Trying a new fruit....

....juice!

So, wanting to try something new and exciting for dinner, I stumbled upon a recipe for Pomegranate-Ginger Glazed Pork. I asked the Hubby if he likes pomegranate seeds...he said not really, but he likes the flavor of pomegranates. So, with a slight alteration, I made the glazed pork minus the pomegranate seeds!

~Pomegranate-Ginger Glazed Pork~

(Adapted from We Are Not Martha)

8 oz. POM Wonderful Juice

1 c. sugar

2 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tsp. red pepper flakes

6 tbsp. soy sauce

6 tsp. ground ginger*

6 tsp. garlic, minced

2 lbs. boneless pork chops (about 6 chops)

In a med pot, over med-high heat combine the POM Juice, sugar, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Stir to combine. Simmer over med heat until a thick syrup forms, about 10 min. Stir every now and then to make sure it does not burn. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, ginger, and garlic. Stir to combine and set aside. In a large frying pan, add a touch of olive oil, and bring to med heat. Place 3 pork chops in the pan and top with a spoonful of the soy sauce-ginger-garlic mixture. Cook for 4 min. and then flip and repeat with another spoonful of the soy sauce mixture. Cook for another 4 min. or until cooked through and remove from pan. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 pork chops and the remaining soy sauce mixture. In the same pan you cooked the pork chops in, turn off the heat and add the POMegranate syrup. Stir the mixture to incorporate all the pork bits and thicken it a bit. Add the pork chops back into the pan and coat with the mixture. Plate the pork chops with a generous amount of the syrup. Serve immediately! 

*You can also used fresh mined ginger as well. Ground is what I had on hand.

You can also chop and see a pomegranate and top the pork chops with the seeds before serving.

This meal was very very yummy. The sauce was sweet at first, but then there was a subtle heat from the red pepper flakes. It was not spicy by any means, but the heat was very pleasant and subsided after a while. The pomegranate flavor was not over powering either, so if you are not a huge pomegranate fan, you might like this recipe anyway!

I served this meal with some cooked broccoli. The sauce ended up mixing with the broccoli and made it taste quite good! It now pulls double duty for both meat and veggies. I will be making this sauce again soon! I would like to try it on some chicken breasts next...

ENJOY!

Super Easy Fish

Here is a meal that I just made...it was super easy, and super tasty....just thought ya'll should know!

~Herbed crusted Flounder~

1 pkg. flounder (about 4-5 fillets)

1 1/2 c. panko bread crums

2 tbsp. parsley

2 tbsp. dill

6 tbsp. melted butter

Salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a baking pan with foil and spray with no-stick spray. Place the flounder on the baking sheet and salt and pepper each side. Combine the panko, parsley, and dill in a small bowl. Add the melted butter and stir to combine. Pat the panko-butter mixture onto the flounder. Bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 min or so, until the fish is light and flakey. Remove and let cool. Serve with a wedge of lemon. 

ENJOY!

A New Type of Sloppy...

....Sloppy Joe that is! Or, in this case, a turkey joe because I made it with ground turkey instead of ground beef.

I was going to make Turkey Joe's for dinner anyway, but then I stumbled upon this recipe in my Food Network magazine and decided to make it.

Wow, what a combo of new and interesting ingredients...meat, spices, fruit...very Indian in nature and flavor and a spicy kick as well. Try this recipe, it gives the standard Sloppy Joe a new "face lift" so to speak!

~Spicy Bombay Turkey Joe's~

Sauce

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tbsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. chopped garlic

1 tsp. garam masala

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cayenne pepper

Meat

3-4 tbsp. vegetable oil

1/4 c. raisins

1/4 c. shelled pistachios*

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 lg. onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

salt

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 tsp. honey

1/4 c. milk

4 Buns

For the sauce: Heat the vegetable oil in a med. saucepan over med. heat. Add the ginger, garlic, and peppers until the garlic browns a little, about 1 min. Add the tomato sauce and 1 c. water, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 min.

For the meat: Heat 2 tbsp. vegetable oil in a lg. skillet over med. heat. Add the raisins and pistachios* and cook, stirring occasionally, until the raisins swell up and the pistachios toast slightly, about 1 min. Remove from the skillet and set aside.

