Pennsylvania Dutch Tea Rolls

 These are my go-to dinner rolls, and have been since I ripped out the page from Cooking Light. They have never failed to be enthusiastically devoured. They take a while to make, but the result is a dense, chewy, slightly sweet vehicle for your best butter. The only flaw is that it's hard to eat more than one of them. 

You can use a scale to get rolls that are all the same size, but I like having smaller ones and bigger ones to choose from. 

Ingredients

• 5 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 ⅓ cups warm 1% low-fat milk (100° to 110°)
• 1 package quick-rise yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg
• Cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1 ½ teaspoons poppy seeds 

Steps

1. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 2 cups flour, warm milk, and yeast in a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand 1 1/2 hours (batter should become very bubbly and almost triple in size).  
2. Add 3 cups flour, sugar, butter, salt, and egg; stir with a wooden spoon 3 minutes or until well combined. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky).  
3. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in size. (Lightly press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.)  
4. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; lightly dust dough with flour and pat into an 10 x 8-inch rectangle. Divide dough by making 3 lengthwise cuts and 4 crosswise cuts to form 20 equal pieces; shape each piece into a ball. Place balls in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.  
5. Lightly coat the dough with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size.  
6. Preheat oven to 375°. Brush 3 tablespoons milk lightly over dough; sprinkle with poppy seeds. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes or until browned. Cool rolls in pan 5 minutes. Serve warm, or cool completely on a wire rack.
   

Tangy Cucumber Pickles

I love this kind of quick, mild pickle, but most of the recipes I have for it call for a long prep time. I don't always think that far ahead of making dinner, so I was excited to find this version in Quick and Easy Thai. 

Ingredients

• 1/2 c white vinegar
• 1/2 c water
• 1/2 c sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 large hothouse cucumber, or smaller ones equal to 1 pound
• 3 Tbsp thinly sliced shallots or red onion
• 2 tsp thinly sliced fresh hot red or green chilies

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until dissolved, 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. 
2. Peel cucumbers and cut them lengthwise into 4 long strips. Slice each strip into small triangles. Place in a bowl. Top with shallots and chilies. Shortly before serving, pour the cooled vinegar mixture over the cucumbers. Serve at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate for up to two days.
   

Sauteed Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary

 Wow, it has been a long time since I updated this little blog. The pandemic has not done much for my cooking -- if anything I've gotten tired of doing it all the time, of being stuck at home by requirement rather than choice, of spending hours and hours in my kitchen for lack of anyplace else to do my work. For a while, it was difficult to do real menu planning, since it was hard to guess what the store would have. I made a lot of "throw together" meals that didn't rely on a recipe.

Now that the weather is getting cooler, and the situation is clearly going to drag on well into next year, I am trying to be a little more intentional about things, and to spend more time in the analog world. I have loads of cookbooks, and I've barely touched them in ages. This book in particular I don't know if I have ever used -- Bon Appetit's Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook, a goliath of a compendium from years of the magazine. I subscribed for ages, but there came a time where it began to feel stale and repetitive, like I had seen the seasons of their publication year come and go too many times. I use my back issues during the holidays, and that's about all.

This entry may be a one-off--I don't try to predict much these days--but it is a solid recipe and worth recording.

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken thighs with bones and skin
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary (or use 2 tsp dried)
• 1 c chicken broth
• 2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add chicken to skillet and saute until browned, about 5 minutes per side. 
2. Reduce head to medium-low, cover, and cook until chicken is tender and cooked through, about 15 minutes
3. Transfer chicken to bowl. Discard all but 2 Tbsp drippings from skillet. Add garlic and rosemary, and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. 
4. Add broth and vinegar. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup, about 7 minutes. 
5. Return chicken and any juices to pan and simmer over low heat until chicken is heated through, about 5 minutes. 

 

French Onion Soup

It's a cold, gloomy day in Boston, with snow in the forecast, and not much on the schedule. Perfect, in other words, for this soup. This is not a quick one; the original version is lying when it says you will get caramelized onions in a half hour. Budget at least an hour for that stage.

