Cowboy Cookies

These yummies are from The Bellman's childhood and I love them for so many different reasons.  For starters, they are super easy and quick and require only one mixing bowl to get the job done.  Plus they can be customized any which way.  I've tried them using the fancy flavored M&Ms like raspberry or coconut (yum) and also matched them to a theme using different colors of M&Ms.  I guess pink M&Ms would make them Cowgirl Cookies though, right :)   I also love them because they have oatmeal in them, which in my book makes them breakfast food!

COWBOY COOKIES
Yield: 13 cookies (large)
 
1 1/3 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 C  oats, quick cooking
3/4 C M&Ms
3/4 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C brown sugar, packed
1/2 C white sugar
1/3 C chopped pecans
 
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/2 C butter, melted
2 tsp vanilla

1.  Stir all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2.  Add egg, butter and vanilla into the dry ingredients.  Gently fold together.
3.  Scoop into large balls and bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes.
 
Enjoy!

 

 

Rice Cream with Fresh Strawberries and Jam

Well, apparently rice cream is a Norwegian treat.  My paternal grandparents are of Norwegian decent and I don't recall ever seeing any rice cream on Mimi's table.  Mostly I remember a lot of creamed corn and homemade pickles! 

I have to say though, of all the treats available in Disney's EPCOT theme park it's the rice cream in the Norway pavilion that I look forward to the most.   It's awesome!  Rice cream is like a creamier rice pudding that is served cold with a sweet strawberry topping.  Perfect for a hot Florida day. I should have known I'd love it since I enjoy that section of EPCOT so much anyway.  Seriously, who can resist a ride on the Maelstrom or a trip through the (wonderfully air conditioned) Stave church?  

 

This crazy pretzel hangs above the doorway to the EPCOT Norway bakery.  Isn't it cool?  I did some digging and found that in the real Norway it's not called a pretzel but a kringle and is a reference to pastry.  Apparently the kringle symbol is one of the few ancient guild signs still used and a traditional kringle sign is often hung outside bakery shops.  Ah, don't ya love Disney's attention to the details?!
 
I took this recipe right from the Disney Food Blog and added my own tweaks of course. The recipe calls for just a jam topping but I prefer to add fresh strawberries, too.  I also suspect there is a bit of cardamom in the Disney version that isn't listed in the original recipe.  I've added it.  My Scottish Bellman gives it a thumbs up :)



BTW, this is my favorite strawberry jam.  I buy it in Plant City, Florida (home of the BEST strawberries).  It is available to order right from the Parksdale Farm Market website if you're interested.






RICE CREAM
Yield = 6 servings

1 1/2 c water
1/4 tsp salt

1C short grain white rice
2 C milk (whole)
1/4tsp cardamom
1tsp vanilla bean paste

1C heavy cream
1/4C sugar
2tsp vanilla


1.  Bring water and salt to a boil.

2.  Add the rice, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low.  Cook for 15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed.

3.  Add the milk, cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until all the liquid has been absorbed.

4.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

5.  In another bowl, whip the heavy cream, vanilla and sugar.

6. With a rubber spatula, fold the whipped cream mixture into the rice.

7.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.


STRAWBERRY TOPPING

1C strawberries, sliced
3T sugar
1/4C strawberry jam
1T fresh lemon juice

1.  Clean and slice the strawberries.   Add sugar and refrigerate.

2.  Add lemon juice to jam and microwave for about 15 seconds.

3.  Combine jam with strawberries and pour over rice cream prior to serving.

Enjoy!

Jalapeno Cornbread and Magic Beans

It's Man Food day.  The Bellman has been super busy at work and needed a little treat.  Funny, a treat to me usually involves frozen yogurt at Menchie's and a trip to DSW.  Ah well--whatever makes ya happy!

 
These are a couple of his absolute favorites.  The cornbread is a tad on the spicy side for me but the Bellman looooves it this way.  You can easily adjust the heat by decreasing the amount of jalapenos used.  This cornbread pairs really well with Chili in the winter months, too.  The beans are adapted from a recipe I begged off a friend a few years ago (thank you, Michelle). I think the beans are really a meal in themselves.  Served up with a side salad, a bit of corn bread and some sweet tea and I'm good to go!
 
 
JALAPENO CORNBREAD
Yield:  9x13 pan or 36 muffins
 
2C Flour
1 1/2C corn meal
1/2C sugar
3tbl baking powder
3/4tsp salt
(or you can totally do the short cut and use 3 boxes of good ole Jiffy Cornbread mix instead of the above.  I've made this recipe both ways and each are equally tasty).
 
