Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookies

This should tell you something . . . the page in my cookbook, The Good Cookie that holds this recipe is smudged with chocolate. The original recipe has walnuts. I usually omit the nuts, primarily because my kids won't eat anything with nuts. I was the same way as a kid. These cookies are almost like a brownie in cookie form, chewy and moist, baking them can be somewhat difficult. It is a very thin line between under or over baking them. This recipe is great to make ahead, because the dough needs to chill prior to scooping. You can also scoop a few at time, bake and scoop the rest the next day. As with all my cookies, I scoop the entire batch, use what I need, individually freeze the rest of the cookies and then once frozen . . . bag the cookies, label and save for a rainy day. This way I always have a variety of cookies in the freezer ready to bake at a moments notice.

Ingredients:
1/4 C flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
14 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I sometimes use 8 oz. bittersweet and 6 oz semisweet)
2 T unsalted butter
2 large eggs
1 C brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 C chopped walnuts


Preparation:
In a small bowl, whisk flour and baking powder, set aside. Divide the chocolate into 8 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet and 6 ounces bittersweet finely chopped or semisweet chips. I like using the semisweet chips. In a glass bowl over simmering water melt the 8 ounces of chocolate and butter. Set aside and cool once melted. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar and vanilla on high about 3 minutes, the mixture should double in volume.
On low speed, blend in melted chocolate and then the dry ingredients. Stir in the remaining 6 ounces of chocolate and nuts (if desired) by hand. Cover and chill dough for at least an hour and up to 24 hours.
Once chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with cooking spray. Scoop cookies by the teaspoon full or like I do with a #40 cookie scoop. (You can also scoop, flatten and freeze in individual layers to bag once frozen and bake a later time.)
Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets and bake 9-11 minutes, until cookies appear set. Rotate pans half way though cooking. If you over bake cookies will be dry. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes then remove to wire racks. Remove cookies with a spatula. They like to stick!
Store airtight for up to one week.

Snicker Doodles

Another cookie that has crisp exterior with a chewy texture that my kids love, as this cookie bakes your home will fill with the warming scent of cinnamon. This particular snicker doodle recipe can be found in one of my favorite cookbooks that I received from my mom. The Hoosier Cookbook, has all of those great recipes that I remember growing up, should you ever have a chance to pick one up, I highly recommend adding it to your collection. The book contains recipes from people all over the state of Indiana. The snicker doodle recipe was contributed by Kathleen Ingle of Crawford County. Be careful not to over bake, the cookies will loose their softness if they bake too long.
Like most of the other cookies I make, these freeze great once they have been scooped.

Ingredients:
1 C shortening
1 1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
2 3/4 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt
4 T sugar
2 tsp. cinnnamon
Yield: 33 cookies with a 40 scoop

Prepartation:
Combine shortening and 1 1/2 C sugar, beat in eggs one at a time. Mix flour, soda, cream of tartar and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually beat flour mixture into the wet ingredients until combined. Scoop with desired size cookie scoop or roll into approximately one teaspoon sized balls. At this point you can freeze in an individual layer and bag once frozen or combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and roll cookies in this mixture to coat. Place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees.

Mountain Bar Cookies

I haven't proclaimed this in my blog yet, but my mom is my HERO! She has done many amazing things, but this was one of those things that she remained persistent about and it was something only a mother would do out of love for a child.
My high school made these wonderful fudge like cookies that I absolutely loved. It was one of those things that when you saw it in the lunch line, it was like Christmas morning! It would make my day. Years later, in my adulthood, my mom surprised me with the recipe! She tracked down some lunch lady and pestered her until she got the recipe. They are not complicated, they are not even baked, but I love them today as much as I did at 15.
Ingredients:
2 C sugar
1/2 C whole milk
3 T cocoa powder
1 stick butter
1/2 C peanut butter
1/2 C coconut
dash of salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C quick cooking oatmeal

Preparation:
In a medium stock pot, mix the first 4 ingredients and bring to a boil, boil one minute. Remove from heat and add peanut butter, coconut, salt and vanilla. Next, mix in oatmeal. Stir one or two minutes to cool, so mixture is slightly firm. Drop by the teaspoonful or #70 scoop on to wax or parchment paper in small mounds. Cool completely until set and store in an airtight container.

Cam's Butterfinger Cookie

Ingredients:
1 3/4 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar
1 C butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
3 C flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4-5 regular sized Butterfinger candy bars, crushed ( I use a fork and stab at the candy. )
Yield: 34 cookies with a #40 scoop. I also use a 70 scoop which makes a great size and yields twice the amount.

Preparation:
Cream butter and sugars in mixing bowl. Beat in eggs one at a time along with vanilla. Stir soda and salt into flour and gradually beat four mixture into butter mixture. Mix in crushed candy bars. Scoop cookies and place on a parchment lined sheet. ( Place larger cookies 2 inches apart,THESE COOKIES SPREAD.) I stagger the cookies so they have plenty of room, 2 at the top of the baking sheet, then one cookie slightly below, then 2 and so on. Bake cookies at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes, rotating half way through cooking. Cool on wire racks and store airtight up to 3 days.

