Orange and Cardamom

Butternut Squash-Prosciutto Salad

2012-01-22T18:58:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year (two weeks later)! How are everyone's New Years Resolutions going? Tired of salads yet? Thinking of giving up on that diet? DON'T! You can do it. This salad keeps it healthy, but packs a big flavor punch. If you want to be even healthier, leave out the prosciutto and goat cheese, it is still really good!

Butternut Squash- Prosciutto Salad
recipe from Orange and Cardamom
raw butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
dark salad greens: mesclun mix, spinach, or arugula are good choices
goat cheese
prosciutto
salt, pepper, olive oil
red wine vinaigrette*

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss each half pound of butternut squash with salt, pepper, and 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil. Place butternut squash onto a baking sheet and bake in oven for 20-25 minutes until browned and crisp on the edges.

Remove squash from oven and arrange on bed of greens with goat cheese and prosciutto. Dress to your liking.

Enjoy!

*I intentionally did not post proportions because everyone likes their salad just a little different. You can substitute different cheeses or cured meats. To spice it up you could toss a little curry powder with the butternut squash. Sauteed mushrooms would also be a lovely addition. THE BEAUTY OF SALAD IS YOU DON'T HAVE TO MEASURE!!!

Orange and Cardamom Sugar Cookies

2011-12-23T22:58:00.000-05:00

Happy Christmas Eve Eve!!! I hope everyone is enjoying time with their family and friends and taking a nice long break from work to celebrate the holidays. Whatever your holiday traditions are they are special to you because they are yours. I have this huge, amazing extended family that I am lucky to be super close to. Every year some combination of the nearly 45 of us spend Christmas together. Last year on Christmas we got thirteen inches of snow, at the beach. There were 26 of us crammed into my aunt and uncle's house and we spent three days having snow ball fights, sledding, playing board games and charades, and eating...lots of good food. For a bunch of random reasons this year's Christmas is a much smaller crowd. But spending time with my parents, siblings, grandmother, and uncle are just as crazy. So far, we have made a huge pot of shrimp and calm chowder (omg it was good), blue cheese crackers, molasses ginger cookies, homemade sea salt caramels, fantasy fudge (classic yet delicious), and my signature orange and cardamom sugar cookie. Yum Yum Yum!!!!!!

Orange and Cardamom Sugar Cookies*
recipe slightly adapted from Bon Appetit December 2009

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons ground cardamom**
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3 teaspoons orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
Raw sugar, or holiday sprinkles

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cardamom, 1/2 teaspoon salt until blended. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy, about 3 min. Slowly add 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar; beat until light and fluffy, another 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, beat in orange peel, vanilla, and egg, beat until blended. Add flour mix, 1/3 at a time, mixing on low until just blended. Refrigerate until firm enough to shape, about an 1 hours.

Divide dough in half. Form each half into ball, flatten into disks, wrap in plastic. Chill until firm enough to roll out, about 45 minutes. Take out when ready to roll and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out 1 dough disk on light floured surface to 1/8 thickness. Cut out cookies in holiday shape. Transfer cookies to baking sheets, leaving 1 inch between each. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Gather dough scraps into ball. Flatten, cover and freeze until firm enough to roll out agains, 10 minutes.

Bake cookies for 14 minutes or until slightly golden on the edges, depending on the size and oven temperament. Remove from oven and let cool for 3-5 minutes on baking tray, before transferring to wire cooling rack. Store in airtight containers.

Cook's Notes: *Normally I make these cookies as directed by the recipe above, but today I actually used a sugar cookie mix, followed the directions on the back of the package, added the orange, cardamom, and vanilla extract into the mix in the measurements below, and then dropped them with a cookie scope on the baking tray. Easy and just as delicious.
**My orange, cardamom, and vanilla extract quantities are significantly increased from original recipe. Having made these several times now, I find they are better with a little more sugar and spice :) Plus, the cardamom cooks off quite a bit.

Butternut Squash Risotto

2011-12-20T22:57:00.000-05:00

My favorite way to celebrate anything is by cooking a big meal and having friends and family sit around my dining room table (or on the sofa) drink wine, enjoy the food, and laugh. As much as love going out to eat or celebrating with drinks at a bar I find dinner parties, especially with the people you care most about, are always more fun. Recently two of my good friends got engaged. This special couple has been together for quite sometime now and they always add humor to scrabble and trivia night and use their incredible minds to come up with crazy (not legal scrabble) words or draw facts that no else seems to know the answer to. So, when they announced their engagement I decided to invite our friends over to celebrate this happy occasion with a fall meal. I made Buttersquash Risotto, a big fall salad, an apple tart and homemade cinnamon ice cream. These dishes were accompanied by my friend Monica's delicious Spinach Artichoke dip and a caramelized onion tart and cupcakes made by Baked Perfection's Risa. Everything was wonderful!!! This is my recipe for Butternut Squash Risotto.

Butternut Squash Risotto
recipe from Orange and Cardamom

4 cups of vegetable stock*
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine (i normally use Sauvignon Blanc)
1 lb of butternut squash, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
salt, pepper, olive oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl mix the butternut squash, 2 teaspoons of olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper and toss until well combined. Add more olive oil, salt and pepper if needed. Once oven is preheated, bake squash for 20-25 minutes until slightly caramelized. See picture above.

Heat the vegetable broth in a small saucepan. Once it simmers, turn off heat and set aside.

