Mom's Pie Crust

Some things just need to come from the house you grew up in. While the original recipe used Crisco, it was changed to all butter a long time ago and still seems the same, just because of where it came from. This pie crust recipe makes 4 single crust pies or 2 double crust. Why not make a large batch like this if you are going to the trouble to make crust? It freezes well wrapped in plastic wrap inside a freezer ziplock bag. So you could save some for later to make a pot pie, or galette, or other type of pastry weeks later.

The dough trimmed and partially folded under for a single crust pie. 

Mom's Pie Crust

2 double crust pies or 4 single crust pies

Ingredients 

4 cups flour

2 tsp salt

1Tbs sugar

1 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold

2 eggs used separately 

1 tbs white vinegar

1/2 cup ice water 

Directions 

Whisk together flour, salt, and sugar.

Cut butter into flour mixture until pea size pieces form. Set aside.

Whisk together 1 egg, vinegar, and ice water.

Stir into flour and butter until it barely comes together. 

Knead 10 times.

Cut into 4 equal pieces, form disks and wrap in plastic wrap.

Freeze 15 minutes or refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350 to bake a single shell. 

Roll out out on floured surface to about 16 inch diameter circle, checking occasionally that it is not stuck to the counter. Add more flour below if it is getting too sticky. 

Carefully, not to crease or break the dough, fold in half and fold in half again, transfer to a pie plate and unfold to evenly cover it. DO NOT STRETCH the dough. Pie crust shrinks as it cooks. If you refrigerate your dough all rolled out and ready in the pan for 10 min or so before baking this also can help it from shrinking.  Just be careful not leave it in the fridge too long. If you put a very cold, or freezing pan into a hot oven, it could shatter from the heat.

**If forming a SINGLE crust pie, cut excess dough off so there is about an inch over hang from where you want your edge to be. Fold the over hang under and start pinching whatever pattern you'd like. Carefully press down as you go to help the dough stick to the edge of pan. Prick a few fork holes on the bottom of crust to avoid bubbles. 

Whisk remaining egg with 1 Tbs water to make an egg wash and lightly coat the crust. 

Bake at 350 for 20-30 min

**For DOUBLE crust pies, place bottom crust in pie plate. Cut off all excess to make the edge of the crust flush with the edge of the pan. Fill crust with your filling and cover with second rolled out crust using the folding method. 

Cut the excess top crust leaving about 1/2 inch over hang that you fold under the bottom crust. Then crimp how you would like, slice a few vents, brush with egg wash, and sprinkle with a small amount of sugar if you'd like. 

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

How many variations of of banana bread can you have? Clearly not enough.  So far we have 3 different kinds on this blog and I'm pretty sure there will be more. But this one, this banana bread is simple, clean, and completely banana. No cinnamon to hide behind and with the occasional hit of chocolate.  I think this banana bread could also be called Bluth banana bread in honor of Arrested Development.  Unless you can cover a whole loaf of banana bread and chocolate.Yum :) And remember, "There's always money in the banana stand."

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread 

Makes 1 8x4 inch loaf

Ingredients 

2 c flour 

1 Tbs baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt

Juice of half a lemon

1/2 c unsalted butter

1 cup sugar 

2 lg eggs

1 1/2 c (~3) mashed over-ripe bananas 

1 Tbs vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease or line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

In a stand mixer cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, vanilla, bananas, and lemon juice and mix well. 

Add flour to butter mixture slowly. 

Stir in chocolate chips. 

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 50min - hour. Insert and remove toothpick to make sure the middle is done and batter isn't pulled out with the toothpick. With this banana bread I check a few times. The top will be golden brown and maybe a little darker than you're used to. 

Allow to cool for 20 min in pan on a cooling rack then remove it from pan and finish cooling on the rack. 

