Besides being Taco Tuesday, it's also Double-Post Tuesday. Today's double post deals with cookies (yum!), and includes Cheesecake-Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies and Turtle Cookie Balls. Enjoy!
PERFECT CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
This is from Ravneet Gill and adapted by Charlotte Druckman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Charlotte wrote, "What makes these cookies truly 'perfect' isn’t anything radical; it’s simply an attention to detail. The pastry chef Ravneet Gill was meticulous in developing her recipe, and all of her instructions exist for a reason. When she tells you to chill your dough overnight, don’t think you can skip over that. (If you do, your cookies will spread.) When she instructs you to roll the dough into balls before transferring them to the fridge to rest, do as she says, and you’ll get a nice plump, domed cookie instead of a sad flat one. Don’t go swapping in milk chocolate for dark, and chop the chocolate into large chunks for those dramatic, dense puddles of goo. One allowance: If you don’t have Maldon salt, another flaky salt or even kosher salt will do."
Time: 30 minutes, plus 12 hours' chilling; Yield: 14 cookies
This was featured in "A ‘Perfect’ Chocolate Chip Cookie, and the Chef Who Created It", and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021435-perfect-chocolate-chip-cookies.
Note: The article that this recipe was in ("A 'Perfect' Chocolate…, link above) is well worth the read. Check it out!
Ingredients
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks), softened
Scant 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
2/3 cup superfine sugar
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon Maldon sea salt (or kosher salt)
6 ounces dark (bittersweet) chocolate, chopped into large chunks
Preparation
Put the butter and both sugars in a stand mixer or mixing bowl. Cream together using a paddle attachment on medium speed, a handheld electric whisk or a wooden spoon for 1 to 2 minutes until paler but not fluffy. (Do not mix for too long; if you beat the mixture until super light and fluffy, that will cause the cookie to deflate later when cooking.)
Add the egg and beat over medium speed until evenly combined.
In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (all the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt), then fold into the butter mixture using a rubber spatula until combined.
Add the chopped chocolate and fold into the dough until evenly distributed.
Immediately scoop out heaping 1/4-cup portions, roll into balls and place on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 12 hours. (If space is tight, you can condense them on one sheet before refrigerating then redistribute among two sheets before baking.)
The next day, heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Make sure the dough balls are evenly spaced out among two baking sheets, as they will spread. Bake the cookies for 13 minutes (or 15 minutes if baking from frozen), until the cookies are puffed and golden at the edges. You want the middle to be ever so slightly not-quite set.
Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet; they will continue firming up as they cool. Once cooled, eat! (These cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The balls of dough will keep for up to 2 days in the fridge or 2 weeks in the freezer.)
TURTLE COOKIE BALLS
This comes from My Food and Family, and begins, "Bite into scrumptious Turtle Cookie Balls. If you like turtle candies, you'll love the caramel, chocolate & nutty flavors of these Turtle Cookie Balls.' Yum!
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Makes 42 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/128342/turtle-cookie-balls.
Ingredients
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
70 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 2-1/3 cups)
3 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping
4 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, broken into pieces, melted
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans
Directions
Mix first 3 ingredients until blended.
Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES
This is from Dorie Greenspan at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Dorie wrote, "Like their inspiration, lemon meringue pie, these cookies have three elements. They’re built on simple, slice-and-bake French shortbread cookies, rich, buttery and flavored with vanilla. The shortbread base is almost classic, except that the cookies are baked in muffin tins, so they’re straight-sided and deeply golden brown. The 'filling' is lemon curd, and the topping is crunchy bits of meringue. You get crumbly, velvety and crackly, sweet and tart in every bite. These cookies were created for an imaginary friend, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the hero of 16 Louise Penny novels, and a man who considers lemon meringue divine."
Yield: 24 cookies; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "A Lemon Meringue Cookie Good Enough to Be Imaginary", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021686-lemon-meringue-cookies.
Note: If you didn't click on the link to the featured article that this cookie recipe came from (or if you did, but didn't read the article), you really should read it. Dorie Greenspan's article is well worth the read; heck, it's worth several reads. Maybe make up a batch of these, then sit back to enjoy both cookies and the article. (Thanks for both, Dorie!)
Ingredients
For the Meringue:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon distilled vinegar (or lemon juice)
Pinch of fine sea salt
For the Shortbread:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into chunks and brought to room temperature, plus more for greasing the muffin tin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
About 1/3 cup store-bought or homemade lemon curd
Preparation
Make the meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together both sugars.
Working with an electric mixer, beat the egg white, vinegar and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Once the sugar is incorporated, beat 2 minutes more; you’ll have stiff, glossy, white peaks. Put the meringue on the baking sheet and spread it 1/4-inch thick. (It will cover only a small part of the sheet.)
Bake the meringue undisturbed for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, prop open the oven door and let it dry for 1 hour. When you’re ready to use it, chop it into pieces about the size of chocolate chips. Precision doesn’t matter.
Make the shortbread: Working with a mixer (use the paddle if it’s a stand mixer), beat the butter, both sugars and the salt on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until smooth but not fluffy. On low speed, beat in the yolks, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add the flour in three additions, mixing on low until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn out the dough and knead it into a ball. Cut the ball in half.
Shape each half into a 6-inch log. Wrap it and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You could also freeze it for up to 2 months; leave it on the counter for 1 hour before baking.)
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 1 or 2 muffin tins with butter (or nonstick baking spray).