Cam came up with the idea to make Butterfinger cookies. He loves the candy bar and we figured if you can add chocolate chips to a cookie, why not a candy bar. His idea was genius! I first tried adding the crushed candy to the original nestle recipe and they were good. Then I realized that I had a great sugar cookie recipe that might be just a little bit better. I WAS RIGHT.
The original recipe for this cookie is a lemon flavored sugar cookie that was one of Martha's Cookie of the Month recipes. ( Old Fashioned Sugar Cookie to be exact, They are wonderful.) Carole (my cooking partner) and I created an unlimited amount of flavors from this basic recipe, it IS the perfect sugar cookie. The cookie is chewy on the inside and Martha's version is coated with sugar prior to baking so it remains crisp and crackly on the outside.
You can find hers on line under the name listed above, but here is a short version along with some the other varieties we have concocted. Follow the recipe above mixing 1 T of grated lemon zest and 1 T lemon juice (omit the vanilla and butterfingers) in with the sugar for 30 seconds, mixing the remaining ingredients as described above. Scoop and flatten cookies, Martha sprinkles them with sanding sugar, brushes them with water then sprinkles with sugar again prior to baking. Carole and I discovered you can scoop, flatten and freeze. Bag cookies once frozen then dip the tops of the cookies in sugar prior to baking.
Key Lime: same measurements, just use key limes
Coconut: add toasted coconut and coconut flavored rum instead of vanilla
Espresso: add espresso and Kahlua
Vanilla Bean: add granulated vanilla bean
Almond, Orange with cranberry and white chocolate chips. You get the idea, use your imagination and create your family favorite.
Martha's picture, of course, is better than mine, so I am using it for now. I will add the butterfinger picture soon.

Meringue Peppermint Kisses

I know, I know, this really isn't a cookie. But, it is a very yummy sweet treat perfectly designed for Christmas or any time of the year if you ask me. The original recipe is from Martha Stewart Living. My friend Carole and I have been making them
for a few years and created a slightly less complicated method from Martha's.
She pipes chocolate on the bottoms and creates a sandwich with two kisses, we either leave them plain or if dipped we use tempered or candy dipping chocolate. I prefer them without chocolate. I have included a picture of Martha's now and will upload a picture of ours when we make them on Monday.
The meringues take some time to bake, so plan accordingly, they also fare better in a dry climate. If you have a problem with humidity, store them in an airtight container with food safe desiccants.
*You will require a couple of special tools: piping bag(s) fitted with #22 star tip and a new small paintbrush. (It's MARTHA, certain complications just can't be avoided)
Two TIPS: The recipe makes a lot, so make them with a friend and split the results.
Make some creme brulee, shortbread sandwich cookies or another egg yolk only recipe at the same time since you are only using egg whites for the meringues.
Yield: Approximately 100 if you keep them single

Ingredients:
3 large egg whites
3/4 C sugar
1/2 tsp. pure peppermint extract
Red gel-paste food coloring
IF YOU WANT CHOCOLATE:
1 cup heavy cream
6 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, finely chopped or I like Ghiradelli Chocolate Dipping Bar. (Can be found at my Sams Club during Christmas or on line at Ghiradelli dot com.)

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 175 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper, once you have made the meringue, secure the corners of the parchment with a dab of meringue. Have paint brush, food color and piping bag ready to go. ( A tall glass to rest your piping bag in when not in use is a good idea.)

In metal mixing bowl, combine egg whites and sugar. Place bowl over a pan of simmering water and stir until the sugar is dissolved. 2-3 minutes. Transfer bowl to your mixer and beat with the whisk on medium-high until you reach stiff peaks. Whip in peppermint.
With your paint brush, paint a few stripes of red food color from the tip of your piping bag almost to the top. (Martha says 2-3, we usually do 3-4) Fill your piping bag with meringue approximately 2/3-3/4 full, leaving enough room to twist the top and keep the whipped whites from overflowing when you pipe. Re-paint and refill bag as needed. The stripes will become faint as you pipe. Pipe small, 3/4 inch high star shapes onto prepared sheets.

Bake stars, approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes until crisp, but not brown. Cool on wire racks. Dip in chocolate, if desired, once the stars have cooled. Store in an airtight container.

Brown Sugar-Pecan Shortbread (Beep's Favorite Cookie)

This recipe has very few ingredients and whenever you are faced with this, may I make one small request/recommendation . . . USE THE BEST PRODUCTS. Spending a little more for quality ingredients will make all the difference. Butter and vanilla are key ingredients here. I received this recipe from my friend Carole (from whom I receive so many amazing recipes and ideas) and it quickly became ONE of Beep's faves. I wish I could give credit to the cookbook, but I only have a faxed copy, so if I find out I will include that information at a later date. This is another cookie that freezes well. I love having an assortment of ready-to-bake cookies bagged and in the freezer. Quick to stir together by hand or in a mixer and easy to slice and bake these cookies are perfect for the novice baker!

Ingredients:
1 C toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound unsalted butter, room temperature (use the best you can find)
2/3 C light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 C flour (I use King Arthur UN-bleached)
1/4 tsp. salt
Yield: about 4 dozen cookies
Mixing the Dough:

Beat together the butter and brown sugar, no lumps of sugar or streaks of butter should be visible. Stir in the vanilla.
Mix together the flour and salt in a separate bowl and then stir into butter mixture. Once the flour is completely incorporated, stir in the pecans.
Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, and form it into a 4 1/2 by 6-inch rectangle about 1 inch thick. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour. You will want the dough to be well chilled so the cookies cut easily. You can also cut and freeze cookies to bake in smaller batches.
Cut the dough lengthwise in half, you should now have two blocks approximately 2 inches by 6. Now cut 1/4 inch thick cookies from each of those blocks, you will have a rectangular cookie 2x1 inch shape.