Melt butter and oil in a large heavy duty saucepan or dutch oven over medium heat. Add shallots, salt and pepper them and cook until soft and slightly brown. Add one tablespoon of the chopped sage cooking until just wilted. Add the Arborio rice and stir to coat the grains with butter and oil and shallots. Add the wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly until much of the wine has been absorbed. One cup at a time, add the vegetable stock, stirring constantly until all the liquid is absorbed before adding more. This may take 20-25 minutes. Once all the liquid is absorbed, reduce heat to low add parmesan cheese, heavy cream, remaining sage, and salt and pepper to taste.

Before serving mix in the butternut squash. ENJOY!!

Cook's Notes: *Traditionally risotto is made with chicken stock. This recipe was created for my friend who is a vegetarian, but chicken stock especially homemade would boost the flavor of the risotto even more. Don't forget to adjust your salt- you probably need less if you use chicken stock.

Cream Parisian Wafers

2011-12-18T19:03:00.000-05:00

These might be my favorite holiday cookie. Well, these and two or three others. Cream Parisian Wafers are part of my family's traditional holiday cookie spread. My Grandmother, who by the way is a fantastic cook, has been making these every year for as long as I can remember. Normally about half the batch make it onto a plate for the Christmas Eve guests; the other half my parents and I sneakily stash away in the fridge for a little closet Christmas eating. Sometimes my siblings get to them first. Anyway, needless to say, I have only ever met one person who didn't like these wafers. They are little different from the peppermint and fudge that rule the holiday season and they look like you spent hours to make them. (You might spend a couple). The cookie is flakey and buttery like a very light, airy shortbread and the icing is your classic buttercream, but richer. I would suggest a double batch: one for the guests and one for the family. Keep em' cold and enjoy with eggnog.

Cream Parisian Wafers
recipe inherited from Joanie*
1 cup butter at room temperature
2 cups shifted all purpose flour
1/3 cups heavy cream
sugar

Mix butter at moderately high speed until smooth. Reduce to low speed and add flour gradually. Stir in cream. Cover with wax/parchment paper and chill for 1 1/2 hours. Heat oven for 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using pastry cloth or parchment paper roll out dough 1/3 at a time, keeping the rest cold. Roll to 1/8" thickness. Using a floured 1 1/2" diameter round cutter (or a shot glass), cut the dough and then press rounds in granulated sugar. Place sugar side-up on baking sheets and prick with a fork two or three times. (This will help keep them from puffing up.) Bake about 10 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes. Move to wire rack, cool completely. **

Butter Filling:
1/4 cup butter at room temp
3/4 sifted confectioners sugar
1 egg yolk***
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
red & green food coloring

Cream butter on high until smooth. Add sugar and mix well. If using egg yolk, turn mixer to low blend in egg and vanilla. Divide in half and add food coloring if desired.

Cook's Notes:
*I actually don't know where this recipe originally came from. I have seen a couple similar ones online, but no link to the original recipe.
**The cookies are really delicate, especially when warm.
***I have made the butter filling with and without the egg yolk. I normally forego the egg yolk, since they have to be refrigerated, but I actually think it tastes better when you use it. If you do not use it add 1-2 teaspoons of milk.

Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Clementine Blondies

2011-11-13T20:54:00.000-05:00

Anyone wondering when I was actually going to get around to using my favorite flavor combination? I was. I usually associate orange and cardamom with the fall/winter holiday season and I started this blog shortly after the New Year. Last season I made orange and cardamom sugar cookies (they will be back), created chocolate orange brownies, and splashed cardamom in all my spiced breads, cakes, fruit pies and crumbles. Hence, the flavors were on my mind. It helps that I kind of think they are perfect together. Anyway, these blondies are my first foray of the year into the holiday flavor realm and they are awesome! I know I have been a little MIA lately- that would be due to my rather hectic work and school schedule. I have had very little time to cook, let alone anything worth remembering or posting. But, with the holidays upon us I am not going to have any excuses, even if it means late nights and early mornings to frost the cupcakes or salt the caramels :)
This recipe was perfect to get me back in the baking spirit and it was super super easy. (I used a pre-mixed mix). I was actually craving blondies yesterday. Interesting craving, I know. I am more of a vanilla than a chocolate person and I needed a quick pick me up. Then I remembered I had a gluten free blondie mix in my baking cabinet and immediately preheated the oven!! As the oven was preheating, I was unpacking clementines from the grocery store and next thing I knew I was getting the cinnamon and cardamom out of the spice cabinet. Natural progression-hehe. Hope you enjoy my experiment, my friend and I did with coffee this morning.

Cinnamon, Cardamom, and Clementine
idea by Orange and Cardamom

Your favorite Blondie Mix from the Store (enough to make an 8" x 8")*
2 teaspoons cardamom
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons clementine zest

Preheat oven according to package directions. Add wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, according to the package. Add the spices and clementine zest. Bake as instructed. Enjoy!!!

Cook's Note: I used Namaste's Gluten Free Blondie Mix.
If your mix makes a 9" X 13" double the spice and zest measurements.
Cardamom has a very strong smell before baked, but to taste it after it is baked I always add more than I think it needs.

Lemon-Lime Basil Shortbread Cookies

2011-09-21T21:26:00.000-04:00

This week is the last official week of summer. Therefore, before I start purchasing squash and make every possible dessert with pumpkin, I would like to pay one last homage to summer with these delicious Lemon-Lime Basil Shortbread Cookies. Basil is one of my favorite food perks that summer offers and nothing is more refreshing than lemon and lime squeezed into water or zested into a fruity cobbler. I know, you have initial reservations: basil in cookies? But trust me, you'll make three batches in two weeks. You probably will even want to overpay for basil out of season. Oh and that pint of awesome super premium fruit sorbet pairs beautifully with the rich, buttery, flakey shortbread. YUM!