Return the skillet to med. heat and add the remaining 1-2 tbsp. vegetable oil. Add the onion, pepper, and cumin and cook until softened and starting to brown, about 5 min. Season with salt. Add the turkey, breaking up the big lumps, and cook until opaque, about 5 min.

Add the sauce to the turkey mixture in the skillet. Stir and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 10 min. Add the honey, milk, and raisins-pistachio mixture and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning. Serve on the toasted buns.

This was, again, a very new and interesting flavor. I really enjoyed the sweet-savory combo and the texture that the meat, fruit, and nuts provided. Hubby was not a fan of the raisins, they made it too sweet for his taste buds, but they can be easily subbed out or picked out.

Try this...its new, its good....

ENJOY!

New Ingredient Time!

Its about that time again! Another new ingredient went into this dinner. Can you guess that it is? Here is a picture:

Its a Japanese Sweet Potato. This is not to be confused with the ever popular and brightly colored Purple Potato that is also common in Japan. This sweet potato is purple on the outside, but not so on the inside, it is like a regular potato. It was a little softer than most potatoes that I am used to cooking, but it tastes pretty much like a regular potato, or whatever you happen to season it with.

For this meal I just cubed the potato and baked it with seasonings. I paired it with a glazed-beef recipe that I saw on another blog and thought Hubby and I would like.

~Beef w/ Brown Sugar Glaze~

(adapted from The Wannabe Chef)

1/2 lb. stir-fry beef strips

2 tbsp. sesame oil (or olive oil)

5 tbsp. cornstarch (or flour)

2 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tbsp. soy sauce

1/4 c. water

1/2 tbsp. rice vinegar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

In a lg. skillet or wok heat the sesame oil over med. high heat. Coat the beef with the cornstarch or flour and set aside. In a small bowl, add the brown sugar, soy sauce, water, vinegar, salt, chili powder, and garlic powder. Mix until sugar is dissolved.

Add the beef to the skillet. Cook, stirring, until all off the beef is browned. Slowly pour in the brown sugar-soy sauce liquid. Continue to cook as the water evaporates. It will eventually form a thick glaze, coating the beef. Once the beef is coated remove from heat. Add a drizzle of sesame oil, toss, and serve.

For the potatoes I just winged it: I cubed them up, tossed them in olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, garlic salt, onion powder, rosemary...maybe some other herbs. I then baked them at 375 for about 30 min. Just keep an eye on them so they don't burn. The potatoes are done when they can be cut easily with a fork (aka fork tender). Remove and serve with the beef.

Hubby really liked the beef. He said he could taste the difference with the sesame oil. To him it tasted more "nutty"....what a complement! I liked the sweet and savory aspect the brown sugar gave it. The potatoes were alright, nothing to special, they just tasted like plain old herbed potatoes...

The beef is highly recommended...Hubby asked for it to be served again. Stay tuned for the next installment of another new local ingredient!

ENJOY!

It's a First & Some Veggies

Guess what!? I WON something! I entered my name for a drawing over at Campfire Chic and I was picked by the random generator! I am speechless...wow...

Well, what did I win? I won a wonderful e-book called "Better Blog Content: How to draw in your readers and develop your Blog." It is written by Amy Schubert at Lemon & Raspberry. The e-book covers various questions like:

• Why is your blog content important?
• What is your blog niche?
• What do you blog about?
• Who is your ideal blog reader?

It also gives you time, resources, information, worksheets, and other wonderful goodies to help get your blog a goin'! Check out Lemon & Raspberry for more information and some other goodies!

I would also like to give out a THANK YOU to Campfire Chic for this wonderful giveaway.

Now, on to the good stuff! Well, the veggies....but they are GOOD if you prepare them this way!

~Spicy Cauliflower w/ Sesame Seeds~

1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 med. yellow onions, finely sliced

pinch of tumeric

Salt

1 med. cauliflower, chopped

4 dried red chiles, stemmed and halved

1-2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted

1 tsp. minced garlic

1 tsp. ground ginger

Basil for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a lg. skilled over med.-high heat. Add in the onions and cumin and the tumeric and a few pinches of salt. Cook, stirring, until the onions caramelize a bit and turn lightly golden, about 7-10 min. Add the red chiles, sesame seeds, garlic, and ginger. Continue to cook for another min. Add the cauliflower and stir well. Cover the pan and cook the cauliflower over low-med. heat for 3-5 min, until just tender. If you need to, add some water to help cook the cauliflower.

