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Category Archives: Baking

Rainbow Cookies

Posted on December 15, 2010 by amydeline

So many family events and special occasions in my life have ended with a great big tray of Italian cookies. You know, those huge colorful platters of pink butter cookies, green butter cookies, butter cookies with cherries, butter cookies with sprinkles, butter cookies dipped in chocolate and butter cookies with jam. And mixed within all of those buttery sweets would be a handful of the premium cookies; the Florentines, the Pirouettes filled with chocolate, and my favorite of all, the Rainbow Cookies. I just love those sweet, little cakey confections.

I can still feel a bit of that panic I felt every time the cookie platter was placed on the table; waiting for the moment when it was appropriate to begin serving myself; worried that the prized gems of the cookie platter would be scooped up before I got my turn at the platter. As I pretended to be engaged in conversation, I watched that cookie platter with eagle eyes for the signal that dessert was officially served. Then, I’d swoop in and gobble up a few of those delectable Rainbow Cookies before anyone knew they were there. Even now, I still feel a possessive panic in the presence of those cookies.

My grocery store sells little plastic containers of Rainbow cookies for a king’s ransom. Every so often, I pick up a container and selfishly hoard them for myself. I just can’t seem to lose that fear that there won’t be enough for me. I’ve been meaning to try my hand at making these beloved cookies for ages and decided that this would finally be the year. After a few initial set-backs, including an epic battle against some Nut Lace cookies, another snow storm, and a broken glass bowl of melted butter on my kitchen floor, I finally managed to whip up a batch of these tasty goodies. The good news is that, as long as you slow down and don’t try to rush the process, these cookies are quite manageable to make and oh, so delicious!

When I began my search for a Rainbow Cookie recipe, I quickly discovered that nearly every source listed practically identical recipes. Apparently, the recipe is fairly standard. The variations were minor, basically addressing the quantity of butter, the length of time to let the layers chill, and the flavor of jam between the layers. I took the middle ground at each decision point and the cookies worked out perfectly.

Rainbow Cookies

Adapted from Gourmet Magazine’s Rainbow Cookies

Ingredients

  • 4 Eggs, separated
  • 1 8-ounce can Almond Paste
  • 1 cup Sugar
  • 2 1/2 sticks Butter
  • 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
  • 2 cups Flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • Green Food Coloring
  • Red Food Coloring
  • 1 12-ounce jar Seedless Raspberry Jam
  • 12 ounces Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
  • Chocolate Sprinkles (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease three 13×9 inch baking pans with vegetable shortening.* Line each baking pan with parchment paper, slightly extending the paper on two ends.** Grease the paper with vegetable shortening.

Place the four egg whites into a clean bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

Use a fork to break up the almond paste into smaller pieces. Combine the almond paste and sugar in a food processor and grind until no lumps appear.

Transfer the almond mixture to a large bowl. Add the butter and beat until well combined. Add the egg yolks and almond extract and beat until blended. Beat in the flour and salt. The dough will be quite thick.

Stir one third of the beaten egg whites into the dough. This will slightly lighten the mixture. Then, fold in the remaining egg whites until well blended.

Divide the dough into three equal portions. Use the food coloring to color one portion red and another portion green. The remaining portion will remain uncolored.

Use a spatula to spread each portion of dough into the three prepared baking pans.

Bake on the middle rack of your oven for 7-10 minutes, until the cakes are set and the edges just begin to turn golden.

While the cake is still hot, use a knife to loosen the edges. Then, carefully invert the cakes onto cooling racks. Cool completely.

Once cool, carefully move the green layer onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spread 1/2 of the jam over the green layer. Place the white layer over the jam, then spread the remaining jam on top. Top with the red layer.

Place a piece of parchment paper over the top of the red layer. Then, weight down the layers with a cutting board or another baking sheet and refrigerate for about 5 hours.

Remove from the fridge and trim the edges to create an even rectangle.