Lemon-Lime Basil Shortbread Cookies
adapted from Bon Appétit Magazine, July 2011

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup powered sugar, plus more for pressing cookies
1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
2 tablespoons sliced fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Sanding Sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place flour, 1/2 cup powered sugar, butter, basil, lemon and lime zests, lemon juice, and salt in food processor. Pulse until large, moist clumps form. Measure level tablespoons of dough; rolls between your palms to form balls. Place on baking sheet, at least 2" apart. Dust the bottom of a measuring cup with powered sugar and press cookies into 2" rounds. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake until edges are brown, about 20 minutes. Transfer to wire rack. Let cool.

Yield: 12 cookies

Coconut-Lime Sorbet

2011-08-03T22:02:00.000-04:00

I LOVE Sorbet! Its the perfect cold treat and a great way to use fresh fruit. It is also an easy dessert, with very little mess. Coconut lime is a great flavor combination and gives me an excuse to use a lot of toasted coconut as garnish. (That might be my favorite part). Enjoy!

Coconut Lime Sorbet
recipe from Orange and Cardamom
3 cups coconut milk
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lime juice
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup toasted coconut

In a small saucepan combine water and sugar on medium heat, stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool thoroughly in fridge, at least one hour.

Meanwhile mix coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest, and vanilla extract together. Cool in fridge for at least one hour.

Mix together coconut and sugar mixture and freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.

To serve top with toasted coconut!

Celery, Apple, and Fennel Slaw

2011-07-25T23:14:00.001-04:00

Wow! It is SUMMER and a true D.C. summer at that. For all my fellow D.C. metro friends, I feel your pain. For those (ummm Dad) that are enjoying the 70 degree San Francisco weather, don't rub it in. There are few things that I despise more than 100 degree days with a heat index of about a million. When everyone is freezing in the winter, I relish the opportunity to wear elegant scarves, beautiful coats, and cute boots. But, in the summer, I want to float in a pool with a frozen cocktail and only after sundown. The rest of the time, the AC blasting in my apartment with the blinds drawn sounds lovely. I also find cooking and baking to be difficult to wrap my head around in the summer. So, I was on a mission this weekend: to turn on the range as little as possible. And what can you make that is tasty, has flavor, is good for you, and requires no stove top sweating or rising apartment temperature: A fresh, crunchy, SLAW. Now I know that most people think of cole slaw with mayonnaise and a side of pork bar-be-que and a white bread bun. This is quite a different slaw, something that will be in my summer "cooking" repertoire for a long time.

Celery, Apple, and Fennel Slaw
Recipe from Bon App étit, July 2011

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinager
1 1/2 Tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp. sugar
3 celery stalks, thinly sliced diagonally
1/4 cup loosely packed celery leaves
2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced crosswise
1 Tbsp. chopped fennel fronds
1 firm, crisp apple, julienned
Kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper

Whisk first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add celery, celery leaves, fennel, fennel fronds, and apple and toss to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cook's Note: This kept prepared and crunchy in my fridge for 5 days. Makes 4 large side portions.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

2011-06-16T21:05:00.000-04:00

So remember that birthday spree I was talking about and talking about and talking about? Well... it has long passed and I am beginning to settle into a lovely summer of extended sunshine, vacations, quiet days at work, happy hours on the patio, and the thought of seasonal fruits and fresh food. However, I have somewhat of a backlog of savory and sweet treats to share from my busy season. These Peanut Butter Frosting/ Chocolate Cupcakes were made on two occasions for separate friends' birthdays. Unlike most people, I don't normally love chocolate and peanut butter together. I tend to find it too rich, but this recipe combination is rather fantastic. The cupcakes are made with buttermilk and baking soda, making them light and fluffy. Plus, in a failed search for cocoa powder at Whole Foods, I resorted to buying the expensive stuff from the Williams and Sonoma next door. WOW! Does it make a difference in these cupcakes. And the peanut butter frosting, OMG I could have sat on my kitchen floor and licked the bowl clean. Now that I am thinking about it, sounds like I will be making peanut butter frosting tonight ;)

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

For the Chocolate Cupcakes:
Recipe from Ina Garten's
Barefoot Contessa at Home

12 tablespoons unsalted butter, at rm temp
2/3 granulated sugar
2/3 light brown sugar, packed
2 extra-large eggs, at rm temp
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk, shaken, at rm temp
1/2 sour cream, at rm temp
2 tablespoons brewed coffee
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup good cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line the cupcake pans with paper liners.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and two sugars on high speed until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Lower the speed to medium, add the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, sour cream, and coffee. In another bowl, sift together than flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. On low speed, add the buttermilk mixture and the flour mixture alternately in thirds to the mixer bowl, beginning with the buttermilk mixture and ending with flour mixture. Mix only until blended. Fold the batter with a rubber spatula to be sure it's completely blended.

Divide the batter among the cupcake pans. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes, remove from the pans, and allow to cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Frosting
recipe from Orange and Cardamom

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup heavy cream

Cream peanut butter and butter together until light and fluffy. Slowly add powdered, vanilla and heavy cream and blend together. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

2011-05-20T21:07:00.001-04:00

People love cheesecake. Whether the cheesecake is light and fluffy or dense, is layered with sour cream, topped with fruit, drizzled with caramel or made into chocolate heaven, cheesecake is always a crowd pleaser. There a whole national restaurant chain surrounded around the idea that you WILL have cheesecake for dessert if you eat their. Yet, people are afraid to make them. Ok folks, the secret is out, with a little patience, a rainy evening, a good bottle of wine, and a movie or two you will have a perfect cheesecake. This cheesecake below is my first creation this year with spring flavors. Strawberries picked locally in May and June are given a citrus kick from fresh lemon curd, served with a light and airy vanilla whip cream that seems such a perfect match for summer berries and ice cream sundaes. (And of course my cheesecake).

