Pie crust cookies

I saw this recipe on Pinterst a few weeks back and I thought I would give it a try to see if I liked it enough to possibly make and take it somewhere. It was o.k., but not great. I can see where improvement could be make.

You start with two refrigerated pie crusts sprinkle a little flour on your board and lay out the first crust. slightly roll it to get rid of any wrinkle and make it lie flat (wish I could slightly roll my forehead and get rid of any wrinkles).

spray the top of the cookie sheet with a little baking spray and sprinkle with some finely chopped, dried, sweetened cranberries, finely chopped walnuts or pecans and some cinnamon and sugar.

Take the second crust and place it on top of the first covering the cranberries and nuts inside. Slightly roll them together until they form a single crust with the filling showing through. Spray the top with some more cooking spray and sprinkle additional cinnamon and sugar on top.

Then the fun part. Get out your cookie cutter (metal works best) and cut as many possible shapes from the pie crust round. You can wad the pie crust up and roll is out a second time if you need to.

The fun part! Place cookies on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake like you would pie crust.

They turned out fairly good, but if I had them to do over (and I will do them over) I would brush on melted butter instead of spraying cooking spray, brown sugar and cinnamon instead of white (maybe even drizzle a tiny amount of honey, a little fresh orange zest would go a long way in this recipe. The cookies worked but the flavor was lacking. I am not sure if using homemade pie crust would be doable because store bought pie crusts are more resilient.

I have been busy lately and haven't had time to sit down and really think out a recipe and get it together with photos. The bf and I are expecting a (you fill in the blank), and so we are trying to settle or nest rather. Katsu is doing well, but has had his moments where we just look at him and shake our heads. The last episode involved him eating a plastic cone off his head...I didn't blame him, those are not a great fashion statement, but it caused me extreme stress and worry while he slowly but surely passed all of it. My daughter moved out so we have redecorated her old bedroom into my new office/sitting room. We still have a few things to acquire, but it is coming along really well. I refinanced my house, so it looks like the bank is stuck with me for the next 30 years give or take. So between my daughter moving, house refi, dog acting crazy you can see why I didn't have time. Looking forward to the next few weeks to get things completed...Samhain is just around the corner and in case I don't get back here between now and then I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday.

Peanut Butter Cookies w/ Blue Agave

My son has dietary issues due to stage 2 diabetes, so he asked me if I could make him some cookies without using Sugar. I gave it a shot. The cookies came out really tasty and baked perfectly just not very crunchy, so I am working on that next. I took a standard peanut butter cookie recipe and tweaked it to suit my needs.

Ingredients 1/2 cup butter, softened, 1/2 cup natural (no sugar added) peanut butter, 1/2 cup blue agave, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1 egg, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup chopped unsalted roasted peanuts

Directions In a large mixing bowl beat butter and peanut butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the agave, baking soda, and baking powder. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Cover and chill dough 30 minutes to 1 hour or until easy to handle. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (I used my cookie scoop). Roll balls in chopped up peanuts. Place balls 2 inches apart on an parchment lined cookie sheet. Using the tines of a fork, flatten balls by making crisscross marks on top. Bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until bottoms are light brown. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Makes about 36 cookies.

I have some other posts to work on. I have been busy with being back to work and trying to get Spring cleaning and gardening done. I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their weekends.

Christmas Cookies

So I have been working on some Christmas cookies to bake and give this holiday season and I think I have come up with a couple of recipes so far that will be perfect for gift giving. A few weeks back I made Chocolate Anise Biscotti and I had mentioned that I was going to switch out a few things and do a lemon blueberry flavor...well it turned out delicious.

I simply left out the anise and chocolate and made the addition of the zest from one lemon and 1/2 -1 tsp. of lemon extract and a handful of dried blueberries. Then to finish I mixed some confectioners sugar with some fresh lemon juice and drizzled over the completely cooled biscotti.... it was delicious. Big hit with both my office and the bf's office. This will probably end up on my cookie gift giving list.

The other contender is Chocolate Espresso Snaps. Super simple and they really satisfy that chocolate craving. These were also a huge hit with the co-workers

Into one bowl you add 3/4 cup butter, 3/4 cup shortening, 2 cups of white sugar and 1/2 cup brown sugar. Cream these ingredients together. Into the second bowl mix together 3 cups of flower, 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder, 2 Tlb. espresso powder, 4 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. salt.

Into the first bowl with the creamed together butter and sugar add two eggs one at a time blending between each egg.

Then start adding the contents of the second bowl to the first bowl 1/2 cup at a time blending between each addition.

Yum...chocolate cookie dough.

Roll the dough into 2 inch balls and then roll in sugar. Place on parchment lined cookie sheets and bake in a 350 degree oven for somewhere between 12 to 14 minutes (depends on your oven).

Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheets for several minutes before transferring to cooling racks to cool completely.

When completely cooled you can store these scrumptious cookies in a airtight container...Ummm we ate them one and all over the course of a weekend. Monday saw the last of them going to the bf's office.

For me Christmas gift giving cookie has to be simple yet scrumptious. I have to be able to easily half the recipe if needed, and the cookies have to hold up well for traveling over the river and through the woods. I don't want something that is really complicated or fussy. A cookie that stands up well to hot cocoa and compliments the flavor and will also go nicely with that glass of milk for Santa Claus. I have one more recipe to try out this week, but first I need to replenish my supply of parchment paper...Have a great rest of the weekend.

