Valentine Treats

These are other treats that I did as packages for Valentines to send out to faraway friends!

I made heart cut out cookies - used the Caradmom Butter Cookie recipe I use at Christmas time.





Valentine Bark - again using the recipe I use at Christmas time but with Valentine M&M's.

Shortbread Cookies

Okay these are really good and when you see how much butter is in them you will understand why they are so good. I mean straight to hips and thighs! I am going to make another batch this week as my sister's are coming into town and they were both Girl Scouts too - so I bet they will remind them of the Girl Scout Shortbread cookie.

I found this recipe on www.allrecipes.com

















The Recipe:

2 cups butter

1 cup packed brown sugar

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add 3 to 3 3/4 cups flour. Mix well.

Sprinkle board with the remaining flour. Knead for 5 minutes, adding enough flour to make a soft dough. Roll into a ball and then flatten with a glass dipped in sugar. Prick with fork and place on ungreased baking sheets. (I always put things on greased pans here in the altitude and did with these also.)

Bake at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Valentine Baking

This weekend I was busy making Valentine treats for some friends. I made shortbread cookies that bring me back to selling Girlscout cookies, triple chocolate brownies, the bark I made for Christmas but with Valentine M&M's and then Cardamom Butter cookies with dark chocolate and espresso glaze.

I decided when taking pictures this time I would do them up in a Valentine theme...so red tissue, old time paper table decoration, curly ribbon in gold and red. Unfortunately I didn't have a little red plate so the blue it had to be...

Triple Chocolate Brownies....
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 flaked coconut (I used sweetened flaked coconut)
1/4 cup white chocolate chips
1/4 cup semi-sweet chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x9 inch pan. In a medium bowl mix all dry ingredients* together. In a large bowl mix oil, vanilla and then add the dry ingredients except the eggs. Beat two eggs then gradually stir them in with your mixture. Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until the brownies begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. Cool before cutting.

*I sprinkled the chips on the top because here in the altitude chips sink. Sometimes I don't mind that and just make them as is but this time I wanted them pretty since they are gifts.

Panini

I have a Hamilton Beach indoor grill (similar to the George Foreman) and I love it. I use it all the time. I have the one with the plates that remove and are dishwasher safe. And it has plates that are normal grill lined pattern like the George Foreman but also has flat griddle like plates.

Grilled sandwiches are great really on either type of grill insert. This one I used the flat griddle like plates.

It is turkey, Dijon, roasted red pepper and provolone cheese on just a left over kaiser roll.

Light Oat Bread

The Recipe: For 1.5 lb loaf

1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons margarine
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (only need 1 tsp here in the altitude)

Add ingredients to bread machine pan in order recommended by your manufacturer. Use regular light setting.

Ham and Bean Soup

It has been snowing here all weekend so we wanted something warm and so I took the left over ham from Christmas out of the freezer last night and soaked beans so that I could make this....













The Recipe:
1 lb. 15 bean soup package
Large hambone (I didn't have one so I just used their packet they insert with the bag of beans that gives it that flavor)
2 1/2 to 3 cups diced ham
1 med. onion, chopped
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 bay leaf
Pepper to taste
1 (16 oz.) can of diced tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock
2 cups water

Soak beans overnight, wash, drain. Add all above ingredients into a crockpot. Start on high for 1 hour and then 3 hours on low until beans are well done.


Notes: Sometimes I add carrots but I didn't have any (grocery shopping tomorrow) but I am sure there could be a lot of things you could do with this soup.

Comfort Food

We haven't had meatloaf in a long time and Michael requested and with it getting so cold this weekend it sounded like good comfort food. As a kid I never liked meatloaf....although I am sure my Mom made a good one I just had it in my mind that it probably had things I didn't like in it. And as a kid I was even more picky then I am now.

Meatloaf:
1 pound ground beef or turkey (I use turkey)
1 pound ground pork
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup of finely chopped onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
1/2 cup finely chopped mixed peppers (red, yellow and green)
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1/4 cup ketchup
1 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 large egg - beaten slightly

Topping:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp prepared mustard
1/4 dash ground allspice
1 tsp hickory flavoring

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a 5x9 inch loaf pan or an 8x8.



