Chocolate Covered Oreos

This is one of those recipes that is as easy as it sounds.  Melt chocolate, dip Oreos.  I made them tonight for NYE at my sister's tomorrow.  I melted white chocolate, dipped the Oreos and then sprinkled red sugar on them.  You can use any kind of chocolate, any kind of sandwich cookie and any kind of decoration or no decoration at all.  Just be sure your fingers are made of abestos; or you have some patience to wait until the chocolate cools a bit before you dip!

Sea Salt Cashew Brittle

Cashews are probably my favorite nuts...this recipe does not require a candy thermometer.  We'll see how it goes.

1 C. sugar
1 C. light corn syrup
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 1/2 C. small cashews
2 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil; butter foil.  Heat sugar, corn syrup and butter in large heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture comes to a full boil, gently stirring occasionally.

Boil without stirring, 6 to 8 minutes or until syrup begins to turn pale golden brown.  Comtinue boiling 2 to 3 minutes or until a shade darker, stirring only to evenly distribute color.  Stir in cashews; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until syrup is a rich golden brown.

Remove from heat; stir in baking soda (mixture will foam up).  Immediately, pour onto baking sheet.  Working quickly, spread with metal or silicone spatula as thin as possible.  Sprinkle with salt, lightly pressing it into brittle.  Cool completely, break into pieces.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Whipped Mocha Truffles

OK, this is scary, I think I may be working on a baking plan for Christmas 2011! 

1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
10oz. 60% bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 tsp.  instant coffee granules or espresso powder
2 tbsp. coffee flavored liqueur
1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa or powdered sugar

Bring cream to a boil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Remove from heat; stir in chocolate and coffee granules.  Let stand 1 minute; stir gently until melted and smooth.  Whisk in liqueur.  Pour into medium bowl.

Refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes or until cool and thickened to soft spreadable consistency, whisking occasionally.  The chocolate mixture will set up quickly so keep an eye on it.

Beat cooled chocolate mixture at medium speed 30 seconds or until a shade lighter and fluffy.  (Do not overbeat.)

Place cocoa in a small shallow bowl.  With cocoa dusted hands, pinch off walnut size pieces of chocolate mixture; roll into rough balls or nuggests.  Roll, a few at a time in cocoa to coat.  Refrigerate until firm.

Slow Cooked Pork Tacos

Woohoo!  Another recipe to use the pork roasts that are piling up here at the house.  I am guessing this is something the kids would eat too.  We'll try it a few times before summer and tweak it if needed.

1 boneless pork roast, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 C salsa verde
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 C. chopped dried apricots
2 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
Dash hot pepper sauce
10 flour tortillas, warmed

Sour cream, green onions, avocado, shredded cheese, lettuce, and chopped tomatoes make great add-ons.

Combine the first 11 ingredients and put them in a slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or until meat is very tender. 

Shred port with 2 forks.  Place about a 1/2 C. pork mixture down the center of a tortilla.  Serve with toppings, if desired.

Dill Potato Wedges

20oz. red potato wedges
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. fresh dill or 1/4 tsp. dried dill weed

In a large skillet, cook the potato wedges, salt and pepper in oil over medium heat for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.  Remove from the heat, stir in cheese and dill.

Greek Chicken Dinner

Oompa!  One of our favorite spice blends from Penzeys is Greek Seasoning.  Here is a recipe I am going to adapt to use it.  I am going to switch out the chicken thighs the recipe calls for and add chicken breasts.  I am a white meat snob.  LOL

7 medium red potatoes, cut into 1 inch cubes
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C. sun dried tomato salad dressing
2 tsp. Greek seasoning
1 tsp.  dried basil
1/2 C. crumbled feta cheese

In a large bowl,  combine the first five ingredients.  Transfer to a 13X9 inch pan baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 40 minutes.  Sprinkle with cheese.  Bake, uncovered 10-15 minutes longer or until chicken juices run clear and potatoes are tender.

Double Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies

OK, let's be honest, you had me at double chocolate.  I found this recipe in Bon Appetit and while most recipes found there are a little "busy" (read 7 gazillion ingredients) this one looks fairly approachable.   I am going to give it a whirl for Christmas.
2 1/2 C. bittersweet chocolate chips (do not exceed 61% cacao) divided
1 1/2 C. flour
1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. instant expresso powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 C. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. peppermint extract
2 large eggs
4 candy canes, coarsely crushed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.  Stir 2 C. chocolate chips in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth.  Measure 2/3 C. melted chocolate; transfer to small metal bowl and reserve for drizzling.

