Chocolate Sable Cookies

11/20/2023

These are a Christmas classic for me. There signature "sandy" texture is what makes them a sable cookie. They're also great dressed up as a sandwich cookie with a chestnut filling.

Chocolate Sablé Cookies

Ingredients

4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, frozen for 10 minutes
12 Tbsp. butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Makes 35-40 cookies
Cook time: 10 minutes

Grate the chilled chocolate with a fine grater or rasp and set aside.
Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat the butter and sugar until combined; mix in the egg. Add the dry ingredients to the butter and beat lightly together until just combined but still crumbly. Fold in grated chocolate with a spatula. Bring the dough together by lightly squeezing in your hands, be quick and careful not to melt the chocolate with your hands.
Divide the dough in half; lay one half in the center of a sheet of plastic wrap; quickly work the dough into one long log and tightly wrap; repeat with remaining dough. Refrigerate dough for about 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice logs into 1/2-inch thick rounds with a sharp, thin knife; after cutting a few slices the bottom of the log will begin to flatten, roll the log over and continue cutting, this will help give you actual cookies rounds. Divide rounds onto the prepared sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake 12-14 minutes, until cookies smell fragrant. Transfer to a cooling rack after about 5 minutes and allow to cool.

Grandma Rebecca's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

11/20/2023

These are a family classic I make every year. It's my grandmother's classic I've tried to change, but couldn't improve on! It's fantastic and is always the cookie that people want the recipe to.

Grandma Rebecca’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 3/4 cups AP flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups oats (old-fashioned or quick cooking)
1 1/2 cups raisins

Makes approximately 40 cookies
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes

Cream shortening and sugar together; add molasses and egg. Thoroughly beat mixture until completely combined. Meanwhile, whisk flour, salt, soda, and cinnamon together. Add dry mixture to wet mixture and combine.
Add oats and raisins and mix until dispersed (I use the mixer, but you can hand stir if you'd like).
Using a small ice cream scoop, scoop dough into small balls, then roll into balls between hands (you may need to pop in the refrigerator if dough gets too hot). Dough can be frozen or cooked immediately.
Bake at 375 8-10 minutes.

Clean Cranberry Muffins

11/9/2023

Here's a clean-eating version of a family classic! I swapped out the sugar and shortening for maple syrup and apple sauce and made a few other alterations to make a great muffin to start your day off right.

Clean Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients

Dry Bowl

1 cup AP flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
Wet Bowl
3/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup applesauce
1 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
zest of 1/2 an orange
3/4 cup orange juice
1 egg
Add Ins
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Makes 12 muffins
Cook Time: 20 minutes

Preheat oven to 350.
Combine all dry bowl ingredients in a medium bowl and all wet bowl in ingredients in a medium bowl. Add wet bowl to dry bowl and stir until combined; stir in cranberries and nuts, if using.
Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan or using an ice cream scoop, scoop into a muffin tin. Bake for one hour in a loaf pan, 20 minutes in muffins tins, or until tester stick comes out clean. Let cool until pan is cool enough to handle, then invert onto a cooling rack.

Great Aunt Ann's Cranberry Bread

11/9/2023

I found this wonderful recipe in a family cookbook and thought I would share it. It's great around the holidays when cranberries are in season. It freezes well and makes a great gift! Can be made into muffins for a quick breakfast.

Great Aunt Ann's Cranberry Bread

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
zest of 1/2 an orange
3/4 cup orange juice
1 egg
1/2 cup chopped nuts, optional

Makes 1 loaf or 12 muffins
Cook Time: 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream shortening and sugar until thoroughly combined; add egg and zest. Meanwhile, whisk, or sift, together all dry ingredients. Add half the dry ingredients, half the juice, the remaining dry ingredients, remaining juice, mix until just combined. Stir in cranberries and nuts, if using.
Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan or muffin pan and bake for one hour or until tester stick comes out clean. Let cool until pan is cool enough to handle, then invert onto a cooling rack.

Banana Split Bread

11/9/2023

Here's another twist on a classic banana bread - this banana split bread has all the flavors of a banana split, but in a bread. Makes a great gift!

Banana Split Bread

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped pineapple
1/2 cup chopped strawberries
3/4 cup chocolate chips

Makes 1 loaf
Cook Time: 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream butter and sugar until thoroughly combined; add eggs one and a time and mix until completely incorporated. Meanwhile, whisk, or sift, together all dry ingredients and mash bananas. Add half the dry mix to the butter mixture, combine and add half the banana mash, add remaining dry mix, combine and add remaining banana mash, mix until combined, but do not overmix. Add in strawberries, pineapple, and chocolate chips and stir together by hand.
Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake for one hour or until tester stick comes out clean. Let cool until pan is cool enough to handle, then invert onto a cooling rack.