On the other hand, the ingredient list is short, and this soup will look after itself for most of the time it's cooking. I have altered this recipe somewhat from the original Cooking Light version, but you are welcome to try to caramelize onions in a whisper of olive oil. I usually make a half recipe of this, since the kids aren't yet to an age where they like this kind of thing.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil

8 cups sliced onion; I use a mix of yellow, sweet, and red, and slice them thickly
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup dry white wine
8 cups less-sodium beef broth

1 teaspoon dried thyme
8 oz French or other sturdy bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 slices Swiss cheese

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions to pan; sauté for 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in sugar, pepper, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to low and cook for an hour or so, stirring occasionally, until the onions are a deep golden brown. 
2. Stir in wine, and cook for 1 minute. 
3. Add broth and thyme; bring to a boil. 
4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 2 hours. 
5. Preheat broiler. Place bread in a single layer on a baking sheet; broil 2 minutes or until toasted, turning after 1 minute.
6. Place 8 ovenproof bowls (if making the full recipe) on a jelly-roll pan. Ladle 1 cup soup into each bowl. Divide bread evenly among bowls; top each serving with 1 cheese slice. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese begins to brown.

Classic Apple Pie

This is the first and only apple pie recipe I have ever used, from one of the first cookbooks I ever bought: Mrs Fields Cookie Book. It turns out great results every time, so I never bothered looking for another one. People like to complain about making pie crust, but I have literally never had a problem with this recipe. Note that like other recipes in this book it calls for salted butter.

Crust Ingredients

3 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp grated lemon zest
1 c salted butter, chilled
6-8 Tbsp ice water
1 large egg, beaten
1 Tbsp sugar

Filling Ingredients

4 cups thinly sliced apples (4-6 peeled apples; you can use Granny Smith, Cortland, Macintosh, or other sturdy baking apples)
1 c white sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 c cornstarch
1/4 c salted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

Crust Steps
I use a food processor to make pie crust and always have. Cut in the butter using short pulses, and after you add the water let the processor run until it starts to come together.  

1. Mix flour and lemon zest together with a wire whisk in a medium bowl. 
2. With a pastry cutter or two knives, cut in the butter until the dough resembles coarse meal. 
3. Add ice water and blend until the dough can be gathered. 
4. Divide dough in half and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or waxed paper. Chill for 1 hour or until firm. 

Pie Steps

1.  Combine sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a large bowl. 
2. Add the apples and stir until they are well coated with the sugar mixture. 
3. Preheat the oven to 400F. 
4. On a floured surface , use a floured rolling pin to roll out one piece of pie crust into a circle 11 inches in diameter. Place the crust in a pie plate. Trim excess dough if needed, leaving about 3/4" over the edge of the plate. 
5. Spoon in the filling. Sprinkle butter pieces on top (I have lately started skipping this step and can't taste any difference). 
6. Roll out the second piece of pie dough and place over the filled pie. Fold overhanging top crust over the bottom crust and crimp together (make it pretty if you want). 
7. Brush the top crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar (you can use white sugar or demerara). Cut steam slits in the crust. 
8. Place pie on center rack of oven and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the heat down to 350 and bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Remove and allow to cool on a rack. 

Goes great with ice cream or whipped cream. 

Aloo Gobi

An easy, mild dose of Indian flavors that cooks quickly enough to make on a weeknight. I got this from Pinterest somewhere and made a few adjustments.

Ingredients

2 1/2 Tbsp canola oil, divided
1 1/2 lbs cauliflower florets; you'll want them fairly small so they cook evenly
2 large potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup red onion finely chopped
1 inch of ginger root, grated
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 can small diced tomatoes or equivalent fresh
1 Tbsp tomato paste 
1/2 tsp Salt 
1 tsp chili powder  (will make a mild dish; use more if you want heat)
1/2 tsp turmeric 
1 tsp whole cumin seeds 
1 Tbsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp Garam Masala 
3 Tbsp plain yogurt 
4-5 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat 1 1/2 Tbsp oil in a heavy pot. Add diced potato and saute for 5 minutes on high heat. 
2. Add cauliflower and cumin seeds, and cook until cauliflower is little tender (5-7 minutes) Remove from the pot and set aside.
3. To the same pot, add the remaining Tbsp oil, onion, ginger, and garlic. Saute until onions are lightly browned (3-4 minutes).
4. Add all of the spices and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and salt, and cook until the oil separates. (5-6 minutes on high heat.)
6. Return the potatoes and cauliflower to the pot, add a half cup of water (or as needed to provide enough liquid for the vegetables to cook), cover tightly and cook until tender. (10-20 minutes depending on how big you chopped things). Check once or twice to make sure the pot hasn't dried out. 
7. Remove lid, add yogurt and chopped cilantro. Stir a few times so the yogurt doesn't curdle; cook until the cilantro wilts, which might take less than a minute. 