Melt half of the chocolate and spread it over the pink layer. Scatter chocolate sprinkles into the melted chocolate, if desired. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, until the chocolate is firm. Then, flip the layers over, melt the remaining chocolate, and spread over the green layer. Refrigerate until the chocolate is firm.

To cut, allow the chocolate to come to room temperature. Then, cut into small rectangles or diamonds.

Makes about 4 dozen

*Baking all three layers at once will save you time. If you don’t have three baking pans, use disposable aluminum pans. This will also make your clean up easier!

**For safety reasons, do not allow too much extra paper to overhang the pans; just enough to help you lift and remove the cakes once they’re cooked.

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Coconut Macaroons

Posted on December 13, 2010 by amydeline

I had big plans for yesterday’s cookie endeavors. First, I’d whip up some Nut Lace Cookies, then move onto the Rainbow Cookies, and finish with the Macaroons. For a chilly Sunday afternoon, it seemed like a reasonable to-do list. Well, the day didn’t go exactly as planned. I always seem to forget how finicky those Nut Lace Cookies can be. The recipe is deceptively simple, but the execution is ridden with potential for frustration. After fighting with the Nut Lace Cookies, there was no way I was about to embark on the Rainbow Cookie adventure. Thankfully, the Macaroons are a cinch to make. So, I jumped straight to the stress-free Macaroons and finished up the day with some Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark and Chocolate-Covered Spiders.

I love adding macaroons to my holiday cookie collection each year. They’re quick and easy to make and I’m pretty sure that everyone loves them. For the past few years, I’ve been using a recipe from the cookbook, The Great Big Cookie Book by Hilaire Walden. My only adaptation is in using parchment paper instead of the original recipe’s suggested wax paper. I’ve had issues in the past with wax paper sticking to the bottoms of the macaroons. And there’s nothing I hate more than having to pick off tiny bits of wax paper from the bottoms of my cookies! Using parchment paper completely eliminated this issue.

I like to drizzle the tops of my macaroons with melted semi-sweet chocolate. A disposable pastry bag, fitted with a small, round pastry tip works well for this task, but a plastic freezer bag with a tiny bit of the corner cut off would do the trick too. In the past, I’ve dipped half of the macaroon directly in chocolate, but found that amount of chocolate to be overwhelming on the macaroons, even for a chocoholic like myself. Just a little drizzle of chocolate over the top adds the perfect finishing touch.

Chocolate-Drizzled Coconut Macaroons

Adapted from the Macaroons in The Great Big Cookie Book by Hilaire Walden

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 7 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
  • 2 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Grease the paper with vegetable shortening. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the coconut. Add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla. Stir until well combined. Drop rounded tablespoons of the mixture about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 20 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool.

Once cool, melt the chocolate chips in the microwave or over a double boiler. Carefully transfer the melted chocolate into a pastry bag fitted with a small, round pastry tip. Drizzle the chocolate over the macaroons. Refrigerate until the chocolate has set. Store in an airtight container.

Makes 6 dozen

As far as those Nut Lace Cookies go, I think I’m going to hold off on posting that recipe. I’ve got a couple ideas for simplifying the process that I’d like to try first. Stay tuned!

Also, coming up… Rainbow Cookies and Two Chocolately Treats – Dark Chocolate Holiday Bark and Chocolate-Covered Spiders!

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Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Posted on December 12, 2010 by amydeline

When I sat down to make my list of cookies to tackle this holiday cookie season, I started with a few of my standard favorites; Oatmeal Chocolate Chip, Sand Tarts, Chocolate Covered Spiders, Macaroons, and Nut Lace Cookies with Chocolate. Then, I started thinking outside of my standards. I knew I’d make the Pfeffernüsse for my dad and I’ve been itching to make Rainbow Cookies for a while. After exploring a few other options, I got the idea in my head to make a Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookie; sort of combining the flavors of a peppermint patty with the texture of a chewy chocolate chip cookie.

