Snickerdoodles

my Mom's recipe

Ahhh... the Snickerdoodle.  What a name.  What a cookie.  I have been craving these for awhile.  They somehow take me right back to my childhood.  They are so delicious and buttery with a slight tang from the Cream of Tartar.  Perfect with a glass of milk.  Yummy.  I'm sure most people have some rendition of the Snickerdoodle recipe, but if you have never tried them, you really should. They are delicious.

1 cup shortening (I used unsalted butter), but I have seen some recipes that say they get better results with 1/2 cup vegetable shortening and 1/2 cup butter.

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1/2 teaspoon of salt (if using salted butter, you do not need to add this ingredient)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

4 Tablespoons sugar

Beat shortening, sugar and eggs in mixer until light and fluffy.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.  Stir flour mixture into shortening mixture until well combined.  This dough is very soft, so resist the temptation to add more flour.  Cover dough and chill for 1 hour. 

Mix the cinnamon and 4 Tablespoons of sugar together in a small bowl.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll dough into 2 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated.  Place on greased cookie sheet and press down on dough ball with

fork to make a criss-cross pattern.

Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Watch carefully.  You will lose the delicious chewiness of these cookies if they are over-baked.  They will puff up in the oven quite a bit.  When the edges have set and are slightly golden, remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on cookie sheet.  They will fall when removed from oven, but that is what they are supposed to do.  

Note:  In my effort to try to justify eating way too many of these cookies in one sitting, I did tweak the amount of butter and sugar and found that they still turned out beautifully.  So, if you would like to decrease the butter and sugar, I did have success with about 3/4 cup unsalted butter and  1 cup sugar.  Those are the only changes I made, and the cookies were still wonderful, but they were slightly puffier and not quite as chewy. The picture above was a batch with the reduced amounts to give you an idea of how they will look.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

recipe slightly adapted from The Food Network

This is quite possibly the most delicious homemade pizza I have ever made.  I followed this recipe for the crust preparation and used this recipe for the alfredo sauce recipe and topping ideas.  It was soooo good!

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I tamed this a little and just did a couple of sprinkles, but if you like a kick, add the whole teaspoon)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 cup whole milk or heavy cream

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

2 cups spinach, well washed and dried, and chopped.

1 roma tomato, sliced

1-2 cups grated mozzarella

olive oil, for brushing crust

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Put chicken on a grill pan and grill until cooked through, or bake seasoned chicken breast until internal temperature of 170 degrees and juices run clear. Let rest for 5 minutes and then dice and set aside.

2.  Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.  Add the flour and cook until light blonde in color.  Whisk in the cream or milk, reduce the heat to low, and let simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.  Stir in Parmesan and season lightly with salt and pepper, to taste. 

3. Prepare crust as indicated in this post.

4. Ladle sauce to cover bottom of the pizza.  Evenly top with the spinach, tomato slices, grilled chicken and mozzarella.  Brush the edge of the crust with olive oil.  Bake pizza until crisp and golden and cheese is melted and bubbly.  Remove from oven and immediately top with another handful of spinach.

Buttermilk Blueberry Breakfast Cake

recipe adapted from Alexandra Cooks via Pinterest

Serves 6-8 .... or 1-2 depending on your self control!

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

zest from 1 large lemon  (approx. 2 tsp)

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar*  *for sprinkling on top of cake before baking 

1 egg, room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh blueberries (I used frozen and thawed them out in warm water)

1/2 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter with lemon zest and 1/2 cup sugar until light and fluffy.  

2.  Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Meanwhile, toss the blueberries with 1/4 cup of flour, then whisk remaining flour, baking powder and salt.

3.  Add the flour mixture to the batter a little at a time, alternating with the buttermilk.  Fold in the blueberries.

4.  Grease a 9 inch square baking pan or something similar with butter or coat with non-stick cooking spray.  Spread batter into pan. Sprinkle batter with remaining tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 35 minutes.  Check with toothpick.  If necessary, return pan to oven for a couple more minutes.  Note: baking for as long as 10 minutes more might be necessary.  Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving.

The original recipe called for 3/4 cup sugar.  I reduced to 1/2 cup and it still tasted wonderful.  Also, I do like blueberries, but 2 cups seemed like a lot to me, so I only put in 1 cup and it was just the right amount for me, but if you love blueberries.... load it up! I think more blueberries would tend to result in a little bit moister cake if that is what you would like.

Homemade Clif Bars

recipe slightly adapted from Enlightened Cooking

My husband loves Clif Bars, but they can be sooo expensive!  So, I set out on a mission to find a recipe to make our own and found this!  It is very good and has several variations to try different kinds.  Hope you like them!

1 1/4 cups crisp rice cereal (Erwhon Crisp Brown, Brown Rice Krispies or regular Rice Krispies are fine)

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking oats (I use regular rolled oats and they turn out fine, although you may need to add a little more brown rice syrup to hold them together better if you do)

2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed (I buy the big bag from Costco and use the flaxseed in these bars and in our green smoothies)

1/4 cup finely chopped dried fruit (raisins, Craisins, dried cherries, dates, etc.)

1/3 cup brown rice syrup or honey

1/2 cup nut butter (I use the natural creamy Kirkland peanut butter, but almond butter or another nut butter would also be delicious)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)

Combine the rice cereal, oats, flaxseed meal, dried fruit, and nuts in a large bowl.  Combine the syrup and nut butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted and well-blended, or microwave for 20-60 seconds until melted.  Stir in vanilla until blended.  

