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!

Back-log of Recipies

This is a wonderful recipe that I made for an Italian-themed "party" one night. They are Ricotta cookies. Named so because they have...can ya guess it? Yup, Ricotta cheese! They were really good, although the texture is not much like a "cookies" more like a little cake/cookie hybrid. I think they should be called "bites"...to me that makes a little more sense. I did adapt the recipe a pinch, just a sub of flavoring, and a little thicker on the glaze!

~Sweet Ricotta Bites~

(adapted from 2italianrecipes.com)

15 oz. ricotta cheese (I used part-skim)

2 tbsp. almond extract

4 c. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 lb. butter

1 3/4 c. sugar

2 eggs

5 tbsp. milk

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar*

1 tsp. almond extract

colored candy sprinkles

Preheat the over to 350 F. Mix/beat together butter, sugar, eggs, ricotta cheese, and 2 tbsp. almond extract in a bowl. Mix the flour, baking powder and baking soda. Add to the ricotta mixture and mix thorougly to form a creamed mixture. Add some flour to keep it form becoming too sticky. (I think I added another 1/4 c.) Shape the dough to form balls the size of a teaspoon. Place the balls on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 min. or until light brown. 

Remove from pan and put on a cooking rack set over another cookie sheet. Mix the milk, powdered sugar, and almond extract in a bowl until smooth and a little thick.* Pour the mixture over the warm cookies with a spoon and sprinkle with colored candy sprinkles**

*Note: I added about another 1/2 c. or so of powdered sugar. What I got with the original recipe was way to thin...but make it to your liking! I wanted it thick because the cookies were warm and the glaze would fall down the sides due to gravity. 

**Note: I learned, the hard way, that you should glaze about 3 cookies, then pause and come back to those 3 cookies and sprinkle them. The glaze hardens quickly!

These were a very different variety of cookie, but they were yummy! A little cake-like in texture, but not overly sweet! Even the Hubby liked these little guys. And when I told him what was in them he was a little shocked! Tehehe...

Well, when hearing about this "party" I set out to make a savory dish as well! (I also wanted/needed an excuse to bake something special!) ;-)

Here is the recipe I used for guidance:

~Olive Stuffed Mushrooms~

(Adapted from grouprecipes.com)

24 Whole mushrooms (white or crimini)

8 tbsp. olive oil

2 small onions, finely chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c. Spanish olives, or Kalamata olives, chopped*

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, grated

2/3 c. dry breadcrumbs

3-4 tbsp. dried parsley

1-2 tbsp. dried rosemary

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, mix the olives, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, parsley and rosemary. Set aside. Wipe mushrooms clean with a kitchen towel or brush. (Do NOT run under water!) Trim mushroom stems and remove from the cap. You will be left with a "hole" begging to be filled. 

Warm 6 tbsp. olive oil in a lg. skillet over med. heat. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until soft, about 2-4 min. Add olive, cheese, herb breadcrumb mixture. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

Arrange the mushroom caps on a parchment lined baking sheet. Fill each cap with the mixture. Drizzle with the remaining oil. Over lightly with foul and bake for 15 min. Remove foil and bake another 5-7 min. or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

*Note: I used Spanish green olives that were marinating in a spicy olive oil-crushed red pepper blend that I found at the local grocery store. Feel free to use whatever you wish. 

One comment that I did get, from an 8 year-old, was that these mushrooms were "....yummy, but I don't like mushrooms so I am only eating the filling!" Oh well, they were liked because they were gone by the time we left! 

ENJOY!

BBQ Chicken Taco Party

Tacos are a great party/hosting food. They are easy, that are tasty, and people can have exactly what they want! On Saturday night the Hubbs and I were planning to go over to another good couples house and grill. While planning things out, word got spoken that I was a good cook, so I was asked to cook. I got SO EXCITED!! I like love to cook and entertain! (even if I am prepping all the ingredients at home, bringing them to another house, and then cooking) Hummmm....potential business venture there?? Maybe??

Wanting to keep things spicy and different. The Hubbs and I decided on doing chicken instead on steak. The tacos were accompined by a grilled asparagus and prosciutto appetizer, tortilla chips with homemade salsa and guacamole, and steamed peppers and onions. Other toppings were; grated Manchego cheese and sour cream. The meal ended with grilled peaches on grilled cinnamon-sugar tortillas with sweetened sour cream.

Phew! Think I took advantage of having a grill? I think so! Here are the recipes:

~Grilled Prosciutto-Wrapped Asparagus w/ Lemon~

(Recipe from Serious Eats)

1 Bunch asparagus, washed, tough ends snapped off

4 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto*

1 lemon, zested and cut in half

Olive Oil

Black Pepper

Wrap each asparagus spear in 1 slice of prosciutto, or 1/2 slice if the slices are large (or asparagus are small). Place on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil over the asparagus, and season with black pepper to taste. Preheat a gill to high heat. Place lemon halves, cut side down, and the asparagus on the grill. Cook asparagus until tender and prosciutto crisps, about 3-5 min. per side. Cook lemon halves until lightly browned, about 2-3 min. Remove asparagus from grill. Immediately squeeze the lemon halves over them, and sprinkle with lemon zest. Serve hot or at room temp. 