Slice each log into 12 rounds (each 1/2-inch thick); drop one into each muffin cup. (If you don’t have enough tins, you can work in batches.)
Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the rims. Transfer the tin(s) to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, then lift the cookies out and onto racks; cool to room temperature.
Just before serving, top each cookie with lemon curd, then top with ample chunks of meringue, pressing them into the curd. The meringue will keep in a cool, dry place for a few days, and the cookies can be kept at room temperature for about 3 days. But once you top the cookies, they’re best eaten soon after.
CHOCOLATE CRINKLES
This is from the infamous long-since-forgotten emailing list, though it's attributed to Betty Crocker® Cookbook. This begins, "These cookies have an attractive light and dark contrast perfect for aninteresting addition to a cookie tray or for serving by themselves, any time of year!"
Prep Time 15 minutes; Cooking Time 12 minutes; Serves makes 6 dozen cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs
2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup powdered sugar
Directions
Mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla in large bowl. Mix in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheet.
Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat. Shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.
CHEESECAKE-STUFFED RED VELVET COOKIES
This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “The classic flavors of red velvet cake are transformed into cookies with the cream cheese baked right inside.”
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes; Active Time: 30 minutes; Yield: 12 cookies; Level: Easy
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
Filling:
One 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Cookies:
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, scooped and leveled (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, scooped and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 teaspoon red food coloring
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs
Confectioners' sugar, for coating
Directions
Watch how to make this recipe.
Make the filling: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Beat the cream cheese, granulated sugar, sour cream and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the filling at a time onto the parchment so that you have 12 dollops. Freeze until solid, about 2 hours.
Make the cookies: Sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Whisk together the granulated sugar, butter, buttermilk, food coloring, vanilla and eggs in another bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the sugar mixture with a rubber spatula until smooth. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes (it will still be soft).
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
Coat your hands generously with confectioners' sugar and scoop a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough into your hand. Put one of the frozen cream cheese dollops in the middle of the dough and place another tablespoon of the dough on top of the cream cheese. Shape the dough around it to completely enclose the cream cheese, and then roll to coat in the confectioners' sugar. Repeat with the remaining dough and cream cheese, coating your hands in confectioners' sugar as needed.
Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake until the cookies are firm around the edges and can be easily lifted with a spatula, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the trays for 10 minutes, and then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Cook's Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)
CZECHOSLOVAKIAN BAR COOKIE - CUKROVI
This was in a long-since-forgotten emailing list, though I kind-of think it might have been in what had been About.com (now Dotdash).
The recipe begins, “Czechoslovakian cukrovi is the generic term for cookies made during Christmas time. This recipe was given to me in the early '70s by a lovely Czech woman. Everyone seems to have it but the filling is usually apricot. I've never come across a recipe like this for almond and strawberry filling. The almond, while very sweet, seems to cut the richness of the dough. This recipe is definitely party size, but it can be cut in half with no loss in quality.”
Makes about 54 Czechoslovakian Cookies; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
2 cups butter (1 pound), softened
2 cups sugar
4 large egg yolks
4 cups flour
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
1 (8- to 12-ounce) container almond paste
1 (12-ounce) container strawberry filling
Confectioners' sugar
Preparation:
Heat oven to 325 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add yolks and mix well. Add flour and nuts and mix until well incorporated.
Divide dough in half and pat into a 15 1/2 inch by 10 1/2 inch jelly roll pan with slightly dampened hands, if necessary. Spread almond paste over surface to within 1/4 inch of edges. Top with strawberry filling2 and spread in the same way.
Crumble remaining dough half over entire surface of filling, and pat or spread to completely cover. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until golden brown.
Cut into 9 horizontal rows and 6 vertical rows (to make 54 bars) while still warm. Cool completely and dust with confectioners' sugar. Transfer to paper cups and a pretty serving tray or store tightly covered.
Showing posts with label Lemon Meringue Cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lemon Meringue Cookies. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 16, 2021
Friday, January 22, 2021
Friday Recipes
It's finally Friday, time to get ready for another weekend. Here are six yummy recipes to help you through the weekend, including Cajun-Style Meatloaf and Healthy Grilled Pizza Burgers. (Do I have your attention now?) Enjoy!
EASY BEEF BURRITO SKILLET
This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "This tasty one pan dish is done in less than 20 minutes and dishes are done in less than 1!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/easy-beef-burrito-skillet.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 (1 oz) package Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
1 cup chunky salsa
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 (6 inch) Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas, sliced into 1-inch strips
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Preparation
In a large skillet, brown beef until no longer pink. Drain. Add taco seasoning, water, salsa, and beans. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low.
Stir in the tortilla strips and then top with cheese. Remove skillet from heat and let cheese melt.
Top with sour cream in the center and sprinkle with green onions. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
Use a mild salsa if you're making it for kids.
You can stack your tortillas and use a pizza cutter to slice them all in one easy step.
LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES
This is from Dorie Greenspan at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Dorie wrote, "Like their inspiration, lemon meringue pie, these cookies have three elements. They’re built on simple, slice-and-bake French shortbread cookies, rich, buttery and flavored with vanilla. The shortbread base is almost classic, except that the cookies are baked in muffin tins, so they’re straight-sided and deeply golden brown. The 'filling' is lemon curd, and the topping is crunchy bits of meringue. You get crumbly, velvety and crackly, sweet and tart in every bite. These cookies were created for an imaginary friend, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the hero of 16 Louise Penny novels, and a man who considers lemon meringue divine."