I go weak in the knees for chocolate, especially rich, dark chocolate. And these cookies are exactly that; rich and chocolatey, with crisp edges and a chewy center. I started with a basic Hershey’s chocolate cookie recipe and proceeded from there. I went heavy on the cocoa, threw in some semi-sweet chocolate chips, and substituted part of the vanilla for a hefty dose of peppermint extract. The resulting cookie exceeded my expectations. I’ve definitely found a new yearly regular for my cookie collection.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

Adapted from Hershey’s

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Flour
  • 1/2 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 2 sticks Butter, softened
  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 2 teaspoons Peppermint Extract
  • 1 (12-ounce) package Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Stir together the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the eggs and extracts. Beat for another minute or two, until well blended. Gradually blend in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Roll the dough into small balls (about 1″ diameter) and place about 1 1/2″ apart on a baking sheet. Bake for 9-10 minutes. Cool for a couple minutes on the baking sheet before moving the cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies


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Choco-Cherry-Coconut Bars

Posted on December 10, 2010 by amydeline

We’re still working on building our Christmas cookie collection over here. Shamefully, I think I’m eating as many cookies as I’m saving for cookie platters. I have a sneaking suspicion that my weigh-in at my next prenatal appointment is going to be a shocker. Do you think I can blame it on the baby?? A wild holiday growth spurt, perhaps?

Though I may be taste-testing an excess of these holiday goodies, I’ve got to say they’re being thoroughly enjoyed. And if you’re going to indulge in holiday treats, these next cookies make it worth it! This recipe comes from my mom, whose recipe card notes that it originally came from a package of Durkee coconut. I’m not sure Durkee even makes coconut anymore, but my family has been making these delicious cookie bars for as long as I can remember. How can you go wrong with a mix of chocolate, cherries, and coconut? The best part is that these are cookie bars, which means you just press the dough into a baking dish, bake, and slice. No floured tables, no rolling, no cookie-cutting, no decorating. This is my kind of simple recipe!

I made a few tiny adjustments to the recipe, mostly related to the quantities of the fillings and the baking time. The original recipe also calls for chopped walnuts, which I omitted since one of my cookies recipients is allergic to nuts. If nut-allergies aren’t an issue in your home, go ahead and throw in about a half-cup of chopped walnuts! Finally, I like using a disposable aluminum baking dish for this recipe, since it gives you a little more flexibility in popping out the baked dough for slicing.

Choco-Cherry-Coconut Bars

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 2 sticks Butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 3/4 cup Chocolate Chips
  • 3/4 cup Sweetened Flaked Coconut
  • 1/2 cup Marashino Cherries, chopped

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 13×9 inch baking dish with vegetable shortening. In a bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. In another bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla and beat for another minute or two, until well-blended. Gradually blend in the flour mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips, coconut, and cherries. Press the mixture into the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool completely in the baking dish. Then, carefully invert over a cutting board. Make 4 cuts lengthwise and 8 cuts across to form 32 cookie bars.

Makes 32 Cookie Bars


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Santa’s Favorite Cookie – Pfeffernussen

Posted on December 8, 2010 by amydeline

According to my father, Pfeffernüsse are Santa’s favorite cookies. As children, we took this statement to be truth, without question. Even now, though I’m grown, and have long understood that Santa exists more in spirit than in flesh, I still believe that Pfeffernüsse are Santa’s favorite cookie.

Christmas was always a magical time for me. I held on to my belief in Santa for longer than most children and cried tears of true grief when I discovered the truth. And though I felt briefly, but truly, heartbroken the year I found out about Santa, I am thankful to my parents for the magic they added to the holiday. As a parent, I am conscious about instilling an understanding of the true meaning of Christmas in my children. But, as much as I want them to understand the theological significance of the day, I yearn for them to feel the same swell of excitement I felt as a child on Christmas morning.

