Cherry Chocolate Kisses

This is going on my list of Christmas baking.  Every year I try to add something new and this year these Cherry Chocolate Kisses have made it to the list.  I found this cookie on Pinterest.  I have a few things from Pinterest that didn't turn out at all (like the mac and cheese in a cup)  but this one is a keeper!  They turned out just fabulous and were so easy to make.  They are basically a shortbread cookie with cherries added to the dough and you can whip them up in no time. Just make sure when you add the kisses when the cookies come out of the oven let them cool completely until they harden again, 'cause one little touch and they loose their form.  Come on, cherries and chocolate?  What's not to love! 

Cherry Chocolate Kisses

Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, softened, but still cool*****very important!

1 cup powdered sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons maraschino cherry “juice”

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup maraschino cherries, chopped

Granulated sugar, for sprinkling the cookies

36 milk chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

3. Reduce the speed to the lowest setting and slowly add the powdered sugar and salt.

4. Add the cherry juice and the almond extract until combined.

5. With the mixer still on low, slowly add the flour, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

6. Increase the mixer speed to medium and add the cherries.

7. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls, and place the balls on a baking sheet, approximately 2 inches apart.

8.  Using your thumb, gently press each cookie in its center until the cookie is about 1/2-inch thick.

9.  Sprinkle each cookie with a little granulated sugar.

10.  Bake the cookies until the bottoms are lightly browned, about 14 minutes.

11. Once removed from the oven, immediately press a chocolate kiss into each cookie’s center.

12.  Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Servings: approximately 36 cookies

Adapted from The Curvy Carrot

Apple Coffee Cake

I read this short little history about apples on the Foodland Ontario website and found it quite interesting.

Apples existed as a wild fruit since prehistoric times and have been cultivated for more than 3,000 years. The ancient Greeks, Etruscans, Romans and Egyptians were among its early cultivators.
During the California Gold Rush apples sometimes fetched more than $100 a bushel because of their versatility, durability and capacity to be preserved by drying.
The apple tree now grows (in thousands of varieties) in almost every corner of the globe from Japan to Madagascar to South Africa, New Zealand, Russia, China, England, France and across much of North America.
 
This got me craving anything apples.  Applesauce, apple pie, baked apples, apple streudel, apples and old cheese and just a nice juicy crisp apple all by itself!  Since I was short on time I decided on Betty Crockers Apple Coffee Cake and enjoyed munching on apple as I cut them up for the cake.  This recipe is so quick and easy it almost makes you feel guilty when people rave about it.  Almost.

This cake fills your house with such an amazing aroma.  That alone is worth baking it!

Some great apples for baking that hold their shape include Northern Spy (#1), Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Cortland and Rome Beauty

Apple Coffee Cake

Streusel Topping

2/3 cup bisquick
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup firm butter or margarine

For the cake

2 cups bisquick
2/3 cup milk
3 tbsp. sugar
1 egg
2 medium cooking apples, peeled and sliced

Glaze

1/2 cup icing sugar
2-3 tsp. milk

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Grease a square 9x9x2 inch pan.  Make streusel topping by combining bisquick, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Cut in butter or margarine with pastry blender until crumbly and set aside.
Stir bisquick, milk, sugar and egg until blended; beat vigorously 30 seconds.  Spread half of the batter in pan.



Arrange apple slices on batter.



Sprinkle with half of the streusel topping.



Spread remaining batter over apple slices.



Sprinkle with remaining topping



At this point you can sprinkle with 2 tbsps. chopped nuts.  I leave this out due to a peanut allergy in our family.  Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center.  Cool 20 minutes in pan on wire rack.  Drizzle with glaze.

Try and eat just one piece.  Yeah, that's what I thought!

Garlic Confit

I came across this recipe in my October issue of Food and Wine Magazine. I absolutely love all things garlic. I always have lots and lots of garlic in my kitchen as I use it everyday. I put it in everything(okay almost everything)I cook. We also have it quite often on roasted or in oil on bread, so I thought this was just a great idea to have on hand and super easy, too!

All you need is

6 heads of garlic, cloves separated and peeled
6 thyme sprigs
3 small bay leaves
3 dried red chilis
2 cups pure olive oil

Throw it all in a pot and simmer over low heat until the garlic is soft and tender, but not browned.



This takes about 30 minutes. Then use a slotted spoon to transfer the garlic, chilis and herbs into a canning jar and pour the cooking oil over top. Seal and refrigerate for up to 4 months. You can mash this into butter for a spread, mash into potatoes or use in roast chicken.

I will now always have a jar of this "garlic confit" in my fridge!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

I have been wanting to make sticky toffee puddings for a few years now, but just never got around to it. (So many recipes, so little time). Well, I finally made it last weekend. All I can say about it is OMG!! This was a huge hit with the family.
I went through a lot of recipes and decided on this one from The Rock Recipes. It is absolutely delicious and very easy to make!

Sticky Toffee Pudding

1 1/2 cups water
8 oz. pitted dates, chopped
1/3 cup butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 extra large eggs
3 tbsps. molasses
2 tbsp. corn syrup
1 2/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda

In small sauce pan add the chopped dates and water. Bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for a couple of minutes. Let stand while preparing the rest of the batter. Cream butter, brown sugar and vanilla together. Then beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the molasses and corn syrup. Sift the flour and baking powder together. Then add a third of this mixture at a time to the creamed mixture. Puree the date mixture and add the 1 tsp. of baking soda. Stir this hot mix into the batter and blend until smooth. Pour into greased and floured muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees 18-20 minutes or until the center is just firm. Serve with warm toffe sauce. (Recipe follows) These also freeze well.

Toffee Sauce

1/2 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla

Bring to a slow rolling boil for about 2 minutes before serving.

Microwave Chips.........Really!!

I was on the internet last night trying to find a recipe that might copycat Hostess Hickory Sticks, 'cause I love them, and instead came across this recipe for microwave chips. Since I love my "chippies" too, I set out to make them for our snack last night. I never ever would have thought that chips out of the microwave would be crispy let alone taste so freakin' great! The added bonus.....they are way healthier than bought chips or deep fried! You have to do it in batches, but who the heck cares. Did I mention how great they are? I love it when you find a recipe where you still get the feeling your eating "junk food", but your not! So, without further ado here is the "complicated" recipe.

Potatoes
Cooking spray

Whew! Need to give my fingers a break after typing that ingredient list.

Slice potatoes thin. I used russet potatoes and sliced them on a mandolin. Place slices in bowl of cold water and let sit for at least ten minutes.

Dry in batches on paper towels.

Fold a piece of parchment paper in half and lightly spray with cooking oil. Place slices on one half and fold over.

Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes. This will vary depending on your microwave and how thick your slices are. As soon as you see them start to brown, take them out. Put on a plate and sprinkle with some sea salt or whatever you like for that matter.

Then crunch away and I do mean crunch! It still just amazes me how crispy they come out! It's crazy, I tell ya....just crazy!! It's going to take me awhile to get over this one.