Cookies

Besides having a rare Saturday post (check out my sides post), I've added a second Saturday post. This one deals with one last batch of cookies, including Triple Chocolate-Cherry Cookies and Chocolate Peppermint Bars. Enjoy!

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This is from Lena Abraham in Delish, and begins, “As soon as October hits, there's no regular chocolate chip cookies in the Delish kitchen. Adding pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice upgrades our basic chocolate chip cookie dough into an amazing fall dessert. These will be a hit at any bake sale or dinner party.”

Yields: 35; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Total Time: 1 hour

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. granulated sugar

3/4 c. pumpkin purée

1 large egg

2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat oven to 375° and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt.

In a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in pumpkin, egg, and vanilla extract until combined, then add flour mixture. Beat on low until no raw flour appears, then fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Scoop 1” balls onto prepared baking sheets, 2 inches apart, and bake until puffed up and golden around edges, about 12 minutes.

ANISE-ALMOND BISCOTTI

This comes from page 61 of the October 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Ground almonds, often sold as almond flour, give these twice-baked cookies a light, crumbly crunch. If you grind your own almonds with a mini-chopper, the flavor will be more intense.” This vegan recipe makes about 32 cookies.

To view this online, click here.

1 Tbs. whole anise seeds

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup almond flour or 1 cup whole almonds, ground to a powder

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup sesame seeds

Toast anise seeds in skillet over medium heat 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Transfer to coffee grinder or mini-blender, and crush to powder.

Combine pastry flour with almond flour or ground almonds in bowl. Whisk together oil, syrup, vanilla and salt in separated bowl. Stir oil mixture into flour mixture. Cover, and let rest 20 minutes.

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Spread sesame seeds on work surface. Shape dough into 2 8-inch logs, packing dough tightly together so it doesn’t crumble. Roll logs in sesame seeds, and place on foil-lined baking sheet. Bake 45 minutes, or until browned and firm. Set baking sheet on wire rack, and cool 5 minutes.

Cut each log into 1/3-inch-thick diagonal slices with serrated knife. Place flat side down on foil-lined baking sheets. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Store up to 2 weeks in airtight container.

Per cookie: 110 cal; 2 g protein; 7 g total fat (1 g sat. fat); 10 g carb; 0 mg chol; 37 mg sodium; 2 g fiber; 4 g sugars

SKILLET PEANUT BUTTER CINNAMON SPICE COOKIE

This comes from Rachael Hartley, RD, LD, CDE at VeryWellFit, and begins, “This decadent yet low-carb skillet peanut butter cinnamon spice cookie is the perfect treat for someone with diabetes. It takes less than ten minutes of prep time, has only five grams of sugar per serving, and is made with blood sugar lowering cinnamon. Most importantly, it’s delicious!”

Prep Time: 10 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes; Total Time: 20 minutes; Servings: 16.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 large egg

1 cup natural peanut butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup almond meal

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

Non-stick spray

2 tablespoons peanuts, optional, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a large bowl, beat egg until slightly frothy. Whisk in the peanut butter, brown sugar, almond meal, vanilla extract, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt until well combined.

Spray an ovenproof skillet lightly with nonstick spray. Pour batter into the skillet and spread evenly with a spatula. If desired, sprinkle the top with a few peanuts and press down slightly.

Place cookie on a rack set in the center of the oven and bake 10-12 minutes until puffed and golden around the edges. Let cool 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Ingredient Variations and Substitutions

“This is one of my favorite treats to make because I always have the ingredients on hand! Whenever I’m craving something warm, gooey and sweet, I know this skillet cookie is only 20 minutes away.”

Nut Butters

Even in your pantry is looking bare, this recipe is easy to adapt based on what you have on hand. You can use any type of nut butter—cashew butter and almond butter both work well. And if you’re in the unfortunate situation of running out of nut butter, you can make your own by blending a rounded cup of nuts with a tablespoon of oil in the food processor until if forms a creamy spread.

Sweeteners

I made these with brown sugar, which has a richer flavor than white sugar, although you could certainly substitute it in a pinch. You could also use pure maple syrup or honey, but be sure to reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees and cook it a couple minutes longer to prevent burning.

