoons without being missed)

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup M&Ms plain chocolate candy

confectioner's sugar

Grease 3 large baking sheets. Preheat oven to 350. In medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. In large (coverable if you do this *) bowl, combine sugar and butter. At high speed beat 2 minutes or until creamy. Beat in egg and vanilla; beat 2 minutes. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in candies. (*chill 10 minutes or until dough is firm. Roll dough into 1" balls then roll in confectioner's sugar). Place 2" apart on prepared sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool.

Almond Blueberry Pear Tart

Almond Blueberry Pear Tart

It's Fall and that means time to get back into the kitchen and bake!

This is my variation of the Pear Tart recipes circulating around the Internet and Pinterest.
I had a two pound bag of red bartlet pears from Trader Joe's, while pretty, were ripening pretty fast.  I peeled and sliced them yet they didn't quite fill the tart pan.  So I added a couple handfuls of frozen blueberries - about a cup, to fill in the spaces.

Filling - 1 3/4 cups of sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up.  (Next time I'm dialing back the sugar to 1 1/2 cups.)
Mix sugar and flour together.  Add bits of butter.  Mix with fingers until crumbly.  Distribute over fruit.

Bake at 425 for 30 minutes
If crust is starting to brown too quickly, adjust oven temperature to 375 and bake an additional 10-15 minutes or until filling is bubbly.   Sprinkle toasted almond slivers on top.
Let cool, and top with BlueBell Homemade Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream and enjoy!

Here's my Fool Proof Pie Crust recipe from Good Housekeeping magazine.

For a 9" baked pie shell or tart:

1 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut up
3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
2-5 tablespoons ice water (I usually end up using about 2 1/2, since Houston is so humid)
Directions

In food processor with knife blade attached, blend flour and salt.
Add butter and shortening, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until large moist crumbs just begin to form.

Shape dough into disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight.
(If chilled overnight, let dough stand 30 minutes at room temperature before rolling.)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into 12-inch round. Ease dough round into 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Gently press dough against bottom and up sides of plate without stretching. Trim dough edge, leaving 1-inch overhang. Fold overhang under; pinch to form stand-up edge, then make decorative edge.

Freeze pie shell 15 minutes.
Line pie shell with foil or parchment, and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until beginning to set. Remove foil with weights, and bake 13 to 15 minutes longer or until golden. If shell puffs up during baking, gently press it down with back of spoon. Cool on wire rack until ready to fill.

Nutritional information is based on 1/10 of a pie shell.
To make Deep-Dish Baked Pie Shell: Prepare 9-Inch Baked Pie Shell as above, but increase all-purpose flour to 1 1/2 cups and vegetable shortening to 1/4 cup. Ease dough into 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate.

Each 1/10 of the pie shell: About 165 calories, 2 g protein, 14 g carbohydrate, 11 g total fat (5 g saturated), 1 g fiber, 16 mg cholesterol, 120 mg sodium.

Try It Tuesday - Coco-Doodles Cookie Recipe

Coco-Doodles!

Coconut Snickerdoodles!  

Instead of rolling in cinnamon sugar, you use coconut and some sparkling sugar!

This could be a contender for Christmas Cookie 2014.   I thought/hoped the coconut would look a little bit "snowy," though I am tempted to also roll them in some red and green jimmies, too.
Next time, I might sub out some (a 1/4 cup perhaps first try?) of the flour for the Trader Joe's Coconut Flour!

INGREDIENTS

1½ cups sweetened shredded coconut - look for the "Fancy" kind, it is a finer and smaller shred and

you can skip a step in the preparation
1 cup shortening
1½ cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2¾ cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
Sparking sugar, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
2) In a high-speed blender or food processor, pulse coconut until finely shredded. Pour into a shallow bowl. Set aside.  (I skipped this step)
3) In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.
4) Add  dry ingredients into a medium bowl. Add to creamed mixture; mix until just combined.
5) Roll dough into 1" balls  Roll in the coconut. (add sparkling/sanding sugar, if you want)  Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
6) Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges and just barely set in the center.

Remove to wire racks to cool.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Two-Fer Tuesday

When I originally came up with the idea for my Adams Extract watercolor painting, I was going to include a vanilla bean next to the bottle.  But the cute frame I had in mind was just the perfect size for the bottle only.  I decided to put the vanilla bean to good use, not only once but twice - pairing it together with the Ball Mason jar and making vanilla sugar!
(Maybe even turn this watercoloring adventure into a three-fer and make these Vanilla Shortbread Cookies again?!)

More Fun with Figs! Fig Pie!

Fig Pie!

We are still working our way through the first round of our 2014 Celeste fig harvest.  I thought this time I would try making a fig pie.

