More Cookies

Here is a recipe I experimented with and now I will share with you. If you like the chewy fudgy type of cookie this ones for you...

Triple Chocolate Cherry Christmas Cookies

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (you substitute semisweet chocolate chips for both)
  
• 4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk or Egg Nog
  
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup natural cocoa powder, such as Hershey's or Scharffen Berger
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
  
• 11 oz (1 bag) white chocolate chips
• 1 cup dried cherries. optional
  
• 1 cup Grand Marnier
  

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

In a small sauce pan warm the Grand Marnier and soak the cherries drain when ready to add to mixture.

Put the butter and the unsweetened and semisweet chocolates in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat at 75 percent power in the microwave until soft, about 2 minutes. Stir and heat again until melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively, put the chocolates and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Stir the light brown and granulated sugars and vanilla into the chocolate mixture with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs and buttermilk and beat vigorously until thick and glossy.

In another bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt together. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just mixed. Stir in chocolate chips and grand marnier soaked cherries, if using.

Drop the batter in heaping tablespoons onto baking sheets--a small ice cream scoop is ideal for this. Space the cookies about 2-inches apart. Bake until the cookies set but are soft and fudgy on the inside, 12 to 15 minutes.

COOKIES

Ok I know everyone loves cookies and most of us made them or saw them being made as kids around this time of year. Here are some great recipes that hopefully you will share with your family and maybe make a tradition.
White Chocolate and Cherries or Cranberries

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup chopped macadamia nuts or walnuts or even Pecans
  
• 1/2 cup candied cherries or dried cranberries
  
• 1 1/2 cups white chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, with electric mixer, cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until just combined. Set aside.

Sift together flour, soda, and salt. Add milk to the butter mixture and then add the flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Batter should be stiff.

In another bowl, combine nuts, cherries or cranberries, and white chocolate. Then add to batter, stirring only to blend. On a greased baking sheet drop the cookies using a truffle scoop or a spoon into 1" rounds about 2" apart and bake for 10 - 14 minutes.

Italian Wedding Cookies - (one of my Faves)

• 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups finely ground almonds
• 4 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for rolling

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Cream butter or margarine in a bowl, gradually add confectioners' sugar and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Add almonds and vanilla. Blend in flour gradually and mix well.

Shape into balls (or crescents) using about 1 teaspoon for each cookie. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, and bake for 15-20 min. Do not brown. Cool slightly, then roll in the extra confectioners' sugar.


Gingerbread Men

1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tablespoons orange zest
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt


Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

Cream the butter and the sugar together. Add the egg and mix well. Mix in the orange peel and dark corn syrup. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, ground cloves and salt, mixing until well combined. Chill dough overnight.

Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick and cut into desired shapes. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared pan. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

Decorate to your liking.


I will add some more tomorrow so be on the lookout. I hope you like these and let me know what you think. ENJOY and INDULGE.

Pork Chops

So are you tired of chicken or all turkeyed out? Well lets try a meat that is usually not eaten a lot. First pick up some nice boneless pork chops and brine them in apple cider, 1/3 cup salt, 1/4 cup sugar. Leave in the fridge for about an hour up to over night.

Now it is time to prepare them take them out and dab dry with a paper towel. Get a skillet or frying pan nice and hot you want to sear the meat and get that lovely caramelizing started.

Now that you have browned both sides reduce the heat to medium. Add 4 tbsp of good maple syrup 1 tbsp of Dijon mustard and 4 tbsp of apple cider. You can just add this to the pan with the pork chops and then stir it around.

Once the chops are cooked it should take about 20 minutes max they will be firm to touch or you can cut them open check for a white color. Now turn the chops a couple times to ensure they are covered in the maple syrup glaze and serve with your favorite sides or a quick home made apple sauce.

ENJOY.

The night before Thanksgiving

All right I like my pies fresh as well as my other desserts so lets make them the night before so they are still fresh but that is one less thing to worry about.  Lets start off with a pumpkin cheesecake:

Pumpkin Cheesecake:

Lets start with the crust:

1/2 cup of biscotti finely ground

1/2 cup pecans finely ground

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp brown sugar

1 stick melted butter

Combine the above ingredients in a bowl and then press about 1/4 inch thick into the bottom of your pan.