1 Vidalia onion, diced
2C Colby-Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 eggs, beaten
2 1/2C buttermilk
1/2C veggie oil
1 (15oz) can creamed corn
6oz jalapenos, chopped (I used a small can, drained)
 
1.  Mix all until just combined.
2.  Pour into greased 9x13 pan or greased muffin tins.
3.  Bake at 375 for approx. 45 minutes.  The muffins baked quicker---about 25-30 minutes.
 
 
MAGIC BEANS
Yield: 6 cups
 
3/4 lb ground beef (I prefer 93%)
3/4 lb bacon
1 onion, chopped (I like larger chunks rather than a smaller dice in this recipe)
1C brown sugar
1C ketchup
1/2tsp salt
1/2tsp pepper
2tsp Worcestershire
1- 16oz can Pork and Beans, undrained
1- 16oz can kidney beans, undrained
1- 16oz can butter beans, undrained
 
1.  Sautee onions in a bit of butter until just softened.
2.  Add ground beef to onions and brown.
3.  Drain and set aside.
4.  Cook the bacon. Remove the bacon to a paper towel to cool.  When cool enough, chop into rough chunks.

I prefer to cook my bacon in the oven.  I line a large baking sheet with foil, making sure to build up the sides so the grease doesn't run all over. Place the bacon strips evenly on baking sheet and bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.  I like my bacon very crispy.  You can adjust the baking time to your preference. 

 

5.  In a mixing bowl, combine bacon chunks, brown sugar, ketchup, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and beans.
6.  On the baking sheet used to bake the bacon, leave the grease and yummy brown bits.  Add to the baking sheet the ground beef/onions.  Then top with the ketchup and beans mixture.  Fold it all together a bit.
7.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes.
 
Enjoy!

Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake

Wow, the summer has arrived in Florida and it is h-o-t.  Or as Clint Eastwood would say,  "It's not the heat, it's the humidity".  (I typed that while using my best Clint accent, squinty eye'd and all :) Yes indeed, probably not the best time of the year to have the oven on for an hour baking cheesecake.  Both the cheesecake and I even melted a bit while trying to get a photograph!

This is my take on the famous Cheesecake Factory version.  I have tried making this a couple of different ways and found that adding the chocolate chips right into the batter is the best.  Doing so does take away some of that cheesecakey tartness but the tart raspberry jam balances out the sweetness.
 
It's very yum.  I'll revisit this one in the fall when it is cooler, perhaps changing out the raspberry jam to something cranberry for the holiday season?  Hmmmmm, we shall see....
 

CHEESECAKE
Yield:  12 servings
 
CRUST:
1 1/2C chocolate graham cracker crumbs
1/4C sugar
1/3C butter, melted
 
1.  Combine all and press into a greased spring form pan.  I find that using a glass to press the crumbs into the bottom and sides helps with uniformity.
2.  Wrap bottom and sides of pan with foil.
3.  Set aside.
 
FILLING:
3 pkgs cream cheese, room temperature
3/4C sugar
1/3C sour cream
3tbl flour
2tsp vanilla
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2C white chocolate chips
3/4C raspberry jam, seedless
 
1.  Beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Beat in sour cream, flour and vanilla. Be sure to scrape down the sides. Any lumps left in the batter will not disappear during the baking process.
2.  Add eggs, beat on low speed until combined.
3.  Fold in chocolate chips.
4.  Pour half the filling into the crust.
5.  In microwave, melt raspberry jam and stir until smooth.  Drop by teaspoonfuls over the batter (reserving some of the jam for the swirls on the top); cut through the batter with a knife to swirl. 
6.  Add remaining batter and repeat jam swirling process across the top.
7.  Place cheesecake in a larger baking pan and add about an inch of  hot water to the larger baking pan.  This is called a water bath.  It is a nice gentle way to bake cheesecake so it (hopefully) doesn't crack.
8.  Bake at 325 for 70-80 minutes.  It should still jiggle a bit at this stage. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before running a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen. 
9.  Cool for at least an hour at room temperature,  then cover with foil and refrigerate over night. Do not remove the sides of the spring form pan until you are ready to cut and serve.

Stay cool and enjoy!
 
  

 

The Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie

I know I know...everyone says their chocolate chip cookie recipe is the best.  But, believe me when I say that mine really is!!  Over the years I have worked my way through many versions of the classic Toll House recipe, from plain to fancy and overly complicated.   I think what it comes down to is how do you prefer your cookies?  Crispy? Chewy? Cakey?
 
I have discovered I like my chocolate chip cookies chewy and soft in the center with a crispy edge. The crispy edge makes a nice handle when dunking :)
 
Making the cookies a little bigger than normal and chilling the dough first so it doesn't spread so much during baking both help create that soft chewy center.  I have found that the cornstarch keeps them soft and adding the shortening promotes that crispy edge without losing that great butter taste.

