Monthly Archives: May 2011

Sipping Another Cup of Coffee

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There’s probably not another person on the planet (besides me) who needs something sweet and crispy to eat with a cup of coffee on a cold day. No calories, please. But, could I have another cookie?

Melba toast spread with a thin layer of jam is fine, I just want something with a bit of flavor.

So, off comes the gloves and I figure out the means of methods known only to bakers across the nation. I want a simple, crisp cookie to enjoy with my coffee.

Shortbread? Anyone?

Don’t tell Ann Zuccardy that I made my own shortbread, but… yeah, I kinda did. I’ve tasted Ann’s shortbread and mine isn’t nearly as yummy delicious as hers, but… close. (Especially since HERS is in Vermont.)

1 1/2 cup flour
1 cup butter (the real butter – no substitutes)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup finely ground pecans

Mix together everything but pecans and form into round shape on wax paper covered pan. Flatten to 1/3 inch thickness and smooth edges. Place pecans on top of cookie (should be about 10 – 12 inches in diameter) and press into cookie. Top with a pizza stone and carefully invert so pecans are on the bottom and waxed paper is on top. Remove waxed paper.

NOTE: IF dough is too dry to mix, add a bit more butter or if daring – add a bit of thickened cream. Dough should be dry, but must hold some shape to bake properly.

Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes (until very lightly browned and set well).

1/2 cup raspberry preserves

Shut off oven. Score immediately into pizza style wedges and drizzle top with raspberry preserves. Place back in warm oven. Let set for 10 minutes in warm oven. Remove.

Drizzle plates with a zig zag pattern of melted dark chocolate if serving as a formal dessert.

Serve on your best china, with linen napkins and silver.

Definitely tastes best with a good cup of coffee or an English tea.

This recipe comes from Jan Verhoeff – who absolutely LOVES Ann Zuccardy’s shortbread and hasn’t had any in WAY TOO LONG. This recipe doesn’t even compare to Ann’s shortbread, but in a pinch, all the way in Colorado, it works… mostly.

Winter-y Tomato Soup & Cheese Bread

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Need a hearty soup to warm up your tootsies?

This one will keep your toes warm and your heart too.

Denver Food & Fun

Stir three huge cans of diced tomatoes or the equivalent of FRESH tomatoes into a Dutch oven style pan on top of the stove. Add about a cup of shredded basil (or 3 tablespoons dried basil) to the tomatoes and simmer for about 20 – 25 minutes, until thickened.

Toast French Bread in the oven with garlic and mozzarella cheese until cheese is golden and bubbly.

Serve with soft music and candle light, plenty of family conversation and you’ve got a winning combination for a warm cozy night inside when late spring snow is falling outside.
ACE Writers
This delicious toe warming recipe posted on a cold wintery afternoon in mid May from Centennial, Colorado, by Jan Verhoeff.

Dear Hubby Peanut Butter Cookies

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D H Peanut Butter Cookies

Tonight on SECO Recipes, I celebrate my husband…my friend, my partner, my confidante, my hero, my Love, my helper, my companion, my everything.

It’s coming up 20 years; can it really be so? We still have the best hugs; we still work well together and we can still bring tears to each other’s eyes with a special look.

And…he still loves peanut butter cookies! Tonight, he will smile.

  • 2 sticks (1 C) butter (I used Smart Balance margarine)
  • 1 C brown sugar
  • 1 C white sugar (I used 2 C white sugar and added a heavy tblsp of molasses)
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 1/2 C peanut butter
  • 2 1/2 C flour (I used 1 C whole wheat + 1 1/2 C white flour)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp vanilla (I used about 1 1/2 tsp)
  1. Mix butter, sugar and peanut butter.
  2. Add eggs, flour, baking soda and vanilla.
  3. Bake 350 degrees/12 min. (I did 15 minutes as my cookies were large).

Copied from COOKS.COM; submitted by William lll.

note: I added some choco chips to a few.

These came out soft and delicate; DH smiled!

Try this recipe - let us know if you added or changed anything or if you might have some special cooking instructions for your particular peanut butter cookie recipe that puts smiles on your family’s faces.

 

 

 

 

 

 



Homemade Brown Sugar

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How many years have you bought brown sugar at the store? How many years have you had molasses and white sugar in your pantry? Presto – homemade brown sugar.

The entire recipe for homemade brown sugar is;

—1 tblsp molasses to 1 C white sugar.

I thought this was way too easy and researched it further. Here are some links for recipes making homemade brown sugar;

-http://www.bonappetit.com/blogsandforums/blogs/badaily/2011/04/from-the-test-kitchen-how-to-m.html

-http://www.ochef.com/612.htm

-http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molasses

My research took me here – an interesting science tangent, while searching molasses;

http://www.norcalblogs.com/watts/2007/05/light_flows_at_the_speed_of_mo.html.  Space travel and molasses…interesting partners.  But back on task…

This link addressed the potential health perks of black strap molasses.

Every day brings new meaning, new learning.  That peanut butter recipe I’ve had sitting on the coffee pot for a week because I didn’t have the necessary brown sugar…DH will have his favorite cookie recipe for snack tonight, after all.