Graham Cracker Toffee

I have a serious problem. I have 8 weeks left in this pregnancy and this might be my number one craving lately. And maybe a small craving for a Machine Gun sandwich from Bruges Waffles and Frites in SLC, mmmm. A few months ago I wanted a bahn mi from Oh Mia Vietnamese restaurant in SLC, now this. Breaking up the sandwich cravings. And this one isn't located 400 miles from my house and can easily be made in my own kitchen. I'm not even a toffee lover. Or a nut lover. The combination of the graham crackers, carmel, and chocolate is perfect. Then top it off with some nuts for even more crunch... drool. I think this version of toffee is so good to me because it's not a teeth breaking variety. The graham crackers are what really give the carmel it's crunch so it's not at all damaging to your jaw. 

My mom shared this recipe with me about a year ago when she found it in the newspaper.  I think it's pretty well known but for some reason my family must live under a rock. The ingredients are always on hand in my pantry and it's so easy even this big and tired 32 week pregnant mom can have it whipped up in no time. Pair it with an apple and it's like a delicious, no fuss carmel apple.  Try this recipe this week, you won't regret it.  

Graham Cracker Toffee 

Ingredients 

2 pkgs graham crackers

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup gently packed brown sugar

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips 

1/2 cup chopped nuts, or other topping of your choice

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with parchment and lay out graham crackers covering the whole pan. 

In a medium, microwave safe bowl, heat the butter and sugar for a minute and stir. Watch it so it doesn't boil over.

Continue until it's all melted and has had a chance to boil for about 2 minutes. About 3-4 minutes total time in the microwave. 

Pour over the graham crackers spreading with a spoon to coat them evenly. 

Place in the oven for 7 minutes or until it's all bubbly. 

Remove from oven and sprinkle with chocolate chips. Let them sit for a couple minutes to melt then spread with the back of a spoon. 

Sprinkle with chopped pecans, almonds or other topping and allow to cools to room temperature. This may take a couple hours. 

I place my pan in the fridge to cool it off much faster. I would put it in the freezer but it doesn't fit in mine. 

Enjoy! 

Cinnamon Rolls

Cinnamon rolls are the key to any mans heart, I'd say. Make these for someone you're dating and he'll want to marry you.  These cinnamon rolls are just slightly more dense than my original cinnamon rolls I posted (grew up with those and will always be a favorite). But this new version is right up there and the denser dough, I think, actually thaws better than the fluffier kind. I like to freeze cinnamon rolls since the recipes usually make so many and they taste just as fabulous thawed. I just slide them into a freezer bag or put them in a pan that my freezer has room for and cover them with press and seal then foil. Cinnamon rolls are great for when you have to bring something to a large party or holiday dinner or even to hand out to the neighbors. A bit of simple work feeds a large crowd. And you WILL get loads of compliments for these, promise. 

This dough is actually the same dough I like to make dinner rolls out of as well. I'll have to post the directions for those soon as well. 

Before its risen 

Buttered dough

Buttered, sugared and cinnamoned 

Rolled up ready to slice

On the pan, half pressed gently down with my fingers almost ready to rise. 

Cinnamon Rolls 

4 dozen

Ingredients 

4 1/2 tsp yeast

2 cups hot water 

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup unsalted butter

6 eggs

1 1/2 tsp salt

8 1/2 cups flour

Filling:

1/2 - 1 cup salted butter

~4+ cups brown sugar

~2+ Tbs ground cinnamon

Directions 

Heat water in the microwave about 2 minutes. 

In a stand mixer add the granulated sugar and unsalted butter. 

Pour hot water over the sugar and butter. Allow butter and sugar to melt (doesn't have to melt completely) and cool to just luke warm (If it's too warm you will kill the yeast you're about to add)

Stir in yeast and allow to sit a few minutes until it's bubbles/foams. 

Add eggs and salt and mix well. 

Slowly add flour. 

Cover with plastic wrap and raise in a warm, draft free spot until double in size. Varies from 1-2 hours depending on the temperature. 

Line two large baking sheets with parchment. 

Pour dough out on a floured surface and divide dough into 4 equal balls.

Take one ball and roll it out to about a 14" by 10" rectangle. 