• Take coarsely chopped onion, garlic, peppers, and tomatoes and put into food processor to get finely chopped and well blended. Mix the remaining meatloaf ingredients with the tomato mixture. Form into a loaf and put into a loaf or 8x8 pan.



• Mix all the topping ingredients and with a fork cover the meatloaf.



• Bake meat loaf in oven for 1 hour.

Food Blog Nominations

It is the time of year for the Food Blog Awards. Just linking them so you can go vote!

Pretty Christmas Table....

Michael took a couple pictures of our table on Christmas Eve

Sour Cream Cookies

My sour cream cookies never get rounded like my Mom's and Grandma's do but I attribute it to altitude. I have played with the baking powder and cut the sugar down at times but nothing seems to give me nice rounded mounds of sour cream cookie goodness. Although these are kind of flat they still taste just as good as always. These are a cookie that I often have requests for when needing to bring a treat to a party.

Cookie:
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 cup sour cream

Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp cream or half and half
Optional: Holiday Sprinkles

Preheat Oven to 350. Mix flour, baking soda and powder in a bowl and set aside. In a large bowl cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and extracts. Stir in sour cream. And then slowly add flour mixture until all added in. Drop cookies on a cookie sheet and bake 8 to 12 minutes. Cool.

Cardamom Butter Cut Out Cookies

This recipe originally is from Epicurious. But I made a few changes.

For cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

For espresso and chocolate icings
1 teaspoon instant-espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
1 cup confectioners sugar
3 oz fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), melted



Make cookies:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cardamom, cinnamon, and allspice in a bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes in a stand mixer (preferably fitted with paddle attachment) or 4 minutes with a handheld. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture until just combined.

Form dough into 2 balls each on its own sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap and chill the dough until slightly firm, about 1 hour. After chilling, I remove the first ball of dough. Roll out and cut out with holiday cookie cutters.

Put oven racks in the middle of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F.

Arranged about 1 inch apart (chill remaining dough, wrapped in plastic wrap).

Bake cookies, until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes total. Cool on sheets 3 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely. Make more cookies with remaining dough on cooled baking sheets.

Ice cookies:
Whisk together espresso powder, vanilla, and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk until espresso powder is dissolved, then add confectioners sugar and enough additional milk to make a thick but pourable icing. Drizzle the espresso glaze over the cookies.

Melt chocolate and then drizzle over cookies.

Let cookies stand on racks until icing sets, about 2 hours.

Notes:
• Dough can be chilled 5 days or frozen, wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap, 1 month (thaw in refrigerator just until ready to roll out).
• Cookies (with or without icing) keep, layered between sheets of wax paper or parchment, in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.

Makes about 6 dozen.

C.C. Peppermint Cookies

I guess there is this Nieman Marcus Christmas cookie that has peppermint bark in them. I have never had them but heard about them so thought why can't I make my favorite Chocolate Chip cookie recipe and add my own homemade peppermint bark. So instead of calling them by Chocolate Chip Cookies with Peppermint bark....made it easy C.C. Peppermint Cookies.

2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup peppermint bark - broken up into fairly small pieces (homemade or store bought)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In one bowl, whisk flour and baking soda and set aside. In a larger bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Blend in the pudding mix until smooth, then the vanilla and eggs. Slowly work the flour mixture in. Finally, add chocolate chips and peppermint bark.

Make them into little balls and drop them onto your cookie sheet. You can flatten them a little though, because these don't spread very much. But I really like puffy cookies so I don't flatten many of them. Even flattening them though they still make pretty puffy cookies. They keep their size and shape really well. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Molasses Cookies

Busy busy week of baking for the holidays....












Molasses Cookies

That turned out more like Gingersnaps because of the altitude.

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1/3 cup for rolling cookies
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsulphered molasses

Preheat oven to 375°F.

With a spoon, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice together in a bowl and set aside.

With a mixer (or by hand), cream butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with mixer set at medium speed. Add egg, vanilla extract, and molasses. Beat until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape sides of bowl.

Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds.

Place remaining 1/3 cup of granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. Working with 2 Tbsp of dough each time, roll dough into 1 3/4 inch balls. Roll balls in sugar and place on ungreased greased cookie sheets, spacing them 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart. (I grease all pans here in the altitude.)

