COOKIES: SUGAR, GINGERPEOPLE, SHORTBREAD AND MORE!

Merry Christmas to you all! I have never blogged on Christmas Day, but it seemed like the right thing to do this afternoon. None of these cookie recipes are exclusively for Christmas, although they are traditional. If you are cutting the sugar cookies into shapes, you could fashion for any occasion.

OLD FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES

This recipe came from Betty Crocker. They are easy to put together and roll out and looked great on our tree! It was also fun eating them off the tree if you get a sugar craving during the festive holiday season!

I sometimes struggle with rolled cookies, but these have so much butter in them they rolled very easily. Plus another hint is to make the dough the day before and keep chilled in fridge overnight until ready to roll. Just let them sit out a bit before rolling next day.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter (that's 2 sticks) softened
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1 egg
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cream of tartar

Preparation:
In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the butter, 1 tsp. vanilla, almond extract and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours or overnight.
Heat oven to 375. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into assorted shapes with cookie cutters; free-form; or use patterns from children's books or Christmas motifs. If cookies are to be hung as decorations, make a hole in each 1/4 inch from top. I used a skewer and then when they came out of the oven reinforced the opening of each hole. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake 7-10 minutes or until light brown. They get browner as they cool. Remove from cookie sheet to rack. Cool completely--about 30 minutes and then decorate either with frosting or colored sugar or let your imagination run wild. My decorations were not very sophisticated or fancy, but the cookies tasted great.

GINGERBREAD COOKIES

One year I made anatomically correct Ginger People. I decorated my tree that year with the cookies and it was so fun watching people's reactions as they viewed the tree and realized these Ginger People were without clothes! This year I made only Men and put little pants on them. I also made some Ginger Flowers.

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. ground ginger
1 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 cup molasses
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest (optional; but I used it)

Preparation:
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves until well blended.
In a large bowl beat butter, brown sugar, and egg on medium speed until well blended.
Add molasses, vanilla, and lemon zest and continue to mix until well blended.
Gradually stir in dry ingredients until blended and smooth.
Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic and let stand at room temperature for at least 2 hours. I refrigerated overnight and then let stand at room temp for about 1/2 hour before proceeding.
Preheat oven to 375. Prepare baking sheets by lining with parchment. I skipped that step and just put the rolled and cut Ginger People onto the baking sheet.
Place 1 portion of the dough on a lightly floured surface. I rolled each of these recipes right on my counter.
Sprinkle flour over dough and rolling pin. Roll dough to a scant 1/4 inch. This dough was not as forgiving as the Sugar Cookies, but look at the butter ratio! Use additional flour to avoid sticking.
Cut out cookies with desired cutter-Gingerbread, of course, being the most traditional.
Space cookies 1 1/2 inch part. Bake 1 sheet at a time for 7-10 minutes. Lower cooking time means softer cookies so depends if you like them crispy or soft. I like them crispy.
After cookies are cooled decorate as you like.

I thought these 2 batches would do it, but my husband asked if I would make MORE...so I made a shortbread cookie and melted 2 different types of chocolate on top.

CLASSIC SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp, cut into chunks
1 tsp. water

Preparation:
Add flour, salt and powdered sugar to food processor and pulse to combine. This is a case where you really do need to use your food processor. Add vanilla, butter and 1 tsp. water. Pulse together just until dough is formed. Put the dough on a sheet of plastic and roll into a log about 2 1/2 inches in diameter (I wish I had taken a picture of this because it looks awesome all rolled up in plastic!). Tightly twist each end of the wrap in opposite directions. Chill dough in fridge at least 30 minutes. I chilled for about 5 hours.
Slice the log into 1/3 inch thick discs. Arrange on nonstick cookies sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the edges are just light brown--about 7-10 minutes; rotating the pans half way through the baking process. Remove from the oven and if topping with chocolate add 1 square per cookie and pop back in the oven for a few seconds. Remove and swirl chocolate. I used Ghiradelli semi-sweet and Ghiradelli white chocolate with peppermint bark. Let cool completely on racks and then start eating! Next time I am going to add toasted pecans to the dough before forming.

