50 States, 50 Cookies : Alabama

by almost_rosey // 16Jan2017 // 1 Comment

I’ve been in a baking rut lately. Mainly baking cookies cause they are so quick & easy, my guy loves them, & they are portion controlled. My guy’s mom sent me a link to the United States of Cookies which says there are 50 States thus 50 reasons to bake with a cookie from each state.

This was sent to me last Friday. I thought it was awesome. New recipes to try & then I realized there were 50 weeks left in the year. 50 states, 50 cookies, in 50 weeks? Yes please! I thought it would be a perfect mini-challenge for me to complete this year. I haven’t done a baking challenge in awhile so this was like a gift from the baking gods. It couldn’t have turned out more perfectly.

First state in alphabetical order is Alabama. Their cookie was the Salted Caramel Peanut Butter cookie. I had all the ingredients in my baking cupboard so that too was perfect. Personally, I think the caramel needs to be tripled. Not every cookie gets some or enough. Adding the caramel drizzle would help with this as well. The recipe tells you that the caramel will ooze out & any excess can be broken off when transferred to a wire rack to cool. What they don’t tell you is how hard it will be to refrain from eating all those tasty caramel bits that break off.

http://www.bobsredmill.com/recipes/how-to-make/salted-caramel-peanut-butter-cookies-alabama/

Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Cookie from Alabama (recipe from Laura from Southern Made Simple)
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
2 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Corn Starch
2-1/2 cups Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
10-15 Soft Caramel Candies chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup Salted Peanut Halves
a sprinkle of Course Sea Salt for each cookie
Caramel topping for adding an extra drizzle optional

Preheat oven to 375°F.
Using a stand mixer, cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugars While mixing, add in eggs one at a time.
Add in vanilla, baking soda and corn starch. Add in caramel pieces and peanut halves.
Slowly add in flour – making sure it gets fully incorporated into the dough Scoop a spoon full of dough into your hands and roll into a ball – making sure no caramel pieces are visible. You can gently flatten the dough a little with your palm if you like a flatter cookie.
Place each ball on a foil lined greased cookie sheet and sprinkle with just a pinch of sea salt.
Bake for 10-12 minutes (Note: Caramel WILL ooze out – don’t be alarmed). Allow to cool on pan for no longer than a minute or two before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling (Any excess caramel that oozed out should easily break off at this time). Serve with a glass of milk and enjoy!

Lemon Cookies

by almost_rosey // 10Jan2017 // No Comments

I have been using essential oils for almost 20 years. That’s more than half of my life. I started buying them when I was about 13 and used them mainly for their aromatic properties and adding to baths. I was never super obsessed with them and went years without buying new ones. Oils were not the same back then as they are now. With companies producing therapeutic grade oils these days the possibilities for using them are endless.

When a co-worker told me she sold them I was excited. I became a distributer and proceeded to use them all the time again. I love them. I diffuse them, I make bath products out of them, and I clean with them. Certain oils can also be taken internally. I don’t really do that too often but the same co-worker who re-introduced oils to me made the best lemon cookies with lemon essential oil. These are delicious & you actually get that intense lemon flavor which is so nice & refreshing. I normally make these in the summer months but they are good any time of the year.

Lemon Cookies (makes 2.5 dozen cookies)

2 oz cream cheese, softened
6 Tablespoons of unsalted butter, softened
1/4 Cup plus 1 Tablespoon Powdered Sugar
3/4 Cup White Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 TeaspoonVanilla
1/4 TEaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
1 3/4 Cup Flour
15-20 drops of YL Lemon Essential Oil (depends on how lemon-y you want them)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugars together until smooth. Add the essential oil drops, vanilla and egg and mix again.
In a separate bowl mix together all of the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well.
Scoop cookies onto a baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes, remove from the oven and dust with more powdered sugar if desired (I omitted this step)
The amount of oil that you use will determine how lemony the cookies are, but remember that the dough will be stronger than the baked cookies.

