Category Archives: COOKIE RECIPES

SPECULAAS (DUTCH SPICE COOKIES)

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Ten years ago Mr. C and I hosted a cookie exchange party. We asked everyone to bring a double batch of their favorite cookie dough. We spent all afternoon baking the cookies, eating stew and homemade bread, and ended the evening by singing Christmas carols and dividing up the cookies. It was great fun.

All the cookies were wonderful (of course), but the Speculaas, OMG, they simply stole the show!

So suffice it to say, I have been baking these cookies every Christmas now for 10 years. And will be until I can no longer pry the lid off of my flour container! They are quite honestly the best spice/ginger cookies I have ever tasted. And everyone who eats one (like anyone can eat just one) tells me that they are the best “adult” ginger cookies they too have ever tasted. I say “adult” because there is a wonderful background flavor in these cookies (the brandy) that imparts a boozeyness (quite sure that’s not a real word, but it best describes the bottom line characteristic of this cookie) that might not work for small children. The cookies are also very spicy. So using this recipe to make gingerbread men for your children is not such a good idea. Making speculaas gingerbread men decorated with brandy flavored icing for your adult children and friends however, is a very good idea. (I’ve seen normally tender hearted people bite the head off one of my speculaas gingerbread men without a moment’s hesitation.)

So, regardless of how you choose to shape these cookies (rolled out and cut into rounds, squares or darling little Christmas shapes or by using my quick and easy icebox cookie method), you simply cannot go wrong preparing a batch of these cookies to share with your family and friends. They are perfect for the holiday season, easy to prepare, travel very well, and last forever in a cookie jar (not around our house you realize), but theoretically will stay fresh for a very long time.

These cookies also make a perfect gift for that difficult adult who has everything. Place the cookies in a lovely Christmas tin and present them along with a nice bottle of port, hearty red wine, or a bag of really fabulous coffee beans. The recipient will think you are one amazing Santa. Which of course you are!

So Merry Christmas everyone. May the holidays bring you peace, love, and if you are lucky a new rice cooker. Oh wait, that’s what I want. Never mind!

  • 1 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ c. packed dark brown sugar
  • 3 T. brandy or rum
  • 3 c. flour
  • 4 tsp. baking powder
  • 1 T. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp. ground ginger
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • demerara sugar, opt.

Beat butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add brandy. Sift the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt together and add to the butter mixture. Beat until completely combined. (At this point you would normally roll out the dough, cut the dough into your favorite shapes, brush lightly with beaten egg white, and top with almond slices. But because I am lazy, I forgo the traditional way I learned to finish these cookies, and go for the quick and easy.)

Place dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic wrap gently shaping it into a round anywhere from 1- 1½ inch wide. Refrigerate for 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Un-wrap the log(s) and using a serrated knife slice dough 3/8 inch thick (if dough feels really hard after retrieving from the refrigerator, leave at room temperature for 5 minutes before slicing). Arrange slices, about 1 inch apart on un-greased baking sheets. Sprinkle lightly with demerara sugar. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until brown and firm. Do not under-bake. Cool on baking sheets 1 to 2 minutes; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container. Great dipped in coffee, red wine, or port.

Thanks again Sarah and Nile for this wonderful recipe.

MINCEMEAT BARS WITH BRANDY WHIPPED CREAM

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So for Mr. C and me, nothing says “the holidays” like pumpkin pie, French Apple Pie (recipe on site) and either mincemeat pie or mincemeat bars. I usually make bars because it’s nice to serve a different type of dessert rather than just all pies. (Although in reality, there is nothing nicer than a grand assortment of pies.) But truthfully, I’m kind of lazy and mincemeat bars are really a lot easier to prepare than mincemeat pie. And in our extended family, almost everyone wants a little taste of all the desserts, so these bar cookies make a lot of sense in that regard too. (You can cut them into really small pieces.) And for all of you who love mincemeat, you know it can be a bit rich. (That is an understatement if I ever heard one!)