When the cauliflower is nearly cooked, remove the lid, increase the heat a little to "char" the cauliflower a bit. Salt to taste and sprinkle with basil. Move to serving dish and serve.

This dish was okay, I would really like to come back and tweak it a bit though. That is why I have posted it here!

I served it with a simple baked pork loin. I believe that it was garlic and herb flavored. Mmmmm I loves me some pork!

That is all....I am excited to get my new e-book.

In other news...I have started on a painting project. Actually many projects. I will post about them soon!

Have a great night and ENJOY!

Glorious Granola

Granola is glorious, and it makes some great holiday gifts!

This first started when I made some granola and protein bars for my Hubby and his men when they were out in the field training. Then I had the idea to just make some more granola and use it as holiday gifts! Its a little better than baking cookies or sending cookies or bars in a jar (those are awesome ideas though!) especially for the heath conscious, granola seemed like a good bet!

I made some protein bars and granola bites for my Hubby and I made regular loose granola for gifts. All three were very easy and the recipes, after adapted, don't call for crazy hard-to-find ingredients either. Score!

~Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Bites~

(From How Sweet It Is)

Makes about 24 bites

2 c. dry rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 c. wheat germ*

1/4 c. ground flaxseed (by the oats in the store)

1/3 c. chopped almonds

1/2 c. chopped peanuts

1/3 c. chocolate chips, chopped

1/2 c. natural peanut butter

1/4 c. honey + a bit more

Preheat the oven to 325 F. In a large bowl combine the oats, flax, wheat germ, salt, nuts and chocolate chips and stir to combine. Add peanut butter and mix with 2 spoons, coating as much as you can. You can do this with your hands so it creates more of a "dough". Add in honey slowly and mix to coat thoroughly. If the granola will not stick together, add in more honey, 1 tsp. at a time until it does. Be sure to really mix the granola together as best you can.

Spray a mini muffin tin** with non-stick spray. Using an ice cream scoop, cookie scoop, or tbsp., scoop balls of granola into the tins, making sure they stick together as best they can. Bake for 25 min., checking every 10 min. or so to make sure it is not burning. Remove from oven and let cool completely - this is a must to ensure the granola sticks together. When completely cool, gently twist or use a spoon to remove the granola from the tins.

*I may have used all wheat germ or all flaxseed. I can not remember. So, it would have been 1/2 c. of either wheat germ or flaxseed. Use whatever you have on hand.

**At the time I did not have a mini or regular muffin tin so I just used my cookie scoop and scooped out the granola onto a sprayed cookie sheet. I made sure they were really close together so that they kept their shape. It worked out well.

These were good, you could really taste the peanut butter and the chocolate chips. My type of granola if I am going to eat some! Hubby said they must have been good because they disappeared quickly.

~Chocolate Pumpkin Protein Bars~

(Adapted from Snack Girl)

1/4 c. whole wheat flour

1/4 c. ground flaxseed

2 c. rolled oats (no quick cooking)

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. peanut butter

1 tbsp. cocoa powder

1/4 c. maple syrup

1/4 c. canned pumpkin

1/4 c. sugar

2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

3 tbsp. prunes, chopped

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat a 9 in. x 12 in. pan* with cooking spray. Combine the flour, flaxseed, oats, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a smaller bowl, add the maple syrup, pumpkin, and sugar. Mix the peanut butter with the cocoa powder in another bowl, then add to the pumpkin and syrup mixture. Stir to combine. Add the wet into the dry and stir until well combined. Stir in the chopped prunes and pepitas. Evenly press the granola batter into the prepared pan. This may require some work as the batter is on the dry side, you will have to press and distribute the batter evenly in the pan to ensure even cooking.

Bake the bars for 15 min. and no more! The will be done after the 15 min. Allow to cool, then cut into bars with a sharp knife.

*I used a glass loaf pan to make my bars and it worked nicely.

This were very chocolatly and you could taste the peanut butter as well. They were a little more filling than the granola bites for sure! They were also less crunchy. Very different, but good none-the-less. Again, Hubby said they were gone in a flash!

I did make one other recipe to send with Hubby, but they were not very photogenic and they were probably my least favorite of the bunch.

Now, onto the granola that I sent as gifts to the family! I made two different types...

