Irish Butter Cookies

This tea cup is from my Grandmother, Alison Mae Yale Gibson's
 collection, she had beautiful cups and I loved that she used
 them everyday.  The tablecloth is hand crocheted by
my mom, Janice Irene Gibson Wildenstien.....I have
 an incredible line of craftsman in my
family.

Celebrating St. Patrick's Day I decided to try this cookie recipe from the USA Kerrygold Butter site.  It makes a delicious butter cookie, easy to make, and quick.  I had the Kerrygold in the tub so used about 1/2 a tub for the 8oz. of butter.  I wasn't sure if the tub version would work as well but they turned out great.  The main web site for Kerrygold is also worth a visit.  It explains why the butter in the tub softens easier, mainly they use summer milk to achieve this spreadable version.  However in the cookies when I refrigerated them it does get pretty hardened.  I had to let the dough sit a few minutes before I could slice them without cracking the dough.






Irish Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

2c all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 oz salted Kerrygold Pure Irish Butter at room temp
2/3 c granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla
1 large egg white
1/3 c granulated sugar


Directions:

Sift flour, baking powder, salt into medium bowl set aside.  In large bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer on med about 2 min.  Mix in egg yolks and vanilla.  Add flour mixture, mix on low speed just till soft ball forms.  Divide dough into 2 pieces roll into logs and wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate at least an hour or overnight.  Can also be frozen but defrost in refrigerator before slicing and baking.

Position rack in middle of oven preheat to 350°F.  Line baking sheet with parchment.  Whisk egg white and brush on log of dough then roll in sugar cut dough into 1/4 in slices bake about 18 min or till edges are golden brown, allow to cool 5 min than transfer to wire rack.  Store in covered container for up to 3 days, makes 60 cookies.  I did not get quite that many.

I mixed some green sprinkles in the sugar.

Irish Scones

Irish Scones

I will be making these again!  I often pass by scones remembering to many times getting them then realizing they are dry.  I have a memory of the most fabulous scones hot out of the oven on a trip to Ireland, and didn't think I could ever match them.  We were at the Castle Country House, Waterford, Ireland.  This recipe from Sandy Klim was printed in our last issue of AAA magazine, looking simple enough I decided to try it.  I like reading recipes & finding new ideas through them but almost always substitute, adjust, estimate the measurements.... so when it comes to baking I have to be more careful about that.  These scones are well worth the effort but I did enjoy them much better fresh made.  I might try them ahead of time and put the dough in the fridge overnight so that I could just bake them in the morning.

My adaptation of:

         Sandy Klim's Irish Scones

Ingredients:

1 stick frozen butter, I sliced mine lengthwise then crosswise to get small cubes she suggested grating the butter I found that the butter wanted to stick to the grater for me.

1/2 c skim milk
1/2 c plain Greek yogurt

2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp lemon or citrus zest
1/2 c sugar

1/2 pint blueberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425°

In small bowl grate or cube frozen butter, place in freezer.

Whisk together milk and yogurt, place in fridge.

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, lemon zest, and sugar.  Toss frozen butter with flour mixture.  Then fold in milk mixture.  Lightly dust counter with flour.  Knead slightly wet dough about 6 times don't over knead.  Roll dough into 12 in square and fold it in half then in half again.  Wrap in plastic and place in freezer to re chill butter.  Dust the countertop with a bit of flour, roll dough to 12 inch square.  Top dough evenly with blueberries.  (freeze fresh blueberries and the blue color won't run into the dough) Press them into the dough slightly, roll dough up and slice into triangle shapes.  Brush with beaten egg a sprinkle of sugar and bake 15 min on cookie sheet in preheated oven.  They do spread a bit so allow some room in between them.  I have made them with blueberries and with dried cranberries both were great, hot from the oven they were at their best.

frozen grated butter, I now prefer to make tiny cubes but
they need to be very fine.  I found it quicker, with grating
the warmth of my hand kept softening the butter to much.

first rolling then re freeze 

scatter blueberries

bake till golden

blueberry scone

warm with butter--the best!

Cranberry scone

Our scones in Ireland, great memory.

Cinnamon and sugar sprinled over dough instead of blueberries.

Popovers

Popovers are something I have always loved, that crispy outside, the light airy inside, the melting butter......so good.  However making them has had some real issues, multiple oven fires to the point of burning out the heating element. (to much butter and no cookie sheet underneath) Some would "pop" and some would not.  After many recipes this is the one that seems to work the best & taste amazing. This recipe comes from a steak chain called  "BLT Steak" which we first ate at in Scottsdale, Arizona.  It is part of the Camelback Inn Marriott Resort.  The popovers they serve are enormous, to be honest my meal was good but it was these that made it memorable.  They give you a card with the recipe on it, so often I wish a restaurant would share their recipes this was a really nice touch.  If you get the chance to have theirs it is worth the trip.  Making a recipe from a trip is so fun you get to recall the trip, we all know how tastes and smells can take you back to past events you didn't realize were in your memory.  These are great with a roast or steaks, if you have them ready to go you can bake them while your meat rests.

Popovers recipe from "BLT Steak" 

Ingredients:

2 C all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp salt

2 C whole milk (I used skim)

4 large eggs

nonstick oil spray or butter

1 1/2 C grated Gruyere Cheese

Directions:

Place popover pan or muffin pan in oven.  Preheat oven to 425°.  Whisk flour and salt in medium bowl to blend.  Heat milk in heavy small saucepan over med heat until very warm but do not boil.  I did this in a pyrex measuring cup in the microwave but watch it closely.  Whisk eggs in large bowl to blend.  Gradually whisk warm milk into eggs, slowly so as not to "cook or scramble" the eggs.  Gradually stir in flour mixture just to blend do not over mix.

