Cereal Cookies

When my children were growing up, I often had to hide the 'good stuff' in items I knew they would eat. I almost always made the cookies they enjoyed and it gave me plenty of hiding places! One of my favorite ways was incorporating vitamin-enriched or high-fiber cereals in the cookies. They enjoyed the crunch and I relished the secret! Cereal Cookies 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1 1/4 cup solid shortening 1 cup granulated sugar 1 cup brown sugar, packed 1 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins 2 cups shredded coconut 2 cups of your favorite unsweetened breakfast cereal 1/4 cup chopped nuts Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Either vegetable oil spray baking sheets or line them with parchment paper. Stir together the first four ingredients. In a mixing bowl, cream the shortening and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing in well. Stir in the rest of the ingredients. Drop by teaspoonfuls about 1 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for approximately minutes or until lightly brown. Let set on baking sheets for a minute before moving them to finish cooling on racks. Ideas . . . Yes, you can reduce the dried fruit and add some chocolate chips. Two teaspoons of freshly-grated citrus zest sparks up the taste. Dip half the cookie in melted chocolate chips and let set on waxed paper. Drizzle with a lemon glaze.

Chocolate Molasses Cookies

Chocolate Molasses Cookies 1 cup butter, softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1 cup molasses 1 large egg 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons grated orange zest (optional) 3 cups all-purpose flour Pinch of salt 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Either vegetable oil spray baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the molasses, egg, vanilla, cinnamon, and zest and mix well. Mix together the flour and cocoa and blend into the creamed mixture with a spoon. Chill the dough for about an hour to make it easier to work with. On a lightly-floured surface, roll out the dough to about 1/4th inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place about 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove to cool on racks. When cool glaze with an orange or vanilla icing.

Butterscotch Lemon Walnut Bars

Butterscotch Lemon Walnut Bars 2 1/4 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 1 cup butter 2 large eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest 1 teaspoon orange extract 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 cup toasted and chopped walnuts Melt together the sugar and butter until sugar dissolves. Cool. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Either vegetable oil spray a baking sheet with sides (aka jelly roll pan) or line with parchment paper. Add the eggs to the butter/sugar mixture and beat until well combined. Ass the flour, baking powder, and salt to the egg/butter/sugar and mix well. Stir in the zest, extracts, and walnuts. Spread evenly into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the cookie is a pale brown and a slight dent is left when you press the top gently. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Cut while still very warm into your desired size.

Pork and Poblano Stew

Was browsing through my latest copy of Better Homes and Gardens and saw a recipe that caught my curiosity. Since I had all the ingredients on hand, it appeared on the dinner table last night and was a success. It was also easy to do and didn't take all that long to cook. Pork and Poblano Stew 1 1/4 pounds of pork cut into 1-inch pieces 2 teaspoons hot chili powder 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 fresh poblano chili pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces (If you can't find it fresh, look in the ethnic section of the grocery store and get the dried version which is call Ancho and just put it in some warm water to soften) 1 large red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces 1 medium onion, cut into thin wedges 1 14 1/2-ounce can of fire-roasted tomatoes (they usually contain chilies, too) 2 cups chicken broth 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 cup fresh orange juice 2 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel. Toss the cut pork with the chili powder to coat. In a large frying pan, heat one tablespoon of oil and cook the pork for about 4-5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat to another bowl and set aside for now. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the same frying pan (don't clean from the meat!) and saute the Poblano, bell pepper and onion until softened, about five minutes. Add tomatoes, broth and cinnamon to this mixture and simmer, covered, over medium heat for ten minutes. Add the pork and orange juice and simmer, uncovered for another five minutes. Stir in the orange peel shreds, mix in, and serve. It went really well over rice with a side of fresh corn. The orange juice and zest make all the difference in the world. It had some heat but wasn't unbearably spicy hot. You could, however, put chili flakes on the table for anyone looking for added heat in their food!

Coffee-Orange Bar Cookies

I love the smell of coffee brewing but don't much care for the taste of the hot liquid. However, put that scent into a cookie and I'm all over it. This is such a cookie and a one-pan baking which is always a plus when you are in a hurry or just have several batches of baking to get done in one afternoon. Coffee-Orange Bar Cookies 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed 1/4 cup solid shortening 1 large egg 1 tablespoon freshly-grated orange zest 1 teaspoon vanilla 1/2 teaspoon orange extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup hot strong coffee (sometimes I use espresso with good results) 1/2 cup dried cranberries (raisins will substitute nicely) 1/2 cup toasted, chopped walnuts Line a 13x9x2 rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, extracts, and zest. Mix together the dry ingredients and add with the coffee to the creamed mixture. Stir in the cranberries and nuts. Spread the batter in the prepared baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Cool on rack and then dust with powdered sugar. Cut into serving pieces.