So this holiday season, save yourself a little bit of time. Try making some of your favorites in the form of bar cookies rather than into pies. On this site you will find recipes for Apple Pie Bars and Pumpkin Pie Bars that feature the taste you love in a pie, but are truly a lot easier to prepare and serve.

Now if you are the type who buys your pie crust, all bets are off! You win in the time category hands down. But if you usually build your own pie crust like I do, you will find that these bars are a godsend; especially if you are the lucky one chosen to “bring the pies” to your families holiday dinners.

Nothing is more stressful than trying to get a pie or two safely and structurally intact to a location other than the closest surface in your kitchen. Cars are simply not designed to protect your precious pie crust. In fact, experts agree. Cars hate piecrust. Cars will actually go out of their way to break off chunks of your pie crust even though your poor spouse is driving at 30 miles an hour in a 70 mile an hour zone! But when you present your car with a 9 x 13 pan of bar cookies, the car doesn’t have a ghost of a chance to destroy your efforts.

So enjoy the holidays, bake up a storm, and try these mincemeat bars and the other delicious bar cookies I referenced above. Oh, and don’t hate your car for its predisposition to hate pie crust. It was programmed that way at the factory! (It was also programmd to hate deviled eggs (thanks Ursala for that reminder), wedding cakes, and any dish with even a modicum of liquid!)

  • ¾ c. unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 c. packed brown sugar
  • 1¾ c. flour
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1½ c. whole oats
  • 1 (28-oz.) jar Crosse and Blackwell mincemeat (do not settle for anything less!)
  • 1 pint whipping cream
  • 3 T. powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp. brandy

Cream the butter and brown sugar together. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, salt, and oats. Add to the butter and beat until small clumps appear. Pat a little over half of the mixture into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. (Glass preferably.) Spread mincemeat over bottom crust and top with remaining crumb mixture, patting it gently into place. Bake the bars in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is lightly browned.

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Cool and cut into bars.

Meanwhile whip the cream to stiff peaks. Add the powdered sugar and brandy and beat just until well combined. When ready to serve, place bar on plate and dollop with brandy whipped cream. Ah yes, the only other thing needed – a lovely cup of coffee. Enjoy!

 

OUTRAGEOUS BROWNIES

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At the risk of sounding disingenuous (I’ve waited months to use that word!), on the subject of brownies I probably possess more knowledge than any health conscious person should ever admit. So when I say that these brownies are truly the bomb, I mean it with every chocolate loving fiber in my body! They simply are the best brownies I have ever tasted.

And yes, they are an Ina Garten recipe and you could have (or maybe already have) found them for yourself in Ina’s cookbook or on the internet. But this recipe completely flew under my brownie radar until our friend Tina brought them to a party last 4th of July at the Camano home of our dear friends Ken and Christine. Mr. C had arrived late after playing a gig, and the first thing he was handed when he walked in the door, besides a drink, was one of Tina’s brownies. I’m telling you, within two minutes he was one happy fellow; a drink in one hand and a big old brownie in the other. (Life just doesn’t get much better folks!)

So if you too have more knowledge than you care to admit on the subject of brownies, but had yet to discover Ina’s amazing brownie recipe, give it a try. After all, you can never acquire too much knowledge on a subject, or consume too many foods that cause your body to release endorphins. According to Dr. Ruth Westheimer, “chocolate stimulates the release of endorphins, natural hormones produced by the brain that generates feelings of pleasure and promotes a sense of well being. Chocolate may also make a person feel better by directly interacting with the brain. One of the ingredients in chocolate is tryptophan, an essential amino acid needed by the brain to produce serotonin. Serotonin is a mood-modulating neurotransmitter, the brain’s “happy chemical”. High levels of serotonin can give rise to feelings of happiness”. (I know I always feel happy when I eat chocolate.) And when chocolate is in the form of a moist, fudgy, and nutty morsel like one of these brownies, well there just isn’t anything finer.

Thank you again Ina for this (and many other) absolutely wonderful recipes.