Remove hot popover pan from oven place on cookie sheet.  Carefully spray each cup liberally and along the edges with spray or you can carefully butter them with softened butter (the paper wrapper works well for spreading it).  Scoop about 1/2 -3/4 of the cups full of batter then top with about 2 T grated cheese.  Bake on cookie sheet until puffed and deep brown about 40 min.  Do not open oven until this point, or popovers might deflate.  Remove them from cups by carefully running a knife around each one to loosen it from the cup....try not to scratch the pan if it is a non stick you should use a heat resistant spatula.  Serve immediately.

Sur La Table cooking class

I have always wanted to do this and finally got my schedule with their schedule to make it happen.  I do all the cooking around here but Jim was game for joining me on this, we had such a good time we are planning to go back.  Sur La Table is a store I have visited whenever we would be traveling to a city that had one, finally about a year ago Sur La Table came to the King of Prussia Mall.  Hurrah!  Love the store, and so glad this one included the cooking class area (some do not).  Our menu was cooking with Bourbon which neither of us care to drink as a drink, but the menu looked good with Bourbon used in each recipe.  Chef David Kinsey coached us through along with 10 other guests.  There ended up being a lot of couples and I have to say this makes a really fun date night.  It lasted about 2 hours and we ate our meal at the end of the class, although they don't rush you so if class runs long (which ours did) they are fine with it.  They give you a 10% coupon and leave the store open so if you want to purchase something you can.  While you are cooking there is water, coffee, and a few munchies which were greatly appreciated as the wonderful smells of the cooking food starts to fill the place.  Shoppers kept peering in to see what smelled so amazing.

Better with Bourbon Menu

Bibb Lettuce with Shaved Red Onion & Pecan Bourbon Vinaigrette

Chicken with Tangy Tomato and Bourbon Glaze

Bourbon-Braised Onions with Fresh Thyme

Individual Chocolate-Bourbon Pecan Pies

Braising onions, you can see we used a bit of Jim Beam!

Time to eat!  Salad vinaigrette was quite intense the only
part of the meal where the Bourbon wasn't cooked.

Chicken dish was my favorite!

although anything chocolate is always a winner.....

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Perfect dessert for your Valentine's Day meal.  This is simple to make and most of these ingredients will be on hand (unless you live in a house where people sneak the baking chocolate so when you reach in to get it there is an empty package there).  Obviously I speak from experience so the plan is to always have a package hidden, it works until they find your hiding spot and then you must find a new one.

This should be made in a springform pan which I did not do, so it puffed up over the sides of my cake pan--springform or higher side pan next time.  You need the higher sides it will puff up and then deflates when it cools.
This comes form Martha Stewart and its a keeper.

Flourless Chocolate Cake


6 T unsalted butter, plus some for preparing pan
8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
6 large eggs, separated and at room temp
1/2 c sugar

confectioners sugar for dusting
dollop of whip cream to serve


Preheat oven to 275° with the rack in the center.  Butter the sides and bottom of 9" springform pan, I also placed parchment on the bottom.

Place butter and chocolate in double boiler stir till melted, let cool slightly then stir in egg yolks.

In large bowl beat egg whites till soft peaks form.  Gradually add in sugar and continue beating till glossy stiff peaks form.  Whisk about 1/4 of egg whites into chocolate mixture then gently fold in the rest of the egg whites.

Pour batter into prepared pan bake for 45-50- min till sides start to pull away and center is set.  Cool completely before removing from pan.  Dust with confectioner sugar and serve with whip cream.

Croque Monsieur

After arriving in France Croque Monsieur is the first thing I ordered because I knew what it was, I was starved, I don't think you can get a bad one anywhere in France, and it is so good.   A classic French version of a ham & cheese sandwich.  Every time I have ordered it you get greens tossed in a vinaigrette on the side.  Austin spent a semester in Paris and according to his "house mom" they serve the greens with most meals for better digestion, it is a good combo though.  I used Arugula & onion tossed with a Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette.  The Gruyere cheese is a must, you could use a Swiss cheese but it won't be as good.  My other favorite basic food in France is an omelet, anywhere I ordered this it was a good choice.  The favorite had to be this one at Mont St. Michel.

Croque Monsieur

Ingredients:

3 T butter
3 T flour
2 C hot milk (I used skim)
salt & pepper to taste
pinch nutmeg
12 oz gruyere cheese-shredded
sliced bread (white is traditional)
sliced baked ham
Dijon mustard

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400°

Toast bread on cookie sheet in oven for 5 min flip slices over and toast 2 more minutes or till toasted.

Meanwhile melt butter in saucepan stir in flour to make rue.  Add hot milk slowly whisking as you do.  Once thickened remove from heat, stir in 1/2 of cheese, salt, pepper, nutmeg set aside.

Lightly brush toast with Dijon, layer ham, then some of the grated cheese top with other slice.  Spread sauce over top allowing to run down sides, add grated cheese on top of sauce.  Bake for 5 min, then broil for 2-5 min till tops are golden.  Serve hot.  I lined the cookie sheet with Aluminum foil for easier clean up.

Lemon Dijon Vinaigrette

1/4 C lemon juice

3/4 C olive oil

1 T Dijon mustard

salt & pepper

1/2 tsp Thyme

Shake to blend then toss with greens.