Year of the Dragon Wonton
22 Feb 2012 3 Comments
in Bake, Dessert, Food Bloggers Events, Gourmet, Healthy, Love My Local, Serendipitous Adventures, Sweet Tags: fruit wontons, ginger, honey, pears, wontons, year of the dragon
The year of the dragon, may it bring you good fortune!
- Dragon Wonton
A few weeks ago I attended Chinese New Year Potluck in NYC. The event was hosted by the talented duo Jackie and Ken , who spared no expense creating fantastic food and decorating the studio with adorable party favors and a Dragon hologram gracing the wall. Very cool. I’m extending a huge thanks of gratitude to our sponsor Tigerbeer who graciously donated the studio space and drinks for this intimate affair.
- Pear & Ginger Honey Wonton Napolitano
To attend we all committed to making a dish, this is a potluck after-all. I have to travel a bit when attending gatherings in NYC, so I needed to create something that would travel well; easy to serve and taste mighty good.
- Bowl of Fruit
After several attempts at a variety of fruit wontons, I consulted with my eight wise men of Confucius (below) and arrived with these tasty Dragon Wonton desserts.
Confucius Wise Men
Pear Ginger Honey Wonton Napolitano
Here’s what you’ll need:
3 asian pears
3 forreill pears
2 tablespoons fresh minced ginger root
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1 cup water
1/4 cup honey and extra for brushing wonton
1 stick salted butter
14 wonton wraps
1/4 cup powdered sugar
Banana Chocolate Walnut Wonton Stacks
6 bananas
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cloves
3/4 stick butter
Chocolate syrup to drizzle
1/4 cup walnuts, chopped finely
14 wontons wrappers
For the pears:
Slice off the bottom of each pear just enough so it will stand upright. Peel the entire pear leaving the stem and skin at the top. Rub with butter, place in sauces pan, add water, ginger, honey and simmer for 40 to 45 minutes, set aside to cool once done.
For the bananas:
Slice bananas 1/8 inch thick, place in a medium saucepan along with vanilla, nutmeg, cloves and butter sautee for 10 minutes on low heat, untill banana are tender and cooked.
For the honey baked wontons:
Cut the wontons diagonally from one corner to the other. Brush with honey and place on a lightly greased baking sheet, bake for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden in color. (They bake quickly – so keep an eye on them). Remove from oven, allow to cool a few minutes on baking sheet, transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
Stacking your Pear & Ginger Wontons:
Once the pears have cooked, slice them very thin about 1/8 of inch or thinner. Begin stacking your fruit wontons placing a honey baked wonton on the first layer, add a slice of asian pear, followed by a slice of forreill pear, add the second layer of honey baked wonton, followed by a slice of asian pear and finally top with forreill pear. Drizzle with honey and sprinkle with powdered sugar.
Stacking the Banana Chocolate Walnut Wontons:
Begin layering a honey baked wonton, add a layer of bananas – two, sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Add another layer of honey baked wonton, bananas, chopped walnuts and drizzle with chocolate syrup.
- Ginger Pear and Banana Chocolate Walnut Wontons
I had a wonderful time as always catching up with friends, making new ones, and eating some of the most delicious food this side of the east coast. The menu at this affair was amazing! Check out the fabulous blogger’s posts of dishes served and get these tasty recipes for yourself.
- Jackie - Toasted Black & White Sesame Chocolate Bark and Chocolate Dipped Kumquats
- Ken - Sesame Gold Nugget and Auspicious Walnut Cookies
- Kathy - Duck Pancakes
- Kirsty - homemade Fortune Cookies
- Kristen - Kung Pao Chicken
- Dan - Five-Spice Almond Cake
- Sarah - Chicken Curry
- Maggy’s - Honey Walnut Shrimp
- Justin - Philippine Adobo
I regret that I did not take photo’s at Chinese New Year Potluck, I mingled and ate the entire time. I encourage you to head over to Ken and Jackie’s sites and look through the amazing photo journal of the entire event. Hope to see you next time!
A Valentine’s Day Love Story
14 Feb 2012 5 Comments
in Bake, Cookie, Dessert, Gourmet, Sweet, Valentine
I met my husband in the parking lot of a grocery store. I know… how apropos.
Shortbread Buttery Cookie Bars
It was at a Publix grocery store, one of my favorite food stores. I have this slight obsession – I cannot pass by an abandoned grocery cart, I return them to their proper place. Let’s call it love & service and save the term obsession for sweeter things.
