old people cookies

....also known as Mexican Wedding Cookies or maybe Sandies. But these remind me of visiting elderly family in West Texas and of old ladies and the Baptist potlucks.



I think I have memories of them from my childhood because their unique shape caught my eye and the powdered sugar stuck to my fingers. They remind me of holidays. So when I found a recipe originally published in the New York Times for "Viennese Almond Crescent" cookies, I thought they sounded good and set out to recreate my West Texas memories

Mexican Wedding Cookies

Makes about a dozen cookies 

1/2 cup ground almonds (I used my food processor)

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon almond extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vanilla sugar (I used powdered sugar), for coating

Whisk together the ground almonds and confectioners’ sugar in a bowl.

In a stand mixer, beat butter on medium speed for several minutes until smooth.

Add in the almond mixture and mix until combined. Add in the vanilla and almond extracts and mix until combined. Add in the flour and salt and mix on low just until combined and the dough starts clumping together.

Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, wrap tightly, and chill for about 20 minutes.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a few cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Form dough into 1-inch balls. Roll into a log and curve the ends to make a crescent shape. Place on cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through; the edges of the cookies should turn light brown but the tops should not get too dark. Cool on sheets for about 4 to 5 minutes. While they are still warm, sift sugar over the cookies. Let them finish cooling on wire racks. They are best enjoyed the day they are made, but you can store them in an airtight container between sheets of wax paper for 2 weeks.

{thoughts}

As they baked, they did not seem done after about 13 minutes but once they cooled, they seemed good. They may look really undercooked and there was a huge variety of baking times in the recipes I looked at, some up to 30 minutes! So I still don't know if I should have cooked them longer. They were really good but fell apart easily. I doubt cooking time would have effected that though and they may have just turned into biscotti or something, lacking egg.

banana gingerbread muffins

These turned out great! So seasonal! Taylor liked them and according to my calculations, right under 200 calories each. These are my kind of muffin, more dense and quickbreadish, rather than a cake.

I think you could also substitute a cup of pumpkin for the cup of mashed banana, but the banana is sweeter than pure pumpkin so you may be missing out on some sweetness, if that's what you expect from your muffins.

Banana Gingerbread Muffins

makes 1 loaf of bread or 12 muffins

{ingredients}
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
pinch freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup banana, mashed (about 2 large)
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup buttermilk*
4 tbsp oil

{directions}

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or 12 cup muffin pan or place paper liners in muffin pan. (as you can see I had to use fall liners)

In a large bowl, whisk or sift together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices.
In a medium bowl, whisk together brown sugar, banana, molasses, buttermilk and vegetable oil. Pour into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Pour into prepared pan and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.

Bake muffins for about 20-25 min and loaf about 45 min, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

*make your own buttermilk by adding 1/2 t. vinegar to 1/2 c. skim milk and letting it sit about 3 minutes.

sudden saturday sugar cookies

I wished I had halloween sprinkles and black piping icing when I randomly decided to make these on a saturday afternoon.

I made these partially because I thought it would be fun to decorate halloween cookies, but mostly because I had three egg yolks in the fridge, crying out not to be wasted. And this recipe fit the bill!

{"melt in your mouth" sugar cookies}
via Better Homes and Gardens' The New Cookbook
{ingredients}
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon  cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
{directions}
In a large mixing bowl beat butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium high for about 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can. Stir in remaining flour.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in a 300 degree oven about 15 minutes or until sides are set but not brown. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

raisins pecan oatmeal cookies

These are also known, as of 2pm, October 17, 2010, as the Best Cookies Ever.

Ina says, "I consider myself and oatmeal cookie aficionado and I've been searching for decades for the perfect recipe. Finally! These are crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside with lots of chunky raisins and toasted pecans."

There is nothing more to say.

