Loaded Macadamia Cookies

My baking adventures are usually fueled by what needs to be used. When you shop at Costco you arrive home with large quantities of individual items. This was great when I regularly fed 8 people. Now we are down to 2, you must pay attention to your food or it will wind up in the compost pile. I hope to never compost Macadamias! So I had a stash of Macadamias in the freezer. Perfect--great start. I also had white chocolate bars. My sweet daughter lives near Chicago. Aldi is a great store with the best chocolate. Dark, white or milk--all delicious. This chocolate is made in Germany. I love it. Amber kindly carries on a good supply of chocolate--thanks Amber, very much appreciated. The recipe called for dried cranberries. Again I had large bags of dried cherries and blueberries from Costco.

These ingredients combined with the addition of oatmeal and a little cinnamon resulted in one amazing cookie. White chocolate is sweet--dried cherries are tart together the are delicious. This could be my new favorite cookie! Thanks to Gold Medal Flour for an excellent recipe.

Loaded Macadamia Cookies
1/2 cup softened butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar (66 grams)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup white chocolate chunks--I purchase a bar of white baking chocolate and chop it
1/2 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup dried fruit--I used the remains of a bag of Berries and Cherries. Yummy.
Mix butter and sugar till creamy, about 2 minutes. Add egg and vanila, stir, Mix in flour, oats, salt, cinnamon and baking soda. Stir gently. Add white chocolate, nuts and dried fruit. Do not overmix. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes. Scoop dough on parchment lined sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12-15 minutes.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies.
Printable Recipe

Pumpkin, White Chocolate, Cherry Muffin with Streusel

I have girls--my girls are great cooks. I'm proud to be their Momma. Amber sent an early morning text--she had just created a delicious muffin. I'm sad I live 1000 miles away, it would have been a perfect breakfast. This recipe was inspired by a recipe on Smitten Kitchen. Pumpkin is always a good choice, streusel makes it better. The addition of white chocolate chips and dried cherries sent this muffin out of the park. Amber's hubby, Tadd (who has a palate for fine food) said this was a $5.00 muffin.

I will make them very soon. Amber who is also a fine photographer was kind enough to take a photo or two. Thanks Amber.

Pumpkin, White Chocolate, Cherry Muffin with Streusel

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1 1/3 cup solid pack pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup chopped dried tart cherries

1 cup white chocolate (chopped)

Streusel Topping

3 tablespoons 

1/3 cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

Rub together until pea size.

Heat oven to 350. Spray muffin tin with Bakers Joy, put 1 teaspoon sugar in each sprayed cup. Shake the tin around to coat each cup with sugar.

Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spice in a bowl, add the cherries and white chocolate.

I a large bowl whisk together the pumpkin, oil, eggs and 1 1/4 cup sugar. Add dry ingredients ad stir until just combined. Divide batter among muffin cups filling about 3/4 full.

Sprinkle Sreusel Topping over muffins.

Bake until puffed and golden. A wooden pick should come out clean, about 25 minutes.

Cool in pan for five minutes. Remove muffins and cool on a wire rack.

Most muffins have a short shelf life. This muffin does keep for two days. It also freezes well. 

Printable Recipe

Lemon Angle Pie for Pi Day

I don't make many pies--you have to have guests over to make a pie and we did, so I did! It was in celebration of Pi Day, I was going with a theme.

Angel Lemon Pie is heavenly--if we eat food in heaven it will be this light delicious desert. It has a meringue crust, which is the easiest crust ever made! The filling is a lemon curd made completely in the microwave. When cool it is lightened with whipped cream.

That's it. The only tricky part is it must be made the day before which is a great thing when entertaining. You must also let the crust and lemon curd cool before filling the crust. Just read the recipe through, a good thing to always do, before making a recipe.