You can kind of see where this is going…
I offered my grocery cart to Jeff as he was walking by and well, we’ve been together ever since.
Over the years, Jeff and I have acquired a special kind of love for many many sweets. Currently at the top of our list is Tate’s Bake Shop cookies. Most of you are familiar with the obvious scrumptious flavors, like their chocolate chip and oatmeal raisins cookies that are full of crunchy goodness. Though, a recent trip to the grocery store unveiled a new flavor. We fell in love again. The obsession kind of love. The flavor: shortbread.
It seems we do a lot of falling in love at groccery stores. It also seems impossible to get your fingers, er’… lips on them. A plain crunchy, salty, buttery, shortbread that has you gobbling it up by the package. Did I really admit to that? Well, yes but I shared it with Jeff – so it was totally acceptable!
Buttery Shortbread Cookie Bars (recipe adapted from Tate’s Bake Shop)
Here’s what you’ll need… You can make cookies and cut them out with any cookie cutter, or use a baking pan like I did to make bars. I used a 1/4 sheet pan, 9″X 13″ X 2″.
3 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups salted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon vanilla
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
In a small mixing bowl, combine flour and cornstarch. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, use a paddle attachment to cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until combined . Add salt and vanilla mixing well until combined. Pour in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Your dough should be thick and stiff.
Form the dough into a ball. Roll out on a lightly floured baking dish making it about to 1/4″ thick..
Bake cookies for 25 to 30 minutes. They will start to get golden brown on the side of pan and the top. Allow to rest in baking pan until completely cooled.
I am constantly craving these buttery shortbread crunchy sweets, so much so that I never thought getting these on a regular basis would be difficult, otherwise I would have stashed some away for later.
This new shortbread obsession sent me on a whirlwind search for this perfect cookie. I explored new grocery stores, searched online blogs, reviews of cookie recipes, to finally buying Tate’s Bake Shop Cookbook and testing several recipes only find they were very different.
I had fallen deep into “unrequited love”. Shortbread cookie love.
Until recently, in a weekly Tate’s newsletter was the traditional recipe of the month, offering a version of their shortbread cookie. I immediately noticed this recipe was different then any of the others I tried, so I did what any good sugar shortbread cookie obsessed baker would do and made them.
WOW, these are pretty close, tasty and buttery and crunchy and salty and all things good. They had the consistency and texture that had me falling for them in the first place.
I am happy!
So for today and because it’s Valentines day, I’m sharing this incredibly simply, crunchy, salty, buttery shortbread cookie with you.
I hope they make you happy too!
Chocolate Love: A Wicked Good Brownie
04 Feb 2012 33 Comments
in Bake, Bloghop Love, Dessert, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: Brownie, donna hay #chocolatelove, penut butter
Jeff: you put peanut butter in my chocolate? Georgie: you put chocolate in my peanut butter?
I can honestly say, in an embarrassing kind of way… that I have been known to eat reese’s peanut butter cups at least once a week (sometimes more). I try to stay away from the stuff, well, because it makes a girls hips jiggle.
Chocolate Brownie Cookie & Peanut Butter Frosting
That being said…
I recently picked up a copy of the 10th birthday collector’s edition of Donna Hay magazine. Inside I found an entire section devoted to brownies, and one recipe in particular inspired me to get baking right away… brownie cookies with peanut butter frosting.
Brownie Cookie Mix
These are perfect for #chocolatelove bloghop and as a Valentines day treat. I decided to add another layer of flavor by making maple frosting brownie cookies as well… for those who don’t share in my love in peanut butter or have allergies. This way everyone gets some chocolate love.
Something Wicked Good Comes This Way... Brownie Cookies
All I can say is… hold on tight you’re about to crash into the most luscious, scrumptious wicked chocolate decadence.
Wicked Good Brownie
Here’s what you’ll need: parchment paper, baking sheet, makes 12 saucer cookies.
For the Brownie Cookies
12.5 ounces dark chocolate (chopped) I used milk chocolate 
2 – 3/4 tablespoons butter (40 grams)
2/3 cup of caster sugar (superfine)
1/4 cup all purpose flour (sifted)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
For the Peanut Butter Frosting
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup confectioners sugar (powder sugar)
5 – 3/4 tablespoons butter (80 grams)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup of heavy cream
For the Maple Frosting
1 cup confectioner’s sugar (powder sugar)
5 – 3/4 tablespoons butter (80 grams)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
2 tablespoons of heavy cream
Preparing the Brownie Cookie
Baking Brownies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
(Please use parchment paper these cookies spread out wide and burn quickly).
