Peanut Butter and Julie

Toasted Almond Tuiles

Some people are great at picking out the perfect gift, while others, well, you just hope that they are not present to see your reaction when you unwrap the woolly holiday-themed sweater with the dancing reindeer motif.  These are the parcels that make writing thank-you notes a challenge.  I mean, you don't want to lie and spend several sentences gushing about how you really needed more Rudolph-themed clothing, but there is no nice way to tell someone to simply stop sending you gifts because it would benefit both parties involved.  So, until a more suitable solution is found, it looks as though gritting our teeth, forcing a smile, and saying "It's perfect.  How did you know?" is our best option.

I feel like I really lucked out in the gift recipient department.  My mom is one of those people who tunes in to a conversation every time someone mentions that they "need" something throughout the year.  She takes those little nuggets of information, stores them in a part of her brain that only really organized moms possess, and has all of her holiday shopping done by mid-October.  Every year, I open up items which I've forgotten that I "really need."  Hey mom, if you're reading this (and I know you are)  I "really need" for you and dad to move closer to Las Vegas.

Eric is equally talented at picking out gifts (even my mom is impressed.)  Although his grandmother used to tell him that his gifts were not very romantic (this was after he bought me a Weber grill), he always gets me things that are very practical and useful, which I love.  Last year, knowing that I was starting a blog, he got me a really great camera, with which I have photographed just about every morsel that we have eaten over the past 12 months.  This year, he followed up with a professional-quality lighting system, so that I don't need to subject my recipes to 100-degree heat every time that I need a natural lighting effect.  I had originally intended to use the lighting for today's post, but as I am not the engineer in the family, I clearly need a lesson first.  So we'll save the good lighting for the next post.

So, despite the photos that don't do them justice, these crisp and thin tuile cookies really are delicious.  Originally intended to imitate the shape of French roof tiles, tuiles are great to serve with coffee, ice cream, fresh fruit, or on their own for a little something sweet.  The shaping process is really very easy, with impressive and delectable results. Here are some extra tips for making these curved cookies:

• You can omit the almond extract if you do not have any available.  Orange, lemon, or coconut extracts can all be used as substitutes.
• To facilitate forming the tuile batter into circles, try to find something in your kitchen that is a circle of the correct size and then trace it with a black marker onto the parchment paper.  Turn the paper over (you don't want to get any ink on the cookies!) and use the circles to guide you.  The batter is thick enough so that is does not run.
• If you don't have enough rolling pins or wine bottles on hand, then just take a look in your pantry.  I guarantee that you will find something suitable to use (bottle of vinegar, olive oil, etc.).  For those bakers out there, if you happen to have one of those racks used for making French bread, those work equally well.
• Finished tuiles will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

Toasted Almond Tuiles

Makes about 16

Ingredients:

2 large egg whites, room temperature

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

6 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  In the work bowl of a food processor, blend together the egg whites, butter, sugar, flour, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt until smooth.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using about 2 teaspoons of batter per cookie, make 6 mounds, spacing them 3-inches apart, and then spread them into 4-5-inch rounds with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon (they will be fairly thin.)  Sprinkle each round with about 1/2 tablespoon almonds.

Bake the cookies until golden-brown, 7-9 minutes.  Let the cookies stand on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then, working quickly, remove each cookie with a metal spatula and drape over a rolling pin or a wine bottle (you will need 2) to form a curved shape.  Let stand until crisp, about 20 minutes.  Transfer the tuiles to a rack to cool completely.  Cool the baking sheet before making more cookies.

Rich Chocolate-Coconut Sorbet

For my birthday, Eric took me to Paris.  Well, not that Paris, but the one located about 15 minutes away, smack dab in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip.  Got your attention, didn't I? 

If you've never been to the Paris Hotel and Casino, it's definitely worth a visit the next time that you are in Vegas, if only for a cafe au lait and some profiteroles from the patisserie.  They've really done a great job of recreating some of the things that make Paris, well, Paris.  In fact, if you can ignore the several hundred slot machines, various game tables, and the tourists walking around with three-foot-tall margaritas, then you might actually feel like you are in the original city of lights.  From the replica of the Arc de Triomphe that greets you as you pull into the entrance to the cobblestone walkways (here's a tip:  not the best place to wear your four-inch stilettos), francophiles will feel at home here.