*I used 8 oz. of prosciutto and I halved each slice. I also used about 2-3 asparagus per roll because they were small and there were a lot in the bunch I got.

~Fresh Tomato Salsa~

(Recipe from Simply Recipes)

2-3 med sized fresh tomatoes, stems removed, seeded, and finely diced

1/2 red onion, finely diced 

1 jalapeno chili pepper, stems, ribs, and seeds removed, finely diced

1 serano chili pepper, stems, ribs, and seeds removed, finely diced

1 lime, juiced

1/2 c. cilantro, chopped 

Salt

Pepper

Chop the tomatoes, onion, and cilantro. Place in a med bowl. Prep the chilies. Be careful while handling the peppers. Avoid touching anything else with your hands afterwards until they have been washed thoroughly with soap and hot water. The seeds can be saved and added later if the salsa is not hot enough. Just a few at a time though. Combine the chilies, lime juice, salt, and pepper in the same bowl as the tomatoes. Stir to combine. Let sit for at least 1 hr. Stir before serving. Makes about 2-3 cups.

~Essential Guacamole~

(Recipe from Serious Eats)

4-5 ripe Haas avocados

3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

8 dashes Tabasco

1/2 c. red onion, finely diced

1-2 lg. garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2-3 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped (from a jar w/ water) 

Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Immediately add the lemon juice, Tabasco, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the sun-dried tomatoes. Mix well and season with salt and pepper to taste. Makes enough for 4 adults.

I had to alter this one to get the exact flavor I was looking for. The Tabasco, lemon, and sun-dried tomatoes add wonderful flavor. I  added more chopped garlic, garlic salt, and a little more Tabasco.

~Beer-Marinated Chicken Tacos w/ Onions & Peppers~

(Recipe from Serious Eats)

1 c. dark Mexican beer, I used Dos Equis Amber

2 tbsp. dark sesame oil

1 tbsp. finely chopped garlic

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper*

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

8-12 taco sized corn tortillas 

1 lg. yellow onion sliced into rings

1 red, yellow, and green pepper, cut into strips

Mix all of the ingredients for the marinade together in a small bowl. Place the chicken breasts in a large Ziplock bag and pour in the marinade. Seal the bag, remove as much air as possible, and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 2 hours to overnight. Remove chicken from the refrigerator and preheat a grill to high. Place the peppers on double-layered tinfoil. Season with salt and pepper, and roll up into a package. Do the same for the onions. Place peppers and onions on grill, away from direct flame, about 7-8 min. before chicken. Turn foil package occasionally. Grill chicken until fully cooked and browned on both sides, about 4-5 min. per side. Remove from the grill and allow to rest for 5 min. Check peppers and onions, they are done when steam comes out of the package and both are soft. While chicken is resting, warm tortillas on the grill until pliable, about 1 min. per side. Cut chicken into thin strips.

To assemble, place a tortilla on a plate and top with guacamole, add chicken, peppers, onions, salsa, cheese and sour cream, or whatever toppings you wish. Wrap up and eat!

*I did not have cayenne pepper so I used some dried hot mexican chilies

This seems like a lot, but it was very doable for someone willing to put in the effort! I made the salsa ahead of time, and also marinated the chicken for about 3-4 hours. Everything was prepped before we went over to our friends house. All I had to do was cook!

Now, on to dessert!

~Grilled Peaches w/ Cinnamon-Sugar Tortillas & Sweetened Sour Cream~

(Peach recipe from Martha Stuart - Tortilla recipe from SAB)

4 peaches

2 tbsp. melted butter

1 c. sour cream

3 tbsp. brown sugar

4 flour tortillas

Spreadable butter

Cinnamon-sugar mixture

Mix sour cream and brown sugar together in a small bowl. Half and pit the peaches; brush both sides with butter, set aside. Preheat grill to med-low. Spread each tortilla with butter and sprinkle with a generous amount of cinnamon-sugar. Place peaches and tortillas on grill. Cook peaches until charred and softened, 4-5 min. per side. Heat the tortillas until the cinnamon-sugar bubbles and caramelizes, and the bottoms are brown, about 4 min. Remove both from grill. Place a tortilla on a plate. Slice 1 peach, two halves, and place on top of the tortilla. Spoon seasoned sour cream over top, and sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.

This was a very yummy and light dessert. I have been wanting to grill some other fruit besides pineapple. Maybe next time i'll grill some bananas? Who knows! I hope you can try some of these recipes for yourself!

ENJOY!

Kabob Cookout Weekend!

I have finished my first week of cooking new meals! Albeit, with a slight adjustment: I swapped Friday for Saturday (hubby was gone & we had a guest over Saturday night). Wanting to impress, and also wanting something good, filling, and healthy....we decided on veggie and meat Kabobs. Steak kabobs at that!

