Every year seems to go by quicker and quicker. Days fly by and then weeks and before we know it we are looking in retrospect at the year that was and look forward to a new year of possibilities.
Throughout the month of December I constantly had so many ideas of a great blog post and I kept telling myself I have to sit down and write. Before I knew it Christmas was over and my blog had suffered. I love writing on this blog and sharing my stories of food with anyone reading and over the years it has truly been an adventure. In the upcoming year I want to bring a new approach to my blog. I want to make it a priority. Even if’s just a quick paragraph, there are so many ways food can connect and bring us together, and who knows if my experience with food can bring a new level of joy to your kitchen. So to all of my readers I wish you a happy and safe new year filled with food that nourishes your body and your heart.
Cheers!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Cranberry- White Chocolate Cookies
For every holiday a specific food comes to mind, the Thanksgiving turkey, candy on Halloween, Easter eggs, Valentine’s Day chocolate, etc., etc. When it comes to Christmas I think it’s fair to say cookies of all forms and varieties top the list.
While it makes it the worst possible time to start a diet, there is something so comforting about a house that smells of homemade cookies in the oven and the packaging of cute little gift boxes. It’s like creating a personal North Pole in your own house.
The other day I started to get curious about the connection between Christmas and cookies and did a little Google research. This is what I discovered on a website called The Food Timeline:
“Cakes of all shapes and sizes (including smaller items such as cookies) have been part of festive holiday rituals long before Christmas. Ancient cooks prepared sweet baked goods to mark significant occasions. Many of these recipes and ingredients (cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, almonds, dried fruits etc.) were introduced to Europe in the Middle Ages. "By the 1500s, Christmas cookies had caught on all over Europe. German families baked up pans of Lebkuchen and buttery Spritz cookies. Papparkakor (spicy ginger and black-pepper delights) were favorites in Sweden; the Norwegians made krumkake (thin lemon and cardamom-scented wafers). The earliest Christmas cookies in America came ashore with the Dutch in the early 1600s."
Over the years we have added our own spin to Christmas cookies, yet cookies featuring those same ingredients are shared today with love just as they were all those years ago.
A box of Christmas cookies does not cost a ton of money, and is not something you have to wait in line for, but the meaning it carries for those giving and receiving is truly priceless.
I love baking cookies more than anything and I am currently putting together a Christmas cookie wish- list of all the recipes I want to try before the season is over. However, a classic recipe I know I can always turn to in a crunch is my recipe for Cranberry- White Chocolate cookies. They festively represent the colors of the season, and make a perfect companion to a cup of hot chocolate. They are one of my personal favorites and I hope they can start a new cookie tradition for you during the holiday season.
Cranberry- White Chocolate Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
½ cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ cups all- purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cranberries
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Cream together butter, 1 cup brown sugar and ½ cup sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add to cookie batter. Mix just until incorporated.
Fold in 1 cup white chocolate chips and 1 cup dried cranberries.
Combine the Tablespoon of sugar and teaspoon of cinnamon together. Roll the dough into tablespoon sized balls and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 -12 minutes.
Cool and enjoy!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Thanksgiving Traditions
I know it’s crazy but I even love going to the grocery store the final days before Thanksgiving to pick up last minute items. I know that most people would not agree with me on that, but the way it feels to be around everyone buying food for their loved ones, rushing around to make sure they get everything they need that I enjoy being a part of. Then of course the Macys Parade in the morning is a tradition, the fight over who will get to break the wishbone, and having everyone go around the table saying what their thankful for. While food is the star of the show, it’s only part of what makes Thanksgiving so special.
As I mentioned in an earlier post this month my dad and I are always put in charge of mashed potatoes for the big day. As a baker I always bring a few desserts as well. As with every family you get in the ritual of being counted on to bring a specific item. In my mom’s case it’s the pop (she has never been the cook in the family, but she is content with her role). For awhile I always brought my favorite banana cake and pumpkin squares. While I continue to bring those desserts, I also love trying something new as well. Last year, I experimented with cream puffs. They turned out good, but there was no amazement factor. So this year I made it my mission to find a new recipe that could hopefully become a new tradition I am expected to bring next year. When I discovered this recipe on epicurious for Cranberry- Apple Cake it looked simple, yet delicious and classic. With so many pies stealing the show on Thanksgiving, why not put a spin on the crust and try a cake batter over the fruit instead. In my test run it turned out wonderful and I have a feeling it could easily be brought to the table next year.