For my almost 7" in diameter Chantal pie plates, I used the Deep Dish pie shell recipe proportions, since I was making a double crust.  I've found it is better to have extra dough rather than trying to stretch, and rip, the pastry to fit and cover the plate and filling.

Pie Crust Recipe - Adapted from Good Housekeeping magazine - November 2008

Ingredients for a 9" pie shell:

Before assembling the ingredients, I fill a measuring cup with water and ice to get that water ice cold.

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons unsalted cold butter, cut up as you place in the food processor
3 tablespoons Crisco
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water (I've never had to use that much, perhaps because I live in a humid climate)

For a Deep Dish Pie Shell (or a double crust for a 2-cup size/6-3/4"diameter x 1-1/4"deep Chantal pie plate) Increase flour to 1 1/2 cups and vegetable shortening to 1/4 cup.

Instructions:

In food processor with knife blade attached, blend flour and salt.  Add butter and shortening, and plus until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until large moist crumbs just begin to form.  The trick is to keep it crumbly instead of turning into a ball.

Shape dough into disk/s, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or over night (if over night, let dough stand 30 minutes at room temperature before rolling)

Put dough between wax paper and roll into a 12" round, approximately 1/8" thick.   Remove one side of wax paper and flip over into pie plate (with the other wax paper side up).  Fit into plate and remove remaining wax paper sheet.

Trim excess crust and place in freezer for 15 minutes.  In the meantime preheat oven to 425.  

Bake pie shell for 10 minutes.  
Fill with fruit.

Sprinkle with some pretty sanding sugar on top, adjust  heat to 400.   Or lower temperature to 375 if it is browning too quickly.
Bake for an additional 30 minutes or  until crust turns golden.

Fig Fruit Filling

Well, I didn't quite measure/count the figs prior to trimming the stems and cutting in half and placing in a saucepan to cook.  If I had to guesstimate, I would say it was probably 4 cups of fresh figs.  Always better to err on the win-win plus side, you can always use and eat the extra!  I did add a little less than 1/4 cup sugar and a teaspoon of cinnamon.   Then for this particular pie, I added a tablespoon of cornstarch to thicken the fruit once it started to bubble.   In hindsight, I probably didn't really need the cornstarch.  It was not that watery.  And I actually couldn't tell any difference from the other sauce I had made.   I was just following other fruit pie recipes, which did call for cornstarch.  My pie bottom was not soggy and the filling not runny.    Perhaps the kitchen angels were smiling upon me.  And hopefully you, too!

Fig Pie a la Mode!

Fresh Fig Muffins

Fresh Fig Muffin
(Christmas in July?)

From "The Figgery" today. . .I baked this Fresh Fig Muffin recipe adapted from The Craft of Baking by Karen DeMasco.   These turned out GREAT!  Tasted wonderful warm and at room temperature.  Hopefully they will freeze well, as I was able to get 15 muffins out of this recipe.  Albeit using my "seasonal" cup cake paper cups.  I don't like to try and pry muffins out of the tin, but I do like an after-holiday sale.  I can usually pick these up for 10 to 25 cents a package.  I also think the designs are pretty.

The changes I made were using Celeste figs and sprinkling some Sugar in the Raw on top before baking for sparkle.  Next time I may try subbing out 1/4 to 1/2 of whole wheat flour.  I will try 1/4 cup first, as these are so light as they are.  Also the cinnamon-y/brown sugar muffin base smells and tastes just heavenly as it is baking and afterwards.   I bet you could make these again and sub out pieces of apple, or blueberries, or peaches for the figs.  Add walnuts or almonds.   This recipe is definitely a winner!

FRESH FIG MUFFINS

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2  cup buttermilk
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup chopped fresh figs (I quartered the smaller Celeste figs)

Preheat the oven to 350 F degrees. Generously butter a standard 12 cup muffin pan or line it with paper liners.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.

In a second small bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and vanilla.

Using an electric mixer (if you have a paddle attachment, use it.  I used the regular Kitchen Aid one), beat the butter and brown sugar until well combined.

With the mixer at low speed, alternate adding the the dry and liquid ingredients - 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 buttermilk mixture, 1/3 flour mixture, 1/2 buttermilk mixture, 1/3 flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.

Remove bowl from the mixer and gently fold in the figs.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full.

I love my Pampered Chef stoneware.
A nice remembery gift from a very dear friend of mine

Bake until the muffins are a deep golden brown in color, 25-30 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Then turn out muffins from the pan and let them cool completely.

Makes 12 to 15 muffins.

Look carefully -You can see the melted and caramelized  figs inside

P.S.  How impressed was I by this recipe??  I just bought the cookbook!  Since it was published in 2009, Amazon has them new and used starting at $3.99.  Target and Walmart also sell it online, if you have a gift card from them - I'd consider getting this cookbook.  And then give the giver something you made from it. 