Closing today with the dessert we are having with our own Christmas dinner. My husband loved his Boston Cream Pie birthday cake so much he asked if I would make another for Christmas. I decided to make a Boston Cream Yule log using the Pastry Cream (see previous blog recipe, but note I forgot to say how much sugar to use in the Pastry Cream. Use 1/2 cup.). I made a Jelly Roll for the cake base, rolled it with the Pastry Cream and frosted with Karen's fabulous Chocolate Ganache. I should've used the traditional Mocha butter cream my Mom used to make with her Yule log. Because a Jelly Roll is basically sponge cake, it totally absorbed the sauce. It doesn't look that pretty, but I assure you it is insanely delicious!

Here's the Jelly Roll right out of the oven.

Ingredients:
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup cold water
2 tsp. vanilla

And here's me spreading the Pastry Cream into the Jelly Roll sponge cake.

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375. Spray a cookie sheet (11 x 15) with Pam. Fit with waxed paper (it's good to have a little overhang on short sides) and spray again with Pam or any cooking spray.
Whisk eggs, sugar, vanilla and water until light.
Mix in dry ingredients. Pour the very thin batter onto the baking/cookie sheet.
Bake about 10 minutes until the sponge is golden and springs to the touch.
Turn out on a dishtowel wrung out in cold water.
Remove the waxed paper immediately. I got a phone call just as I was about to remove. Because the cake keeps cooking even after out of the oven, do not wait to remove the waxed paper. Let cool slightly and then fill with either jelly, jam, or in this case Pastry Cream!

The dishtowel will help you begin the process of rolling. It really is easy as the cake is super-moist and very pliable. I then topped with the Chocolate Ganache (see previous blog recipe) and decorated with a little colored butter cream frosting. A cake decorator I am not!, but I do love playing with food so had a ball putting this Yule log together for our festive Christmas dinner.

I hope you have all had a warm and wonderful Christmas filled with love, family, good food and holiday cheer.

Until next time...

MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM MY KITCHEN TO YOURS!

 

ALL THE BEST OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON!

www.cookwithcindy.com

COOKIES AND ICE CREAM!

Looking for a rich and decadent dessert? Try this one...a grown-up version of your favorite childhood sandwich!

PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY ICE CREAM

 

WITH PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY

SANDWICH COOKIES

For the Ice Cream-

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 cup unsalted natural peanut butter (I used salted.)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup good quality strawberry jam (or whatever jam flavor you prefer)

Preparation:
Fill a large bowl with ice water. In a small bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. milk with the cornstarch. Whisk and set aside. Whisk the peanut butter and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine the remaining milk with the heavy cream and sugar in a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring the milk mixture to a low boil. Cook until the sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Return to a boil over high heat until the mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Pour into the bowl with the peanut butter and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl in the ice bath to cool, about 20 minutes, whisking occasionally. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours or overnight. I like to do this step the day before churning so always chill it overnight. Pour chilled ice cream base into your ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturers instructions. This batch took about 20 minutes. Spoon a small layer of jam into a freezer-safe container and lightly spoon a layer of ice cream on top. Continue to alternate layers of jam and ice cream until the container is full. Gently swirl the layers with a spoon, careful not to muddy the ice cream. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours. Makes 1 generous quart.

The texture of this ice cream was perfect. I found the recipe online, but don't remember exactly the source. Really fun combination of flavors!

And now for the cookies-

Ingredients:

COOKIE DOUGH
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temp
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
1/4 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts for topping

FILLING
1/3 cup peanut butter
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 cup strawberry jam (or whatever your favorite is!)

Start by making the dough. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, using a hand mixer, beat the butter with both sugars at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then beat in the dry ingredients in 3 batches, mixing well between additions. Fold in the peanut butter until fully incorporated.

Scoop 24 1 inch balls of dough onto the baking sheets at least 2" apart. Press the balls down slightly; they should be about 1 1/2" in diameter. Sprinkle the tops with chopped peanuts. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are light golden brown and tops are slightly cracked; rotate the baking sheets halfway through. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to a rack to let cool completely.

While the cookies are baking, make the filling.

In a bowl, using a hand mixer, whip the peanut butter with the butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla and salt at medium speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Refrigerate for about 45 minutes until chilled.

Spoon 1 1/2 Tbsp. of the filling on the underside of 12 cookies. Spread 1 tsp. of jam on the underside of the remaining cookies. Sandwich the halves together and serve.