~Maple Pumpkin Granola~

(From Sunflower Days)

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. maple syrup

1/2 c. raisins

1/2 c. craisins

1/3 c. sliced almonds

1/3 c. pecans, chopped

1/3 c. macadamia nuts, chopped

3 c. rolled oats (not quick cooking)

Preheat oven to 300 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl add the nuts, fruit, and oats. Sprinkle over cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Mix to combine. Pour maple syrup over the oat mixture and stir until well combined. Spread out on the baking sheet and bake for 30 min. Remove from oven and break up the mixture with your hands. Allow to cool completely then place into sealed containers. Can be kept at room temp. or in the fridge. 

This granola was my favorite. I love me some fruit in my granola. I like anything sweet in my granola for that matter! The maple and the pumpkin flavors come out quite nicely.

~Nutty Vanilla Granola~

(From Noble Pig)

4 c. old fashioned oats (not instant)

1/2 c. sliced almonds

1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

1/2 c. sunflower seeds

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 c. honey

1/3 c. vegetable oil

3 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl mix the oats, nuts, sunflower seeds, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine brown sugar, honey, and oil and bring to a boil over med. heat. Remove from heat and slowly stir in vanilla. (not to quickly or it will burn) Pour the hot liquid over the oat mixture. Stir and toss until thoroughly mixed. 

Spread granola evenly on the baking sheet and bake until golden brown, 18-20 min. stirring occasionally  to ensure even baking. Really watch it carefully so it does not burn. Transfer granola to a large bowl and let it cool, stirring occasionally. Once cool, place in a sealed container. 

Again, another good granola. This one was Hubby's favorite so I made a little extra and kept it so that I could use it as a quick breakfast paired with some greek yogurt. Hubby is not a fan of dried fruit, so this one was right up his alley! It has a very nice flavor and the nuts give it wonderful crunch and texture.

The packaging....complete with a bow on top!

These two loose granola recipes were packed in plastic containers, labeled with cute labels, tied up, and shipped out to my family, Hubby's family, and Aunts and uncles as Christmas presents. I sure hope they enjoyed them as much as we did!

ENJOY!

I did it because I can!

I did it, just when I thought I was done...I made another cookie.

For Christmas, I got my very own cookie press. So, for a party on Sunday night, I made spritz cookies. It just seemed fitting!

~Spritz Cookies~

(Old family recipe)

1 c. salted butter, room temp

1/2 c. sugar

1 egg

2 tsp. almond extract

2 1/4 c. flour

Food coloring

**You will nee a spritz gun for this recipe**

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in the egg and beat until incorporated. Add the almond extract and beat to combine. (You can also beat in food coloring at this point if using just one color) Slowly beat in the flour until just combined. Divid the dough into equal portions and color as needed, mixing the food coloring in until distributed evenly. 

Fill the cookie press with the first color and press onto an ungreased, unlined baking sheet. Repeat until all the dough is used. (You can mix the remaining colors to make "tie-dyed" spritz) Bake for 8-10 min. or until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

*Note: If you have never used a spritz gun before, it can be a little tricky to get the hang of, but once you do it rocks! You need to "shoot" it a few times to get the batter to come out of the shape ring you have chosen, then, place it on the baking sheet and squeeze the trigger and "shoot" it once for each cookie. If you do it twice, its okay, the cookie design will just get squished a little. Practice, its really easy once you get the hand of it!

Here is what a squished star looks like.

I loves me some spritz! Buttery, light, and flavorful....they are ALWAYS on my family's cookie tray for Christmas. I did not use them in the 12 Days of Cookies because, at the time, I did not have a press! This time I made 3 different designs: trees, wreaths, and stars. Well, 4 if you count the one I used for the left over dough.

For this party, I also made an hors d'oeuvre that I saw on a blog not to long ago. It sounded very yummy and easy, and something different than the same old party foods.

