Easy Sugar Cookie Bars

So, for this last book club meeting I had a lot of things going on. A lot of dishes that I wanted to serve, and things I wanted to do, but out of all of them these sugar cookies were my number one priority. We were discussing the book Sugar Coated by Shannen Crane Camp. In the book there are multiple references to sugar: it's look, touch, taste and feel. The main character loves sugar so much that she carries around sugar cubes with her, for snacking. Perhaps more significantly, the book mentions the smell of sugar. Both is a positive and pleasing manner, but also in an ominous way when describing a toxic gas that smells like sugar cookies baking. (It's really a fun, interesting and easy read if you are into reading fiction, science fiction, or dystopian material.) Anyway, so I wanted my house to smell like sugar cookies when everyone arrived. (I know, I go a little overboard but that's how I've always been. I'm a constant over achiever and people pleaser. There are worse things.)

  So, back to the cookies. I had the dough made, but I wanted to make them at the last possible minute so that the house would smell great. Well, I was juggling a lot of things and was distracted to say the least and I ended up deciding to make the cookies into bars instead of individual cookies, so save myself come time, hassle and clean up. I am so glad I did! By baking the cookies in one big dish it kept them moist and chewy, but still crunchy around the edges - which is hard to achieve with a sugar cookie. They are usually cake-like and soft, or too thin and crunchy. Both of which are not necessarily bad things. They are just not what I was looking for. The bars turned out so well that I'm considering making them this way all the time!

   I'm bummed to tell you that I did not take any step-by-step pictures, but I do have these final shots for you.

 The recipe is really easy to follow, but if you have any questions please leave a comment and I will answer. :)

Here's the recipe:
adapted from Easy Sugar Cookies

Easy Sugar Cookie Bars

  

2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour (sift before measuring)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder 

1 cup butter, softened (I used salted)

1 1/2 cups white sugar, plus more for top
1 large egg  
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Using a hand mixer, or stand mixer, cream together the butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar until smooth.  Beat in the vanilla, egg, baking soda and baking powder until completely combined. (You can also whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda seperatly and then add them together to the butter/sugar/egg mixture.) Add in the flour, a little at a time until completely incorporated. Dump into a greased 9x13 glass/Pyrex baking dish. Press into an even layer, and sprinkle the top with more sugar. Bake @ 350F degrees for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cut while they are still warm, and then allow to cool before removing from the pan.

Fruit Salad (With a Mango Dicing Tutorial)

 I hosted book club at my house last night, and knowing that people would want healthier options, I decided to make a fruit salad. (It's also gluten free in case our gluten free member was able to attend.) Fruit is one of my favorite things. It satisfies me completely when I'm having (almost) any sweet craving. And while it's not really fruit season right now, I was still able to find some deliciously ripe fruit at the market.
   This is the combination of fruits that I did this time, but I change up my salads depending on what looks good at the store that day. And of course, the amounts can be adjusted as well. This salad served 5 of us club members with some left over for a cottage cheese/yogurt/fruit breakfast for me and the kids. It's amazing to me how something so simple could be so outrageously scrumptious. The hardest part of it all is cutting everything up.
   So, I thought I would show you how to cut up a usually cumbersome fruit - the mango. I find that people are often intimidated by them because they don't know how to attack the things. Mangoes have a nearly flat oval shaped seed in the center. The trick to dicing or cutting a mango into cubes, and not make a huge mess or cut yourself, is to work with the mango. Let it show you where to cut. I'll show you how.

Here's the mango. See it's oval shape? The seed (or pit) in the center is the same shape, and almost as tall and as wide as the mango itself.

Hold the mango on the cutting board so that the stem end is facing you, with the wider sides running up and down, like this:

Please ignore the "C" on my hand. I often write letters on my hand to remind me of things I need to do or find that I might forget. I unfortunately remembered that I needed to find this "C" item when I was in the car and only had a permanent marker handy. I chose to write the reminder anyway and now I get to live with my "C" for the rest of today (and maybe tomorrow). Perhaps you wouldn't have noticed if I didn't point it out? Oh well. Now you know. :)

Next, cut one of the "cheeks" of the fruit off. I usually start about 1/4 inch from the stem. Start slicing down slowly, and if I get any resistance than I adjust my knife a little until I'm no longer hitting the seed/pit.