Chocolate Coconut Christmas

by almost_rosey // 30Dec2014 // No Comments

I had grand plans for making many Christmas cookies this year. I wanted to do a cookie swap. No one else wanted too. We have a food week at work prior to Christmas so in a sense it was almost like a swap. I did make some cookies & baked goods that I don’t normally make: snickerdoodles, gingerbread men & cutouts, actual gingerbread, white chocolate gingerbread balls, and some chocolate coconut balls & cookies. The coconut balls were planned. The cookies that followed were not. I used the leftover filling to make the cookies. A complete accident, but one of the most delicious unplanned actions of my life. So while I didn’t get around to making all the cookies I wanted, I am quite satisfied with the results.

Filling:

1 (14 oz.) can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 (14 oz.) package flaked coconut
1 cup finely chopped pecans
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (or coarsely chopped regular semisweet chocolate chips)

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover & refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For Chocolate Coconut Balls:

Chocolate almond bark
shortening

Melt almond bark and add 1-2 tbsp shortening as needed to reach desired constancy. Roll the filling into 1 in balls and dip into chocolate. Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet & let cool completely. Store on the counter or in the fridge.

For Cookies:

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter & sugars until combined. Beat in baking powder & soda. Beat in egg and vanilla. Scrape sides as needed. Beat in flour & cocoa powder. Dough will be moist.

Preheat oven to 375F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Take some of the dough and roll into a 1-2in ball. Flatten on the parchment paper.

Take a portion of the filling & form into a 1/2-1 in ball. Place on dough & flatten slightly.

Take the sides of the dough and form around the coconut.

Bake for 8-12minutes depending on how big cookies are. Remove when cooked through but still soft. Allow to sit for 2 minutes (cookies will firm up). Place on a cooling rack to cool completely. Store on a counter in an airtight container for up to one week (the cookies didn’t make it to work as they were too delicious).

Enjoy.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

by almost_rosey // 26Nov2014 // No Comments

I hadn’t baked since Halloween so knew that I needed bake some treats. Besides, all my Halloween candy was almost gone. With Thanksgiving approaching I wanted to make something a bit festive and asked my guy what he wanted. He said cookies or bars. I decided to make pecan pie bars but than added chocolate in a last minute decision cause I really wanted something chocolate as well. If you don’t want the chocolate than just add an extra 1/2-1 cup chopped pecans depending on how nutty you want it.

Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars (makes 32)

For the crust…

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt

For the filling…

1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Take a 9x13x2in pan and line with foil so that it has a slight overhang. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Crust: In a large bowl cream together the butter and brown sugar. Add the flour and salt and mix until crumbly. Press into the lined pan firmly. Bake for 20-25minutes until golden brown and no loose flour is visible.

Filling: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan melt butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over medium-low to medium heat.

Add the chopped pecans.

Pour over the crust and spread to all sides.

Top with chocolate.

Bake for 20-25 minutes and remove to cool completely in the pan. Remove the bars via the foil overhang and cut into bars. Place back into pan for storage. Enjoy.

Pumpkin Cookies Revisited

by almost_rosey // 28Oct2014 // No Comments

Seeing as how my last batch of Pumpkin Cookies was so temperamental in baking, I decided to try again. These cookies are much easier to bake and figure out when done. The are very cake-like in texture and taste great the day of or even a week later which is important to me in a cookie. I cannot stand making stuff that is only good for a day.

Pumpkin Cookies (Makes approx 2 dozen)

1 cup all-pupose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
few dashes each nutmeg & clove
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Combine the flour, spices, & baking soda in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and both sugars in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in the pumpkin, egg, & vanilla until combined. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Fold in chips & nuts. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and lightly browned. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets & then let cool completely on a wire rack.

Divvy up the cookies so that they don’t all get eaten (I use yogurt & cottage cheese containers).

Pumpkin Cookies

by almost_rosey // 4Oct2014 // 2 Comments

As I had leftover canned pumpkin from the Pumpkin Mac & Cheese I knew a dessert was in order. I have made plenty of breads, cupcakes, and cakes so wanted to try something new and pumpkin cookies were created.

I love cookies. They are probably one of my favorite desserts. They keep well for about a weeks worth of treats & they freeze well for later yumminess. They are also portion controlled which is a good thing if you love sweets.