~Feta, Walnut & Apricot Wantons~

(Adapted from Carrots n' Cake)

1 pkg. Won Ton wraps

1 8 oz. pkg. feta cheese, crumbled

1 c. walnuts, chopped

10-12 dried apricots, chopped

2-3 tbsp. milk

Small glass of water

Preheat oven to 250 F. In a large bowl combine the cheese, nuts, and apricots. Add in 2 tbsp. milk. Stir until combined. You are looking for the filling to come together slightly, if it does not, add more milk until it does. Spray baking sheet with non-stick spray. Hold one wanton wrapper on the palm of your hand, place 1 tsp. or so of filling in the middle. With your other hand, outline the edge of the wanton wrapper with a bit of water and fold it over. Pinch it together until it sticks together. Place on the baking sheet. Repeat until all the filling is used. (This can be done in batches while others are baking) Once the baking sheet is filled, spray the top of the wantons with a bit more cooking spray. (this gives them some color) Bake for 12-15 min. or until golden brown. Let cool slightly, serve warm. 

This were yummy! The flavor complex was very interesting, and I would like to experiment with different filling ingredients. The wontons got wonderfully crunchy as well. And, they are much better for you than the fried version ;-) I highly recommend trying them for your next get together!

After baking up the wantons, I assembled two plates of cookies and off we went!

Well, the party went off without a hitch! We drank, we ate, we played some games, ate and drank some more...typical party with great company! The hubby and I got home super late, or early? So the next morning we slept in. I made brunch: BLAT sandwiches. Bacon, Lettuce, Avocado, and Tomato sandwiches. BLA for me, I'm not a raw tomato fan... They were yummy and easy!

ENJOY!

Christmas: 12 Days of Cookies Round-up

Its here! Christmas is here! A Child is born....

Well, the Hubby and I spent Christmas eve relaxing. We watched some movies, baked some cookies, ate lots of food, popped a bottle of bubbly, opened gifts, and just enjoyed each others wonderful company!

Signs of a good night!

We also had to deal with some sort of fire damper alarm going off in our apartment...but thats just our luck to have it happen on Christmas eve! It took us about an hour to figure out what number to call. We did not want to call the fire department, because it was not an emergency, but who else would you call? So we called the base operator and they transfered me to about 2 other people and I let them know what was going on, and they said they would be over and lo and behold, it was silenced at about 10:00 or so. Finally!

Well, back to this post. Here is the Round-Up of all the cookies that I made for the 12 Days of Cookies Countdown - Christmas 2010!

• Day 12: Peanut Butter Blossoms
• Day 11: Choco-Peppermint Cookie Bars
• Day 10: Chewy Spicy Molasses Cookies
• Day 9: Red & Green Dark Chocolate m&m Cookies
• Day 8: Perfect Gingerbread
• Day 7: Pecan Snowball Cookies
• Day 6: Pecan Turtles
• Day 5: Chocolate Espresso Cookies
• Day 4: Cranberry Swirl Cookies
• Day 3: Lemon Sugar Cookies
• Day 2: Fat n' Fluffy Snickerdoodles
• Day 1: Raspberry Poinsettia Cookies

CHRISTmas! The hubby and I woke up early and just relaxed. He played his new game, and I plinked around on the internet. Then I made breakfast! We had maple pancakes with fried eggs and canadian bacon, and boy was it yummy! For the pancakes I just used a bisquick base and added in some maple extract and some cinnamon-sugar. You could really taste the maple! Very different and very yummy!

After breakfast, we lounged some more, watched Tron, Get Carter (old one), and then went to the gym. Its been a rainy day so we laid low...no worries though! We are truly enjoying each others company!

Hope your Christmas celebrations went well!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

ENJOY!

Day 1: 12 Days of Cookies Countdown

Keeping things simple today: Day 1 I am bringing you Raspberry Poinsettia Cookies.

I have a love-hate relationship with these cookies. If they turn out right, they rock, other wise they can be a little bit of a frustration. Sometimes they turn out and sometimes they don't, it totally depends! But, I still felt inspired to make them none-the-less! So, that must mean something right?

~Raspberry Poinsettia Cookies~

3/4 c. butter or margarine, softened

1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. almond extract

1 box 8-serving* raspberry flavored gelatin

1 lg. egg

2 c. flour

In a lg. bowl, beat butter, sugar, almond, gelatin, and egg until combined. Beat in flour slowly until combined. Shape dough into 1 1/4 in. balls and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. 

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the balls 2 in. apart on the baking sheet. With a sharp knife make 5 cuts in the top of each ball, about 3/4 of the way through to make 6 wedges. Spread the wedges apart slightly. (Cookies will separate and flatten as they bake) Bake for 9-11 min. or until set. Cool 2-3 min. then remove from cookie sheet to a rack to cool. 