Yield: 24 cookies; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "A Lemon Meringue Cookie Good Enough to Be Imaginary", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021686-lemon-meringue-cookies.
Note: If you didn't click on the link to the featured article that this cookie recipe came from (or if you did, but didn't read the article), you really should read it. Dorie Greenspan's article is well worth the read; heck, it's worth several reads. Maybe make up a batch of these, then sit back to enjoy both cookies and the article. (Thanks for both, Dorie!)
Ingredients
For the Meringue:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon distilled vinegar (or lemon juice)
Pinch of fine sea salt
For the Shortbread:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into chunks and brought to room temperature, plus more for greasing the muffin tin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
About 1/3 cup store-bought or homemade lemon curd
Preparation
Make the meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together both sugars.
Working with an electric mixer, beat the egg white, vinegar and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Once the sugar is incorporated, beat 2 minutes more; you’ll have stiff, glossy, white peaks. Put the meringue on the baking sheet and spread it 1/4-inch thick. (It will cover only a small part of the sheet.)
Bake the meringue undisturbed for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, prop open the oven door and let it dry for 1 hour. When you’re ready to use it, chop it into pieces about the size of chocolate chips. Precision doesn’t matter.
Make the shortbread: Working with a mixer (use the paddle if it’s a stand mixer), beat the butter, both sugars and the salt on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until smooth but not fluffy. On low speed, beat in the yolks, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add the flour in three additions, mixing on low until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn out the dough and knead it into a ball. Cut the ball in half.
Shape each half into a 6-inch log. Wrap it and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You could also freeze it for up to 2 months; leave it on the counter for 1 hour before baking.)
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 1 or 2 muffin tins with butter (or nonstick baking spray).
Slice each log into 12 rounds (each 1/2-inch thick); drop one into each muffin cup. (If you don’t have enough tins, you can work in batches.)
Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the rims. Transfer the tin(s) to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, then lift the cookies out and onto racks; cool to room temperature.
Just before serving, top each cookie with lemon curd, then top with ample chunks of meringue, pressing them into the curd. The meringue will keep in a cool, dry place for a few days, and the cookies can be kept at room temperature for about 3 days. But once you top the cookies, they’re best eaten soon after.
AIR FRYER LOADED TACO FRIES
This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "While this recipe for air fryer taco fries was initially inspired by Taco Bell’s™ Nacho Fries, we got a little carried away and ended up creating something even better! Sure, these taco fries are healthier for you than the original recipe thanks to the air fryer, but they are also packed with Mexican spices and piled high with loads of delicious and savory nacho toppings. Top it all with our genius hack for amazingly simple spiced sour cream - don’t worry it’s delicious but not complicated, just add Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning to sour cream and pour it on everything. These air fryer taco fries are instant crowd-favorites, so be prepared to make this recipe a second time soon!"
Prep Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/air-fryer-loaded-taco-fries.
Ingredients
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
16 oz (4 cups) frozen French-fried potatoes (from 32-oz bag)
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
1/2 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and diced (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup diced tomato
2 tablespoons sliced green onions (2 green onions)
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Preparation
In small bowl, mix Seasoned Sour Cream ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
In large bowl, mix oil and 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix. Add frozen potatoes; toss to coat. Pour mixture into air fryer basket. Set to 400°F; cook 22 to 26 minutes or until crispy, shaking basket every 5 minutes.
Transfer to microwavable serving plate. Top with cheese. Microwave uncovered on High 30 to 90 seconds or until cheese melts. Top with avocado, tomato, green onions and cilantro. Serve with seasoned sour cream.
Nutrition: 1 Serving Calories 220 (Calories from Fat 130); Total Fat 14g (Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 170mg; Total Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 1g); Protein 5g
% Daily Value: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 10%; Iron 2%
Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 2 Fat
INDIVIDUAL MEAT LOAVES
This yummy recipe is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Level: Intermediate; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/individual-meat-loaves-recipe-1952034.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meatloaf will be dense.
Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.
HEALTHY GRILLED PIZZA BURGERS
This comes from David Zinczenko at TODAY. He wrote, "Topping turkey burgers with traditional pizza toppings adds loads of flavor without packing on too many calories and carbs."
Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/healthy-grilled-pizza-burgers-recipe-t147408.
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red sweet pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 slices uncured pepperoni
4 thin slices mozzarella cheese
4 sprouted whole grain buns or whole grain buns, split and toasted
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
3 1/2 cups jarred pizza sauce, warmed
Preparation
In a medium bowl, combine turkey, onion, sweet pepper, oregano, fennel seeds, garlic powder, salt and crushed red pepper. Shape into four 3/4-inch thick patties. Brush tops and bottoms with olive oil.
For a charcoal grill, grill patties on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 14-18 minutes or until no longer pink and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, turning once halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill to medium. Place patties on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)
Top each patty with a pepperoni slice and then a cheese slice for the last 1-2 minutes of grilling.
To assemble, place grilled patties on bun bottoms. Top with basil, pizza sauce and bun tops.
CAJUN-STYLE MEATLOAF
This comes from Diana Rattray at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This Cajun-style meatloaf is packed with flavor and healthy ingredients. The loaf is made with ground beef and ground pork, making for a moist and flavorful meatloaf. The "holy trinity" of onion, bell pepper, and celery, along with Cajun seasonings give the meatloaf Louisiana flavor.
"Use ketchup or chili sauce as a topping for the meatloaf, or make a delicious homemade Creole sauce for topping and serving. Fresh or store-bought salsa is another excellent option.