One of the best restaurants in Las Vegas is located several stories above the Strip, inside Paris's replica of the Eiffel Tower.  If you're lucky, you'll score a table facing the floor-to-ceiling windows, which offer a stunning view of our city of lights (try to ignore all of the construction.)  You would think that the food would play second fiddle to such surroundings, but each course more than held its own.  Someone  must have mentioned to someone at the restaurant that it was my birthday, because after our entree, our server brought out a selection of sorbets, my favorite, fashioned on a plate to look like the colors of a painter's palette.  I thought that this was one of the more unique dessert presentations that I had seen, and we enjoyed every last bite (thankfully, I was spared any celabratory singing.)  Our refreshing and not-too-heavy dessert inspired me to make some sorbet of my own, combining my two favorite sorbets from Friday's dinner.  While this sorbet tastes very rich, you will see that it is actually quite lite.  Bon Appetit!  Here are a few extra tips for this deceptively decadent ice cream alternative:

• For an even lighter sorbet, substitute regular unsweetened coconut milk with a low-fat version and use unsweetened shredded coconut in place of the sweetened shredded coconut.
• Because the cocoa and chocolate flavors are so pronounced in this recipe, I recommend using a good quality chocolate.  Many grocery stores now carry higher end chocolate bars, which are the perfect size for this recipe.
• If your cocoa powder is clumping, sift it prior to adding it to the coconut milk mixture.  This will facilitate achieving a smooth texture.
• One the sorbet mixture has been made, it can be refrigerated overnight prior to freezing.  The sorbet should keep well for up to 2 weeks, tightly covered in the freezer. 

Rich Chocolate-Coconut Sorbet

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut (optional)

In a heavy saucepan, combine the coconut milk, water, sugar, and corn syrup.  Place the saucepan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves.  Raise the heat to medium, bring to a boil, and cook for 2 minutes.  Reduce the heat to low.  Whisk in the cocoa and simmer for 2 minutes longer.  Remove the saucepan from the heat.  Add the chopped chocolate and stir until it is completely melted and the mixture is smooth.  Cool to room temperature.  Stir in the vanilla and coconut extracts and then cover and chill for at least 1 hour.

Stir the cooled mixture and then freeze in your ice cream machine according to the manufacturer's instructions.  During the last few minutes of churning, add the shredded coconut to the mixture, if desired.  When finished, the sorbet will be soft but ready to eat.  For firmer sorbet, transfer to a freezer-safe container and freeze for at least 2 hours. 

Happy Birthday to Me (and Julia)

I was always destined to be a cook.  I mean, what other explanation is there for my birthday falling on the same day as the birthday of culinary maven, and part-time spy, Julia Child?  No offense to Ben Affleck, Ethel Barrymore, and Napoleon, some of the other famous folks who share my big day.  You're all great and accomplished in your individual fields, but I have no aspirations to be an actress, dictator, or director/tabloid regular, so I'm going to go ahead and toast to Julia.  You understand.

Since it's my birthday today, I decided to bake myself some cupcakes.  Don't feel sorry for me.  You need to remember that I enjoy baking, so the process of creating a new recipe is fun for me.  Growing up, my mom always made us our birthday cakes (except for the one year that I insisted on a Carvel ice cream cake), so I'm not a big fan of store-bought or bakery-made cake anyhow.  As far as I'm concerned, bringing me a cake would be like bringing Mrs. Fields a box of Chips Ahoy! chocolate chip cookies.  Chances are, Eric will eat one cupcake, I'll take a bite, and the rest will go to the neighbors anyway, and it's much easier to bring them cupcakes than 9/10 of a birthday cake.

One of my favorite flavor combinations is vanilla and orange.  Whenever the ice cream truck would drive through the neighborhood where I grew up, I would almost always opt for the Creamsicle.  There is something so light and refreshing about the tart citrus, mellowed out by the smooth vanilla.  Creating a moist vanilla cupcake is no easy task.  The majority of the recipes that I have tried err a little on the dry side.  After much trial and error, I found a combination that yields a moist and light cupcake (using both butter and oil is the trick.)  Add some orange flavor to both the cupcake batter and to my go-to easy vanilla buttercream and voila!  You've got yourself a batch of Creamsicle Cupcakes.  Here are my extra tips for this sure-to-vanish vanilla-orange cupcakes:

• One great product that I have found is called Fiori di Sicilia, which is sold through the King Arthur Catalogue.  It is a very concentrated extract, which gives baked goods a very distinct vanilla-orange "bakeshop" flavor.  Just a small amount added to sugar cookies, vanilla batters, and certain muffins makes a huge difference.  I add about 1/4 teaspoon to this batter.
• If you don't have orange extract for the buttercream, you can add more orange zest or a tablespoon of orange juice (adjust the amount of whipping cream accordingly.)
• I added 4 drops of red and 6 drops of yellow food coloring in order to give the buttercream that creamsicle hue.
• Chocolate and orange make a great flavor combination.  Add some miniature semisweet chocolate chips or some chopped bittersweet chocolate to the cupcake batter to take these cupcakes to the next level!