To frost, mix powdered sugar, milk, and almond flavoring to desire constancy. Add yellow food coloring to frosting. Place in a ziplock bag and snip the end off. Pipe 3 little dots into the middle of each cookie. Let harden.

What the pre-baked balls should look like....

Again, these cookies are interesting, sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. But, at least they taste good even if they don't look good!

Which makes me think about the history of the poinsettia plant itself. Do you know about the plant? Well, it originated in Mexico. At the time, the plants leaves were a shade of green a majority of the year, and the plant was commonly used to line Jesus' manger in Nativity scenes, and when it got closer to Christmas eve, the leaves would suddenly turn a bright red! This is why in Mexico and in other areas it is known as "Flor de la Noche Buena" or Flower of Christmas Eve.

All I can say is that there were higher powers in guiding me to make these cookies on Christmas Eve night....even if a majority of them did not turn out...

A Child is Born...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

ENJOY!

Day 2: 12 Days of Cookies Countdown

Okay, take a deep breath, its alright, everything will be okay....

Stressing out a little? Eat a cookie, it makes all things better! There are only 2 days left until Christmas! I am spending it with my Hubby, eating, drinking, exploring, eating some more, drinking again....hehe. We are going to open presents sometime soon too, although a lot of the good ones are getting here after Christmas. (snail mail during the holidays + customs = mail takes a loooooonnnnggggg time)

On this wonderful Day 2 I am going to share with you a Snickerdoodle Cookie recipe that I found on another blog that I have been following for sometime now. I has accumulated a lot of recipes for snickerdoodles and I had to compare all the recipes and see which one I though I, and hubby, would like the best. Knowing his tastes and mine, this is the one I chose. Its a pretty classic and straightforward recipe for the cinnamon covered childhood cookie.

~Fat n' Fluffy Snickerdoodles~

(Adapted from How Sweet It Is)

1/2 c. butter, room temp.

1 c. sugar

1 lg. egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 3/4 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 tbsp. milk

1/4 c. sugar + 1 tbsp. cinnamon, mixed

In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon, set aside. In a med. bowl beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beat well to combine. Stir in flour mix until the dough comes together. Add in the milk. Mix until dough forms a ball. If it is too crumbly, add milk 1 tbsp. at a time until is comes together. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Remove the dough from the fridge. Roll dough into big 1 1/2 in. balls (I used a 1 in. cookie scoop) and dip the balls into the cinnamon-sugar mixture until completely coated. Place on baking sheet and use the bottom of a glass to flatten the cookies slightly. Bake for 10-12 min. or until firm.

I was surprised at the resulting cookie. It was hefty, it did not spread much in the cooking process. It was dense and chewy. It tasted wonderful. Very nice cinnamon flavor. But, I would have to say that, in the case with snickerdoodles, I like them to be a little less dense. Don't get me wrong, these tasted wonderful, I would just like something with a little more 'air' if you will. More time to experiment and more cookies to eat!

Hubby has yet to try one, but knowing that he likes a cake-y cookie he might be a fan of these ones!  ;-)

I am uber excited to bring you tomorrows post!! Hope you enjoyed reading them so far!

ENJOY!

Day 3: 12 Days of Cookies Countdown

Three! Count them....1, 2, 3 more days until Christmas! We are getting closer peeps.

Did ya see what I made? Yup, I made the little emblem up on top. I am so very proud. Don't judge, I like it, and that is all that matters. Beside its cute, don't you think?

Anywho, one to the good stuff...the cookies! Day 3 is Lemon Sugar Cookies. These cookies have a little twist to them. They are a basic sugar cookie with some lemon zest in them for some zing. And let me tell you, the lemon is a very good flavor in these cookies. I decided to make these ones instead of plain ol' frosted sugar cookies because Hubby is a huge fan of anything lemon flavored. I was also in the mood for something new, and I don't have my cookie cutter collection out here yet. (I know, sad right?)

So, here is the recipe that I used. I made a few changes here and there as well.

~Lemon Sugar Cookies~

(Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine)

3/4 c. sugar

1/2 stick butter, softened

1 lg. egg

2 tbsp. lemon zest

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 3/4 c. flour

Colored Crystals

In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add in the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla and beat until combined. Gradually add in the flour mixture and beat until smooth and fully incorporated. Cover and let chill in the refrigerator for 2 hrs. or until dough is firm.