My first Christmas, post-Santa, was just as special, but for entirely different reasons. As the oldest of my siblings, I became the first to learn of and share in the traditions which made our Christmas so special. I giggled as my dad climbed up to the attic with jingle bells in hand, to stomp around in Santa fashion. I held my breath as I tiptoed upstairs with my mom to help gather the wrapped gifts from Santa. I enjoyed sips of my dad’s Christmas Eve eggnog. And best of all, once my siblings were sound asleep, I was allowed to sneak downstairs to help my parents decorate the tree.

The tradition of decorating the tree on Christmas Eve was my most favorite tradition of all. Weeks before Christmas, my family would select our tree. The tree would then wait outside until Christmas Eve, at which point, my father would set the tree in the stand and string it with lights. That was it. My siblings and I would go to bed, convinced we heard Santa on the rooftop, just as we drifted off with visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads. In the morning, we’d awake to a brilliant, fully-decorated tree, in a living room magically filled with gifts. By all appearances, Santa had come during the night, winked his eyes, and transformed our living room into a Christmas vision. There was nothing like that moment, peering down the stairs to see the tree, fully adorned, for the very first time on Christmas morning.

As much as the memories of that tradition fill me with joy, I’ve been reluctant to begin it with my own family. I just don’t have the self-control necessary to wait until Christmas Eve to put up our tree. My compromise with this issue has been to set up a small undecorated tree on our kitchen table, near our plate of Santa’s cookies, for Santa to decorate each year. And though I suspect that pfeffernüsse was more of my father’s favorite cookie than Santa’s, you can bet there will be some pfeffernüsse on that plate for Santa.

This was my first time making pfeffernüsse, which are a peppery German cookie, so I turned to a reliable source for cookie recipes; Martha Stewart. I made her recipe as written and it was fantastic. No alterations required. The dough comes together easily and the flavors are exactly as I remember. I’m certain that my dad (my childhood Santa) will enjoy tasting these delicious cookies.

Santa’s Favorite Pfeffernüsse

Slightly adapted from Martha Stewart’s Pfeffernussen

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 cups Flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon Allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground Cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 1 stick Butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 cup Molasses
  • 1 Egg
  • 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 1 cup Confectioner’s Sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the flour, cinnamon, allspice, pepper, cloves, nutmeg, and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside. In another bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, and molasses until creamy. Add the egg and vanilla. Beat for another minute or two until well-blended. Gradually blend in the flour mixture until a smooth dough forms. Pinch off pieces of the dough and roll balls, about 1″ in diameter. Place the balls on the lined baking sheet, about an inch or so apart. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the cookies are golden and slightly cracked. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Place the confectioner’s sugar in a container. In small batches, gently toss the cooled cookies in the sugar. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Makes 2-3 Dozen

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Craisin Cookies

Posted on December 7, 2010 by amydeline

It’s cookie time!

We’re on our fourth consecutive day of non-stop snow around here. They call this Lake Effect Snow, since it results from our proximity to the Great Lakes. It seems to appear without warning and quickly covers the area with mounds of snow, which are practically taller than my children. But, large snowfalls are nothing new to the area, so for the most part, people just move on with their business. Personally, I prefer to hole up in the warmth of my home until the snow stops.

The timing of this particular snow event is perfect though. I had nothing more planned for the week besides baking Christmas cookies. And so, as the snow continues to fall outside, we’re staying warm in the kitchen and beginning this year’s Christmas cookie collection. The tree is lit, the house smells of pine, and we’re well stocked with cocoa and candy canes. It’s time to get our Christmas baking on.

We’re starting with a personal favorite; oatmeal chocolate chip. This is a small variation on a recipe I’ve shared before, which is a slight adaptation of the recipe you can find on the inside cover of a barrel of Quaker Oats. In my opinion, these are truly the best oatmeal cookies ever. They’re perfectly sweet and buttery, with crisp edges and a slightly chewy center. I almost always add chocolate chips and typically some chopped dried apricot when I make these cookies. With the holidays approaching, dried cranberries felt a bit more festive, so we’re swapping the apricots for craisins.