Creamsicle Cupcakes with Easy Buttercream Frosting

Makes 12

1 1/4 cups flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Zest of one large orange

1/4 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup canola or safflower oil

1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

For the frosting

3 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup butter, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon orange extract (or to your liking)

2-3 tablespoons whipping cream

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.

In the bow of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the sugar with the eggs and vanilla a medium speed until smooth and thickened, 3 minutes.  Add the orange zest, butter and the oil and beat until incorporated, scraping the sides of hte bowl as necessary.  Add the dry ingredients and milk in 3 alternating batches, beating between additions.  Divide the batter evenly among the muffin tins, filling them just over halfway full.

Bake the cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until they spring back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.  Let the cupcakes cook slightly in the tin and then transfer them to a wire rack to cook completely.

Prepare the buttercream:  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and the butter until well combined.  Add the vanilla and orange extracts and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add enough whipping cream to reach your desired consistency, beating on medium speed for about 1 minute longer.  Decorate the cooled cupcakes using a piping bag fitted with a large star tip or with a small offset spatula.

Spiced Baked Apples with Cranberries, Figs, and Raisins

During the first few days of each month, my mailbox is usually stuffed to capacity.  This is not due to bills, catalogs, or even Peanut Butter and Julie fan mail (hey, a blogger can dream).  No, all of my fellow magazine addicts out there will confirm that the parade of crisp glossy monthly publications tends to arrive over this time period. 

As I start to dive deep into the content of these food, travel, and home-related journals, dog-earing page after page until the top ends are twice as thick as the bottoms, my mind goes through about 30 days' worth of time travel.  Magazine issues tend to arrive almost a full month prior to their publication date, which I assume is so that readers can actually use the information during the intended month.  What good would a recipe for Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad do me if I receive my Bon Appetit on July 5th?  Because of this, I am always thinking about pumpkins in September, turkeys in October, and gingerbread in November (well......truthfully, I think about gingerbread year-round.)

I have just finished going through my first batch of September issues, and apparently, apples are once again the big focus for the onset of autumn.  I felt a bit like Bubba from Forest Gump as I went through recipe after recipe: "Apple pie, applesauce, apple dumplings, pork chops and apples, apple pancakes, candy apples, apple muffins......"  I couldn't take it anymore, so I went to the page in my notebook where I jot down ideas for fall recipes, many of which, as luck would have it, use apples.  I chose to make these baked apples because I wanted something not too heavy, as it is still reaching triple digit temperatures outside.  Baked apples are a great option for dessert if you want something sweet, but relatively healthy.  Filled with dried fruit, nuts, and a bit of maple syrup, having one of these lightly spiced treats is like eating a slice of apple pie without the crust.  Make the recipe even lighter by omitting the butter altogether.  Here are my extra tips for these autumn-inspired apples:

• Instead of Golden Delicious, other varietals of apples, such as Rome, Braeburn, Gala, or Granny Smith may be used.
• If you don't have a melon baller (as I discovered), then a good alternative tool to use is a set of stainless steel measuring spoons.  A paring knife comes in handy for extracting some of the deeper parts of the core.
• Customize your baked apples according to your favorite dried fruits, in addition to the goldens, cranberries, and figs, dried apricots, cherries, and dates would all be delicious.  The pecans can be replaced by walnuts or hazelnuts, and the maple syrup can be replaced with brown sugar or honey.
• For an additional layer of flavor, add some orange zest to the dried fruit and nut filling.
• Serve the apples warm with vanilla bean ice cream, lightly sweetened whipped cream, or with a light custard. 

Spiced Baked Apples with Cranberries, Figs, and Raisins

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 large Golden Delicious apples

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup diced dried Mission Figs

1/3 cup golden raisins

1/4 cup finely chopped pecans

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch salt

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 cups sparkling apple-cranberry juice

1/4 cup frozen cranberry juice concentrate, thawed

1/4 teaspoon allspice

Preheat the oven to 400F degrees.  Remove the stems from the apples.  Using a melon baller or sharp paring knife, scoop out the core of each apple, making a 1-inch wide hollow center but leaving the bottom of the apple intact.  Make 1/8-inch deep cut in the skin around the center of each apple.  Arrange the apples, hollowed side up, in an 8-inch glass baking dish.

Mix the cranberries, figs, raisins, syrup, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl.

Pack the fruit mixture into the hollows of the apples.  Sprinkle any remaining fruit mixture around the apples in the dish.  Drizzle butter into filling and around apples in the dish.  Pour the sparkling juice and the cranberry concentrate into the dish.  Sprinkle the allspice into the dish. 

