Cookie Exchange!

Raspberry Shortbread Cookies

Cookie Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup raspberry jam**

Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons heavy cream
½ teaspoon almond extract

1. Combine butter, sugar and almond extract in large mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until creamy (2 to 3 minutes). Reduce speed to low; add flour. Beat, scraping bowl often, until well mixed (2 to 3 minutes). Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Make indentation in center of each cookie with thumb (edges may crack slightly). Fill each indentation with about 1/4 teaspoon jam.

3. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet. Cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, stir together all glaze ingredients in small bowl with wire whisk until smooth. Drizzle over cookies.

Makes 3 ½ dozen cookies.

**Substitute 1/2 cup of your favorite flavor jam.

By Camille

Maple Sugar Cookies

½ cup butter (room temp)

½ cup brown sugar

1 tsp baking powder

¼ tsp salt

1 egg (room temp)

3 TBS pure maple syrup (don’t substitute maple-flavored syrup)

½ tsp vanilla

1 ¾ cups flour

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add baking powder and salt and mix well. Beat in egg, maple syrup and vanilla until combined. Gently mix in flour. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least an hour.

Roll out dough and cut with cookie cutters. Baked on parchment paper lined cookies sheets, top rack at 375 degrees for 7 to 9 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on wire racks. Frost and decorate as desired.

By Kathy

White-Capped Ginger Snaps

COOKIES:

• 1 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 2 1/4 cups flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• granulated sugar

Mix brown sugar, shortening, molasses and egg in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ground ginger, cloves, and salt. Cover and refrigerate at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Shape dough by rounded teaspoonfuls into balls and roll in granulated sugar. Place on cookie sheet, about 3" apart. Bake 9-12 minutes, or just until set. Remove to wire rack to cool.

ICING:

• 1 (6-oz) package white (vanilla) baking chips
• 1 Tbsp shortening
• crystallized ginger, chopped

Place chips and shortening in microwavable bowl. Microwave uncovered, on medium-high heat for 1 1/2 - 2 minutes, stirring every 15 seconds, until smooth.

Dip half of each cooled cookie into melted mixture; sprinkle tops with crystallized ginger. Place on waxed paper; let stand until coating is firm.

Makes 4 dozen cookies

By Lindsay

Candy Cane Cookies

½ cup butter, softened ½ cup shortening

1 cup powdered sugar 1 egg

1 1/3 tsp almond extract 1 tsp vanilla

2 ½ cup flour 1 tsp salt

½ tsp red food coloring ½ cup crushed candy canes or peppermint (opt)

½ cup powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Mix butter, shortening, sugar, egg and almond extract thoroughly. Blend in flour and salt. Divide dough in half. Blend in red food coloring into 1half of the dough. Chill dough for 2 hours. Take about a tsp of each dough (red and white) and roll into 4 inch pieces of rope. Place ropes parallel to one another and pinch the bottom. Twist the two ropes to form a candy cane striped appearance. Complete cookies one at a time, and place on greased cookie sheet. Curve the top of the cookie to from a handle. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until set or very light brown. Cookies are fragile and will break easily. Let set for 5-10 minutes on baking sheet then transfer to a cookie rack.

Option: Sprinkle each cookie with powdered sugar, peppermint, or both while cookies are still warm. Do this before removing them from the baking sheet. Enjoy!!!

Snowballs (butterballs)

1 cup butter

2 T honey

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup chopped nuts (we used walnuts)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 1/4 cup sifted flour

1 tsp vanilla

Cream butter, sugar abd honey. Add vanilla and mix. Mix flour and salt together, then add to mixer about a cup at a time. Finally, add nuts and mix well. Form into balls. Chill well to keep ball in form (about 1-2 hours). Bake at 375 for 14-17 minutes. While cookies are still warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool on a cookie rack. After cooled,roll again in powdered sugar covering completely. Should look like perfect snowballs and taste better than snow. makes 4 dozen.