Bake until outer edges begin to set and centers are soft and puffy, about 11 to 13 minutes. Cool cookies on sheets for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them to cooling racks with a wide spatula.

Note: do not overcook. The centers of the cookies should be somewhat soft and spongy when you take them out of the oven, otherwise they will end up hard and dry. Because of the altitude mine did not turn out hard and dry but very soft and chewy but not spongy like a cake cookie. Everyone who has had them has enjoyed them so far so that is good. But they all say we love these Gingersnaps you made.

Optional Glaze:
When cookies have cooled, lay out over a sheet of wax paper. Sift 1 1/4 cups of confectioner's sugar and then whisk with 2 Tbsp of milk until smooth. Dip spoon into glaze and dribble over cookies.

Easy Chocolate Fudge

This recipes is so easy and I always get compliments on my fudge. Fudge was one of those things that always intimidated me. It is something I always thought I would screw up, but this one makes it fail proof at least it was for me. The best compliment for me was my Mom asking me for my fudge recipe. She now makes it like this too and she is a fabulous cook/baker!

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
Dash salt
1/2 to 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt. Remove from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread evenly into wax paper lined or buttered 8- or 9-inch square pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm. Turn fudge onto cutting board; peel off paper and cut into squares. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

I have not ever done these variations or made it by microwave but including them anyway.

Notes: Microwave: In 1-quart glass measure, combine chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt. Cook on 100% power (high) 3 minutes or until chips melt, stirring after each 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients. Proceed as above.

Variations:
Creamy Dark Chocolate Fudge: Melt 2 cups miniature marshmallows with chips and Sweetened Condensed Milk. Proceed as above.

Milk Chocolate Fudge: Omit 1 (6-oz) package semi-sweet chocolate chips. Add 1 cup milk chocolate chips. Proceed as above.

Rocky Road Fudge: Omit 1 (6-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips, salt, nuts, and vanilla. In saucepan, melt chips with Eagle Brand® and 2 tablespoons margarine or butter. In large bowl, combine 2 cups dry-roasted peanuts and 1 (10 1/2-ounce) package miniature marshmallows. Stir in chocolate mixture. Spread in wax paper-lined 13 x 9-inch pan. Proceed as above. (Makes about 2 3/4 pounds)

Festive Bark

The Recipe:


16 oz vanilla/almond bark - candy coating - chopped
2 cups small pretzel twists
3/4 cup Red and Green M&M's


Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Melt candy coating in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly. Take off heat and add remaining ingredients, toss to coat. Spread mixture thinly on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Let stand until set. Break into pieces.

Godfather Eggs

We had eggs called Godfather Eggs at a restaurant in Denver while staying with Michael's parents. He loved them and I kind of looked at him like um tomato sauce on eggs? It didn't sound appetizing to me at all. But I ended up trying them and oh they were so good. So here at home I have make them every now and then (especially after we have had pasta or pizza since I have left over tomato sauce or Italian sausage.

Godfather Eggs
scrambled eggs
browned ground Italian sausage (I use turkey Italian sausage)
tomato sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
fresh chopped basil (optional)

Take scrambled eggs and then just put the layers on top of them first the sausage, then the tomato sauce and cheese. You can top with some basil even though I didn't have any when I took this picture.

Chocolate Chip Cookies Part 2

(picture taken by Michael for me! Isn't it good...with the reflection?)

Okay she did it again....a great recipe from The Adventures of Super Wife. Only thing I had to do different...was use a 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour as I ran out of all purpose flour. But they still turned out great! These are the best chocolate chip cookies!

I have never been able to make a puffy cookie here in the altitude. They melt into flat crispy cookies instead of soft round cookies. But look...




The recipe:
2 1/2 cups flour (again I used 1/2 cup of whole wheat only because I ran out but they turned GREAT!)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (two sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 package instant pudding mix (I used vanilla but as you can see over on The AoSW that you can use other flavors)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In one bowl, whisk flour and baking soda and set aside. In a larger bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Blend in the pudding mix until smooth, then the vanilla and eggs. Slowly work the flour mixture in. Finally, add chocolate chips.

