Paradise Bakery-style Sugar Cookies

I can't remember where I first saw this recipe. When you want sugar cookies without the hassle of chilling, rolling, cutting, and frosting, these are the answer. (Eva likes them with jimmies; I like them with sugar crystals.)

1 cup sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 cups shortening
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg, beaten
4 1/3 cups cake flour*
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
sugar, for decorating

Preheat oven to 375°.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugars and shortening using an electric mixer. Mix on slow speed 30 seconds, then scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Increase speed to medium and mix for 3 minutes.

Slowly add vanilla and egg while mixing.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, mixing on slow speed until just blended. Do not overmix.

Scoop with an ice-cream scoop and roll in sugar. Place directly on cookie sheet. Flatten slightly with palm of hand.

Bake at 375° for 9-10 minutes. Cookies are done when small cracks appear and are pale golden. Ideally, the edges do not brown.

*very important! The cake flour, in addition to not overmixing, gives these cookies their tender, crumbly texture.

Fish Tacos with Lime-Cilantro Crema

{photo courtesy myrecipes.com}

I first had this dish when we were at the Outer Banks with my family last summer. I recreated it from memory, and it was good. But this week Jessie directed me to the actual recipe (Cooking Light, 2006) and I made it again. This is officially one of my new favorite meals, and Marc and Max really like it as well.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 tacos)

Crema:

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon grated lime rind
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, minced

Tacos:
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 pounds red snapper fillets (I used tilapia)
Cooking spray
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas (I used more, because we like to double them up)
2 cups shredded cabbage

Preheat oven to 425°.

To prepare crema, combine the first 8 ingredients in a small bowl; set aside.

To prepare tacos, combine cumin and next 5 ingredients (through garlic powder) in a small bowl; sprinkle spice mixture evenly over both sides of fish. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 425° for 9 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Place fish in a bowl; break into pieces with a fork. Heat tortillas according to package directions (I spray them with Pam, sprinkle them with salt, and warm them in a small skillet). Divide fish evenly among tortillas; top each with 1/4 cup cabbage and 1 tablespoon crema.

Nita's Famous Pecan Logs

This recipe comes from my grandmother Taylor, and was passed around at her funeral earlier this year. I didn't know she had a famous recipe, and thought I really should try it!

Be warned, however, this recipe is not for the faint of heart. Start two days before you want to have the finished product.


nougat cream center:

3 c. sugar
1 1/3 c. Karo syrup
1/4 c. melted butter
1 c. water
2 egg whites, beaten
1 t. vanilla
1/2 t. salt

Combine 3/4 c. sugar, 2/3 c. Karo, 1/4 c. water. Boil to soft ball stage. Pour syrup over beaten egg whites, and continue beating until slightly cool (about 5 minutes). Make a well in center. Let stand while you make second syrup.

2 1/4 c. sugar
2/3 c. Karo
3/4 c. water

Combine above ingredients and cook over medium heat to 258º. Pour all at once into center of egg white mixture. Beat vigorously until thoroughly mixed. Stir in butter, vanilla, and salt. Beat well.

Let stand, beating occasionally, until very stiff. Press mixture into a well-buttered 9x13 pan. Cover and let stand a day or two refrigerated. Cut into bars and freeze.


caramel:

2 c. sugar
1 1/4 c. Karo
1/2 t. salt
1 1/2 c. light cream (add 1/2 c. at a time)
1 t. vanilla

Cook sugar, Karo, and 1/2 c. cream, stirring well until it begins to boil. Add another 1/2 c. cream. Cook to 236º. Add remaining 1/2 c. cream and cook again to 236º. Transfer to double boiler to keep hot.

With two forks, roll bar into caramel. Lift out into bowl of chopped pecans. Press nuts onto bar. Cool.

These are delicious and make for an impressive treat, but you do have to work for it!

Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Another great recipe from Tasty Kitchen – these were an instant hit with the whole family! The peanut butter is subtle. The pretzels provide the perfect amount of crunch and a nice salty foil for all the sweet. (Nothing ruins a cookie for me like a lack of good salty balance.) I'm sure we will make these again and again.