Nut-Free Variation

If anyone in your household is nut free, you can still make this cookie—just swap in sesame butter and leave out the almond meal. Made with sunflower seeds, it’s perfect for those with tree nut allergies.

Vegan Variation

For a vegan version, use a chia seed egg. Mix 1 tablespoon chia seeds with 3 tablespoons water and let it sit to gel for about 10 minutes before mixing in the other ingredients.

This trick is a perfect one to remember next time you run out of eggs.

More Add-Ins

If you’re feeling extra decadent, load this cookie up with lots of healthy add-ins. In the mood for something chocolatey? Swap the almond flour for 1/4 cup cocoa powder, or stir in 1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate, which is rich in antioxidant polyphenols and flavanols. Want something fruity? Stir in a handful of frozen berries. This recipe is especially delicious with frozen wild blueberries.

Make an extra nutty cookie with different kinds of nuts and seeds, like walnuts, sunflower seeds, and almonds. Add a handful or two of dried fruit along with those nuts to make a granola inspired cookie. My favorite way to enjoy this cookie is with a handful of shredded dried coconut and dark chocolate chips.

Cooking and Serving Tips

This cookie is best when it’s slightly undercooked. The center might not look fully done when you take it out, but it will continue cooking as it cools.

Be sure to use a nonstick or well seasoned cast iron skillet to prevent sticking.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARS

This is from Melissa Clark in The New York Times cooking e-newsletter, and begins, “A little-known fact: Creamy chocolate-covered peppermint patties are not hard to make at home. Here, the minty filling and chocolate coating are layered onto a cocoa-imbued shortbread base, which adds a cookie crunch to each bite. These keep well, so you can make them a week ahead; store airtight at room temperature. They also freeze well. The coconut oil makes the chocolate coating slightly shinier and a little more brittle in a good way, so use it if you have it. But if you don't have it on hand, you can omit it.”

Yield: 36 squares; Time: 1 hour 10 minutes, plus chilling.

This was featured in“Peppermint Patties Worthy Of Dessert” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Shortbread:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cupgranulated sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick)

For the Peppermint Filling and Chocolate Top:

3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup heavy cream

2 1/4 teaspoons/10 milliliters peppermint extract, or to taste

9 ounces bittersweet chocolate (at least 60 percent cocoa solids), chopped

1/2 teaspoon coconut oil (optional)

Preparation

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9-inch-square baking pan with parchment paper, allowing 2 inches of paper to hang over the sides.

Make the shortbread: In a food processor, pulse together flour, sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add butter and process until a smooth dough forms. Press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake until firm to the touch, and sides of the crust are beginning to pull away from the pan, about 25 minutes. Cool completely.

Make the filling: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine confectioners' sugar, butter, cream and peppermint extract. Beat until mixture forms a thick, smooth paste. Press filling evenly over shortbread. Chill to set the filling for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Use parchment paper overhang to lift the shortbread and peppermint out of the baking pan and onto a cutting board. Cut into 1 1/2-inch squares (there should be 36 squares). Place squares on a rack placed over a parchment-lined sheet tray, and let them come to room temperature for about 15 minutes.

In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt 7 ounces chocolate, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat, add remaining 2 ounces chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes.

Add coconut oil, if using, and stir the chocolate until smooth. Spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate on top of a cut peppermint square, using the back of the spoon to spread chocolate to the edges. Be sure to fully cover the top of the square with chocolate. (Leave the sides exposed, though it's O.K. if some of the chocolate drips down.) Repeat with remaining squares.

Let squares sit at room temperature until chocolate is set, at least 1 hour.

TRIPLE CHOCOLATE-CHERRY COOKIES

This one comes from page 62 of the November 2014 issue of Vegetarian Times. It starts off, “Cocoa powder, cocoa nibs, dried cherries, and white chocolate chips come together in a rich, tender cookie that’s as easy to make as traditional chocolate-chip cookies.” Makes 36 cookies.

To view this online, click here.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 tsp. baking soda

7 oz. (14 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup plus 2 Tbs. sugar

3 Tbs. strong coffee or espresso

1 1/2 cups dried cherries

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup cocoa nibs

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, and baking soda in large bowl.

Cream butter and sugar in separate bowl with electric mixer. Add coffee, and beat until smooth. Beat in flour mixture. Stir in cherries, chocolate chips, and cocoa nibs.

