Strawberries and Cream Cookies

These cookies are from A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman. This is probably my second or third recipe that I have made from it. My cookies don't really look the ones in the book and some of the reason is because my dried strawberries were more brownish, and not bright red. I looked everywhere for dried strawberries and happened to come across them at Ingles, and they were $5 per bag, and mind you, that bag was not very big.

The recipe says to roll the dough out to 1/2 and cut out into 2 inch rounds. I used the cookie cutter, but don't think that it would make a difference, as they did spread. These cookies turned into thin and crispy, but still chewy in the middle. I think next time, I won't roll them out, I will just use my little cookie scoop and see how they turn out. This cookie is basically a shortbread dough with the dried strawberries and white chocolate for the cream. I give these cookies a thumbs up!

Strawberries and Cream Cookies
By: Marcy Goldman

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp whipping cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup minced white chocolate
3/4 cup dried strawberries, coarsely chopped

You can order dried strawberries online from nutsonline.com, if you can't find them near you.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stack two baking sheets together and line top with parchment paper.

In a mixer bowl, combine sugar and butter on low speed until well blended. Then add flour, vanilla, cream, and salt and blend well. When almost blended into a dough, add white chocolate and dried strawberries, mixing by hand to incorporate and make a firm dough.

Knead dough gently on a lightly floured work surface about 1 minute to make dough more firm and get it to hold together. Flatten dough into a disk, wrap well, and refrigerate 30 minutes.

Roll out gently about 1/2 inch thick and cut into small round cookies, about 2 inches in diameter.

Place on prepared baking sheets. Place in oven and immediately reduce oven temp to 300 degrees. Bake until lightly browned around edges, about 15-20 minutes.

Apple Strudel for the Daring Bakers

The May Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Linda of make life sweeter! and Courtney of Coco Cooks. They chose Apple Strudel from the recipe book Kaffeehaus: Exquisite Desserts from the Classic Cafés of Vienna, Budapest and Prague by Rick Rodgers.

This was not one that turned out for me. Strudel has been on my wanting to make list for a really long time and I was eager to try it. I didn't have any problems with stretching the dough paper thin, it didn't get as big as it should have, but stretching went just fine. Put it in the oven to bake, let it sit for 30 minutes..sliced it. My dough was really tough. It didn't want to slice and couldn't really chew it. My kids threw theirs in the garbage. But, hey, I tried it, know how to stretch this dough and hopefully it will turn out better on the next try. This is the reason that I stay with the Daring Bakers, to push myself to try things that are difficult, and some that are not so much. Now, bring on June!

TWD-Chipster Topped Brownies

This weeks TWD recipe was chosen by Beth of Supplicious. I have made these before and they were a hit with the family, and this week was no different. I mean, how can you go wrong with brownies and chocolate chip cookies in one? I don't think that you can! Thanks for a fantastic recipe this week!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies

You know those recipes that you think...there is probably one out there better than this, but these are good? This is one of those recipes. Again, I was looking through this stack of printed off recipes and came across this one. Hopefully, one of these days I will make it through that stack.

I would make these again, the kids loved them, and the hubby liked them too. They were moist, but probably could have used a little more peanut butter for my taste. Needless to say, they didn't make it through the day, until they were gone.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Brownies

3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Butter a 9x13 baking dish and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream together the margarine and sugars. Add the eggs and combine. Mix in the peanut butter and vanilla and mix until combined.

Mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix this mixture to the wet mixture. Mix until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Spread batter in baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.

Mississippi Mud Cookies

The only thing that I can say about this cookie is..Go and make these now! These cookies are fantastic, and quite addicting!

I got this cookie recipe from Megan's Cookin and I am so glad that she shared! These cookies didn't even last a whole day in my household. We loved them!

Mississippi Mud Cookies
Southern Living, August 2007

Ingredients:
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. miniature marshmallows

Directions:
1. Microwave semisweet chocolate morsels in a small microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.

2. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Beat in vanilla and melted chocolate.

3. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; gradually add to chocolate mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in chopped pecans and 1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels.

4. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Press 3 marshmallows into each portion of dough.

5. Bake at 350° for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks

TWD- Fresh Mango Bread

This week was chosen by Kelly of Baking with the Boys. It was a great choice. I had never heard of mango bread, and really didn't know what to expect. I have to say that I really couldn't taste the mango. Only if I ate a piece of mango, could I taste it. And even then, it was really mild. Did you know that cooked mango gets kind of stringy? I didn't. Now, I know..for whatever reason I may need to know that. Anyways.....

This bread was very moist, and flavorful of the spices. It would be great with a spread of cream cheese on it! Next up with TWD, Chipster topped Brownies!

Raspberry/Strawberry Brie Tartletts

A few weeks ago the good people from Il De France Cheese graciously sent me a wheel of brie cheese. I had so many ideas going through my head on what to make with it. While looking through the pile of recipes that I have printed off, you know those...the ones that you print off just knowing that you will make it and still haven't...well, I came across this recipe that I had hand written. I am not sure where I got it from, but I am so glad that I came across it!