Bake the apples uncovered until tender, occasionally basting with the cranberry juice mixture, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Transfer the apples to 4 bowls.  Pour the juices into a medium saucepan and boil until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 4 minutes.  Spoon the sauce over the apples. 

Toasted Coconut Rice Pudding

The award for the toughest job during the upcoming Beijing Olympics does not go to 41-year-old swimmer Dara Torres, who has a good 15 years on most of her competitors.  It does it go to the track and field athletes, who face the challenge of inhaling the city's heavily polluted air.  No, this honor goes to the executive chef of the Olympic Village, tasked with nourishing and satisfying ravenous athletes, whose vastly different palates hail from all over the globe.  "One size fits all" definitely doesn't apply here, with regards to both flavor preference and menu interpretation.

Say, for example, the chef scrawls "pudding" on the menu (O.K., I realize that there is not just one menu or one dining option for the many athletes with diverse nutritional needs.  Each team probably brings their own chef with them.  I'm just making a point here, so bear with me.  Thanks.)  So, where was I?  Ah yes, pudding.  If pudding makes an appearance on the menu board, Michael Phelps, the American swimmer, might picture something rich, creamy, and chocolate for dessert, much like the little cups that his mom used to pack inside his Aquaman lunchbox.  Australian gymnast Lauren Mitchell, on the other hand, would perhaps look forward to being served a savory cake-like main course, which had been steamed or boiled, just like her aunt makes back home.   Someone is going to be disappointed.

Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo Moreira, famished from a tough practice, might be very upset if the "pudding" that he envisions doesn't turn out to be his native Arroz con coco, or rice with coconut milk, similar to the recipe below.  One bite of this surprisingly light but luscious dessert, and you'll understand why.  By simmering the rice in lightly spiced and sweetened coconut milk, the grains absorb the coconut flavor, making it more pronounced.  Toasted coconut flakes, rice, and a smooth custard give this dessert multiple textures.  The crispy candied coconut topping is fantastic on its own, so make extra!   Here are a few extra tips for this creamy coconut comfort food:

• Feel free to add or omit spices, depending on your personal taste.  In addition to cinnamon or cardamom, small amounts of ginger, allspice, or nutmeg might be added.  For a milder cinnamon taste, add a cinnamon stick to the mixture while it simmers, and then omit it prior to serving.
• I usually find the large flake coconut in the produce section, as opposed to in the baking aisle, but it can also be found in with the natural or organic foods.  If you can't find the large flake coconut, then just use regular unsweetened coconut.  The regular coconut will crisp up much faster though, so keep an eye on it!
• The pudding may be prepared up to 8 hours in advance.  Serve the pudding warm, at room temperature, or even cold.  The crispy coconut may be prepared up to 2 days in advance.  Store at room temperature, tightly covered. 
• Arborio rice, which is used for preparing risotto, may be substituted for the jasmine rice.

Toasted Coconut Rice Pudding

Serves 10

Ingredients:

For the coconut topping

1 egg white

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups large flake coconut

For the pudding

3 (14-ounce) cans light unsweetened coconut milk

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut, lightly toasted

2/3 cup jasmine rice

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

Prepare the coconut topping:  Preheat the oven to 300F degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg white, sugar, vanilla, and salt to blend.  Add the coconut to the bowl and toss until evenly coated.  Spread the coconut onto the prepared baking sheet and bake until it is light golden and crisp, stirring frequently, 18-20 minutes.  Cool completely on the baking sheet.

Prepare the pudding:  In a large saucepan, combine the coconut milk, sugar, coconut, rice, cardamom, salt, and vanilla bean paste, if using.  Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally.  Reduce the heat to a low simmer, partially cover, and then cook until the pudding has thickened, stirring and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan frequently, about 45 minutes.  Stir in the vanilla extract, if using.

Divide the pudding among ramekins or dessert glasses and sprinkle with the crispy coconut topping.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Gingerbread Bathing Beauties

I've been creating in the kitchen for as long as I can remember, with results ranging from disastrous to recipes that become part of my "secret" file.  When I was about 4-years-old, my mom used to give me scraps from her pie crusts to play around with, while she finished her strawberry and blueberry pies.  I sprinkled cinnamon sugar on the surface, rolled it up, and baked it.  Genius?  Not really, but it was moments like that which helped me to become comfortable in the kitchen.  As I grew up, my parents were subjected to my many "restaurants," which I would create, enlisting my brother, Jay, to be my sous-chef.  Using recipes from my Better Homes and Gardens Children's Cookbook, I would make such gourmet fare as potato-chip encrusted fried chicken, and my poor parents would patiently sit through what I'm certain was not their idea of a relaxing evening.