Let me tell you, they were a lot of work, but very very worth it. We also decided on an appetizer and a dessert. For the app I made "Cali"-schetta, which is basically bruschetta but with avocado, cheese, and other stuff added in. For dessert I decided to make some lemon bunt cake. My hubby loves things with lemon. I think its the tart/sweet combo.

Everything turned out wonderful. We grilled the kabobs, veggies, pineapple, and meat outside. I made the appetizer, baked the cake, and made a batch of cornbread ( I was craving some...with honey...yum). Hubby helped with the prep work, cutting the veggies, mixing the cake, and stuff like that. When the guests arrived, drinks were passed out and the appetizers were eaten! Then, not to long after, dinner was served!

~"Cali"-schetta~

1/2-1/3 baguette, cut into 1/2 in. slices on the diagonal

3 tbsp. olive oil

1 lg. garlic clove, peeled, plus 1 clove, peeled and finely chopped

2 med. ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped

2 avocados, pitted, peeled and chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

1/4 c. grated parmesan cheese

2 tbsp. chopped cilantro*

2 tbsp. lime juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Heat oven to 350 F. Lightly brush both sides of the bread slices with olive oil. Toast on a baking sheet for about 4 min. per side. Remove from oven and rub one side with the whole garlic clove. Let cool. In a med. bowl mix together chopped garlic, tomato, avocado, onion, cheese, cilantro, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 min. Top each bread slice with a spoonful of tomato/avocado mixture and serve.

*I left the cilantro as an optional garnish, I am not a fan of it, at all...

~Steak & Veggie Kabobs~

Steak, cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes

Marinade (10-30 min. stuff)*

Red, yellow and green peppers

Red onion

Cherry tomatoes

Zucchini

Squash

Button mushrooms

Pineapple

Kabob Skewers

Preheat grill. Marinade the steak in refrigerator. Soak skewers in water. Cut all the veggies into uniform pieces, about 1 1/2 in. each. (with the exception of the tomatoes). Peel and core the pineapple and cut into 1 1/2 in. cubes. Thread the veggies onto skewers, alternate veggies for looks. Thread the pineapple onto skewers. Thread the meat onto skewers. Grill the veggies and meat directly over the flame on med. heat. Place the pineapple above to warm with veggies and meat are cooking. Cook until meat is at your preferred doneness (We went for med. so it was about 10 or so min. each side) and veggies are charred and soft. Remove from grill. Place pineapple directly on grill and char, about 2 min. each side. Remove. Serve family style.

* I used a Teriyaki-style marinade

Ingredients before cooking

Nice char grilled meat, veggies, and pineapple!

~Lemon Cake~

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp.

2 1/2 c. sugar

4 XL or lg. eggs, room temp

1/3 c. grated lemon zest (6-8 lg. lemons)

3 c. AP flour

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

3/4 c. + 3 1/2 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 c. buttermilk, room temp*

1 tsp. vanilla

2 c. powdered sugar

Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour a bunt pan. Cream butter and 2 c. sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment for about 5 min. or until light and fluffy. Mixing at med. speed, add eggs, one at a time, and lemon zest. 

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. In another bowl combine 1/4 c. lemon juice, buttermilk and vanilla. Add flour and buttermilk mixtures alternately to butter and sugar mixture, beginning and ending with flour. Pour batter into pan, smooth the top, and bake for 45 min. to 1 hr. until a cake tester comes out clean. Remove and let cool

Combine 1/2 c. sugar with 1/2 c. lemon juice in a small saucepan, and cook over low heat until sugar dissolves.** Pour over slightly cooled cake. Let cool completely. For glaze, combine powdered sugar and remaining 3 1/2 tbsp. lemon juice in a bowl. Mix with a whisk until smooth. Pour over top of cake, letting glaze drizzle down sides. Cut and serve.

*I accidently bought half & half instead on buttermilk. I used it, and it worked just fine.
**I missed this step. I added all the sugar and the full 3/4 c. lemon juice in the batter. Again, it worked just fine.

This meal was wonderful! It was also very fun, I love to entertain! (and a little bit of showing off my cooking ability...  :-) all in good fun) Everything tasted oh so yummy! All the "Cali"-schetta went, but we did cut up a few two many veggies, but, as you will see soon, they will not go to waste!

Oh, how I love desserts. This lemon cake satisfied a craving that I have been having for some time now. I get that typical craving for a baked good every now and again, but I cannot justify baking a whole batch of cookies for just 2 people. Enter entertaining: I can make a dessert! Aha! Wonderful.

Well, I hope that this inspires you to try these recipes. And soon too! Grilling season is almost over! (depending on where you live of course) Use those summer veggies, fruit and meat! Try something new, even if you don't stick to the recipe, it can be done and taste good!

Great way to spend the evening!

ENJOY!