Food goodness

For the love of all things cookie... I need some help. I can't bake cookies to save my life. This is more than a little unfortunate because a) I like cookies, b) Todd LOVES cookies, and c) I was thinking about having a cookie bar for dessert at our wedding reception, and I have grand plans to bake all these cookies ahead of time, freeze them, and then serve zillions of cookies in big glass jars at the end of the reception. And I can't bake myself one damn cookie. Please tell me what I am doing wrong. My cookies don't rise, and they stay gooey, but in a bad way -they won't come off the cookie sheet in the form of a cookie - they smoosh all up when I try to life them off the cookie sheet, and then they fall apart when I try to unsmoosh them onto the drying rack. It's a big disaster. So, here are the details: I'm using the air-bake dual-layer cookie sheets with the layer of air in between so the bottoms don't burn. For what it's worth, the bottoms of

Another recipe from Geoff's and my party, at Shannon's request. We made these the night before, then reheated them. Yum! Pear & Goat Cheese Tarts from Southern Living 1 (15-oz.) package refrigerator piecrusts 2 (4-oz.) packages goat cheese, crumbled 1 to 2 ripe pears, chopped 2 tablespoons honey 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 1. Unfold piecrusts, and cut each in half; cut each half into 3 pieces. Place 1 piece into a lightly greased muffin cup in a muffin pan. Fold and press pastry piece to form a cup shape. Repeat procedure with remaining pastry pieces. 2. Bake at 375° for 8 minutes or until edges of pastries are lightly browned. Remove pan to a wire rack. 3. Stir together goat cheese and next 3 ingredients. Spoon evenly into pastry shells. 4. Bake at 375° for 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Remove to a wire rack, and let cool 2 minutes. Yield: 12 tarts

This is something else Geoff and I made for the party. We actually did mini-cupcakes instead of regular-sized ones. One batch makes about 36 minis. from Sunset magazine 1/2 cup (1/4 lb.) butter, at room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1 cup canned pumpkin 1 tablespoon vanilla 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 cup milk Orange cream cheese frosting (recipe follows) Candy sprinkles (optional) 1. In a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add pumpkin and vanilla and beat until well blended (mixture will look separated at this point). 2. In another bowl, mix flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Stir half the flour mixture into pumpkin mixture. Stir in milk just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture and

Geoff and I had a party over the weekend, and we made 4 batches worth for about 30 people. It was nearly gone by the end of the night, proving its popularity. Super easy, but be sure to allow time for it to "marinate." Candy Apple (Rum) Punch from Cooking Light 6 cups cranberry-apple drink 3 cups water 15 hard cinnamon candies 1 (6-ounce) can thawed limeade concentrate, undiluted Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher. Cover and chill 8 hours, or until candies are dissolved. Pour mixture into a large Dutch oven, cook over medium heat until thoroughly heated. Yield: 10 servings (1 cup) *If using rum, substitute one cup of rum for one cup of water.

from Gourmet Nov. 2007 This recipe was super good, and easy to put together. If you're looking for a good, quick steak recipe, I'd recommend this one. 4 boneless ribeye steaks (we used two, because there were only two of us) 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped (I used the garlic press) 3/4 c. dry red wine 1/4 c. water 1 1/2 tsp. soy sauce 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces 1 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley Pat steaks dry, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over high heat untl it shimmers, then saute steaks, turning once, about 4 minutes for medium-rare. Transfer to a large plate and cover with foil. Pour off fat from skillet, then saute garlic in remaining oil over medium high heat until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add wine and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Add water, soy sauce, and any meat juices from plate and boil until reduced by half, 3 to 4 minut