½ c. butter or margarine (softened)
½ c. shortening
¼ c. creamy peanut butter
¾ c. packed brown sugar
¾ c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2 ¼. flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. salt
¾ c. coarsely crushed pretzels
1 ½ c. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cream together butter/margarine, shortening, peanut butter and both sugars. When light and fluffy and thoroughly combined, mix in one egg at a time. Then mix in vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into creamed ingredients in 2 or 3 additions, just until thoroughly combined. Stir in pretzels and chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes, until just browning on the edges and not quite set in the center. Let cool on the baking sheet 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 3-4 dozen cookies.

Crockpot Pesto Lasagna

{photo and recipe from A Year of Slow Cooking}

1 (26-ounce) jar prepared pasta sauce
1 (10-ounce) box lasagna noodles
1 (11-ounce) container pesto
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (12-ounce) bag baby spinach
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
16 ounces mozzarella cheese, sliced
1/4 cup water

Put a spoonful of pasta sauce (about 1/4 cup) into the bottom of your slow cooker and swirl it around. Add a layer of uncooked lasagna noodles (you're going to have to break them to make a layer). Smear ricotta cheese and pesto onto the noodles. Add a handful or two of baby spinach, and top with a layer of Parmesan and slice mozzarella cheeses. Repeat layers until you've run out of ingredients. The spinach is fluffy, so you're going to have to squish it down to make it all fit.

Before closing the pot, put 1/4 cup of water into the empty pasta sauce jar and close and shake. Pour this saucy water over the top of everything.

Now cover up and cook on low for 6 hours, or on high for about 3 to 4. You'll know it's done when the top layer begins to brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly. It will also pull a bit away from the sides. Taste-test a noodle to check texture.

Uncover, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

I love how fast and easy this is! Last Sunday I had Max assemble it right before we left for church, and it was ready to eat when we got home. I whipped up some super-fast breadsticks and we had a delicious dinner.

"My Favorite Salad" Panini

a.k.a. My New Favorite Sandwich

{recipe from Tasty Kitchen}

• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• ½ cups pecans
• ½ cups dried cranberries
• ½ cups blue cheese crumbles
• ¼ cups reduced fat mayonnaise
• 8 slices focaccia bread (I used 12 grain hazelnut bread from Kneaders–swoon!)
  
• 2 whole seasoned and grilled boneless, skinless chicken breasts, thinly sliced
• 1 whole apple, cored and thinly sliced

Process the spinach, pecans, dried cranberries, blue cheese and mayonnaise in a food processor until uniformly smooth. (I tried my blender, and it didn't work at all. I had to transfer it to my little food processor. Worked like a dream.)

Spread mixture on each slice of bread.

Top one slice of bread (per sandwich) with grilled chicken slices and apple slices. Place sandwich halves together.

Grill on a panini press or grill pan until bread is toasted. (I used my George Foreman grill. No butter on the bread necessary.)

**In the picture above, I was having leftovers for lunch the next day. I was out of apples, so I had it without. I was also too lazy to get out the grill. It was still delicious, but better with the apple and grilled.

Sweet Potato and Brie Flatbread

(Recipe from Real Simple website)

1 pound frozen pizza dough, thawed (I used Marc's fast & easy dough)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
8 sprigs fresh thyme
4 T. olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
4 oz. Brie, sliced (I removed the rind)
2 t. red wine vinegar
4 cups mixed greens (I used arugula)

Heat oven to 425º. Shape the dough into a large oval or rectangle and place on a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, toss the sweet potato, shallots, thyme, 3 T. of the oil, 1/2 t. salt, 1/4 t. pepper. Scatter over the dough and top with the Brie slices. Bake until gold brown and crisp, 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, remaining T. of oil, and 1/4 t. each salt and pepper. Toss with the greens and serve with or atop the flatbread.

So delicious!