Strawberry Swirl Cheesecake

with Fresh Lemon Curd and Whip Cream

The Strawberry Swirl
recipe from Orange and Cardamom
16 ounces of strawberries, cored and sliced
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
2 teaspoons cherry liquor*

Place the strawberries, cornstarch, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until smooth. In a medium saucepan mix together strawberry mixture with cherry liquor. Allow the pure é to come to a simmer, bring heat to low, and reduce sauce down to half. Allow sauce to cool completely before mixing into the cheesecake batter.

The Cheesecake
Adapted from Nigella Lawson's
Recipe for New York Style Cheesecake

For the crust:
2 cups gluten free graham cracker crumbs*
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 tablespoons sugar

For the topping:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 pounds cream cheese
6 large eggs, separated
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup lemon juice, fresh

Place tin foil around the outside of a 9-inch springform pan.

Mix together the graham cracker crumbs, melted better, and 3 tablespoons of sugar, and press into the base of a 9-inch springform pan. Place in refrigerator for about an hour to set.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In a large bowl, mix together 3/4 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Beat in the cream cheese, egg yolks, and vanilla, using an electric mixer. Slowly pour in both creams, beating constantly. Add the salt and lemon zest. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites into stiff peaks, then fold into the cheese mixture by hand so as not to deflate the egg whites. Scoop onto the chilled base.

Carefully drop patches of the strawberry pureé into the cheese mixture and using a cold metal knife swirl gently into spirals. Repeat until all the strawberry sauce is used.

Place the springform pan into a large roasting pan. Slowly pour hot water into the roasting pan around the cheesecake. It should come a quarter to halfway up the springform pan.

Bake for 1-1 1/2 hours, without opening the oven door. The cheesecake should be golden brown on top. Turn off the heat and let the cake stand in the oven for 2 more hours. Then open the oven door, take it out, and let it stand for a further hour. After the cheesecake has come to room temperature, place it in the fridge to chill overnight.

To serve:
Fresh Strawberries
Your favorite Lemon Curd, see Risa's from Baked Perfection here. AND...

Homemade Whip Cream
recipe from Orange and Cardamom

2 teaspoons of gelatin
4 teaspoons of cold water
2 cups of whipping cream
8 tablespoons of powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla

Add gelatin to cold water in a small saucepan and bring to boil until the gelatin is dissolved. This will help stabilize the whip cream so it can be piped onto the cheesecake; however, this step can be left out.

Whip the cream and sugar together in a large bowl until it is thick, about 5 minutes. Add gelatin mixture if desired and vanilla. Continue whipping for 1-2 minutes. Place in bag with pipping tip to decorate the top of the cheesecake.

Slice cheesecake, drizzle with lemon curd, decorate with strawberries and more whip cream. ENJOY!!

* Cook's Notes:

*If using regular graham cracker crumbs in place of gluten free, you can reduce the amount to 1 1/4 cup. If the mixture is too wet, add graham cracker crumbs, to dry more butter.

* Any type of liquor can be used in place of the cherry. Chambord, rum, or even vanilla extract are also great options.

SteakHouse Pasta

2011-05-01T22:24:00.000-04:00

I feel like I am on sweet overload. I feel like I am abandoning my roots, my love for cooking savory food. With my crazy, busy schedule I find myself making easy meals, with little flare and big portions to serve as leftovers for the week. I bake, in turn, to share with friends; my work colleagues currently love me. While I am continuously presented with opportunities to hone my baking skills, my cooking is becoming less and less inventive. (That statement may be slightly dramatic). Anyway, last week I picked up some stir fry steak at the store to toss with chopped vegetables, rice, and pre-made stir fry sauce, while, at the same time having cravings for a big steak with a blue cheese sauce and pasta. So... I used the steak for a new creation. It was good the night I cooked it, the leftovers were even better.

Steakhouse Pasta
recipe from Orange and Cardamom

For the marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoon worcester sauce
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste

For the Pasta:
1 lb of stir fry steak
1 large tomato, deseeded and chopped
1 red onion, chopped
1/2 cup blue cheese
8 ounces of pasta*
olive oil

Mix the marinade ingredients together and pour over the steak. Marinade for at least an hour in the fridge. Bring meat to room temperature.
Boil heavily salted water in sauce pan and cook pasta according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skill. Add chopped onion and cook until softened. Add all of steak and marinade to same pan and cook for 5-8 minutes until desired color is reached.
Mix cooked pasta, steak and sauce, and onion in a large bowl with blue cheese and tomato. Salt and pepper to taste.

*Cook's Note: Any type of pasta can be used. I used gluten free, Quinoa pasta shells.

Funfetti! Cupcakes

2011-04-20T23:56:00.000-04:00

These are spruced up for the party...

Like the oreos in my previous post, people get excited by the thought of Funfetti Cupcakes, Cake, or Sandwich Cookies. I have to admit, I never really got into it, especially when there are homemade cupcakes, elegant mousses and exotic flavors to play around with. However, I may need to retract that statement after trying Baked Perfection's Funfetti Sandwich Cookies (Linked above) and my spruced up version of the boxed cake mix. The inspiration for this recipe came from an Allrecipes formula for "jazzed up" chocolate cupcakes, which are thoroughly enjoyed by everyone who tries them. So, to continue with the Disco Theme for Courtney's Birthday and to make sure the remainder of the cream cheese frosting was used, Funfetti! was given a facelift :)

Funfetti Cupcakes
inspired by Baked Perfection
original recipe from allrecipes.com

1 box Funfetti Cake Mix
1 package of instant vanilla pudding
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup warm water

Preheat oven to 325- 350 degrees. * Line cupcake pan with paper liners.