Bake:
Place sliced cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Rotate pans half way through cooking if you are baking more than one sheet. The cookies should be golden and crisp. Cool and store in an airtight container.

Pecan Toffees: Cookie Palooza part III

This is a recipe I received from a co-worker over 15 years ago. These bite size tarts are like a mini pecan pie. I have of course added my own touch, the original did not have pecans. The crust this recipe uses is great as well, but I have used the filling in pastry dough and it is wonderful.

Ingredients:
Crust:
8 ounces of butter softened
6 ounces of cream cheese softened
2 C flour

Filling:
2 eggs
1 1/2 C brown sugar
2 T melted butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 C finely chopped pecans
you can also add a splash of Kalua along with the vanilla flavoring
powdered sugar for dusting

Preparation:
Beat butter and cream cheese together, add flour and mix until it forms a soft dough. Break off small pieces, (about a tsp.) of dough and form into mini muffin tins, pressing dough up the sides of the tin.
In another bowl, beat eggs with melted butter, sugar, flavoring and pecans. Scoop filling into prepared muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees, approximately 17 minutes. Allow to cool, remove from pan and dust with powdered sugar.
For pecan pastry, cut pastry dough with 3 inch fluted square. Cut half of these squares again with a 2 inch fluted square, you will have a sort of picture frame piece of dough, this will top each solid square and hold the filling on the pastry. Place solid squares on a parchment lined baking sheet and moisten each edge with water. Place the pastry that has the center cut out on top of the solid square and press lightly to seal. Spoon a small amount of pecan filling onto the center of the pastry "frame". At this point the pastries may be frozen and baked at will.
Bake at the same temperature for approximately the same amount of time, (15-20 min.) the pastry will puff and become golden. These are also great dusted with powdered sugar. You can always do a free form tart, rolling the dough in a circle or rectangle, curl the edges to create a lip and fill with some of the pecan filling, bake, cool and then cut into pieces to serve. This is a great rustic/easy option, still equally as delicious!

Egg Nog Sandwich Cookies: Cookie Palooza II

Ingredients:
Cookie:
1 C unsalted butter softened
1/2 C sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp.
2 C four
Coarse sugar for sprinkling

Filling:
3 T unsalted butter softened
1 C plus 2 T powdered sugar
1 T brandy
1tsp. vanilla

Mixing the Dough
Beat butter and sugar on medium speed about 1 minute until combined. Add egg yolk, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt mix until combined, scraping down the sides if necessary. Add the flour and mix just until combined. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and form into a rectangle. Chill at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

Place chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut with a 1 1/2 inch fluted square or round cookie cutter. Cut half of the squares with a 1/2 inch round pastry tip or VERY small heart shaped cutter, these will be the tops. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar. ( You can freeze tops and bottoms at this point and bake later if desired. ) Continue to roll out dough, pressing scraps together and re-chill if necessary. Bake the cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for 9-11 minutes until slightly browned on the bottom. Cool on wire racks. While the cookies bake, mix the filling. In a small bowl mix butter, add the sugar, brandy and vanilla, stir until smooth. Once cookies have cooled
spread about 3/4 of a tsp. of filling onto cookie bottoms and lightly press on top so the filling oozes slightly out of the cut shape on the top cookie.

These shortbread sandwich cookies are terrific and extremely versatile. This recipe is from one of my favorite books, The Good Cookie. A friend and I have been making them for quite some time, but had never made them with the flavors listed above until now. I was pleasantly surprised at the outcome! Egg nog is a festive flavor for the holidays, but try our variation of a simple vanilla flavored cookie with strawberry butter cream, or any flavor butter cream for that matter. We started baking them for girl baby shower so we chose strawberry for the cute pink color and the taste wasn't so bad either. I will include a butter cream recipe at a later date. I would do it now, but I would never get this post up. ENJOY!

Gingerbread Stars: Let the Cookie Palooza Begin!

COOKIE
DISCLAIMER: In order to provide recipes prior to the Christmas season, I will publish photos at a later time. I can not be held responsible for the appearance of your cookies. I reserve the right to reject any comments that may be calumniatory or disparaging. I began mixing and freezing cookie doughs early to accommodate a busy holiday schedule, pictures will follow. I PROMISE.

This is a wonderful dough from Bo Friberg. Perfect for Christmas! Light and crispy this wafer thin cookie will melt on your tongue. The original recipe does not include icing, however a wonderful friend and fellow self made cook created an amazing way to top off the cookie. She created a lemon glaze to drizzle on top and if you really want to guild the lily . . . you can sprinkle them with edible glitter flakes. I have cut this recipe in half, it makes a gazillion cookies, feel free to double and the proportions will be correct, but there is really no need. This cookie comes together so easily you will love love love it, the dough does need to chill overnight, so plan ahead, but it can be kept refrigerated, covered for 2 months. The options for this cookie are endless, use it for a gingerbread house, men or as described here. Remember, the dough MUST be rolled paper thin for cookies so they do not turn out hard and inedible.
Recipe
7 1/2 ounces unsalted butter
7 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
10 ounces light corn syrup
3 ounces whole milk
1 pound 5 ounces bread flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
2 T cinnamon
1 T cloves
1 T ginger
Yeilds: approximately 120 cookies

Dough Preparation
In a sauce pot large enough to accommodate all of your ingredients, stir together, butter, sugar, corn syrup & milk over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and sift together dry ingredients and stir into the pot. Line a rimmed baking dish with parchment paper and pour dough onto sheet, spreading it into an even thickness. Refrigerate, covered overnight. Roll out the dough in small batches on a floured surface, I roll about 1 sixth of the dough at a time to 1/16 inch thick. You will almost be able to see through the dough, but don't worry it rolls beautifully. Cut out cookies using a 3-inch star cutter and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. I like to chill the cookies again or freeze at this point to bake at a later time. Re-chilling will help your cookies keep their shape, this applies to any dough. Set dough scraps to the side and re-roll when you have finished with the first batch. Bake at 400 degrees for 7-10 minutes, the cookies will be crisp and a rich brown color.