Stay tuned during the next two weeks for more cookie recipes!

Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Craisin Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp Salt
  • 2 sticks Salted Butter, softened
  • 1 cup Light Brown Sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/2 cup White Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 1 1/2 tsp Vanilla
  • 3 cups Quaker Oats
  • 1 cup Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips
  • 3/4 cup Dried Cranberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In another large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until creamy. Add the vanilla and eggs to the butter mixture. Blend until well combined. Gradually add the flour mixture to the bowl and blend. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and apricots. Form into small balls, about 1 inch diameter, and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 14-15 minutes, until the edges begin to brown and the center appears cooked. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen*

*It’s actually more like 4 dozen, if you count the taste-testing cookies, that is… I’m firmly committed to quality control, you know.


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Lemon-Ginger Sugar Cookies

Posted on November 24, 2010 by amydeline

Earlier this month, we cooked up a full Thanksgiving feast, complete with all of the fixings. Then, we lived on various incarnations of the leftovers for three days straight. Interestingly enough, I won’t be cooking a single thing on Thanksgiving day. My family and I will be celebrating the day at my Grammy and Poppa’s house, along with my parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. My Grammy’s Thanksgiving day feast is always a bountiful spread to be thankful for, so I’m certain we’ll leave with happy bellies.

For as long as I know, it’s been my Grammy’s tradition to prepare the entire feast, from the antipasto platter to the baked pasta dish to the turkey with all its fixings, right down to the dessert buffet. It’s her holiday. But, recently, my Grammy had surgery on her hand which has made normal day-to-day tasks a challenge. So, a couple weeks ago, I called my Grammy and offered her some Thanksgiving help. I offered to make the stuffing or the mashed potatoes or the sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, or veggies. Whatever she needed, I’d make it all. But, my offer was politely refused. She’d already made her plans.

After a bit of insisting and offering to bring every dish I could think of, my Grammy finally had a request. How about you make the turkey cutout cookies, she said. They are a tradition and I’m not sure my hand is up to rolling out the dough. I paused. It was a long pause. And then I reluctantly agreed. How could I say no?

But the truth is that I loath making cutout cookies. Yes, my feelings about cutout cookies are that strong. I derive no joy from the process of flouring and rolling and cutting and baking, repeating this process again and again until all of the dough is used. Don’t get me wrong… I love baking. And cookies are no exception. But cutout cookies do nothing for me. I find the labor involved to be tedious and the result surprisingly underwhelming.

The decorating process provides no more satisfaction to me than the baking. In another life, I’d probably relish in the decorating, give my crafty side free reign to play and enjoy creating intricate designs with royal icing. But my current circumstances, constantly flocked by two busy little boys, makes tending to the details of decorating a challenge. Most activities are a rush against the clock, racing between naps, tantrums, short attention spans and doctor’s appointments. Time for attention to detail is not currently a part of my life. But that’s a tiny price to pay for the great joys of my little family.

Making cutout cookies was not exactly on the top of the list of ways I would have liked to help. But, how could I say no to this one simple request? And so I agreed. I love cooking with the kids and this task was right up their alley, so we turned it into a family affair. They were more than happy to help with the mixing, rolling, and cutting. We started with a basic recipe for sugar cookies from Martha Stewart and jazzed it up with a bit of lemon and ginger. My little quality control experts certainly approved.

Just as Christmas isn’t really about the gifts, Thanksgiving is not truly about the food. It’s a joy to be able to contribute a small, traditional part of our Thanksgiving feast. But, the day isn’t about turkey cookies, stuffing, or pies. It’s about family, friends, and love. It’s about good health, a warm house, and the ability to spend the day with loved ones. It’s about the love which exponentially multiplies as our family grows. We have so much to be thankful for.