"Basic quiche recipe" adapted from allrecipes.com (Basic quiche by Shelly). Curried Carrot and Cauliflower created by my supervisor, Karen Start with the basic recipe, and then add whatever filling ingredients you like! Basic Quiche : 5 eggs 1 1/4 cup half and half (or combination of half-and-half, cream, or milk) 1/8 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp white pepper 1/8 tsp nutmeg 4 oz Jarlsberg cheese, shredded 2 oz mozzarella, shredded 1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust * any additional filling ingredients, optional Preheat oven to 425. Place pie crust in ungreased pie plate. Place in oven for 5 minutes to crisp the crust. Remove crust from oven. In large bowl, whisk together the eggs and half-and-half. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir cheese into egg mixture. Pour egg mixture into pie crust. (add optional filling ingredients). Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 and bake for 25-30 minutes longer, or until crust is golden and filling is set. Remove from oven and allow t

At Shannon's request. I'm not sure if I've made both or one or neither of these recipes, so I can't really vouch for them. But what could be bad, really. The first is stovetop, the second is crockpot. Cook-off time, Shannon! :) Spirited Apple Butter from Betty Crocker 1 can (12 oz.) frozen apple juice concentrate 1/2 cup sweet red wine or apple cider 4 lb. cooking apples, peeled, cored and cut into fourths 3/4 c. packed brown sugar 1 c. apple brandy or apple cider 1 t ground cinnamon 1 t ground ginger 1/4 t ground cloves 1. Heat apple juice conecntrate, wine and apples to boiling in Dutch oven; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered about 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until apples are very soft. Mash with potato masher if necessary, to remove all lumps. 2. Stir in remaining ingredients. Heat to boiling; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until no liquid separates from pulp. (this is hopefully optional) 3. Immediately pour into hot,

I've been meaning to post this for a while. I think Real Simple includes lots of tasty-sounding recipes within its pages but there aren't that many that are meatless so I modify where I can and end up with very tasty veg suppers. adapted from Real Simple* 1 T olive oil 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced 2 red peppers, thinly sliced 1.5 t kosher salt .5 t pepper 1 lb (or more) mushrooms (I use a mix of button and baby bellas) 1 C dry white wine 1 C veg broth 1 t Worcestershire 2 T dijon mustard 1/2 C sour cream splash or two of hot sauce Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat and add onions and cook until soft. Add peppers and mushrooms and cook until mushrooms sweat out their liquid (about6 min.). Remove veg and add S&P, wine and broth to pan and bring to a boil. Add Worcestershire, dijon and hot sauce and whisk until smooth. Reduce liquid to about half, reduce heat and whisk in sour cream. Do not let sauce boil. And watch the heat or your sour cream will

from: Simply Recipes ok, this recipe sounds a little involved... and it is, but just a little. It really wasn't that bad, and the results were super fantastic. I should have taken a picture after I made the first slice. It was definitely an impressive holiday-worthy dish. Check out the original post here for pictures of the whole butterflying process. It really was not difficult. I didn't have a few of the ingredients, so my substitutions are in parentheses. Also, I was thinking you might be able to do this with a boneless turkey breast as well, if you're not a pork eater. Filling 1 cup apple cider 1/2 cup cider vinegar 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 1 large shallot, peeled, thinly sliced (I used a yellow onion) 1 1/2 cups dried apples (packed) (I used 2 Granny Smith apples, chopped) 1/2 cup dried cranberries 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger 1 Tbsp yellow mustard seeds (I stirred in a little dijon mustard instead) 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice (I used cinnamon and

Geoff and I had my parents, grandmother, and aunt over for dinner on Friday night, so I went on a recipe hunt for something quick, easy, and could be made ahead of time. This casserole fit the bill. Chicken & Broccoli Casserole from Cooking Light (online recipe database) Ingredients 3 quarts water 1 (12-ounce) package broccoli florets 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated fat-free milk 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce) 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Dash of nutmeg (I did 4 shakes of the container) 1 cup fat-free mayonnaise (we used full-fat, since we couldn't find an 8-oz jar of fat-free, and didn't want extra mayo hanging around in the fridge) 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream (we had light sour cream on hand, and used that instead) 1/4 cup dry sherry