Figgy Fun Friday

"Fresh Fig Bars"

Our Celeste fig tree is still setting new figs…  So far we have given way almost ten pounds of figs!
I've made two batches of "jam". . .

Fig Sauce

(quotes because it is not "official" canned/processed jam, but merely a figgy sauce with a touch of cinnamon and a little sugar.)  Which I've put on cereal. . .

Oatmeal with walnuts and figs

and yogurt and ice cream. . .

Figs a la mode

and yes, even by itself as a snack.

But now it is time to find and try out fig recipes!
I've tried two cookie recipes -- the favorite is the one pictured at the top of this post.  Both are from the California Fig website

"Fresh Fig Cookies"

First recipe tryout -- Fresh Fig Cookies
Maybe if I had followed the recipe (I substituted cinnamon for the cloves and didn't add walnuts and replaced 1/2 cup of white flour with whole wheat), they may have been better.  The problem was they were so "cakey"(mushy?)  and blah.  Despite the recipe calling for a cup of sugar, they weren't sweet.   Not even sprinkling sanding sugar on top or drizzling a bit of frosting helped.  My taste testers were forewarned by my saying, "Do these taste good to you?"  Oddly I kept wanting to add raisins - I think because it had the texture of a typical soft raisin cookie.

NEXT!

Fresh Fig Bars
Yet another recipe calling for walnuts.  Which I skipped again.  This recipe shows you how to make the filling, albeit time-consuming.  I just used my Fig Sauce/Jam I had in the fridge.  There is also more than enough oatmeal mixture to cover the bottom and top.  They were a little crumbly but I had no complaints from my taste testers - at all!   Next time I will try packing the bottom a little more firmly to see if they will hold their shape a little bit better.  You definitely need to use a fork or be ready to use your fingers to grab errant, flopped off pieces.  I'm going to try and see if they can be frozen, too.  I also added four packets of Sugar in the Raw sprinkled on top, hoping for extra crunch and texture.

Cookie bottom and top:

1 cup shortening
¾ cup packed brown sugar
2 cups sifted flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream shortening and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Combine 2 cups flour, ½ teaspoon salt and oatmeal; stir into creamed mixture. Divide and press one half oatmeal mixture into bottom of well-greased 9x13 inch pan. Spread evenly with fig mixture.

Sprinkle remaining half oatmeal mixture on top and press together lightly.

Bake at 350°F for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Cut 4x6 into 24 squares while still warm.  (no idea what that means - so here's what I did.  Then I cut these rectangles in half after removing them from the pan.)

Cool completely before removing from pan.

Earthquake Cookies - Ginger Snaps - Those Molasses Cookies

Just call me delicious!

Today is hubby's birthday, and instead of cake, he requested "those molasses cookies."
I call them ginger cookies or ginger snaps…and The Dallas Morning News back in 1999 called them "Earthquake Cookies" because of how they form cracks as they bake and cool.    A cookie by another name, still has molasses in it and is still yummy!

Earthquake Cookies…Ginger Snaps…Those Molasses Cookies

3/4 cup Crisco
1 cup sugar (I use not quite a full cup, as the cookies will be rolled in additional sugar)
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
Extra sugar for rolling
Wilton Sprinkles White Sparkling Sugar

Cream Crisco and 1 cup sugar with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Add egg and molasses and beat well.    Combine remaining ingredients and add to bowl and mix well.  Chill at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 375.  Shape dough into 1" balls and roll in granulated sugar.  (I like to combine the
larger white sparkling sugar with regular sugar for a pretty effect).  Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 7 minutes.  Remove to wire racks to cool.  Cookies will crisp as they cool.
Makes at least 5 dozen cookies.

Nutrition info:  63 calories, 3g fat (1g sat), 4mg chol, 54mg sodium, 9g carbs, 4mg calcium

Today is National Oatmeal Cookie Day!

“I'd make oatmeal cookies."
"Cookies?"
"I would. That's just what I would do."
"Why?"
He lifts one hand from the steering wheel and pinches his chin. "Because the world is changing so fast all the time. There's nothing you can do but just say, 'cool,' and roll with it. But some things can stay the same. Flour is still flour. Vanilla still smells like vanilla. Say a giant fireball is motoring toward us right now from Alha Centauri. Okay, universe. You expect us to run and scream and kill one another? Sorry, we're making oatmeal freaking cookies.”

― R.A. Nelson, Breathe My Name

And here are three recipes I have tried and enjoyed.  (I would say my favorite is the Oatmeal Raisin one.  They truly did "vanish" around the house after I made them.)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pecan

This is from the December 2007 issue of Cooking Light Magazine - Oatmeal, Chocolate Chip and Pecan Cookies

*The reviews were mixed on this, so I took some, but not all of the advice and followed part but not all of the recipe.  The one thing I did which I regret, was adding Penzeys Cake Spice instead of cinnamon.  Some of my testers liked it, I didn't really.  Perhaps I put too much in, almost 1 teaspoonful.  I've used this in other recipes with great results - especially cinnamon and raisin bread.  But not this one.  I don't think it played nicely with the chocolate chips.   Which I used regular sized as opposed to the mini chips.

