Thought for Food

I needed to make something for an office bake sale, so I gave this recipe a try. The cranberries and chocolate chips are a variation from the standard recipe. They came out well (and sold quickly).

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1 egg lightly beaten
1/2 cup melted shortening
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon molasses
1 3/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped almonds

Directions:

* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
* In large bowl stir together flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
* Stir in remaining ingredients.
* Drop by teaspoon 1-1/2 inches apart on ungreased sheets.
* Bake for 12 minutes or until brown.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Recipes, Cookies, Cape Cod Oatmeal Cookies

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 06:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ingredients:
1 cup / 250 ml. - butter (2 sticks), softened (do not use margarine)
1 cup / 250 ml. - sugar
2 large - egg yolks
2 cups / .5 L. - all-purpose flour
pinch - salt
1 cup / 250 ml. - walnuts, chopped
1/2 cup / 125 ml. - strawberry preserves

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9" by 9" metal baking pan.

2. In large bowl, with mixer at low speed, beat butter and sugar until mixed, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Increase speed to high; beat until light and fluffy.

3. With mixer at low speed, beat in egg yolks until well combined, constantly scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Add flour and salt and beat until blended, occasionally scraping bowl. With spoon, stir in walnuts.

4. With lightly floured hands, pat half of dough evenly into bottom of pan. Spread strawberry preserves over dough. With lightly floured hands, pinch off 3/4-inch pieces from remaining dough and drop over preserves; do not pat down.

5. Bake 45 to 50 minutes until golden. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. When cool, cut into 3 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 10 pieces.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Recipes, Cookies, Czechoslovakian

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 08:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

1 c. raisins
1 c. butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 c. oatmeal
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. mini chocolate chips

Cream sugars and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs. Stir in flour, baking soda, salt, and spices. Last add oatmeal, nuts, and chocolate chips. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool. Makes about 6 dozen.

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 09:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 F
2. In a large bowl, mix together butter and sugar until well combined. Add egg, egg whites, vanilla and coffee and stir until well blended and smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add to the egg mixture and stir by hand until just combined.
4. Spoon into mini-muffin cups that have been sprayed with non-stick spray.
5. Bake for 12 - 15 minutes, until puffed up, but still soft to touch. Do not over bake!
6. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 09:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ingredients:
1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 14-ounce can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 c. butterscotch flavoured chips
1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 c. sweetened coconut flakes
1 c. chopped nuts

Directions:
* Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a 13×9-inch baking pan.
* Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over melted butter, then pour condensed milk over crumbs.
* Top with remaining ingredients in order listed. Press mixture down firmly into pan.
* Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool before cutting into bars.
* Can be stored in airtight container at room temperature.

Makes 24-36 bars

Source: Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 08:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

1 cup margarine
3 cups brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
2 1/4 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 cups chocolate chips
chopped nuts

Melt margarine
add sugar & vanilla & stir
add eggs one at a time - beat after each
add flour, baking powder, salt
spread in greased 9×13 pan
top with chocolate chips and nuts
bake 350 35-4O mins

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 08:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks, 1/2 pound) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated [white] sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large mixer bowl. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition; gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto un-greased baking sheets.

BAKE in pre-heated 375-degree [Fahrenheit] oven for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Technorati Tags: Baking, Recipes, Cookies, Toll+House, Chocolate+Chip

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 07:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Ingredients:
3 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (14-ounce) can Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla or 2 teaspoons almond or lemon extract
Frosting and decorations

Instructions:
In medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. In large bowl, beat condensed milk, butter, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add dry ingredients; mix well. Chill 2 hours.

On floured surface, knead dough to form a smooth ball. Divide into thirds. On well-floured surface, roll out each portion to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut with floured cookie cutter. Reroll as necassary to use all the dough. Place 1 inch apart on prepared sheets.

Bake in preheated 350° oven 7 to 9 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Do not overbake. Cool completely. Frost and decorate as desired. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Sandwich Cookies: Use 2 1/2 inch cookie cutter. Bake as directed above. Sandwich two cookies together with ready-to-use frosting. Sprinle with confectioners'or colored sugar if desired. Makes about 3 dozen.

Versatile Cut-Out Cookies, recipes

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 10:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
* 4 ounces light cream cheese, softened
* 1/3 cup cocoa powder
* 1 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar

PREPARATION:

Melt chocolate chips in a microwavable glass bowl for 1 minute until just melted. Stir with a spatula until smooth.

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add melted chocolate and mix until smooth and creamy. Add cocoa powder and mix until blended. The mixture will be crumbly at first but will come together as a dough. Gradually add sugar and beat until the dough is soft and creamy.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls (this is messy!). Dip and roll balls into shallow bowls of either sifted confectioner's sugar or sifted cocoa powder. Place truffles on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Chill for at least an hour.

Makes 20 truffles

Low Fat Chocolate Truffles - Printer Friendly

recipe

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 10:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Rating: Easy Kid Approved!

(NC) Here’s an old fashioned favourite that can help your child develop his taste buds for new foods. Instead of using chocolate in these cookies, we’ve used raisins but you can substitute dates, apricots or dried cranberries! (It’s all nutritious â and good!)

• 1 cup Crisco Golden Shortening 250 mL
• 1 cup packed brown sugar 250 mL
• 2 eggs 2
• 2 tbsp water 30 mL
• 3 cups Robin Hood or Old Mill Quick Oats 750 mL
• 1 cup Robin Hood All-Purpose Flour 250 mL
• 1 tsp baking soda 5 mL
• 1/2 tsp salt 2 mL
• 11/2 cups raisins 375 mL

1. PREHEAT oven to 375°F (190°C).
2. CREAM shortening, sugar, eggs and water in a large bowl on medium speed of electric mixer until light and creamy, about 2 minutes.
3. COMBINE oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture on low speed mixing until blended.
4. STIR in raisins. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet.
5. BAKE at 375°F (190°C) for 8 to 12 minutes or until light golden. Cool 5 minutes on sheet then remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes, Baking Time: 12 minutes, Makes: about 4 dozen cookies, Freezing: excellent

Tips:

• Replace raisins with your favourite chopped dried fruit.
• Replace all-purpose flour with Robin Hood Whole Wheat Flour.
• Under bake for chewy cookies; bake a little longer for crisp ones.

- News Canada

Technorati Tags: Recipes, Cooking, Oatmeal, Raisin

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 03:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Making cookies to give as gifts is one of my great joys during this time of year. I look through old cookbooks and magazines searching for new ones to try but these are a few of my all-time favorites. I make them year after year, et voilà:"

* Galettes aux Fruits ~ Lemony butter cookies filled with raspberry jam
* Cacao Boules ~ Chocolate Ball Cookies with cinnamon
* Biscuits Bretons ~ Brittany Butter Cookies
* Spéculos ~ Belgian Spice cookie with almonds, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and ginger

Our virtual cookie exchange continues next week. Be sure to visit each day for a special Christmas cookie recipe from all around about.com!

From French Cooking at About.com

Posted by Ian McKenzie at 08:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)