"Serve meatloaf sliced with some ketchup or salsa on the side. Some sides that go well with meatloaf are boiled or mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, corn, peas, and broccoli."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/spicy-cajun-seasoned-meatloaf-3058296.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup onion (finely chopped)
1/4 cup red bell pepper (or green, finely chopped)
1/4 cup celery (finely chopped)
1 large egg (beaten)
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork (or more beef)
1 medium tomato (seeds removed, cored, finely chopped)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Optional: ketchup (or chili sauce)
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 F.
Line a rimmed baking pan with foil or spray a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg with the milk; add the breadcrumbs, beef and pork, chopped tomato, Cajun seasoning, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the cooled vegetable mixture and blend well with your hands.
Optionally, to check a meatloaf for seasoning, take a small amount and shape it into a flat patty. Fry the patty until it is cooked through and taste it. Adjust the seasonings, as needed.
Loosely pack the meatloaf mixture into the prepared baking pan or loaf pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
If desired, spread ketchup or chili sauce over the top of the meatloaf about 10 minutes before done.
Tips
If your Cajun seasoning contains salt, increase the Cajun seasoning to 2 1/2 teaspoons and decrease the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
To check a meatloaf for doneness, use a reliable instant-read thermometer. The minimum safe temperature for ground beef or pork is 160 F. Ground poultry must be cooked to a temperature of at least 165 F.
Instead of the classic loaf shape, bake the meatloaf mixture in muffin tins.
Bake two loaves and freeze one for a future meal.
EASY BEEF BURRITO SKILLET
This is from Old El Paso, and begins, "This tasty one pan dish is done in less than 20 minutes and dishes are done in less than 1!"
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Total Time: 40 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/easy-beef-burrito-skillet.
Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 (1 oz) package Old El Paso™ taco seasoning mix
1 cup water
1 cup chunky salsa
1 (15 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
4 (6 inch) Old El Paso™ Flour Tortillas, sliced into 1-inch strips
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sliced green onions
Preparation
In a large skillet, brown beef until no longer pink. Drain. Add taco seasoning, water, salsa, and beans. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low.
Stir in the tortilla strips and then top with cheese. Remove skillet from heat and let cheese melt.
Top with sour cream in the center and sprinkle with green onions. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
Use a mild salsa if you're making it for kids.
You can stack your tortillas and use a pizza cutter to slice them all in one easy step.
LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES
This is from Dorie Greenspan at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Dorie wrote, "Like their inspiration, lemon meringue pie, these cookies have three elements. They’re built on simple, slice-and-bake French shortbread cookies, rich, buttery and flavored with vanilla. The shortbread base is almost classic, except that the cookies are baked in muffin tins, so they’re straight-sided and deeply golden brown. The 'filling' is lemon curd, and the topping is crunchy bits of meringue. You get crumbly, velvety and crackly, sweet and tart in every bite. These cookies were created for an imaginary friend, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the hero of 16 Louise Penny novels, and a man who considers lemon meringue divine."
Yield: 24 cookies; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "A Lemon Meringue Cookie Good Enough to Be Imaginary", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021686-lemon-meringue-cookies.
Note: If you didn't click on the link to the featured article that this cookie recipe came from (or if you did, but didn't read the article), you really should read it. Dorie Greenspan's article is well worth the read; heck, it's worth several reads. Maybe make up a batch of these, then sit back to enjoy both cookies and the article. (Thanks for both, Dorie!)
Ingredients
For the Meringue:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon distilled vinegar (or lemon juice)
Pinch of fine sea salt
For the Shortbread:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into chunks and brought to room temperature, plus more for greasing the muffin tin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
About 1/3 cup store-bought or homemade lemon curd
Preparation
Make the meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together both sugars.
Working with an electric mixer, beat the egg white, vinegar and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Once the sugar is incorporated, beat 2 minutes more; you’ll have stiff, glossy, white peaks. Put the meringue on the baking sheet and spread it 1/4-inch thick. (It will cover only a small part of the sheet.)
Bake the meringue undisturbed for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, prop open the oven door and let it dry for 1 hour. When you’re ready to use it, chop it into pieces about the size of chocolate chips. Precision doesn’t matter.
Make the shortbread: Working with a mixer (use the paddle if it’s a stand mixer), beat the butter, both sugars and the salt on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until smooth but not fluffy. On low speed, beat in the yolks, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add the flour in three additions, mixing on low until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn out the dough and knead it into a ball. Cut the ball in half.
Shape each half into a 6-inch log. Wrap it and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You could also freeze it for up to 2 months; leave it on the counter for 1 hour before baking.)
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 1 or 2 muffin tins with butter (or nonstick baking spray).
Slice each log into 12 rounds (each 1/2-inch thick); drop one into each muffin cup. (If you don’t have enough tins, you can work in batches.)
Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the rims. Transfer the tin(s) to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, then lift the cookies out and onto racks; cool to room temperature.
Just before serving, top each cookie with lemon curd, then top with ample chunks of meringue, pressing them into the curd. The meringue will keep in a cool, dry place for a few days, and the cookies can be kept at room temperature for about 3 days. But once you top the cookies, they’re best eaten soon after.