Lemon Angel Pie

Ingredients

4 eggs at room temperature, separated

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons lemon juice, (I used Meyer Lemons but any lemon would work)

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups whipping cream

Meringue Crust

In a stand mixer fitted with the wire whip beat the egg whites until foamy. While mixer is runing gradually add 1 cup sugar and the cream of tarter. Beat until stiff but not dry. This happen in about 3 minutes. I think a high altitude with no humidity helps (this is one of the few desserts that works best high and dry!) If you cannot get your egg whites to go stiff enough no fear they will work. Butter a deep dish glass pie plate. Put meringue in pie plate, mine looked like a beautiful cloud!

Bake at 300 degrees for 45-50 minutes. Cool completely.

This is the meringue going into the oven. It is light and beautiful!

When the meringue came out of the oven it puffed over the pie shell--it was gorgeous! As it cooled it slowly sank down to create a perfect pie shell.

Filling

Put the 4 eggs in a microwave safe bowl, I used a quart Pyrex measuring cup. Beat slightly. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar, lemon juice, lemon rind and salt. Cook about 3 minutes stirring with a whisk every 30 seconds. Mixture will be very thick, lemony and sweet. That is just how it should be! Cool completely. I cooled this in the fridge.

In a clean mixer bowl fitted with a wire whisk pour the 2 cups whipping cream. Beat until stiff--don't over beat or you really will get butter. How do I know?? I make many mistakes--I share them with you so you don't need to make them. Do not add any sugar to this whipped cream. Put half of the whipped cream in the cooled lemon curd mixture. Stir gently. You want to combine the ingredients but not deflate the cream. When mixed pour into the meringue shell. Using a short off set spatula spread the lemon cream on the crust. Top with the rest of the whipped cream. I also used an offset spatula to spread the cream. Put the pie in the fridge. It needs to cool up to 18-24 hours.

Serve the chilled pie and enjoy rave reviews (I did)! Serves 8 adults.

Printable Recipe

I googled this recipe and found several that were similar. It is a very basic recipe and has been around for years. I liked the photos in Homebased Mom.  My Mother-In-Law was so excited to eat this--it was similar to a recipe her sister made many years ago. Aunt Melba has been gone for many years. She was a great cook, I know eating this dessert brought back many memories for my Mother-In-Law. Food will do that to you! It was a great dessert, I will make it again soon.

Almond Chocolate Cherry Cookies

I am well aware that I have 80 cookie recipes on my blog--all excellent. But I think I have a New Favorite Cookie! I saw a recipe for an almond chocolate cookie in the new Taste of Home Fall Baking magazine. I was sure it would be yummy as it had so many fun flavors. I had just purchased some Almond Flavoring from Penzeys. I have been ordering spices from Penzeys for several years, they are fresh and delicious. When a Penzey's store opened just 10 miles from home I was thrilled. Girls weekend included a field trip to Penzeys. I entered the store and felt like I had died and gone to heaven. Heaven will smell like a Penzeys store I am sure.
Anyway--back to these amazing cookies. Chocolate, white chocolate, chopped almonds, almond flavoring--these had to be excellent. I'm sure the recipe in the magazine is good, but I made it better. What goes perfect with almonds and chocolate? Dried cherries do. They added the perfect contrast of sweet/sour. Please add this to your holiday cookie platter.

Almond Chocolate Cherry Cookies (aka favorite cookie)
1 cup softened butter
3/4 cup brown sugar (150 grams--I always weigh brown sugar)
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon almond extract--use Penzeys
2 cups flour
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white chocolate chips
3/4 cup almonds, roughly chopped
3/4 cup dried cherries, roughly chopped
Cream butter and sugars together till light and fluffy. Beat in egg and extract. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually add to creamed mixture, don't over mix. Stir in chocolate, nuts and cherries.
Using a medium size scoop drop dough on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 for 11-13 minutes. Cool on racks. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies.
Printable Recipe
Recipe adapted from a recipe in Taste of Home Fall Baking--this is a great magazine.  My magazine is full of sticky notes!