Place 8 ounces of chopped chocolate and butter in a saucepan on low heat, stir until smooth and melted. Set aside for later use.
Place eggs, sugar and vanilla in an electric mixer and whisk for 15 minutes until pale and creamy. Stir in the flour, baking powder, chocolate mixture and the remaining chocolate and let rest for 10 minutes.
Use a teaspoon – these cookies spread out like saucers. Scoop a teaspoonful of the brownie mixture onto parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until brownies are puffed and cracked on top. Remove from oven and allow to cool on trays.
Preparing the Peanut Butter Frosting
Place sugar, peanut butter, butter and vanilla in an electric mixer and beat for 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the cream and beat for another 2 minutes.
Preparing the Maple Frosting
Place sugar, butter, maple syrup and vanilla bean paste in an electric mixer and beat for 6 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the cream and beat for another 2 minutes.
Once the brownie cookies have cooled, spread a heaping scoop of frosting onto one cookie and sandwich with another. If you’re like me and love chocolate and peanut butter and maple then you’re gonna want to make a double batch… or hide some for later – they go really – really fast.
Maple & Peanut Butter Frosting Brownie Cookies
I’m part of bloghop, where the food blog community connects with other blogs to share recipes and spread the love. This month, February is #chocolatelove month!
You’re more than welcome to join us in #chocolatelove fun by simply adding your recipe at the end of this bloghop! Be sure to link back to this post, so that your readers know to stop by the #chocolatelove event! The twitter hashtag is #chocolatelove – have Fun!
Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookies
19 Jan 2012 5 Comments
in Bake, Bloghop Love, Cookie, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: Cookie, cookies, oatmeal, oatmeal cookie, orange, orange zest, pistachio
Here is the scrumptious Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookie recipe I promised to post. I served these with my Orange Peel Sweet of the Spoon dessert and a bowl of vanilla bean ice cream. These tasty little cookies are crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, similar to a granola cookie. I hope you enjoy them!
Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookies
Here’s what you’ll need…
Makes 20 to 30 cookies
4 tbsp salted butter, melted
1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup oats, chopped
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoons corn syrup ( I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup)
dash of salt
Preheat oven to 425
Melt the butter in a saucepan, set aside. In a food processor, pulse the pistachios and raw oats into tiny pieces. Combine all ingredients – the butter, sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, orange juice, orange zest, corn syrup and salt into a bowl, mixing until all ingredients are incorporated.
Orange Pistachio Oatmeal Cookie
Using a measuring teaspoon, scoop a spoonful onto a baking sheet, be sure to space several inches apart. Bake for 6-8 minutes (each oven varies, so keep an eye on them – they bake fast), or until the cookies begin to brown around the edges. Let them cool on a baking sheet.
Pistachio Orange Oatmeal Cookies & Greek Coffee
Serve with a glass of milk, ice cream or a nice cup of Greek coffee – the way I ate them.
Peasant Boule #Baketogether
11 Jan 2012 14 Comments
in #baketogether, Bake, Gourmet Tags: #baketogether, boule, Bread, homemade bread, peasant boule
There is something simply wonderful about the smell of homemade bread baking in the oven…. then the breaking of the bread… and finally slathering butter all over… its pure heaven. If you haven’t done this, well, then you must!
Peasant Boule and Orzo Soup
I grew up eating homemade bread, like this “Rustic Village Bread“. So when I read that Abby’s #baketogether challenge for January was a Peasant Boule I immediately gathered the ingredients and began making this delicious – oh’ so tasty bread.
I followed Abby’s “Peasant Boule” recipe step by step since this was my first attempt at this bread and I’m happy I did.
Here’s what you need…
Makes one 8-inch round loaf or two 4-inch round loaves
3 – 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1 – 1/4 ounce package instant yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
1 – 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 – 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 – 1/3 cups very warm water, should register on a thermometer between 115 and 125 degrees
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon toasted onion, dry herb mix
Making dough for Peasant Boule
In a large bowl whisk the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and baking powder. Clip the bowl into the mixer stand and fit the mixer with the dough hook.
Check that the water temperature registers about 120 degrees on an instant-read thermometer.
With mixer on medium-low speed, slowly pour the water into the flour and mix until the flour is completely incorporated. Increase the speed to medium and beat until the dough is smooth and pulls away from the bottom and sides of the bowl, about 6 minutes.
Scoop up the dough and shape it into a ball. Lightly grease using some of the melted butter the bottom and sides of the mixing bowl and pop the dough back into the bowl. Cover the top securely with plastic wrap. Let the covered dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. I use a blanket or towel to cover the entire bowl to keep warm.
