Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts

Monday, December 9, 2013

Great Recipes for the Holidays - The Sequel

The Hearts and Hands United etsy team is made up of sellers from around the world. So you will find a varied group of recipes.
Here are some more great recipes for the holiday season.  We are trying to mix them up so you have a selection to choose from.                                                                                                                                            


Here are several recipes from Jeanie who runs:
www.JeanieBeanHandknits.etsy.com

She says this is great for a crowd and can be served in a crock pot.

Calico Beans - makes 5 quarts

Brown 1 lb. ground beef, 1/2 c. chopped onion and 1/2 lb of crumbled, cooked bacon. Cook and drain.
Add:
1/2 c. ketchup
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 T. dry mustard
2 t. vinegar
Mix well.

Add 1 can each of:
great northern beans
butter beans
kidney beans
2 cans pork and beans

Cover and bake at 350 for 40 minutes or in the crockpot for a few hours on low.

Freezes and microwaves well.



Raspberry Oatmeal Bars

1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 c. all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. butter softened
3/4 c. seedless raspberry jam - warm this before attempting to spread over crust.

Preheat oven to 350 (175 C). Grease 8" square pan lined with foil or parchment paper. I prefer parchment for this recipe.
Combine brown sugar, flour, soda, salt and oats. Blend in the butter using your hands or a pastry blender until crumbly. 
Press 2 cups of the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Spread the warmed jam within 1/4 inch of the edge. Sprinkle remaining crumb mixture over the top and gently press into the jam.
Bake 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned.
Allow to cool before cutting.



Cookie Bark

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
saltine crackers

Preheat oven to 375

Line a 15" by 10" jelly roll pan with parchment paper (foil also works) and cover the bottom of the pan with saltine crackers.

In a small sauce pan, add 1 c. butter and 1 c. sugar - bring to a boil and cook for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and add 1 tsp. of vanilla
Pour mixture over the saltines and bake for 8 minute.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips. Spread the melted chocolate evenly over the top. Pop the whole pan in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Remove from the freezer and break into pieces.




This recipe comes from one of our members who lives  in Morocco. 

Orange, cardamom, and date m’hanncha 

M’hanncha is Arabic for snake and this is a snake shaped pastry- ideal for dessert or at teatime. Traditionally it is just made with almond but it is nice with dates too. This is eaten at festive occasions in Morocco and is a very popular traditional family sweet. You can make mini individual ones but usually a large one is made and people cut or break a piece of the snake coil off.

Ingredients

Filo pastry- about 8 large sheets
375g/13oz butter
375g/13oz icing sugar
3 free-range eggs
375g/13oz finely ground almonds
3 cardamom pods, crushed
2 unwaxed oranges, zest and 2 tbsp juice
50g/1¾oz dates, stones removed, chopped
50g/1¾oz flaked almonds

To serve
• icing sugar, for dusting
• flaked almonds
• 5-6 pistachios, crushed- optional


1. For the filling, cream the butter and icing sugar together. Mix in the eggs in one at a time, making sure they are combined before adding the next. Add the ground almonds and mix well.

2. In a small pan, heat the cardamom pods and orange juice to infuse. Simmer for a few minutes, then allow to cool.

3. When cool, remove the cardamom pods and add the juice to the butter and egg mixture along with the three-quarters of the orange zest and the flaked almonds and dates. Mix well.

4. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

5. Put the filo sheets on a long table (about 6ft long) side by side with the edges slightly overlapping each other to form a very long rectangle approximately 2m/6ft long. Cover any unused filo sheets with a damp clean tea towel whilst you are working to stop it drying out.

6. Spoon the filling in a straight line near the edge of a long side of the pastry. Then, just like a Swiss roll, begin to roll up the pastry until you have a very long, thin roll of pastry. Wrap up into a swirl, to resemble a coiled snake. Brush with a little melted butter. If any of your pastry breaks patch with another piece with a dab of melted butter

7. Place on a large baking tray dusted with flour brush with a little melted butter and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden-brown and crisp.