Adapted from Grazing by Julie van Rosendaal (my notes in parenthesis) 2 1/2 c. flour 2 c. sugar 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. salt 1 can evaporated milk 2 large eggs 3 apples, peeled, cored and chopped (she called for 2) 1/3 c. packed brown sugar 1/2 c. shredded coconut 1/2 c. chopped pecans (I also left this out, because Ernie just had the bone graft in his mouth) caramel ice cream topping (the original recipe called for caramels) Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, stir together 1 c. evaporated milk and the eggs. Add to the dry ingredients along with the apples and stir until just blended. Spread batter into a 9x13 pan that has been sprayed with non-stick spray. Sprinkle with brown sugar, coconut and pecans. Bake for 40-35 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. If the top is browning too quickly, cover it loosely with a piece of tin foil. If you were going to use the c

from Mama Now Cooks Like This by Susan Mendelson 2-3 lb. broccoli 6 Tbsp. butter 6 tbsp. flour 2 c. half and half 2 c. Vegetable Stock Steam broccoli for 10 minutes, then drain. Melt butter and add flour, stirring constantly. Add half and half and vegetable stock and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Simmer for 5 minutes. Process half the broccoli in a blender with the soup mixture. Chop remainder of broccoli and add to above. (This was a little thicker than I like. I think next time I'll thin with some milk or some more vegetable stock. And also add garlic, because everything's better with garlic.

I know this is a super easy thing, but it's always good to have a good stock recipe on hand. from "Mama Now Cooks Like This" by Susan Mendelson 2 medium leeks (I didn't have on hand, but I did have large bulb onions. I threw 4 into the pot, and omitted the other onions) 2 large onions 6 large carrots, chopped into large chunks 1 small bunch celery 1 yellow or red pepper, seeded and chopped into chunks 1 small bunch parsley 3 bay leaves 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. dried thyme (optional) 16 c. cold water Place all ingredients in large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Strain in colander. Chill or freeze until ready to use.

Crazy amounts of fresh herbs make this really, really flavorful and delicious. ( Recipe from a blog that I really need to bookmark. See the full post for helpful photos.) INGREDIENTS (For the shrimp) 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails cut off 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 cup each of chopped fresh cilantro, parsley (I skipped but probably would have been good) and mint Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper (For the curry dressing) 2 tablespoons yogurt, mayonnaise, or sour cream (I used fat-free plain yogurt) 2 teaspoons curry powder 2 cloves garlic, minced juice and zest of 1 lime 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint 5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (For the Salad) 1 cup quinoa 2 large, ripe mangoes 1 jalepeno, seeded and minced 3 scallions, thinly sliced 1/2 English or 2 Persian cucumebrs, chopped 1/3 cup roasted almonds salt 1 tablespoon finely ch

From Simply Recipes 1 yellow onion, chopped 1 rib celery, chopped 1 carrot, chopped 1 Tbsp butter 1 butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed, chopped 1 tart green apple, peeled, cored, chopped (squash and apple should be 3 to 1 ratio) 3 cups chicken or vegetable broth pinches of nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper * I added some maple syrup at the end, too, to add a little more flavor and some sweetness * I was wondering how this would turn out by using half chicken stock and half milk... I like my butternut squash soups to be creamy.... I might try it that way next time. Combine butter, onion, celery and carrot in large saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes. Add squash, apple and broth. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until squash is soft. Puree. Add spices to taste.

This was super easy to throw together, and it's tasty. My notes in parenthesis. from Grazing, by Julie van Rosendaal 1/4 c. light or natural peanut butter (I just used my standard Jiff, because that's what I had in the house) 1/4 c. honey or maple syrup (I used honey) 1 c. low fat granola or any dry cereal you like 1 c. cinnamon Teddy Grahams or crumbled graham crackers 1 c. stick pretzels 1 c. dried fruit, such as raisins, cranberries or slivered apricots (I used a blend of raisins, cranberries, cherries and blueberries from Trader Joes) Preheat oven to 300. Combine peanut butter and honey in a small microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 30 seconds or until melted, stir until smooth. Place granola, Teddy Grahams and pretzels in a large bowl; pour peanut butter mixture over top and toss to coat. Spread the mixture on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice. Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit. Cool completely in pan. Store in a tightly sealed cont

