Salted Caramel Brownies

 Still warm from the oven I thought "ugh these are too sweet!" and then I guzzled a cold glass of milk.  Then, I stuck them in the fridge overnight and was all Busta Rhymes on them the next day. "Gimmee some mo!"  These are so good and fudgey and caramely. Dan and I have an argument.  If I could only choose chocolate or caramel for life I would choose caramel, hands down.  He scoffs and says "Chocolate!" So, these brownies are a good compromise for us.

Salted Caramel Brownies

Ingredients

Brownies:

3 19/50 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3/4 cup)

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

6 tablespoons butter, melted  (use salted butter here!)

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cooking spray

Topping:

1/4 cup butter (use salted butter here!) 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

3 1/2 tablespoons evaporated fat-free milk, divided

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/8 teaspoon coarse sea salt (I used kosher salt because it was chunkier than my fine sea salt)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. To prepare brownies, weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through baking powder) in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Combine 6 tablespoons butter, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Add butter mixture to flour mixture; stir to combine. Scrape batter into a 9-inch square metal baking pan (I only had a 9" round pan, bake for 5 minutes longer) lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 19 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

3. To prepare topping, melt 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons milk; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add vanilla and powdered sugar; stir with a whisk until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over cooled brownies. Let stand 20 minutes or until set.

4. Combine 2 tablespoons milk and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH for 45 seconds or until melted, stirring after 20 seconds. Stir just until smooth; drizzle over caramel. Sprinkle with sea salt; let stand until set. Cut into squares. (Or cut into pie slices if using round pan)

Maureen Callahan, Cooking Light

SEPTEMBER 2011

You could probably bake these scones and bread outside...

Although it is hardly the season for having the oven cranked up, I have been baking a lot.  Here are two great recipes that I've made recently.  I didn't change them very much except I used more "machinery."  For the blueberry scones, I used my food processor instead of cutting in the butter by hand.  For the oatmeal wheat bread, I used my stand mixer instead of kneading by hand.  So, don't really bake these outside (unless it is 375 degrees out there...and I don't mean heat index).  Recipes are at the end of post.

Blueberry Scones
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Blueberry-Scones
Blueberry Scones Recipe
Oatmeal Wheat Bread
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Oatmeal-Wheat-Bread-232825

Galette aux Pommes, a Crocheted Scarf & Baby Clothes...I'm back!

I know, I know... it's been exactly one month since I've posted anything on this blog! But, I have a good reason: I've been making too many things!  Every precious second of Luke's nap time I've been working on a new small business called Elephant in the Room Baby Boutique.  I've been sewing and cutting and ironing and tying ribbons and tearing out stitches and sewing again...all to make and sell cute little baby things like onesies, t-shirts, hair bows, headbands, and burp cloths.  Here are my websites to check out: www.facebook.com/elephantbaby and www.etsy.com/shop/elephantbaby.  You don't need a facebook account to check out the facebook page.  If I know you, you can call me or just send me an email at elephantintheroombaby@gmail.com to custom order something.  Etsy helps me sell to people I don't know (and they take a percentage of the sale...boo.)  So, if you need a gift for a precious little one in your life, my sewing machine and I are all yours!

Next, I learned how to crochet during Thanksgiving.  Here's how to learn how to crochet:

1.) Get yarn and needles from Michaels or some other hobby store with your best friend sister Carli.
2.) Have your Grandma D. show you how to crochet at the kitchen table. Have a nice chitchat about gigalos and the olden days.
3.) Fly home with exactly 1 inch of a scarf done...
4.) One week later, forget everything that you learned over Thanksgiving.
5.) Go to Martha Stewarts website and search "how to crochet".
6.) Follow these steps: http://www.marthastewart.com/article/how-to-crochet
7.) Crochet a scarf that your husband says looks and feels like a placemat. boo.
8.) Pick out chunkier, softer teal yarn and a huge needle and start a new scarf that only takes a couple days.
9.) Wear your cozy scarf even though it is 65 degrees in January in Tulsa!