Thanksgiving proves that any meal goes beyond the food that sits in front of you. Thanksgiving is not a feast because of the large amount of food, it’s because of the enormous amount of love and comfort that surrounds you.
Easy Cranberry- Apple Cake
Recipe from: Ina Garten "How Easy is That"
Ingredients:
12 oz Fresh Cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
1 Granny Smith apple, peel and cored, medium- diced
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. orange zest
1/4 cup orange juice
1 1/8 tsp. cinnamon, divided
2 eggs
1 cup + 1 Tbsp sugar
1 Stick unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup all –purpose flour
¼ tsp. kosher salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees
Combine Cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest and 1 tsp. cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.
With an electric or standing mixer beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup sugar, butter, vanilla and sour cream, beat until just combined. On low speed, add the flour and salt.
Pour the fruit mixture into a 10- inch glass pie plate. Pour batter over the fruit covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar and 1/8 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Bake for 55- 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean and it’s bubbling on the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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| I was so eager to try it, I stole a slice before I could snap a picture! |
Friday, November 5, 2010
A simple cookie, with a few surprises!!!
From the exterior these cookies don’t look extremely special. There is no frosting, sprinkles or anything yelling “pick me”. Yet this cookie has a few hidden secrets that make it extra special.
I am sure you have all had the peanut butter blossom cookies that are baked with the Hershey kiss centered on top. They are delicious, but there is no anticipation factor. Imagine if the Hershey kiss was tucked inside the cookie instead, a perfectly portioned chocolate surprise waiting for you in the center. It doesn’t take long to discover this is the first surprise in this seemingly plain cookie.
The second surprise is not visible, but it definitely makes a difference in the final appearance of the cookie. The ingredients of the cookie are pretty standard, but the addition of vanilla pudding mix takes the cookie to the next level. The pudding adds extra structure to the cookie, allowing the kiss to stay comfortably tucked inside without oozing out. It also adds an extra level of thickness that gives the cookie a puffy texture.
This is one of my signature cookie recipes, which is why I am kind of surprised I have not written a post on this cookie yet, however I quickly remembered why. When I first came up with this cookie I LOVED it so much that I made it quite a bit. I made it for the holidays, friends and practically any occasion a cookie would fit into nicely, and inevitably I had to take a break from it. However, after that first bite this week I quickly remembered why I became so addicted in the first place.
Enjoy!
Hershey Kiss Surprise Cookie
1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 pkg. vanilla pudding mix *(I usually use sugar free, and you can feel free to use any pudding flavor you like)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
24 Hershey Kisses, any flavor you like
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Un- wrap 24 Hershey Kisses and set aside.
Combine butter, sugars and pudding mix and cream just until blended. Add eggs and vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients and whisk together. Add to cookie batter and mix just until blended.
Take a spoonful of dough and place a Hershey kiss in the center. With your hands roll the dough into a circle ball until the Hershey kiss is not visible, but tucked inside the cookie. Place on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart from one another.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Cool and enjoy!
I am sure you have all had the peanut butter blossom cookies that are baked with the Hershey kiss centered on top. They are delicious, but there is no anticipation factor. Imagine if the Hershey kiss was tucked inside the cookie instead, a perfectly portioned chocolate surprise waiting for you in the center. It doesn’t take long to discover this is the first surprise in this seemingly plain cookie.
The second surprise is not visible, but it definitely makes a difference in the final appearance of the cookie. The ingredients of the cookie are pretty standard, but the addition of vanilla pudding mix takes the cookie to the next level. The pudding adds extra structure to the cookie, allowing the kiss to stay comfortably tucked inside without oozing out. It also adds an extra level of thickness that gives the cookie a puffy texture.
This is one of my signature cookie recipes, which is why I am kind of surprised I have not written a post on this cookie yet, however I quickly remembered why. When I first came up with this cookie I LOVED it so much that I made it quite a bit. I made it for the holidays, friends and practically any occasion a cookie would fit into nicely, and inevitably I had to take a break from it. However, after that first bite this week I quickly remembered why I became so addicted in the first place.
Enjoy!