Lemon Icing
Juice of 1 lemon
1 C approximately powdered sugar
Stir lemon juice into sugar a little at a time to reach desired consistency. The icing should flow easily, place icing in a small tipped squeeze bottle and drizzle over cooled cookies, sprinkle while wet with edible glitter flakes optional.

WoW wine of the week

I realize the wine I am about to list is a summer wine, but oh well, label me a procrastinator. Beep grabbed this one at Central Market this summer and we quickly fell in love with it's effervescent citrusy flavor!
I am not sure what I like more, the taste or the bottle. With the simple vertical printed name on the front you peer through the clear liquid to a beautiful painted woman, (plus I have a tough time with names, so the appearance of the bottle is extremely important to me) it is unmistakable.
Drum roll please. . . the wine of the week is . . . New Age. New Age comes from one of Argentina's oldest wineries, founded in 1928 by Italian immigrant, Valentin Bianchi. You can get additional info on this wine from their rep, Quintessential Wine, http://www.quintessentialwines.com. They price it at $9.99, I believe Central Market had it priced at $10, but it could be more, it is Central Market after all. ENJOY! (Summer or not.)

Cabo Review

Sooo . . . as promised here is a quick review and photo story of our trip to La Palmilla. Simply said, it was the trip of a life time. The hotel and grounds were exquisite. It was like being transported to a tropical paradise, 1950's style. From Here to Eternity couldn't hold a candle to the romantic atmosphere of this place.
We were greeted at the airport with cool scented cloths and water by our driver and quickly whisked away to the resort, entertained by a video preview of all La Palmilla's amenities and offerings.
Stepping out of our car we promptly received guava and passion fruit popsicles to enjoy as we were escorted to our accommodations and given a brief tour of the grounds. Our butler was waiting and introduced to us upon entering our room, he courteously described each indulgence our quarters had to offer, from the complimentary tequila with spiced almonds to the daily fruit and appetizer selections. Be it in our room, by the pool or at the hotel's restaurants, I have never been so pampered at any resort.
Cabo was great too, filled our days and nights with food, fun and entertainment and we didn't even hit the water. Places like The Office, Slim's Elbo Room Bar, Cabo Wabo, Squid Roe, and La Golondrina (The Trailer Park) Restaurant are must sees and offer unforgettable experiences. I can't wait for our next visit so we can actually do something besides eat and drink.

Marscapone Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

Here's a yummy fall treat. Honestly, I had some left over ingredients that I needed to use, so I combined two recipes to create this creamy Autumn dessert. You can substitute vanilla wafers or ginger snaps for the crust, but a like the simple graham cracker. The picture is stock from Kraft, I am not a photographer, so when I can steal from someone who is, I do. My motto, "If someone has already done it better, let them."
Crust
1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
1 T sugar
4 oz. melted butter

Filling
16 oz. cream cheese
12 oz. mascarpone cheese
3/4 C sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 t. ground vanilla
1/4 t. salt
1 C canned pumpkin
1 t. ground cinnamon
1/4 t. freshly ground nutmeg
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground clove

Prepare Crust
Mix crumbs and sugar together, add melted butter and pat into a buttered 9 inch spring form pan or a buttered 9x13 square baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Cool. Meanwhile mix filling.
Prepare Filling
Beat cream cheese and mascarpone cheese, add sugar and beat at medium high speed until fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Add vanilla and salt, mix on low until combined. In a separate bowl combine pumpkin and remaining ingredients. Set aside 1 1/2 C of the vanilla cheesecake and stir the remaining vanilla mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Spoon half of the pumpkin mixture on to the crust, top with spoonfuls of the vanilla mixture. Repeat both layers and swirl with a knife.
Bake at 325 degrees: 25-30 minutes for the 9 inch version and 18-20 minutes for the 9x13 version. The center will still tremble slightly, cool at room temperature then cover and refrigerate 2-4 hours.

Easy Apple Turnovers

Apples could quite possibly be the perfect fruit of the Fall! No wonder Eve was tempted. I should have posted these recipes in October, but in Dallas it just started feeling like Fall. I suppose I am a product of my environment. Smelling the buttery pastry baking is like heaven. A fire in the fireplace, your favorite sweater and warm apples in your belly! YUM YUM
Puff Pastry 1 recipe below, or for the terminally lazy, 2 boxes of
Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets. You can brush finished turnovers with an egg wash and top with large crystal sugar or I like to top them with an almond glaze.
2 Granny Smith apples diced
2 McIntosh apples diced
2 T butter
1 T apple cider vinegar
3 T sugar
1 t cinnamon (Chinese Cassia)
1 tube almond paste


Quick Puff Pastry
1 pound flour
1 pound cold unsalted butter
1/4 ounce salt (dissolve in the water)
8 ounces ice-cold water
Place flour in mixing bowl. Cut the butter, which should be firm, but not hard, into 1 inch pieces. Mix butter & flour on low/med. speed until you have walnut/pea sized lumps. Add water mixture to four mixture and mix only until dough can be handled. There should be lumps of butter. Shape into a square and rest for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. Roll the dough to 1/2 inch thick into a rectangle. Give the dough three 4 fold turns, turning the dough 90 degrees after each fold before rolling back to 1/2 thickness. ( A 4 fold turn means you will fold the outer edges in to meet in the middle, also known as a book fold.)