  • 1 lb. unsalted butter
  • 1 lb. plus 12-oz. semisweet chocolate chips, divided
  • 6-oz. unsweetened chocolate
  • 6 extra-large eggs, room temperature
  • 5 tsp. espresso powder* (I use Medaglia D’oro)
  • 2 T. pure vanilla extract
  • 2 ¼ c. sugar
  • 1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 T. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 3 c. chopped walnuts or pecans

*Ina uses 3 tablespoons of coffee crystals

Melt the butter, 1 pound of the chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water or over very low heat on the top of your stove. Allow to cool to just warm to the touch. (And yes, sometimes you just have to play with your food when you cook!)

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, espresso powder, vanilla, and sugar together. Don’t over-mix. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature. In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and the remaining 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with the remaining ¼ cup flour. Stir into the chocolate batter. Pour the batter into a lightly buttered and floured 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet or two 9 x 13-inch baking dishes.

If your baking sheet or pans are metal bake the brownies in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20 minutes; then rap the baking sheet(s) against the oven shelf or on a bread board on your counter to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over-bake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into desired size squares.

If your pans are glass bake the brownies in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 20 minutes; then rap the pans gently against the oven shelf or on a bread board on your counter to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not over-bake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into desired size squares.

Note: This recipe can be halved very easily.

 

 

 

 

DARK CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT SHORTBREAD COOKIES

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So, I’m trying very hard to stay away from refined sugar. Not because I have diabetes, but because as I advance in years, my stomach either likes what I feed it or it doesn’t. And refined sugar is now on my tummies “you will no longer be tolerated” list. And I’m telling you, my tummy can be a very strict disciplinarian! So in order not to feel like I’m pregnant, suffering from stomach flu, or about to pass a kidney stone, I acquiesce to my stomachs demands.

So when Mr. C received some chocolate shortbread cookies from our friend Deanne, and raved about them, I decided to find a recipe for dark chocolate cookies to serve at our next JazzVox pre-concert meal.

I must tell you, Mr. C was not impressed with the first cookie he tasted from this recipe. He thought it almost tasted burnt. I think that was because the cookie was still slightly warm and he was used to a much sweeter chocolate cookie; one containing either milk or semi-sweet chocolate. So instead of throwing the cookies away, I decided to add a little white chocolate for balance. Even then, I almost threw out the entire double batch. But Mr. C decided I should serve them anyway; that upon further reflection, they weren’t so bad after all. Mighty magnanimous of him, wouldn’t you say? (Actually I trust his sense of taste as much as I trust my own. Well – almost.) Anyway, the upshot of this entire unnecessary dissertation is that I did serve them to our guests and they were a huge hit! In fact, the word “wow” literally escaped from our friend Peggy’s mouth with her very first bite.

So if you are a dark chocolate lover, and appreciate crisp cookies that are not too sweet, this easy refrigerator cookie is the one for you. And as with any cookie, the sugar and salt are hygroscopic and soak up moisture from the atmosphere. So in order to keep these or any other cookies crisp, always store them in an airtight container. Transversely, with cookies that are better on the soft side, like ginger cookies for example, place them in a container that is not air tight. (And no, I was not a science major in college. I still can’t even begin to understand why the Doppler Effect sounds to me like a descending line of music!) Enjoy!

  • 2¼ c. all-purpose flour
  • ¼ c. unsweetened cocoa
  • ½ c. sugar
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 2 squares (2-oz.) unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
  • ½ c. finely chopped hazelnuts
  • melted white chocolate

Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor or heavy duty mixer. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour mixture. Mix until mixture resembles moist sand. Add the melted chocolate and nuts and continue mixing until a dough forms. Place dough on a long piece of plastic wrap. Using your hands, wrap the dough into the plastic wrap gently shaping it into a round log about 1½-inch wide. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Un-wrap the log and using a serrated knife slice dough 3/8-inch thick. (If dough feels really hard, leave at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing). Arrange slices, about 1-inch apart, on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies in a pre-heated 300 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until lightly golden brown on the bottom and fairly hard to the touch. (Do not under-bake.) Cool on the baking sheet for 1 to 2 minutes. Gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. When the cookies are completely cool, decorate them with melted white chocolate. After the white chocolate is completely set (it will take a couple of hours) store the cookies in an airtight container.