Use a spatula or the back of a large spoon and spread about 1/8 cup of the salted butter onto the dough keeping about an inch away from the edge. Just evenly coat the dough. 

Sprinkle about 1/8-1/4 inch of brown sugar evenly onto the buttered dough and gently press it down.  Again leaving about and inch around the edge. 

Sprinkle cinnamon evenly on the brown sugar. 

Roll up carefully length wise (hotdog style) and gently pinch to seal  so it doesn't unroll. 

Turn the seal toward the counter. 

Cut the rolled up dough into 12 evenly sized slices and lay them on half of a baking sheet (two dozen on one pan). 

Do this with the remaining 3 dough balls.

A trick I learned from my mom- gently press each cinnamon roll slice down otherwise when you bake them the middles will rise to make huge cinnamon roll mountains. 

Cover for about an hour until doubled in size. 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees after 30 minutes of rising. 

Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until they are golden brown and the middles look done. My oven is about 13 minutes.

Allow to cool then frost. 

These are great with cream cheese frosting- but not too overly sweet. 

I have yet to write down the exact measurements for the frosting but it's 1/2 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup cream cheese, a splash of milk, dash of salt, squeeze of lemon juice- cream those then begin adding the powdered sugar by the cup full until it tastes right haha 😁

Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

My Dad's favorite kind of cookie is oatmeal raisin and they have been steadily rising to the top of my list over the years. I think it has something to do with age. You never wanted them as a kid but now, all the overly sweet desserts and cookies seem too much for your aging palate. America's Test Kitchen has come up with my favorite variety of oatmeal raisin cookies, their Big and Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies. They don't, however, put any cinnamon in the dough and depending on my mood I will follow the recipe or add just 1/4 of a teaspoon. Lately I've been leaving it out like they suggest.  I also don't make them as big as they suggest either. Mine are probably half the size, using about 1 Tbs of dough per cookie. 

I should add that these oatmeal cookies get crispy real quick if you over cook them. That's why my cook time is weird like 16-17 minutes. Keep an eye on them toward the end so you know how your oven cooks them. Remember that the recipe says to keep them on the pan for two minutes so maybe error on the slightly under done side for your first time cooking them. 

Chewy Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies

Makes about 3 dozen medium size cookies 

Ingredients 

1 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder 

1/4 tsp nutmeg 

16 Tbs unsalted butter, softened 

1 c packed light brown sugar

1 c granulated sugar

2 lg eggs

 3 c old-fashioned rolled oats

1 1/2 c raisins

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream butter and both sugars.

While they are creaming whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, and nutmeg in a medium bowl. 

Add eggs to the butter mixture just until combined.

Add flour mixture to the butter mixture.

Stir in the oats and raisins just until combined. 

Scoop out about a Tbs of dough per cookie and keep it pretty rounded, roll with your hands if you'd like. 

Place 2 inches apart on pan. 

Bake about 16-17 minutes, until edges are just golden brown and the middles still look a bit wet.  Allow to sit on pan for two minutes after removing them from oven. 

Transfer to a cooling rack. 

Orange Cinnamon Banana Bread

I love this banana bread. I've started to learn not to say certain things are my favorite or perfect because I often find something later that I like better, or my taste will change, but this banana bread is at the top of banana breads I've tasted. The top is crispy and the inside is moist like banana bread should be. I even gave mini loaves of this bread to our neighbors for Christmas this year. I have been meaning to try honey in place of the sugar but keep forgetting, so if you try it let me know how it is. 😊

Orange Cinnamon Banana Bread 

Makes 1 8x4 inch loaf

Ingredients 

2 c flour 

1 Tbs baking powder 

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 Tbs cinnamon 

Zest and juice (about 1/3 c) of one orange 

1/2 c unsalted butter

1 cup sugar 

2 lg eggs

1 1/2 c (~3) mashed over-ripe bananas 

1 Tbs vanilla

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Grease or line an 8x4 inch loaf pan with parchment.

Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and zest in a medium bowl.