To assemble the turnovers . . . Saute apples in butter in a skillet over medium heat, 2-3 minutes until they begin to soften. Add vinegar to pan, cook until evaporated, then add the sugar and cook until it dissolves. Remove pan from heat and stir in cinnamon. Set the apples aside to cool, roll out pastry to desired size. I like to cut mine in approximately 3X3 inch squares for a 3 bite turnovers. Pinch off about 1/2 tsp. amount of almond paste to place in the center of each turnover. Prepare a small bowl with water to seal your turnovers. You are ready for assembly. Add cooled apple filling to the center on top of almond paste, dipping your finger in the water bowl, line each edge of turnover with water then fold top left corner to meet the bottom right corner to form a triangle. Press to seal the edges and twist dough to seal or use the end of a fork, pressing edges to seal tightly. You can re-chill finished turnovers and bake, but I like to flash freeze them on the baking sheet and once frozen place them in a freezer zip-top bag to bake on a whim. (I love being able to take a few out of the freezer and bake when ever we want a sweet treat.) Prior to freezing you can brush with water or egg wash and top with sugar if desired.
Bake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees, place turnovers straight from the freezer on to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown. Approximately 12-15 minutes. If you are baking more than one pan, rotate half way through cooking.

Almond Glaze
1 C powdered sugar
1 T. melted butter
1/2 tsp. almond extract
Warm Water 1 Tablespoon at a time until you reach desired consistency. I always just "eyeball" this part. Add melted butter and extract to sugar, then stir in warm water. Drizzle over warm turnovers.

Bacon Lollipops

SWEET & SPICY, these are a crowd pleaser! There is eye candy . . . but this is BACON CANDY. Let's face it, every thing's better with bacon!

Ingredients:
1 pkg. bread sticks I use Alessi brand, there are 25/pkg.
10 bacon strips I use Blue Ribbon hickory smoked it is fairly thick
1 C brown sugar
1-2 T cayenne pepper
* Note: the amounts of sugar and cayenne do not need to be exact.
Yield: 20 lollipops

The ingredients are simple, it is the process that gets just a little bit complicated, and the outcome can be quite unpredictable, but I promise these are worth the time and effort. I have tried it many different ways and I think I finally found the perfect method.

Cooking Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line broiler pan with foil or create one like I do by lining a rimmed baking sheet with foil, placing shallow ramekins or rolled up cigar shaped pieces of foil on the lined sheet and top with another layer of foil. Poke holes in the top layer of foil with a fork to allow the bacon grease to drain. Lining everything with foil will make for EASY clean up. Believe me, you will thank me later, throwing away some foil beats cleaning greasy sugar coated baking sheets any day.
On a large platter or a rimmed baking sheet spread brown sugar in an even layer so you can coat strips of bacon. ( I do a few strips with just the brown sugar an no pepper, because my kids love these, but not if they are spicy.) Sprinkle cayenne over brown sugar and mix with your fingers until combined. Place one slice of bacon at a time on the sugar mixture and pat sugar on to coat, set aside and continue until all 10 slices are coated. Cut each slice of bacon in half, I use my kitchen scissors for quick and easy cuts. Wrap each half slice around one end of a bread stick and place on lined baking sheet. Try to set the bread stick down so the bacon is tucked under and stays wrapped as tightly as possible. The bacon will shrink as it cooks, so as long as both ends are tucked under the bread stick it will stay wrapped.
Place the bacon pops in opposite directions on the tray, you can fit more this way and they cook more evenly. For example: Place the first one with the bacon going one direction and place the next one with the bacon on the opposite end so the bread stick is near the first pop's bacon end, repeat alternating the bacon end of the sticks. HOPEFULLY this makes sense!
Place baking sheet on the bottom oven rack and back approximately 30 minutes. Baking time may vary depending on the thickness of your bacon. The one I use is a thick cut, a thin cut bacon will take less time. You should also watch the oven closely, if you have too much sugar on the bacon it can start to burn and smoke easily. Rotate bacon half way through cooking process if necessary, I do, because my ovens don't always cook evenly. Once bacon is golden and the fat no longer looks greasy or white, your lollipops are ready! Remove from oven and allow to cool 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet. VERY IMPORTANT: leave them on the sheet! Don't worry if the bread sticks seem wobbly, they are not broken, they become soft during baking. They will firm up once they have cooled slightly. They are also VERY HOT, sugar will burn you.
Once they have cooled slightly, place on a serving platter or in a decorative glass. They are great while still warm or at room temperature.