Great Grains Mini Muffin

I love muffins for breakfast/brunch, they are just a good thing to wake up to. But often muffins are frosted or glazed and really just shout 'dessert', this is fine by me. Occasionally I want something a bit more 'healthy'. Now these probably don't count as health food but they do have whole grains, dried fruit, nuts and yes butter. These 'better for you muffins' are delicious.
The recipe comes from my favorite cookbook,  Baking: From My Home To Yours by Dorie Greenspan. I have made over 60 recipes from this cookbook and only had one failure--and that was my error. This is a great basic cookbook--Dorie is a wonderful teacher.
My favorite dried fruit mix comes from King Arthur Flour. It is their 'fruitcake mix', don't let the word fruitcake scare you. I like it because the dried fruit is chopped so you get little bits of goodness in every bite. It is delicious in cookies, granola, breads and yes, fruitcake. I also like a Berries and Cherries mix sold in the grocery store. But you have to cut the fruit and dried fruit is difficult to chop! Now you know way to much about dried fruit!

Great Grains Mini Muffins
1 cup flour
1/3 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cornmeal
1/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 large eggs
1 stick butter, 8 tablespoons, melted and cooled
3/4 cup dried fruit
3/4 cup chopped nuts
In a large bowl whisk together the first 8 ingredients. In another bowl whisk together the buttermilk, syrup, eggs and melted butter. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and mix quickly but gently with a rubber scraper. Batter may be a bit lumpy, please never over mix muffins.Stir in the dried fruit and nuts. Using a small scoop fill mini muffin tins that have been sprayed with Pam. Bake at 400 degrees for about 13 minutes. Makes about 36 mini muffins. Twelve regular size muffins bake for 18-20 minutes.
Printable Recipe

My Favorite Granola

I am a granola junkie. I love granola--for breakfast, for snacks for gifts. What's not to love about granola? I have several granola recipes on my blog and they are all delicious. Try any one of them and you will be happy. So why a new recipe?? Because it is the best! It is a pretty ordinary recipe with a few crucial differences. First use whole almonds and just rough chop them. I use my Pampered Chef Food Chopper, a few chops and you have an assortment of almond pieces. This adds a great texture. The next big difference is the way the granola is cooked. Spread it on a large rimmed cookie sheet and press it down with a large metal spatula. Use some pressure. Bake it--and Do Not stir it. When the granola is cool you can break it in chunks. This granola is crisp and light. It is delicious. It is a recipe from America's Test Kitchen. It is my new favorite granola!

My Favorite Granola
5 cups Old Fashioned Oats
2 cups Almonds, chopped coarse
4 teaspoons Vanilla
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
1 cup Dried Fruit--if desired
In a large bowl whisk together salt, sugar, syrup and vanilla. Add oil and mix well. Add oats and chopped almonds, mix until thoroughly coated. Transfer mixture to a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Using a large stiff metal spatula press mixture into pan until compact.
Bake in a 325 degree oven for about 35-40 minutes until light brown, rotating pan once half way through baking.
Cool on a wire rack for at least 1 hour. Break granola into pieces of desired size. Add dried fruit if desired.
Granola can be stored in an airtight container for 2 weeks.
Printable Recipe

Martha's White Choclate, Cranberry Cookies

I have both the Martha Stewart Cookie and Cupcake Cookbooks. They consistently contain winning recipes. I am happy to say I made another delicious recipe. White Chocolate Chunk Cookies was the original recipe. My sweet little neighbor chose the recipe. All went well until we read 'golden raisins'. I don't do raisins and my little friend didn't want raisins so we eliminated them. I tried to talk her into using dried cranberries--she was not happy with that addition either. So we made cookies minus dried fruit--delicious. I sent her home with a plate of cookies and then added some dried cranberries to the remaining dough--perfect. So any way you make these cookies they will be delicious. Even with golden raisins!

Martha's White Chocolate, Cranberry Cookies
1 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar (3.5 ounces)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups (8 ounces) good quality White Chocolate Chunks--I used a Ghirardelli White Baking Bar, chopped
1 cup sweetened coconut
1 cup golden raisins or dried cranberries (if desired)
1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
Beat butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time beating for a minute after each addition. Stir in vanilla.
Stir together the flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter. Keep on low speed. Stir in the oats, coconut, white chocolate, dried fruit and walnuts.
Using a medium scoop drop on parchment covered stone. Bake at 350 for about 12-14 minutes. Cool on pan for 2 minutes then remove to a cooling rack. Makes about 4 dozen cookies
Printable Recipe

Enjoy these delicious chunky cookies. I love that they have all the good things in them--chocolate, nuts, oatmeal, coconut, dried fruit----yummy!