Next, rotate the mango 180 degrees and cut off the remaining "cheek." Like this:

What's left is the seed/pit and the two mango cheeks. Now, to dice the mangoes perfectly, just use your knife and cut the flesh of the fruit, making long even cuts but not pressing the knife hard enough to puncture the skin. You want to keep the skin in tact. You can dice the mango as small as you like. I tend to do small dices.

Once all the vertical lines are made, then rotate the mango 90 degrees and make the same sized cuts again. (So you make little squares.)

The final step is to get a spoon and scoop out the cubes. 

This should be all that's left. But don't throw out the pit! Peel it and eat/nibble/suck the fruit off . . . preferably over the sink or the trash because it can get really messy! But this is the treat for the cook, and it's delicious! (My son says that his favorite part about cooking is all the extra cook "treats.") 

Just add the mango dices to the other diced fruit and berries. I have here a mixture of fresh pineapple (another fruit that I can demonstrate cutting if you would like), strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and mangoes. Now, this salad is perfectly satisfying just as is. But if you want to make it a little more special you just need to add one little secret ingredient . . .

2 Tbsp of vanilla pudding mix. Just sprinkle it over the top and then mix it together. (You can use the rest of the pudding mix another time, or just make it into pudding now and serve with your fruit!)

This is the final product. Isn't it beautiful?  And it tastes even better!

Here's the recipe:

Fruit Salad

1 pint strawberries, diced
1/2 medium pineapple, diced (about 2 cups)
6 oz blueberries
6 oz blackberries
2 large mangoes, diced
2 Tbsp instant vanilla pudding mix

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir well. Serve immediately. It can be made up to 1 day ahead of time, but the longer it sits the juicier it will be. 

Panna Cotta

Have you ever had Panna Cotta? It's an Italian dessert of cream, milk and sugar simmered together and then set with gelatin. It can be topped with anything from fruit to caramel to chocolate; but my favorite is fruit. (Shocker! I almost always choose chocolate above all else.) There's just something about how the smooth and creamy panna cotta plays off the sweet and tart fruit that is heavenly.
   I made this for dessert the other day, and didn't think that I would be able to blog it because I didn't take pictures as I was making it, and it was too dark when I finished to take any usable photos. I thought for sure that every bit of it would be gone by morning, but I (or rather you) got lucky. Two desserts made it until the following day, and these are them.

Since the mixture is in liquid form at first, you can pour it into any vessel of choice. I love the way it looks in martini glasses, and even wine glasses, but since I don't drink you won't find those in my house (although I have been tempted to by some just for desserts). I chose to do mini muffin cups and a parfait glass. They both turned out wonderfully.
    Word to the wise, though, if you want to turn your panna cotta out onto a dish (like the first photo) you should invest in silicone muffin cups. Just run a butter knife around the edges, turn it upside down onto the play and turn the muffin cup inside out. They come out perfectly.
   I did the muffin cups for the kids, but I had some left-over so I did the parfait cups for me and my hubby. I really enjoy digging into the set cream and berry mixture. It's mysteriously satisfying.

The last time that I had this dessert was at an investment club meeting a decade ago. It was served with mixed fruit on top (mangos and berries) and I still think about it all the time. It baffles me that I haven't made it before now. It's extremely simple and only 4 ingredients.

I topped it with some blueberries coated in my Special Strawberry Jam. Yum, yum!

Here's the recipe:

Panna Cotta

1/3 cup skim milk 

1 (.25 ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin 

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup milk (can also use cream) 

1/2 cup white sugar 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Pour skim milk into a small bowl, and stir in the gelatin powder. Set aside. 
In a saucepan, stir together the heavy cream, milk and sugar, and set over medium heat. Bring to a boil, watching carefully, as the cream will quickly rise to the top of the pan. Turn the heat down to low. Pour the gelatin mixture into the cream, stirring until completely dissolved. Simmer for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla and pour into dishes. Chill for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Easiest Doughnuts Ever