In a stand mixer cream butter and sugar.

Add eggs, vanilla, bananas and juice and mix well. 

Add flour to butter mixture slowly. 

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake at 350 for 50min - hour. Insert and remove toothpick to make sure the middle is done and batter isn't pulled out with the toothpick. With this banana bread I check a few times. The top will be golden brown and maybe a little darker than you're used to. 

Allow to cool for 20 min in pan on a cooling rack then remove it from pan and finish cooling on the rack. 

Peach and Graham Cracker Ice Cream

It's super hot here in the desert. It makes ice cream melt fast. But to be honest, I like it soft and melty. :) I've been kind of obsessed with graham crackers, Teddy Grahams, and the other varieties lately. In this flavor I used the fabulous Honey Maid Minion graham crackers. My 3 year old loves them right along with me. It makes this peach ice cream taste like peach cobbler. Yummmmm. Certainly a must try this summer. 

Peach and Graham Cracker Ice Cream

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup heavy cream

1 1/2 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 heaping cup Minion graham crackers

~1 1/2 cup small diced peaches (~2 medium peaches)

Directions

Place a 9x9 glass pan, peaches, and graham crackers in the freezer. 

Stir together cream, milk, sugar, and vanilla until the sugar is mostly dissolved.

Freeze according to your ice cream freezers instructions. 

Add the peaches a minute or two away from being done. 

Remove pan from freezer and pour ice cream into it. 

Stir in graham crackers quickly, cover and freeze a few more hours. 

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

Here's another family favorite but this time from my side of the family. My sister-in-law introduced it to us years ago and it's made many appearances since. I love these kind of cakes because of their easy method. This cake HERE is pretty similar. 

I made this particular cake for my husband to share with his coworkers because he finished his MBA this week! These two years went by fast but it will be so much stress off his shoulders (and mine) to not have to worry about school anymore. This cake is decadent and I thought it was perfect for such a fantastic occasion.  :) 

Triple Chocolate Bundt Cake

Ingredients 

1 cup sour cream or plain yogurt

1/3 cup oil

1/3 cup water

4 eggs

1 chocolate cake mix

1 30 oz instant chocolate pudding mix

12 oz (2 cups) chocolate chips

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together wet ingredients in a large bowl. 

Add the chocolate cake mix and stir well until it's smooth.

Add the pudding mix and stir well until combined. 

Add chocolate chips.

Pour into a greased Bundt pan and level it out. 

Bake 40-45 minutes 

Let cool on wire rack for 15 minutes

Loosen the sides and middle by gently sliding a knife or fork between the pan and cake. Don't use a metal knife/fork to avoid scratching your pan. 

Lay a plate or platter on top of pan and flip it over to remove the cake. 

Allow to cool completely. 

Drizzle chocolate frosting on it or sprinkle with some powdered sugar. 

Applesauce Pudding

 

This is a family favorite of my in-laws and I have come to love it as well. It's a comfort food for me.  With cinnamon, apples, and cream, how could it not be? And it's so ridiculously easy to make. Is it pudding or is it cake? Well, it's a very moist cake. In the UK they ask, "What's for pudding?" (What's for dessert?) So, maybe this came from overseas and actually read more like, applesauce dessert? It's kind of like a bread pudding as well but not really haha. I'd have to ask my mother-in-law where she got the recipe, really, but either way I crave it pretty often. I'm partial to the no nut variety but either way, It's yummy. 

*I have made this with one cup applesauce and one cup finely grated Granny Smith apple, when my applesauce was gone. I tend to open a jar of applesauce thinking in advance I'd like to make this, then my kids eat too much applesauce and leave me with a minimal amount :)

Applesauce Pudding

One 9x13 pan

Ingredients

2 cups applesauce

1/4 cup melted butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

~1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)

2 cups cream + 2 tablespoons sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

In a medium pour in all the wet ingredients. Mix well. 

Add all the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until just combined. 

Pour into a 9x13 glass baking dish

Bake 35-45 min until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.