AIR FRYER LOADED TACO FRIES
This comes from Old El Paso, and begins, "While this recipe for air fryer taco fries was initially inspired by Taco Bell’s™ Nacho Fries, we got a little carried away and ended up creating something even better! Sure, these taco fries are healthier for you than the original recipe thanks to the air fryer, but they are also packed with Mexican spices and piled high with loads of delicious and savory nacho toppings. Top it all with our genius hack for amazingly simple spiced sour cream - don’t worry it’s delicious but not complicated, just add Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning to sour cream and pour it on everything. These air fryer taco fries are instant crowd-favorites, so be prepared to make this recipe a second time soon!"
Prep Time: 35 minutes; Total Time: 35 minutes; Makes 8 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.oldelpaso.com/recipes/air-fryer-loaded-taco-fries.
Ingredients
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Old El Paso™ original taco seasoning mix (from 1-oz package)
16 oz (4 cups) frozen French-fried potatoes (from 32-oz bag)
1 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese (4 oz)
1/2 medium avocado, pitted, peeled and diced (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup diced tomato
2 tablespoons sliced green onions (2 green onions)
2 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Preparation
In small bowl, mix Seasoned Sour Cream ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
In large bowl, mix oil and 1 tablespoon taco seasoning mix. Add frozen potatoes; toss to coat. Pour mixture into air fryer basket. Set to 400°F; cook 22 to 26 minutes or until crispy, shaking basket every 5 minutes.
Transfer to microwavable serving plate. Top with cheese. Microwave uncovered on High 30 to 90 seconds or until cheese melts. Top with avocado, tomato, green onions and cilantro. Serve with seasoned sour cream.
Nutrition: 1 Serving Calories 220 (Calories from Fat 130); Total Fat 14g (Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 20mg; Sodium 170mg; Total Carbohydrate 17g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 1g); Protein 5g
% Daily Value: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 10%; Iron 2%
Exchanges: 1/2 Starch, 1/2 Other Carbohydrate, 1/2 High-Fat Meat, 2 Fat
INDIVIDUAL MEAT LOAVES
This yummy recipe is from Ina Garten on the Food Network. Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 45 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes; Level: Intermediate; Yield: 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/individual-meat-loaves-recipe-1952034.
Ingredients
1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 cups chopped yellow onions (3 onions)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup canned chicken stock or broth
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 1/2 pounds ground chuck (81 percent lean)
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs (recommended: Progresso)
2 extra-large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup ketchup (recommended: Heinz)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat the olive oil in a medium saute pan. Add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent but not brown. Off the heat, add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the ground chuck, onion mixture, bread crumbs, and eggs, and mix lightly with a fork. Don't mash or the meatloaf will be dense.
Divide the mixture into 6 (10 to 11-ounce) portions and shape each portion into a small loaf on a sheet pan. Spread about a tablespoon of ketchup on the top of each portion. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the internal temperature is 155 to 160 degrees F and the meat loaves are cooked through. Serve hot.
HEALTHY GRILLED PIZZA BURGERS
This comes from David Zinczenko at TODAY. He wrote, "Topping turkey burgers with traditional pizza toppings adds loads of flavor without packing on too many calories and carbs."
Serves 4
To view this online, go to https://www.today.com/recipes/healthy-grilled-pizza-burgers-recipe-t147408.
Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped red sweet pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 slices uncured pepperoni
4 thin slices mozzarella cheese
4 sprouted whole grain buns or whole grain buns, split and toasted
1/2 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
3 1/2 cups jarred pizza sauce, warmed
Preparation
In a medium bowl, combine turkey, onion, sweet pepper, oregano, fennel seeds, garlic powder, salt and crushed red pepper. Shape into four 3/4-inch thick patties. Brush tops and bottoms with olive oil.
For a charcoal grill, grill patties on the rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 14-18 minutes or until no longer pink and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees, turning once halfway through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill to medium. Place patties on grill rack over heat. Cover and grill as above.)
Top each patty with a pepperoni slice and then a cheese slice for the last 1-2 minutes of grilling.
To assemble, place grilled patties on bun bottoms. Top with basil, pizza sauce and bun tops.
CAJUN-STYLE MEATLOAF
This comes from Diana Rattray at The Spruce Eats. She wrote, "This Cajun-style meatloaf is packed with flavor and healthy ingredients. The loaf is made with ground beef and ground pork, making for a moist and flavorful meatloaf. The "holy trinity" of onion, bell pepper, and celery, along with Cajun seasonings give the meatloaf Louisiana flavor.
"Use ketchup or chili sauce as a topping for the meatloaf, or make a delicious homemade Creole sauce for topping and serving. Fresh or store-bought salsa is another excellent option.
"Serve meatloaf sliced with some ketchup or salsa on the side. Some sides that go well with meatloaf are boiled or mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, green beans, corn, peas, and broccoli."
Prep Time: 20 minutes; Cook Time: 75 minutes; Total Time: 95 minutes; Makes 6 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.thespruceeats.com/spicy-cajun-seasoned-meatloaf-3058296.
Ingredients
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup onion (finely chopped)
1/4 cup red bell pepper (or green, finely chopped)
1/4 cup celery (finely chopped)
1 large egg (beaten)
1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup finely ground breadcrumbs
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork (or more beef)
1 medium tomato (seeds removed, cored, finely chopped)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
Optional: ketchup (or chili sauce)
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 F.
Line a rimmed baking pan with foil or spray a 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg with the milk; add the breadcrumbs, beef and pork, chopped tomato, Cajun seasoning, salt, garlic powder, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the cooled vegetable mixture and blend well with your hands.
Optionally, to check a meatloaf for seasoning, take a small amount and shape it into a flat patty. Fry the patty until it is cooked through and taste it. Adjust the seasonings, as needed.