So, I know that it's the New Year. And most people are trying to watch what they eat, and cut out the fats and sweets (heaven forbid!) but I can only do that for so long before I go crazy. This mama needs her carbs and sugar (especially chocolate) so what did I make the kids for breakfast this morning? Doughnuts.
   I know, it's far from a healthy breakfast, but sometimes food is about making memories and something really delicious instead of something healthy and waist-line friendly. So, today we splurged.
   I wish I could say that I made it all from scratch (because that is my preferred method of cooking) but I didn't. I made all the toppings, glazes and fillings from scratch from things I had on hand, but this was a last minute decision. I didn't want to wait for hours for the dough to rise and shape. So, instead I turned to the canned biscuit. I had bought some a little while ago to make some of my Breakfast Biscuit Muffins (stuffed with either sausage, egg and cheese or bacon, egg and cheese or maybe even Nutella and banana). Every morning, I would open the fridge, look at these canned biscuits and think "I'll make those tomorrow" and then be good and grab some yogurt, cottage cheese and pineapple for breakfast instead.
   I was being good . . . sticking to my healthy eating resolve, and trying to eat less processed foods (it seems like everyone is jumping on that bandwagon lately). So, the biscuits sat in the fridge. And sat. And sat. Until this morning, when I woke up with literally a song on my lips and a smile on my face and decided that I was making doughnuts!
    I'm sure you guys have seen these doughnuts floating around the internet and blogosphere; and for good reason. These are seriously the easiest doughnuts you could ever make and they taste heavenly. They are slightly crispy on the outside and soft and pillow-y on the inside. I've been making them for years (ever since I saw Paula Deen do it on the Food Network many many years ago). But, I have never shared them with you. Probably because it's not really a recipe, just a method. But, in case you haven't seen them somewhere else already I didn't want to deprive you of them any longer.

   Here's all you have to do . . . are you ready? . . . Pen and paper handy? . . .

Here it is:

1.Heat some frying oil (peanut, soy, veg, sunflower, grape-seed, whatever you wish) in a large pan on the stove.

2. Open the biscuits, and cut them into any shape you wish (or don't cut them and fill them after frying)

3. When the oil is hot, place the biscuits into the oil one at a time.

4. Flip the doughnuts, and fry until both sides are golden brown.

5. Remove to a cooling rack or paper towel lined plate and then glaze, dip, coat, roll and fill them any way you wish.

Ta-Da! That's it! Seriously, it couldn't get any easier. And while it's so easy anyone could do it, I do have a couple tips that will help:

1. Make sure your pan is not filled more than 1/2 way with oil. I like to use a big soup pot and then only fill it up about 1/3 of the way, so I know for sure I won't have any issues with the oil bubbling over and setting my kitchen on fire. Frying is dangerous business so be careful!!

2. When I'm not looking to impress anyone, I usually just cut each biscuit into fourths and then fry them up like doughnut holes. But, if I want them to look like actual doughnuts I would buy from the shop in town then I use a pairing knife to cut a circle out of the center of the biscuits, and then stretch the "o" shape so the hole is a little bigger than seems necessary. The doughnuts rise as they fry so the hole becomes smaller as it cooks.

3. To test the oil, without a thermometer, I usually put the handle end of a wooden spoon straight down into the pot. If bubbles form around the handle then it's hot enough. I fry over medium heat. The last doughnuts you fry will be darker than the first ones you fry because the oil will darken in color the more you cook.

4. When frying the doughnuts, Cook them for 30 seconds on one side and then turn over. I like to use a "spider" for this, but a metal slotted spoon would work too. If the dough sits for too long on one side at first, then it will get too heavy and not want to flip over and cook the second side. Continue flipping every so often until they are golden brown on all sides. (Doughnut holes take just a minute or two, where as full/uncut biscuits take about 5 minutes total).

5. If you want powdered sugar doughnuts or cinnamon sugar doughnuts, then just put the freshly fried doughnuts in a brown paper bag bag, along with your coating of choice, and shake until coated. If you want a glaze, them mix up powdered sugar and milk or water. (About 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 Tbsp milk or water - adding more liquid if needed). If you want a chocolate glaze, just add some cocoa powder to the aforementioned glaze. If you are looking for a jelly filled doughnut, then just use a small knife to make a hole in one side of the full doughnut and then pipe in some jelly/jam - I just use a zip-top bag with one corner cut off as my piping bag. I really enjoy my Special Strawberry Jam for filling. Once filled, then top generously with powdered sugar.