And finally, on to some cooking.  I have been putting cooking and baking at the absolute bottom of my priority list. No, scratch that, cleaning is at the very dusty, crumby bottom.  I took pictures of some things I cooked like Potstickers and Sweet & Sour Chicken, but they never turned into blog posts.  Yesterday I made a beautiful Galette aux Pommes (rustic apple tart) for a potluck luncheon that I went to today.  Not only was it gorgeous and golden and glistening it was the perfect buttery crust with tart thinly sliced apples and a layer of apricot glaze.  Sounds fancy schmancy but it was actually really easy.  So here's the recipe (one part Martha Stewart, one part my own):

Galette aux Pommes (Rustic Apple Tart)

For the Crust:

Pate Brisee (Pie Dough) (from http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pate-brisee-pie-dough, I halved the recipe)

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
• 1/8-1/4 cup ice water

Directions

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Add butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
2. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Form dough into a ball. Flatten  ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. Dough may be stored, frozen, up to 1 month. (Prepare your apples while dough chills)
4. (This part is my direction) On a large piece of parchment paper, sprinkle a little flour and place disc of dough on it.  Sprinkle a little flour on the dough and on your rollling pin.  Roll out dough in a circle or oblong shape to about 1/8 inch thick.  It does not have to be a perfect, nice circle because it is a "rustic" tart, which is codeword for lazy.  Place parchement and dough on large baking sheet.

For the Filling:

4-5 Granny Smith apples (or whatever apples you have)

1-2 tbs. granulated sugar

a pinch of nutmeg

a beaten egg or egg white

1-2 tbs. apricot preserves (for use after tart is baked)

1. Peel, core, and quarter apples.

2. Slice very thin using a sharp knife or a mandoline (I used my mandoline that I got for my birthday, love it!)

3. On your rolled out dough (see above) arrange apples in a spiral OR dump them all out in the middle and make it really lazy rustic! Leave a 2 inch border of dough all the way around.

4. Fold edges of dough over apples, pleating as you go.

5. With pastry brush, brush edges of dough with your beaten egg.

6. Sprinkle dough and apples with sugar. Sprinkle the apples with the nutmeg.

7. Place in 400 degree oven for 35-40 minutes until crust is golden brown and apples are tender.

8. Let cool on rack.

9. Microwave apricot preserves in a small dish for about 20 seconds until melted.

10. Brush apples only with apricot preserves.

11. Drool.

12. Serve warm or at room temperature, alone or with a dollop of vanilla ice cream. 

 

The Last Pumpkin Cupcake...

Dear Dan,

I am sorry that I ate the last pumpkin cupcake that was meant to be yours.  I know that means that you only had 1 and I had 5, but can you blame me?  The cake was so light, moist, and perfectly spiced and the cream cheese frosting was so melt-in-your-mouth delicious.  Now in my defense... the cupcake was taunting me for 2 whole days under that plastic wrap and I didn't want it to go bad, of course!  I promise I will make it up to you with a pumpkin pie.

Love, Mal

P.S. Good thing we gave the rest of the cupcakes to the neighbors, because you know I would have eaten those, too.



 "Let me out of this plastic wrap!"

Pumpkin Cupcakes
from Marthastewart.com

Makes 18 (I think it makes more like 22 if you fill the cups half way...)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar (I ran out of sugar - I know, that's a bad sign!- so I used more brown sugar instead.)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake pans with paper liners; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice; set aside.

2.In a large bowl, whisk together, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, and eggs. Add dry ingredients, and whisk until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin puree.

3.Divide batter evenly among liners, filling each about halfway. Bake until tops spring back when touched, and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes, rotating pans once if needed. Transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.

From Halloween 2004, Special Issue 2004.

Cream Cheese Frosting
from Better Homes and Gardens cookbook (the red and white one, you know you've got it!)