Cinnamon Scones

I don't know how long I've had this recipe or where it came from originally; I grabbed it from the old Cooking Light community forum. (RIP, my favorite Internet sites of the 00s.) I do know that it has been a favorite here ever since it debuted. These are so good that I very rarely make other scones. I make them in a food processor up through adding the cinnamon chips; it makes cutting in the butter very easy.

They have whole wheat flour and oatmeal; they're practically healthy!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter - cut into pieces
3/4 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
1/2 cup cinnamon chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Using a pastry blender, cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the dough is crumbly. Fold in the cinnamon chips. Add the buttermilk and stir lightly until the dough comes together to form a ball. Don't overwork the dough.
3. On a lightly floured surface, pat the dough into a large circle about 2 inches thick. Cut the dough into wedges with a knife; do not separate the wedges. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. (Or you can do what I do, and just form the circle right on the baking sheet, because moving it afterward is a huge pain.)
4. Transfer dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 22 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned.
5. After cooling, separate wedges with a serrated knife.

makes 8 scones

Tilapia Tacos

I wanted to make fish; I was tired of salmon; I vaguely remembered making this a long while ago. This is a quick and easy dinner, relying on the mild-flavored, easy-to-find, and budget-friendly tilapia. As written the recipe fed the two adults generously (the kids are not at a point where they'll countenance fish tacos). Source blog is here.

Ingredients
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
olive oil
2 limes
2 6-ounce tilapia fillets (or other mild white fish)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 6-inch flour tortillas
Toppings such as chopped tomatoes, green onions, cilantro, salsa, avocado, whatever.

Instructions

1. Mix the chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon olive oil and the juice of 1 lime in a small bowl. Arrange the fish fillets in a glass baking dish or on a nonreactive platter. Brush fillets on both sides with spice mixture and season with salt and pepper. Let marinate at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over a medium flame. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom and sauté the fillets until browned and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and break into bite-sized chunks with a fork.
3. Heat a large dry skillet over medium-high flame and slightly brown the tortillas one at a time, about 30 seconds per side. 
4. Divide fish among tortillas and add your favorite toppings. Cut the second lime in wedges and serve with the tacos.

Chicken Tikka Masala

A new recipe we tried this week, this is easy as advertised and absolutely delicious! Note that you can adjust the amount of cayenne to taste; I used 1 tsp, and it was about as hot as I find comfortable. Great on a cold Boston night.

Ingredients
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 to 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 large white onion diced
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic minced
1 cup heavy cream
15 ounces tomato sauce
2 large chicken breasts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Combine all spices together in a small bowl. 
2. Add the diced onion and butter to a large pot over medium heat and cook until onions are translucent, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. 
3. Add garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently so as not to burn. Add more butter if needed. 
4. Add half of the spice mixture and stir to combine. 
5. Add tomato sauce, heavy cream, and the remaining spices and stir to combine.
6. Continue to cook over medium-low heat until sauce thickens, stirring frequently,10-15 minutes.
7. While the sauce is cooking, slice chicken breasts into two filets each, creating four equally sized pieces, season the chicken with salt and pepper.
8. Add vegetable oil to a large pan and cook the chicken breasts over medium heat until golden brown on both sides and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F. 
9. Chop the chicken into chunks and add it to the sauce, then let lightly simmer for a couple of minutes. 
10. Serve over basmati rice with naan.

Cookie Kisses

Another of holiday stand-by, these are always some of the quickest to go. There are many recipes for these out there; this one is my favorite. It comes from Maida Heatter's Cookies. Her printed version includes variations for food processor and more finicky details than I ever bother with. (Who in the world pre-divides their cookie dough?)

One note about the number of Kisses called for -- I like to make these smaller than the recipe recommends, in order to achieve what I consider the correct balance of cookie to chocolate. Although it's not a large recipe by the ingredients, I have gotten up to 60 cookies from this. Plus, of course, any nearby "helpers" will probably eat a few Kisses before they can be used in a cookie. So have some extra on hand.

