Scottish Shortbread

I finally made some shortbread. It is so yummy and buttery. Even now, when I am not eating it, my mouth absolutely waters at just the thought of its yummy goodness. You can double the recipe if you'd like. There is no doubt that its a hit!

Scottish Shortbread

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

2 blocks butter at room temperature

1 cup superfine sugar (process granulated sugar in a food processor/coffee grinder)

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Use a 9-inch round cake pan. (Optional: line the pan with a parchment paper circle) Sift the flour and salt together into a bowl, and whisk. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar. Use your hands to gently mix the flour into the butter mixture until pea sized clumps. (As close as you can get is fine.) Do not overwork, this makes a lighter flaker shortbread. Pour the mixture into the pan and gently press down. Use your fingers and gently press along the edges. Then take a fork and poke holes all over the pan. Bake for about 1 hour. Until golden. Leave in the pan to cool completely. You can either cut into the desired shapes in the pan or invert onto a plate and then cut it.
(Next up Madeleine Cookies)

Caramel-Pecan Bars

I made these bars for the first time (for Thanksgiving), and it really took way too much effort to make them. There were too many steps, even for me. And sadly I won't be posting the recipe, not because of my disappointment, but because I seriously lost the recipe. I know, very sad. I made them at my parents house, an i'm pretty sure the paper got thrown away, otherwise I would have shared it. But, here are a few pictures for you to check out my results.

Pumpkin Pie

This pumpkin pie can best be described in one word, "Awesome!" And its so easy to make. I love easy and delicious things. Yummy!

Pumpkin Pie (my Grammy's recipe)

2 unbaked pie shells (store bought or homemade)
3 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (2-15 oz. cans)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
2 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 pie pans with the pie shells and crimp/flute the edges. Whisk together all the ingredients and divide evenly between the 2 pie pans. Bake about 5 minutes, cover the crust and bake 10 more minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for an additional 45 minutes, until tested done. Cool the pies on a wire rack. Cover with saran wrap and refrigerate when the pie completely cool. Cut each pie into 8 slices and serve with whipped cream.

I attempted to bake the pie for the initial 15 minutes without covering the crust, it almost burnt. Yikes. But it worked out and tasted delicious in spite of that.

Two Days To Go

Ok, so I almost didn't get a turkey (uh-oh). I am feeding 10 people and I waited too long to get groceries. I went to Wal-mart (aka the "Evil Store") and they were out of whole Turkeys. So, I had to stop at Hy-Vee and lucky lucky lucky me, they had what I needed. I'm thinking 16 lb. will be pleanty, especially enough for midnight turkey sandwiches. I don't know about other family traditions, but we absolutely have to have enough excess to make turkey&mayo sandwiches for a late-night snack. Oh so yummy...i'm salivating already. I've decided on the two desserts, pumpkin pie and caramel pecan bars. I am hoping for yummy goodness. TBD
For some reason I can not get the idea of shortbread out of my head, all Thanksgiving turkey-ness aside. I've been looking for the perfect recipe, if there is such a thing, and can not seem to find one that i'm happy with. It just sounds so good. Maybe you'll see something of that in the future. And of course I am starting to think about Christmas. Late Thursday night and into Friday morning, Kelsey and I plan on going shopping. There are actually some malls that are opening at 12:01am on Friday morning and we are so going to be there. Crazy you say. Well...I can't deny it. I'm not even sure if I have the ability to stay up all night anymore, but who knows. It will definitely be fun to try.

Apple Praline Bread revisited

I decided to make this dessert to go along with the pecan pie for this past weekend. It was just as good as the first time, if not better. Kelsey was over visiting the night I made it, and we were both eating the excess praline topping. So yummy! Next challenge, Thanksgiving dinner and all the trimmings, and of course great desserts!!!

Pecan Pie

I went to my Grammy's house this past weekend. We had a big gathering of the family on my mother's side. It was loud and crazy. And we had a lot of food. Every year for the past several, I or a member of my immediate family has tried to make a pecan pie to take for Thanksgiving. And every year, there is something wrong with it, whether its way too runny, the crust disintegrates, or my mother put some of the crust ingredients into the pie filling. That was a good one. But, I would have to say, this year is the winner. I am keeping this recipe around and I hope you enjoy. It turned out perfectly.

Pecan Pie

1 Pie Crust (you can make your own as I did, or use store bought)
1 cup pecan halves
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
3 jumbo eggs, at room temperature (trick: put the eggs in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 10 minutes)
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough and place in a 10-inch deep dish pie plate. Trim the edges if you would like, and flute the edges. Place the pecans in the bottom and set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat the syrup, sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla on high for 30 seconds. Pour the mixture over the pecans. Bake on the bottom rack of the oven for 50-60 minutes. If it looks like your crust is starting to brown too much, cover the pie with a domed piece of foil and bake until the pie is set. Which basically means, either a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, or lightly touch the top and it should spring back. Cool the pie on a wire rack overnight. Chill the pie until ready to serve.

source: Jim Romero's Southern Pecan Pie, from "Taste of the South" magazine

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been trying to get a chocolate chip cookie that is not totally flat, or truly cake-like. This version is definitely getting there. 

Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup + 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chocolate chips (any flavor)
1 cup hershey's bars, chopped into 1/4-inch chunks
1 cup Ghirardelli 72% cacao chocolate, chopped into 1/4-inch chunks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla and then eggs one at a time, beating well after each. In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, and salt. Gradually add to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in the chocolate chunks, this is the hardest part, the dough will be stiff. It is best to use baking sheets that have no sides. The cookies will bake more evenly. Use a tablespoon sized scoop and scoop dough onto cookie sheets about 2-inches apart. Lightly press down on the cookies, using your finger. Bake for 12-14 minutes, or until the outside edges are lightly browned. Let the cookies sit on the cookies sheets for 2 minutes and remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Wax paper
3 - large paper plates

To help the cookies retain their shape better: refrigerate the dough before baking.
A great way to share with friends: Separate the dough into 3 sections. Lay a piece of wax paper on a cutting board. Place one-third of dough onto wax paper, and use a second sheet to press down on top of the dough. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out into about a 7-inch square, lightly wrap the edges of the paper over the dough to cover it completely. Chill the dough for about an hour.  Once the dough is cool and has had a chance to stiffen up, remove the top layer of paper. Use a sharp knife and cut the dough into 5x5's=25 pieces per third of dough. Take a paper plate, flip it upside down onto the top of the dough, carefully hold onto the bottom of the cutting board, while holding down the plate on the dough and flip it over so that the plate is on the bottom. Take a second paper plate, also upside down, and put this onto top of the dough. Holding onto the top and bottom plate, flip it over again, and then wrap the plate with plastic wrap. Now you are ready to share. Give to a friend with these instructions: bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.