Spritz Cookies - Cookie Press

When you were little do you remember eating cookies

that were these shapes: flowers, tree, stars?

Both my husband and I can recall these cookies.

Our moms made them around the holidays.

I don't remeber them being full of flavor but they

always manage to disappear.

I saw a cookie press at Linens and Things

the other day - on sale- and I had to buy it.

I spent a little time online looking up recipes for cookie

press cookies. Most people use the " Spritz" cookie

recipe. I am open to other recipes but I imagine

that the recipes for this little machine can't be too

complicated because the dough has to be able to press

through the different shapes.

For this first time using the press I made little flowers.

I put a butterscotch or chocolate chip in the center of each cookie.

Ahhh, Just like I remember.

Spiced Chicken Thighs

I received a sample of Cuisine at Home the other day.
As I glanced through the magazine this recipe sounded very
interesting to me especially the combination of spices.


It takes some time to make the dish because of all
the steps but I think it is very good.


Spiced Chicken Thighs in Chicken Broth
by Cuisine at Home

Combine and Saute
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pinch salt
4 chicken thighs



Add and Saute
1/2 cup onion, diced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cinnamon stick


Deglaze with
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon tomato paste


Add and simmer
1 cup tomato, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup canned chick-peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup kalamata olive, pitted and halved
1 tablespoon honey
1 lemon cut into wedges
1 bay leaf
sauteed chicken thigh

Directions
1. Combine spices and salt in a dish, then rub over chicken thighs; let stand about 5 minutes.
2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium; add chicken, skin side down, and saute until browned on both sides, 10 minutes total. Remove chicken.
3. Add onion and saute 3 minutes.
4. Stir in ginger, garlic, pepper flakes and cinnamon stick; cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Deglaze with wine and tomato paste, stirring to combine. Simmer until liquid evaporates.
6. Add tomatoes, broth, chickpeas, olives, honey, lemon and bay leaf; stir to combine.
7. Arrange reserved chicken on top cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is reduced, 20-25 minutes.
8. Finish with parsley and salt just before serving.



Very Good!

The Everything Cookie

Guess what time it is?

Cookie Time

The countdown until the Christmas Holidays has begun

and so has the great cookie baking!

For my first cookie of the season we have -

The Everything Cookie.

There are many different variations to this cookie

so don't be afraid to use what you have in the pantry.

Ingredients
1 cup granola
1 cup golden raisins
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 cup chopped nut of your choice
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a large bowl, toss in granola, raisins, rolled oats, chocolate chips,

peanut butter chips and walnuts; set aside.

In a small bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder,

salt and whisk together.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the granulated

and dark brown sugar. Add a few pieces of butter at

a time and beat until smooth and creamy.

Add vanilla and beat in the eggs, one at time.

Mix in flour mixture until just combined.

Add the granola, raisins and chips and mix well together by hand.
Working with a generous 2 tablespoons of dough each time,

roll the dough into 2-inch balls.

Place the balls onto baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
Bake until the cookie edges turn golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 2 -3 minutes .Remove and let cool.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies

MMM, Good!

Corn, Sweet Potato and Ham Chowder

Another wonderful and absolutely gorgeous dish

from Williams -Sonoma's recipes.

Corn with Sweet Potato and Ham Chowder

5 ears of corn, husks and silk removed
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/2 cup diced firm, baked smoked ham
2 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion
2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
3 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 large sweet potato, about 1 lb., peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. hot-pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

* I added two small jalapeno peppers

* I also roasted all the peppers before dicing them.

Directions:
Holding 1 of the ears of corn by its pointed end and steadying

its stalk end on a cutting board, cut down along the ear

with a sharp knife to strip off the kernels,

turning the ear with each cut.

Repeat with 2 of the ears of corn.

Put the kernels in a bowl and set aside.

Score the kernels on the remaining 2 ears of corn

by running the tip of a sharp knife

down the length of the ear.

Place each ear in a bowl and, using the back of a knife,

scrape down the length of the ear

to squeeze out the pulp from the scored kernels.

Set the pulp aside.

In a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter.

Add the ham and cook, stirring once or twice,

until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl.

Add the onion and bell peppers to the pot,

cover and cook, stirring once or twice,

until tender, about 10 minutes.

Add the broth, sweet potato and the 1 tsp. salt.

Reduce the heat to low, partially cover

and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the ham and corn kernels.

Cover and cook until the potato

is just tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the corn pulp, cream and hot-pepper sauce.

Cook just until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

This was a fantastic soup.

It is packed full of wonderful flavors.

We found that the flavors

intensified over time so

it was even better the second day!

Boy's Night In

Boy's Night In

The Big Apple Pancake

Yipee, Sunday morning breakfast

prepared just for me!

My husband made The Big Apple Pancake

by Gale Gand.

It was wonderful!

The apples were sweet and the

topping was baked to perfection.

What a great way to start the day!

Ingredients
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Pinch salt
1/2 cup whole, 2 percent fat, or 1 percent fat milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 lemon wedges
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a large ovenproof skillet (preferably with curved sides), melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the apple slices and cook, stirring, until tender, about 10 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar and stir to combine.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, salt, milk, and flour. Pour this batter over the apples in the skillet, transfer to the oven, and bake until puffy, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Cut the remaining tablespoon of butter into pieces. When the pancake puffs, remove from the oven, dot with butter, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and return to the oven to bake until browned, about 10 minutes more. As the pancake comes out of the oven, squeeze the lemon wedges over the top. Serve in wedges right out of the pan.

Yummy!

Scallops Gratin

The other day I caught the show

"The Perfect Dinner Party" by

the Barefoot Contessa.

I was intrigued when I heard her say

that she cooks simple things for her

dinner parties so that she does not

have to spend time in the kitchen

while her company is at her house.

That is great! I love the idea

of preparing ahead so that you

can enjoy time with company.

So I gave Barefoot Contessa's

Bay Scallop Gratin a test run

to see how easy it would be

to make for a dinner party.

Bay Scallop Gratin

by the Barefoot Contessa

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 large garlic cloves, minced
2 medium shallots, minced
2 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto di Parma, minced
4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons Pernod
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 cup panko
6 tablespoons dry white wine
2 pound fresh bay scallops
Lemon, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place 6 (6-inch round) gratin dishes on a sheet pan.
To make the topping, place the butter in the bowl

of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment

(you can also use a hand mixer).

With the mixer on low speed, add the garlic, shallot,

prosciutto, parsley, lemon juice, Pernod,

salt, and pepper and mix until combined.

With the mixer still on low, add the olive oil

slowly as though making mayonnaise, until combined.

Fold the panko in with a rubber spatula and set aside.
Preheat the broiler, if it's separate from your oven.

Place 1 tablespoon of the wine in

the bottom of each gratin dish.

With a small sharp knife, remove the white muscle

and membrane from the side of each scallop and discard.

Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and distribute

them among the 3 dishes.

Spoon the garlic butter evenly

over the top of the scallops.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the topping

is golden and sizzling and the scallops

are barely done. If you want the top crustier,

place the dishes under the broiler for 2 minutes,

until browned. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon

juice and a sprinkling of chopped parsley

and serve immediately with crusty French bread.


Here are the steps in pictures:

FABULOUS !!!

and I have to admit pretty easy to make!