Snickerdoodles

The beach theme for a bridal shower  led these cookies to get almonds on them to look like sand dollars. The beach is where Stephanie loves to be and where she got engaged. Stephanie, her brothers and my kids all grew up together with a lot of great memories and beach trips over the years.  We are now enjoying the wedding festivities for each of them as they get married.  Priscilla loves to bake and is a amazing at it.  Her Snickerdoodles have been a favorite always accompanying our beach trips.  I stopped over while she was making these to get some photos to blog and have a sample or two.

bride to be

(Sand Dollar) Snickerdoodles

Cream together:    1 c softened butter

                   1 1/2 c sugar

          2 eggs

                  1 tsp vanilla

Sift together then add to creamed mixture:  2 1/2 c sifted flour

                                                                  2 tsp cream of tarter

                                                              1 tsp baking soda

                                                    1/4 tsp salt

Shape dough into  walnut size balls and roll into mixture of:

2 T sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

Place2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake until lightly browned but still soft.   Cookies will puff up and then flatten.  Bake at 375° for 8-10 min.

Priscilla uses stone baking pans.

This batch is for a shower with a ocean theme so the almonds were
used to make them look like sand dollars.

The balls were flattened to add the almonds before baking,
not necessary if you aren't using the almonds.

Wedding party and more pictures from the day.

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

Salad dressing or marinade.

Creamy Balsamic Dressing

2 cloves garlic grated
2 T light mayo
2 T lemon juice
1 T Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper to taste
1/2 c Balsamic Vinegar
3/4 Canola or Olive Oil

Mix in dressing shaker, refrigerate till ready to use.

French Macarons

Saw this recipe on "Martha Stewart's site" and had to try them.  There is a video on the web site to help you through it. They are as pretty as they are tasty, you get that light crunch with the sweet filling.  I wanted to try them more for the challenge than anything and with this simple recipe anyone could make them.  My biggest problem was controlling the flow from the pastry bag to get the even round shapes.  I'm thinking of drawing circles on parchment to place under the actual parchment I'm using as a guide next time and cut the hole slightly smaller for better control.



French Macarons


Ingredients:

1 1/4 c almond meal
1 3/4 c confectioner's sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 large egg whites--must be room temp
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/4 tsp almond extract
jam or ganache for filling

Directions:

Whisk together almond meal, salt & confectioner's sugar and sift into large bowl.

In another bowl beat egg whites till frothy.  Slowly add granulated sugar and almond extract as eggs are beating.  Beat until shiny peaks form about 3-5 min.

Fold egg white mixture into dry mixture with spatula until combined well.  Mixture will come together into a smooth mixture about the consistency of honey.  Transfer into pastry bag & cut off tip.

Onto parchment paper pipe mixture into half dollar sized circles and let them dry about 30 min you should be able to touch top without it being sticky or leaving a mark.  Drying time will vary on time of year, humidity, temperature etc.

Bake in preheated 350° oven for 12 min. depending on your oven original recipe said 14 min but that was to long for mine.  Carefully remove from parchment when slightly cooled then let cool completely on wire rack before filling.

filling:

this time I used a raspberry jam mixed with some white chocolate to form a ganache

Chocolate Smithwick's Cake

St Patrick's Day Celebration

For us St Patrick's Day lasts more than a day.  My husbands hometown has a strong Irish history, Girardville, PA.  They celebrate with a parade the Saturday after March 17th so this year it was a whole week later.  Why would they wait so long?  Well one of the biggest draws are the bagpipers but this is the busiest month for them so to be able to have more bands available it helps having the  celebration later.  It also gives the bands one more performance on the calendar by being later.  It has become a type of reunion gathering for friends, families, past residents, and those that just love an Irish celebration.  So this cake (original recipe was with Guinness) was the perfect choice for a dessert on parade day.  There are multiple versions on the web, pinterest, many blogs, tv chef sites, the cake is very close to the old fashioned Coca Cola Cake recipe always a favorite & a very moist cake.  This cake would be good with just a dusting of powdered sugar also adding the icing makes it rich enough you need to serve thin slices.


Chocolate Smithwick's Cake

Smithwick's pronounced "smid icks"

preheat oven to 350° prepare bundt or tube pan

2 c Smithwick Beer  (Guinness or your favorite will work along with Pepsi or Coke)
1 c cocoa powder
4 oz unsalted butter
1 1/4 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 c plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream)
2 eggs
2 c all purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Directions:

In a sauce pan heat together beer, cocoa, & butter when butter is melted add sugar and stir till blended--remove from heat and allow to cool.

In a small bowl whisk together yogurt and eggs then mix together with cooled chocolate mixture.

In large bowl mix flour, soda, and salt.  Add wet to dry ingredients and whisk together until just blended it will be a little lumpy don't over mix.

Pour into prepared pan bake for 35-40 min turn half way through baking time.

Cool then turn onto plate.

Icing:

Ingredients:

2 oz chocolate
4 oz unsalted butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 c beer
2/3 c cocoa powder
2 1/2 c powdered sugar

Directions:

Melt chocolate & butter together over low heat then pour into food processor with rest of ingredients pulse till icing has a smooth texture pour over cake let drip over sides.  It is a bit thick so you may need to push it a bit to the edge.