I made glazed, chocolate glazed, cinnamon sugar holes and strawberry jelly-filled doughnuts.

I think the family liked them. ;)

I took the last strawberry filled doughnut (that one of my Angles tried to liberate the powdered sugar from) and topped it with the left-over chocolate glaze. Yum!

Really, the possibilities are endless and only limited by your imagination. There are days when I will take the time to make the dough from scratch, but on days when I just want a doughnut NOW, without all the fuss, these are definitely the way to go! Enjoy!!

Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken

So, this is what I'm eating right now. A little Creamy Garlic Chicken over a very small amount of rice (about 1/4 cup) and A LOT of Roasted Asparagus and Roasted Zucchini and Mexican Squash. I suppose this is typical for most people this time of year. We are trying to eat more veggies and less fattening food to counteract all the lusciously decadent foods we indulged in over the holidays. I completely agree with this way of thinking and starting off the year with a "healthier you" but I am not one for starving. (Hence my full plate of food above.)
   I want to eat scrumptious and delicious food all the time, and I don't want to be limited to bland and flavorless food because I am consciously trying to loose the few pounds of my "winter coat" I put on over the last couple months. And that is why I am often at a loss as to what to post this time of year. Everyone seems to be on some crazy diet, where they are depriving themselves of something, or everything, until they make themselves and everyone around them miserable.
   I saw this quote that one of my friends pinned on Pinterest stating, "I'm sorry for what I said out of hunger." I can completely relate. I have done the diet thing, and the being hungry ALL THE TIME thing and that combination doesn't sit well with my genetic or psychological make-up. I might loose the weight, but I don't make the best wife or mommy when I'm hungry. I want to be able to eat whatever I want, whenever I want and not feel like I'm cheating when I do it. But . . . because I don't restrict my amounts of yummy things I like to eat, my weight often fluctuates a few more pounds than I would like. I used to participate in a Fat Club with my friends, where we would compete against each other to see who could lose the highest percentage of body weight. That was a great motivation for me (because I have a greatly competitive nature), but after winning three rounds and feeling like the other members resented me for it, I have quit Fat Club. I don't need to feel bad about losing weight! I want to feel great about fitting into my skinny jeans (jeans that fit me at my "skinny weight", not actual "skinny jeans" - I can't stand those things!)
   So, back to my quandary as to what to post during this time of year when it seems like everyone is watching their weight. The solution, in my book, is to cook food that tastes great but isn't very fattening or high in carbs. My biggest asset in this mission is my slow cooker. Why? Because I can cook my meals with NO added fat (like I would if I were to saute on top of the stove or roast in the oven). The chicken that I made tonight is actually so healthy and low in fat that I could probably get away with having a bowl full of just that and still be guilt free. The added veggies, and a little bit of rice, help me to feel more like I'm having a complete meal though. 
  So, while I don't have step by step pictures to show you, and the recipe is more of a method (everything is to taste and the measurements depend on how many you are cooking for), I thought I would share with you what I'm eating for dinner and how I'm starting off the new year.

This is what I cooked for my family of 6 tonight. We had leftovers, but the little ones don't eat that much.
 
Slow Cooker Creamy Garlic Chicken

2 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/4 cups organic chicken stock
8 cloves of garlic, minced - about 1/3 cup (to taste, but I was inspired by Chicken With 40 Cloves of Garlic so I wasn't being shy with the garlic) 
seasoned salt (to taste - I think I used 2 tsp but it will vary depending on your stock)
1/2 tsp dry thyme
freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
a few dashes of Worcestershire Sauce 
1/4 to 1/2 cup sour cream (or cream cheese, or other creamy substance you want to add - you can omit this if you want it to be a fat free dish, but the sauce will be really thin.)

Spray or line the slow cooker. Add the chicken, chicken stock, garlic, a little seasoned salt and pepper, thyme and Worcestershire Sauce. Cook on low for 6 hours. Break up the chicken using two forks or a pair of tongs. Stir in the sour cream, and check for seasoning. (Add more salt and pepper if needed). Can be served over rice, noodles or veggies.



