Lemon Pecan Cookies with Lemon Glaze

Lemon Pecan Cookies with Lemon Glaze
Originally uploaded by gummychild

I didn't looove how these came out, but they weren't too bad, and others might have liked it more. The recipe came from Henry's Market, which is where I get the recipe for that very tasty Citrus Salt that the Chris H. loves, hee hee...=)

Ingredients:

- 1/3 c. powdered sugar
- 1/3 c. butter, room temperature
- 1 Large Egg
- 2/3 c. honey
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 Tbsp. lemon zest
- Juice of one lemon
- 2 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/3 c. finely chopped walnuts (*I used pecans)

For the Glaze:
- 2 c. confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 2 tsp. lemon zest

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F.

2. Cream together sugar and butter at low speed. Add egg, honey, vanilla, lemon zest, lemon juice. Mix until smooth.

3. Sift together flour with baking soda and salt. Mix flour mixture into margarine mixture, until just combined. Fold in walnuts.

4. Dust work surface lightly with flour. Roll dough into an 1/8-inch thick rectangle. Using cookie cutters of choice, (I just used a cookie dough scoop, and didn't shape them), cut out cookies and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, about 1-inch apart.

5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes.

6. While the cookies cool, mix together 2 cups confectioners’ sugar with lemon juice and lemon zest to create a spreadable glaze. Spread glaze over cookies and top with lemon zest, or chopped nuts.

Lemony White Chocolate Chunk Biscotti

Lemony White Chocolate Biscotti
Originally uploaded by gummychild

I've been playing and experimenting in the kitchen again...hooray! ^_^

This is one of my recent creations...

Even BatNomi would be proud of me, because these came out pretty dang tasty! =) And they were the first time I've ever made biscottis before...=)

Granted, they're not photogenic, but they are wonderful in taste! =)

Modified slightly from KraftFoods.

Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp. Baking Powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 Tbsp. grated lemon zest
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp. lemon extract
- 4 ounces of White Chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup Sliced Almonds, toasted

Directions:

1. HEAT oven to 350ºF.

2. SIFT together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3. Beat butter, sugar and lemon zest in separate large bowl with mixer until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Blend in extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate and nuts.

4. DIVIDE dough in half; shape each half into 12x1-inch log on floured surface. Place on greased baking sheet.

5. BAKE 20 min. or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheet 10 min.

6. Transfer to cutting board. Cut each log diagonally into 21 slices, using serrated knife. Return, cut-sides down, to baking sheet. Bake 5 min. or until crisp. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

Toffee Blondies

Toffee Blondies
Originally uploaded by gummychild

Oh my. Shelton LOVES these. =)

They're kinda like brownies, but not made with chocolate at all, so they're called "blondies".

The recipe comes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food's Collectible Cookie Edition (2006)...a little cookie recipe book that I love and clutch onto. I've made many, many cookies from this book, including yummy Butter Pecan Cookies, Chocolate Espresso Snowcaps, Coconut Balls, Icebox Shortbread Cookies, and so forth. =) It's probably where most of my favorite cookie recipes come from. ^_^

So here's how you too can make these yummy Toffee Blondies!

Ingredients:

- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) of unsalted butter, melted
- 1 Cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1.5 Cups of AP Flour
- 1 Cup of Toffee Candy Bits/Almond Brickle Bits. =)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Meanwhile, line the bottom and sides of an 8"x8" square baking pan with parchment, leaving a 2 inch overhang on both sides. Set the pan aside.

2. Beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, vanilla and salt well. Add in flour and beat until just combined.

3. Fold in the toffee bits.

4. Spread the batter evenly in the baking pan and bake for about 30 - 35 minutes, when the toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack..

5. Using the parchment overhang, lift the cake from the pan and peel off and discard the parchment. With a serrated knife, cut into desired size and be ready to serve! =)

*The original recipe uses foil, and an electric beater. Unless I have to, I usually always use parchment paper, and mix things by hand with the whisk that comes with an electric better, ha ha, or a spatula. =)

birthday cake

Yellow cake recipe from here was pretty good, and chocolate frosting from here was outstanding!

roasted chicken & vegetables

Oh, YUM! The chicken was sooo moist and juicy and the vegetables fantastic as well.

***
Prep vegetables. This is the mixture I used but it could totally be altered:

*10 small potatoes, de-eyed and chopped in half
*3 carrots, chopped in rounds
*1/3 head cauliflower, in florets
*1/2 onion in big chunks
(sweet potatoes would be good, but I wouldn't recommend beets unless you want pink chicken)

I tossed all that with about 1 T of olive oil and a dash of cumin & salt & pepper. Lay it out in a 9x13 pan (or equivalent).

On top of that put a washed chicken. I put it breast side up first. Rub about 2 T kosher salt and some pepper into the skin with 2 T or so of olive oil. I also rubbed some garlic and then threw the cloves in the body cavity.

Lay the chicken on top and bake at 425 for 45 minutes.

At that time, mix up the vegetables and pour the chicken juices from the cavity onto the vegetables. Put the chicken its other side and bake another 30 or so minutes at 350 degrees - you want the temperature in the chicken to be about 170 degrees (use a thermometer).

Let it sit about 15 minutes before carving and then enjoy - and shock and awe your friends! :)

roasted beets and sweet potatoes

from here ... so good!!

• 4-6 medium beets, peeled and cut into chunks
• 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 (or so) cloves of garlic
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 3 medium sweet potatoes, cut into chunks
• 1/2 - 1 large (sweet) onion, chopped (needn't be sweet)
  

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. In a bowl, toss the beets with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to coat. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet.
3. Mix the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and sugar into the sweet potatoes and onion, coating well.
   
4. Bake beets 15-30 minutes in the preheated oven (20 minutes was insufficient). Mix sweet potato mixture with the beets on the baking sheet. Continue baking 45 minutes, stirring after 20 minutes, until all vegetables are tender.

***
This is super yummy and really hit the spot. The trick is to get fresh, local produce and let it stand on its own.

By the time the beets were no longer too crunchy, the sweet potatoes were too soft - so I'd cook the beets longer alone or chop even smaller.

Also, I cooked this in an oven that was 425 for 1/2 hour and then 350 degrees - I don't think temperature really matters and you can roast them at any temperature.

Russian-style beet potato salad

From Laurel's kitchen

2 (or so) medium beets, boiled and then skinned and diced
2 (or so) potatoes, chopped and boiled
1/2 c peas

Cook and chill all.

Then add sauce:
1-2 T mayonnaise
4-6 T yogurt
1-2 T vinegar
salt & pepper & sugar to taste
fresh dill if you have it
****
This craves my root vegetable cravings! I flash back to memories in Russia, where this was common summer fare. I like to let it sit for a bit before consuming to let the flavors meld.

It makes a very pretty pink salad that is oh so tasty!