Makes about 4 cups

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
5 3/4-6 1/4 cups powdered sugar

1. Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with electric mixer until light and fluffy.  Gradually add 2 cups of the  powdered sugar, beating well.  Gradually beat in additional powdered sugar to reach spreading consistency.  This frosts the tops and sides of two  8- or 9-inch layers (or, 24 cupcakes). Halve the recipe to frost a 13x9x2-inch cake.  Cover and store frosted cake in the refridgerator. (oops, didn't do that.)



Cocoa Lace Cookies

Warning: Do not make these unless you are willing to accept that you will keep eating them and keep eating them just like a bag of potato chips.  These cocoa lace cookies were brought to our family by a neighbor when I was a kid.  When my sweet tooth hit me yesterday (like everyday), I decided to check out some old recipes in my hand-written recipe book I've been keeping for a few years.  Cocoa Lace Cookies were just the cure for my sweets craving.  I had all the ingredients AND they only take minutes to prepare and bake.  They are thin, crispy, caramely, slightly chocolatey, nutty and chewy - all at once.  Maybe I'll bring them to one of my neighbors... Oh wait, like I said at the beginning of the post, I ate almost all of them.  

Cocoa Lace Cookies

recipe from Vicki Orange

Makes about 2 dozen.

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/3 cup flour

1 tablespoon cocoa powder

1/2 cup finely chopped pecans or hazelnuts (I used hazelnuts this time)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

parchment paper (a must-have for these cookies)

powdered sugar

In small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, and nuts. Set aside. In a small/medium saucepan, melt butter on low.  Stir in brown sugar and corn syrup. Bring mixture to boil over medium and cook for a couple minutes.  Remove from heat and add vanilla and dry ingredients.  On parchment-lined cookie sheets, drop batter by teaspoon about 3-4 inches apart.  Bake for 8-8 1/2 minutes at 350 degrees.  Let cool completely. Dust with powdered sugar.

Very thin, drippy batter

Drop teaspoons of batter 3-4 inches apart (mine are too close)

I dropped the batter a bit too close together, so it spread into some giant cookies!
Just break them apart, no worries!

Stack of Cocoa Lace Cookies



Mmm, so thin and crispy!




CRUNCH! and they are fragile...



Applesauce Spice Muffins

After coming home from a weekend out of town, we have this in our fridge: beer, mustard, pickles, a bag of carrots.  Well, that's not exactly all that we have in there, but I definitely saw a tumbleweed go by on the shelf...  Moral of the story: no breakfast food in the house and no desire to run to the store.  So what to do at 10 pm?  Make muffins!!  I hopped on the internet at about 9:00 to search for an easy muffin recipe...half an hour later I found one that did not involve "beating butter and sugar until fluffy"...I'm not making cookies here!  I wanted a "throw-in-the-bowl-and-stir" kind of recipe.  I tweaked the Applesauce Spice Muffins (found on epicurious.com) recipe a bit.  I used up some frozen cubes of apple and pear puree that Luke has zero interest in. You would probably just use normal unsweetened applesauce OR (I'm so excited to try this!!) you could use pumpkin puree. OR...mashed banana! OR...zucchini, OR carrot! The variations on this quick recipe are making me so giddy!  Here's the lazy woman's modified recipe:


Applesauce Spice Muffins
Adapted from Gourmet Magazine, November 2003 via epicurious.com

Makes 12.

For muffins:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, melted (slightly cooled, or not...I am inpatient)
1 cup unsweetened applesauce (or pureed pear, pumpkin, zucchini, carrot)
For topping:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Lazy, Easy Directions:
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (flour through salt).  To bowl, add applesauce, eggs, and brown sugar and whisk together just until ingredients are incorporated.  Slowly pour in melted butter, and stir into batter.

Pour batter into lined muffin tin. Sprinkle each with sugar and spice topping.

Bake for 20 minutes at 400 degrees.