Using some of the melted butter, generously butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface, there’s no need to flour—the dough is soft but not sticky, and press to deflate it. Shape the dough into a 7-inch-wide round and place it, like Abby’s recipe with smooth side up, in the center of the prepared pan. Generously brush the top and sides with some of the melted butter.
I made two small 4-inch-wide round loaves, placing them on a buttered baking sheet. Using a knife make 3 diagonal lines across the top of loaves, these will spread open, letting you know when the dough has risen.
Allow the dough to rise, there’s no need to cover it, keeping in a warm spot until doubled in size for about 25 minutes. If using a 8-inch pan, it will fill the pan. If using the baking sheet the slits you made atop of loaves will spread open.
I brushed one loaf lightly with the melted butter. The second loaf I added some dry toasted onion sprinkled on top and brushed remaining butter generously all over.
Peasant Boule with Onions and Butter
About 15 minutes before the dough is ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and the oven to 375 degrees. When the dough has risen to about 2 inches above the edge of the pan, bake until the boule is well browned and sounds hollow when tapped about 40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a rack and tip the baked bread onto a rack and remove the pan. Set it right side up and let cool completely.
Soup & Bread
I served this with a Orzo Soup and Jeff and I ate one entire loaf for dinner.
Oatmeal Lace Cookies
15 Dec 2011 9 Comments
in Around Town, Bake, Cookie, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: lace cookie, Lace cookies, oatmeal, oatmeal cookie, oats
Here is the lovely – delicate – chewy – sweet lace cookie recipe I promised to post from the NYC Cookie Swap, the spectacular fundraiser event to help Cookies for Kids Cancer.
Oatmeal Lace Cookie
Here’s what you’ll need…
Makes 30 to 40 cookies
6 tbsp salted butter, melted
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup oats, chopped
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons corn syrup ( I used Lyle’s Golden Syrup)
dash of salt
Preheat oven to 425
Melt the butter in a saucepan, set aside. In a food processor, pulse the raw oats into tiny pieces. Combine all ingredients – the butter, sugar, oats, flour, baking powder, heavy cream, corn syrup and salt into a bowl, mixing until all ingredients are incorporated.
Using a measuring teaspoon, scoop a spoonful onto a baking sheet. Be sure to space several inches apart, about 3 inches to prevent cookies from merging together.
Bake for 6-8 minutes, or until the cookies have spread and beginning to brown around the edges. Let them cool on the baking sheet. Remove with a metal spatula and serve!
You can add a center filling, like raspberry jam or chocolate (white, dark or milk) and make a sandwich. These little sweets are quick and easy to make and oh so good!
The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap
11 Dec 2011 7 Comments
in Bake, Cookie, Food Bloggers Events, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: #fbcookieswap, Chocolate chip, Cookie Swap, cranberry, cranberry turtle bars, Food Blogger Cookie Swap, Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, pecan, Shortbread, The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap
Here I am, once again participating in another great cookie swap. Hosted by the lovely and talented Lindsay of Love & Olive Oil and Julie of The Little Kitchen. These two ladies know how to throw a party.
How it works… you send a dozen cookies to 3 secret cookie swap participants that you have been paired with. Meanwhile you receive a dozen cookies from 3 separate cookie swappers. That’s a lot of cookies! This has turned out to be one of the biggest cookie exchanges ever, with nearly 22, 000 cookies shipped across the world.
Here are the cookies I made…
Cranberry & White Chocolate Maple Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies (recipe adapted from Zoe Bakes)
C & WC Maple BB Shorbread Cookies Cooling
Here’s what you’ll need:
1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup sifted flour
2/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons dried cranberries, very finely chopped
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375°
Prepared in a cupcake baking dish lined with baking cups, or use a square 9 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Use the middle rack in oven.
To make the brown butter:
In a small sauce pot, heat the butter on medium heat until it boils and resembles a light golden color, about 4 to 5 minutes. Using a small wire mesh strainer, pour through the butter into a medium bowl.
To make the brown butter shortbread cookies:
In the bowl with brown butter, add the sugar and flour mixing well with a wooden spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. If the dough is too cold, allow it to sit for 15 minutes so that it becomes soft and pliable again.
Using a tablespoon, scoop out the dough and place in lined the baking cups, you can use the spoon to spread and distribute evenly. (if using a square 9 inch pan distribute evenly).
