Apple Spice Drop Cookies

I promised everyone last week I would be posting some recipes with the apples we picked last weekend. I would like to introduce to you my favorite fall cookie, and quite possibly my favorite over-all cookie! The cookies are delicate and soft, filled with chunks of apple and walnuts. The frosting is a simple butter frosting with a few drops of apple juice to complete the over-all apple flavor. My mom introduced me to this cookie several years ago. It is one of those cookie recipes that you typically want to make in the Fall, due to the abundance of apples,but can be made any time of the year. Everyone that has tasted this cookie has loved it. They are quite simply hard to resist!

Apple Spice Drop Cookies

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For Cookies:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

1/4 cup apple juice

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup peeled tart apple, finely chopped

1 cup walnuts, chopped

For Frosting:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 to 4 tablespoons apple juice

To Make Cookies:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Beat in eggs and apple juice and stir to combine.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg. Gradually add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture. Fold in apples and walnuts.

Drop by teaspoonfuls, 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool completely before frosting.

To Make Frosting:

Cream butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, and enough apple juice to achieve spreading consistency. Spread frosting over cooled cookies.

One Year Ago Today: Barbecue Rice

Moo Shu Pork Pockets

This is another take-out food, re-made for the home cook. My mother-in-law sometimes orders take-out Moo Shu Pork from our local Chinese restaurant. It comes with tortillas that look almost rubber-like. The pork is generally in the form of strips, which can be packed in the tortilla, similar to a taco. This version provides a more ease for the eater. The pork is shaped into a patty, wrapped in a tortilla, and complimented with hoisin sauce and topped with some veggies. You would never know it, but the pork patty contains a special ingredient of ginger snaps too! I don’t typically go back for seconds, but I enjoyed this so much, I had two and couldn’t wait to eat the leftovers.

Moo Shu Pork Pockets

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1 pound ground pork

2 cups shredded cabbage (1/2 a 16 oz package cole slaw mix)

A few pinches of cayenne pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 gingersnap cookies, ground in a food processor

1/4 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 (12-inch) flour tortillas

1 cup hoisin sauce

Toppings:

2 cups shredded cabbage

Shredded carrots

Bean Sprouts

Scallions, thinly sliced

Combine the pork, cabbage, cayenne pepper, garlic, gingersnaps, and soy sauce in a bowl. Form mixture into six patties. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add vegetable oil to the pan. Cook patties 7 minutes per side.

Heat tortillas on a nonstick surface over high heat for 30 seconds on each sid. Paint the tortillas with hoisin sauce, leaving a 1-inch rim from edge. Pile shredded mixed toppings in center of tortilla and top with the cooked pork patty. Fold the tortilla up on all four sides and wrap burger in a square package. Invert pork pocket and cut on diagonal.

Source adapted from: www.foodnetwork.com/rachael-ray

One Year Ago Today: Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin

Spicy Chicken-Rice Bowl

I was very excited to try this recipe. The reviews on it were great, except to say that it was really spicy. To each his own has far as heat goes! I went ahead and followed the recipe exactly and was surprised to find that it wasn’t spicy at all. Everyone has their own tolerance to heat, so that is not to say some won’t find it spicy, but I think next time I make it I will add in some red pepper flakes or more curry paste. The meal reminded me of a variation of gang panang, which is my favorite Thai dish. It was easy to make and the leftovers were great for lunch the next day. We shared the meal with family and my brother-in-law requested that I make it at least once a week!

Spicy Chicken-Rice Bowl

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1 1/2 cups uncooked long-grain rice

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 1/4 cups chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup coconut milk

3 tablespoons red curry paste

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons grated ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups shredded, cooked chicken

1 1/2 cups fresh steamed green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1/4 cup cilantro

Lime wedges, to taste

Prepare rice according to package directions.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a heavy saucepan over low heat, whisk in flour until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, milk, and coconut milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 2 minutes or until mixture is thick and bubbly. Stir in curry paste, lime juice, ginger, and salt. Stir chicken, green beans, and red bell pepper strips into curry mixture; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro. Serve chicken mixture over rice. Serve with remaining cilantro and lime wedges.

Source adapted from: MyRecipes.com

One Year Ago Today: Apple Crumble Bars

Starred Recipes Recap

• Growing up during the Holidays, I would always look forward to my mom making homemade caramel popcorn so ever since Culinary Concoctions by Peabody made Turtle Caramel Corn, I have been craving one of my favorite holiday treats!
• It’s been a while since I’ve baked with Nutella, so after seeing Recipe girl post Chocolate-Nutella-Thumbprint cookies, I have added Nutella to my grocery list and placed the cookies in the “must make” category.
• Sweet Peas Kitchen posted a recipe for Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal Scones that left my mouth watering. If the scones taste half as good as the picture, I might be in trouble!
• There are a lot of fall baking recipes floating around and pumpkin seems to be the main ingredient. I did not expect pumpkin to be found in garlic knots, but Handle the Heat posted Pumpkin Garlic Knots that have left me curious to try.
• I thought I had a go-to pumpkin muffin recipe, but after seeing Annie’s Eats recipe for Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, I might have a new favorite pumpkin muffin.

One Year Ago Today: Chocolate-White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Football Fridays: Pretzel Bites

 

I have been wanting to make pretzels for a long time, but was a little intimidated. When a saw a recipe for making pretzel bites, I thought that sounded a little simpler to attempt! Not only was my first attempt a success, it was also hard to practice self-control! I made the bites on Friday night, knowing that I would be in class for most of the day on Saturday. In doing so, the pretzels sampled right out of the oven were addicting. On Saturday, after warming them a bit in the oven, they were still good, but the salt had somewhat set in the pretzels and they weren’t quite the same. So my advise is, if you have the time, make and serve immediately! I also only had kosher salt on hand. I thought that would be course enough, the salty flavor was there, but it turns out that you can’t even see it on the pretzels. I will have to do some searching around for a courser salt to use next time.

Happy Friday and enjoy some game day food!!

Pretzel Bites

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1 package (1/4 oz) active dry yeast (or instant yeast)

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar, divided

1/4 cup warm water (110 to 155 degrees)

1 cup warm milk ( 110 to 115 degrees)

2 1/2 to 3 cup flour

6 cups water

4 teaspoons baking soda

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 to 2 tablespoons course salt

Combine yeast, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and warm water in a large bowl. Set aside until foamy, 5 to 8 minutes. (If using instant yeast, you can skip this step and just add it to the flour). In another bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar and warm milk until dissolved.

Add 2 1/2 cups flour and milk mixture to the yeast. Stir with a wooden spoon until a soft dough forms. Add the remaining flour as needed. Turn the dough out onto a lightly surface and gently knead a few times, forming a smooth ball.

Brush the inside of a large clean bowl with olive oil. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft free area for about 2 hours, until dough has doubled in size and bubbles appear on the surface.

Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into four equal pieces. Lightly dust your hands with flour. Roll one of the four sections into a 12 inch rope. Cut into 12, 1 1/2 inch pieces and transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat with remaining 3 portions of the dough.

Let rest, uncovered, at room temperature for 30 minutes. (If using instant yeast, skip this step).

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Bring six cups of water to a boil. Add the baking soda and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Boil pretzels in batches, cooking about 20 seconds each, turning once. They should be slightly puffed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them back to the baking sheets.

Bake until puffed and golden-brown, about 15 minutes.

Brush warm pretzel bites with melted butter and sprinkle with salt. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Source: Pennies on a Platter, originally from Gourmet

One Year Ago Today: Maui Zaui Pizza