These little tartletts are perfect for a tea party, ladies brunch, or any type of shower. I made half strawberry and half raspberry and liked them both. I think that I liked the raspberry better because tartness with well with the brie cheese. I loved this cheese, it was creamy and not stinky. I have had some brie that just does not smell good. I really had to stop myself from just eating the brie all by itself. It was that good!

This recipe yields alot, so you can scale it down if you don't need as many.

Strawberry/Raspberry Brie Tartletts

18 slices white bread
1/3 cup melted butter
1 (8 oz.) wedge Brie, cut into 54 pieces
1 jar strawberry and raspberry jam (you could use any type of jam)

Roll and flatten each bread slice with a rolling pin. Cut 3 circles out of each with a 2 inch fluted or round cookie cutter.(I got 4 circles) Brush mini muffin pans with butter. Press bread circles on bottom and up sides of pan. Brush the bread circles with remaining melted butter.

Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove bread from muffin pan; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Fill each bread cup with 1 piece of the brie; press lightly with finger to make slight indention. Fill indention with 1/4 tsp jam. Bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes or until the brie is melted.

Not the average Chocolate Chip Cookie

So, I know that you guys have seen the book by Jessica Seinfeld, Deceptively Delicious. This is from that book. You know the one, hiding the veggies so that your kids will get the nutrients from them. While talking to a foodie friend on Twitter, she said that the 2 recipes that she had made turned out great. That gave the push to make these chocolate chip cookies. The secret ingredient? Chick Peas! Yep, that's right, Chick peas. And, the best part is...you can't tell it.

Now don't get me wrong, these are not the super sweet, ooey, gooey cookie. But, they are very, very good. A little crispy on the outside, and moist and fluffy in the middle. Oh, and full of chocolate chips. The recipe did call for putting whole chick peas in the mix, I decided to puree them so that I didn't have whole ones in the dough. I can't wait to try out other recipes from this book.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
From: Deceptively Delicious

Nonstick cooking spray
1 cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
3/4 cup trans-fat-free soft tub margarine spread
2 large egg whites
2 tsp vanilla
1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 cups (12 oz) semi sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
3/4 cup raisins (optional)
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the sugar and margarine with a wooden spoon or on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the egg whites and vanilla, then the chick peas and chocolate chips. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, and salt, and mix on low speed until a thick dough forms.

Drop the dough by the tablespoonful onto the baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Press gently with a fork to flatten. Bake until the cookies are golden brown and just set, 11 to 13 minutes; do not over bake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

Store in an air tight container for up to 3 days. If they last that long.

TWD- Tartest Lemon Tart

Yes, you read that right. I am back on again with the chics of Tuesdays with Dorie. I had started back in the day with Laurie and Michelle, and then it kept on growing, and growing to what it is now. Last Summer, life just happened, and there wasn't enough time to keep up with baking once a week, so I had to step out for a while. Now, I am back on and so excited to get back to baking. Not sure that my thighs are thanking me for this, though!

This week's recipe was chosen by Babette Feasts. I am really excited about it, because it is lemon. I had never made a tart like this though, you used the whole lemon. Just scrub and dry the lemon, cut it in half and remove the seeds and throw it into a blender or food processor. Then you add the rest of the ingredients. A one bowl recipe, gotta love it!

There was some talk about this tart being very tart and bitter, which brought up the question about using the pith of the lemon. Some people used it and others didn't. I chose to use it to see how it would turn out. My tart was not bitter at all, but was very tart. Now, if I am going to make a lemon dessert, I want it to be tart, so this tart made me happy! I also didn't make the nut crust, well, because, I didn't have any and I didn't want to go back to the store. But, I can see where this crust would be a fantastic base for this tart.

You can find the recipe of this tart on page 336 in BFMHTY, or you should be able to find it over at Babette's.

Next week, Fresh Mango Bread. I love mangoes, but really can't imagine it in bread. We'll see how it turns out.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Let me start this off by saying that this will be the easiest, quickest, yummiest dessert that you will ever make! My MIL, Terry, made this for dessert one night after dinner and I had to have the recipe. Now, we all know that we will make only from scratch whenever we can, but ladies, sometimes we need the convenience of a box mix. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. We all need little short cuts here and there.

If you love cinnamon rolls, you are gonna love this cake. Tastes just like them, only in cake form. You could even make the glaze into a cream cheese glaze, or an orange glaze...whatever glaze you like really, it can only get better.

Cinnamon Roll Cake

Yellow Cake Mix
4 eggs
¾ cup oil
1 cup sour cream

Mix by hand and pour in 13 x 9 greased baking pan.

1 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
Mix and pour over cake batter. Swirl into batter with knife.

Bake @ 325 for 40 minutes. Let cake cool 10 – 15 minutes before icing.

Icing:
2 cups powdered sugar
4 tbsp milk

Pour over warm cake.

Foodie Giveaway!

Have you guys checked this out yet? Go right now! Deborah from Taste and Tell is hosting this and there will be a weekly cookbook giveaway and other foodie love. You won't want to miss out on it!