 

FRUIT FILLED OATMEAL BARS

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When it comes to baking these days, give me the fast and easy, tried and true, no talent required recipes I have been making for years and years. And this old favorite not only fits all of the above criteria, but is uncommonly delicious too boot!

I received the recipe from my mother-in-law about 20 years ago, and have been making these fruit filled bar cookies ever since. The preparation really only requires a modicum of effort and a few pantry and fridge ingredients. The real effort comes when the bar cookies come out of the oven. It takes Herculean strength of character not to cut into these cookies the moment they are cool and devour the entire pan! (You simply must trust me on this one!)

But then, I’ve always been a sucker for fruit filled desserts. Remember Hostess Fruit Pies? As a kid I thought the cherry filled “pies” were the best food ever. Thankfully as I got a little older (I think about 6th grade), I stopped liking them (too cloyingly sweet) and transferred my affection to Hostess Cupcakes and Sugar Daddies!

Now that my taste buds have matured, I can’t imagine putting some of the things in my mouth that I found irresistible as a child.  Luckily, I grew out of my childhood food passions, with only a few lingering effects. Fruit filled desserts are still among my favorite taste treats.

So, if you too enjoy the subtle combination of a buttery crunchy crust and cooked sweetened fruit, give this recipe a try. I promise you will not regret the time spent baking a batch of these people pleasers. You might regret the calories consumed, but never the time spent. Enjoy.

  • 1½ c. flour
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 c. firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1½ c. old-fashioned oats
  • ¾ c. (1½ sticks) cold butter
  • 10-oz. jam, jelly, or preserves (I like marionberry or blackberry jam/jelly and cherry preserves the best)

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixer bowl. Add the brown sugar and mix until well blended. Add the oats and cold butter and beat until medium sized bits start sticking together. Press half of the mixture into a well buttered 8×8-inch baking pan. (Glass is best.) Spread jam evenly over the bottom crust.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERASprinkle remaining oat mixture evenly over the jam.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERABake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and the top crust is a nice golden brown.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA(You might want to check after 25 minutes or so to make sure the top is not getting too brown. If so, cover with aluminum foil for the last few minutes.) Do not over-bake. Let cool completely before cutting.

Note: if using a metal pan set your oven to 350 degrees and check after 20 minutes.

The picture above represents a double batch baked in a 10×16-inch glass pan.

 

 

PEANUT BUTTER, OATMEAL, AND CHOCOLATE CHIP BARS

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So, there are just those days when you need a sweet for your family or to take along to say a Saturday morning rehearsal of the BlueStreet Jazz Voices, and you have neither the desire or the strength to prepare a goodie that will take longer than 10 minutes to throw together. That’s how I came to make one of our favorite bar cookies for yesterday’s rehearsal. (I always like to bring a little something along to help the singers stay motivated when their sugar levels get into the dangerously low zone.) And not being the kind of person for whom sunrises are a “must see”, I always have to prepare treats the day before. Don’t get me wrong, I like sunrises as much as the next person. But at this time of year they come just a little too early for my liking! Plus, rehearsals start at the ungodly hour of 9:30am in Seattle, and I would have to get up at oh dark thirty in order to get treats prepared, baked, and cooled before leaving the house. Simply not going to happen! (BTW, I do my best work at about 4:30 in the afternoon, just when normal people are starting to wind down. Go figure!)

So Friday afternoon when I went in search of a little “something” to bake for Saturday morning, I found this old favorite in my second cookbook. And literally, these cookies take absolutely no time to concoct. Before you even realize you’re standing in front of your mixer, the dough is ready to plop in the pan. Then using the magic creating by turning the dial on your oven to the proper temperature and placing the filled baking dish in said hot oven, you have bar cookies that everyone will enjoy in under 45 minutes. Of course, you still have the tedious task of mixing three ingredients together to prepare the icing, but that can be done while the bar cookies are in the oven.