When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Place colored crystals into small bowls. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and, using a tablespoon, spoon out the dough and shape into balls in your hands. Roll in colored crystals. Place on baking sheets about 1 in. apart. Use a small glass to slightly flatten the cookie. Bake for 14 min. or until golden brown on the bottom. Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

These cookies were wonderful. The lemon was great addition. They had a slightly crisp exterior with a slightly airy soft interior. They were wonderfully smack in the middle of a soft and a crispy cookie. Perfect. I think next time I would like to use almond flavoring instead of vanilla and see if that makes a difference. Maybe some more lemon too...or a lemon-sugar coating or glaze....ooooh the ideas are a-flowin'! Speaking of ideas, as you can see in the pictures above and below I did some dual colored cookies as well. I think they turned out okay, it was hard to keep the sugar crystals separated, but it still looks pretty cool!

On another note. I was reminded of something today. It was an old family tradition that my mother used to do with me about a week before Christmas. You see, we had this one ornament that was a clear ball with a red pipe-cleaner man with a cotton ball beard in it. Anybody know what this man was? He had 5 other little 'followers' that my mother would hide each morning before I got up and I would have to find them before the day was over. I can not for the life of me remember what their name was! It was something along the lines of tomtom or tinkin....i can not remember and I can't find anything on the WWW either! Jeez! Mom, help? I just remembered about them and I would like to make some for my own tree...

Anywho, hope all is peaceful on this wonderful holiday night.

ENJOY!

Day 4: 12 Days of Cookies Countdown

It's the final countdown! Can ya hear the music when you say that phrase? I can and it rocks! It makes me get excited about, well, about whatever comes at the end of the countdown. At the end of this countdown is....um, well, Christmas of course!

Day 4 graces us with Cranberry Swirl Cookies. This cookie recipe is a new one for me. I did it because I have had a bag of cranberries in the refrigerator since Thanksgiving. I never used them and I have been waiting for a recipe to use them in. I must confess, this was the first time I have ever cooked fresh cranberries. I really like their tart and slightly sweet flavor.

~Cranberry Swirl Cookies~

(From Baked By Rachel)

**Takes 2 days to make**

1/2 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

1 lg. egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

2 c. cranberries

1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. water, divided

1 1/2 tbsp. cornstarch

1 tsp. cinnamon

zest from 1 orange

In a small bowl combine the flour, salt, and cinnamon. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beat well to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add in 1/2 the dry ingredients, mix well. Add in the other half and mix until fully incorporated. Divide the dough in half and form each half into a ball, wrap in plastic. Chill for at least one hour.

To make the cranberry filling, place the cranberries, sugar, and 1/4 c. of water in a med. sauce pan over med. high heat. Cook until the berries pop, stirring frequently. Continue to cook, reducing the temp. to med. Add in the orange zest at this point. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch and remaining 1/4 c. water. Add cornstarch mix to the cranberries. Heat and stir until thickened, this step happens very quickly so keep an eye on it. Add the cinnamon and stir until incorporated. Remove from heat and transfer the filling to a med. bowl. Let cool for 15-20 min at room temp. Once cooled, cover with plastic and chill completely.

When both the dough and filling have properly cooled and set up, you can construct your cookies. Remove one of the dough balls and the filling from the fridge. On a lightly floured* surface, roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Spread half of the filling over the dough, keeping it with 1/2 in. from the edge. Carefully begin rolling the dough from one end to the other. Pinch and seal off the ends. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then foil. Repeat with the other dough ball and the rest of the filling. Store in the freezer overnight. These can also be frozen for several months.

Once you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Take one log out of the fridge and slice into 1/3 in. slices. Place 1 in. apart on the baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 min. or until the edges just start turn golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 min. on the sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. 

Note: I used powdered sugar...keeps things tasty! ;-)

These cookies were okay. The dough was a little tricky to roll out. It kept ripping and pulling apart around the edges as I rolled it. Maybe it needs some more liquid? The cookie as a whole was okay. Not the greatest use of the cranberries in my opinion, but their flavor worked well with the cinnamon flavor in the dough. It might be a texture thing, with the crispness of the cookie part and the softness of the filling. There was something that was missing, or lacking, just not sure what yet!