**Make ahead option:  Fill muffin cups and cover with plastic wrap.  Don't sprinkle with topping yet.  Put pan in fridge overnight, or until you want to bake them.  Before baking, sprinkle topping on muffins.  Bake for 23 minutes at 400 degrees (a little longer than the regular directions since the batter will be cold) and have some delicious, warm, fresh muffins for breakfast!

Sad, blurry cellphone picture.

Happy Birthday, Dan! Dark Chocolate Cake and Tomato-Goat Cheese Paninis

Dan had two requests for his 28th birthday...chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and tomato-goat cheese paninis!  So, I turned to trusty David Lebovitz for the cake and made paninis that I've made a hundred times before.  They are based on the ones I ate every other day for lunch on my study abroad trip to Paris in 2005.  The devil's food cake with dark chocolate ganache frosting was amazing...you must make it if you love dark chocolate.  The cake was moist and dense and the frosting was rich and semi-sweet.  I needed a big glass of milk with this one!  It was the most decadent and delicious cake I've ever made and it was also the easiest!  Even the frosting was...ahem...a piece of cake!  The paninis are super simple.  How can you go wrong with a combo of tomatoes, basil, bread, mozzarella, and goat cheese? Nope, you can't go wrong.  And you probably already have a panini press (aka old George Forman grill!)

Dark Chocolate Cake - photo by Dan

Slice of Dark Chocolate Cake - Photo by Malorie

Tomato-Goat Cheese Panini - photo with bad lighting by Malorie

"Panini Press"

Devil’s Food Cake by David Lebovitz

Besides just making half of the following recipe to yield a one-layer cake, I did not alter this recipe.  I made some notes next to the ingredients to let you know what I used if there was an option (example: water or cream).  Be sure to use a good quality chocolate for the frosting.  Chocolate chips or baker's chocolate won't give tasty results.  Try some of the premium chocolate bars in the candy section!


one 9-inch (2 layer) cake

For the cake:
9 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1½ cups cake flour (not self-rising) - I just used all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup strong coffee (or water) - I used coffee leftover in the pot from the morning
½ cup whole or low-fat milk - I used skim milk here

For the ganache frosting:
10 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped  - I used 2 types of dark chocolate: Lindt 50% Cocoa Dark Chocolate Bar and Whole Foods 365 Dark Chocolate Bar
½ cup water (or cream) -used water
¾ cup (1½ sticks) unsalted butter


1. Adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Butter two 9″ x 2″ cake pans and line the bottoms with circles of parchment paper.

3. To make the cake layers, sift together the cocoa powder, cake flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl.

4. In the bowl of a standing electric mixer, or by hand, beat together the butter and sugar about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. (If using a standing electric mixer, stop the mixer as necessary to scrape down the sides to be sure everything is getting mixed in.)

5. Mix together the coffee and milk. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, the add the coffee and milk. Finally stir in the other half of the dry ingredients.

6. Divide the batter into the two prepared cake pans and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

7. To make the frosting, melt the chopped chocolate with the water (or cream) in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water.

8. Cut the butter into small pieces and whisk them into the chocolate until completely melted and the ganache is smooth. Cool until spreadable, which may take about 1 hour at room temperature.

To frost the cake:

Run a knife around the inside of each of the cakes which will help release them from the pans. Tilt one cake out of the pan, remove the parchment paper from the bottom and invert it back onto a cake plate. Spread a good-sized layer of icing over the top. Top with the second cake layer and spread the top and sides with the remaining icing as decoratively as you want.

Storage: Cake is best the day it is made, although it’s fine the next day. Store at room temperature under a cake dome. Just be sure to keep cake out of the sun in the meantime.


Tomato-Goat Cheese Paninis

Makes two  6" sandwiches

2 hoagie rolls or a 12" soft baguette, cut in half
1 tomato, sliced
few leaves of chopped/torn fresh basil (or you could use a little pesto as a spread)
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or italian blend cheese (or slices)
2 oz. goat cheese log

1. Preheat your panini press, George Foreman grill, griddle, or skillet on medium heat.

2. Build your sandwiches:  Bread, slices of goat cheese (sometimes crumbly, won't be perfect slices), tomato slices, mozzarella, basil leaves, Bread.