Of course, all this ease of preparation is predicated upon having all the necessary ingredients on hand. Duh! But being the kind of person I am, I practically get hives if all these staples are not in their proper place in my pantry or freezer at all times. (It’s called RSS – Replacement Shopper Syndrome.)

So next time you need a quick and easy cookie, give this recipe a try. But, I am not going to lie to you. These cookies are not really what would be considered good for you. But good, oh yah!

  • ½ c. butter (1 stick), room temperature
  • ½ c. granulated sugar
  • ½ c. brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 1/3 c. + 2 T. peanut butter, divided
  • 1 c. flour
  • ½ tsp. baking soda
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • 1 c. old fashioned oats
  • 1 c. chocolate chips
  • ½ c. powdered sugar
  • 2 T. milk

Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy.  Add egg and the 1/3rd cup peanut butter and mix well. Whisk together the flour, soda, and salt and add to sugar mixture. Mix in the oats and chocolate chips. Press mixture into a lightly buttered 9×13-inch baking pan. (Glass is best.) Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven for 25-30 minutes or until the dough is just set and the top is a lovely golden brown. (350 degrees for 20-25 minutes if using a metal pan.) Meanwhile, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut butter, powdered sugar, and milk. When the bars come out of the oven, drizzle with the powdered sugar mixture/icing.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERACool completely and cut into squares.

 

MOLASSES COOKIES

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I know, everyone who bakes has a recipe for ginger cookies. But does everyone have a recipe for a perfect ginger cookie along with a story about one of their children’s nocturnal pastimes involving a cookie jar? Now that I doubt! So while I prepare to make these delicious cookies for our upcoming trailer vacation (Mr. Cs request), I am going to tell you the story of 2 young girls – daughter number one (for the sake of this story let’s call her Eden) and Little Red Riding Hood.

When my kids were growing up, there were almost always homemade cookies in the cookie jar. Making cookies for my children was always a win/win situation. I liked to bake, and they liked to eat cookies! What could be better?  And most of the time the cookie jar lived on top of the refrigerator theoretically out of reach of the children.

But Eden was a teenager, and tall enough to reach the jar. Every night (at least it seemed like every night) she would sneak into the kitchen and take the cookie jar off the refrigerator and place it on the counter. Then with all the stealth of a tiger hunting its prey, she would try to lift the lid off the cookie jar without me hearing her do so. And even though I may have been fast asleep, that tiny little sound would wake me up every time. And of course I would do what all good mommies do, I would tell her to step away from the cookie jar and no one would get hurt!

Now granted, I never got out of bed to make sure she hadn’t taken a cookie before returning the jar to its place of honor. But what fun would that have been for either of us? First of all she wasn’t over weight, she played soccer, had plenty of good nutrition in her diet, and after a while it became a fun game enjoyed by both of us. We still laugh about it. And you can bet your grandmother’s favorite snickerdoodle recipe she will inherit that porcelain beauty when Mr. C. and I go to that big cookie jar in the sky!

Oh, did I forget to tell you how Little Red Riding Hood fits in this story? Take another look at the photo above. Picture Little Red Riding Hood without her head and a teenage girl’s hand down her throat!

(I love you my darling Eden. Thanks for being a part of my life and for letting me share your story.)

  • ¾ c. vegetable shortening
  • 1 c. brown sugar, packed
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • ¼ c. molasses
  • 2¼ c. flour
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. ground cloves
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. ground ginger
  • ¼ c. granulated sugar or more as needed

Thoroughly cream the shortening, brown sugar, egg, and molasses together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl whisk together or sieve the flour, baking soda, salt, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger together. Add to the shortening mixture. Roll or scoop into balls. Roll each ball in the granulated sugar and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten unbaked cookies with the bottom of a drinking glass. Bake in a pre-heated 375 degree oven for 8-10 minutes. Do not over-bake. (As soon as cracks appear all over the surface of the cookies, they are done.) Let cool for a minute or two on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.