It's all personal preference.  The Bellman compares all others back to this version and has finally deemed them "perfect".  Of course, as I type this and as if on cue, he asks if maybe a drizzle wouldn't hurt?  Oh Bellman...........

 
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Yield: 24 cookies
 
3/4C butter
1/4C shortening
3/4C brown sugar
3/4C sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 1/2 C flour
2tbl cornstarch
1tsp baking soda
1tsp salt
2tsp vanilla
2C chocolate chips, semi sweet
1C chocolate chips, 60% (bitter sweet--I use Ghirardelli)
 
1.  In a separate bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
2.  In mixer bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugars.
3.  Add eggs and vanilla.  Be sure to scrape down the bowl occasionally.
4.  Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
5.  Fold in the chocolate chips.
6.  Scoop dough into large golf ball sized balls.  I use a medium sized ice cream scoop for uniformity.
7.  Place the dough balls in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.  Sometimes I freeze half the batch for a later use.
8.  Place the dough balls on a lined or greased baking sheet and bake at 375 for 11-13 minutes.
9.  After two minutes carefully move the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling.
 
Enjoy!

Peanut Butter and Banana Cupcakes

What do you do with two brown mushy bananas?  Feed them to The Bellman (he likes them that way I swear) or.......make banana cupcakes!  This is one of those recipes I have made so many times I have it memorized.  I especially love it because it is really easy and fast to put together and doesn't mess up my kitchen too much in the process.  The end result is an incredibly moist and fragrant cakey-muffiny treat. 

While these cupcakes are great on their own, they are even better with a dollop of peanut butter on top--but then isn't most everything?!  This time around I happened to have bag of mini peanut butter cups (the tiny pop in your mouth kind) in the house and just to be truly decadent I folded them right into the batter and baked them up. Whoa!  Chocolate, peanut butter and banana.  I must be channeling Elvis.




Any which way, plain or peanut buttered, you'll love them!

BANANA CUPCAKES
Yield:  16 cupcakes

1/2C butter
1C sugar
2 eggs
1/2C sour cream
1tsp baking soda
2C flour
1tsp vanilla
2 bananas, mashed
6oz Reese's mini peanut butter cups (I used the balance of an 8oz bag after first counting out 16 for a garnish and then sampling a couple :)

1.  Cream together butter and sugar.
2.  Add eggs.
3.  Add sour cream, flour and baking soda.
4.  Add vanilla and mashed bananas.
5.  Fold in the mini peanut butter cups.
6.  Line muffin tin with cupcake liners and fill three quarters full with the batter.
7.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.


PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING
Yield: 2 Cups

1C powdered sugar
1C peanut butter, creamy
5tbl butter, room temperature
1tsp vanilla
1/4tsp kosher salt
1/3C heavy cream

1.  Whip it....whip it good.

When cupcakes have cooled, pipe the frosting on top and garnish with one mini peanut butter cup each.

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Roll Creme Brulee

One word....RumChata.  And then as George Takei would say, oh myyyy!



On the label RumChata is described as rum with dairy cream but oh, it is so much more.  Honestly, it tastes like the milk from a bowl of cinnamon toast crunch cereal.  I am in love.  When I bought this bottle I had one taste and couldn't wait to get started baking with it. My first adventure is this RumChata infused crème brulee.

Crème brulee is a baked custard with a crunchy burnt sugar top.  It sounds scary and complicated but it really isn't.  It's one of those fancy pants desserts I reserve for company.  I make it in advance and burn the sugar top with a small kitchen torch just before serving. Guests are always overly impressed by the torch. Go figure.




CINNAMON ROLL CREME BRULEE
Yield = 6 servings

2C heavy cream
6 egg yolks
1/3C sugar plus extra for dusting
1tsp vanilla paste
1/4C RumChata

1.  Mix cream, RumChata and vanilla paste in saucepan.  Heat the mixture until hot but not yet boiling.

2.  In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar.

3.  Slowly whisk warm cream mixture into the egg mixture.  This is called tempering.  If you mix too fast the eggs will curdle and we don't want that. Slow and steady.

4.  Place the ramekins in a shallow roasting pan. 

5.  Strain the mixture and evenly distribute it between the six ramekins.

6.  Add hot water in roasting pan being careful not to splash into the custard.  Fill the pan with enough water so that the water level reaches about half way up the ramekins.

7.  Bake at 300 for about 35-45 minutes.  The custard is ready when it jiggles like jello in the center.

8.  Let the custard cool for a few hours.  I prefer to serve my crème brulee at room temperature.

8.  Right before serving sprinkle extra sugar on top evenly, dusting off excess, and using a kitchen torch caramelize the sugar.  It should be nice brown and bubbly.  When cooled it will harden up to produce a nice crackle when you dig into it! 

Enjoy!