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Turtle Thumbprint Cookies (AKA Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies)

 

This was the cookie that I mentioned in my last post: Salted Caramel Coconut Thumbprint Cookies. These cookies are soft and chocolatey sweet with a little crunchy note from the pecans and a finishing touch from the soft caramel filling. They are truly wonderful and I'm so glad my cousin Jaci gave me the recipe. :) (I did change it a smidge, but not much)
   I even omitted the nuts and made Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies for my friend's tree-nut allergic husband. :)

Here's the recipe:

Turtle Thumbprint Cookies (AKA Chocolate Caramel Thumbprint Cookies)

1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick (8 Tbsp) butter, softened (I always use salted)
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg separated
2 Tbsp milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups finely chopped pecans (can be omitted if needed)
15 caramels, unwrapped
3 Tbsp cream
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Combine flour, cocoa and salt and set aside. Beat together butter and sugar. Add the egg yolk, milk and vanilla. Add the flour until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Preheat the oven to 350F. Whip the egg white in a bowl until frothy. Put the finely chopped nuts into another bowl. Roll the dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball in the egg white and then in the nuts. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet and make an indentation into the top of each cookie (using your thumb or a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon). Bake @ 350F until set - about 12 minutes, rotating half way through. Repress indentations and let cool on the baking sheets while you make the caramel.
   In a small sauce pan, heat together the cream and the unwrapped caramels over low heat. Stir constantly until smooth. *Using a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon, fill each cookie indentation.
   Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave. Heat for 30 seconds, stir and repeat until the chocolate is smooth. Put into a piping bag or a small zip-top bag and cut the corner off leaving an 1/8 inch hole. Slowly pipe stripes onto each cookie. Let set before moving.

*You can reheat the caramel if it sets up before all the cookies are filled.
**The caramel stays soft in the center, so be careful when packaging because they can stick to each other and other holiday goodies. Wax paper works nicely as a barrier.

Salted Caramel Coconut Tumbprint Cookies

About a week ago I asked my friends and family on Facebook what their favorite cookie was. I got many delicious responses; almost all of which I've never made. So, I was on a cookie making mission. I wanted to try all of cookies that had just been suggested to me, and while I haven't made it through all of them yet, I am well on my way.
   My cousin Jaci said this was one of her favorites (along with a chocolate and caramel thumbprint cookie that I'll share with you in a bit), and she was gracious enough to give me a recipe. Tried as I might to stick to the letter of this recipe, I still changed it a bit - and the recipe listed reflects my changes. I brought these along to a Christmas party my family and I attended last night, and the hostess liked these cookies so much that she asked for the recipe. So, Ramona this is for you. :)
    While I didn't take step by step pictures of the process, the instructions should explain it all. If you have any questions just leave a comment and I'll be more than happy to help you out!
    These really are quite tasty little morsels, and I'm glad I have the recipe so I can make them again and again.

Here is it:

Coconut Thumbprints with Salted Caramel

1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened (I always use salted)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp coconut extract
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 tsp table salt
1 egg, seperated
6 oz sweetened flaked coconut
15 caramels, unwrapped
3 Tbsp cream
coarse Kosher salt or flaky Sea Salt

Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and coconut extracts along with the egg yolk. Mix in salt and flour. Form into 1 inch balls (I had to squeeze the mixture together and then roll it into balls). Whip the egg white until frothy. Roll each ball into the egg white and then into the coconut. Place onto a parchment line baking sheet and press and indentation into the top of each cookie (using your thumb or a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon). Optional: refrigerate for 1 hour before baking. 
   When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F. Bake for 10 minutes on the top rack and then repress the indentations using a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon (so you don't burn yourself!). Rotate the pans and cook for another 2-7 minutes. The cookie should be set and the coconut browned but not burnt. 
   Place the unwrapped caramels into a sauce pan along with the cream, and heat together over low heat stirring constantly. When the caramels are melted and the mixture is smooth you are ready to fill your cookies. *Using a 1/2 tsp measuring spoon, fill each cookie indentation. Sprinkle with sea salt (or Kosher salt) and then let **set before moving or packaging. 

*You can reheat the caramel if it sets before all the cookies are filled.
**The caramel stays soft in the center, so be careful when packaging because they can stick to each other and other holiday goodies. Wax paper works nicely as a barrier.