One of my favorite times of the year occurred around the holidays, when we would decorate sugar and gingerbread cookies.  My mom would spread the rainbow of icings, sprinkles, and candies on the kitchen table, put us in smocks, and leave us to our artistry.  In my mind, I was the equivalent of Colette Peters and her too-pretty-to-eat intricately designed cakes.  Looking back at photos, however, I now realize that my product bore a closer resemblance to Jackson Pollock's work, without the 7-figure price tag.  Oh well, I suppose you need to start somewhere.

Today, I still love to decorate cookies, and much like my cookbook collection, my selection of cookie cutters has become enormous.  Hey, you never know when you are going to be asked to make cookies shaped like a cockatiel, right?  I enjoy practicing my decorating skills year-round, partially because I just really love gingerbread cookies and see no reason why they should be limited to spreading holiday cheer.  This is the gingerbread recipe that I created after much trial and error.  If you prefer a crisp cookie, bake them a minute or two longer, but I like mine to be a little pliable.  These bathing beauties and beach bums are simple to create; they just require a bit of patience during the decoration process.  Mini M&Ms work well, but taking a walk down the candy aisle in your grocery store might inspire you otherwise.  Here are some extra tips for making these swimwear-clad sweets:

• The royal icing recipe that I refer to is from an earlier post for Super Bowl Football Cookies.   If you have leftover icing, it will keep for several weeks, covered and refrigerated.  When you're ready to use the icing, thin it with a little bit of water, if necessary.
• If the dough becomes to soft when you are working with it, simply roll it out between two sheets of parchment paper and re-freeze it.  If you need to flour the work surface to prevent the dough from sticking, then use just a small amount, as extra flour will change the texture of the cookies.
• Decorated cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
• Once the dough has been prepared in the food processor, it can be divided in half, wrapped, and refrigerated overnight.
• The dough can also be rolled out in between 2 sheets of waxed paper.

Gingerbread Bathing Beauties and Beach Bums

Makes about 20 cookies

Ingredients:

For the cookie dough

3 cups flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons butter, softened, in pieces

3/4 cup molasses

2 tablespoons whole milk

Royal Icing

Miniature M&Ms of assorted colors

Prepare the cookie dough:  In a food processor, process the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt until combined.  Scatter the butter pieces over the flour mixture and process until the mixture resembles fine meal.  With the machine running, gradually add the molasses and the milk.  Process the mixture until the dough is evenly moistened  and forms a soft mass.

Transfer the dough to a work surface and divide in half.  Working with one portion at a time, roll the dough to a 1/4-inch thickness between 2 sheets of parchment paper.  Leaving the dough between the papers, stack it on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and place the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds positions.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper.  Remove one sheet of dough from the freezer.  Cut out shapes using gingerbread people cookie cutters, and then transfer the shapes to the prepared baking sheets, spacing 1-inch apart.  Bake the cookies until they are set in the center, 8-10 minutes, rotating positions halfway through.  Repeat the process with any remaining sheets of dough.  Cool cookies to room temperature on a wire rack.

Decorate the cookies:  Use royal icing to dot the areas on the cookies where you want to position the mini M&Ms.  Create bathing suits or sundresses on the gingerbread people using various colors of the M&Ms.  Let the cookies sit for at least 30 minutes so that the icing can harden. 

Dark Chocolate Sour Cherry Cookies

In a perfect world, I would have posted my second "thank-you cookie" recipe yesterday, as promised.  I happen to live in a world, however, where that vicious 24-hour bug likes to sneak up on you not once, but twice a year, apparently on the day after you return from a vacation.  The same thing happened to me in February, after our 4-day SuperBowl road-trip (I blamed that one on our meal at a questionable looking chain restaurant, where we begrudgingly stopped on the way home.)  The good new is that, after a horrible night with no sleep and a day spent on the couch with no appetite (but 12+ hours of Food Network and HGTV!), I've lost all of the weight that I likely gained eating my way through wine country!  The bad news is, I feel miles behind with regards to all of the items that I ambitiously added to my "to-do" list during the flight back to Las Vegas.