Stir cocoa, beer and butter till butter is melted then add sugar.

Mix yogurt and eggs together then add to cooled chocolate mixture.

Gradually combine mixtures.

Mix melted chocolate mixture with beer blend well for icing.

Ice cooled cake with Smithwick's Icing.

let icing run down sides

Peruvian Chicken

Sara Moulton's Peruvian Chicken recipe is  great for a change from your usual chicken recipes.  The marinade has a nice spice to it without being hot and the green sauce adds a tangy yet fresh flavor from the lemon juice goat cheese combination.  She used all thighs I used thighs and breasts to have both white & dark meat.





Peruvian Chicken

Ingredients:

3/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 C soy sauce
3 T distilled white vinegar
1 1/2 T canola oil
1 T ground cumin
1 1/2 t paprika
3/4 t dried oregano
1/4-1/2 t cayenne pepper
6 cloves garlic, pressed or grated
3 chicken breasts
6 chicken thighs
1 large ziploc bag

green sauce recipe to follow.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450°
Place everything down to the garlic in a blender or into a bowl and use hand blender as I did, blend well place chicken in ziploc bag pour marinade into bag seal tight.  Set aside at room temp for about 30 minutes turning bag at least once.

Place an oven rack over a cookie sheet, remove chicken from bag discard marinade then place chicken on rack.  Bake for 20-25 min till crispy and cooked through.  Let rest 10 min then serve with green sauce (recipe below).

***my oven heating element broke right before I was going to make this so I seared the chicken in a large skillet then covered till chicken cooked through, I placed chicken in a baking dish and broiled (that element was still working) and broiled it a few minutes to re crisp it up.  With or without the crispiness the chicken was delicious!

hand blender to blend green sauce

Green Sauce

Ingredients:

3 large scallions, trimmed and halved

1/4 c sliced serano chile

1 T lemon juice

2 oz crumbled goat cheese

1 T canola oil

1/2 t salt

1/4 t pepper

1/2 c half & half

Directions:

blend together till smooth, refrigerate till ready to use.

Top cooked chicken with sauce and serve. 

This sauce has a very fresh taste to it, goes really well with the chicken.

I served it with Quinoa that has chopped sauteed vegetables in it and Lentil Soup.

Hot Malasadas

Beignets-Fastnachts-Hot Malasadas-Paczkis-King Cake-Tortelli di Carnevale-Pancakes

Hot Malasadas

Depending where you live or your cultural background one of these is probably familiar to you. Fastnacht means "eve of the fast", all of these goodies are a type of fried pastry as you would expect.  Originally it was to use up the sugar, fat, flour the things you wouldn't be needing during the Lenten season.

When we planned our trip for New Orleans we thought we were a week early for Mardi Gras celebrations but since they were hosting the Super bowl they moved the first week of partying back a week.  Lucky for us we got to enjoy the parades with lots of revelry.  The music, food, people, weather it was all great and a nice break from these cold cold days up north.  So when we got back we were ready to watch a super bowl we previously  weren't that into, and more than ready to enjoy Fat Tuesday.  I made these Scallop Po Boys which are always a hit around here and then remembered something I learned to make in Home Ec class back in the mid 70's---Hot Malasadas.  I was living in Hawaii at the time (Air Force Dad made me an Air Force brat----wow googled where that comes from and can't believe I hadn't known).  It comes from the British and the United States adopted it over 200 years ago, it is an acronym for British Regiment Attached Traveler----BRAT.  Yes you learn something new everyday.  Also in searching for that I find out we are a "subculture", like other brats it was the only way of life I knew so didn't think much of it till you raise your own kids and look back.

The Malasadas became popular in Hawaii in 1952 when decendents of early Portuguese immigrants started making them at their bakery Leonard's Bakery still going strong and still family owned.

On to the recipe........this is a quick super simple version but amazingly comes out great.  They must be eaten when you make them so have a crowd around or reduce this recipe they'll still come out fine & the measurements don't need to be exact.

Hot Malasadas

about 6-8 slices White bread (yes it must be white bread)
1 1/2 c Bisquick (hadn't used this in years glad they still make it)
1 t baking powder
1 T sugar
1 egg
3/4 c milk

canola oil for frying
1 c sugar

Combine the Bisquick, powder, 1 T sugar, egg, and milk in a bowl and whisk together with a fork till blended well about pancake consistency.  Trim crusts off white bread and cut each slice into 4 pieces, squares would be traditional.  Using a large shallow frying pan heat oil and prepare a plate with paper towels for draining Malasadas.  Dip bread into batter and place into hot oil, oil must be hot or they will absorb to much oil.  They will fry on one side then carefully flip them and fry the other side, this all happens very quickly.  Remove from oil drain about 1-2 minutes then toss into sugar just to coat.  Some people like a cinnamon sugar mixture on them.  Eat while still warm with a coffee.  You will probably only want one or two they are rich.

The Mississippi River as we flew into New Orleans.

He never looked just kept tossing the dough into the fryer.

Cafe Du Monde

The overload the powdered sugar, the Chikory
coffee was so good.