Hummingbird Bread

11/9/2023

This is a basic banana bread recipe that's been in my family for years, but with the addition of pineapple, toasted pecans, and coconut to make hummingbird...name after a cake of the same name. I like it plain, but a glaze would make it over-the-top if gifting!

Hummingbird Bread

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
1/2 cup chopped pineapple
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
3/4 cup chopped pineapple
1/2 tsp. apple pie spice

Makes 1 loaf
Cook Time: 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream butter and sugar until thoroughly combined; add eggs one and a time and mix until completely incorporated. Meanwhile, whisk, or sift, together all dry ingredients and mash bananas. Add half the dry mix to the butter mixture, combine and add half the banana mash, add remaining dry mix, combine and add remaining banana mash, mix until combined, but do not overmix. Add in pecans, coconut, and pineapple and stir together by hand.
Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake for one hour or until tester stick comes out clean. Let cool until pan is cool enough to handle, then invert onto a cooling rack.

Grandma Rebecca's Banana Bread

11/9/2023

This is an easy to make family classic - it uses leftover bananas for a quick bread to throw together. Works great with fresh or frozen bananas; freezes well for using later, and is an excellent gift!

Grandma Rebecca’s Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
3 bananas, mashed

Makes 1 loaf
Cook Time: 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350.
Cream butter and sugar until thoroughly combined; add eggs one and a time and mix until completely incorporated. Meanwhile, whisk, or sift, together all dry ingredients and mash bananas. Add half the dry mix to the butter mixture, combine and add half the banana mash, add remaining dry mix, combine and add remaining banana mash, mix until combined, but do not overmix.
Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake for one hour or until tester stick comes out clean. Let cool until pan is cool enough to handle, then invert onto a cooling rack.

Herbed Potato Salad

11/8/2023

A fairly traditional potato salad with a little twist! This is a great make-ahead dish that will work at almost any summertime party. It's easy to throw together and will feed a crowd - it's also easy to size down to accommodate a slightly smaller party. Enjoy!

Herbed Potato Salad

Ingredients

6 lb. small red potatoes
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup lemon juice
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup red onion, minced
1/4 cup tarragon, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 18 - 20
Cook time: 25 minutes

Place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water Bring the water to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife. Drain the potatoes.

Meanwhile, whisk together remaining ingredients.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them into quarters or halves, depending on their size. Dress potatoes with dressing while still warm so they absorb the most liquid. Serve immediately or refrigerate and serve later.

Southern Panzanella

11/8/2023

Panzanella is a classic Italian bread salad - it's a great way to use day-old bread and an abundance from the garden. My version pays homage to the classic Southern lunch - the tomato sandwich. It's a simple mayonnaise-based dressing and is a great way to use up day-old bread and an abundance of tomatoes!

Southern Panzanella

Ingredients

Salad

1/2 loaf day-old bread, cubed
1 quart cherry tomatoes, halved
chives, for garnish
Dressing
1/2 cup mayonnaise (more of less to your taste)
1 medium tomato, halved
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 6-8

To make dressing, sliced tomato and squeeze out liquid into the mayonnaise, salt and pepper to taste and whisk ingredients together. Combine cubed bread and halved tomatoes (you can dice slicer tomatoes, but the cherry tomatoes hold up better) with dressing. Garnish with chives.

*If traveling, wait to combine until you arrive at your destination. Depending on how dry your bread is you may want the salad to sit together for a few minutes to rehydrate the bread.

Ratatouille Pie

11/8/2023

A great twist on ratatouille that is quick and easy to throw together. This pie is a great make-ahead dish, uses a lot of garden fresh summer vegetables, and is perfect for entertaining!

Ratatouille Pie

Ingredients

1 pre-made (or store-bought) pie crust
3 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
1 onion, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
2 small eggplants, sliced
2 medium zucchini, sliced
2 medium summer squash, sliced
3 medium tomatoes, sliced
1/2 cup gruyere cheese, grated
salt & pepper, to taste

Serves 4-6
Cook time: 45 minutes

Blind bake pie crust according to package directions; let cool. Sautee onion and pepper over medium heat until translucent. Evenly spread on bottom of pie crust.

Toss sliced eggplant, zucchini, and summer squash in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Shingle vegetables, including tomatoes, into pie crust (I like to start on the perimeter of the crust and work my way inwards); repeat to form two layers (three if you pie plate is deep enough). Sprinkle top with grated cheese and bake 30-45 minutes at 350.