Whip the cream and sugar. 

Serve portions of pudding with a generous dollop of whipped cream.  

Mini Lemon Curd Shooters

Here is a super easy treat to make and especially fun to have at parties! Try it, You'll like it!

You Will Need:

mini cups

graham crackers

lemon curd (from trader joes or homemade)

whipping cream

sugar

vanilla

rasberries

mini spoons

First, make your homemade whipped cream. Beat the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff. Next, smash graham crackers to fine consistency. Layer graham crackers, lemon curd and whipped cream in the mini cups. Top it off with a rasberry and mini spoon. Chill until you are ready to serve!

Chocolate Teddy Graham and Marshmallow Ice Cream

The gift that keeps on giving... is what my ice cream maker is. My husband was smart when he purchased this for me for Mother's Day. We make a new batch almost every week. Good thing we're training for a marathon, otherwise, we couldn't afford the extra calories. Get ready for lots of ice cream varieties. Your kids will love you for making this flavor. It tastes just like an ice cream sandwich. Summer's favorite treat. Put some sprinkles on top and they will be over the moon.  :)

Chocolate Teddy Graham Marshmallow Ice Cream

Makes about a quart

Ingredients

1 can sweetened condensed milk, refrigerated about an hour

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1 cup chocolate Teddy Grahams 

1 cup mini marshmallows or diced large marshmallows (easiest diced when frozen)

Directions

Place an empty 9x9 glass baking dish in the freezer. 

Place Teddy Grahams, and marshmallows in the freezer.

Whisk together both milks, cream, and vanilla.

Freeze according to your ice cream freezer instructions. 

Add the marshmallows and Teddy Grahams just before or right about when it's done. 

Transfer to the glass baking dish and place in freezer until you're ready to eat it. A few hours is best but you can eat it right away too, it will just be a little melted (melts fast). 

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter

I use a lot of America's Test Kitchen recipes and I wish I used more. These are the only chocolate chip cookies I've made for years now. I probably should try a different kind every now and again but ATK hit the nail on the head, for me, with these. I can still remember the first cookie I had. 

My husband and I headed out to Hale Center Theater with another couple. My Mom handed us a bag of cookies as a snack to share and sneak in :). Well, we were only able to get seats of 2 together so we split up. Later, we met in the hall during intermission and asked eachother if they had tried the cookies because they were goooood. Haha thanks, Mom! 

I usually double the recipe and only cook one dozen. Then I scoop the remaining dough in large tablespoon portions on a pan and freeze them. Then after they've froze, pour them into a plastic freezer bag  and save them for later. I then cook half dozen portions each time I want fresh cookies. I can't really tell you how long they last this ways because I don't think I've left them in the freezer for longer than a month or two. Nomnomnom :) I bake them at the same temperature with the same amount of time. Maybe add a minute or two. Just watch them if you do it this way. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Brown Butter (America's Test Kitchen Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies)

Makes 2 dozen small cookies 

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking soda 

14 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup dark brown sugar (best choice) or light brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips 

3/4 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, toasted (optional) 

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Whisk together flour and soda in medium bowl. 

Heat a medium pan over medium high heat and add 10 tablespoons butter (don't use a nonstick pan). Constantly stir until it gives off a nutty aroma and is golden brown. If you do not brown it enough you will get flat cookies. But don't burn the butter either. It can go from browned to burned quickly. 

Pour into a heat proof bowl (I use my KitchenAid but it's not necessary) and add remaing 4 tablespoons butter. 

Allow to melt. 

Add sugars, salt, and vanilla  and mix well.

Add egg and yolk and whisk on hight (very vigorously if not using a mixer) for 30 seconds and then let it sit for 3 minutes. Repeat whisking and sitting 3 times. It should become very light and fluffy 

Stir in flour and baking soda.

Add chocolate chips. 

Scoop 12 large tablespoon portions onto each pan. I think my scoop is #70 but I slightly over fill it. 

Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges have become light brown and middle is still a bit soft. 

Transfer to a wire rack to cool. 