Pour nut butter mixture over cereal mixture, stirring until coated.  Then you've got to continue to mix with your hands until everything is combined very well.  Press mixture firmly into an 8-inch square pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.  Continue to press down until you have a very firm layer.  Cool in pan and chill at least 30 minutes to help the mixture set.  Cut into bars, wrap bars in plastic wrap and store in refrigerator.

Chocolate Peppermint Sandwich Cookies

Recipe from Our Best Bites

My husband has been begging me for awhile now to make some "homemade oreos."  I checked out a few recipes and decided to try this one. The ingredients were simple items that I already had on hand and the option for peppermint flavor in the filling sounded sooo yummy.  Well, these cookies definitely did not disappoint!  Check out Our Best Bites for some darling ideas for Christmas cookies using this recipe.  I know we are far from Christmas, but for me, peppermint and chocolate are a year-round treat!

1 1/2 cups flour, lightly spooned into measuring cups and leveled (don't scoop)

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp table salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

5 Tbsp real butter

1 Tbsp water

1 large egg lightly beaten

Filling:

1/2 cup real butter (1 stick)

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 -1 tsp peppermint extract

milk, as needed for consistency

optional: red or green food coloring and sprinkles or crushed candy canes

To make cookies, preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.  Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  Heat chocolate chips, brown sugar, 5 tablespoons butter and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until melted and smooth (there will still be grains of sugar though).  Transfer mixture to a a large bowl and beat in egg.  Stir in flour mixture until just combined.  Don't overmix.  

If dough is too soft to work with, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to firm up, or place in the fridge for a few minutes. Gently roll balls, either 1 tablespoon full for large cookies or about 1/2 inch balls for silver dollar sized cookies.  Place about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.  Bake cookies until just puffed in the middle and edges are set but centers and still soft - about 8-9 minutes for large cookies and about 5 minutes for small ones.  If using 2 cookies sheets, rotate them halfway through baking. Cool for a couple of minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer to a cooling rack and let cool completely.  

To make filling, beat all frosting ingredients together, adding peppermint extract to taste.  Add milk one teaspoonful at a time until a spreadable but not too soft consistency is reached.  Add food coloring if desired.  Place frosting in a zip-top bag and cut off a corner*. Pipe filling onto one side of cookie and place another on top. Roll edges in sprinkles or crushed candy canes if desired.  

Yield:  If you used a tablespoon of dough, this recipe will yield 1 1/2 dozen large sandwiches.  If you use a quarter of a standard cookie scoop (about a rounded teaspoon) it will yield 4-5 dozen.

*Tip:  To easily load the frosting into your zip-top bag, place bag over the top of a cup with the top of the bag folded out over the lip of the cup.  Hold the bag in place over the cup with one hand while scooping the frosting into it with the other.  A lot less mess!

Apricot Bread

recipe slightly adapted from The Recipe Niche

Okay, I'm back after a very long hiatus.  I pretty much stopped posting recipes when I ran out of natural light at night (when I do most of my cooking) and my pictures looked atrocious.  I have my light back now (yea! - thank you daylight savings) and am ready to share some awesome recipes with you!  Last summer I canned some apricots and have realized over the winter, that I really don't like canned apricots. They are very tart and need to be sweetened quite a bit for me to enjoy them.  I preserved them in a very light syrup and it was not enough to make them enjoyable for me.  I did do some apricot freezer jam at the same time and that is deelish, but I have been trying to find some recipes to use these big ole jars of canned apricots that I have.  And today.... we have a winner!  Apricot quick bread.  It is really yummy and can I just say... I think some muffins made out of the same batter with little cream cheese frosting spread on top would be unbelievable.  Okay... here is the recipe!


1 cup apricot halves (pureed)
2 cups flour sifted
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cups nuts chopped (of course, we don't do nuts at our house, but throw them in if you are a nutty household!)
2/3 c sugar
1/3 c butter
2 eggs
3 Tbsp orange juice


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Drain apricots and reserve the syrup.  Puree apricots in a blender or food processor.  Add enough of the reserved syrup to pureed apricots to make 1 cup.  Combine dry ingredients.  In a separate bowl or in your stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar and eggs.  Add orange juice and apricot puree and mix.  Add flour mixture and mix well.  Pour batter into a greased 9x5x3 inch loaf pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean.  Remove from oven and let loaf cool for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and cool on wire rack.  


Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pancakes

Recipe slightly adapted from Parents Magazine

My name is Misti and I'm a pancake-aholic.  I love warm, fluffy pancakes for breakfast and these pancakes definitely did not disappoint.  They were so light and fluffy, and course, I love them because they have pumpkin in them. I love pancakes!  I love pumpkin!  I love Fall!  That's a lot of love. I hope you love them too.

1 cup flour

1 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

2 Tbsp butter, divided

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk (or mix 1 Tbsp lemon juice with enough milk to make a cup; let stand 5 minutes)

1/3 cup canned pumpkin

In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and baking soda.  Melt 1 Tbsp butter. Whisk in egg, buttermilk, pumpkin and melted butter.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 1 tsp butter and swirl to coat pan.  Spoon batter onto skillet and cook until pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around edges, turn and cook until golden on bottom.  If pancakes brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium.  Serve with berries, syrup or other toppings of your choice.

Check out this sinful version from Two Peas and Their Pod - oh baby! yummmmm!