3. Place sandwich in press and cook until cheese is melted and outside of bread is crusty and slightly golden.  If you are using a griddle or skillet, push sandwich down with a plate and then flip after a few minutes.

4. Devour!

POP! Homemade Cinnamon-Brown Sugar & Raspberry Pastry Pockets

What to do when baby is napping peacefully?  Clean? Nap? No, not today. Make homemade PopTarts? Yes! That's a practical thing to do with my time!  I always crave those disgustingly good toaster pastries as I walk by them in the grocery store. Each time, I pass right on by because they are packed with nothing but nasty, non-nutritive ingredients.  So, when I saw a recipe for "Cinnamon-Sugar Pastry Pockets" in Everyday Food magazine this month, I freaked out!  The homemade version isn't healthy, per se, but at least I know that all the ingredients are simple and real.  And really, anything is healthier simply by making it with your own hands, right??   I decided to make some with raspberry jam, too.  You can substitute with any fruit spread that you like!  P.S. Don't actually put these in the toaster!

Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Pastry Pocket - Photo by Malorie

Raspberry Pastry Pocket - Photo by Malorie

Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Pastry Pockets
adapted from Everyday Food September 2010

Makes about 12 (yields more if you A.) roll the dough out thinner (1/8 in) and B.) cut them an inch shorter like I did...so could be up to 18)

Ingredients

For Pastry:
3 cups flour, plus some for working with dough
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, lightly beaten PLUS 1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/4 cup milk

For Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Filling and Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners' sugar), divided
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 tbs plus 1/4 tsp cinnamon

For Raspberry Filling and Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. almond extract
1 drop red food coloring
Sprinkles
1/3-1/2 cup raspberry jam (or other fruit jam)

Directions

1. In large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar on high, scraping down bowl as needed, until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add 1 whole egg and beat to combine.  Beat in half the flour and 1 tsp salt, then the milk, then the rest of the flour. 
2. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead to combine.  Divide dough in half.  Lightly
flour a large piece of paper and roll out one half of the dough into a 9 X 12 inch rectangle.  Repeat with remaining dough and another piece of parchment. Place on tray or baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, 30 min.
3. For Cinnamon-Brown Sugar Filling: In small bowl, mix 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tbs. cinnamon, and 5 tsp. water.
4. Remove 1 sheet of dough from fridge.  With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut into twelve 2-by-4.5 inch rectangles.  Spread each with 1 heaping teaspoon of cinnamon-brown sugar filling or fruit jam leaving a 1/2 inch border.  Brush edges with egg yolk. 
5. Remove 2nd sheet of dough from fridge.  Again, cut into twelve 2-by-4.5 inch rectangles.  Place 1 on each rectangle spread with the filling. With the tines of a fork, crimp edges firmly.
6. Chill pastries on two rimmed baking sheets until firm, 30 minutes (or up to one day.) *I skipped this part and my filling oozed out a lot...maybe this wouldn't have happened if I crimped the edges better and chilled it.
7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds.  Bake until edges are golden, 20 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through.  Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
8. For cinnamon glaze: In a small bowl, whisk 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 5 tsp water.
9. For pink vanilla glaze: In a small bowl, whisk 3/4 cup powdered sugar, 1/8 tsp vanilla, 1/8 tsp almond extract, 1 drop red food coloring and 5 tsp water.
10. With spoon or small offset spatula, spread each pocket with glaze. Sprinkle raspberry pockets with sprinkles.  Let set 5 minutes.
*Can be stored up to 5 days in an airtight container.