Use 1-oz. (2 Tbs.) ice cream or cookie scoop to shape dough into balls, and place on baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake 8 to 12 minutes, or until centers look dry. Cool on baking sheets, then transfer to storage container.

SUGAR COOKIES

This absolutely yummy treat comes from Grace Parisi on the Today show’s website. It begins, “It's cookie swap season — but unlike gingerbread cookies, sugar cookies are perfect all year round, so bookmark this recipe for your next baby shower, Halloween, Valentine's day, or — my favorite — July 9, which is National Sugar Cookie Day!

“Cookies, rolled and cut into holiday shapes then festively decorated, are essential around the holidays. And these cookies in particular are fantastically delicious and easy to bake. Plus, decorating them is a snap and the whole family can involved.

“Simply choose from three simple decorations to make them your own, brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with sugar before baking, glaze with white icing (use a squeeze bottle for easy handling) or glaze with a mix of white and colored icings.

“Make-ahead tip: These cookies can be stored between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container for up to one week.”

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (8 ounces)

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3 cups confectioners' sugar

Sanding sugar, sprinkles, nonpareils for decorating

Preparation

Make the dough.

In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter with the sugar on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg yolks, vanilla and salt and beat until combined. Add the flour and beat on low speed until moistened. Divide the dough into 3 discs, wrap them each in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

Roll out and stamp the dough.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line 3 baking sheets with parchment. Working with one disc of dough at a time, on a floured surface, roll the dough 1/4-inch thick. Stamp out as many cookies as possible.

Time to bake!

Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet, and spread them out about 1-inch apart. Gather the scraps and re-roll to make more cookies. Bake the cookies in the center of the oven until lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Let them cool slightly, then transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with the remaining dough, re-rolling the scraps.

Make the glaze.

In a bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add the lemon juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Spread the white glaze over the cookies, covering them completely and let them dry.

Let's decorate!

Transfer the remaining glaze to a piping bag or a squeeze bottle with a tiny tip and pipe designs all over the cookies. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Let the cookies dry completely, then transfer them to platters to serve.

How to make alternative decorations:

1. Lightly brush the unbaked cookies with a mixture of 2 egg yolks combined with 2 tablespoons of water. Let the egg wash dry slightly, then sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake the cookies as directed above.

2. Divide the glaze into bowls and add food coloring to each. Glaze the cookies with one solid color then pipe dots or lines onto the wet glaze. Let the cookies dry completely before serving.

Sides

Only a few more days until Christmas. And since every holiday meal needs a couple of side-dishes, here are six to help you through the holiday meal (or any meal, for that matter), including Onion Supreme and Sweet Potato Soufflé. Enjoy!

GLAZED CARROTS WITH ORANGE AND GINGER

This comes from Mark Bittman at The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. Mark wrote, “When carrots are cooked, it’s often a sad affair. They are boiled to death and presented almost as an apology. Yet when they’re treated with the respect they deserve, even ordinary supermarket carrots can be among the most reliable and enjoyable of vegetables, especially from fall through spring. This braise-and-glaze technique can be varied at will and can also be used with other roots, like beets, turnips and radishes. Once you have the hang of the technique, changing the flavorings is a snap. Try substituting a mixture of half balsamic vinegar, half water or soy sauce similarly diluted for the orange juice, adding a few cloves of peeled garlic with the carrots. Or add a half cup or so of chopped onions, shallots, scallions or leeks, or of chopped pitted dates or raisins, dried currants or even dried tomatoes.”

Yield: 4 servings; Time: 30 minutes

This was featured in “Versatile Carrots, Repectfully Braised” and can be viewed online here.

Ingredients

1 pound carrots, trimmed and peeled if necessary, cut into 1/4-inch coins or sticks

2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced or grated peeled fresh ginger

1/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Chopped fresh parsley, dill, mint, basil or chervil leaves for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Combine all ingredients except lemon juice and garnish in a saucepan no more than 6 inches across. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring to coat, then adjust heat so mixture simmers. Cover.