Loosely pack the meatloaf mixture into the prepared baking pan or loaf pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
If desired, spread ketchup or chili sauce over the top of the meatloaf about 10 minutes before done.
Tips
If your Cajun seasoning contains salt, increase the Cajun seasoning to 2 1/2 teaspoons and decrease the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
To check a meatloaf for doneness, use a reliable instant-read thermometer. The minimum safe temperature for ground beef or pork is 160 F. Ground poultry must be cooked to a temperature of at least 165 F.
Instead of the classic loaf shape, bake the meatloaf mixture in muffin tins.
Bake two loaves and freeze one for a future meal.
Saturday, December 12, 2020
Holiday Cookies
While I usually don't post on Saturdays, I figured that this would be a great time to post another batch of cookie recipes, both for gift giving, general sharing, or simply getting us through the rest of the year. Today's six cookie recipes include Soft & Chewy Gingerbread Men, Holiday Sugar Cookie Cups, and Turtle Cookie Balls. Enjoy!
GRANDMA'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions
Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES
Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking
Ingredients
1 C flour
1 C brown sugar
3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)
1 C butter or margarine
1/4 C boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Directions
Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking
Then cut down the center, like so:
Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling
SOFT & CHEWY GINGERBREAD MEN
This comes from The Baker Chick. Adapted this recipe from Baking Illustrated, this recipe makes about 30 3-inch cookies.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
3/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
In food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade, combine the flour, sugar, spices, salt, and baking soda and process until combined, just a few seconds.
Add the butter pieces and pulse until mixture is sandy and looks like a fine meal- no big clumps. (This only took about 15-20 seconds.)
With machine running, gradually add molasses and milk; process until dough comes together.
Scrape dough onto work surface; divide in half. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll 1/4-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate dough 2 hours or overnight.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Remove one dough sheet from freezer; place on work surface. Peel off top parchment sheet and lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer.
Use cookie cutters to cut dough into men or other shapes. Transfer dough to prepared cookie sheets 1 inch apart.
Gather scraps and chill while you cut out the second sheet of dough. You can keep re-using the scraps, but may need to add some flour and continue to chill the dough. If the dough gets really soft, freeze the whole sheet for 10 minutes before baking.
Bake cookies 8 to 11 minutes or until the edges are set- do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
Decorate with icing once cooled!
TURTLE COOKIE BALLS
This comes from My Food and Family, and begins, "Bite into scrumptious Turtle Cookie Balls. If you like turtle candies, you'll love the caramel, chocolate & nutty flavors of these Turtle Cookie Balls.' Yum!
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Makes 42 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/128342/turtle-cookie-balls.
Ingredients
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
70 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 2-1/3 cups)
3 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping
4 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, broken into pieces, melted
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans
Directions
Mix first 3 ingredients until blended.
Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
HOLIDAY SUGAR COOKIE CUPS
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "You may be the head elf in the kitchen, but if you want to get the little helpers involved, try these Holiday Sugar Cookie Cups. These deliciously cheerful treats are made with Betty Crocker™ Sugar Cookie Mix for that classic sugar cookie flavor, transformed into a red and green bite-sized confection. Don't forget to top it off with Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Frosting. They're festive, fun and an easy way to pass down a holiday-making memory."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Servings: 36
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix
Butter and egg called for on cookie mix pouch for drop cookies
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons red, green and white candy sprinkles
1 container Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
1-1/2 teaspoons Betty Crocker™ red gel food color
Directions
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 36 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.
In large bowl, mix cookie mix, softened butter and egg with spoon until soft dough forms. Stir in 1/4 cup candy sprinkles. Shape into 36 (1-1/4-inch) balls. Place in mini muffin cups. Press indentation in center of each with end of wooden spoon.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately repeat indentation into center of each cookie with end of clean wooden spoon to make 1-inch opening, cleaning off end with paper towel when needed. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Loosen edges with small knife if needed. Remove to cooling rack. Cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
In small bowl, place half of the frosting. Tint red with food color. Place large piping bag fitted with medium star tip on its side. Using large icing spatula, spoon remaining vanilla frosting so it covers half of the length of side of piping bag. Carefully spoon red tinted frosting on top. Insert tip into indentation in each cookie cup. Squeeze bag to fill opening, and pipe about 2 heaping teaspoons per cookie cup. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sprinkles. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
Expert Tips
Have only one mini muffin pan? Refrigerate remaining dough while baking first batch. Cool pan about 10 minutes, then bake rest of dough, adding 1 to 2 minutes to bake time.
Color and sprinkles can be customized for holidays or different events—use your imagination!
LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES
This is from Dorie Greenspan at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Dorie wrote, "Like their inspiration, lemon meringue pie, these cookies have three elements. They’re built on simple, slice-and-bake French shortbread cookies, rich, buttery and flavored with vanilla. The shortbread base is almost classic, except that the cookies are baked in muffin tins, so they’re straight-sided and deeply golden brown. The 'filling' is lemon curd, and the topping is crunchy bits of meringue. You get crumbly, velvety and crackly, sweet and tart in every bite. These cookies were created for an imaginary friend, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the hero of 16 Louise Penny novels, and a man who considers lemon meringue divine."
Yield: 24 cookies; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "A Lemon Meringue Cookie Good Enough to Be Imaginary", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021686-lemon-meringue-cookies.