Coconut Oil Granola

I purchased a tub of Coconut Oil at Costco and have enjoyed finding recipes that include it. So far I have been very happy with this new find! I Googled, 'granola using coconut oil', several recipes appeared. Google is great. I read over many recipes and this was what I came up with. I love making granola--I have several recipes on my blog--all delicious I might add. Here is another granola recipe to add to the group! It is yummy.

Coconut Oil Granola
4 cups oats
3/4 cup sliced almonds
3/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut curls
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 tablespoon vanilla
Mix oats, nuts coconut, salt, cinnamon and cardamom in a large bowl. In a small saucepan melt coconut oil, brown sugar, honey, maple syrup and vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and stir. Pour on a sheet pan and bake at 325 for about 25 minutes. Stir often. Cook granola until desired crispness. Granola will continue to get crisp as it cools. Be careful--it is easy to overcook! Enjoy with yogurt, fruit or milk.I just had some of this granola sprinkled on a bowl of vanilla ice cream--it is delicious, I know!
Printable Recipe

Olive Oil Granola

I have tried many granola recipes--you will find several on my blog--all delicious. But I had not tried granola that contained olive oil so of course I had to. Now I have another granola recipe that I love. This granola has plenty of sweetness: honey, pure maple syrup and brown sugar. It is flavored with cinnamon and cardamom, nuts and dried fruit round out the list of ingredients.
This granola stayed in chunks (maybe because of the egg white?) which I like--it is much easier to snack on. You also add the dried fruit before you cook it so the fruit is stuck to the yummy chunks of goodness. I liked it and will certainly make it again. I found it while looking at quilt blogs. It was a fun surprise in the middle of beautiful quilts!

Olive Oil Granola
4 1/2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
2 cups nuts/seeds (I used raw cashews and slivered almonds)
3/4 cup dried fruit (I used King Arthur Flour's Fruit Cake Blend--best dried fruit on the planet)
1 egg white
Mix all ingredients except egg white in a large bowl stir until all the sweetness is incorporated. Whisk egg white and add to mixture, stir. Pour mixture on a sheet pan that is covered with parchment paper.
Bake at 325 for about 45-50 minutes, stir every 15 minutes. It will firm as it cools.
Serve on plain Greek Yogurt with fresh berries. It also makes a yummy snack.
 Thank you Crazy Mom Quilts for this fun recipe. She also has some amazing quilts to drool over.

Printable Recipe

Pink Salad

This salad has been a family favorite for years.  It was first brought to Grandma's 80th birthday party by a dear friend, Jillian.  Since then the recipe has been passed around the extended family.  It resurfaced recently and we have enjoyed it all over again!  It was the perfect salad for my daughter to take to a gathering with some of her friends today, and there was enough for my husband and I to enjoy for lunch too!
It is one delicious salad. Perfect for any gathering.

Pink Salad 
Romaine Lettuce
Red Leaf Lettuce
Cooked Bacon--about 6 slices, diced
Mozzarella or Jack Cheese, 1/4 inch dice
Dried Cherry and Berries Mix
Sugared Almonds--1 cup sliced almonds, 1/4 cup sugar. Heat in a non-stick pan over low heat till sugar is dissolved and almonds are a light brown. Keep a close eye on this--they are easy to burn.
Diced Cooked Chicken--if you want this to be a main dish salad.
Pink Dressing
1/8 of a Red Onion (yes this is enough)
1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Dried Mustard
3/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Oil
Using a immersion blender or food processor blend onion, vinegar, sugar, salt and dried mustard. Slowly add oil and blend until you have a beautiful thick, creamy, smooth pink dressing.
Mix together all salad ingredients, dress salad just before serving.
(Printable Recipe)  

