Cinnamon-Spiced Hot Chocolate Cookies 6 December 2009

From the Food Network website.  They’re amazing and taste like Mexican hot chocolate.  I’ve changed a few of the directions around because I thought it made more sense this way, but the result is still the same.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• pinch ground black pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 Tbsp. sweet butter, at room temperature*
• 3 Tbsp. margarine, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp unsweetened Mexican cocoa powder (or substitute by using 3/4 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup plus 2 1/4 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder)
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1/4 tsp. salt

Directions

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly, making sure no lumps remain.
2. In another bowl, mix butter and margarine thoroughly using hand mixer.  Add egg white and vanilla, mix.
3. Add sugar mixture to butter mixture, mix thoroughly.
4. In a separate bowl, mix remaining ingredients.  Add this mixture to other ingredients.  Mix slowly until incorporated, then mix with hand mixer until thoroughly combined.  (Don’t start with hand mixer or flour will make a mess.)
5. Roll into a log about 1 1/2 inch thick, wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes.
6. Cut into slices no more than 1/4 inch thick.
7. Cook at 350F for 12-14 minutes.
8. Optional:  Once cooled, top with dulce de leche and/or chopped almonds.

*If you don’t have sweet butter, use regular butter or margarine and omit the 1/4 tsp. salt.

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies (a.k.a. bake sale cookies) 2 December 2009

It’s time for me to make Christmas cookies again!  My usual recipe:

This makes approximately a metric shit-ton of cookies.  For Christmas, I like to split the dough in half and color half red and half green, then put the opposite color icing on each.  Then I take them to work, family gatherings, anywhere where people like food.

Ingredients

• 4 sticks margarine, melted
• 3 ½ cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 16 oz. sour cream
• 8 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mix all ingredients together in a VERY LARGE bowl.
3. Refrigerate overnight.
4. Scoop onto ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Smash with glass bottom dipped in sugar.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are brown.

These freeze well, unfrosted.

Salmon en Papillote 23 November 2009

Couldn’t find a recipe I liked, so I read several recipes to get the general idea of how to construct this, then went at it.

 

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. melted butter
• 2 salmon fillets
• 1 large carrot, julienned (can be parboiled, but I like them a bit crunchy)
• 1 medium potato, thinly sliced and parboiled
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 sprigs fresh fennel
• salt & pepper

 

Directions

1. Take out two pieces of aluminum foil or parchment paper big enough to make a packet to cook the fish and veggies in.
2. Brush melted butter on the foil up to an inch from each edge.  (Don’t use all the butter)
3. Divide the potato evenly between the two packets, brush more melted butter over the potatoes.  Season with salt and pepper.
4. Place a salmon fillet on top of the potatoes in each packet. Brush with more butter.
5. Thinly slice garlic and place on top of fish.  Place fennel sprig (or whatever herb you choose to use) on top of fish.  Season with salt and pepper.
6. Divide carrot between the packets and place on top of fish.  Brush with the rest of the butter.
7. Cook at 400F for about 20 minutes, until cooked through.  (Less if you prefer your salmon medium rare-medium).
8. Let sit 5-10 minutes before eating.

 

You could substitute another fresh herb instead of fennel, but I love the flavor combination of fennel and carrots.  Basil or oregano would probably be delicious as well.

Honey Dijon Chicken 17 November 2009

Found this recipe that I haven’t made in a while.  Planning on making it for dinner tonight.  From Recipezaar.

 

Ingredients

• 2 frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts  (can use thawed but frozen turn out better)
• 1 tsp. Hungarian paprika
• 4 thin lemon slices
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried onion flakes
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. curry powder

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Line a baking sheet with tinfoil and coat with cooking spray.
3. Rinse chicken breasts under lukewarm water, pat dry and place on baking sheet.
4. Sprinkle chicken with paprika and top with lemon slices.  Bake for 30 minutes. (15 minutes if you use thawed chicken breasts)
5. Prepare sauce mixture by mixing remaining ingredients in microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave for 1-2 minutes (until heated through).
6. Drain juices from chicken baking pan and remove lemon slices.
7. Spoon heated sauce mixture over chicken.
8. Return to oven and continue baking for 10-15 minutes, until done.

Chorizo Taquitos 6 November 2009

Adapted from a Recipezaar recipe.

 

Ingredients

• 1 lb. chorizo
• 1 cup chunky salsa
• 1 cup cheddar cheese
• large flour tortillas
• 1 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine

 

Directions

1. Remove chorizo from casings, crumble, and cook in a skillet.
2. Remove from heat and mix in salsa and cheese.
3. Preheat oven to 400F.
4. Roll chorizo mix into tortillas, cut in half and place in baking dish.
5. Brush tortillas with butter (skip this step if you don’t want them crispy).
6. Cook 15-20 minutes.  (Took 18 in my oven)

 

Top with or dip in cheese, sour cream, guacamole, whatever you like.  I just ate them as-is.