Neiman Marcus Tortilla Soup

I will apologize in advance for no photo of the soup, I thought I could copy the cookbook cover and didn't take a picture. Guess you'll have to get the book and check out the photo and recipe on page 19.
A favorite fall soup for our family is the tortilla soup from the Mermaid Bar in Neiman Marcus, Northpark. This is not the light brothy style that you may first invision, it it a thick stick to your ribs version of the southwest creation. For our family it is a must have during every visit!
Our prayers were answered when friend, neighbor and executive chef for Neiman Marcus, Kevin Garvin published the iconic retailers first cookbook in 2003, Neiman Marcus Cookbook, and the coveted recipe was now mine for the making.
I always worry when recreating a restaurant recipe, is the scale correct, will it be the same? Kevin did not disappoint, the recipe is dead on! I didn't have to change a thing to recreate that wonderful combination of flavors. The only thing I do is blend the soup with my immersion blender prior to adding the cheese sauce and the cream. The soup at the Mermaid Bar is smooth and silky with very small pieces of recognizable veggies. I didn't get that same consistency without blending it just slightly. I also cheat and use store bought broth to save time. There are adequate brands these days, so I often don't bother making my own.
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the entire book, if you don't have it among your collection, YOU SHOULD.
Some of my other favorites are . . . Chicken & White Bean Chili, Poblano Chile & Corn Chowder, Mermaid Bar "Love Salad", Crab Louis Parfait & Strawberry Butter are just a few.
And that is not all . . . Kevin followed up the success of this book with his second; Neiman Marcus Taste: Timeless American Recipes in 2007.
2 3/4 Cups poached & shredded chicken
3 T olive oil
1 Cup dice onion
1/4 Cup diced red onion
1/4 Cup diced carrot
1/2 T minced garlic
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. red chile powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 Cup crushed canned tomatoes
2 Quarts chicken broth
10 corn tortillas cut into small pieces
1/4 Cup nacho cheese sauce, jar
1 Cup heavy cream
S & P to taste
Crispy tortilla strips & fresh cilantro to garnish
In a heavy bottom sauce pan saute the veggies in the olive oil until soft, add the garlic and spices. Next add tomatoes, broth, and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Turn heat to a simmer, add the corn tortillas and simmer one hour. Stir occasionally. THIS IS WHERE I DEVIATE. . . blend as stated above. Add shredded chicken, cheese sauce and cream. Season to taste garnish and serve. I like to make the soup a day or two in advance.

WoW wine of the week

Alright, I know, let me begin with a small disclaimer . . . I may not, okay will in all probability never get a post up every week with a new wine pick, but I will give it my best shot. I just like the WoW, it just doesn't have the same impact if the post was titled WoM or WoBM (bi-monthly). I promise in official girls scout spirit, to post a WoW as often as possible. I am confident that tasting won't be a problem!

Drum roll please . . . . The first official WoW is: Tamarack Cellars Firehouse Red
Beep and I had this one at home and it was terrific. It made such and impact on Beep that he saved the cork so we could remember to buy it again, and I often trust his palate more than I trust my own. At $20 (on line), I am not sure what we paid, you get a very drinkable wine with hints of raspberry, currant, mocha and a touch of black pepper spice.

Cabo Here We Come!

Photo story to follow, but so excited for the wedding of the year! Kevin and Nic are one lucky couple. Rick has been down-graded to a tropical storm, so no rain on our parade. I am fairly certain the trip will provide incredible pictures, food and memories. In the interest in creating a good tease . . . check out this preview of the Palmilla where we will be spending 5 days of kiddo-less bliss.


http://www.oneandonlyresorts.com/flash.html

po·so·le or po·zo·le (pe zol, ee)n. A stew or soup made with posole, pork, chili, and other seasonings.
Imagine . . . 98 degrees and humidity that could curl Asian hair . . . and my husband and I order a bowl of piping hot soup. Surprisingly,(she states with heavy sarcasm) the waitress misunderstands our request and delivers not one, but two bowls to our table. We politely accept the mistake, never imagining that we would devour them both in record time. Sweat beading on our lips and running quickly down his brow, we ate both bowls without a second thought.
The plastic bowl filled with a dark red broth, bits of chicken and pork that melt in your mouth, corn puffed and slightly chewy, was the perfect balance of flavor and texture in your mouth. But wait! There's more . . . the bowl was accompanied by a plate filled with lettuce, chopped radish and avocado on the half shell as a garnish.
The creaminess and crunchiness factor was over the top!
Were we sitting at a cloth covered table in a five diamond restaurant? No, we were seated on plastic chairs, using paper napkins, al fresco at the Mercado 28 in Cancun, Mexico. YUM! We even went back later the next week for one more bowl of perfectness before heading home to the good old US of A. (Which Cam, I believe, was the happiest of all three kiddos to be rid of the interesting smells throughout Mexico, that they all would mention every time we left the hotel. Notice his picture in the slide show at the Mercado. "Man cannot live by water and I phone alone", but he certainly gave it a try.)
Minus the language barrier, I would have asked for the recipe from our more than gracious waitress and I am certain she would have obliged. Shockingly, a small town in Indiana did not produce a confident Spanish speaking Traci, so NO RECIPE. Not to mix cultures again, but ahh . . . c'est la vie, I would use the Spanish expression if I knew it, but I will have rely on the internet and test some posole recipes of my own as soon as this Dallas weather breaks. Look for updates in the fall. I am willing to test as many as it takes and post the best here.
Meanwhile enjoy this picture and a lovely video I took of the mariachi performing for the rowdy table seated behind us. A slide show of our trip can be viewed in the left margin.

Lobster & Saffron Cream Pasta

I found this recipe years ago in Bon Appetite. It is a favorite of Beep's and he often asks for it on special occasions. I made it this year for Father's Day and we both were in heaven. It is every bit as good as I remember, but very rich. Beep, of course enjoys it as an entree, but I think it works great as an appetizer.