Pistachio, White Chocolate, Cherry Cookies SRC

SRC is a wonderful place to meet new bloggers. You are assigned a blog each month--you then have the fun of 'stalking' said blog. I love to spend time at my new friends home. This month I was assigned the blog Food Baby Life. It is written by the delightful Susan from Australia. She has two darling boys. Susan has been a member of the Tuesdays With Dorie and Baking with Julia so I was familiar with many of the delicious recipes on her blog.  I could have easily remade World Peace Cookies and been happy. But Susan has many recipes on her blog that beg baking!
I found myself in the cookie section of her blog--surprise, surprise! Cookies are my weakness (actually one of many). I found myself returning often to a Christmas Cookie--now I know it's not Christmas but we have had so much snow lately it feels like it!  I chose her Pistachio, White Chocolate, Cherry Cookies. These were a party in my mouth! So many flavors and textures; sweet white chocolate, tart dried cherries and the crunch of pistachios. These cookies do have red and green in them but I will be making them year round. Thanks Susan for a new addition to my cookie list!
I made the cookies as per Susan's recipe. I did use dried cherry's instead of dried cranberries--that is what I had. I also got to change my scale to grams and had to research Celsius/Fahrenheit conversions. It was all part of the fun!

Pistachio, White Chocolate, Cherry Cookies 
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
120 g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup roasted, salted pistachios, chopped
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined.  Carefully mix in the dry ingredients then fold  in the oats, pistachios, cherries, and white chocolate.

Roll the dough into balls and place on baking sheet.  Flatten the top of each cookie with your fingers, then bake approximately 10 minutes or until slightly golden on top.  Allow to cool 4 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Cranberry-Walnut Pumpkin Loaves--TWD/BWJ

This is one full body loaf and  it is delicious. I usually wait till the last minute to bake my recipes for TWD. I am a procrastinator by nature but I like to read the P&Q section on the TWD site. I always get great tips from bakers that aren't procrastinators! This recipe I'm sorry to say had more than a few negative reviews. I almost didn't make it, but really how can anything with cranberries, pumpkin and walnuts not be delicious.
So I baked.

This is not a quick bread which surprised most of us. It is a yeast bread that requires mixing 15 minutes in the trusty Kitchen Aid, a rise of 2 hours then an overnight rest in the refrigerator. Day 2 requires a four hour rest and a two hour rise. This sounds like forever but really there isn't much hands on time. The dough responded just like the recipe said it would (I love when that happens)! We were rewarded with the delicious smell of holiday baking and a yummy loaf of 'fall' bread.
I used pecans in place of walnuts and I replaced half of the golden raisins with King Arthur's Fruit Cake Blend Dried Fruit. The bread is light but stands up to the weight of all the added goodies. This recipe welcomes fall and I think you should make it!
Check Rebecca's blog The Bountiful Harvest  for the complete recipe.

Cinnamon white chocolate, Cranberry Bars

This is just a basic 7 Layer Bar--on steroids! It's amazing what happens when one adds cinnamon chips, white chocolate chips and dried cranberries to a simple recipe. Every bite contains a surprise. This is one delicious bar!

I made this bar twice--the first time I used the instructions on a popular blog. My results were less than stellar. The recipe had you drizzle the sweetened condensed milk on top of the crust. then add the toppings and baked it. The recipe was good but not great. The crust was soggy. I knew this recipe could work. It is a popular recipe with many great variations.
So I went to my Americas Test Kitchen, The Best American Classics Cookbook. A variation of this recipe is pulled apart and made wonderful. I used the technique in the ATK cookbook applied it to this recipe and it turned out just the way I wanted it. I love ATK cookbooks. I always wonder why things do or do not work in cooking/baking. My questions are always answered. I own several ATK cookbook and consider each one a treasure. If you read cookbooks like novels--as I do these are the cookbooks for you!
So here is the ATK version with some seasonal twists. I have my good friend Carol to thank for this recipe. She brought me a plate of these and the search began!