Fast Cookie Treat - Brown Sugar Cookies

Brown Sugar Cookie Treats 1 large egg 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon lemon extract 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup chopped pecans (although walnuts or almonds are good, too) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Vegetable oil spray or grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Mix together the egg, brown sugar, extracts, and zest until well combined. Blend in the dry ingredients and the nuts. Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for approximately 15 minutes. Cool in the pan before cutting into servings. The cookies will be softer when warm and more chewy as they cool.

Chocolate Chip Apricot Bars

Chocolate Chip Apricot Bars 2/3 cup dried apricots 1/2 cup butter 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon freshly-grated lemon zest 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed 2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon almond extract 1/2 cup chopped nuts - I like walnuts but almonds or pecans are good, too. 1/2 cup chocolate chips Simmer the dried apricots in hot water for about 10-12 minutes. Drain, let cool, and roughly chop or grind in the food processor. Mix together the butter, white sugar, and 1 cup flour until crumbly. Sprinkle and press into an 8 or 9-inch greased baking pan. Bake at 375 degree for approximately 20 minutes or until a bit golden around the edges but not too much! Beat together the brown sugar and eggs. Mix in the remaining 1/3 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the extracts, nuts, chocolate chips, lemon zest, and apricots. Spread evenly and carefully over the baked layer. Return to a 350 degree over to bake for about 20 more minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack. Drizzle with a lemon icing and cut into bars.

Anise Drops - Make the house smell delicious!

Anise Drops 3 large eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon anise extract or 2-3 tablespoons anise seeds* Beat the eggs until light and fluffy. Add the sugar slowly and continue beating after each addition. Beat for another ten minutes as you want to incorporate a lot of air. On a low speed, add dry ingredients. Stir in the extract or anise seeds. Drop or scoop the batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets about 1/2-inch apart to allow for spreading. Try to swirl the top a bit on the rounded cookie. Let the cookies remain at room temperature about 8 hours or overnight to dry. The next day, bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for about 8-10 minutes or until cookies are golden but not brown on the bottom. Remove cookies to a rack to completely cool. If all has gone well, the top should resemble a pale, crisp 'icing'. If not, you will still have an airy, tasty cookie and no one needs to know otherwise! *I prefer using anise seeds as the taste is more subtle but it depends on how much you like the licorice overtones. I've successfully add a bit of fresh lemon zest to the recipe which brightens the anise flavor nicely.

Another Holiday Baking Idea . . .

Apple Spice Bars 1/2 cup shortening 2 eggs 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda Pinch of salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspon ground nutmeg 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves 1/8 teaspoon allspice 1 cup rolled oats 1 1/2 cups peeled and thinly sliced green or pie apples Freshly grated zest from one lemon 1/2 cup chopped pecans Icing Powdered sugar 1 teaspoon lemon extract Lemon juice to form a thin icing. Cream the shortening and sugar together until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, spices, and vanilla extract. Blend well into shortening/sugar mixture. Stir in the oats, apples, zest, and pecans. Spread the mixture into a 13x9x2 baking pan. You can grease the pan, use vegetable oil spray, or line it with parchment paper. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15-25 minutes depending on your oven. Cool on a rack. While still warm drizzle over a lemon glaze and let set before cutting into serving pieces.

Buttery Almond Ball Cookies

Yes, I'm thinking about what cookies and treats I would like to make for the holidays when it is only the first week of September. If you stop to think about it, the last four months of the year always fly by and you find yourself in January before you know it. As I put together my lists of wants and wishes for my Christmas baking, I thought I'd share them with you. This year, I am going through my recipes literally starting from A and see where it all goes from there. These cookies add a festive flair to cookie plates with their bright, white coating of powdered sugar. Buttery Almond Balls 1 cup butter - no substitutes! 1/4 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon almond extract 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange zest 1 cup toasted almonds, very finely chopped* Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Beat the butter and sugar together. Add the flavorings and orange zest and continue until mixture is fluffy. With a wooden spoon, blend in the flour and almonds. Form the dough into small balls and place 1/2 inch apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake in preheated oven for 10-15 minutes depending on size of the cookies. They should be golden on the bottom and lightly colored on top. Let rest for a few minutes before removing them from the baking sheet as they are more fragile warm. Roll in powdered sugar and complete cooling on a rack. *To toast nuts, spread them out on an ungreased baking sheet and put in a 350 degree oven. Depending on the nut, they can burn if not monitored. When they start to scent the air, check and see if they have the toasty flavor you want. Cool before using. I toast my almonds unblanched. Ideas . . . Half the nuts and use the tiny chocolate chips in the dough. Toasted, ground walnuts are a nice change. Use ground peanuts and coat the baked and cooled cookies in melted chocolate. Reduce the nuts by 1/4 cup and add finely chopped, candied fruit in its place.