8. To serve, dust with icing sugar and scatter with flaked almonds. Finish with the reserved orange zest and some crushed pistachios look pretty but are not essential. 
Serve with vanilla ice cream or eat at tea time with a cup of tea. Here in Morocco M'hanncha eaten with very sweet mint tea.




Need an easy breakfast meal? All the prep for this is done the day before and just requires baking while presents are being opened on Christmas morning. This comes from Alyce of


Breakfast Casserole
serves 6-8

1 lb loose breakfast sausage
1 1/2 grated cheese - I use cheddar
3 slices of white bread - crust removed and cubed
8 eggs
2 cups milk
pinch of dry mustard
Mrs. Dash seasoning to taste

Brown sausage. Drain. Put in 13 x 9 baking dish. Layer cheese on top, Add bread cubes.
Mix well remaining ingredients and pour over sausage/cheese/bread. Cover with foil. Refrigerate over night or longer. Put into cold oven @350*. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake additional 15 minutes. 







Monday, November 4, 2013

Cran-cherry chocolate chip bars

I found this recipe, via pinterest, on the Mennonite Girls Can Cook website, and apparently they found it in an old Kraft cookbook.  But, as usual, I can't leave a good recipe alone, so I've modified it somewhat.
These cookie bars are amazing.  The first time I made them, they were gone before the chocolate chip cookies that were also in the house had been finished, which is saying quite a lot in a house where a batch of chocolate chip cookies has an average lifespan of maybe 2 days unless they're rationed.  They mix up very quickly and they're versatile, at home on a holiday cookie plate or in a lunchbox.  And definitely open to substitutions- at the bottom I've included a few ideas, but feel free to experiment yourself too!

Cranberry Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

1/2 c. craisins (dried cranberries)
1/2 c. dried cherries
1/4 c. orange juice
3/4 c. oil
1 1/2 c. light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. quick oats
1 1/2 c. white or whole wheat flour
1/4 t. salt
1 t. baking powder
1/2 c. chocolate chips
1/2 c. chopped nuts
melted chocolate (optional)

Preheat over to 350* F.  Grease 9"x13'x2' pan, or line with parchment paper.
In a small bowl or 2 c. measuring cup, combine dried fruit and orange juice.  Microwave for 30 seconds on high, set aside.
In a large bowl, combine oil and sugar.  Mix well.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each.
Add oats, flour, salt and baking powder, mix until well combined.
Fold in fruit and juice, chocolate chips and nuts.
Spread into prepared pan.  Bake 20-25 minutes, until set and slightly browned.  Allow to cool completely before cutting.
If desired, before cutting, drizzle with melted chocolate.

Variations:

These would be good with the addition of shredded coconut along with or instead of the nuts.

Use white chocolate chips instead of milk or semi-sweet chocolate.

You could easily substitute other dried fruit for the craisins and cherries.  Try raisins, dates or dried apricots.

For a fun holiday touch, line the baking pan with parchment paper.  After bars are cool, remove from pan in one sheet, and use cookie cutters to cut out bars in holiday shapes.  Drizzle with melted white chocolate.


From the RobinsFlight kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Monday, May 6, 2013

Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

I'm always on the lookout for good recipes to use up those old bananas, because no matter how many I buy I always seem to end up with a couple that start to get brown.  One of my favorites is banana cocoa bars, which I posted here.  This new recipe is one I've adapted, which I love because I can make these cookies with whatever I happen to have on hand.  At the end I'll give some great suggestions for alternative add ins to give a completely different, but equally yummy, cookie.