3 1-1/2lb. lobster tails
2 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
2 small shallots, minced
1 C dry white wine
1 1/2 C whipping cream
4-6 saffron threads
Salt & Pepper to taste
1/2 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
10-12oz. cooked capellini
2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish

Remove the lobster meat from the tails. ( I use kitchen scissors it makes quick work of the shell. ) Cut into bite size pieces. Saute the lobster in the butter and olive oil over medium heat until pink and golden. Remove the lobster and set aside. Reserve the pan drippings and saute the shallot in those until caramelized. De glaze the skillet with the wine, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits. Cook until the wine is reduced by half, stirring constantly. Meanwhile, bring a 6 QT stock pot of water to a boil and cook pasta to desired consistency, drain and reserve for later.
Stir in the whipping cream. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until the sauce has thickened. Add the saffron threads, salt and pepper, while constantly stirring. Stir in the 1/2 cup of cheese.
Return the lobster to the skillet and sauce. Add the cooked pasta and toss to mix. Cook over low heat, just until heated through. Spoon onto serving platter or individual plates and garnish with parsley and additional Parmesan cheese.

gazpacho

A summer favorite. Add lump crab meat or left over lobster if there is such a thing. I list amounts for the ingredients, but it is easy to add or omit whatever you like and adjust to taste.

4-5 tomatoes
2 large cucumbers, peeled and seeded
1 small yellow onion, diced
3 ribs celery
2 carrots
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
3-4 pieces hearts of palm, sliced
1 large clove garlic, crushed
1/2 C red wine vinegar
1/4 C good quality olive oil
2 2oz. cans V-8
1/3 C fresh chopped cilantro
Tabasco sauce to taste
Salt and Pepper to taste

With a paring knife, cut an X in the bottom of each tomato. In a sauce pan, bring water to a boil and blanch tomatoes for a few minutes until the skin begins to split.
Remove and place in an ice bath to stop cooking. Peel and seed, the tomatoes, discard both. Dice remaining "meat" of the tomato. Dice the cucumber, onion, celery and pepper into equal sizes. Crush the garlic. Mix all of the vegetables in a large bowl. Process 1/4 of the vegetable mixture in a food processor until smooth. Stir the processed vegetables with the remaining chopped vegetables.
Whisk the vinegar and olive oil in a bowl. Stir in the Tabasco sauce, salt and pepper. Add to the vegetable mixture and mix well. Stir in the vegetable juice and cilantro. Chill, covered in the refrigerator.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with crab, lobster and or sour cream.

Scalloped Potatoes to Die For

This is a Martha Stewart recipe and picture (but it is easy to recreate if you use a mandoline to slice the potatoes). I have slightly altered the recipe, but it is the best scalloped potato recipe since my Dad's sunday dinner potatoes. You can find the original on MS dot com, I have included my changes below. Bake as pictured, or individual servings are fun baked in small ramekins, you will need to adjust baking time. Great thing is . . . you can make ahead and bake the following day.

2 T. butter
2 leeks sliced and rinsed
6 yukon gold potatoes, martha uses russet, I use yukons. slice thin on a mandoline
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1/8 tsp. fresh nutmeg
fresh ground pepper to taste
8 oz. grated Gruyere
4 oz. Parmesan cheese, my addition
1 Cup heavy cream
1 Cup Chicken stock

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Melt butter saute leeks until they begin to turn golden, remove from heat and set aside. Mix spices in a small bowl. Begin by layering 1/3 of the potatoes,(slightly overlapping the potatoes) season with 1/2 of spices and 1/2 of the leeks and 1/3 of the cheese. Continue with the layers ending with potatoes and cheese. Mix cream and stock in a measuring cup and pour slowly over the potatoes. Cover with parchment and then foil. (mixture can be refrigerated overnight.)
Bake 30 minutes at 350 then increase oven temperature to 425, uncover and cook until top is golden brown and potatoes are fork tender. Let rest for 15 minutes and serve.

Best Cutout Sugar Cookies Ever

We make these every Christmas, Mike has the most relevant cookie designs. Double the recipe, I promise.

1 Cup butter, softened
3/4 Cup sugar
1 egg
2 T. milk
1 1/2 tsp. vamilla
3 Cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
FROSTING:
1 Cup confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla or almond extract (I use almond)
1/4 tsp. salt
1-2 T. milk
Food Coloring
Make extra frosting so you can have plenty of colors to play with.
Cream butter and sugar in mixing bowl. Add egg, milk & vanilla. Combine flour, bk. powder and salt, gradually mix into butter mixture. Form into disc and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill at least one hour. Can freeze at this point for later use. Preheat oven to 375. Allow to come to room temp., slightly and roll on a lightly floured surface to 1/4 inch thin. Cut with shape of choice. Place on parchment lined baking sheet. Bake 5-8 minutes until lightly brown and remove to wire racks to cool. Meanwhile, mix frosting and tint to desired colors. The frosting can be easily drizzled with a toothpick for intricate designs. Colors can also be layered when frosting is allowed to dry and harden.

Kim's Crab Cakes

Thought it would be great to publish this recipe here. : ) I make them basically the same as your mom, except for the size and I don't fry them in much oil, only about a 1/4 - 1/2 inch in the pan.
For the famous Schuh family way to enjoy, serve them with Worcestershire.