Ingredients

48 (or more) Hershey's Milk Chocolate Kisses, unwrapped
1 3/4 c AP flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 c granulated sugar
1/2 c light brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp milk
4 oz unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 c smooth peanut butter

Additional granulated sugar for rolling the cookies

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. (But see step 6.)
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt. 
3. In a small bowl, mix the egg, vanilla, and milk. 
4. Place the butter and peanut butter in a mixer bowl and beat until soft.
5. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the butter mixture, and beat until well combined. 
6. Mix in half of the dry ingredients, then the egg mixture, then the remaining dry ingredients. Beat until thoroughly mixed. 
7. (The recipe does not include this, but I find it helpful to chill the dough a bit before trying to handle it--it can be very sticky. So cover the bowl and chuck it into the fridge for an hour or so if you have the time. Don't leave your oven on the whole time. :) ) 
8. Place additional granulated sugar in a shallow bowl. 
9. Scoop out rounded teaspoons of dough and roll them into balls, roll them in the granulated sugar, and place them on a cookie sheet. Leave a couple of inches between cookies. 
10. Bake 12-13 minutes, until the edges are just showing a bit of color. 
11. Immediately upon removing from the oven, place a chocolate kiss (point up) in the center of each cookie and press down firmly. Then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool. The chocolate will stay soft for quite a while, so make sure they are quite cool and solid again before packing them. 

These cookies freeze well. I make a batch early in the holiday season every year and pack them a dozen or so to a freezer bag, and usually have to make another batch later in the month. 

Maryland Crab Cakes with Quick Tartar Sauce

I'm no longer up to date on recipe blogging etiquette -- this recipe is from Jenn Segal, and I hope it's all right to reproduce it rather than just a link (she's got great pictures, too). I made these for our New Years Day dinner last night. They were entirely worth the price of the lump crab meat, with a bonus of being easy to make. I followed her suggestion and served them with steamed green beans and fresh corn bread. Could hardly imagine a better start to the year.

Ingredients

Crab Cakes:

2 large eggs
2-1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
1-1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup finely diced celery, from one stalk
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 pound lump crab meat (see note below)
1/2 cup panko
Vegetable oil, for cooking

Tartar Sauce: 

1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
1-1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy clean-up.
2. Combine the eggs, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire, Old Bay, salt, celery, and parsley in a large bowl and mix well. Add the crab meat (be sure to check the meat for any hard and sharp cartilage) and panko; using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined, being careful not to shred the crab meat. 
3. Shape into 6 crab cakes (each about ½ cup) and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This helps them set.
4. Preheat a large nonstick pan to medium heat and coat with canola oil. When the oil is hot, place the crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Be careful as oil may splatter. Serve immediately with tartar sauce or a squeeze of lemon.
5. Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Chocolate Crackle Cookies

Martha has yet to steer me wrong, at least when it comes to food. These are incredibly good, with a delicate texture and a rich flavor that means one cookie is really all you need. On the other hand, they're small, so who's counting?

Do use really good baking chocolate for these; you won't regret it. These are always among the last cookies I bake for the holidays, since the confectioners sugar coating means you can't freeze them afterward.

Ingredients

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole milk

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 
2. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring. Set aside, and let cool. 
3. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
4. Mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. 
5. Mix in eggs and vanilla, and then the melted chocolate. 
6. Reduce speed to low; mix in flour mixture in 2 batches, alternating with the milk. 
7. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours.
8. Divide each piece into 16 (1-inch) balls. Roll in granulated sugar to coat, then in confectioners' sugar to coat. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
9. Bake until surfaces crack, about 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers up to 3 days.

New England Molasses Gingerbread Cookies

Another standard member of my repertoire ever since it was published, lo these many years ago. These are, quite frankly, amazing, and the recipe is large. I usually only make one batch of these every holiday season, and dole out a few in every box of cookies I give away.

They freeze very well, although be careful of the shapes you choose if you're planning to do that -- I love making these in snowflake shapes, but they tend to lose a point or two. 

Here is a link to the source.

Cookie Ingredients

6 cups (about) all purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
3/4 teaspoon salt
11 tablespoons (1 stick plus 3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup mild-flavored (light) molasses
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons water
1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing Ingredients

3 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
Water
Food coloring (optional)
Decorations (such as colored sugar crystals)

Instructions
These are the original instructions, to which I have only added numbers for readability. Personally, I do not fuss around with waxed paper, nor do I have the fridge space to tuck sheets of cookies away while they await their turn in the oven. My cookies have never seemed to suffer for this shoddy treatment.