 

MEXICAN WEDDING COOKIES

So, who out there has never tasted a Russian Tea Cake, Swedish Tea Cake, Snowball, Butterball, Mexican Wedding Cookie or whatever name you use to identify these little 5 ingredient wonders? Probably no one, right? But on the off chance that you are among the half dozen or so people left in the United States that have not partaken of one of these incredibly tasty and easy to prepare cookies, I am going to provide you with this recipe so you too can come aboard the happy mouth train.

These cookies literally melt in your mouth. And cute? Who in their right mind could say no to such a darling little round ball liberally covered with powdered sugar? They look like little mini round pillows. (I’d have provided a picture but the cookies disappeared before I could get my camera out of the closet.)  Now granted, they are not the least expensive cookie to produce. But truly, you would have to be related to $crooge McDuck not to spend the money to make these little babies at least once a year.

Now some recipes I have made call for more flour, or less flour, or ground walnuts or almonds instead of pecans. But the 5 basic ingredients (butter, sugar, vanilla, flour, and nuts) remain the same in every recipe I have ever seen. Warning: don’t even think of using margarine or vegetable shortening instead of butter. You might find culinary experts from every country that has a version of this cookie appearing on your door step with strong words of displeasure at your disrespectful action. (We who are connoisseurs of these cookies take our use of the proper ingredients quite seriously.)

So next time you host an occasion that warrants a rich little dessert cookie (Christmas, wedding or baby shower, Monday night football, etc.) bake a batch of these cookies for your family and friends. I’m told they are the perfect end to any meal be it chicken cordon bleu or corn dogs and chips.

  • 1 c. (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
  • ½ c. powdered sugar, plus more for rolling
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 c. finely chopped pecans

Beat butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add the flour and pecans and beat until thoroughly combined. Shape dough into balls with small ice cream scoop or by hand. Place 1-inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 14-15 minutes or until bottoms of cookies are light brown. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Roll cookies in powdered sugar until evenly coated. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

 

MEXICAN BROWNIES

This wonderful brownie recipe comes from Aaron Sanchez. And unlike many of the recipes that I feature on this site, I have not changed one single solitary ingredient or amount in Aaron’s recipe. No need! However, I did change the assembly instructions a bit. I added the step of sieving the dry ingredients together to eliminate any possibility of lumps in the final product. This is not a difficult or very time consuming process, but one that guarantees that all your careful preparation work will not have been in vain. (No one appreciates biting into a lovely goody like this brownie and finding a small lump of cocoa or a wee chunk of cayenne, for example.)  Not a pleasant surprise. And dried ingredients are notorious for wanting to stick together. (And yes I know what you are thinking when it comes to dried spices. Fresh spices don’t clump together.)

But let’s be realistic here. Most of us who cook and bake a lot buy our spices in bulk. And regardless of what the experts say about only using fresh spices (they all work for large import companies, BTW), a dried spice older than 6 months is just as worthy of your regard as the fresh faced newcomer in your spice rack! Just because older spices have a little longevity going for them does not mean that they should be cast away like last year’s half  jar of Aunt Sarah’s homemade bread and butter pickles! (Note to self: clean the refrigerator!) Older spices just need to be understood.

So if using a sieve to break up little clumps of spice caused by repeated and infinitesimal exposure to moisture that robs the spice of essential oils, so be it. Beats the heck out of becoming “spice poor” or worse yet, “old spice phobic”! Just treat your older herbs and spices with the same kind of loving respect you afford your older loved ones. Visit them often, tell them how wonderful they are each time you reach for them, and treat them special. Nothing could be easier.

  • 1 c. unsalted butter (2 sticks), plus more for greasing
  • 2 c. sugar
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 2/3 c. good-quality unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • ½ tsp. baking powder

Place the butter in a large glass bowl and microwave at a low heat just until melted. Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla; stir until well combined.

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In a separate bowl sieve the cocoa, flour, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and baking powder together to eliminate any lumps. Add to the butter mixture and stir until smooth. Spread the batter in a lightly buttered glass 9×13-inch baking pan. Bake in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (350 if you are using a metal pan) for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out fudgy. Cool completely before cutting into squares.