Cook, more or less undisturbed, until carrots are tender and liquid is almost gone, 10 to 20 minutes. Uncover and boil off remaining liquid, then add lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve hot or within an hour or two, garnished with herbs, if you like.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH RISOTTO

This comes from GE Appliances, and begins, “Don't let risotto intimidate you! With a little bit of time and patience you can enjoy this delicious dish. The creamy risotto is combined with sweet butternut squash, fragrant sage and rosemary for a perfect dish to usher in the cool days of fall.”

Makes 6 servings in 40 minutes.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

3 tablespoons butter, divided

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 shallots, minced (about 1/2 cup)

1-1/2 cups Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine (see my note)

7-1/2 cups vegetable stock, heated (see my note)

5-6 fresh sage leaves, chopped

1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped

1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat olive oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large sauti pan. Add squash. Sauti for about 5 minutes, then cover; cook on medium heat until almost tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add shallots; cook and stir for 5 minutes until the shallots begin to soften, then stir in the rice. Continue cooking until the rice is glossy and begins to turn translucent on the edges, about 5 minutes. Mix in sage and rosemary. Cook for an additional minute.

Pour in the white wine; cook, stir until it is absorbed. Add a large ladleful of the hot chicken stock (about 1/2 cup) reduce heat to medium. Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, stirring occasionally. Continue adding the chicken stock to the rice 1/2 a cup at a time until the rice is creamy but is still slightly firm when tasted, approximately 25-30 minutes.

Finish by stirring in the Parmesan cheese, remaining tablespoon of butter, and seasoning to taste with salt and pepper.

CHEF'S NOTES:

You can cut up your own squash or use pre-cubed butternut squash from your favorite grocery store. Just make sure the squash is cut into 1/2" cubes so it gets tender enough in the risotto.

My note: If, like me, you don’t have alcohol around your house, feel free to use either non-alcohol white wine or just plain water.

Also, the recipe also called for chicken stock. I substituted that for vegetable stock.

ONION SUPREME

Note: This, as well as the three recipes that follow, are in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking.

My dad came for a week at Christmas, 1987. He fixed this to go with Christmas dinner, along with several other veggies. The day I drove him to Tampa International to fly back to New York, we went for coffee at a shop in the airport. When I asked for a copy of this, he grabbed a paper napkin and wrote down the recipe. It’s a great way to fix onions; I’ve always had onions in things, but never as a side dish. However, this is incredibly easy, as well as fantastic.

2 leeks (discard green), sliced thin

4 bunches scallions (discard green), sliced thin

2 cloves garlic, sliced thin

3-4 yellow onions, sliced thin

1 stick butter or margarine

20 small white onions

1 1/2 C half & half

Melt butter over low heat & sauté leeks, scallions, garlic & yellow onions for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook white onions in enough water to just barely cover. Add white onions (after 45 minutes) to skillet & pour in half & half. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes more & serve.

JASON'S HOME FRIES

This is one of my oldest son's inventions. He fixed this on one of his many trips back home.

3-4 potatoes, scrubbed, not peeled

3-4 T butter or oil (or both)

1 pepper (red, green or yellow), diced

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced (optional)

Cut potatoes across (not length-wise). Heat oil or butter. Add potatoes, onions, pepper & garlic. Cover, cook over medium heat, turning occasionally with a spatula, until brown & crusty.

JEAN'S SPECIAL POTATOES

Jean and I used to spend many hours on the phone together. One afternoon, we spent the better part of 30 minutes talking about food. I told her about Dad’s Onion Supreme; she, in turn, gave me this recipe.

8-10 potatoes

8 oz. cream cheese

8 oz. sour cream

1/2 C butter

2 tsp. chives

Peel & cook potatoes. Whip cream cheese & add potatoes. Mix sour cream, butter & chives. Add to potato mix. Cover & chill overnight (or several hours). Put in greased 2-quart casserole & cover; bake in oven at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE

This is one of my mom’s recipes. While the marshmallows aren't vegetarian, you can check out here and here.

4-5 sweet potatoes

1 small can pineapple

2 T orange juice concentrate

cinnamon

1/2 C brown sugar

1 egg

1 C nuts

1/2 tsp. salt

dash pepper

9 large marshmallows

Peel & dice sweet potatoes, place in pan of water, and cook until tender. Mash & add other ingredients except marshmallows. Put in square pan, cut in 9 squares & place 1 marshmallow in each square. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.