These cookies are ridiculously good. This recipe came from Food and Wine Magazine and they got it courtesy of Chef Tiffany MacIssac, Owner of Washington D.C.'s Buttercream Bakeshop. I'd like to visit that bakery!

I'm going to share one more ice cream recipe with you today. This was my own creation and my first attempt at making a recipe for ice cream. And, I just happened to have some goats milk on hand! Most ice cream calls for 1 or more eggs, but since the recipe above was eggless I decided to make this one eggless, too.

 

STRAWBERRY CHEESECAKE ICE CREAM

I served with empanadas from our local bakery.

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups goats milk
8 oz. cream cheese
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup half and half
1/4 cup sugar plus 2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup strawberry jam

1 cup fresh strawberries, sliced

Gently heat the sliced strawberries with 2 Tbsp. sugar until sugar is dissolved. Put the berries in a bowl and chill in the refrigerator until ready to churn.

I basically used the technique above using these ingredients. Stirring continuously, heat the goats milk, cream cheese half and half, salt, and sugar until the cheese melts and mixture comes to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and add the cornstarch mixture and 1/2 cup strawberry jam. Return to high heat and bring once more to a boil. Pour into a bowl and cool quickly in the ice water bath for about 20 minutes. Then place in fridge overnight to completely chill before churning. Once you have chilled the ice cream base, pour into your ice cream maker. As it begins to churn add the fresh strawberries that have been cooked down a bit in the sugar. Churn until the desired consistency is reached; about 20 minutes. Place in freezer for a few hours to firm up.

I will admit the texture of this ice cream was not perfect, but the flavor was delicious. I think the cream cheese made the texture a little icy. Maybe next time add 2 eggs to the ice cream base to create a custard with the cream cheese.

All for today!

Fall is just around the corner.

Days in southern Arizona will begin cooling off.

Time to do more cooking!

 

Tune in again soon, for another episode of:

www.cookwithcindy.com

THE TALE OF TWO STRAWBERRIES!

 

Strawberries are more versatile than you may think. Let's start today with an unexpected savory...

STRAWBERRY SOUP WITH ROQUEFORT PANNA COTTA

This made for a rich, but satisfying first course for a fun dinner party I put together for our friends Steve and Deb Vis, who we thought were moving to Florida. Fortunately they have changed their minds and are staying in sunny Arizona! I have made the savory panna cotta in the past and thought it would be a perfect contrast for the Strawberry Soup. Last time I made it with a Chilled Plum Soup, which was also very special. I looked online at many different recipes and came up with this.

Ingredients:

2 cups strawberries*, roughly chopped

1/4 cup Marsala or other sweet wine

Pinch of salt

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 cup Greek style Plain yogurt

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar. I used Pear Infused vinegar.

1/2 cup water

*Use the freshest and most ripe strawberries you can find. This would be over-the-top if you used hand-picked wild strawberries. 

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Macerate berries in sugar and pinch of salt for about 15 minutes. To macerate, simply mix berries with the sugar and salt and stir together slightly mashing the berries to release their natural juice. 

Spread on a foil-lined, very lightly oiled cookie sheet and roast in the hot oven for about 15 minutes, stirring once to make sure berries roast evenly. 

Remove and cool. Add the berries and all other ingredients to the blender and blend until completely smooth. Taste for seasoning.

Yes! That is my Mom's circa 1960 Osterizer Blender.
Still works perfectly!

I served by gently placing the panna cottas in a bowl and then pouring the chilled soup around. I garnished with small pieces of Roquefort and a sliced strawberry on top. 

To make the Roquefort Panna Cotta, go to:

 http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=panna+cotta

Scroll down through most of last years Easter dinner to get the Panna Cotta recipe. Next time, I would add a whisker less sugar, although the contrast of just barely sweet with the salty bite of the cheese was pretty good!

Next, a more traditional use of strawberries!

BEST STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM...EVER!

When you research recipes online, they often say "the best", "most delicious", etc., but this time it really is so! Again, I looked at many recipes before deciding on this one, which came from a site called "Like Mother, Like Daughter". The only difference is that I added 2 Tbsp. of vodka (yes, vodka!) towards the end of the churning. In researching recipes I learned that Strawberry Ice Cream is one of the most difficult to make as the berries can crystalize when churned and frozen. The alcohol helps eliminate that problem. It certainly was creamy and delicious, both as a Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwich Cookie and just served in a bowl.