And so tomorrow, as I sit down with my loved ones, to stuff myself with Thanksgiving goodies, I will pause for a moment and raise my glass of sparkling grape juice in thanks for all of my blessings; for my loving husband, precious children, and the new life growing inside me; for a comfortable home with a big, full fridge, our over-sized yellow lab, and the most comfortable bed I can imagine; for my siblings and sibling-in-laws, my friends, and all of my family; for my collection of reliable cookware and the ability to use it; and for chocolate, cheese, and spicy food. For all of these things and more, I am infinitely thankful.

Lemon Ginger Sugar Cookies

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s recipe for Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

  • 2 sticks Unsalted Butter, softened
  • 2 cups Sugar
  • 2 Eggs
  • 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • 4 cups Flour
  • 1/2 tsp Ginger
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder

Directions

In a mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until creamy. Add the eggs, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Beat for another minute or two, until well blended. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, ginger, salt, and baking powder. Gradually incorporate the dry mixture into the wet mixture until a thick dough forms. Split the dough in half and form to balls. Flatten into disks and wrap each disk in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Once the dough is chilled, use a rolling pin to roll it out onto a well floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness. The dough may need a couple minutes to warm up to a rollable consistency. Use a cookie cutter to cut, as desired. The remaining scraps can be formed into a ball and rolled out again, until all of the dough has been used. Place the cut cookies onto a baking sheet and bake for 15-18 minutes. Cool completely before icing.

Decorating the Cookies with Royal Icing

I’d be lying if I claimed to be any sort of royal icing expert. Truth is that, prior to today, I’ve probably only used it one or two other times; certainly not enough to lay out any expert guides for you. Fortunately, there are some wonderful existing guides to making and decorating with royal icing. My favorite step by step guide comes from Annie’s Eats. She lays out a clear visual for preparing and using royal icing. Click here for Annie’s guide to royal icing.

The royal icing recipe calls for Meringue Powder. If you are unable to find this ingredient in your grocery store, check the baking section of your local craft store. Allow yourself a big block of time and multiple Oops cookies. And don’t worry… the messy looking cookies taste just as good. Decorating with royal icing takes a little time, but it’s easy to get pleasing results, even for a harried royal icing novice such as myself.

Wishing you all a most Happy Thanksgiving! I am thankful for you!

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Hot Doughy Buns with Cheesy Cheddar Soup

Posted on November 15, 2010 by amydeline

During the past week, we worked our way through a full Thanksgiving meal. The kids and I are still diligently working on finishing the leftover pies. Let’s take a quick look at the Thanksgiving menu we covered…

Herb-Roasted Turkey Breast with Pan Gravy

Sausage, Apple, and Leek Stuffing

Cranberry Orange Sauce

Spiced Sweet Potato Puree with Pecan Streusel

Shaved Apple-Fennel Salad

Roasted Garlic Smashed Potatoes

Green Beans Almondine

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Walnuts

Sweet Honey Cornbread

Fresh Pumpkin Coconut Pie

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Sounds like a pretty spectacular meal to me! But, I promised you one more thing; homemade hot, doughy rolls. Recently, I was glancing through the current Thanksgiving-themed edition of Food Network magazine and I ran across the most mouthwatering, step-by-step guide for soft, doughy dinner rolls. They looked even better than my husband’s favorite Thanksgiving rolls, which we usually buy pre-made from our grocery store. I had to give this recipe a try.

I made one small adaptation to the recipe as published in Food Network magazine. The original recipe calls for mixing the dough using a stand mixer. While this is a convenient option, I’m hesitant to share recipes which require special equipment, since I recognize that not everyone has access to a stand mixer. So, I tested the dough out by hand. And it worked perfectly! If you have a stand mixer, go ahead and use it, but if you don’t, rest assured that it’s totally possible to make these delicious rolls by hand.