Hershey Kiss Surprise Cookie
1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 pkg. vanilla pudding mix *(I usually use sugar free, and you can feel free to use any pudding flavor you like)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
½ tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. cinnamon
24 Hershey Kisses, any flavor you like
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Un- wrap 24 Hershey Kisses and set aside.
Combine butter, sugars and pudding mix and cream just until blended. Add eggs and vanilla.
Combine dry ingredients and whisk together. Add to cookie batter and mix just until blended.
Take a spoonful of dough and place a Hershey kiss in the center. With your hands roll the dough into a circle ball until the Hershey kiss is not visible, but tucked inside the cookie. Place on cookie sheet, 2 inches apart from one another.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Cool and enjoy!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Halloween: Candy, Candy and more Candy
There is only one day of the year you will have this much candy in your house. This year instead of tempting yourself with a huge bowl of candy, challenge yourself to create something new. What’s better than a Reese's peanut butter cup? How about a Reese's peanut butter mixed into cookie batter, or M&M’s mixed into an original trail mix. Here are a few ideas to get you started, but I would love to hear what you do with left over candy.
1) Cookies: Skip the chocolate chips and add your favorite chopped up candy to your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough. Pretzels + Rolo Candy = salty and sweet heaven.
2) Pancake batter: Give your kids a special morning treat and add it to a basic pancake batter. How does Twix pancakes sound for breakfast?
3) Make-Your-Own Blizzard: Skip the drive thru and make your own blizzard at home. Soften vanilla ice cream and mix in your favorite candy bar.
1) Cookies: Skip the chocolate chips and add your favorite chopped up candy to your favorite chocolate chip cookie dough. Pretzels + Rolo Candy = salty and sweet heaven.
2) Pancake batter: Give your kids a special morning treat and add it to a basic pancake batter. How does Twix pancakes sound for breakfast?
3) Make-Your-Own Blizzard: Skip the drive thru and make your own blizzard at home. Soften vanilla ice cream and mix in your favorite candy bar.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Mashed Potatoes: A Thanksgiving Conquest
Thanksgiving is a month away, which means it’s the final countdown to discover the perfect mashed potato recipe. Ever since my Dad started bringing the mashed potatoes to Thanksgiving (I became an immediate sous chef) we have had a mission to create the creamiest and fluffiest mashed potatoes ever. We do not take this mission lightly and this year we started planning months in advance.
The ingredients for mashed potatoes are not complicated; in fact there are relatively few ingredients involved. The key for successful mashed potatoes relies in the technique. Over the years my dad and I have experimented with various ideas. We tried a recipe that called for chicken stock which tasted good in the beginning, but didn’t hold up in the long run. Last year, we tried putting the potatoes through a ricer which only left them gluey and clumpy. Nevertheless, we are determined to bring together the ultimate blend of ingredients and technique and I have a strong feeling this is going to be that year.
In a practice round I tried a recipe that called for red potatoes, cream, butter, and a little garlic. When it came time to mash the potatoes, I put ¾ of the potatoes in a food processor and left the remaining potatoes in the pot. I added a few tablespoons of the warm butter- cream mixture into the food processor and mixed just until it appeared smooth. When I looked at the potatoes they appeared to be gluey, which made me very nervous (luckily we were in a practice round). In a last attempt to make the potatoes work, I combined the blended potatoes with the un -mashed potatoes and poured in the rest of the butter- cream mixture. With a potato masher I blended the two together and what resulted was a perfect mashed potato texture. It felt too simple for me, like I was missing an important step, but every bite tasted as good as the last.
While this appears to be a winning technique, I am not about to call it a day here. I am hesitant to try this technique on a larger scale and I am not sure it will work with russet or Yukon gold potatoes, which is our preferred potato for the big day.
So to anyone out there who has discovered a successful recipe and technique and can share it with the rest of us, please let me know!!!
The ingredients for mashed potatoes are not complicated; in fact there are relatively few ingredients involved. The key for successful mashed potatoes relies in the technique. Over the years my dad and I have experimented with various ideas. We tried a recipe that called for chicken stock which tasted good in the beginning, but didn’t hold up in the long run. Last year, we tried putting the potatoes through a ricer which only left them gluey and clumpy. Nevertheless, we are determined to bring together the ultimate blend of ingredients and technique and I have a strong feeling this is going to be that year.