Ingredients:

2 cups chopped strawberries

1 cup sugar, divided 1/2 and 1/2

2 cups heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 dash salt

2 Tbsp. vodka

Preparation:

The day before making the ice cream, make sure your ice cream bowl is frozen. I've made that mistake before and your ice cream will never get frozen enough if the bowl is not completely frozen.

Mix chopped strawberries with 1/2 cup sugar. Set aside for about 15 minutes to allow the strawberries to release their juices. 

Blend strawberries in a blender or food processor until just blended. A couple remaining chunks of berry are fine. 

In a large bowl combine strawberry mixture with heavy cream, whole milk, vanilla, salt and remaining sugar. Set aside.

Pour strawberry cream mixture into prepared ice cream maker. Allow to run according to manufacturers instructions. Mine took about 30 minutes. When you are 20 minutes into the churning process, drizzle the 2 Tbsp. of vodka into the ice cream. The mixture will be quite soft. You can eat immediately or place in a bowl in the freezer for a few hours or overnight to harden up.

I like this recipe as there are no eggs, therefore no custard to make, which makes the entire ice cream as easy as it is delicious!

Jerry Rabbitt: 2022 Official Ice Cream Licker...

For our special dinner party, I decided to make Strawberry Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies for dessert with a great recipe for super thin, Crispy Chocolate Wafer Cookies. This one I found online at the Cooking Channel.

CRISPY CHOCOLATE WAFER COOKIES

This recipe makes 6 1/2 dozen thin wafer cookies!
They also freeze very well.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar, well packed

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup flour

3/4 cup Dutch cocoa powder. I used Hershey's Special Dark 100% cocoa powder.

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup milk. I used a couple Tbsp. more to get a better consistency.

Preparation:

Cream together the butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla until light; about 2 minutes. 

In a medium bowl sift the cocoa to remove any lumps and whisk together with flour, baking soda, and salt.

 

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just to combine. Add the milk and mix just to combine. If it is very crumbly, add 1 Tbsp. of milk at a time until the mixture comes together when gently squeezed.

On a sheet of plastic wrap, drop the dough into 2 roughly shaped logs, each about 1 1/2 inches thick. Using the plastic wrap and your fingers, coax the dough into a firm log shape and then roll the plastic tightly around the dough.

Refrigerate at least an hour or up to overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using your sharpest knife, cut the cookie dough into 1/8 inch coins and place them on the cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart to bake. If the dough is less than perfectly round, use your fingers or the back of the knife to get into shape.

Bake for 5 minutes, then rotate pan and bake another 5 minutes until they are dry looking. Let cool a minute or 2 before removing to a rack as the cookies are quite delicate. 

To make the STRAWBERRY ICE CREAM SANDWICH COOKIES soften the ice cream, and simply add about 2 Tbsp. of Strawberry Ice Cream to the cooled cookies, smooth out the edges and top with another cookie. 

My husband, Jerry, is not only a good
licker of ice cream bowls, but also helpful
in filling Ice Cream Sandwich Cookies!

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS STRAWBERRY EXTRAVAGANZA!

UNTIL NEXT TIME...

FILL YOUR KITCHEN WITH BEAUTIFUL AROMAS,

WHICH WILL FILL YOUR HEART WITH LOVE!

Steve, Deb, and my husband, Jerry
So glad you are going to stick around!

WWW.COOKWITHCINDY.COM

A TRIO OF DELECTABLE DESSERTS!

PANNA COTTA

This was the dessert I served at Easter along with 2 little bunny (sugar) cookies. Here's the recipe for the cookies. http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=sugar+cookies I make them for lots of special occasions. They are relatively easy for rolled cookies and dress up well!