I like them cooled completely so you can taste the complexity of the cookie. Yummmm

cherry pie // mollie

I grew up in a pie-eating family. My Grandma McKown, my Dad's mom, was an excellent pie maker. She is a southern girl and knew how to make meringue pies and pecan pie and all the fruit pies ever. But oh, her Chocolate Cream pie was my favorite. Then, there is my own amazing mother. She is somewhat of a perfectionist when it comes to, well, everything she makes. Pies are no exception. Her pecan is to die for, and apple! and pumpkin! She cans her own pumpkin. I'm not one to forget about the few family traditions we have had throughout the years. So I decided to be a pie maker too. I've made pies throughout my years of being on my own and I really love doing it. I'm not a perfectionist in any way. With anything that I do. I wish I was more of one, but I'm not. I just thoroughly enjoy making a pie in the kitchen with my girls playing on the ground in my sight. (Or crying at my feet, whichever).

Cherry Pie. I want to say that I know that some people don't like Cherry Pie. But that is because they never had my Mom's cherry pie. I think out of all of her pies, it is my favorite. Because not only does she make the cherry filling from scratch (never use that canned filling with the hot pink syrup, EW!) but she makes them so beautiful! When I make them they are not as beautiful, they are funny looking, but many people have said they were yummy. And that is what I'm going for here by the way.

Martha Stewart Perfect Pie Crust:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling dough

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon sugar

8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 tablespoons ice water, plus 2 more, if needed

Directions:

-In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar several times to combine. Add butter. Pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces remaining.

-Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. Pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed with fingers (if needed, add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time). Do not overprocess.

-Turn dough out onto a work surface; form dough into a 3/4-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

-Before baking, unwrap dough; place on a large piece of floured waxed paper. Roll dough to a 14-inch round. Using paper, lift and wrap dough around rolling pin (discarding paper); carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate.

-Trim overhang to 1 inch; fold overhang under itself. Pinch between thumb and forefinger to make a uniform edge around the rim. Crimp edge; refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.

Cherry Filling

Ingredients: 

3 cups Red Tart Cherries in Water(Drained)
1 1/3 cup sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. almond flavoring

Directions: 

-Put cherries in a bowl with sugar and mix. Let sit while pie crust is chilling
-When crust is ready pour off half of the juice from the cherries
-Add flour and mix slightly
-Pour in crust and sprinkle almond flavor on top of cherries.
-Add top crust (design how you like)*
-Bake at 450 degrees for 40-50 mins*

*i did a criss cross top for my crust this time... like i said, funny looking. but its fun to try out different tops. make sure you dab butter and sprinkle sugar on top before baking.
*you might want to add some foil to the edges so it doesn't burn before the center is done baking.

Soft Double Chocolate Cookies

These are dangerously rich. The edges are slightly crisp but the whole of the cookie is soft like a brownie. They are great with icecream. Pretty simple to make yet packed with chocolate flavor.  I get 4 dozen out of this recipe but I like them on the smaller side because of how rich they are. I use a slightly over filled #7 scoop for my cookies which is about the same as a mounded tablespoon. 

Soft Double Chocolate Cookies adapted from The Gourmet Cookie Book

Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients

4 oz unsweetened chocolate *(or 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa mixed with  4 tablespoons canola oil)

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup unsalted butter (one stick) cut into chunks

4 large eggs room temperature

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon flour 

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

In a medium, microwave safe, bowl put unsweetened chocolate, 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips and butter. Melt in 30 second increments stirring in between each, until smooth. 

In a separate large bowl whisk together the eggs and sugars until thick, light colored, and fluffy. Really give it a good beating. 

Add vanilla and beat some more. 

In a small bowl stir together the flour, salt, and baking powder. 

Carefully fold the chocolate into the eggs.  

Stir in the flour and remaining 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips. 

