Archive for the ‘dessert’ Category

Manna of the Gods.

Tuesday, July 15th, 2008

best. chocolate. chip. cookies. ever.

I prefer my cookies without chips… but these are so good, I’ll eat them WITH chips. 

 
(for scale… the cookies are 4.5″ in diameter.)

I got this recipe from the lovely Katie#s and recommend you all trying it :) 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled until warm
  • 1 c brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 c granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg plus 1 yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

    DIRECTIONS

  • Adjust oven racks to upper & lower to middle positions & heat oven to 325. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  • Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside.
  • With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter & sugars until thoroughly combined. 
  • Beat in egg, yolk and vanilla until combined. 
  • Add dry ingredients & beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in chips.
  • Roll scant 1/2 cup dough into ball. Holding dough ball in fingertips of both hands, pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, place formed dough onto cookie sheet, leaving ample room between each ball.
  • Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft & puffy (about 18 minutes in my oven)

    • Posted in cookies, dessert, comfort food, super easy, baking | 2 Comments »

    White Chocolate Chip Cookies!

    Wednesday, July 9th, 2008

    DH and I ate WAY too many of these in one sitting… blah. SO good though. Another AllRecipes find.

    INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup white chocolate chips
  • 7 ounces macadamia nuts, chopped (skipped… I just doubled the white chips.)

    DIRECTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C).
  • Lightly grease cookie sheets.(I didnt, and they were fine.)
  • Beat butter and shortening until soft and creamy. Gradually add the sugars and beat well.
  • Add egg and vanilla and beat well.
  • Combine flour, soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture beating well after each addition. Stir in chips and nuts.
  • Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls (I recommend TABLESPOONS instead.) onto lightly greased cookie sheets.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes or until done.
  • Remove to wire racks to cool.

    • Posted in dessert, super easy, baking | 1 Comment »

    Post 50… and no pictures.

    Wednesday, July 9th, 2008

    You know something’s good when it doesnt last long enough to have pictures taken!

    Blueberry and Nectarine Cobbler!

    (the recipe is for Southern Peach Cobbler…. but I used what I had. It was amazing!)

    INGREDIENTS

  • 8 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (skipped, as my nutmeg went MIA before I started cooking.)
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    Topping
  • 1/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
  • 1/4 cup boiling water
    mix together and keep off to side:
  • 3 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    DIRECTIONS

  • In a large bowl, combine fruit, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Toss to coat evenly, and pour into a 2 quart baking dish.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine flour, 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  • Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined.
  • Remove peaches from oven, and drop spoonfuls of topping over them.
  • Sprinkle entire cobbler with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.
  • Bake until topping is golden, about 30 minutes.

    And…. Vanilla Ice Cream to go with it!
    (warning : this recipe makes a GALLON of ice cream, so adjust accordingly.)

    INGREDIENTS

  • 2 (12 fluid ounce) cans evaporated milk
  • 1/2 pint heavy cream
  • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 cups milk

    DIRECTIONS

  • In large bowl, beat together eggs, evaporated milk, cream, condensed milk, sugar and vanilla, with electric mixer.
  • Beat in pudding mix until smooth.
  • Pour into freezer canister of ice cream maker and add enough milk to bring mixture to fill line. (I just measured and added with everything else.)
  • Freeze according to manufacturer’s directions.

    WARNING: it takes FOREVER to freeze. Make the day before!

    • Posted in ice cream, summer favorite, dessert, comfort food, super easy, baking | 1 Comment »

    mmmm watermelon!

    Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

     

    We’ve been really busy… and havent done much that’s ended up being blog worthy :( 
    We had some leftover watermelon… (well 4 of them!) so I decided to make some watermelon sorbet. 

    I found this recipe on epicurious.com  and its really good!

    INGREDIENTS
    8 cups cubed (1 inch) watermelon, seeds and rind discarded
    1 cup Simple Sugar Syrup
    2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

    DIRECTIONS
    Puree the watermelon cubes in a food processor.
    Measure 4 cups of the puree and place in a bowl.
    Add the Simple Sugar Syrup and lemon juice and stir well.
    Freeze in an ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Enjoy! :)

    Posted in summer favorite, dessert | 2 Comments »

    chocolate chip ice cream!

    Monday, June 2nd, 2008

    DH requested some chocolate chip ice cream… so I made it last night! Same recipe as the vanilla… but I added 4oz of chunked chocolate. mmmmm :) 

     

    Posted in ice cream, dessert, comfort food | No Comments »

    Clean up day!

    Sunday, June 1st, 2008

    We love hosting a customer and friend picnic each year…. For this year’s picnic, I made vanilla bean ice cream to go with the peach blueberry cobbler that my MIL made…. Both were amazing- and stupid me forgot to take pictures!

    Vanilla Ice Cream (recipe from Cuisinart, photo from Google Images)

    INGREDIENTS
    1 cup whole milk (well chilled)
    3/4 cup granulated sugar
    2 cups heavy cream (again, well chilled.)
    2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
    tori addition : 1 vanilla bean, split in half and scraped- throw it ALL in! Remove whole beans before serving.) 

    DIRECTIONS
    Mix milk and sugar in a bowl with a hand mixer until sugar is dissolved. (1-2 minutes)
    Add heavy cream and vanilla.
    Pour into machine and turn on. Let mix until thickened and freeze!

    Warning : this melts FAST. Even after being frozen for 24 hours, it STILL melts almost instantly! 

    Peach Blueberry Cobbler (image and recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart.com)

    INGREDIENTS
    3 to 4 ripe peaches (1 1/4 pounds), cut into eighths
    1 cup blueberries
    1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
    1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    2 teaspoons cornstarch
    1 large egg
    3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
    1/4 cup heavy cream
    1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    Pinch of table salt
    1 teaspoon baking powder

    DIRECTIONS
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    Combine peaches and blueberries in a bowl.
    Whisk together 1/4 cup sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch.
    Add to fruit; toss to combine.
    Set aside. Combine egg, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and cream in a bowl; whisk with a fork.
    Set aside.

    Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and remaining tablespoon sugar.
    Make a well in center of dry ingredients, and pour egg mixture into well.
    Using hands, slowly draw dry ingredients into wet ingredients, and work dough until just mixed together.

    Divide fruit mixture among four 8-ounce ramekins.
    Gently pat dough into 4 disks just big enough to fit on top of ramekins.
    After placing, brush dough with remaining melted butter.
    Place ramekins on a baking sheet.
    Bake until juices bubble up and crust is golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes.
    Serve hot, with ice cream if desired.

    Posted in dessert, comfort food, super easy, baking | No Comments »