Panna Cotta in Italian means "Cooked Cream". The texture was perfectly smooth and creamy, but they didn't set up as well as I would have liked. My main refrigerator in the kitchen was bursting at the seems with food so I placed the Panna Cottas in my small under-counter fridge that is outside to chill. It was an unusually hot day so that fridge wasn't quite cold enough to set them properly, but no one complained and they tasted delicious! I increased the recipe by half-again since I was serving 10.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 Tbsps. (which is 1 1/2 envelopes) unflavored gelatin
3 Tbsp. cold water
3 cups heavy cream
1 1/2 cups half and half
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Preparation:
In a small saucepan sprinkle gelatin over water and let stand about 1 minute to soften. Heat gelatin mixture over low heat until gelatin is dissolved and remove pan from heat.
In a large saucepan bring cream, half and half, and sugar just to a boil over moderately high heat, stirring so it doesn't scorch. Remove pan from heat and stir in gelatin mixture and vanilla. Divide cream mixture among 10 (1/2 cup) ramekins and cool to room temperature. Chill ramekins, covered at least 4 hours or overnight. Next time I will make the night before serving!

To serve: Dip ramekins, 1 at a time, into a bowl of hot water for 3 seconds. Run a knife around edge of each ramekin and invert ramekin onto the center of a small plate. I served them in small, crystal bowls with about 4 Tbsp. of Raspberry Coulis on the bottom of the bowl and also topped the Panna Cottas with additional sauce and a few fresh raspberries. A coulis is simply a strained puree of fruit or veg. Panna Cotta is very mild since it is mainly just cream so this vibrant sauce was the perfect spark for this dessert.

I found this recipe online (https://thecafesucrefarine.com/easy-raspberry-coulis/) and thought it interesting that frozen raspberries are recommended over fresh. According to this Blogger they render a more intense raspberry flavor and ensure a deep, rich red color.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. water
12 ounces frozen raspberries, thawed

I nabbed this photo from their website as I
didn't have time to take one of my own while serving.

Preparation:
Combine sugar and water in a 1 cup microwave-save cup or bowl. Stir to combine. Mixture will be very thick. Cook in the microwave on high power for 2 minutes. Stir for 5-10 seconds to dissolve sugar crystals.
Combine frozen raspberries and hot syrup in a blender. Blend until mixture is smooth and pureed. Pour the puree through a fine mesh sieve set over a medium-sized bowl. Pouring does not really occur as the mixture is quite thick. You will need to stir and push the solids with the back of a large spoon or rubber spatula until all of the liquid has been pushed through. This will take several minutes and was, by far, the most difficult part of putting this Coulis together, but worth every minute! Discard the seeds. Store in the refrigerator up to a week or in the freezer for 2-3 months.

Next up...

DARK CHOCOLATE AVOCADO MOUSSE

 

This is the most unlikely combination of ingredients, but I happened to have 2 very ripe avocados that I needed to use so went to the web to look for something different. You would never know there are avocados in this decadent chocolate dessert and I recommend taking the word "avocado" out of the title and presenting as a DARK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE! Very 'moussey', sublime texture and intense chocolate flavor with NO hint of avocado!

Ingredients:
2 large very ripe avocados
4 oz. 70% cacao baking chocolate melted
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup Almond milk (I used Coconut Almond milk)
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
Sea Salt

Preparation:
In a food processor, combine avocados melted chocolate, cocoa powder, maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla, cinnamon and a pinch of Sea Salt. Puree until creamy. Spoon the mousse into 4 small ramekins and chill for at least 1 hour.

 

I think this would be really yummy served with a coffee whipped cream with slivers of chocolate or toasted nuts for texture contrast.

We'll finish today with a...

MANGO SORBET

Ingredients:
4 1/2 to  cups very ripe mangos (about 2 lbs.) peeled and diced
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar*
1 tsp. fresh lime juice (more or less to taste)
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt (more or less to taste)
* The mangos I used were very sweet so I used less sugar.

Preparation:
Pack diced mangoes in a blender with water and blend on high speed until very smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup, pushing puree through strainer with a spoon until you have 3 cups of puree. Reserve the remainder for another use. (Great in a smoothy!)
Transfer strained puree into a large bowl and whisk in sugar until well dissolved. Whisk in lime juice and salt adjusting flavors. Chill the puree in the fridge until very cold; 2-3 hours or overnight. Churn in ice cream maker according to your machine. Mine takes about 20-25 minutes for both ice cream or sorbet.
Transfer to an airtight container and chill in freezer at least 4 hours before serving.

 

WE'RE HEADING BACK TO IRELAND IN LESS THAN 2 WEEKS, BUT BEFORE I GO WANT TO SHARE ONE MORE RECIPE FROM SOUTH OF THE BORDER...MOLE!