I also added an extra egg white, as some others reported the dough as dry.  The one thing I did do was weigh the flour as opposed to just using measuring cups.  That could be a reason why some had a dry dough, perhaps too much flour.  

And I always use unsalted butter.  I skipped the parchment paper, just because I am lucky to have the Williams-Somoma Gold Touch cookie sheets!

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour (about 5 1/2 ounces)*

1 cup regular oats

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, softened*

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 large egg*

1/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini chips*

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt), stirring with a whisk; set aside.

Place sugars and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add vanilla and egg; beat until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until combined. Stir in pecans and minichips. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until edges of cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans 2 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Oatmeal Raisin

These are the Quaker Oats "Vanishing Oatmeal Cookies" recipe found on the underside of the lid. 

Ingredients: 

1/2 Cup (1 stick) plus 6 tablespoons butter, softened

3/4 Cup  firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 Cup granulated sugar

2 Eggs

1 Teaspoon vanilla

1-1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

1 Teaspoon(s) Baking Soda

1 Teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon salt (optional)

3 Cups Quaker® Oats (I used old fashioned, uncooked)

1 Cup raisins

Preparation:  

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat butter and sugars on medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well. Add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well. Add oats and raisins; mix well. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to wire rack. Cool completely. Store tightly covered.

Makes 4-5 dozen

Oatmeal Pecan

And if you like nuts instead, this Oatmeal Pecan cookie recipe also a favorite of ours from Taste of Home's Simple and Delicious magazine.  The secret ingredient is Rice Krispies!

Click here for the December 2, 2007 post.

Tah Dah! Christmas Cookie 2013!

Chocolate Sugar Cookie!

I found this in the April/May 2013 Cook's Country magazine, page 23.  Well worth the extra steps and effort!

CHOCOLATE SUGAR COOKIES - Modified 

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup (2 1/3 oz) granulated sugar
 -- I always mark a line underneath this, as it is not included in the cookie dough, but the cookies are rolled in it.  Actually though, I used Wilton Sparkling Sugar (Super Target carries it) and India Tree Sparkling Sugar in Red (Found at Central Market)

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (8 1/8 oz) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (2 1/4 oz) unsweetened cocoa powder*
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
14 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided - 10, 4
1 3/4 cups packed (12 1/4 oz) brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, plus 1 large yolk

Parchment paper

Notes:  

I veered away from the original instructions in that I made the cookies smaller (1" gum ball sized versus a 2 tablespoon hunk of dough -- plus you get more!) and I also refrigerated the dough for at least two hours or overnight to make it easier and less messy to work with.  I experimented with different sugars - the granulated white sugar seemed to disappear into the cookie after it baked.  I did use a light green colored sugar on one batch and that  was a nice touch, too.  But I liked the coarser and bigger white and red sanding/sparkling sugars instead.

Since Cook's Country is really a scientific-y kind of recipe-tested magazine, I decided to weigh the flour, cocoa powder and brown sugar instead of using measuring cups.  Remember when the older Burda's had recipes and the ingredients were in Metric?  When I showed it to my German-speaking friend, she said baking by using weight measure would usually give a better result.  I think I proved it right!

DIRECTIONS:

Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder in Kitchen Aid mixing bowl.

Microwave 10 tablespoons of butter, covered in a large bowl until melted, about 1 minute.  Remove from microwave and stir in remaining 4 tablespoons butter until melted.  Allow butter to cool to 90-95 degrees, about 5 minutes.

Whisk brown sugar, vanilla and salt into butter until no lumps remain, scraping down bowl as needed.  

Whisk in egg and yolk until smooth.  

Add all to mixer and mix until combined.  Chill for two hours or overnight.

Using a little at a time, keeping the dough refrigerated in between, roll into 1" gum ball sized balls.  Roll in sugar.  Place on parchment lined baking sheets.  Flatten with with the bottom of a drinking glass.  Add a little more sugar (red) to the center, if desired.  Bake for 6 minutes, rotate cookie sheets from upper to lower racks, and then bake for an additional 6 minutes.  

Let cool and enjoy!

By making the cookies smaller, you can get at least 5 to 5 1/2 dozen cookies.  Perfect for cookie exchange parties!   They also freeze well.

*I found this at Costco - only $6.99!  Rodelle Baking Cocoa  I gave it a try, figuring Costco usually carries "the good stuff," even if I had never heard of it before.  And I was right!  The color and the scent are so much deeper and stronger than Hershey's -- I went back and bought another!