And, are you ready for the best part about these rolls?? The dough can be completely prepared ahead of time and frozen until ready to use, which makes this a totally doable addition to your Thanksgiving table. The recipe produces a huge batch of twenty-four rolls. I baked eight last night for our dinner and threw the remaining sixteen in the freezer for Thanksgiving!

Hot, Doughy Dinner Rolls

Adapted from the Food Network Magazine recipe for Parker House Rolls by Alex Guarnaschelli

Ingredients

  • 1 packet Dry Active Yeast
  • 1/2 cup Warm Water (110-115 degrees)
  • 1/2 cup Sugar
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 1 1/2 sticks Butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 cups Whole Milk (at room temperature)
  • 2 Eggs (at room temperature)
  • 1 Tablespoon Salt
  • 6 1/2 cups Flour
  • Butter for Brushing

Directions

Sprinkle the yeast in the bottom of a large bowl. Stir in the warm water and sugar. Wait a minute. Then, mix in the 1 cup of flour until well combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter and milk. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the yeast mixture. Gradually stir in the flour and the salt, a cup or so at a time, until a ball of dough forms. Towards the end of mixing, you may find it easier to use your hands to knead the remaining flour into the dough. Add up to 1/2 cup additional flour if the dough seems too sticky.

Place the ball of dough into a large bowl which has been brushed with melted butter. Loosely cover with a towel and allow to rest at room temperature for about 2 1/2 hours. The dough should double in size.

Once the dough has risen, place the dough onto a well-floured work surface. Using your hands to press and pull the dough, form a rectangle, about 18 inches long by 8 inches wide. It should be about 1/2 inch thick.

Using a knife, cut the dough in half lengthwise. Then, cut the dough crosswise into 12 strips. You should have 24 total dough strips.

Form each strip into a little roll, by folding part of the strip under, so that a small section of the top overhangs the bottom. Then tuck the overhanging piece underneath. Place the formed rolls, seam-side down, onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, close to each other, forming 3 loaves of 8 rolls each. (The rolls can be wrapped and frozen at this point, if desired.)

If baking immediately, bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes. If baking from frozen, bake for 25 minutes at 325 degrees, then an additional 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Brush the rolls with melted butter prior to serving.

Makes 24 buns

**The original Food Network Magazine recipe and photo guide can be found by clicking here.

We needed a little something to go along with our buns, so I turned to my Delicious Disney cookbook for a really fantastic Cheddar Soup straight from Disney’s Le Cellier restaurant. This soup is thick, satisfying, and a cinch to throw together. The recipe, as follows, produces a huge ten-serving batch. It can easily be halved for smaller crowds.

Start by cooking about a half pound of chopped Bacon in a large stockpot or dutch oven pan over medium heat, until fully-cooked and slightly crispy. Throw in four tablespoons of Butter, one finely diced medium Onion and about 1/2 cup finely diced Celery. Cook for about 5 minutes.

Stir in a cup of Flour. The mixture will be very thick. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes. Then, whisk in 3 cups of Chicken Stock. Continue whisking until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. The mixture will be quite thick. Pour in 4 cups of Milk. (Skim milk would be perfect.) Bring to a gentle simmer (not a boil) and cook for 10 more minutes. Turn down the heat and stir in a pound (16 ounces) of Shredded Cheddar. Stir until the cheddar melts into the soup. If the soup is too thick, add a bit more milk. Stir in about a tablespoon of Worchestershire Sauce and a tablespoon (or more) of Tabasco Sauce. If desired, add 1/2 cup of warm Beer. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

Garnish with chopped bacon and chopped green onions.