Ranger Cookies

These cookies are not just a sweet treat to go with your coffee.  These cookies take you all the way to Escanaba, MI after a 6 hour drive.  They greet you in a cookie jar shaped like an old-fashioned oven.  They signal that for the next several days you will be surrounded by loving grandparents and fresh foresty air.  They give that extra boost of energy for the trips to the beach, park, downtown, and Shopko.  Take a bite and for a second you are a little kid with messy hair, puffy eyes, and stiff legs from just getting out of the car.

Ranger Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup coconut (I used sweetened because that's all I had, but unsweetened is probably better)

Directions

1. In a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer for 30 seconds. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and baking soda; beat until combined. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour. Stir in oats and coconut.

2. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons 2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet. I line the sheet in parchment paper, easy clean-up and no sticking!

3. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 8 minutes or until edges are golden brown. (I did 15 minutes, so just check on them) Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to a wire rack; cool. Makes about 54 cookies. (Mine must've been big, because i got 30!)

Laissez les bon temps roulez!...Shrimp Creole, Biscuits, Mini Lime Cheesecakes

We had college friends in for dinner last night, so I cooked up some Shrimp Creole over rice, buttery drop biscuits, and mini lime cheesecakes.  To make the Shrimp Creole, I started with a recipe from Emeril Lagasse, but made it into a slow-cooker recipe for Slow-Cooker Month.  Not knowing exactly when our guests would arrive, this was a great cooking method.  It's not a "throw & go" recipe, but definitely worth making.  I think this is 5th time I've made it!  For the mini lime cheesecakes, I used the same recipe found in Red, White & Blueberry.  This time around I used limes in place of the lemons and individual, pre-made graham cracker crusts.

Shrimp Creole
adapted from Emeril's Shrimp Creole

Ingredients


4 ounces (1 stick) butter
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped green bell peppers
1 cup chopped celery
Salt and cayenne
2 bay leaves
2 pounds peeled, seeded and chopped tomatoes (or 1 28oz. can petite-diced tomatoes)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Dash of Worcestershire Sauce
Dash of hot sauce
2 pounds of large shrimp, peeled, tail-off, and deveined  (I use raw frozen shrimp, thawed)
Essence, recipe follows (I use Emeril's Bayou Blast seasoning, which is the same thing)
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped parsley (I omitted this)
4 cups cooked long-grain white rice

Directions


In a saute pan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions, peppers, and celery to the pan. Season the vegetables with salt and cayenne. Saute the vegetables until they are wilted, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add garlic, saute 1 minute more.
In slow-cooker, place sauteed vegetables, tomatoes, & bay leaves. Season with worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, salt and cayenne.

Cook in slow-cooker on high for 3 hours.

Season the shrimp liberally with Essence. Add the shrimp to the slow-cooker and cook for about 4 to 6 minutes or until the shrimp turn pink and curl up. Stir in the green onions.

Serve the Shrimp Creole spooned over the rice.


Drop Biscuits
from Better Homes & Garden Cookbook
Makes 12 biscuits

Ingredients


3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3/4 cup butter, cut up into tablespoon pieces
1 1/2 cup buttermilk (skim milk + 1 1/2 tbs. vinegar or lemon juice)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and cream of tartar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Add milk all at once. Using a fork, stir just until moistened.

2. Using a large spoon, drop dough into 12 mounds 1 inch apart onto a greased or parchment covered baking sheet.
3. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until golden. Remove biscuits from baking sheet and serve warm.


Mini Lime Cheesecakes
 
6 individual, store-bought, graham cracker crusts
 
Filling:
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 1 1/2 limes)
2 teaspoons finely grated lime peel
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg and sour cream, then lime juice, lime peel, and vanilla. Spoon batter into pie crusts (about 1/4 cup (heaping) batter in each)


Bake cheesecakes until slightly puffed and set in center, about 30 minutes; cool completely in pan on rack. Chill cheesecake until cold, at least 2 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.

Serve with whipped cream on top.  (And a sprinkle of lime zest, if you want to be fancy.)