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.  Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl until creamy.  Add sugar and both extracts; beat until smooth.  Add eggs; beat to blend.  Beat in melted chocolate from medium bowl.  Add dry ingredients; beat just to blend.  Stir in remaining 1/2 C. chocolate chips.  Measure 1 level tablespoonful dough; roll between palms to form a bowl.  Place on prepared baking sheet.  Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked all over and tested inserted in center comes out with large moist crumbs attached, 8 to 9 minutes.  Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes.  Transfer cookies on parchment paper to racks to cool completely. 

Rewarm reserved 2/3 C. chocolate over small saucepan of simmering water.  Using a fork, drizzle chocolate over cookies.  Sprinkle crushed candy canes over cookies.  Chill just until chocolate sets.  Can be made up to 3 weeks ahead and frozen.

Thumbprint Cookies

Little bite sized cookies filled with jam and sprinkled with powdered sugar, I can live with that.

2 C. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
12 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 C. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Assorted jams (orange, raspberry, grape, and/or strawberry
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Beat the butter, granulated sugar and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer until light and fluffy.   Add half of the dry ingredient and mix until just combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients.  Knead a few times by hand to bring the dough together.

Roll teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and place about a half inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.  Make an indentation in hte center of each ball with a small measuring spoon.  Fill each indentation with jam (a scant 1/8 tsp.)

Bake until the edges of the cookies are golden, 15 to 20 minutes.  Let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.  Dust with confectioner's sugar if desired.  Store in an airtight container.

Everyone Needs More Counter Space

I think I may have the world's smallest kitchen.  It didn't help that we had a microwave that sat on the already limited counter space.  This past Friday I had someone come in and mount a new microwave over our stove.  The Christmas baking season will be so much easier now!

Latest Creations

Here are some photos.  We'll start with a Chopped challenge issued by Chris.  I had pizza dough and marscapone cheese.  I added some peach sauce and cinnamon and made a fruit pizza.


Then I have some new regular pizza photos.

Then last week I made some new egg sandwiches.

Ricotta Orange Pound Cake

I found this in the latest Food Network Magazine...it's Giada DeLaurentiis' recipe.  I am sending Chris to Binny's to get the Amaretto...a splash for the recipe and a splash for Kath!

3/4 C. unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 1/2 C. cake flour
2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 C. whole milk ricotta
1 1/2 C. plus 1 tbsp. granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 orange, zested
2 tbsp. Amaretto
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan with butter. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to blend.

Using a mixer, cream the butter, ricotta, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. With the machine running, add the eggs, one at at time. Add the vanilla, orange zest, and Amaretto until combined. Add the dry ingredients, a small amount at a time, until just incorporated.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean and the cake pulls away from the edges of the pan; 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

I am going to try this in my mini loaf pans as well. We'll see how it goes.---I can report that the recipe did not work in the mini loaf pans...it was a mess.  I am kind of bummed.

Holiday Baking Plan of Attack

OK, so the planner in me is a little nervous because it's December 1st and I don't have my baking plan in place yet.  OK, let's be honest, I've never really had a baking "plan" other than to get it done.  This year I have found a gazillion new recipes (or 250) and have expanded beyond cookies and breads into candies and chocolate dipped things.

Since I have a full time job that often gets in the way of my cooking/baking endeavors and then there's the singing that will be over for the season next week, then there are cards to write and gifts to wrap...the list goes on and on and on.

So I decided to make a list...we're starting with Ricotta Orange Pound Cake.  I'll post recipes as I go or reference ones already in the blog.  Check back...

OK, now it's December 8th and I have baked the following...Ricotta Orange Pound Cake--I let Mom, Chris and my co-workers sample it and it's a go for the holidays.  I have made 4 mini loaves of Chocolate Chip Banana Bread which is titled simply Banana Bread and dated Sept 7th here in the blog and 4 mini loaves of Cranberry Bread dated April 18th here in the blog.

We're looking at  Thumbprint Cookies which I will post soon and I have to decide on truffles...

OK, I have made the Thumbprint Cookies and the dough was kind of dry.  The cookies themselves are ugly but they do taste good!  I also made Coconut Macaroons and dipped them in melted semi sweet chocolate.  Also, Double Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Cookies, Pretzel Bark and Simply Sensational Truffles.  I will probably bake some  mini loaves of bread during the week.  All of the recipes listed here are also in the blog.

Now that Christmas is over, I have posted some photos of my cookie trays.  I am pretty pleased with my results even though I had a few pitfalls...the Ricotta Orange Pound Cake does not translate into the mini loaf pans, making truffles with milk chocolate is a little iffy...I need to work on my chocolate to cream ratio.