Note: If you didn't click on the link to the featured article that this cookie recipe came from (or if you did, but didn't read the article), you really should read it. Dorie Greenspan's article is well worth the read; heck, it's worth several reads. Maybe make up a batch of these, then sit back to enjoy both cookies and the article. (Thanks for both, Dorie!)
Ingredients
For the Meringue:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon distilled vinegar (or lemon juice)
Pinch of fine sea salt
For the Shortbread:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into chunks and brought to room temperature, plus more for greasing the muffin tin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
About 1/3 cup store-bought or homemade lemon curd
Preparation
Make the meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together both sugars.
Working with an electric mixer, beat the egg white, vinegar and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Once the sugar is incorporated, beat 2 minutes more; you’ll have stiff, glossy, white peaks. Put the meringue on the baking sheet and spread it 1/4-inch thick. (It will cover only a small part of the sheet.)
Bake the meringue undisturbed for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, prop open the oven door and let it dry for 1 hour. When you’re ready to use it, chop it into pieces about the size of chocolate chips. Precision doesn’t matter.
Make the shortbread: Working with a mixer (use the paddle if it’s a stand mixer), beat the butter, both sugars and the salt on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until smooth but not fluffy. On low speed, beat in the yolks, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add the flour in three additions, mixing on low until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn out the dough and knead it into a ball. Cut the ball in half.
Shape each half into a 6-inch log. Wrap it and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You could also freeze it for up to 2 months; leave it on the counter for 1 hour before baking.)
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 1 or 2 muffin tins with butter (or nonstick baking spray).
Slice each log into 12 rounds (each 1/2-inch thick); drop one into each muffin cup. (If you don’t have enough tins, you can work in batches.)
Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the rims. Transfer the tin(s) to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, then lift the cookies out and onto racks; cool to room temperature.
Just before serving, top each cookie with lemon curd, then top with ample chunks of meringue, pressing them into the curd. The meringue will keep in a cool, dry place for a few days, and the cookies can be kept at room temperature for about 3 days. But once you top the cookies, they’re best eaten soon after.
GRANDMA'S PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES
This was one of my grandmother's recipes, along with the oatmeal cookie recipe that follows. You can find them in my e-cookbook, Off The Wall Cooking.
Ingredients
1/2 C butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C sugar
1 egg, well beaten
1 1/4 C flour
3/4 tsp. soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
Directions
Cream butter & peanut butter together. Add sugar gradually & cream thoroughly. Add egg. Sift flour once before measuring. Sift flour, soda, baking powder & salt together & add to creamed mixture. Chill dough well, then form into balls the size of walnuts. Place balls on lightly greased baking sheet. Flatten with fork dipped in flour, making criss-cross pattern. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.
GRANDMA'S OATMEAL COOKIES
Another one of my grandmother's recipes. When it came to baking, cookies were her specialty. You can also find these in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking
Ingredients
1 C flour
1 C brown sugar
3 C quick cooking oatmeal (NOT the instant oats!)
1 C butter or margarine
1/4 C boiling water
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
Directions
Mix flour & brown sugar. Add oatmeal; stir. Melt butter; add to dry ingredients. Mix baking soda into boiling water; add to other ingredients, stirring well. Place batter into loaf pan, lined with aluminum foil & place in freeze for several hours. Slice & bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes.
Oatmeal Cookie dough, taken from the freezer; showing first cuts before baking
Then cut down the center, like so:
Placed on parchment paper-covered baking sheet, for easier handling
SOFT & CHEWY GINGERBREAD MEN
This comes from The Baker Chick. Adapted this recipe from Baking Illustrated, this recipe makes about 30 3-inch cookies.
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces and softened slightly
3/4 cup molasses
2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
In food processor workbowl fitted with steel blade, combine the flour, sugar, spices, salt, and baking soda and process until combined, just a few seconds.
Add the butter pieces and pulse until mixture is sandy and looks like a fine meal- no big clumps. (This only took about 15-20 seconds.)
With machine running, gradually add molasses and milk; process until dough comes together.
Scrape dough onto work surface; divide in half. Working with one portion of dough at a time, roll 1/4-inch thick between two large sheets of parchment paper. Leaving dough sandwiched between parchment layers, stack on cookie sheet and freeze until firm, 15 to 20 minutes. (Alternatively, refrigerate dough 2 hours or overnight.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
Remove one dough sheet from freezer; place on work surface. Peel off top parchment sheet and lay it back in place. Flip dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer.
Use cookie cutters to cut dough into men or other shapes. Transfer dough to prepared cookie sheets 1 inch apart.
Gather scraps and chill while you cut out the second sheet of dough. You can keep re-using the scraps, but may need to add some flour and continue to chill the dough. If the dough gets really soft, freeze the whole sheet for 10 minutes before baking.
Bake cookies 8 to 11 minutes or until the edges are set- do not overbake. Cool cookies on sheets 2 minutes, then cool on a wire rack.
Decorate with icing once cooled!
TURTLE COOKIE BALLS
This comes from My Food and Family, and begins, "Bite into scrumptious Turtle Cookie Balls. If you like turtle candies, you'll love the caramel, chocolate & nutty flavors of these Turtle Cookie Balls.' Yum!
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes; Makes 42 servings
To view this online, go to https://www.myfoodandfamily.com/recipe/128342/turtle-cookie-balls.
Ingredients
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
70 vanilla wafers, finely crushed (about 2-1/3 cups)
3 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping
4 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, broken into pieces, melted
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans
Directions
Mix first 3 ingredients until blended.
Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with nuts.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.
HOLIDAY SUGAR COOKIE CUPS
This is from Betty Crocker, and begins, "You may be the head elf in the kitchen, but if you want to get the little helpers involved, try these Holiday Sugar Cookie Cups. These deliciously cheerful treats are made with Betty Crocker™ Sugar Cookie Mix for that classic sugar cookie flavor, transformed into a red and green bite-sized confection. Don't forget to top it off with Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy Frosting. They're festive, fun and an easy way to pass down a holiday-making memory."
Prep Time: 30 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes; Servings: 36
To view this online, click here.
Ingredients
1 pouch (17.5 oz) Betty Crocker™ sugar cookie mix
Butter and egg called for on cookie mix pouch for drop cookies
1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons red, green and white candy sprinkles
1 container Betty Crocker™ Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
1-1/2 teaspoons Betty Crocker™ red gel food color
Directions
Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 36 mini muffin cups with cooking spray.
In large bowl, mix cookie mix, softened butter and egg with spoon until soft dough forms. Stir in 1/4 cup candy sprinkles. Shape into 36 (1-1/4-inch) balls. Place in mini muffin cups. Press indentation in center of each with end of wooden spoon.
Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately repeat indentation into center of each cookie with end of clean wooden spoon to make 1-inch opening, cleaning off end with paper towel when needed. Cool in pan 20 minutes. Loosen edges with small knife if needed. Remove to cooling rack. Cool completely, at least 30 minutes.
In small bowl, place half of the frosting. Tint red with food color. Place large piping bag fitted with medium star tip on its side. Using large icing spatula, spoon remaining vanilla frosting so it covers half of the length of side of piping bag. Carefully spoon red tinted frosting on top. Insert tip into indentation in each cookie cup. Squeeze bag to fill opening, and pipe about 2 heaping teaspoons per cookie cup. Sprinkle with remaining 2 teaspoons sprinkles. Store loosely covered at room temperature.
Expert Tips
Have only one mini muffin pan? Refrigerate remaining dough while baking first batch. Cool pan about 10 minutes, then bake rest of dough, adding 1 to 2 minutes to bake time.
Color and sprinkles can be customized for holidays or different events—use your imagination!
LEMON MERINGUE COOKIES
This is from Dorie Greenspan at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Dorie wrote, "Like their inspiration, lemon meringue pie, these cookies have three elements. They’re built on simple, slice-and-bake French shortbread cookies, rich, buttery and flavored with vanilla. The shortbread base is almost classic, except that the cookies are baked in muffin tins, so they’re straight-sided and deeply golden brown. The 'filling' is lemon curd, and the topping is crunchy bits of meringue. You get crumbly, velvety and crackly, sweet and tart in every bite. These cookies were created for an imaginary friend, Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, the hero of 16 Louise Penny novels, and a man who considers lemon meringue divine."
Yield: 24 cookies; Time: 2 hours
This was featured in "A Lemon Meringue Cookie Good Enough to Be Imaginary", and can be found online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1021686-lemon-meringue-cookies.
Note: If you didn't click on the link to the featured article that this cookie recipe came from (or if you did, but didn't read the article), you really should read it. Dorie Greenspan's article is well worth the read; heck, it's worth several reads. Maybe make up a batch of these, then sit back to enjoy both cookies and the article. (Thanks for both, Dorie!)
Ingredients
For the Meringue:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar
1 large egg white, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon distilled vinegar (or lemon juice)
Pinch of fine sea salt
For the Shortbread:
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into chunks and brought to room temperature, plus more for greasing the muffin tin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
About 1/3 cup store-bought or homemade lemon curd
Preparation
Make the meringue: Heat oven to 250 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, stir together both sugars.
Working with an electric mixer, beat the egg white, vinegar and salt on medium-high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks, about 3 minutes. Add the sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time, beating after each addition. Once the sugar is incorporated, beat 2 minutes more; you’ll have stiff, glossy, white peaks. Put the meringue on the baking sheet and spread it 1/4-inch thick. (It will cover only a small part of the sheet.)
Bake the meringue undisturbed for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat, prop open the oven door and let it dry for 1 hour. When you’re ready to use it, chop it into pieces about the size of chocolate chips. Precision doesn’t matter.
Make the shortbread: Working with a mixer (use the paddle if it’s a stand mixer), beat the butter, both sugars and the salt on medium speed for about 3 minutes, until smooth but not fluffy. On low speed, beat in the yolks, one at a time, followed by the vanilla. Add the flour in three additions, mixing on low until the dough comes together in large clumps. Turn out the dough and knead it into a ball. Cut the ball in half.
Shape each half into a 6-inch log. Wrap it and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. (You could also freeze it for up to 2 months; leave it on the counter for 1 hour before baking.)
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat oven to 350 degrees. Coat 1 or 2 muffin tins with butter (or nonstick baking spray).
Slice each log into 12 rounds (each 1/2-inch thick); drop one into each muffin cup. (If you don’t have enough tins, you can work in batches.)
Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, or until the cookies are golden brown around the rims. Transfer the tin(s) to a rack, cool for 5 minutes, then lift the cookies out and onto racks; cool to room temperature.
Just before serving, top each cookie with lemon curd, then top with ample chunks of meringue, pressing them into the curd. The meringue will keep in a cool, dry place for a few days, and the cookies can be kept at room temperature for about 3 days. But once you top the cookies, they’re best eaten soon after.
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