Bake for 15 minutes in cupcake pan and (20 minutes for square pan), or until the dough is a nice golden brown. Remove and allow the crust to cool on a rack while you make the cranberry maple filling.
Maple fruit topping:
In a sauce pot combine the maple syrup, salt, cranberries and vanilla, cook over medium heat until you reach a boil, continue to cook for about a minute. Remove from heat.
Using a teaspoon, place a spoonful onto each shortbread cookie, then top with 4 to 5 white chocolate chips. Return cookies to oven and bake for additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until chocolate chips begin to melt. Remove from oven and allow to cool on wire rack. I removed the baking cups from the cupcake pan and allowed the cookies to cool in baking cup liners on a wire rack.
Cranberry & White Chocolate Maple Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies
The following lovely bloggers were my secret cookie recipients…
Erin from Erin’s Food Files
Kristen from A Healthy Balance
Erin from Currently Coveting
Happy Holidays to all of you! I do hope you enjoyed the cookies as much as I enjoyed making them and eating them.
I received super delicious cookies from these talented ladies…
Lindsay of Love and Olive Oil, “Malted Chocolate Sammie’s”. These cookies are absolutely divine! Thank you for pairing me with Lindsay.
Love & Oilive Oil, Malted Chocolate Sammies
Britne of Shabbott’s Healthy Habits, “Nut Horn Cookies”. I ate one immediately upon opening. I have been craving them every day since my first taste… I’m eating one right now!
Shabbott's Healthy Habits, Nut Horn Cookies
Margaret Farmer sent me “Honey Ginger Cookies”. Obviously, I ate one right away, though with this batch I ate 5 in a row… they were really – really good.
Margaret Farmer, Honey Ginger Cookies
I had an incredibly fun time making cookies and receiving them during “The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap”. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet new people, make & taste new recipes while sharing awesome #cookie love. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season!
If you would like to learn more about The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap, check out this link.
NYC Cookie Swap
07 Dec 2011 4 Comments
in Bake, Cookie, Gourmet, Serendipitous Adventures, Sweet Tags: #cookielove, #nyccookieswap, #nycookieswap, basil cookie, Cookie, cookies, cookies for kids cancer, cookiesforcancer, NY Cookie Swap, nyccokkieswap, oatmeal lace cookie
I am grateful to have had the chance to attend the NYC Cookie Swap, a wonderful fundraiser for Cookies for Kids Cancer. Hosted by Maggy of Bloggers without Borders along with her talented co-hosts Gail, Ken and Jacki.
NYC Cookie Swap 2011 Jackie, Larry, Pam, Dori, Jessica
I met wonderful new friends and I mingled with old ones. I played paparazzi taking as many photo’s as I could to document this wonderful event.
Amber, Nicole, Ken, Jessica & Jeff
ALL the cookies were amazing. I’m still working my way through the personal stash I brought home. I can’t seem to pick just one as my favorite, every cookie had some special ingredient that made it tasty; whether it was gluten free, savory or sweet they all shined.
NYC Cookie Swap Paparazzi
Lunch was provided by Hill Country BBQ and was the tastiest and most delicious BBQ food that I’ve had in a long time. Jeff and I plan on re-visiting very soon.
Tara, Ian, Penny, Pam, Dori, Sarabeth & Julie
I found myself smitten by the endless array of talent that graced the room, especially “cooking and photography” royalty like, Dori Greenspan, Pam Anderson, Abby Dodge, Ian Makay and Penny De La Santos.
Gail, Jackie, Lillian & Mitzi
I had the best time ever! My only regret that there wasn’t enough time to meet everyone, this gives me something to look forward too next time.
Pesto Basil Cookie, A Savory Cookie
Jeff and I made two cookies for the NYC Cookie Swap, a savory Pesto Basil cookie (above) and Oatmeal Lace cookie (below). I plan on posting both of these recipes soon, so you can enjoy them too.
Oatmeal Lace Cookie
I hope you get a chance to attend next year’s cookie swap. The cause alone is incentive enough, but what exceeded my expectations was the cookies, the food and the love from everyone who attended. I know I got lucky by purchasing the last two tickets, now that’s serendipity! Happy Holidays! Happy #cookielove!
Cookie Love: Cranberry Turtle Bars
03 Dec 2011 27 Comments
in Bake, Bloghop Love, Cookie, Dessert, Gourmet, Holiday, Sweet Tags: #cookielove, bloghop, bloghop love, chocolate, Cookie, cranberry, cranberry turtle bars, pecan
Who doesn’t love chocolate pecan turtles? They’re my go to candy bar when I’m craving chocolate, especially when I’m visiting our local chocolatier at Chocopologie Cafe. This month’s bloghop “Cookie Love” got me thinking about my favorite candy “pecan turtles” and one of my favorite cookies “shortbread”. I remembered reading a cookie recipe from Gourmet magazine and thought these would be perfect for bloghop cookie love and perfect as holiday gifts.