By Hilary and Sue


Rolo Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
½ cup chopped pecans
40 rolo caramel candies

Topping:
½ cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. sugar

In a large bowl cream butter. Beat in both kinds of sugar until fluffy. Add vanilla and eggs, beat well. Add flour, cocoa, and baking soda. Stir in pecans. Scoot out 1 tablespoon of dough at a time and shape around one rolo candy, covering it completely.

In another bowl, combine the two topping ingredients. Press one side of each ball of dough into the topping mixture and place topping-side up on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Makes about 40 cookies.

By Clara

Persimmon Pomegranate Fruit Salad

• 3 fuyu persimmons, peeled, chopped, seeds (if any) discarded
• 3/4 Cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 granny smith or fuji apple, peeled, cored and chopped
• 7-10 leaves fresh mint, thinly slices crosswise (stack them, then roll them up like a cigar and take slices from the end)
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• 1 tsp. honey

Gently toss all the ingredients together. Serves 4. Keeps for at least a couple of days in the refrigerator, but best eaten same day as made:)

Quick Cooking Chicken Stock

• 4 lbs. of chicken back, wings, and/or lets that have been hacked with a cleaver into 2-inch pieces. (you can ask your butcher to prepare the chicken pieces this way).
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 2 quarts of boiling water
• 2 tsps. salt
• 2 bay leaves

Heat 1 Tbs. of olive oil in a large stock pot. Add one chopped onion. Saute until softened and slightly colored (2-3minutes). Transfer to a large bowl.

Add half of the chicken pieces to the pot. Saute until no longer pink (about 4-5 minutes). Transfer cooked chicken to bowl with onions. Saute the rest of the chicken the same way. Return onion and chicken pieces to the pot. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken releases its juices (about 20 minutes).

While the chicken pieces are cooking, fill a large tea kettle with 2 quarts of water, bring to boil.

After the chicken pieces have been cooking for 20 minutes, raise the heat level to high, add the 2 quarts of boiling water, 2 teaspoons of salt, 2 bay leaves. Return to a low simmer, then cover and barely simmer for about 20 minutes.

Strain broth and discard solids. Broth can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for several month.

Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

1/2 C. butter
1 C. flour
4 C. chicken broth
3 1/2 C. half and half
1 1/2 C. marinara sauce
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes or 8-10 small vine-ripened tomatoes, diced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil, or 1/2 tsp. dried
coarse salt and ground black pepper

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook and stir for 5 minutes to slightly brown the mixture. Whisk in the broth. Increase the heat and cook and stir until thickened. Decrease the heat to low, stir in half and half, and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the marinara sauce, tomatoes and basil and cook until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve as is chunky-style or puree in a food processor or blender if you prefer a smooth soup.

Makes about 12 cups.

recipe from "The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner"

Fresh Green Beans

Green Beans with Butter & Dill

Boil green beans in water for 6 minutes. Serve with butter, dill and salt to taste.

Green Beans with Bacon, Shallots & Almonds

Cut 1-2 slices bacon into small bite size pieces. Saute in frying pan. Add shallots. Add green beans. Saute 12+ minutes to desired tenderness. Add sliced almonds and course salt and saute a few more minutes.

(I hope these are the correct directions)

Simple Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

Makes about 4 cups unmilled

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 pounds ripe plum tomatoes or a combination of plum and beefsteak, coarsely chopped (about 8 cups)

Coarse salt

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic, and cook 20 seconds (do not let brown). Stir in tomatoes and 2 teaspoons salt. Raise heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer vigorously, stirring frequently, until sauce has reduced and thickened slightly, 15 to 20 minutes. If a smoother sauce is desired, pass it through the medium disc of a food mill. Season with salt if desired. Let cool. Sauce can be stored in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Provencal Oven-Roasted Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

olive oil for brushing pans

1 head garlic

4 pounds vine-ripened red tomatoes (about 10 medium)

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

3 tablespoons fresh orange juice, or to taste

Preheat oven to 450°F. and lightly brush 2 shallow baking pans with oil.