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Using an ice cream scoop fill cupcake pan. This should yield approximately 24.

Bake for 20-30 minutes.* Cool completely and frost.

For the Icing:
recipe from Orange and Cardamom

1 stick butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature

8 ounces of cream cheese (1/2 cup), at room temperature

5-6 cups of confectioners sugars

1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or to taste

Food coloring, optional

Cook's Note: The reason for the low baking temperature is a result of three things. 1. I have a darker cupcake pan. 2. My oven kept ruining cupcake batches at 350. Often times they would cook too fast and then collapse mid-baking. 3. I find cupcakes are more moist when they bake low and slow. Therefore, I would suggest baking them 18-20 minutes at 350 or 25-30 minutes at 325. Use a toothpick and your nose to test.

Homemade Oreos

2011-04-13T21:17:00.001-04:00

I have yet to met someone who doesn't love oreos. Yes, they are packaged food and everything we are told not to eat, but yet still delicious. That means when I saw this recipe I immediately starred it in my google reader and made it soon after. These, in my opinion, are SOOOO much better than store bought oreos. Don't get me wrong, they all have their place, but these are it knock out of the park good. So good, I made them twice in a weeks time. So good, a batch of twenty four were devoured by five of my friends in an hour time span. So good, my friend asked for these as her birthday treat. (Yes! I am still on birthday overload, but I love it!) The first time I made these, I made traditional black and white oreos. The second time, for Courtney's birthday, I made them to match her personality. Neon purple and blue icing and edible glitter that made me want to throw a disco party. Classic, yet reinvented....

Homemade Oreos
For the cookie:
recipe from Une Gamine dans la Cuisine

as adapted from Retro Desserts and smitten kitchen

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder*
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, rm temp
1 egg, at room temperature

For the Filling:*
recipe from Orange and Cardamom

1 stick butter (1/2 cup), at room temperature
8 ounces of cream cheese (1/2 cup), at room temperature
5-6 cups of confectioners sugars
4 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract, or to taste
Food coloring, optional

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Using an electric mixer, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. On low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue beating, gradually increasing speed to medium, until the dough comes together.

Using a half teaspoon, place scoops of the batter on prepared sheets. Leave 2-inches between each cookie. They will spread. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 6-8 minutes depending on your oven. Allow the cookies to rest on the sheets and then transfer to cooling rack. Cool completely.

While the cookies are baking, place the butter and cream cheese in your mixture and beat until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually add confectioners sugar. Add milk and vanilla. Once incorporated, beat until smooth. If using food coloring, separate and add two-three drops of the color of your choice.

Spread on cookie, top with second cookie and decorate with your choice of edible disco glitter.

Cook's Notes:
*I recommend using really good cocoa powder, if possible, for this recipe. It makes a difference.
*The frosting recipe can be cut in half, but I used the extra to frost cupcakes.

Sea-Salt Caramels

2011-04-11T16:23:00.000-04:00

You can't go wrong...These are fantastic!

Who doesn't love caramel? Caramel sauce, caramel ice cream, sea-salted caramels.... Caramel is the perfect compliment to chocolate but is also delicious with apples, pears, and my favorite spice, cardamom. EVEN BETTER...caramel is good in candy form. So when Risa and I were deciding what to make for our latest "baking" extravaganza, we choose candy as our theme and made two of our favorites. The recipe for pralines will come later, but for now don't be afraid to try something new, boil a little sugar, water, and cream together, and create something that gets ohhhhs and ahhhhs when you tell people they are homemade!!!

Salted Caramels
recipe from Ina Garten's
barefoot contessa how easy is that?

Vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 cup heavy cream
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract*

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing it to drape over 2 sides, then brush the paper lightly with oil.

In a deep saucepan , combine 1/4 cup water, the sugar, and corn syrup and bring them to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil until the mixture is a warm golden brown. Don't stir- just swirl the pan. Watch carefully, as it can burn quickly at the end.

Meanwhile, in a small pot, bring the cream butter, and 1 teaspoon of sea salt to a simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat and seat aside. *

When the sugar mixture is done, turn off the heat and slowly add the cream mixture to the sugar mixture. Be careful- it will bubble up violently. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until the mixture reaches 248 degrees (firm ball) on a candy thermometer. Very carefully pour the caramel into the prepared pan and refrigerate for a few hours, until firm.

When the caramels are cold, pry the sheet from the pan onto a cutting board. Cut the square in half. Starting with a long side, roll one piece of caramel up tightly into an 8- inch- long log. Repeat with the second piece. Sprinkle both logs with salt, trim the ends (eat them), and cut each log into 8 pieces. Cut parchment paper and wrap each caramel individually. Store in the refrigerator and serve chilled.*

Cook's Notes: *We used half a vanilla bean as a substitute for the vanilla extract.
*If you have a small wire strainer run the cream mixture through to skim off the excess cream and butter fats.
* The caramels made way more than 16 pieces. Both batches made at LEAST 50 large caramels.