 

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Chocolate Pecan Pie and a Few Other Tasty Thanksgiving Ideas

Posted on November 13, 2010 by amydeline

Nine times out of ten, if you set me before a dessert buffet, I’m going to pick the chocolate option. I can’t help it. No matter how delicious the other options appear, chocolate almost always wins. It’s how my brain is wired, I guess. So, on Thanksgiving, when the table is abound with tempting dessert options of every kind imaginable, it’s a tough call for me. On any other day, I’d have a slice of each. But, on Thanksgiving, my stomach has usually reached full capacity by this point. Do I bypass those beautiful, seasonal pies to get a bit of my dearest chocolate? There was a day when I needed to make that tough decision, but not any more. Now, I have my seasonal pie and my chocolate too.

A few years ago, I discovered the magic of Chocolate Pecan Pie. It was an Emeril Lagasse recipe which originally won my heart. Such an ingenious idea; rich pecan pie coupled with bits of semi-sweet chocolate, melted and married to the pecans in pure Thanksgiving harmony. I’ve haven’t made a plain pecan pie since. Here’s my little twist on a chocolicious pecan pie.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 9″ Pie Shell (frozen or homemade)
  • 1 cup Chocolate Chips
  • 1 1/2 cup Pecan Halves (slightly broken)
  • 3/4 cup Light Corn Syrup
  • 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar
  • 1/4 cup White Sugar
  • 2 teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 3 Eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the pie shell onto a foil lined baking sheet, to prevent oven spill-over. Scatter the chocolate chips on the bottom of the pie shell. Scatter the pecan pieces over the chocolate. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour the mixture over the pecans and chocolate. Bake for about 55 minutes, until set. Cool before serving.

And now, a few other delicious dessert ideas for your Thanksgiving table…

Fresh Pumpkin Coconut Pie

Caramel Apple Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake Pie

Apple Walnut Crisp

Black Bottom Banana Cream Pie


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Fresh Pumpkin Coconut Pie

Posted on November 12, 2010 by amydeline

Yesterday, we hacked our way into a pumpkin to prepare fresh pumpkin puree, with the promise of a fresh pumpkin coconut pie. Today, we eat pie. This is my mom’s recipe for fresh pumpkin pie. It is the pumpkin pie I grew up with. It is the pumpkin pie to which I compare all other pumpkin pies. That’s just how things are when you’ve grown up with them, sort of how I’m a loyal Crest toothpaste girl and shiver at the thought of any mayonnaise other than Hellman’s.

To me, this is pumpkin pie the way is should be. It’s light, fresh, and sweet. My mom always uses fresh pumpkin, but I wouldn’t fault you for substituting canned. It will still be quite delicious. The recipe works well with or without the coconut. I’m a coconut girl, through and through. It gives the pie a sort of half pumpkin, half coconut custard sort of feel. Spectacular!

And now, the pumpkin pie recipe you’ve been waiting for…

Fresh Pumpkin Coconut Pie

Ingredients

  • 2 cups Pumpkin Puree (fresh or canned)*
  • 1 1/2 cup Evaporated Milk (1 12-ounce can)
  • 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
  • 1/2 cup White Sugar**
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Ginger
  • 1/4 tsp Nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
  • 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1/2 cup Shredded, Sweetened Coconut (optional)
  • 1 9″ Deep-Dish Pie Shell (homemade or frozen)

* Click here for my photo guide on preparing fresh pumpkin puree.

**My mom’s recipe calls for 1 cup sugar, which produces an extremely sweet pie. I cut the white sugar to 1/2 cup, which still produces a deliciously sweetened pie.

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together all ingredients until well combined. Stir in the coconut, if desired. Place the pie shell on a foil lined baking sheet, to prevent oven spill-over. Pour the mixture into the pie shell.*  Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Lower the heat to 350 degrees. Continue cooking for 45-55 minutes, until the tip of a knife, inserted about an inch from the edge, comes out mostly clean. Allow to cool for about an hour. Then refrigerate to completely cool. Serve with whipped cream.

*You will probably have some leftover filling. Use it in individual pie shells to make mini pies or simply pour it in a ramekin or small baking dish and bake, for a little crustless pie.

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