Separate garlic head into cloves, discarding loose papery outer skin but keeping skin intact on cloves, and wrap in foil, crimping seams to seal tightly. Cut tomatoes into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange in one layer in baking pans. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons each of rosemary and thyme evenly over tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.

Put foil-wrapped garlic in one of baking pans with tomatoes and roast garlic and tomatoes in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of pans halfway through roasting, about 35 minutes total, or until garlic is tender and tomatoes are slightly charred. Unwrap garlic and cool slightly. Peel skins from each clove and force pulp with warm tomatoes and herbs through a food mill fitted with small disk into a bowl.

Finely chop remaining teaspoon rosemary and remaining teaspoon thyme and stir into sauce with orange juice. Season sauce with salt and pepper and reheat if necessary. Sauce keeps, covered and chilled, 4 days or, frozen, 4 months. Reheat sauce over low heat and reseason with orange juice, salt, and pepper.

Pesto Goat Cheese Spread

4 ounces soft mild goat cheese at room temperature

2 ounces cream cheese at room temperature

1/4 cup prepared pesto

Stir together all ingredients with salt and pepper to taste until smooth. Serve with crackers, bread or toasts or use as a sandwich spread.

Basil Pesto

Basil Pesto

Ingredients: Makes 1 3/4 cups

1 cup pine nuts

Coarse salt and ground pepper

8 cups (4 ounces) lightly packed fresh basil leaves

2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

¾ cup (3 ounces) Parmesan or Parmigiano-Reggiano, coarsely grated

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread nuts evenly on a rimmed baking sheet; toast in oven until golden and fragrant, tossing once, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely.

Meanwhile, bring 4 cups salted water to a boil; add basil, and submerge with a spoon. Immediately drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until cool, then pat basil completely dry in paper towels.

In a food processor, combine nuts, basil, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Process until nuts are finely chopped. With machine running, pour oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until smooth. Use immediately, or freeze. Makes 1 3/4 cups

Cook’s notes: To freeze, spoon pesto into an ice-cube tray (2 tablespoons per cube); cover with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight, then transfer cubes to a resealable plastic bag; keep up to 6 months. Defrost pesto at room temperature, about 20 minutes (or at 30-second intervals in the microwave). Mash with a fork before using in recipes. Pesto will freeze better if you omit the cheese before freezing and stir in once thawed.

Harvest- Preserving Summer

Harvest Party

Tomatoes and Basil – Preserving summer

Cooking Group - September 2009

Foodie Talk : Official terms to impress your friends

Pesto: A sauce originating in northern Italy containing fresh basil, . The name is the contracted past participle of pestâ ("to pound, to crush", from the same Latin root as the English word pestle, in reference to the sauce's crushed herbs and garlic.

Foodie FAQ’s : A bit o’ history

Historically, pesto is prepared in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle. The leaves are washed, dried, placed in the mortar with garlic and coarse salt, and crushed to a creamy consistency. The pine nuts are added and crushed together with the other ingredients. When the nuts are well-incorporated into the "cream", grated cheese or olive oil can be added and mixed with a wooden spoon. The name basil is derived from the Greek word for "king." In many ancient cultures, the herb was revered and could be cut only with gold or silver utensils. In India, where it is a sacred herb of the gods Vishnu and Krishna, sprigs of holy basil are often placed upon the dead to protect them from evil as they pass into their next lives. According to an Italian tradition, basil is a symbol of love: If a man offers a woman a sprig of basil, she will fall in love with him and remain forever faithful. Harvested basil will keep for a week in a glass of water out of direct sun, but these cold-sensitive plants will blacken quickly if refrigerated. To preserve basil longer, place washed leaves with olive oil in a blender and puree. To promote new growth and bushiness, pinch terminal buds often; to encourage leaf development, pinch flowers.