Lentils and Beets with a Honey Mustard Dressing

2011-04-03T13:47:00.000-04:00

I think beets are one of the most beautiful vegetables nature gives us. The rich purple and golden honey colors appeal to visual side of me. The sweet, rich flavor lends itself to be roasted simply in the oven with a bit of sea salt and olive oil. So when I saw the yellow beets in the grocery store I picked them up not sure what I wanted to create with them. I thought of orange and honey to bring out their sweetness, but wanted to cook a hearty dish that could serve as a main. Then I thought about LENTILS! Lentils provide a perfect vehicle for vegetables, without being bland, and are a great source of fiber and protein. To boot they provide variety for those that are looking to cut carbs and sugars out of their diet, or can't eat regular wheat pastas and breads like me.

Lentils and Beets with Honey Mustard Dressing
recipe from Orange and Cardamom

3 beets
1 cup lentils
1/2 red onion
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoons mustard
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon orange zest

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash beets. Remove tops and bottom, but leave the skin on. Toss in sea salt and olive oil and roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Cool slightly and remove skins. They should come off easily. Slice into 1/4 inch pieces. Toss in salt, pepper, and olive oil again and add to large serving bowl.

Meanwhile, cook lentils according to package.* Drain and pour into the large serving bowl. Salt and pepper lentils.*

In a small frying pan sauté red onion in olive oil until slightly browned and then toss in frozen peas. Cook for another 3 minutes. Pour onions and peas into serving bowl.

Using the same pan heat 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 honey together until just simmering. Add vinegar and mustard and mix well. Add the orange juice and orange zest, salt and pepper and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

Pour sauce over lentils and vegetables and mix well. Serve warm or at room temperature.

*Cook's Notes: Do not salt the water you are going to cook the lentils in. It will make the beans tough.
*It is important to flavor each piece of this recipe or you will end up with bland tasting lentils.
*This dish gets better throughout the week as the lentils and beets absorb the dressing. I would not suggest reheating the dish, but instead would eat it at room temperature after the first day.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

2011-03-23T18:40:00.000-04:00

Approaching a year ago, I offered to make my friend Nick his favorite dessert for his birthday. Well, one thing lead to another and a few weeks ago he reminded me that I never made him his birthday treats. Ooopsss, bad friend. So to make up for it I made a super large batch of his favorite: White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies. These were fantastic. Nick asked for soft cookies and instead of under-baking I sprayed them with water before baking. This creates a soft, moist cookie that still has a homemade taste.

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

recipe from Orange and Cardamom

1 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, at rm temperature

2 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs, at room temperature

3 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

pinch of salt

2 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cup macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Beat sugars and butter together on high until creamy. Reduce mixer speed to low and add eggs one at a time until just blended. Add vanilla.

In the meantime, in a medium bowl whisk to combine flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add dry mixture to the wet ingredients until just blended. Stir in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.

Drop onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and spray with water.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, depending on oven. Cool on wire racks or eat warm.

Yields: 5 dozen

Mac and Cheese: A Twist on a Classic

2011-03-13T15:51:00.000-04:00

I love Mac and Cheese. But I don't want Kraft boxed stuff with fake cheese powder, I want it rich and creamy with flavor. I make Mac and Cheese every once and a while, so this time I went with three cheese, milkly, gluten free pasta baked goodness, spiced with herbs. The base recipe for all my Mac and Cheese is from Ina Garten, who is truly perfection in the kitchen. I have yet to make a recipe of hers I didn't love. Although her recipe is fantastic, I decided to try a variation, in which fresh lemon thyme and rosemary play with the sharp cheddar and blue cheeses. And let me tell you, they play nice.

Herbed Mac and Cheese
loosely adapted from Ina Garten's
Barefoot Contessa Family Style

1 pound (16 ounces) macaroni*
1 quart milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour*
5 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese
1 cup parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1 tablespoons lemon thyme

*Cook's Note: Use gluten free noodles and either a rice flour or gluten free flour blend to make this recipe gluten free.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Grate the cheddar cheese, parmesan, and crumble the blue cheese if not pre-crumbled.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook until al dente. Drain.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a small saucepan, until just hot, but not boiling. Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot and add the flour. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, stirring with a whisk. Once blended, gradually add the hot milk to the rue. Continue to stir until thickened and smooth. Turn off heat and add 5 cups of cheddar, 1/2 cup blue cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan, the nutmeg, herbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well.

Pour into 9" x 13" greased baking dish. Sprinkle remaining cheddar and parmesan to the top.

Bake in the oven for at least 30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top has browned.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter

2011-02-28T22:42:00.000-05:00

Very rarely do I make a recipe more than once, especially one that takes hours as this delicious gnocchi does. This recipe, however, I have made three or four times in the last few months. I will be honest; I never much cared for gnocchi. When I lived in Europe, I had my fair share of very well executed gnocchi with a variety of sauces, but was always kind of apathetic about it. However, this fall while flipping through my October issue of Bon Appétit this recipe caught my eye so I decided to give gnocchi another try. Thank goodness I did!! Maybe it is the butternut squash in the dough and its beautiful marriage with the sage brown butter, maybe it is the fact that I easily adapted it into a gluten free dish, or maybe I was wrong about gnocchi all along.
Cook's Note: I split the recipe into two days when I make it, so that is how it is written below.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi
with Sage Brown Butter
adapted from recipe by Lidia Bastianich
as published in Bon Appétit Oct 2010

1 1-pound butternut squash
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 12- to 14- ounce russet potato, peeled, quartered
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups of favorite gluten free all purpose flour*
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
Additional grated Parmesan cheese
Additional Flour to use as needed
* I use Namaste's Gluten Free Flour Mix.