Cinnamon, White Chocolate Cranberry Layer Bars
1 cup sweetened coconut
8 tablespoons butter
8 whole graham crackers, 4 ounces, crushed (Place the crackers in a large zipper lock bag and pound them with a smooth mallet. The result should be an assortment of crumbs, bits and chunks that measure about 1 1/2 cup.)
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup cinnamon chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9x13 inch pan. Cover with foil, spray again. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet and bake until the outer flakes just begin to brown, about 8 minutes (don't multitask on this one, coconut burns easily! I know.) At the same time place the stick of butter in the 9x13 inch pan. Put it in the oven for about 6 minutes and let the butter melt (I guess this is multitasking, just be careful)!
When the butter is melted remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs over the melted butter. Toss lightly until all the butter is absorbed and the crumbs are evenly distributed. In order sprinkle the nuts, white chocolate chips, cinnamon chips, coconut and dried cranberries over the crust. Pour the entire contents of the sweetened condensed milk evenly over the dish. Return to the oven and bake until top is golden brown, about 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack at least 2 hours. Remove from pan, remove foil and cut into bars.

1 year ago--5 Minute Fudge
2 years ago--Rosemary Bread
3 years ago--Banana Pecan Cupcakes

Autumn Granola

I have 6 granola recipes on my blog, do I really need one more? Yes I do. This beautiful granola gets it's fall colors from some delicious dried fruit that I purchase from King Arthur Flour. It is their Fruitcake Blend but  don't let the word fruitcake scare you. This is my favorite blend of dried fruit because the pieces are small but the flavor isn't. It contains dried pineapple, golden raisins, apricots, cranberries and dates. Beautiful little bites of fall. I made two batches, one for me and one to share. Who doesn't like a bag of homemade granola.

Autumn Granola---inspired by Cooking For Seven

4 cups oatmeal
1 cup coconut
1 1/2 cup nuts (I used walnuts but use what you love)
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces butter (melted)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon pure vanilla
1 cup dried fruit
Mix oatmeal, coconut, nuts and salt in a large bowl. Melt butter, add syrup, honey and vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and stir well. Spread on a sheet pan. Bake at 300 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Stir often. When granola is cool add dried fruit.

SRC Pistachio Cherry Ice Box Cookies

Being a member of the SRC gives one a chance to discover a new blogger. We get to 'stalk' their blog all month and then the difficult part; make just one recipe from their blog.
I had the honor to get to know Mindy from The World in My Kitchen. What a fun blog. Mindy has lived all over the world, this is definitely reflected in her dishes. Mindy also travels to France with her husband, a teacher. She shares posts about food she eats as she travels. Since I probably won't get to France I enjoyed the virtual experience.
I narrowed the recipes down to three; Crock-pot French Onion Soup, Dorie's Apple cake or Pistachio, Cherry Ice Box Cookie. No surprise, the cookies won--but the other two will be made in the near future!
I do love a good Ice Box Cookie, I think they have gone out of vogue in the cookie making circle. It's that 2 hour fridge time that stops many. Cookies are often instant gratification for me; I really want to cook them now!
But this little gem is certainly one worth waiting for. There is a hint of Orange Rind that plays perfectly with the Pistachios and Dried Cherries. I subbed Dried Cherries for the dried cranberries. I had a bag of KAF Dried Sweet Cherries--they are more than delicious!
The recipe comes together quickly, chill for two hours and then you are rewarded with the best cookie imaginable.Thanks Mindy, these, are excellent!

