Skillet Brussel Sprouts

500 g Brussel sprouts
3 TB Olive Oil
4 big cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon dried chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Freshly Squeezed lemon juice Cut about 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) off the end of each sprout.
Remove and discard the outer leaves.
Remove and save the rest of the leaves until you get to a heart of a sprout.
Cut the heart of a sprout in half.
Heat the oil together with the sliced garlic in a big skillet on medium heat.
Fry the garlic for about 4 minutes until it's golden, but not burned.
Add the brussels sprouts leaves and hearts into the skillet and mix.
Season with salt and chilli flakes.
Cover and let it cook for about 4-5 minutes mixing occasionally.
After 4-5 minutes, turn the leaves on the other side, using tonks, cover and cook for another 4-5 minutes until they are cooked through and shrank a little.
The leaves shouldn't get too much colour, just a little caramelization here and there.
Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice, mix and serve.

*recipe and picture from imagelicious

Choclate Chip Cookies recipe number 3 & 4.

Ok this is my deal. I am looking for the best recipe I can find for chocolate chip cookies. I am searching food blogs like crazy and like myself everyone seems to love the Cook's Illustrated version the best but my problem is that they are not like the ones I had growing up and thus lacking something for me. Every time I make them I get rave reviews and they are really good but I just want a different texture or something. So I am on a quest for my back-up recipe for when I want a cookie like I loved as a kid. These looked more like my childhood version so I am adding them to be tested someday. Someday I am having a bake off for chocolate chip cookies. And all my friends are going to have to come over and rate them. This will be one of them. :O)

Ingredients
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. white sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. hot water
1/4 tsp. salt
1 c. chocolate chips
2/3 c. walnuts (optional)

Directions
In a large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in egg, then stir in vanilla extract. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, and cream of tartar until incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and nuts. Refrigerate for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two baking sheets. Remove dough from refrigerator and drop large spoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool completely on wire racks. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen cookies (probably closer to three in reality, sans dough sampling)

* from Pookie Pantry

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

This one has been on several food blogs so it must be good. We'll have to give it a try

2 cups + 2 Tb all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1-1/2 sticks butter (3/4 cup)
1 cup brown sugar

, packed
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix flour, baking soda and salt together, set aside. Mix butter and sugars in mixer until well combined. Beat in egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Using a cookie scoop, place cookies two inches apart on greased or parchment-lined cookie sheets.

Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies are golden brown.

*from blisstree

Girl Scout Knock Off - Samoas!

I love the real deal these look great! Want to try someday! :) a lot of work but for yummyness why not?!?!

Cookie Base:
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
Topping:
3 cups shredded coconut (sweetened or unsweetened)
12-oz good-quality chewy caramels
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk
10 oz. dark or semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips are ok)

Directions:
First, make the crust.

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan, or line with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together sugar and butter, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract. Working at a low speed, gradually beat in flour and salt until mixture is crumbly, like wet sand. The dough does not need to come together. Pour crumbly dough into prepared pan and press into an even layer.
Bake for 20-25 minutes, until base is set and edges are lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before topping.

Preheat oven to 300. Spread coconut evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet (preferably one with sides) and toast 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, until coconut is golden. Cool on baking sheet, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Unwrap the caramels and place in a large microwave-safe bowl with milk and salt. Cook on high for 3-4 minutes, stopping to stir a few times to help the caramel melt. When smooth, fold in toasted coconut with a spatula.

Put dollops of the topping all over the shortbread base. Using the spatula, spread topping into an even layer. Let topping set until cooled.

When cooled, cut into 30 bars with a large knife or a pizza cutter.
Once bars are cut, melt chocolate in a small bowl. Heat on high in the microwave in 45 second intervals, stirring thoroughly to prevent scorching. Dip the base of each bar into the chocolate and place on a clean piece of parchment or wax paper - I used a spoon to spread some melted chocolate on the bottom of each bar. I then laid them chocolate side up to set the chocolate.
Let the chocolate set and harden.

Transfer all remaining chocolate into a piping bag or a ziploc bag with the corner snipped off and drizzle bars with chocolate to finish on the coconut caramel side.
Let chocolate set completely before storing in an airtight container.
Makes 30 bar cookies.

* stole from Bean Town Baker and Loves to Eat

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Cookies

Apparently, "The peanut butter, honey and relatively low amount of flour really gives the finished product a tender, creamy texture." I liked them but I think I might just like peanut butter blossoms even more. But everyone I gave them to really liked them. I don't know I think I am just not that into PB these days. But if you are I think you will love these.

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup smooth peanut butter

1/2 cup light brown sugar (packed)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

8 tbs unsalted butter (room temperature)

2 tbs honey

1 large egg

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

6 oz semisweet or milk chocolate (chopped into large chunks)...I used chips instead, lazy me.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 large heavy duty baking sheets with aluminum foil.

Mix the flour, baking soda and the salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the peanut butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, butter, honey egg and vanilla in a large bowl until well blended. Stir the dry ingredients into the peanut butter mixture in two additions. Stir in the shoppes chocolate.

Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for about 12 minutes (shorter time if using a convection oven), or until the cookies puff and begin to brown on top but are still soft to the touch.

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Then use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack.