Cheesecake:

24 oz of room temp cream cheese

3 eggs

1 egg yolk

15 oz pumpkin puree

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves 

or substitue 2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice for the three spices above

2 tbsp corn starch or flour

1 tsp vanilla

Whip cream cheese until smooth then add eggs and pumpkin puree.  Slowly add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

Pour into pan and spread out evenly.  Bake for one hour remove and let stand for 15 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Top this off with an amaretto whip cream.

Start with 1/2 cup of heavy cream beat until soft peaks add 2 tsp powdered sugar and 1 tsp vanilla add in the amaretto about 2 tsp.  Beat until medium peaks and then serve.

I will have more desserts and pre-thanksgiving recipes on here today.

Quick and Easy Apple Cake

Here is something someone asked me for and it is quick and easy so that you can do it with your kids or alone and have plenty of time to still do whatever else you need to. Start by getting the following ingredients prepped:

1 - Cup All Purpose Flour
1 1/2 - tsp Baking Powder
1/2 - tsp salt
1 - tsp cinnamon
1/2 - tsp nutmeg
1/3 - cup sugar
4 - eggs
1/2 - cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 - stick unsalted butter (melted)
1 - tsp vanilla extract
1 - tbsp orange zest
1 - cup pealed and chopped granny smith apples
1/2 - cup warmed Grand Marnier (Optional)
1/2 - cup Cranberries (Optional)

Start by soaking the cranberries in the warm grand marnier. Then begin melting the butter then add in the sugar stir until combined then add one egg at a time. Combine all dry ingredients and slowly add them to the wet ingredients. Add orange zest and vanilla extract and stir until Incorporated. Last step add the apples, nuts and strained cranberries.

Place in a greased and lightly floured cake pan and bake at 325 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.....

Prepping for the Big Day (THANKSGIVING)

So it is really not that scary to take on the duties of hosting Thanksgiving at your house, specially with some of the recipes you will see on my page the next few days. So if you have not planned Thanksgiving out maybe these will help and you will be the talk of the party at least until Christmas.

Lets start off with the turkey since this is usually the star of the show.

Depending on the amount of people you are creating this magnificent meal for is going to determine the size of your turkey. You can do Thanksgiving for one or two, all the way up to 50. If you are doing it for one or two I would suggest buying the Turkey breast. Now that you've decided on a whole turkey or just a part of the turkey the next step is the preparation the day prior.

To make the brine you will need the following:

Apple cider
2 - Oranges (juiced)
zest of 2 oranges
1 - sprig of rosemary
3 - tbsp lemon pepper
6 - tbsp sea salt

In a large bowl place the turkey and all ingredients cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight turning the turkey 3- 4 times throughout the day and night. The amount of apple cider will depend on the size of the turkey used you want it to fill the bowl at least 3/4 of the way with the turkey in the bowl.

Cranberry sauce:

1 - bag of fresh cranberries
the zest of 1 orange
1/2 - cup fresh apple cider
1/2 - cup sugar or honey

Rinse cranberries and then in a medium sauce pan combine the above ingredients. Let the cranberry mixture reduce on medium low heat until it starts to thicken approximately 30 - 45 minutes. Let cool then cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve will last about 2 weeks.

I will have more recipes and preparation tips for an easy stress free Thanksgiving. If you want to know how to make something or need any information or tips please leave a comment I will answer it in my next post.

Hey it's time to make cooking and entertaining fun again!!!!!

Something comforting

So how about some good old fashioned Mac-n-Cheese but with some SPUNK...

Ingredients:

1 cup - Grated (white) Smoked Cheddar
1 cup - Grated Fontana Cheese
1/2 cup - Grated Parmesan
1/2 cup - sliced white or yellow onion
1 box - gemelli or elbow pasta
1 tbsp - butter (unslated)
1 1/2 cup - chicken stock
1 cup - Heavy cream

Start off by putting on the water to boil for the pasta. Then heat a medium sauce pan melt the butter and saute the onions. After the onion starts to caramelize add chicken stock and heavy cream bring almost to a boil and add cheese whisk until smooth remaining on heat. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Add salt to the boiling water then add the pasta cook until al dente. At this point your sauce should be thickened and you can add the pasta.

Serve and sprinkle with the Parmesan add a little sharpe cheddar and parsley to spruce it up a bit more.

Enjoy!

If you liked something on here let me know or if you want to know something don't hesitate to ask.