Bloghop #Cookielove
Cranberry Turtle Bars: (Recipe adapted from Gourmet Live Blog)
Cranberry Turtle Bars
Here’s what you’ll need: Candy thermometer, 10 x 15 baking pan – makes 24 to 36 bars (based on cut size)
For the crust:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 – 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
For the topping:
2 sticks unsalted butter
1 – 2/3 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup (I used Lyle’s golden syrup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
1 cup chocolate chips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place rack in the middle to bake.
For the crust:
Line a 10 x 15-inch shallow baking pan with foil, butter all 4 sides, except the bottom.
Blend the flour, brown sugar, and salt into a food processor, add butter and pulse until mixture resembles cornmeal. Layer into baking pan, pressing down firmly with a metal spatula to form an even sheet.
Place in oven and bake for 15 to 17 minutes or until golden in color. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.
For the topping:
Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, stir in sugar, corn syrup, and salt and bring to a boil. Stirring occasionally, until caramel registers 245 degrees on a candy thermometer, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add the cranberries, coating them entirely in caramel sauce. Return to stove and boil until caramel cranberry mixture reaches 245 degrees.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla mixing well, add the pecans stirring into caramel mixture coating well. Quickly, pour the caramel topping onto the cookie shortbread base, gently spread pecans and berries evenly. For the final layer, sprinkle chocolate chips throughout to cover.
Cool completely, it’s important to allow the topping to set. Once completely cooled, cut the bars into equal pieces and serve. Now only if I could keep from eating them all.
I’m part of bloghop, where the food blog community connects with other blogs to share recipes and spread the love. This month, December is #cookielove month!
You’re more than welcome to join us in #cookielove fun by simply adding your recipe at the end of this bloghop! Be sure to link back to this post, so that your readers know to stop by the #cookielove event! The twitter hashtag is #cookielove
Powered by Linky Tools
http://www.linkytools.com/wordpress_list.aspx?id=118913&type=thumbnail“>Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Badger Girl Learns to Cook, Baking and Cooking: A Tale of Two Loves, BigFatBaker, Bloc de Recetas, Bon a Croquer, CafeTerraBlog, Cake Duchess, Creative Cooking Corner, Easily Good Eats, Georgie Cakes, Hobby and More, Knitstamatic, Mike’s Baking, Mis Pensamientos, Manu’s Menu, No One Likes Crumbley Cookies, Oh Cake, Queen’s Notebook, Savoring Every Bite, Simply Reem, Soni’s Food for Thought, Teaspoon of Spice, That Skinny Chick Can Bake, The Art of Cooking Real Food, The Spicy RD, The Wimpy Vegetarian, Vegetarian Tastebuds, Vegan Yack Attack.
Harvest Cookies
11 Nov 2011 32 Comments
in Bake, Cookie, Gourmet, Sweet Tags: Chocolate chip, oarmeal, pecan, pumpkin
“I dream of giving birth to a child who will ask, Mother, what was war?” ~ Eve Merriam
A special recipe for those who serve our country.
Harvest Cookies
Here’s what you’ll need: Makes about 3 dozen cookies
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, light or dark
1 cup pumpkin puree
2 large eggs
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 sticks of butter, melted
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup cranberries
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips, bittersweet or milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and oatmeal in a medium bowl. Beat eggs, salt and vanilla in a small bowl. Mix Pumpkin, butter, oil and sugars in a large bowl. Stir in egg mixture until smooth. Stir in flour mixture and combine. Add the cranberries, pecans and chocolate mixing gently to incorporate throughout the cookie dough.
Get ready for harvest cookies
Drop a teaspoonful onto a parchment-lined or greased floured cookie sheet. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until golden browned around the edges. Let cool for a few minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Harvest Cookies Cooling
These are crunchy on the edges and chewy in the middle. I plan on donating batches of cookies to our service people.
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ” ~ John F. Kennedy
I’m part of this month’s blogHop, where the food blog community connects with other blogs to share recipes and spread the love. This months bloghop is focusing on the wonderful Autumn harvest with the incredible lovable squash.
Join our love blog hop.
Powered by Linky Tools
Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…
Recipe adapted from Three Many Cooks