In a practice round I tried a recipe that called for red potatoes, cream, butter, and a little garlic. When it came time to mash the potatoes, I put ¾ of the potatoes in a food processor and left the remaining potatoes in the pot. I added a few tablespoons of the warm butter- cream mixture into the food processor and mixed just until it appeared smooth. When I looked at the potatoes they appeared to be gluey, which made me very nervous (luckily we were in a practice round). In a last attempt to make the potatoes work, I combined the blended potatoes with the un -mashed potatoes and poured in the rest of the butter- cream mixture. With a potato masher I blended the two together and what resulted was a perfect mashed potato texture. It felt too simple for me, like I was missing an important step, but every bite tasted as good as the last.
While this appears to be a winning technique, I am not about to call it a day here. I am hesitant to try this technique on a larger scale and I am not sure it will work with russet or Yukon gold potatoes, which is our preferred potato for the big day.
So to anyone out there who has discovered a successful recipe and technique and can share it with the rest of us, please let me know!!!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
More Pumpkin: Two recipes for the price of one
Due to some schedule changes on my part, pumpkin week was cut short last week ending on Thursday. However, I never leave a task unfinished and as a result I am sharing two simple pumpkin recipes today for melt in your mouth pumpkin cookies and pumpkin cream cheese spread.
I am sure we can all relate to the problem of finding a pumpkin recipe that only calls for half a can of pumpkin. The pumpkin can always be saved for another day, but then I am left feeling rushed to find a recipe before I completely forget about it.
When you don’t want to turn to another cookie or cake recipe, the perfect recipe to turn to is a simple spread. The best part is it’s done in the amount of time it takes for cookies to bake. As long as you have cream cheese on hand and a few essential spices your grocery list is done. Whether you want to use it as a spread for breakfast or as a late- night snack with graham crackers, the choice is yours to make.
Whoever said multi- tasking in the kitchen was hard?
Enjoy!
P.S. These cookies are amazing! Take my word for it, I have tried a lot of pumpkin cookies and these are an instant favorite. The frosting melts in your mouth along with the cookie which equals pumpkin heaven!
P.P.S They are quite hard to resist!
Melt-in-your-mouth Pumpkin cookies
Source: Better Homes and Garden
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
½ can pumpkin
2 cups flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Beat butter on medium-speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla.
Beat in pumpkin, and gradually add flour.
Drop dough by the teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 10- 12 minutes.
Once cooled, top with brown sugar frosting.
Brown sugar frosting
½ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
In a small saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; beat in milk, vanilla and powdered sugar.
While the cookies are baking prepare the spread:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread
Source: Better Homes and Garden
1 8- oz package softened cream cheese
½ cup pumpkin
¼ cup sugar
¾ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp. vanilla
Beat all ingredients together in a standing mixer or with an electric mixer on medium- speed until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
I am sure we can all relate to the problem of finding a pumpkin recipe that only calls for half a can of pumpkin. The pumpkin can always be saved for another day, but then I am left feeling rushed to find a recipe before I completely forget about it.
When you don’t want to turn to another cookie or cake recipe, the perfect recipe to turn to is a simple spread. The best part is it’s done in the amount of time it takes for cookies to bake. As long as you have cream cheese on hand and a few essential spices your grocery list is done. Whether you want to use it as a spread for breakfast or as a late- night snack with graham crackers, the choice is yours to make.
Whoever said multi- tasking in the kitchen was hard?
Enjoy!
P.S. These cookies are amazing! Take my word for it, I have tried a lot of pumpkin cookies and these are an instant favorite. The frosting melts in your mouth along with the cookie which equals pumpkin heaven!
Source: Better Homes and Garden
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
½ can pumpkin
2 cups flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Beat butter on medium-speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Beat until combined. Add eggs and vanilla.
Beat in pumpkin, and gradually add flour.
Drop dough by the teaspoon onto a greased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 10- 12 minutes.
Once cooled, top with brown sugar frosting.
Brown sugar frosting
½ cup butter
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
In a small saucepan, heat butter and brown sugar until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; beat in milk, vanilla and powdered sugar.
While the cookies are baking prepare the spread:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese Spread
Source: Better Homes and Garden
1 8- oz package softened cream cheese
½ cup pumpkin
¼ cup sugar
¾ tsp. pumpkin pie spice
½ tsp. vanilla
Beat all ingredients together in a standing mixer or with an electric mixer on medium- speed until smooth and creamy. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
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