(And sorry about no picture of the brownies. They were gone before I could even think about reaching for my camera.)

CHOCOLATE AND PECAN TOFFEE BARS

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Mr. C. recently celebrated his birthday. We were scheduled to perform on the actual day, so I asked him ahead of time if he would like to go out to dinner the day after his birthday or would he like me to prepare some of his favorite dishes in the comfort of our own home?  He chose to stay home, which was just fine with me. (We tend to stay so busy that an evening at home is a treat!) I asked him what he would like me to prepare, and he provided me with the following list: Gruyere Soup, steak (because we hardly ever eat steak any more), White Cheddar Cheese Grits, buttered fresh green beans, and some kind of a caramel and chocolate bar cookie. He told me he didn’t really care how I prepared the steak or what I served for appetizers he just really wanted the 5 items listed above.

Sounded good to me, so I chose to make him Steak au Poivre (recipe to follow later this week) and try out a slightly modified version of a bar cookie recipe I found on the “taste and tell blog” web site. And then of course, why not invite our good buddies Jim and Margo over for the celebration – voilà – a dinner party.

So for appetizers I served crackers with a small piece of smoked salmon, soft cream cheese spread with ginger jam, and a small bowl of castelvetrano olives. First course was the Gruyere soup, followed by the steak, grits, and the fresh green beans. For dessert, coffee, liqueurs of choice, and some of these incredible toffee bars. They were just amazing and exactly what the birthday boy wanted. (Love it when a plan comes together.)

So next time you want to make an incredibly tasty and ever so easy (you don’t even need to dirty your mixer) bar cookie, bake up a pan of these little darlings. You will not believe how incredible just 6 ingredients can taste. And making your own caramel for this recipe – a snap! And perfect to serve at Christmas time – oh yah! There is just nothing about these cookies that isn’t OK. Well, maybe the number of calories. But let’s just not count those nasty little calories this time, alright. In fact, I’m going to park these babies in a “calorie free zone” and leave them there in perpetuity. Now doesn’t that make you feel better? I am nothing if not on your side!

  • 2 c. all-purpose flour
  • 1½ c. packed brown sugar, divided
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ c. + 2/3 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1½ c. chopped pecans, divided
  • 1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Mix together the flour, 1 cup brown sugar, and pinch of salt. Using your fingers or a table fork, massage in the ½ cup butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Mix in 1 cup of the chopped pecans. Press into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish, preferably glass. (Although I don’t really grease the pan, I do use the butter wrappers to kind of leave a mere trace of butter on the pan before I scoop in the flour mixture.)

In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2/3 cup butter and the remaining ½ cup brown sugar. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a full boil, stirring constantly. Continue to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and carefully pour evenly over the crust. Smooth out the caramel with an offset spatula. (The tool pictured above.)

Bake the bars in a pre-heated 325 degree oven (350 if you are not using a glass pan) for 20-22 minutes, or until the caramel is bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Allow to set for about 4 minutes while the chocolate melts. Spread the chocolate into a thin layer over the top of the bar cookie (again using your offset spatula) and sprinkle with remaining ½ cup chopped pecans. Gently press the pecans into the soft chocolate with one of your fingers. (If you happen to get a little chocolate on your finger as you are securing the pecans to the chocolate, you can treat yourself to a little taste before the bars are cool. I call this – quality control!)  Allow the bars to cool completely before cutting into fairly small pieces. These are very rich (really almost a candy), and oh so yum.

Note: This is one bar cookie that actually improves with age. Mr. C. said they were better the second day. (Haven’t reached the third day yet, so can’t advise you if they just keep getting better. And at the rate they are disappearing from the pan, I may never have that answer to share with you!)

2nd Note: Offset spatulas are one tool that isn’t used every day, but when it comes time to spread something (like frosting or as in this case, hot caramel) on to something else there is not a better tool for the job. They are fairly inexpensive, so treat yourself next time you are in a store that sells cooking equipment.