1. Combine 5 1/4 cups flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt in medium bowl; whisk to blend well. 
2. Using electric mixer, beat butter and shortening in large bowl to blend. 
3. Add 1 cup sugar, molasses, and lemon peel and beat until smooth. 
4. Beat in egg and buttermilk. 
5. Stir 2 teaspoons water and baking soda in small cup to blend; beat into butter mixture. 
6. Beat in flour mixture in 2 additions. Stir in more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until slightly firm dough forms. 
7. Divide dough into 3 equal parts. Shape each into disk. Wrap disks and chill until firm enough to roll, at least 2 hours. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep refrigerated. Soften slightly before rolling out.)
8. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out dough between sheets of waxed paper to 16x12-inch rectangle, occasionally lifting paper to smooth out wrinkles. Using 4- to 5-inch cutters, cut out boy and girl gingerbread people. Pull away excess dough around cutouts; flatten, wrap, and chill excess dough. Slide rimless baking sheet or inverted baking sheet under waxed paper with cutouts and chill until firm. Repeat with remaining dough disks, refrigerating cutouts on waxed paper on baking sheets. Roll out excess dough and make more cookies, using all of dough. (Cutout cookies can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; keep chilled.)
9. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 350°F. Using thin metal spatula, lift chilled cookies off waxed paper and transfer to baking sheet, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake until darker at edges and just firm to touch in center, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely. Bake remaining cookies, 1 sheet at a time.

For icing:

1. Sift powdered sugar into medium bowl. 
2. Mix in lemon juice and corn syrup. Mix in enough water by teaspoonfuls to form smooth icing soft enough to pipe but firm enough to hold shape. Divide into 3 or 4 portions and tint with food coloring, if desired.
3. Spoon icing into pastry bag (or bags if using more than 1 color) fitted with small (1/16- to 1/8-inch) plain tip. Arrange cookies on work surface. Pipe icing onto cookies in desired patterns. Apply decorations as desired. Let cookies stand until icing is dry. (Can be made 3 days ahead. Store cookies airtight between sheets of waxed paper at room temperature.)

Lemon Poppy Seed Cookies

This is the other recipe I make from Mrs. Fields. Lemon and poppy seeds are one of my favorite flavor categories for baking. These cookies are light, not too sweet, excellent with a cup of tea, and add visual interest to any baked goods platter. (Yes, I sometimes get fancy enough to think about that kind of thing. Sometimes.)

Ingredients
2 c AP flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1 tsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
3/4 c salted butter, room temperature
1 c granulated sugar
2 large egg yolks
1 whole egg
1 1/2 tsp lemon extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients (flour through poppy seeds). Mix well with a wire whisk. 
3. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the bowl. Make sure to really thoroughly mix the butter in; pockets of butter in this dough will be obvious in the finished cookie. 
4. Add the egg yolks, egg, and lemon extract. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy. 
5. Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed until just combined. 
6. Drop rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheets, leaving about two inches between them. You can round them by hand if you want them to look more regular. 
7. Bake 23-25 minutes, until slightly brown along the edges. Immediately transfer cookies to a rack to cool. 

Mrs. Fields Sugar Cookies

Are mail-order book clubs still a thing? I belonged to several back in the 90s. You would get five books for $5, and have to buy a book every so often after that. Also they would send you catalogs forever. For a kid living in small towns and cities where there was no decent bookstore, this didn't seem like a bad deal, and even after I moved to Boston, those initial offers successfully tempted me.

One of the books I got this way was the Mrs. Fields Cookies Book: 100 Recipes from the Kitchen of Mrs. Fields. Come to think of it, are Mrs. Fields cookies still a thing? I have used this book so much that the pages are falling out, and I know this particular recipe by heart. I often double it, and every year during the holidays end up making six batches of these easy cookies. These days that means decorating them with the kids.

Note that this calls for salted butter, unlike most baking recipes. 

