12.24.2011

Christmas Cookies 2011



2 years ago I decided to start a new holiday tradition- taking off a day from work right before Christmas vacation to bake cookies!  This year I made 5 varieties- which included 2 new-to-me recipes.  Those of you who are in NJ with us this Christmas will receive containers of cookies.  Check out the links to the recipes below!


1.  Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
2.  Double Coconut Macaroons
3.  Chocolate Chip Cookies (the best!)
4.  Oreo Cheesecake Cookies
5.  Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies

Enjoy!



Chocolate Chip Cookies (the best!)



I always used to make the cookie recipe on the chocolate chip bag, and although good, the recipe below makes the best chocolate chip cookies.  I think it's pretty similar to the bag recipe, yet the small changes (including the ridiculous wait time) must make all the difference!

makes about 60 cookies

Ingredients :
2 1/2 cups (10.125oz) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted7. butter, melted and still warm
3/4 cup (5.25oz) granulated sugar
3/4 cup (5.25oz) packed brown sugar (we don't like overly sweet cookies, so we did a bit less of each sugar)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp salt
2 large eggs
2 cups (12 oz) chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
optional: 1 cup (3.5 oz) chopped nuts (we omitted)

Directions:
1.  Combine the flour and baking soda in a bowl and mix together thoroughly with whisk or fork 
2.  In a large bowl, combine the melted butter with the sugars, vanilla, and salt. Mix in the eggs.
3.  Stir in the flour mixture just until all of the dry ingredients are moistened.
4.  Stir in the chocolate and nuts (if using)
5.  If possible, let the dough stand for 1 or 2 hours, or (better still) overnight in the refrigerator.
6.  Preheat the oven to 375. Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven.
7.  If necessary, remove the dough from the refrigerator to soften.  Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and place them 3 inches apart on the ungreased or lined cookie sheets. 
8.  Bake for 9-11 minutes (rotating pans halfway through), or until the cookies are golden brown at the edges and no longer look wet on top.

Recipe from Chewy Gooey Crispy Crunchy Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich


Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

 "Very good, not too sweet" - Dave

I had saved this recipe a while ago, and knew that Christmas would be the perfect occasion to make them!

Ingredients:
1/2c unsalted butter, softened
4 oz, weight cream cheese, softened (the original recipe called for 3, but I like my cream cheese...)
1 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c mini chocolate chips (I may add a bit less next time)
1 c Oreo cookie crumbs (I made crumbs in the food processor, but also added some roughly chopped Oreos for texture)
1/2 c white chocolate chips, melted (I used real baking white chocolate, although I think next time I will use the white chocolate you get in the candy-making section at the craft store. The real chocolate didn't set as firmly as the candy chocolate does)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside
2.  In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese using a mixer until they are well combined.
3.  Add the sugar and vanilla and mix until ingredients are well combined.  Add the flour and mix on low until the flour is incorporated.  Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
4.  Scoop the dough into 1" balls and roll in Oreo cookie crumbs so cookie is covered. 
5.  Place covered cookie balls onto the prepared baking sheet, and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the tops are slightly puffed.
6.  Cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.  Once cool, drizzle cookies with melted white chocolate.

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen


12.21.2011

Cinnamon Crinkle Cookies


Dave and I have made these cookies many times before, since they are so easy!  The recipe is kind of a cheat, since it uses boxed cake mix.  Reminds me of something that crazy Sandra Lee would make (before getting wasted at "cocktail time," of course)

Ingredients:
3/4c butter or margarine, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pkg Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe French Vanilla cake mix

2 egg yolks (whites will be used in topping)

topping:
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 egg whites
1 tsp water

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 375
2.  Combine butter, egg yolks, and vanilla extract in a large bowl.  Blend in cake mix gradually, and stir until blended
3.  To make topping, combine sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
4.  Combine egg whites and water in another small bowl; beat lightly with a fork
5.  Roll 1 level measuring teaspoon of dough into a ball.  Dip half of the ball into egg white mixture, then into cinnamon-sugar mixture.
6.  Place ball sugar-side-up on ungreased baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining balls, placing them 2 inches apart.
7.  Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until puffed and edges are light golden brown.  Cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets, and remove to cooling racks.


Recipe from:  The Great American Cookie Cookbook

12.18.2011

Mulligatawny Soup

*Insert Seinfeld Reference Here*

Dave and I made this wonderful and easy to prepare soup last night. Although not traditional Indian food, it had great Indian flavor, and was warm and comforting!


Ingredients:
1 whole boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces
(we had shredded slow-cooked chicken on hand that we used instead)
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 tbsp butter
1 medium onion
3 cloves garlic, minced finely
1/4c all-purpose flour
1 tbsp curry powder (we used 3 tbsp...we like spicy!)
32 ounces chicken broth
2 cups half-and-half (milk works too)
1 whole granny smith apple, peeled and diced
1 tbsp white or brown sugar, more or less to taste (we used brown)
2 tsp salt, more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
cayenne pepper (optional, for spice) (we didn't have any, so this was omitted)

Directions:
1Season diced chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp butter over medium-high heat .  Add chicken and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden. Remove chicken to a plate and set aside.  (We did not do this step since we already had cooked shredded chicken.  The shredded was amazing in this soup, so I highly recommend it!)
2.  In the same pot, add the remaining 2 tbsp butter and reduce heat to medium.  Add diced onion and garlic and stir to cook.  Cook until onions start to brown.
3.  Sprinkle flour over onions, and stir to combine.
4.  Stir in curry powder, and cook mixture over medium heat for one minute, stirring constantly.
5.  Pour in chicken broth.  Stir to combine then cook for 5 minutes.
6.  Add half and half, salt, pepper, and sugar.
7.  Cook for another 5 minutes
                     

(Here's what the soup looked like as we swirled in the half-and-half)

8.  Add chicken and diced apple and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes.
9.  Turn off heat and allow to stand 5 or 10 minutes before serving.

-----------------------------------
We served ours with some store-bought wheat naan:


Just amazing!

Recipe from Tasty Kitchen

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Updated!  Dave and I made some variations this last time, and it was also amazing!  When we sauteed the onions/garlic, we also put in some thinly sliced carrot.  Instead of adding flour, we added 2 tbsp corn starch mixed with a bit of water (that change was with Melissa in mind!).  Then in lieu of half-and-half, we put in one can of light coconut milk.  Lastly, as an alternative to chicken, we put in 1 package of firm tofu, drained and cut into small cubes.