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.
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Macadamia Nut, Coconut, White Chocolate Blondies

I made these yummy treats twice in the same weekend! That is how good they are. I was asked to make a treat with an 'Island Theme'. Not hard at all, macadamias came to my mind as well as coconut. White chocolate is a perfect complement to these ingredients. I checked my Pinterest boards and found.the perfect bar from The Brown Eyed Baker, a blog that always pleases.
I made a couple of very minor changes and was so happy with the results. Just a few notes that will insure a perfect bar. Measure the brown sugar by weight, it is easy to pack a few extra tablespoons of brown sugar in each cup. I love my scale and use in daily--many times! Please take a few extra minutes and toast the coconut, it really is better.

Macadamia Nut, Coconut and White Chocolate Blondies
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 1/2 cups brown sugar (10.5 ounces)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups toasted coconut (toast coconut on a parchment lined pan for 7-9 minutes at 350, stir often)
1 cup macadamia nut, coarsely chopped
1 cup white chocolate chips
Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt--set aside. In a large bowl whisk together the butter and brown sugar until combined. Add eggs and vanilla, whisk together. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl, using a rubber spatula gently combine the ingredients, do not over mix. Gently mix in the coconut, white chocolate chips and macadamias.
Using a small offset spatula smooth the batter into a 9x13 inch pan that has been sprayed, lined with parchment paper, leaving a bit of an overhang and sprayed again. Bake at 350 degrees for about 23-25 minutes. The top will be shiny and firm to the touch.
Cool completely in pan. Remove the bars using the parchment overhang, transfer to a cutting board. Cut in desired size bars. Can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 5 days, or frozen for a month.
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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.

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MY Favorite Chocolate Macadamia Cookie

I have dozens of cookie recipes on my blog how I forgot this gem I don't know. I have been making this cookie forever, I included it in a cookbook I made for my girls called Just Desserts. It's a fun little cookbook/scrapbook with about 20 of my favorite dessert recipes.
The macadamias in this cookie reminds me of Hawaii. It is warm in Hawaii--it is cold in Utah right now. So make this cookie and pretend you are in warm Hawaii enjoying it!

My Favorite Macadamia Cookie
1 cup brown sugar (7 ounces)
3/4 cup white sugar
7/8 cups butter
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 3/8 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
Mix together sugars and  butter, beat about 2-3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat 1 minute after each addition. Add vanilla. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Mix gently, don't over mix. Add nut and chips.
Bake on a parchment lined sheet for 13-14 minutes at 325 degrees. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen delicious cookies.

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

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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.

Peach and Raspberry Crisp

What happens when you have a few extra ripe peaches, some fresh raspberries and dinner guests? Peach Crisp by Ina Garten. Her recipes are really not to be messed with but I had to make a few changes. Lemon zest instead of orange zest, twice the amount of raspberries as called for and I halved the recipe. I also added about 1/4 cup chopped pecans to the topping. I was only serving 4 not 10. But everything worked out perfect. I would suggested putting the dish on a sheet pan to bake as it did overflow just a bit. This was excellent with fresh whipped cream or ice cream would have been yummy.
The recipe can be found here. It's delish.

Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Cookies

I realize I have many cookie recipes on this blog. Cookies are an instant reward type of cooking. Within 30 minutes I have a warm delicious treat. This recipe comes from the cookbook Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey by Jill O'Conner, [Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth]. I read cookbooks like others read novels so I like information, background stories, tips, I want more than just recipes. I'm happy to say this cookbook is a great read.
This recipe was declared by hubby as 'The Best Cookie You Have Ever Made'. So try it and let me know what you think.

Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Cookies
3 Cups Walnut or Pecan Haves
2 Cups (4 Sticks) Unsalted Butter, at room temperature
2 Cups firmly packed Dark Brown Sugar
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
4 Large Eggs
4 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
4 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Soda
1 1/2 Teaspoons Salt
4 Cups Crisped Rice or Crispy Rice Flakes Cereal such as Rice Krispies or Special K
2 Cups Sweetened Shredded Coconut
4 Cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
3 Cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place the Walnut Halves on a baking sheet and toast, stirring occasionally, until browned and fragrant, 6 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool completely. Chop coarsely.
In bowl of mixer at medium speed cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. beat in the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt, add to creamed mixture to form a soft dough.
In a large bowl mix together the toasted nuts, rice cereal, coconut, oats and chocolate chips. Using a large wooden spoon combine mixtures. This takes a little patience and a strong arm.
Using a medium Pampered chef scoop place cookie on parchment lined sheets. Flatten balls slightly with two wet fingers.Bake until the edges of the cookie are light brown and crisp but the centers of the cookie are still soft and a little puffy. About 12 minutes. Cool cookies on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
I made half the recipe and got about 4-5 dozen nice size cookies. If you want to make the whole recipe be sure you have huge mixing bowl. She also said cookies can be portioned by 1/4 cup and baked about 15 minutes.
This really is a yummy cookie. I think toasting the nuts adds so much flavor and crunch to an already yummy cookie. I also toasted the coconut for a few minutes.
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Nutty Granola Clusters

 I love granola with milk, fruit or yogurt, I also like to eat granola for a snack. This is the perfect snacking granola, it is soft almost like a chunk of a oatmeal cookie. Did I mention that it is delicious and quick to make.
I found the recipe at The Red Spoon, a great blog with beautiful photography--check it out
.
Nutty Granola Clusters
2 cups old fashioned oats
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped assorted nuts, toasted
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
1 egg white
Preheat oven to 325-degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl mix together the oats, flour, brown sugar, salt and nuts.
In a microwave safe bowl heat the butter and honey together until the butter is melted. Pour over the oat mixture and stir until combined.
Whisk egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Add to oat mixture and mix until incorporated.
Evenly spread oat mixture onto parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes.
Let granola cool completely, then break apart into clusters. Serve with milk,  fruit or yogurt.
The clusters remind me of a chewy granola bar. If you like crunchy granola check out this or this, both excellent.

Hawaii and Macadamia Cookies

Many years ago my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Dad loved Hawaii and wanted to see it with his children. So Mom and Dad planned and paid for a wonderful week in Hawaii for their 6 children and  their spouses--no one complained. It was fun to get away from family responsibilities and live the tourist life. We stayed at a nice hotel that had a lovely cafe with outdoor seating. It was December, Hawaii was decorated with thousands of Poinsettias. Every morning Mom and Dad would eat breakfast with Greg and I at the out door cafe. Dad thought is was quite a novelty that he was eating breakfast outside in December! I of course loved the food. Every morning there was a yummy sweet bread made with Macadamias. What a wonderful way to start the day. Thus began my love affair with macadamias.

Today's cookie make me think of Hawaii, Macadamias and my Father--who has been gone 6 year this week. I'm so glad we were able to take that one last trip with Dad. It meant so much to him. Mom and Dad traveled often but Mom will always say that her favorite trip was spending time in Hawaii with all her children.
So this cookie just screams Hawaii! It is just a version of my food processor cookie, just replace the nuts with chopped Macadamias and use white chocolate chips in place of the semi-sweet.

Macadamia and White Chocolate Cookie
1 egg

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter (softened and cut into 8 pieces)

1 T vanilla (yes, this is a tablespoon, not a teaspoon.  Use real vanilla, of course, not imitation.)

1 1/3 cups flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup chopped macadamias

1/2 cup oatmeal (regular, not instant)

1 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Buzz first 5 ingredients in processor 30 seconds.  Scrape down and buzz 5-7 seconds more.  Distribute flour, salt and baking soda over mixture in processor.  Scatter nuts, oats and chips on top of that.  Buzz on/off 10 times.  Don't over mix.  Just give a swipe with a spatula to any flour that looks unmixed (it really will be okay).

Drop by teaspoonful 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.

Let stand 1 minute on sheet.  Remove and cool on wire racks.