Day 1:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Cut squash lengthwise in half, discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side up, on baking sheet and brush with oil. Roast until squash is very tender when pierced with skewer and browned in spots, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly. Scoop flesh from squash into food processor; puree until smooth. Transfer to medium saucepan; stir constantly over medium heat until juices evaporate and puree thickens, about 5 minutes. Cool. Measure out 1 cup (packed) squash puree.

Meanwhile, cool potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. While potato is warm, press through potato ricer into medium bowl; cool completely. Measure 2 cups (loosely packed) riced potato.

Mix squash, potato, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups flour, kneading gently into mixture in bowl until dough holds together and is almost smooth. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead gently but briefly just until smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Chill overnight.

Day 2:
Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Sprinkle parchment light with flour. Working with 1 dough piece at a time, roll dough out on floured surface to about 1/2-inch- thick rope. Cut rope crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll gnocchi along back of fort times dipped in four, making ridges on 1 side. transfer gnocchi to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour up to 6 hours.

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Working in 2 batches, cook gnocchi until very tender, 15-17 minutes (gnocchi will float to surface but may come to surface before being fully cooked). Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to same parchment-line baking sheets. Cool throughly and chill covered loosely: can be done up to 8 hours ahead of time.

Right before Serving:
Cook butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat just until golden, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sage; stir 1 minute. Add gnocchi; cook until heated through and coated with butter, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Cook's Note: Makes enough for 6 servings; large side servings.

This recipe freezes wonderfully. Just make everything through day one and freeze wrapped in parchment paper and then freezer bags. Just take out the day before you want to make it and defrost overnight in the fridge.

Polenta with a Spicy Tomato Sauce and Spinach Sauté

2011-02-27T22:24:00.000-05:00

I cannot believe how well this recipe turned out! A couple weeks ago, I woke up in the middle of the night and had an idea to make polenta cakes with spicy tomato sauce and spinach. I wrote it down, went back to bed, and have been thinking how I wanted to execute it for the last ten days. Finally, after a bout with the yearly cough/cold combo, I bit the bullet and bought the ingredients. I went to three grocery stores to find the polenta (and all I found was instant), was unimpressed by the tomatoes in the produce department (to be fair it is February), and probably will smell of lemon and garlic for the next week. The intense, two day process was so worth it. All the pieces together taste phenomenal. I just finished my dinner thirty minutes ago and am already posting this to share. I hope you all enjoy this combination as much as I do!!!

Spicy Tomato Sauce
recipe from Orange and Cardamom

4 tablespoons olive oil
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon majoram
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon lemon thyme
1 teaspoon oregano
3 cups fresh tomatoes- peeled, seeded, diced
1- 28 ounce can of whole plum tomatoes
4 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
Juice from 1/2 lemon
Salt and Pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a large, heavy pot with lid. On medium heat add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until just soft, then add red pepper flakes, herbs, salt and pepper. Cook for another minute, add fresh tomatoes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes allowing tomatoes to absorb the spice mixture. Add white wine and simmer for an additional 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, puree canned plum tomatoes and their juice with tomato paste, salt, pepper, and the sugar. Add to pot with lemon juice and simmer covered on low for at least an hour. For best flavor allow sauce to sit overnight. When ready to serve sauce, add a extra pinch of sugar, a splash of the white wine used to build the sauce, and salt and pepper to taste.*
Cook's Note: I found the sauce to be a tad bitter, which is why I added the extra sugar and flavor punch, but feel free to adjust based on personal taste.

Italian Polenta Cakes
adapted from Ina Garten's
Barefoot Contessa Family Style

1 cup instant polenta
2 cups of chicken broth
1 cup milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 teaspoons of italian seasoning
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil
butter

Bring chicken broth, milk, half-and-half, and italian seasoning to a boil in a sauce pan together. Remove from heat and add polenta stirring until thick and all the liquid is absorbed. Add parmesan, lemon zest, and salt and pepper and pour into 9" x 6" pan.* Allow to cool at room temperature for thirty minutes before covering and cooling completely in the fridge.* When ready to serve, cut into squares and sauté on both sides in pan with olive oil and butter until lightly browned.
Cook's Note: A 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" pan will work as well, the thickness of the polenta cakes will just change.
The polenta will keep in the fridge for a few days before sautéed.

Sautéed Spinach
recipe from Orange and Cardamom

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces of spinach
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Juice from 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in pan. On medium cook garlic until lightly brown. Mix in spinach and salt and pepper and toss until coated in olive oil. Add lemon zest and finish cooking until soft and wilted. Turn off heat and add lemon juice. Serve immediately.

A Happy Birthday Pumpkin-Pomegranate Cake!!

2011-02-27T20:23:00.000-05:00

I have been meaning to start my food journal for months. I bake and cook so often I lose track of things I've tried. So I figured this would be a good start!

I have more friends that have birthdays in the first few months of the year than I have pairs of shoes, which, believe me, is a lot! Instead of giving them a gift, I have decided that making a cake of their choice is more special, personal, and I also get to practice my baking skills. At a friend's birthday party, for which I made a huge sheet cake, Christine and I were flipping through The Boozy Baker by Lucy Baker. Every recipe looked beautiful and delicious! I mean who doesn't like cake and alcohol combined into one tantalizing dessert? Anyway the recipe below caught Christine's eye and I offered to make it for her birthday. It was delicious! The pumpkin cake had so much flavor from the spices and the vegetable oil made it super moist. The sugary pink frosting made it festive and complemented the pumpkin. I did end up using pomegranate flavors, but created my own frosting so those who don't drink would be able to enjoy it as well. Hope you enjoy it as much as everyone at the party did!