 

STAY TUNED...

 

WWW.COOKWITHCINDY.COM

SHORTBREAD COOKIES!

Who doesn't enjoy this 'not too sweet' treat. More butter, than sugar, I do love these cookies. This recipe is from Ina Garten, AKA The Barefoot Contessa. Shortbreads are generally associated with Scotland, but are also very popular throughout the UK, Ireland, Denmark, and Sweden with origins dating back to the 12th Century.

Shortbreads from the oven. Cooled and cut.

Shortbread cookies get their name from the large quantity of butter (shortening) used to make them, and that is what makes them so delicious. I doubled the recipe as I needed to make 30 cookies and my shortbread mold makes very generous 3" square shortbreads so much larger than the ones Ina uses in her recipe. I'm going to give you Ina's original recipe (not doubled).

Ingredients:
3/4 lb. butter, at room temperature (3 sticks)
1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
6-7 oz. very good semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped. I did not use the chocolate since I made my cookies into a mold, rather than a 3x1" finger-shaped cutter.

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. (Mixing 6 sticks of butter in my standing mixer was no easy feat. The butter kept trying to escape over the top of the bowl!) Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, and salt, then add them to the butter and sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.

Roll the dough 1/2" thick and cut with a 3 x 1" finger-shaped cutter, OR cut the dough into a 9" x 9" square (or whatever the size of your mold) and press dough into your shortbread mold. This was my first time making. Next time I will press the dough a bit more firmly as the attractive designs did not come through that clearly. If making in a mold, gently poke holes in the dough with a fork before baking so the shortbread will not rise.

Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. I omitted the sugar as the bottom of the cookie was up, rather than the top.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temp. I baked for about 30 minutes until golden. Cool in the mold for about 10 minutes. Loosen the edges with a plastic knife, and invert onto a cutting board. Cut into serving pieces while still warm. Cool completely and store in airtight container or bags.

If using the chocolate, put 3 oz. of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temp, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled. Stirring also makes it glossier. Drizzle 1/2 of each cookies with just enough chocolate to coat it.

Ina's Shortbread cookies. Aren't they beautiful!

Here's another 'not too sweet' treat.

 

SOFT AND CHEWY GRANOLA BARS



This photo is from Adam and Joanne's site, Inspired Taste.

I found this recipe online from a blog site called Inspired Taste. The Granola bars were delicious, but next time I would omit the brown sugar altogether and just use honey for sweetener. As this blogger points out you can add any nuts or dried fruit you like. I did add 1 1/2 cups coconut. I tripled this recipe and would recommend the same. I will give ingredients for both the original and the larger quantity. In some cases I was more generous than the original recipe with nuts/dried fruit. I love the fact these bars are relatively healthy and very easy to make. You don't even bake them. The Granola Bars keep well in an airtight container for about 1 week. Keep in the fridge to allow them to stay a bit firmer or keep at room temp for very soft and chewy. They also freeze well so why not make a bigger batch!

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cps old fashioned rolled oats (7 1/2 cups)
1/2 cup whole almonds, coarsely chopped (2 cups chopped)
1/3 cup honey (1 cup)
1/4 cup butter (3/4 cup or 1 1/2 sticks)
1/2 tsp. vanilla (1 1/2 tsp.)
1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed (3/4 cup, but next time I will omit)
1/4 tsp. kosher salt, (3/4 tsp.)
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped (1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. mini chocolate chips (3/4+ cups)
I added 1 1/2 cups unsweetened Organic coconut

Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add oats and almonds to an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 5 minutes. Stir and bake another 3-5 minutes until lightly toasted. Transfer to a large bowl. Line bottom and sides of an 8 or 9 inch pan with aluminum foil. My triple-batch fit perfectly in one 12x17 and one 9x12 sheet pan. Lightly oil or spray with cooking spray.

Combine butter, honey, brown sugar (if using), vanilla and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally until butter melts and the sugar completely dissolves.

Pour butter mixture into the bowl with oats and almonds. Mix well. Let cool about 5 minutes and then add cranberries and 1/4 cup (or 3/4 cup if tripling) of the chocolate chips. Stir to combine. The chocolate chips will start to melt. This is not a problem and helps hold the bars together.