This recipe is sort of a no-brainer to put together. But the batter for the fish was REALLY good, and we devoured all the fish. (Also, I finally finished tagging all of the entries. I'd suggest going through some of the older entries -- we've cooked some really good things over the years.) 1 quart vegetable oil 12 corn tortillas 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons salt 1 cup beer (not dark) 1 pound cod fillet, cut into 3- by 1-inch strips Shredded lettuce Sour Cream Avocado slices Chopped or sliced radish Red or green salsa Lime wedges Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 1 inch oil in a 10-inch heavy pot (2 to 3 inches deep) over moderate heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 360 degrees F. Meanwhile, separate tortillas and make 2 stacks of 6. Wrap each stack in foil and heat in oven 12 to 15 minutes. While tortillas warm, stir together flour and salt in a large bowl, then stir in beer (batter will be thick). Gently stir fish into batter to coat. Lift each piece of fish o

from Cooking Light , September 2007, page 214 This had a nice flavor to it, due to the lemon and crushed red pepper. According to Cooking Light , "this easy dish is comforting for weeknights or a casual dinner with friends." 1 pound uncooked orecchiette ("little ears" pasta -- Geoff and I used twists) 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil cooking spray 3 garlic cloves, minced 3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil (ours came sliced, we just left them like that) 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper 1 (15-oz) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained 3 cups trimmed arugula or baby spinach 1 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped (about 1 [1-oz] package) 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon kosher salt 5 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted (we forgot about these, and it was ok, but I think they would have added some good texture) 1/4 cup (1 oz) grated parmesan cheese Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt a

I usually don't trust Weight Watchers recipes, but this one was great. I did it with half zucchini, half eggplant. cooking spray 1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs, Italian-style 1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 1 tsp Italian seasoning 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1 medium raw eggplant (I needed a lot more than this) 2 large egg white(s), lightly beaten 1 1/2 cup canned tomato sauce (I used TJ's marinara sauce) 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (hi, Weight Watchers, you need more than this :) ) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9 X 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray; set aside. Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, Italian seasoning and garlic powder in a medium-size bowl; set aside. Remove skin from eggplant and trim off ends; slice eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Dip eggplant first into egg whites and then into bread crumb mixture. Bake eggplant on a nonstick cookie sheet until lightly browned, about 20 to 25 minutes, flipping once. Place a layer of eggplant on bottom of

Ernie cooks dinner once a weekend now. It's good, because it gives me a break and he makes something fantastic. Last Saturday he made this, from a Good Eats recipe. 4 ounces vegetable oil 4 ounces all-purpose flour (my note: just make sure you use equal parts oil and flour, if you're not going to measure by weight) 1 1/2 pounds raw, whole, head-on medium-sized (31-50 count) shrimp 2 quarts water 1 cup diced onion 1/2 cup diced celery 1/2 cup diced green peppers 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1/2 cup peeled, seeded and chopped tomato 1 tablespoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 bay leaves 1/2 pound andouille sausage, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and browned (or smoked sausage, if you don't want spicy) 1 tablespoon file powder (where to find this? what? you haven't been to Penzey's yet?) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the vegetable oil and flour into a 5 to 6-quart cast iron Dutch ov

from Real Simple , September 2007 Geoff and I really liked the flavors of this dish. It also had a nice fall color, and was pretty hearty. Not a great dish for summer perhaps, but fabulous for fall. Yum! 8 ounces Spanish chorizo (cured sausage), sliced 1/4 inch thick 3 leeks (white and light green parts), thinly sliced* 1 clove garlic, chopped 1 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, including liquid kosher salt and pepper 1/2 cup grits or polenta 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 4 ears) or frozen corn, thawed 1 large bunch spinach, tough stems removed Cook the chorizo over medium-high heat in a large saucepan (we used a 5-qt stockpot, it was plenty big) until browned, about 3 minutes. Spoon off and discard any fat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring until slightly soft, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, 2 cups water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Stir in the grits. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until the grit