Pumpkin Pomegranate Layer Cake

The Cake

adapted from The Boozy Baker by Lucy Baker

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 large eggs, at room temperature

1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Grease two 8-inch round cakes pans with butter. Dust with flour and tap out the excess.

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl or stand mixer beat both sugars and oil together until blended. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Then beat in the pumpkin puree.

Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just blended.

Divide the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in pans before turning on to wire racks to cool completely.

Pomegranate Frosting

Recipe from Orange and Cardamom

16 tablespoons of unsalted butter, room temperature

6 to 8 cups confectioners sugar

1/2 cup pomegranate juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream the butter until silky smooth. Add in 6 cups of confectioners sugar, the pomegranate juice and vanilla extract.

Place one cake layer on a serving dish and spread with frosting. Top with the remaining cake layer and spread the remaining frosting over the tops and sides. Decorate as desired.

Cooks Notes:

* Pomegranate Seeds can be used in between layers and on top of the cake.

* I used pomegranate juice straight from the bottle, but I would suggest reducing down 1 cup or as much as 2 cups of juice on the stove to add a more concentrated pomegranate flavor to the frosting.

* To make the cake level, and ease decorating the round tops of cake can be cut off and used as the top of the bottom layer and bottom of the top layer. This gives you more stable base for piping.

Enjoy!!

Maple Creams

2011-02-26T11:56:00.000-05:00

I like to challenge myself in the kitchen. From making fresh bread and learning a new piping technique to making fresh gnocchi and finally tackling macarons with my friend Risa, I try to keep it interesting. That being said, lately I seem to be cooking less and baking more cookies and cupcakes. Needing something different to make, I bounced a couple ideas off of Risa and choose this maple creams recipe from David Lebovitz. Now for those who have never heard of the professional pastry chef David Lebovitz, you are missing out. Everything of his is truly delicious and the taste is perfection. Who better to share your first candy making experience with? The maple creams turned out well, but required a lot of babysitting over the stove and a full day of waiting for the results. The results: they have a sugary texture, but the taste convinced me to devour two before work Thursday morning.

Maple Creams

adapted from Complete Candy Book
by Anita Prichard

1 cup PURE maple syrup

2 cups sugar

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons of light corn syrup *

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup pecan pieces, toasted

Toast the pecans on the stove top for five minutes, or until lightly browned.

Lightly butter a 9- by 9- inch square pan. (I used a 9- by 6- inch pan)

In a small heavy-duty saucepan (about 2 quarts) mix together the maple syrup, sugar, cream, and corn syrup. Fit a candy thermometer to the side and pan and heat until the temperature reaches 236F (114C). If you need to you may have to tilt the pan to correctly gauge the temperature.

Cook's Note: The liquid came to 220F very quickly and then took an extra hour to go from 220F-236F. Patience is required.

Remove pan from heat and pour mixture into the metal bowl of a stand mixer. Submerge the thermometer into the candy mixture and do not touch until it has cooled to 110F (43C)

Cook's Note: This will take at least 4 hours. Do not attempt to speed the cooling process by putting it in the fridge.

When the temperature is 110F, add the vanilla and beat until the mixture just begins to thicken and loose its gloss. Overmixing will make it grainy, so be careful. Stir in the nuts and spread into prepared pan, patting it flat with your hands.

Allow to cool overnight in square pan and then store in the fridge.

*Cook's Note: I made my own corn syrup substitute using regular sugar. This recipe adds an extra hour or two to the process. The recipe is as follows:

Corn Syrup Substitute

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup water

1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter

dash of salt

Combine all ingredients in a heavy, medium saucepan. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover for 3 minutes. Uncover and cook until it reaches soft ball stage, which is between 234F-240F. I use a candy thermometer to gauge temperature. Stir often. Cool syrup and use immediately.

Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

2011-02-13T16:58:00.000-05:00

Everyone has their favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. I have tried so many good ones over the years. Despite the gourmet chocolate that bakers use now and the thousand different methods to make chewy, crunchy, delicious cookies, I still have a place in my heart for the recipe that sits on the back of a chocolate chip bag. Unfortunately, these days I have to limit myself to one of those, on occasion. In college, I found out I had a gluten intolerance. There is so much awareness about gluten intolerance and Celiac Disease these days, but finding accessible, easy to make, Gluten Free baked goods is still tricky. This recipe was pointed out to me by my friend Risa, who has her own amazing blog, www.bakedperfection.com. I made them and ohh WOW!!! These cookies are addicting. The almond flour gives them a different texture than an all-purpose flour would and the maple syrup in place of sugar, need I say more. I made these, devoured about five in one sitting, and then decided I should freeze the rest for later. That was a month ago, my cookies are now gone, and I think it might be time to make another batch :)

Chocolate Chip- Almond Flour Cookies
adapted from Une gamine dans la Cuisine

2 1/2 cups of almond meal*
1/2 cup of your Favorite Gluten Free Flour Mix *
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips

Whisk almond meal, gluten free flour mix, salt and baking soda together.
In a separate bowl combine butter, vanilla, and maple syrup.
Pour wet ingredients over dry ingredients and then add chocolate chips.

Cool in fridge at least 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Drop by tablespoon the cookie dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. line cookie sheet Bake for 8-10 minutes depending on your oven.
Allow for the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to wire rack.

Stare at them as they cool, prepare yourself a glass of milk, and ENJOY!

Cook's Notes:
* I used natural, unblanched almond meal/flour that gave the cookies an earthy feel.
* I used Namaste's "all purpose" gluten free flour mix.