Transfer oat mixture to lined pan(s) then use a rubber spatula or damp finger tips to firmly press the mixture into the pan. Press hard here to help the bars stay together. Joanne and Adam recommend pressing for about 1 minute to ensure that bars don't crumble when you begin to cut them. I pressed for about 2 minutes to be doubly sure.

Scatter remaining chocolate chips over pressed granola mixture then use a rubber spatula to gently press them into the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. I kept mine in fridge for about 5 hours. Remove block of granola mixture from the pan then peel away aluminum foil. Cut into bars about 1" wide and 4" long.

Jerry helps by cutting the granola bars

My husband, Jerry's birthday is next week, November 13th. He and our good friend, Dennis Makes share the day and we have celebrated their birthday's together for many years. Sadly, this is the first birthday without Dennis, as he passed away on October 5, 2018, but we will continue to lift our hearts and celebrate his life along with my Jerry's.

Golfing at Tubac Golf Resort
November 13, 2016

 

Dennis and Jerry helping to make
Pumpkin Ravioli's for the birthday feast.
November 13, 2017
 

I CONSIDER NOVEMBER 13TH THE OFFICAL KICK-OFF TO HOLIDAY SEASON. THIS YEAR FOR JERRY'S BIRTHDAY I AM MAKING ROAST RACK OF LAMB WITH MUSTARD AND GARLIC CRUMB TOPPING, BOURSIN MASHED POTATOES AND ROASTED ASPARAGUS.

DESSERT: SALTED CARAMEL ICE CREAM.

WISHING YOU HEALTH AND HAPPINESS AS YOU COOK INTO THE HOLIDAYS!

TUNE IN AGAIN SOON FOR ANOTHER EPISODE OF:

WWW.COOKWITHCINDY.COM

IT'S CHRISTMAS COOKIE TIME!

I love this time of year. Filled with festive gatherings, lots of hustle bustle, and much cooking and baking! I have started my Christmas cookies and added a new one I want to share with you. This recipe is from my hairdresser's grandmother, Irma Kidwell.

And here is the grand lady! I wished I had a chance to meet her!

My hairdresser, Patreese Flores, tells me it's been a family favorite for generations and I can see why. My husband, Jerry, said it is one of the best cookies he's ever eaten.

CHOCOLATE MINT COOKIES

Ingredients:
2 cups shortening (That is 4 sticks. I used European style unsalted butter.)
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 packages chocolate chips (24 oz.)
3/4 cup white corn syrup
5 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. cinnamon
6 tsp. baking soda
2 oz. pure peppermint extract

Preparation:
Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs until creamy. Add peppermint. Melt chocolate chips.

I made a make-shift double boiler by placing
a bowl in a saucepan of water. Bring water
to a boil and stir until chocolate melts.

Add to mixture. Add corn syrup. Sift dry ingredients together and add to wet.

Roll into balls and then roll in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-10 minutes. For chewier cookies take them out before they crack.

This recipe does not disappoint! Thanks for sharing Patreese. To get a great haircut call Patreese Flores at her salon on the W. Frontage Road in Rio Rico. Aqua Salon, 520-841-2639.

CLEVER GIFT IDEA!

My good friend and golf buddy, Peachy McQueen, gave each in our 4-some a very thoughtful Christmas cookie gift.

She attractively layered the ingredients in the jar in the order given:

1/2 up white chocolate chips
1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted and cooled
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk biscuit & baking mix
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup buttermilk biscuit & baking mix.
Attach the gift tag with finishing instructions. To this you add: 1 stick melted butter; 1 egg, slightly beaten; and 1 tsp. almond extract. Press into an 8x8 inch pan and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes. Fabulous!

And finally, here are a few shots from a cookie making adventure with my dear brother, Skip!


Carefully measuring ingredients! Go to:
http://cookwithcindy.blogspot.com/search?q=gingerbread
for gingerbread cookie recipe and my favorite, sugar cookies!

We used stars, trees, angels...
every shape except gingerbread people...fun!

 



NEXT TIME I'M GOING TO SHARE A SIMPLE RECIPE

FOR AN OLD-FASHIONED CHEESE BALL.

MUCH BETTER THAN STORE-BOUGHT

AND VARIATIONS ARE NEARLY ENDLESS!

GREAT CHRISTMAS HORS D'OEUVRE!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

WWW.COOKWITHCINDY.COM