Friday, September 30, 2016

Fudgy-Mint-Chocolate-No Bake Cookies

I decided to simply post the link to this recipe. These look delicious and I like the green frosting for Christmas. I would also make them with Peppermint Extract and red food coloring.




http://www.thereciperebel.com/fudgy-mint-chocolate-no-bake…/

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chai Snowball Cookies

These are a variation of a Wedding cookie or an Almond or Pecan Snowball cookie.
They're made with Pistachio Flour and the dusting sugar has Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom and Allspice. They're a great cookie to serve during the Holidays.

Chai Snowballs

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
1 - Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper for baking and another one for cooling the baked cookies.

The Cookie Dough:

16 TBS Butter, softened.
1/2 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 C All Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/4 C Pistachio Flour

Dusting Sugar:

1 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Ginger
1 tsp Cardamom
1 tsp Allspice

In a stand mixer with a Whisk Attachment:
Butter
Sugar
Vanilla
Beat well for 3 minutes.

In a Small Mixing bowl, Sift together:
All Purpose Flour
Salt
Whisk well.

Slowly add the Pistachio Flour, alternating the All Purpose Flour to the Butter/Sugar mixture, on low.

Use a 1 1/2" cookie scoop to create a ball.
Smooth each one in the palm of your hand.
Place them 1" apart on the sheet pan.
Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Bake for 20 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together all of the Dusting Ingredients.
Whisk well.

As soon as the cookies are baked, gently roll them in the Dusting Sugar and heavily coat them.
Transfer them to the clean Sheet Pan to cool for at least 15 minutes.
Dust them again in the mixture.
Transfer to a serving platter or a tightly sealed container and keep them at room temperature.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Fig, Cranberry and Hatch Green Chile Conserve

This is an Original Recipe.
It's served at Christmas as an Appetizer on toasted slices of French Baguette Bread that have been spread with a thin layer of Mascarpone Cheese.

Here's what you'll need:
1 French Baguette, 1" slices, toasted.
Mascarpone Cheese

Fig and Cranberry Conserve:

1/2 C Dried Figs, cut into quarters.
2 C Fresh Cranberries
1 C of roughly chopped Roasted Hatch Green Chiles.
1/2 C Good English Lime Marmalade
1 TBS Balsamic Vinegar


In a Food Processor:
Pulse Figs into fairly large chunks
Add Cranberries and pulse until the mixture has a coarse texture. You want to have some good sized chunks.

Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Fold in Hatch Green Chiles

In a small bowl:
Marmalade
Balsamic Vinegar
Whisk well.
Fold  into the Cranberry/Fig mixture, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Transfer to a canning jar and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Cookies

Here's another great Christmas Cookie.

Chocolate Peppermint Christmas Cookies

Here's what you'll need:
2 Sheet Pans lined with Waxed Paper.

Batter:
8 TBS Butter
2 C Granulated Sugar
3/4 C Whole Milk
1 TBS Cocoa
1 Box of Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix
2 1/2 C Quick Cooking Oats
1 C Sweetened Shredded Coconut

Icing:
8 TBS Butter, softened to room temperature.
1 C Confectioner's Sugar
1 TBS Whole Milk
1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract
Red Gel Food Coloring

Chocolate Ganache:
3/4 C Semisweet Chocolate Chips
1 TBS Whole Milk
1 TBS Butter

In a Large Saucepan on Medium High Heat:
Butter
Milk
Sugar
Cocoa
Bring to a Boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly

Add:
Oats
Pudding Mix
Coconut
Stir to combine well.
Transfer to a mixing bowl.

Use a 1 1/2" Cookie Scoop and drop Cookies onto the Sheet Pans.
Gently flatten with the bottom of a Stainless Steel Measuring Cup.
Refrigerate while making the Icing and Ganache.


Icing:
In a Large Bowl with a Hand Mixer:
Butter
Sugar
Milk
Beat until creamy smooth.
Add:
Peppermint
Food Coloring to desired hue.
Additional Sugar may be slowly added if the Icing appears to be too wet. You don't want it to be runny.

Ice each Cookie out to the edge.
Refrigerate them while you make the Ganache.
The Icing needs to set.