1 lb. backfin lump crab meat, pick over to remove any shell
1 egg
2 T Mayo
1 1/2 T chopped flat leaf parsley
1 1/2 T Worcestershire
1 1/2 T dry mustard, I use dijon if I don't have dry
1 large pinch of dry sage
1 large pinch of dry thyme
salt, pepper and a bit of old bay
1/2 - 1 Cup cracker meal, I sometimes crush my own saltines or bremner wafers
Canola oil to fry



I make the crab cakes smaller than your mom, about the size of a small meatball and then flatten them. Place them on a tray, cover and refrigerate at least one hour so they hold together when frying. Because I make them smaller, I usually just buy regular crab instead of the jumbo lump, it is usually $10 cheaper by the pound.
Mix all the ingredients except the cracker meal. Mix in cracker meal a little at a time, just until they hold together. Refrigerate. Heat oil in a deep skillet or an electric skillet like your mom always used. : ) Fry cakes on both sides until golden, yummy & delicious!!

Short Rib Recipe

4 lbs Short Ribs
3 T olive oil
1/2 head of garlic
1/4 bunch of Thyme
2 C beef stock
1 onion
2 carrots
1 lg. tomato
3 ribs of celery
1 1/2 C red wine
4 T parsley

Season ribs and heat oil in dutch oven. Sear ribs in hot oil on all sides. Remove ribs to a platter. Add veggies to food processor and pulse. In dutch oven, add more oil if needed, add thyme and saute 1 minute, add processed veggies and cook 10 minutes. Pour in wine and stock, bring to a boil. Place seared ribs into sauce, they should be covered and cook 2 1/2 - 3 hours on simmer.
I placed a lid on my pot and put them in the oven to cook about 2 1/2 hours rather than simmer on the stove top. I also placed my quartered veggies on top of the ribs at this point. (pictured above)

short ribs

So . . . last weekend I made the most amazing, fall-off-the-bone, short ribs you have ever tasted. I happened to catch a portion of Tyler Florence's cooking show and in spite of my first instinct to grab the remote and switch to Fox News, I decided to give Tyler a chance.
Boy, after Friday night, Tyler may have redeemed himself in my book. Beep was flying in from Denver and it was the perfect dish to hold in case his flight was delayed.
There's nothing too mysterious about short ribs; some basic ingredients, then sear and roast. The cooking method is simple, decent wine, broth and a few aromatic veggies turn a not so desirable piece of meat into a succulent, , melt in your mouth protein with amazing depths of flavor.
As with all my cooking endeavors, I never follow ALL the rules, who does?, so I am including the original recipe along with my changes. Here is what I did: I added one leek, a little less onion,
nix the tomato, I added 2T tomato paste and about 1/4 cup or more of tomato puree. I think the valuable difference in this recipe is pureeing the veggies, they add a density to the sauce. I also added 1/4 C of water and some peeled and quartered carrots and potatoes on top of ribs to serve as a side veggie. I used one of Beep's favorite new every day wines . . .12 Gauge Cab.
I seasoned the ribs prior to searing with S & P along with Pensey's Italian Seasoning. I love the fennel in that seasoning the licorice flavor is yummy. I use it in so many dishes. Check out the recipe above, do with it what you will! Enjoy.

Bananas Foster Recipe

• 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 firm-ripe bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into 3/4-inch thick slices
• 1/4 cup banana liqueur
• 1/2 cup dark rum
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 3 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• 6 cups (1/2-inch cubes) day-old French bread
• Vanilla ice cream
• Caramel Sauce, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10 by 14-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter and set aside.

Melt the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 cup of the brown sugar and the cinnamon and cook, stirring, until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the bananas and cook on both sides, turning, until the bananas start to soften and brown, about 3 minutes. Add the banana liqueur and stir to blend. Carefully add the rum and shake the pan back and forth to warm the rum and flame the pan. (Or, off the heat, carefully ignite the rum with a match and return to the heat.) Shake the pan back and forth, basting the bananas, until the flame dies. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Whisk together the eggs, remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar, the cream, milk, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the cooled banana mixture and bread and stir to blend thoroughly. Pour into the prepared baking dish and bake until firm, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

To serve, scoop the pudding onto dessert plates. Top each serving with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, drizzle with caramel sauce, and serve immediately.

YUM! Banana Foster Bread Pudding

Thanks to my ever diligent sister-in-law cruising food sites, I was the lucky recipient of this fantastic recipe. Courtesy of Emeril's Dlemonico, restaurant this was a breeze to make and a delicious twist on one of my favorite desserts. Of course I didn't follow the recipe exactly, I never do, but being a dessert I only veered slightly from Emeril's perfection. Pictured above: What could be more heavenly than bananas bubbling away in butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. The original recipe is listed above. Here are the changes I made: I cut the recipe in half, it still fillled a 10 inch deep pie plate and was too much for the 5 of us to finish over the course of a weekend. The only other moment I strayed, was to substitute banana rum for the dark rum, for no good reason other than the fact it was all I could find in the liquor cabinet at the time. I didn't bother with the caramel sauce, just substituted Dulce de Leche Hagen Daz.

Schuh Family Favorite New Movie Spot

Our favorite weekend movie spot is the screening room at the Inwood Theater. Beep and I can lounge together on the lovesac built for two while the kiddos find sublime pleasure in the over-sized bean bags. Watching a movie on the big screen in supine position is the way it was meant to be. They even supply you with pillows and a blankie! One negative note of record . . . they don't change the movie very often so we have a couple weeks in between visits. We saw Ghosts of Girlfriends Past this weekend, the movie was cute enough and in this environment, Ishtar would be a hit! I give this movie watching experience TWO thumbs up.