Make them into little balls and drop them onto your cookie sheet. You can flatten them a little though, because these don't spread very much. But I really wanted puffy cookies so I didn't flatten many of them. Even flattening them it still made pretty puffy cookies. They keep their size and shape really well. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

Quick and Easy Dinner Recipes

Okay sometimes I need quick and easy. And yes sauteing or grilling some chicken breasts and steaming so veggies are quick and easy but there is just so many times you can do that with the grilled chicken no matter how many times you change the herbs and marinades. So I looked at Kraftfoods.com knowing they would have quick and easy and I found a few recipes. But they weren't perfect for me so I changed them - as always.

So this past week I made each of these. And Michael and I both really enjoyed them! And they were SO easy and quick!

Here are the recipes modified:
Sloppy Joe Skillet
1 pkg. (6 oz.) Cornbread Stuffing Mix or homemade cornbread stuffing
1 cup hot water
1 lb. ground turkey (lean ground beef would work too - I just us ground turkey always instead of ground beef)
1 large red pepper, chopped
1 medium onion finely chopped
1 can (14 oz.) chopped tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup ketchup
a couple splashes of Worcestershire sauce
pepper to taste

Mix stuffing mix and hot water just until moistened; set aside. Meanwhile, brown meat in large skillet; drain.

Add peppers, onions, tomatoes with their liquid, ketchup, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and pepper to skillet. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Simmer 5 min. or until peppers are crisp-tender.

Top with prepared stuffing. Cover; simmer 3 min.

It sounded really gross to me but we both really liked it. Served it with some steamed veggies.

Here is a picture...of Sloppy Joe Skillet
I realized as I was scooping the leftovers out of the skillet to put it away that I should take a picture...so nothing special...but just to get a look...



Cheesy Chicken Noodle Skillet
4 cups egg noodles, uncooked
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
2 cups frozen vegetable (I used peas and carrots but others would do well too)
1/2 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
6 oz. (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) (low-fat) Cream Cheese, cubed
1/3 cup (light) Mayo
1/4 cup dijon mustard
1/2 cup cheese - used mix of mozzarella and cheddar
pepper to taste

Bring large saucepan of water to boil on high heat. Add noodles and chicken. Cook 8 min. or until chicken is cooked through and noodles are tender, adding frozen veggies to saucepan after 6 min. Drain noodle mixture; return to saucepan.

Add broth, cream cheese, dijon and mayo. Heat just to simmer on medium-low heat. Simmer 2 to 3 min. or until cream cheese is melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly. Add shredded cheese; stir 1 min. or until melted.

Silicone Brushes and The Baker's Catalogue

Okay so not a recipe post but just a plug for these...

Silicone Pastry/Basting Brushes

Now I got these at a dollar store (no I am not kidding). And I love them. So I got them at a heck of a deal compared to the 2 shown here. But I now knowing how well they work I would buy them at that above price easily because they are well worth the price! I didn't realize the find I had found until I used them of course....and then....oh so smooth heavenly goodness! Everything I use them for...to brushing the tops of cinnamon rolls with icing to brushing egg white un-top of a loaf of bread to basting bbq chicken. It just goes on so easily. And they clean up so easily too.

Just another plug, The Baker's Catalogue. I have many things from them and always very happy with their products. I love there flours as well as bakeware.

(And no I don't get anything for plugging them. I just like their products and believe word of mouth is a good thing...even though this is via blog.)

Oatmeal Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I first moved to Colorado, one of the first things I tried to bake was chocolate chip cookies and they FLOPPED horribly! I could barely get them off the pan. Now I knew altitude messes with baking but I guess it just never occurred to me how much. I remember crying because I couldn't even make chocolate chip cookies which to me seem like one of those first things people learn to make...a classic. Michael was a good sport and ate the crumbles though and said they tasted good although didn't look very pretty. So it took months of baking and changing things around. I still have problems with traditional chocolate chip cookies but this recipe works for me.

The recipe:

* 3/4 cup butter
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1/3 cup peanut butter
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 cups rolled oats
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the peanut butter, water and vanilla. Combine the flour and baking soda, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto an unprepared cookie sheet.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, until the cookies are lightly toasted on the edges. Remove from the baking sheet to cool on wire racks.



One reason I am posting this recipe and picture as next week I intend to try a new recipe that I again found over on The Adventures of Superwife. Chocolate chip cookies with vanilla pudding in them.