Banana Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

6 tbsp. butter or margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 cup all purpose or whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 1/2 cups rolled or quick cook oats
1 cup ripe bananas, mashed (about 2)
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350* F.  Grease cookie sheets or spray with no-stick cooking spray.  In medium bowl, cream butter and sugars.  Stir in egg and vanilla.  In another bowl, combine flour, soda and cinnamon.  Stir into wet mixture just until combined.  Stir in oats, bananas and chocolate chips.  Drop by heaping tablespoons onto cookie sheets.  Bake 10-12 minutes.  Allow to cool for a minute before removing cookies from sheets.

Perfect for an afternoon or bedtime snack!

Alternatives:
Substitute one 8-oz. can crushed pineapple for bananas and shredded coconut for chocolate chips.

Substitute applesauce for bananas and dried cranberries or cherries for chocolate chips.

Substitute raisins and chopped walnuts for chocolate chips.

Or try your own combo and let me know what your favorite is!


From RobinsFlight's kitchen to yours, enjoy!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Sweet ideas for Valentine's Day- or any other day

Valentine's day seems to be a day for sweets- heart shaped boxes of chocolates and candy hearts seem to be timeless ways that we celebrate this holiday. Personally, I'd prefer something homemade- nothing says "from the heart" than dessert fresh from the oven. And so, we have a few sweet recipes for you this Valentine's season.

The first recipe here is one of my family's favorites, both to make and to eat! My little helper was making these with me the other day, so he took some pictures to help you see how to make them.



Banana Cocoa Bars

1 1/2 c. mashed ripe bananas (about 3)
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all purpose or whole wheat flour
1 t. baking powder
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 350* F. Grease a 9"x 13"x 2" pan.
2. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy, about 30 sec. Add egg and vanilla, beat until well combined. Stir in bananas.
3. In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder and soda and salt. Add banana mixture and stir just until combined.
4. Remove half of the batter to the banana bowl. Add cocoa to one half of the batter, mix well. Spread cocoa mixture into pan. Spoon banana mixture over the top and swirl with a knife to marble.
5. Bake 25-30 minutes, until top is golden brown. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

Yield: 24 bars


This next recipe is a unique cookie made with corn flakes, which gives them a wonderful crunch. This is a family favorite from Nancy of NancyEllenStudios and DesignsStainedGlass.

Cornflake Cookies

1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 t. vanilla
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t. cream of tartar
1/2 t. baking soda
1 c. cornflakes

1. Preheat oven to 375* F.
2. In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer until softened. Add sugars, beat until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, beat well.
3. In a different bowl, combine flour, cream of tartar and baking soda. Add gradually to butter mixture. Beat well.
4. Fold in cornflakes with a wooden spoon. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
5. Bake 8-10 minutes. Let cool 30 seconds before removing from sheets.

Yield: approx. 36 cookies


Maybe you're looking for something a bit fancier than just a cookie. The other day I tried my hand at flan, and discovered it's not as hard as you'd think! And with only four ingredients, you may not even have to run to the store in order to make it.


Classic Flan

2/3 c. sugar, separated
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk or half and half
1 t. vanilla

1. To caramelize sugar, in a heavy saucepan, cook 1/3 c. sugar over medium heat until it begins to melt, shaking pot occasionally but not stirring. Once it starts to melt, reduce heat to low and cook about 5 minutes until all of sugar is golden, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Immediately pour sugar into bottom of a 9" round baking pan and tilt to coat. (The sugar hardens quickly, so act fast!) Allow to cool 10 minutes.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs well. Add milk, vanilla, and remaining 1/3 c. sugar. Beat until well combined but not frothy. Pour into sugar-coated baking pan. Place pan into larger baking pan. Pour very hot to boiling water into larger pan to a depth of at least 1", or halfway up the flan pan.
3. Bake at 325* F. approx. 1 hour, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove pan from water bath. Cool at least 1 h.
4. To unmold, loosen edges with a sharp knife. Cover with serving platter and invert pans together. (This is the second tricky part!). Cover and chill overnight before serving for best flavor.

Yield: 8 slices


From Robin's kitchen to yours, have a sweet Valentine's Day!