In other news: I have an announcement! I just found out what one of my Christmas presents is! It's a digital SLR camera!! Ahhhh!! I am SPEECHLESS....my Hubby rocks, I love him so very, very much. Its a Canon Rebel 2Ti, yup pretty basic, but thats where I am at right now...but I have strong hopes for the future!

Happy Holidays!

ENJOY!

Day 5: 12 Days of Cookies Countdown

WooHoo! Day 5! Can ya feel the excitement in the air? I sure can.

I must confess. I have not made every single batch of these cookies on the day that I have posted about them. Sometimes I made 2 or 3 different kinds in one day. Yeah, Im weird like that.... So I made about 3 different kinds on Friday of last week....I should have listened to that little voice in my head saying that enough is enough, you need to take a cooking baking break. I made the pecan balls, prepped another cookies and made the cookies for todays post. I messed these cookies up...not big time, but I remember them being so much better! Maybe it was the fact that I used vegetable oil instead of canola oil. Or I mixed both dark and milk chocolate instead of just the dark chocolate. Maybe it was the recipe itself....but the pictures looked like what I remember. Who knows!? Well, I made them, and they were sub-par. They baked up super flat. They were edible, but they lacked flavor, texture, etc. Just barley squeaked by with this one! But don't get me wrong, next time I make these I am sticking to the recipe! Hehehe...can ya blame me for experimenting and using what I had on had? I guess thats why I don't feel so bad about it....

Day 5 was Chocolate Snowflake Cookies. Here is what mine looked like.

So, here is the recipe that I would like to use in the future.

~Chocolate Espresso Crinkles~

4 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 c. chocolate chips

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 c. powdered sugar

Put the butter or margarine and chocolate chips in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 45 seconds. Stir and cook in 10 sec. intervals, checking and stirring after each time to see if more time is needed. Take it slow, the chocolate can burn quickly! Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Beat the sugar, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl until fluffy. Stir in melted chocolate. Add in the flour mixture and beat until combined. 

Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Take out the dough from the fridge. Scoop up the dough a tbsp. at a time and roll into a ball and roll in powdered sugar until completely coated. Bake for 8 to 10 min. Remove from oven and let cool a min. on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a rack to cool.

I hope that these ones turn out better for me and for everyone else! I really like these cookies, and have made them before. I was majorly disappointed when they did not turn out how I remembered them....alas...I guess I will have to make them again! ;-)

ENJOY!!

Day 6: 12 Days of Cookies Countdown

Day 6 is upon us! And with is comes Pecan Turtles.

The recipe for today is not actually a "cookie" by definition but in our family they are always made with all the other Christmas cookies. They are pecan turtles. My mother is known for them. She does not like them, but the extended family does, and a tray of cookies would not be complete without a turtle on it. 

They are very easy. Here is what you do:

~Pecan Turtles~

1 bg. pecan halves

1 pgk. caramel squares

1 6-bar pkg. Hershey chocolate bars

Preheat the oven to 300 F. Line some baking sheets with parchment paper. Dump out the bag of pecan halves and find the ones that are not broken. Unwrap the caramels and count how many are in the bag, thats how many turtles you can make with the pecans. (there seems to be the least of the caramels) Unwrap the chocolate bars and break apart the sections. 

First, arrange the pecans like this:

This is your turtle 'base'. Make as many of these as you have caramels. If your pecans are broken, use broken halves for the head. It gets covered anyway. 

Next, place a caramel on top of the center of the turtle.

Place them carefully, so you don't bump off a caramel, into the oven and warm for about 5 min or so. How long this takes depends on your oven, how warm the caramels are, etc. Just watch them. When the caramels get slight soft around the edges is when you want to pull them out. You dont want them to melting all around the turtle. Have a bowl of cold water ready by your side and the chocolates ready to go right away, the next few steps happen fast. 

Take the trutles out of the oven and dip your fingers in water and squish the caramels down like this:

This makes the back. Do this to all of the turtles.

Immediately place a piece of chocolate on top of the caramel. Wait a few minuets.

Then swirl the chocolate in a circle to cover the caramel.

This makes the shell of the turtle

If you can, place the turtles, still on the baking sheet, into the fridge to harden up. Once hard, remove and  place into a tupperware container. Let come to room temp. before eating, otherwise the caramel is really hard. Then eat!

ENJOY!