* from Ceramic Canvas...the pic is too. Mine looked a lot different. I wonder why. hmmmm.

Chocolate Chip Cookies...the family's favorite recipe!

Everyone on this ladies blog said they were their families favorite cookie too so I tried them. I was not impressed. They were not the texture I wanted and the flavor was so bland. I think you lose something in the flavor when you don't go all the way with the butter. But I LOVE this ladies blog anyways.

2/3 cup shortening
2/3 cup butter (or you can use margarine)
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 bag chocolate chips

Cream butter, shortening, and sugars together. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add soda, salt, and flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Bake at 375 on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

* I stole this off of the Real Mom Kitchen Blog

Pavlova

Pavlova is another one of my childhood favorite and we decided this year that it is going to be our tradition to have it every Mother's day. So good! Pavlova is a meringue cake with a light, delicate, crisp crust and a soft sweet marshmallow center that is produced by folding a little vinegar and cornstarch (cornflour) into stiffly beaten egg whites and sugar. This dessert is served with softly whipped cream and fresh fruit. There is a long standing debate about whether New Zealand or Australia invented this dessert, which has yet to be resolved. What we do know is that the name, Pavlova, was chosen in honor of the Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova, who toured both New Zealand and Australia in 1926 And it is so good! Its like eating a cloud with whipped cream and fresh fruit on top. Yummy yummy yummy!

Meringue Cake:

4 large (120 grams) egg whites

1 cup (200 grams) superfine (castor) sugar

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (corn flour)

Topping:

1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream - when I am trying to be healthy I just use lite whipped cream from a tub.

1 1/2 tablespoons (20 grams) granulated white sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Fresh fruit - (tart it good because it sets off the super sweet cake) kiwi, strawberries, bananas, raspberries, blackberries, passion fruit, peaches, pineapple, or other fruit of your choice

Cooking Directions:

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F (130 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and draw a 7 inch (18 cm) circle on the paper.

In the bowl of your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium-high speed until they hold soft peaks. Start adding the sugar, a tablespoon at a time, and continue to beat until the meringue holds very stiff peaks. (Test to see if the sugar is fully dissolved by rubbing a little of the meringue between your thumb and index finger. The meringue should feel smooth, not gritty. If it feels gritty the sugar has not fully dissolved so keep beating until it feels smooth between your fingers). Sprinkle the vinegar and cornstarch over the top of the meringue and, with a rubber spatula, fold in.

Gently spread the meringue inside the circle drawn on the parchment paper, smoothing the edges, making sure the edges of the meringue are slightly higher than the center. (You want a slight well in the center of the meringue to place the whipped cream and fruit.)

Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the outside is dry and takes on a very pale cream color. Turn the oven off, leave the door slightly ajar, and let the meringue cool completely in the oven. (The outside of the meringue will feel firm to the touch, if gently pressed, but as it cools you will get a little cracking and you will see that the inside is soft and marshmallowy.)

The cooled meringue can be made and stored in a cool dry place, in an airtight container, for a few days.

Just before serving gently place the meringue onto a serving plate. Whip the cream in your electric mixer, with the whisk attachment, until soft peaks form. Sweeten with the sugar and vanilla and then mound the softly whipped cream into the center of the meringue. Arrange the fruit randomly, or in a decorative pattern, on top of the cream. Serve immediately as this dessert does not hold for more than a few hours.

Serves 6 to 8.

Panna Cotta

Panna Cotta is one of my favorite childhood deserts. It is a cold Italian dessert that literally means "cooked cream". It contains only a few ingredients; cream (and/or milk), sugar, and vanilla that are set with gelatin. This beautiful ivory colored, custard-like pudding has a rich flavor and silky smooth texture that takes just minutes to prepare. This is the perfect dinner party dessert as it is can be made ahead, is well suited for individual servings, and is stunning to look at. Typically Panna Cotta is served with berries, poached fruit, or a chocolate or fruit sauce. And while I have removed each Panna Cotta from their molds, it isn't necessary, especially if you are using pretty cups or wine glasses.

Panna Cotta

1 package (1/4 ounce) (7 grams) unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup (60 ml) cold milk

2 1/4 cups (540 ml) heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup (60 grams) confectioners' (icing or powdered) sugar

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla paste or pure vanilla extract

To start, grease six small (3/4 - 1 cup) (180 - 240 ml) custard cups, ramekins, or individual molds with melted butter or almond oil. Place the gelatin and cold milk in a small bowl and let this mixture sit for about 5 - 10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the cream and sugar in a saucepan and bring it to a boil, stirring to dissolve the powdered sugar. Once the cream is very hot, remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the gelatin mixture and vanilla. Stir until the gelatin has completely dissolved. If necessary, return the saucepan to the stove and stir over low heat until you no longer see any gelatin particles.

Pour the cream into the prepared molds and place in the refrigerator to chill for 2-4 hours, or until set. The Panna Cotta can be made one to two days before serving.

To Unmold: Dip the molds into hot water for a few seconds and then invert the Panna Cotta onto a plate. Serve with fresh berries or a fruit sauce.

Makes 6 individual servings.

a Thingy to Remember

I am making these for Stewy's graduation party in two years! :O)

http://bakerella.blogspot.com/2009/05/candy-cup-caps.html