With a goal of fitting 2 days' worth of to-dos into 24 hours, I decided to make one of my tried and true cookie recipes for the second variety, which will eventually be packaged up and sent off to the various folks who helped to make our trip so memorable.  I love a recipe that I have made enough times that I don't second guess my procedure or need to refer to written instructions.  The method for these cookies follows your basic drop cookie order:  mix dry ingredients, mix wet ingredients, put 'em together, and add any "extras" such as chocolate chips or nuts.  The oven is at 350, you bake for 9-11 minutes, all pretty standard stuff.  Choco-holics love these for their deep double-punch of rich cocoa and bittersweet chocolate chunks.  The tart sour cherries cut nicely into the chocolate, adding a bright contrast in flavor and texture.  Package these up to send as gifts year-round, or keep them in the cookie jar to serve with an extra-cold glass of milk.  Here are my extra tips for these cherry-flecked chocolate delights:

• For the bittersweet chocolate, I recommend the large "Pound-Plus" bars sold at Trader Joe's,  a bargain at around $3.75.  You can also substitute bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips.  Ghirardelli makes a good brand of bittersweet chips, which can be found in the baking section of most grocery stores. 
• I prefer to coarsely chop the cherries, in order to spread their flavor throughout the batter a bit more, but you can keep them whole, if preferred.  The cherries can also be replaced by dried cranberries, which are more cost effective but pair equally well with chocolate.
• Once prepared, the batter can be frozen for up to one month before baking.  If I plan to freeze the batter, I like to portion out the dough first and then freeze it, so that it is ready to pop into the oven.  Thaw the dough prior to baking.
• Once baked, the cookies can be stored at room temperature, tightly wrapped, for 3-4 days.  The cookies can also be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 weeks.
• If I am preparing these during the holidays, I often add a bit of spice to the dough, such as a small amount of ground cloves, ginger, nutmeg, or cinnamon.

Dark Chocolate Sour Cherry Cookies

Makes about 24 cookies

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

1 1/4 cups cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) butter, softened

1 1/4 cups sugar

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1 1/2 cups dried sour cherries, coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, 3 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla, and beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Add the flour mixture and beat on low speed until thoroughly incorporated.  Fold in the chopped chocolate and cherries.

Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4-cup measure, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 3 inches apart.  Bake the cookies until they are puffed and slightly cracked on top, 9-11 minutes.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Walnut White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

There are many practices that your parents try to to instill in you, which you don't appreciate until you are older.  Whenever I wanted to set up a lemonade stand in front of our house, my mom would deduct the cost of the ingredients that I used from my earnings, but only enough to make a point that our kitchen was not my personal grocery store (little did I know that a can of frozen lemonade and a box of cookies cost more than 75 cents.)  If I ever tried to bolt out the door and head to school with wrinkled attire or looking like I had "mopped the floor with my head," as my dad would say, I was sent right back upstairs to find a "presentable" alternative.  Thank-you notes were (and still are) a non-negotiable in my family.  As soon as I could put crayon to paper, I was expressing gratitude to grandparents and friends for everything from a dime-filled birthday card to an Easy Bake Oven (where it all started......)

As I grew older, the bar for thank-you note content was raised higher and higher.  "Dear Grandma and Grandpa......Thank you for the sweater.......I will wear it a lot....." no longer cut the mustard, and I learned the difference between scrawling a two minute blurb because I had to and putting some real time and effort into creating a sincere and worthy letter.  Today, thank-notes are a dying breed.  Oh sure, there's the thank-you e-mail and the thank-you text (which, by the way would take me longer than hand writing a three-pager), but they're not nearly as effective or special as getting a personalized note in the mail.  I know how it makes me feel when I get one, so mom and dad, thanks for the lesson (and sorry I put up such a fuss.)

Since I am constantly creating new batches of cookies, sweets, and treats, and because neither Eric nor I want to keep such temptation around the house, I have started sending small batches of goodies along with some of my thank-yous.  This especially comes in handy if you are at a loss for words or if you want to thank a few people at once.  Eric and I just returned from a fantastic trip to Napa and Sonoma, which I won by entering a contest and writing a poem.  From the moment we arrived, we were treated as if our last name was Mondavi, with private tours, tastings, and chef-prepared meals.  I'm glad that I slept so well on the trip, because I have quite a bit of "thanking" to do. 

I've decided to send a few different types of cookies to each group that hosted us, the first of which is today's post, and the second of which I will post tomorrow (still deciding on that one.)  Because these folks are from a great culinary area, I wanted to send something a bit different, so I opted for pumpkin and white chocolate flavors, not quite as popular and chocolate and peanut butter, but just as good.  The pumpkin is pretty mild, but the inclusion of butterscotch chips, spices, oats, and walnuts really gives these cookies some rich flavors for the recipients to pair with their dessert wine of choice!  Stay tuned for tomorrow's cookie.....  Here are a few extra tips for preparing this pumpkin-packed treats:

• Be sure to use packed pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling in this recipe.  The pumpkin pie filling has additives which will cause the cookies to turn out differently.  Libby's is one popular brand of pumpkin puree, but you can find it at almost any grocery store, and Trader Joe's carries a very good version as well.
• Feel free to substitute pecans or even hazelnuts, if preferred. A small amount (about 1/4-teaspoon) of nutmeg or allspice can also be added to the dry ingredients is you like a little bit of extra spice with your pumpkin flavored treats.
• If you opt to use white chocolate chips in lieu of chopping a piece of white chocolate, use about 1 1/2 cups.  In the case of these cookies, the higher quality the white chocolate is, the better they will taste, so this is an ingredient that I would be pickier about.  Lower quality white chocolate chips often have a "waxy" taste to them.
• To take these cookies to an extra sinful level, drizzle the cooled cookies with melted white chocolate or sandwich a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream between two cookies.
• The batter may be refrigerated, covered, for up to 3 days.  After baking, the cookies may be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 weeks or stored at room temperature, covered for 3-4 days (if they last that long.....)

Pumpkin Walnut White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 cup butterscotch chips

12 tablespoons butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 large egg

2/3 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup rolled oats

8 ounces white chocolate chunks

1 cup chopped, lightly toasted walnuts

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, baking soda, and spices, and pulse to blend.  Add the butterscotch chips and process until the chips are finely ground, with bits of larger pieces remaining.  Transfer the flour mixture to a large bowl.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 minutes.  Add the egg and pumpkin puree and mix well to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until well combined, and then add the oats, white chocolate, and walnuts, mixing until evenly incorporated.  Refrigerate the dough for at least 15 minutes.

Using an ice cream scoop or 1/4-cup measure, drop the dough on to the prepared cookie sheets, spacing 2-inches apart.  Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, rotating positions halfway through the baking process for even baking, until the cookies are light golden brown.  Cool the cookies for 10 minutes on the sheets and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

S'mores with Homemade Graham Crackers

Over the past five years, retro desserts and sweets that evoke childhood memories have really made a comeback.  I challenge you to visit any mid-sized town in American without finding a handful of cupcake shops dotting the strip malls, complete with pink bakery boxes and the not-so-retro $3.75/cupcake price tag.  Trend-setting celebrity chef Kerry Simon taps into his customers' nostalgic side by offering gourmet twists on milk and cookies, peanut butter and jelly, and my favorite, a monstrous pink mound of cotton candy.  Even the most popular food publications like Food and Wine, and Bon Appetit have recently featured recipes for a Devil Dog Cake and Deluxe Peanut Butter Cups.

When I was growing up, I was a member of the local Brownie troop, and then I was a Girl Scout.  In the good ol' 80s, in order to earn those coveted badges for our polyester green sashes, we still did traditional things like go camping, build campfires, and identify wildlife.  In today's more competitive environment, Girl Scouts are probably required to construct their own shelter, Survivor style, and create a new hybrid species of edible vegetation.  One of my favorite childhood treats, which I always identify with my Girl Scout camping trips, was s'mores--fun to make, simple to assemble, and heavenly to eat. 

My troop's s'mores were pretty straightforward: store-bought graham crackers, Hershey Bars, and bagged marshmallows.  Today's campers might require something a bit more gourmet, so this is a recipe for making homemade graham crackers (with an optional link to homemade marshmallows for all of you over-achievers out there).  The flavor of these crackers is very similar to the ones that we are all familiar with, but their unmistakable homemade appearance makes them even better.  Bring these to a campfire, and you'll be awarded your baking badge for sure!  Here are a few extra tips for these homemade classic cookout treats:

• If you really want to go that extra made-from-scratch mile, then you can make homemade marshmallows too.  Try this recipe, which I posted in December, and just eliminate the peppermint extract and red food coloring.  They are much easier than they seem, and oh so impressive!
• Instead of preparing s'mores, you can also just make chocolate-covered graham crackers.  Melt 6 ounces of chocolate in a bowl set over simmering water.  When the chocolate is melted, stir in 7-8 drops of vegetable oil.  Place about 1 teaspoon of chocolate glaze on each cooler graham cracker, smoothing it with an offset spatula or knife.   Let the cookies stand until the glaze has set.
• After baking, the graham crackers can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.  They can also be frozen.
• For that "authentic" look, make dots on the surface of the crackers prior to baking, similar to those found on store-bought graham crackers.

S'mores with Homemade Graham Crackers

Makes 12 s'mores

Ingredients:

For graham crackers

1 1/4 cups flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, slightly softened

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

Assembly

Chocolate bars, such as Lindt, Hershey, etc.