Pistachio Cherry Ice Box Cookies
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
Zest from one orange
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped pistachios
1/3 cup chopped dried cherries
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup sanding sugar
In a small bowl mix together flour, cinnamon and salt. In mixer beat butter, orange zest and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Turn mixer to low and add flour mix in three batches. Add pistachios and cherries, mix gently. Divide dough in two. Form each half in a log about 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap, refrigerate 2 hours.
Brush chilled cookie log with egg, roll in sanding sugar. Slice 1/4 inch thick. Bake on parchment lined sheet for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

TWD/BWJ Rugelach

Can I just tell you how proud I am! When I first looked at Rugelach I decided it would be the recipe of the month I would skip. I knew Irish Soda Bread would be no challenge. But if this baking group is to be about challenge and putting myself outside my comfort zone I better make Rugelach.
The reason I make so many cookies is the instant gratification factor. Rugelach contains no part of instant!
But I did enjoy the process once I realized it was just that a process.
I made cream cheese pastry.
I chilled.
I chopped nuts.
I toasted nuts.
I chopped fruit.
I plumped fruit.
I made prune lekvar (I didn't even know there was such a thing as prune lekvar).
I made brown sugar mixture.
I made nut topping.
I rolled pastry out.
I filled pastry.
I rolled pastry.
I chilled rolls.
I egg washed.
I sliced.
I rolled slices in nut mixture.
I baked.
I ate, and ate and ate. They were delicious!

I kind of feel like Melinda Mae in the poem by Shel Silverstein.

Melinda Mae

User Rating: 5.4 /10 (31 votes) Print friendly version E-mail this poem to a friend Send this poem as eCard Add this poem to MyPoemList Add this poet to MyPoetList

Have you heard of tiny Melinda Mae, Who ate a monstrous whale? She thought she could, She said she would, So she started in right at the tail. And everyone said,'You're much too small,' But that didn't bother Melinda at all, She took little bites and she chewed very slow, Just like a little girl should... ...and in eighty-nine years she ate that whale Because she said she would!!!  And I made Rugelach--because I said I would! For complete recipe and instructions please check Jessica's blog My Baking Heart.

Blueberry Granola

I do love granola it is so versatile. Start with oats, add you favorite nuts; I cleaned the freezer on this batch I had almond slivers, raw cashews and pecans. I saved the macadamias for cookies. Sweetening can be honey, brown sugar or whatever you like. Salt, vanilla and cinnamon are good seasonings, this recipe also added cardamom. Melted butter or oil of some kind gives flavor and crunch. This recipe was enhanced by adding whole wheat flour (freshly ground) and flax seeds. Dried berries add flavor and texture. That is why I love granola!

Blueberry Granola
3 1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups nuts, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded coconut
1 cup brown sugar
4 ounces butter
1/3 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
In a very large bowl mix together oats, flour, nuts and coconut. In a pan over medium heat add brown sugar, butter and water. Heat till bubbly. Stir till smooth and add salt, vanilla, cinnamon and cardamom. Pour over oat mixture. Mix well. Let sit for 10 minutes
Pour mixture on a large baking pan. Cook in a 300 over for 45-55 minutes, stir every 15 minutes. Mixture should be golden and dry. Cool and add dried blueberries.
Inspired by Sister's Cafe

Secret Recipe Club-- Date Nut Loaf

 The Secret Recipe Club comes around every month. We are assigned a blog to get to know and then create a yummy dish from their blog.
 I was assigned an amazing blog called Feast on the Cheap. This delightful blog is written by a mother daughter team. Mary Ann is a caterer and Mariel is a 'fledgling foodie'. I would say they both are amazing. You will find a wide variety of dishes on this blog. Something for everyone I'm sure. Some gourmet, others family fare. I was intrigued by many, I bought the ingredients for the French Onion Soup, I'll make it later this week.

 In my fridge I happen to have a 2 pound container of fresh dates. So when I saw a recipe for Nana's Date Nut Bread that has been in the family for years I had to try it. It was a simple recipe, ingredients you would have in your pantry. I chose to make some mini loaves and a small size bundt. I went to photograph the bundt and it looked naked so I had to drizzle a little browned butter glaze over it. This was one yummy addition. It takes a plain date loaf to an elegant dessert.

Feast on the Cheap is now on my reader, there are many dishes I need to try. The reason it is called Feast on the Cheap is that the cost per serving is given on every dish. That is assuming you have a well stocked pantry. And they will teach you just what is in a well stocked pantry. Yes, a very helpful blog. Thanks Mary Ann and Mariel.