It's Official

Halloween was Friday night marking the official start of the Holiday season. From here on out there will be dinner parties and cocktail parties to attend and all things wintery will be done. I know the store got a jump on things by quickly marking down and taking down Halloween decorations (on Halloween) and putting up Christmas display. In my own simple way I have gotten a jump on some things, other things can just wait. The pumpkin wasn't carved until Halloween for example but...two weeks ago I made a batch of biscotti to see if I liked it enough to make it and give it this Christmas. I love using the people at work and at the BF's work for the purpose of trying out my new recipes, and honestly they don't seem to mind all that much either.

Chocolate Anise Biscotti

In a large bowl cream together 1 stick of unsalted (you could use salted) butter and 3/4 cu. of white sugar.

Add 1 tsp. of ground anise to the butter and sugar.

Add two large eggs one at a time combining after each egg is added.

Then in a separate bowl combine 2 cups of flour, 1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder and 1/4 tsp. of salt (some people like more).

Combine flour with the butter mixture in batches.

Then mix in by hand somewhere between a 1/2 cup and 1 cup of mini semi sweet chocolate chips. I think I added about 2/3 cup.

Flour your counter and make a slightly flattened log 16 in. long and 3 in. wide. Transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet. This is not easy but it can be done. Keep the faith.

Bake log in a 350 degree (preheated) oven for somewhere between 20-30 min. I baked mine for exactly 26 min. and I wish I would have cooked it a little bit less. Cool log for 30 minutes before cutting.

Cut the biscotti diagonally with a sharp serrated knife somewhere between a 1/2 in. and 3/4 in. thick. Place cut side down on a baking sheet.

Back in the oven they go until lightly toasted. Should take about 15 min. but it really depends on your oven and how toasted you want your biscotti. I also turned mine over about halfway through the baking time.

Gently place cookies on wire rack and let cool completely. Everyone really liked these, but next time I need to adjust the time for what I am looking for, and I think I will swap out the Anise for lemon zest and the chocolate chips for dried blueberries.

I would like to thank everyone who helped with donations to Katsu's gofundme page. Katsu is home and doing great. The procedure he had turned up an issue that can not be fixed surgically, so we are left with trying to keep him healthy, happy and infection free. It is going to be a project, but he is worth it right down to the last tiger stripped hair on his bushy tail. He loved being a part of Halloween this year buy gently barking at the few trick or treaters we had.

Had K.B. and Mr. B over for dinner last night good food, good fun, and loads of conversation...perfect evening. I made my Brisket, buttermilk mashed potatoes, my biscuits and spicy, garlicy sauteed green beans. Yup it was delicious. For dessert I made Cannoli Cheesecake the day before. If you try this recipe keep an eye on your baking time. I actually had to bake this 15 min. longer that the recipe calls for...and I may move that up to add ten more min. the next time. Super yummy cheesecake.

Have a great rest of the weekend. I am off for a second cup of coffee and to work on my Thanksgiving greeting cards.

Blueberry Cake

Late last summer the bf and I went to one of my happiest places on earth (we actually go there often). I have been going here for the past 19 years to pick berries and buy produce of all descriptions over the years some things have changed, but some things have not. The friendliness of the people who love what they are doing, the welcoming feel you get when you drive into the farm, and the serene peace you get when out in the fields picking berries. I love this place and I am very glad that through the years I have been able to share it with my children and close friends. Last summer we were out to get our annual fix of berries, and last year blueberries were on the top of my list.

Blueberry Cake 101 This recipe is so simple it is scary, yet scrumptious enough to impress friends and complete strangers if you take it to a dinner or potluck...that is if you don't eat it all your self. Nobody has to know that you put it all together and in the oven in less than 30 min.

Into a large bowl add 1 cup of white sugar and 6 Tlb. of very soft unsalted butter.

Cream the two together until fluffy.

Add one room temperature egg.

Add the zest and juice from one medium lemon (fresh is best), and whip it all together.

Into a bowl sift together 2 cups of flour, 2 tsp. baking powder and a pinch of Kosher salt. Into another bowl combine 1/2 cup of whole milk and 1/4 cup cream. Note I did use 2% milk, but I also used heavy cream.

Alternate the addition of the flour and milk while combining in with the butter and sugar until you get a very thick batter.

My favorite part...fold in 2 cups of blueberries. Frozen or fresh either way this is going to be good.

Really beautiful.

Spread batter into a greased and floured 8 x 8 baking dish.

Sprinkle the top of the cake with a mix of cinnamon and sugar before you slide it in to the oven.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for roughly 30 or 40 min. Keep an eye on this cake you do not want to over bake it. Mine took almost an hour due to the fact that I used frozen blueberries. I pulled it from the oven the very second it was done. Cool cake completely before cutting.

Delicious, decadent and seriously delightful this blueberry cake stands alone, of course you could dress it up with a dollop of whipped cream sweetened with some honey or even some creamy ice cream, but you know what you don't need to. This cake was moist and magical all by itself.

Have a wonderful rest of the weekend.