{raisin pecan oatmeal cookies}

from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups pecans

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup dark brown sugar, lightly packed

1 cup granulated sugar

2 extra-large eggs at room temperature {yes, i used Jumbo eggs}

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal

1 1/2 cups raisins

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the pecans on a sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes, until crisp. Set aside to cool. Chop very coarsely. {i bought chopped pecans from the CM bulk bin}

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla.

With a sifter or a mesh strainer, sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together into a medium bowl. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the oats, raisins, and pecans and mix just until combined.

Using a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon, drop 2-inch mounds of dough onto sheet pans lined with parchment paper. Flatten slightly with a damp hand. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until lightly browned. Transfer the cookies to a baking rack and cool completely. For chewier cookies allow them to cool on pan. {do this!}

pumpkin pie for lunch.

we're just taking this to a new level.

it's october! 


{pumpkin pie for lunch}
combine the following {with a vigorous spoon or a blender}


one cup fat free fage Greek yogurt
three tablespoons pumpkin puree
one half a banana {not necessary, and seems weird but it sweetens it!}
one tablespoon Stonewall Kitchen Maple Pumpkin Butter
one fourth a cup chopped toasted pecans or almonds
a dash of pumpkin pie spice
graham cracker crumbs


yum.

a match made in heaven

one tablespoon

+

one to two cups

=

{love}

toppings? toasted pecans, diced peaches, cinnamon granola...

fall stuffed squash

how cute is that round "8 ball zucchini"??? kinda reminds me of cinderella's carriage. 

goal: reproduce stuffed bell pepper and make more fallish.

why i hesitate to share this recipe:

there are not many measurements or times. i just threw a bunch of stuff together that i thought sounded and looked good at Central Market today. it’s very adaptable to your preferences, cravings and current kitchen stock.

but. what is essential here:

1. a zucchini squash vessel. a lighter crispier squash was a good light flavor and crisp to go with the creamier, heartier filling. i don’t think a more dense, hearty, almost nearer potatoey butternut squash or pumpkin vessel would have worked as well. plus i found perfect little ball shaped zucchinis! they were more “seedy” (heh. pun) than long zucchini, which you could certainly use, so not as much of their pulp was as usable. in my opinion. but the cooked outside and layer of flesh left was perfect with the filling.
2. butternut squash, though next time i want to try pumpkin!
3. toasted pecan pieces: crunch and flavor. i just toasted them on pan in same 400 degree oven til crispy and fragrant, about 4 minutes
4. a good cheese that can hold its own. parmigiano reggiano has done wonders to my stuffed bell peppers and i liked the manchego cheese i tried today.
5. pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar (partially cuz it’s fun. partially cuz it’s good)

{fall stuffed squash}

place 3 “8 ball zucchini squash,” with tops cut off * and 1/2 butternut squash face down in baking dish with a bit of water in the bottom.

bake in a 400 degree oven, covered with foil for 30 min, or until tender. i finished the squash in the microwave. 

while the squash are baking:

saute diced onions until tender in olive oil on medium heat

season with kosher salt and cracked pepper

add chopped cremini mushrooms and a bit of butter

saute til tender, but not all the way wilty

reduce heat to low and add

roughly chopped roma tomatoes

more kosher salt and cracked pepper

cover and simmer for about 10 minutes

uncover, increase heat a bit and stir, breaking up tomatoes and allowing liquids to reduce significantly

mix in about a fourth a cup good bread crumbs or cooked brown rice**

stir in pulp {flesh?} from zucchini and butternut squash

and a few dashes of pumpkin pie spice, pepper and brown sugar to taste

stir to combine for a few minutes and season to taste

remove from heat and stir in:

grated Manchego cheese

generous amounts of toasted pecan pieces***

a bit of parsley

fill hollowed zucchini squash with mixture, top with more cheese, 

cover in foil and bake for 10-15 minutes in 375 degree oven, removing foil about half way through.

top with more cheese and parsley if desired

*or large zucchini, halved, lengthwise (will need less cooking time)

**did brown rice, will try bread next time, not even sure if it’s necessary but the rice was nice for texture

  excuse my phone pics!