Pumpkin Cookies (makes about 3 dozen)

2 sticks butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
pinch each ginger, nutmeg, allspice, & cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup oats
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate hips
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper (If you only have one, be sure to rinse the cookie sheet after it has been used to cool it back down before lining it again).
In a large bowl cream the butter & both sugars until light & fluffy. Add the pumpkin, egg, & vanilla and mix until combined.
In a medium bowl mix the flour, baking soda, salt & spices. Slowly add this to the wet ingredients & mix until combined.
Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, & cranberries.
Drop rounded spoonfuls on the baking sheets 2in apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes until tops are golden & edges are starting to set (they will still be very soft & fall apart easily so care must be taken). Remove from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the pans. Slide parchment paper with cookies onto a wire rack & let cool completely.
Transfer to containers & eat within a week.

Summer of Rhubarb: Oatmeal Rhubarb Bars

by almost_rosey // 13Aug2014 // 2 Comments

Seeing as how I had leftover Rhubarb Sauce from my Mustard Sage Pork Roast, I knew another dessert was in order. Since I had made coffee cake & a crisp, I decided I would more or less combine the two recipes & make oatmeal bars. These are great! They can be eaten plain or with ice cream. Also, they can be made with whatever filling you desire. Any fruit will do. Use the same amount of sugar for raspberries, but if using peaches, blueberries, or strawberries only use 1/4 cup sugar.

Oatmeal Rhubarb Bars

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tsp baking soda
few dashes cinnamon
dash or two nutmeg
dash all-spice
dash cloves
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter
approx. 2 cups rhubarb sauce (2 cups rhubarb & 1/4 cup water brought to a boil & simmered for 5 minutes. Add 1/3 cup sugar & two tbsp. corn starch & cook for 2 more minutes)

Preheat the oven to 350F. Combine all the ingredients except the butter & rhubarb sauce in to a medium sized bowl & stir to combine. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve 1/2 cup of this mixture. Press the rest into a 9x9x2in baking pan. Top with rhubarb sauce & sprinkle remaining crumb mixture on top. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

Mint Chocolate Balls

by almost_rosey // 3Mar2014 // No Comments

I used to love Girl Scout cookies. Over the years, however, I feel that the quality has gone south as many food items tend to do in the quest for “healthier” or just cheaper ingredients. One cookie I never liked was the Thin Mint. I am the exception though. Everyone else I know loves this cookie & many store them in the freezer. I have never been a fan of mint desserts. I prefer mint in gum & teeth products. That is it. It is always odd to see people’s expressions when I decline a mint candy or cookie around the holiday season. They looked so confused.

One person who never declines a mint cookie or candy is my fishing guide. He loves those Girl Scout cookies & any other form/brand that they come in. This past week he has been gone for work so I decided that as a welcome home treat I would attempt to make them myself. I pulled a recipe and went to the kitchen.

Clearly I should have looked at more recipes. This one was not that great. The dough, which was said would be crumbly, was an understatement. In an attempt to help hold it together I added a tablespoon of milk but the dough was still like that of a Russian tea cake or pfeffernusse cookie. In the end I decided to make balls like those other cookies that the dough resembled instead. The result was very close in flavor. My fishing guide asked if they were crushed up thin mints in chocolate. Jackpot! The next time I make them I will try for a different dough in order to make them actually look like the beloved Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie.

Chocolate Mint Balls (note this recipe only makes about 1.5 dozen as I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. Double the recipe if you want more cookies)

-1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
-1/2 cup powdered sugar
-1/2 tsp vanilla extract
-1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1/4 tsp salt
-3/4 cup all-purpose flour
-4oz. semi-sweet chocolate
-1/2 tsp peppermint extract

-1 tbsp milk

In a medium bowl cream the butter until light. Add the powdered sugar and continue mixing. Add the vanilla, salt, cocoa powder & flour and mix well. Add in a tablespoon of milk & mix until just combined. Turn the dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. The dough will be very crumbly and will only slightly hold together if pressed firmly.

Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap while pressing into a ball. Chill for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Grab chunks of dough and press into a small ball. (Do them on the smaller side so the cookie to chocolate ratio is more like that of a thin mint. Too much cookie will be dry since they are balls and not flat rounds). Place cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 10-15 minutes. Cool the cookies completely.

Once the cookies are cooled, melt the chocolate in a double boiler or the microwave, stirring after every 30 seconds. Stir in the peppermint extract.

Using a fork, roll cookies completely in the chocolate. Let the excess drip off & place dipped cookies on a baking sheet lined with wax or parchment paper to set. Store cookies between layers of wax paper in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Random Cookie Recipe

by almost_rosey // 16Oct2013 // 1 Comment

I have never been good at throwing stuff together for baking. I have always followed recipes exactly and then played around with them to perfect them, but I never make up my own recipes. I have always been jealous of those that can do this. I started baking after school in elementary school using my mother’s recipe box so perhaps I feel a sort of nostalgia for following recipes to the letter. Perhaps it is the chemist in me seeking perfection and knowing that many baked goods require precise measurements and timings. Whatever the reason, I do wish to surpass it at times. So this last Sunday I decided to go for it.

Since I have been making cookies of late, I decided to make a “junk in the trunk” or “monster” or “garbage” type cookie (choose your naming preference). I looked in my pantry of goodies and started grabbing. I know enough of the science behind baking (there is my nerdiness coming out) to know what proportions need to be used and how long and at what temperature items need to be baked at.

I ended up with something spectacular. It is sweet and salty, but mainly sweet because that is what I want in my cookies. It also has a great cookie flavor, if that makes any sense, in addition to all the junk that it is in. So although I do not know how much I will be inventing in the future, I consider this a solid start.

Random Cookie Recipe

1 3/4 C all-purpose flour

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 C packed brown sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar

3/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 C chocolate chips (or bittersweet chocolate chopped, if you have it)

1/3 C white chocolate chips

1/3 C chocolate candy (I used cadbury mini eggs)

1/3 C roasted, salted peanuts

1/3 C coconut

1/3 C dried cranberries

In a large bowl beat the butter until smooth. Add both sugars and the salt and beat until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the egg and vanilla and beat until just combined. Add the flour and the baking soda and beat until just combined, scraping the bowl as needed.

Add everything else and stir until combined. You may have to use your hands in a meatloaf style fashion of mixing to get it all incorporated. There is a lot going on with this cookie, do not panic.

Shape the dough into 3tbsp balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2in apart. Cover with plastic and chill for 1hr (no more than 24 hours).

Remove the plastic and place in the middle of the oven preheated to 350F. Use your hand or a cup and flatten each cookie slightly (to be approximately 1cm high).

Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes or until light golden brown*. Transfer immediately to wire racks and let cool (at least slightly) before consuming.

*Please note that these cookies set rapidly. They will be a light golden brown but may still be soft to the touch when removing from the oven. Upon transfer to the wire racks you will see them set almost instantly.

Football Sunday or rather Baking Sunday

by almost_rosey // 13Oct2013 // No Comments

If you know me at all than you know I am not fond of sports. I find them boring. I do like hockey, but not for such a long season. I only like it in small quantities. I also like going to baseball games but that really only consists of one game a year. The game I cannot stand though, which America loves, is football. This game drives me crazy. It is so dreadfully boring that I want to tear my hair out. I have never liked it as a child and nothing has changed as I got older. Most people like this game and that includes my other half.

He likes Football Sunday. I tried to watch a game once but ended up being super annoying by talking throughout it and complaining the whole time. It was at this point that I decided that I would use Football Sunday to make food or bake or whatever I felt like doing project wise. It is a win-win situation now for the both of us.

Last Sunday was the first time that I got a chance to get my bake on. I was in the kitchen for about 5 hours. It was amazing. I made two different kinds of Oatmeal Raisin Cookies (which I just previously posted in my Battles of Baked Goods). I also made Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and some cute halloween treats.

So even though I cannot stand football, it does give me some time to spend in the kitchen doing the things that I love. Baking. Relaxing. Thinking. Being in the kitchen for me is sometimes like going to a Zen place. I cannot quite explain it.

Feeling Almost Rosey

Put Those Glasses On

cookies