Ingredients
2 c AP flour
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 salted butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Mix the dry ingredients and set aside. 
2. Cream the butter and the sugar together. 
3. Add the egg and vanilla and mix thoroughly. 
4. At low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined. 
5. Gather the dough, flatten into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour until firm (you can keep it like this for a couple of days, but it may need to sit out for a bit to soften before rolling). 
6. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes and transfer to a baking sheet. 
8. Bake for 13-15 minutes (don't let them brown - I start checking at 11 min). Let them cool on the sheet for a couple of minutes (otherwise they'll break when moved), then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 

I use a simple icing of milk and confectioners sugar to decorate these, but you can get all fancy if you like. 

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

Hello! I've been neglecting this space lately, but since it's the holidays and I always make this recipe, I thought it would be nice to post here. Unfortunately I don't remember where it came from -- Bon Appetit, probably, it's from a time in my life when I used that a lot.

Sweet and Spicy Nuts

1 C sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 large egg white
6 C unsalted nuts - walnuts, pecans, natural almonds, cashews

1. Preheat to 325. Grease 2 jelly roll pans,
2. In small bowl, stir first 5 ingredients together. In large bowl, with wire whisk, beat egg white until foamy. Stir nuts into egg white. Add sugar mixture; toss until nuts are thoroughly coated.
3. Divide nuts between jelly roll pans, spreading evenly. Bake 25-27 minutes or until golden brown and dry, stirring twice. (Check on them, you may need to rotate pans, one of mine gets done quicker than the other). Transfer nuts to wax paper to cool.
4. Store tightly covered at room temperature up to one month.

Spicy Fish Stew

This is an ancient recipe in my personal repertoire - it came from Cooking Light at least fifteen years ago. I have no idea where my physical copy of the recipe is, and had to hunt for it online using what I remembered from the ingredient list. It is just as good as I remembered it!

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups red potato, halved (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 1/2 cups chopped seeded peeled tomato
1 1/2 cups clam juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 pounds cod or other lean white fish fillets, cut into 3- x 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. 
2. Add onion, bell pepper, crushed red pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. 
3. Add potato and next 7 ingredients (potato through bay leaf); bring to a boil. 
4. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. 
5. Stir in cod and sherry; cook an additional 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Stir in parsley.

Cinnamon Puffs

King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion

Muffin pan

Ingredients

3 c (12 3/4 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 c (7 oz) sugar

2 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

3/4 tsp salt

2 large eggs

1 1/4 c milk

5 1/3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Topping:

1/4 c sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F.

1.  In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.

2. In another bowl, beat the eggs slightly, then add the milk and melted butter.

3. Add the wet mixture to the well in the dry mixture. Stir just until moistened.

4. Line or lightly grease 12 muffin cups. Fill about three-quarters full.

5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until muffins are golden and springy when touched.

6. While the muffins are baking, combine the sugar and cinnamon topping in a small, shallow bowl. When the muffins come out of the oven, let them cool just until you can pick them up. Dip the tops in the melted butter, then into the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Perfect All-American Chocolate Butter Cake + Ultimate Chocolate Frosting

This has been my go-to birthday cake for years.

Rose Levy Berenbaum, The Cake Bible

2 9” cake pans

Ingredients

1/2 c + 3 Tbsp unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa (I order this from Penzeys, as it seems to difficult to track down at most grocery stores)

1 c boiling water

3 large eggs, room temp

2 1/4 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 c + 2 Tbsp sifted cake flour

1 1/2 c sugar

1 Tbsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

1 c unsalted butter, softened

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare 2 9-inch cake pans: greased, bottoms lined with parchment or wax paper, then greased again and floured.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together cocoa and boiling water until smooth. Cool to room temp.
3. In another bowl, lightly combine the eggs, 1/4 of the cooled cocoa mixture, and vanilla.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend.
5. Add the butter and the remaining cocoa mixture. Mix on low speed until dry ingredients are moistened.
6. Increase to medium speed (high if hand mixer) and beat for 1 1/2 minutes. Scrape down the sides.
7. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition. Scrape down the sides.
8. Scrape batter into prepared pans and smooth. Bake 25-35 minutes or until a tester inserted near the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when touched lightly in the center. Should start to shrink from the sides only after removing from the oven. 
9. Let the cakes cool in the pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides and invert onto greased metal racks. To prevent splitting, reinvert and cool completely.

Ultimate Chocolate Frosting

Martha Stewart

Ingredients

3 ½ c confectioners’ sugar

12 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup cocoa powder

½ c milk, room temperature

1. In a small bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder.
2. Add butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth and free of lumps.

Makes about 3 cups.