Chocolate Ganache:
In a saucepan on low heat:
Chocolate
Milk
Butter
Cook while stirring constantly until creamy smooth.
Remove from heat and set aside to cool for 10 minutes.
Spread each cookie with a layer of the Ganache, over the Red Icing.
Return them to the refrigerator until the Ganache is set.
Store them in covered containers between layers of Waxed Paper.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

The Summer of Love Cookies!

My niece sent me a recipe for Sunflower Seed Cookies. I decided to adapt the recipe and make it my own.
Here's my interpretation of Jennifer's Sunflower Seed Cookies.
I still consider this to be the perfect Hippy in the Kitchen Cookie. It's reminiscent of what we made in the 60's and early 70's. We ate a lot of Sunflower Seeds!






The Summer of Love Cookies

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
A Sheet Pan lined with Parchment Paper


1 C Butter, softened
1 C Honey
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
1 1/2 C Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
3 C Quick Oats
1 C Toasted Sunflower Seeds
1/2 C Shredded Coconut

In a Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment:
Butter
Honey
Eggs
Vanilla
Beat for 3 minutes.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together:
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Add this to the wet ingredients.
Beat just until combined.

Fold in by hand:
Oats
Sunflower Seeds
Coconut Flakes

Use a 1 1/2" Cookie Scoop.
Drop the dough 2" apart on a Sheet Pan.
Bake 12 - 15 minutes.

Remove the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



Apricot Pecan Balls



Apricot Pecan Balls

Here's what you'll need:
Sheet Pans lined with Parchment Paper.

2 C Chopped Pecans, divided
1 1/2 C Brown Sugar, divided
1 C Finely Chopped Dried Apricots
1 Large Egg, beaten
8 TBS Butter, softened.
2 1/2 C Rice Krispies Cereal
1 tsp Vanilla

In a Large Saucepan on Medium High Heat:
1 C Pecans
1 C Brown Sugar
Apricots
Egg
Butter
Bring to a Boil, stirring often.
Remove from Heat.

Add:
Cereal
Vanilla
Stir to combine well.
Allow to Cool.

In a Zip Lock Bag :
Remaining Pecans
Use a Rolling Pin and crush them to a fine consistency.

In a Medium Mixing Bowl:
Processed Pecans
Remaining Brown Sugar
Whisk well.

Use a 1 1/4" Cookie Scoop and roll cookie dough into balls.
Toss them to coat well in the Pecan/Sugar Mixture.
Transfer them to the Sheet Pan to cool completely.
Store them in an airtight container.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Santa's Favorite Cookie Bars

I'm always in pursuit of Bar Cookies for our annual Dallas Morning News Holiday Cookie Contest.
I also love recipes with Almonds or Almond favoring. Here's a delicious new Bar recipe.



Santa's Favorite Cookie Bars

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
1 - 9" X 13" Baking Pan.

1 1/2 C Flour
2/3 C Granulated Sugar
12 TBS Butter, cold and cut into TBS pieces.
1 1/2 C Dark Chocolate Chips, divided.
1 - 14 oz.  can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 Large Egg
2 C Whole Toasted Almonds, roughly chop them.
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
1 tsp Crisco

In a Medium Mixing Bowl:
Flour
Sugar
Whisk well.
Cut in Butter with a Pastry Knife or 2 Forks until it creates a crumble.
Press even;y in the bottom of the Baking Pan.
Bake for 20 minutes.

In a Saucepan on Medium Heat:
1/2 C Chocolate Chips
Milk
Heat just until Chocolate is completely melted and creamy smooth.
Whisk well.
Set aside to cool slightly.

Whisk in:
Egg until well combined.

Fold in:
Almonds
Almond Extract
Spread even;y over the Crust.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Remove Pan to a Rack to cool completely.

In a Saucepan on Medium Heat:
Remaining Chocolate Chips
Crisco
Heat just until melted and well combined.
Drizzle over the Bars with a Fork.
Refrigerate for 10 minutes.
Cut into Bars.
Place them in Decorative Holiday Paper Candy Cups.
Transfer to a Serving Platter.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!