Allow the dough to rest for 15 min.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Drop mounded tablespoon fulls onto parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes. They should be puffy and cracked. Don't over cook them, they should be soft, but don't under cook them either or they will be too soft and doughy to handle. You will get a good measure of time after you bake the first batch. If they are under done, just slide them back in for another minute or two. I take them out of my oven at exactly 10 minutes. 

Let them cool and rest on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. 

Plum Crumble

I have been wanting to try this for months and months now.  I finally got to it, and I am so mad I didn't try it out long ago.  This is my new summer favorite.  It came from Orangette, my absolute favorite blog.  It's like you know her after reading one post.  Someday, when I make it to Seattle, I want to go to her restaurant, Delancey, and taste everything.  Well, she is so kind to have posted this recipe because it was on the menu there for a little while.  I love it. I know that crumbles may seem like a warm comfort food for winter, but this my friend is perfect now while plums are in season.

The picture shown is only half of the recipe in a very shallow pie plate; I had too many treats in the house in the first place. Also I didn't put any crystallized ginger in it because I didn't have any.

Orangette / Delancey's Plum Crumble


serves about 6

Ingredients

Filling
12-14 Italian Prune Plums (I cheated and used the huge ones you can get at Costco, 10 or so should do the trick.)
2 Tbs Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tbs Flour
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

Topping
3/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Beaten Egg
7 Tbs Butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Remove pit from plums and slice in half into a bowl and set aside.
Whisk together the dry ingredients for the filling.
Carefully fold the dry mixture into the plums just until coated.
Pour plum mixture into a deep 9" pie dish. Face the skin sides up.  I also have baked it in a 9x13 inch baking dish.

Whisk together the dry ingredients for the topping.
Add the beaten egg with your hands until you get small moist crumbles.
Sprinkle evenly over the plums.
Spoon the melted butter over the topping... it will be pretty drenched.
Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

Cool a few minutes and eat warm or cold.  You can warm up a cooled crumble by putting it in a 300 degree oven for about 20 min or so.
Serve with whipped cream, ice cream or by itself.

German Apple Pancakes

I have to say it has been for ever since I have posted something on here.  About 3 months.  It makes sense to me because we recently found out we are expecting a little bundle of joy, and the past 3 months I have not really had the desire to cook, bake, or eat certain foods.  We are very excited, our lives are changing faster than I think we recognize.

A breakfast item, as I see it, is very appropriate to post because it was the only kind of food I wanted to eat for a few months.  These pancakes are different than any other German pancake I have ever made before, but I love them.  I am used to the sort that you bake in the oven and watch rise 4 inches over the top of the pan; very fun.  The apple is what intrigued me and really got me to try them.  I hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

German Apple Pancakes

Gourmet Magazine 2006

Ingredients

1/4 cup Sugar plus 2 Tbs
1/2 tsp Cinnamon
1 cup Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1 1/2 cups Milk
4 lg Eggs
1 1/2 lb Gala Apples (3-4 apples)  - I used Fuji
2 Tbs Lemon Juice
Butter for the skillet

Directions

You may want to half the recipe, we were pretty full after 2 pancakes... unless you are really hungry!
Mix together 1/4 cup sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl, set aside.
Mix the flour, salt and remaining 2 Tbs sugar in a large bowl.
Stream in the milk and add each egg individually.
Peel the apples and cut slices from top to bottom 1/8 inch thick, you can use a mandolin or just a knife.  Avoid the core.  Continue to cut the apple slices into 1/8 inch thick matchsticks.  I found the long matchsticks to be hard to work with when you cook the pancake, so just chopping the apple in tiny pieces might work better.
Coat apples with the lemon juice.
Add the apples and lemon juice to the batter, fold.
These are kind of like crepes, so the batter should be thin.
Heat over medium a small amount of butter (about 1/2 Tbs) in a non-stick skillet.

Pour 1/3 cup batter into the pan and cook until the edges begin to brown, then flip.  About a couple minutes a side.
Continue to butter the pan in between each pancake as needed.
You may want to keep them warm in a 200 degree oven until you are done cooking.
Sprinkle them with cinnamon and sugar and eat warm.