Store-bought marshmallows or homemade marshmallows

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, whole wheat flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda, and salt.  In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter on medium speed until softened, then mix in the sugars.  Mix in the honey, egg, and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing until well blended.  Divide the dough in half, and for two 4-inch squares.  Chill for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Lightly flour a work surface.  Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll it into an 8-inch square, about 3/16-inch thick.  Using a pastry cutter or knife, trim the sides of the dough to leave a 7-inch square, reserving the scraps.   Divide the dough into 9 even squares and place them about 1 1/2-inches apart on the prepared cookie sheets.  Reroll the trimmings.  You should have enough to make about 3 more squares of dough.  Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Bake the crackers for 9-11 minutes, or until set on top and lightly browned around the edges.  Let rest on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer them to wire racks to cool.

For the s'mores, place a square of chocolate on the flat side of a graham cracker.  Toast a marshmallow over an open flame, grill, or by using a kitchen torch.  Sandwich the marshmallow between the chocolate-topped cracker and another graham cracker. 

Bittersweet Chocolate-Glazed Marble Pound Cake

A trip to the local ice cream parlor was always a special treat when I was growing up, but I was always faced with the dilemma of which flavor to choose.  At JANN'S Sweet Shop in Pennington, New Jersey, (named for its owners: Jen, Amy, Norman, Norman, and Sue,) containers of homemade ice cream were swirled with everything from raspberries to rum-raisin.  At "The Dock" in Sunapee, New Hampshire, aptly named due to its proximity to, you guessed it, a boat dock on Lake Sunapee, a dozen little windows displayed different colors of jimmies for coating your soft serve cone.  Even now, when I stop by Golden Spoon for frozen yogurt, there are more than 10 tempting options for me consider.

Never really the type of girl to stick with just one flavor, I always try to look for ways to fit as many as I can into one serving.  At JANN'S, this meant choosing the Neopolitan, thus getting three flavors for the price of one.  My strategy at The Dock was to ask that my cone be coated on one side with pink jimmies and on the other side with purple, or whatever my favorite color combo was during that particular summer.  Just yesterday, the incredibly tolerant teen behind the counter at Golden Spoon obliged me by squeezing Peanut Butter, Fudgesicle, Cake Batter, and Vanilla Malt neatly into a quart container (yes, I tipped him.)  Even at restaurants, I'm often drawn to dishes described with words like "trio" or "sampler," so I'm not forced to settle on just one item.

Marble cake is perfect for someone like me, who, when faced with the option of chocolate or vanilla, says "both please."  It's the cake equivalent of a soft serve swirl, and its presentation, with the drastic color contrast, is so much prettier than the monochromatic variety.  This pound cake recipe pairs a bittersweet chocolate cake with a lighter vanilla flavor.  This cake is not as dense as some more traditional pound cakes (which are made with just flour, eggs, butter, and sugar,) but it is still very rich, especially when coated with the decadent chocolate glaze. Top a slice with some fresh strawberries and vanilla ice cream, or Neopolitan if you can't settle on one flavor.  Here are my tips for this swirled sweet treat:

• If you prefer a white chocolate glaze, then just substitute a good quality white chocolate for the bittersweet chocolate.
• Room temperature eggs work better as far as adding volume to the recipe.  To bring eggs to room temperature quickly, simply submerge them in warm water for a few minutes.
• Be careful not to overswirl the chocolate and vanilla batters when you are running a knife through the two; the marbling won't turn out as nicely if you overdo it!
• After baking, the cake can be kept at room temperature, in an air--tight container, for up to three days.
• Try adapting this recipe to smaller sized loaf pans or even cupcake sized pound cakes.

Bittersweet Chocolate-Glazed Marble Pound Cake

Makes one 9X5-inch loaf

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2/3 cup buttermilk

5 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

6 tablespoons boiling water

For bittersweet chocolate glaze

3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted

2 tablespoons half-and-half, cream, or whole milk

2 1/2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.  Coat a 9X5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray; set aside.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, and salt.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until they are light and fluffy, 5 minutes.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  Mix in the vanilla.  Add the flour mixture in two batches, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the flour.  Mix until well incorporated and then set aside one-third of the batter in a small bowl.

In a bowl or measuring cup, mix together the cocoa and the boiling water with a rubber spatula until smooth.  Add the cocoa mixture to the reserved cake batter; stir until well combined.

Spoon the batters into the prepared pan in two layers, alternating spoonfuls of vanilla and chocolate to simulate a checkerboard.  To create marbling, run a knife through the batters in a swirling motion.  Bake for 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean.  Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Prepare the glaze:  In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and the half-and half.  Add the melted chocolate and whisk until the glaze is smooth.  If it is too thin, add more sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.  If it is too thick, add more half-and-half, 1 teaspoon at a time.

Pour the glaze over the cake, letting it drip down the sides.  Let set for 30 minutes and then serve.