Coconut Macaroons

Yesterday, Justin and I had a mavelous afternoon in Downtown Delray, eating cheesesteaks from Big Al's and wandering the streets of Pineapple Grove. On the drive home, Justin noticed a coconut laying in the road by our development, and naturally, got out to examine the fallen specimen. Alas, it was rotten, but it made me think of my favorite cookies: The Coconut Macaroon.

As if the road obstuction wasnt enough, I flipped open the latest issue of Bon Appetit, and "BAM", an article about coconut chips for baking instead of shredded coconut. Well, needless to say, we went to the grocery store to secure the ingredients for these delcious morsels. And! What luck! I found coconut chips! The glory of living in south Florida.

Coconut chips are, according to Bon Appetit Magazine, harder to find than shredded coconut. I found mine with all of the dehyrated pineapple tidbits and bagged mixed nuts by the produce section. But, if your grocery store doesnt have them, a health food store should.

The first time I made these I thought "this is too easy to be true!". And this time, when I whipped them up for dessert, Justin thought the same. Tell me what you think about this four ingredient recipe.

P.S. If you dont mind a fifth ingreident, feel free to add chocolate chips!

 

Coconut Macaroons

Yield: 2 dozen

4 oz Coconut Chips

3 oz Shredded Coconut

14 oz Sweetened Condensed Milk

3 Tbsp All Purpose Flour

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine all of the ingreients with a spoon until the milk and flour completely coat the coconut.

3. On a greased sheet tray, place rounded tablespoons of the coconut mixture about 1 inch apart.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes; until the edges and bottom are golden brown. The center will look slightly moist.

5. Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes.

 

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Measure Up!

You know how they say "good things come to those who wait"? Well, I have been patiently waiting for weeks since recieving an email from the nice people at OXO Kitchen Appliances for my very own set of Mini Measuring Beakers.

What happened was, one day I was leisurely surfing Facebook, when I came across the OXO page. They were doing a survey about storing spices, and what better to do when bored then fill out a survey? A week later, I received an email from them saying they wanted to "thank me for my time" with a complimentary set of Mini Measuring Beakers. Awesome!

And now they are here! They are so cute, and definitely handy for measuring small quantities of ingredients since they sit nicely on the counter. There will be no more fumbling with the measuring spoons and the bottle of vanilla! Don't lie, we have all been there, and spilled it all over the counter.

Aside from being super adorable they have other amazing qualities as well like being dishwasher safe, BPA free and they all nest together for easy storage.

Overall I love them and I think you would, too. Next time you're measuring a teaspoon of lemon juice, you will thank me.

 

*OXO did not pay or endorse this post. All opinions are my own, without compensation.

 

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Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Ice Cream

It is February, the month of paper valentines, chocolate kisses, and long stem roses. In honor of "The Love Month", Justin and I made this post together. We did it all: went shopping, cut the strawberries, tempered the eggs, churned the ice cream, added the swirl, together. All in honor of "The Love Month".

In my mind, nothing says "I love you" on Valentine's Day quite like a big box of chocolate covered strawberries. It is such a simple combination that makes everyone come back for one more bite; the crunchy chocolate shell, the soft stawberry that is half sweet half sour...they are the perfect compliments to each other.

These little gems were of course on my mind when I was thinking of the perfect Valentine's Day recipe to share with all of you, and, just in case you couldn't guess, so was ice cream. Here is the result of all the things Justin and I love. I hope you enjoy this as much as we did.

 

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Ice Cream

Yeild: 1 1/2 quarts

For the Puree:

1 pound Strawberries, tops removed

1/2 cup Sugar

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

For the Custard:

2 cups Heavy Cream

1 cup Milk

3/4 cup Sugar, divided in half

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp Salt

For the Chocolate Ganache:

6 oz Semi-Sweet Chocolate

6 fl oz Heavy Cream

Directions:

1. In a small pot, combine the cream, milk, vanilla, salt and 1/2 of the sugar. Bring to a light boil. While this is heating, fill a large bowl with ice and water.

2. In a heat safe bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the other half of the sugar.

3. Slowly stream in 1/3 of the boiling cream mixture to the egg mixture, while whisking constantly.

4. Now do the reverse. Pour the, now warm, egg mixture back into the pot with the cream. Again, whisk constantly until both of the mixtures are combined together.

5. Switch to a wooden spoon and stir the custard continually until the mix coats the back of a spoon and a line can be drawn through it, or 160 degrees on a thermometer.

6. Immediately pour the custard through a strainer, into a clean bowl, set inside the earlier prepared ice bath. Stir occasionally until cool.

7. In a blender, combine the strawberries, sugar and lemon. Puree until smooth. Strain to remove seeds.

8. Once the custard is cool, stir in the strawberry purée.

9. Refridgerate at least 8 hours.

10. While the mix is chilling, bring the remaining cream to a boil.

11. Pour over the chocolate. Wait 10 minutes and then stir to make a creamy ganach. Place in a ziplck bag and refridgerate.

12. Churn the ice cream base according to manufacturer's directions.

13. While packing the soft ice cream, alternate layers of strawberry cream and layers of ganache swirls.

14. Freeze until firm, about 6 hours. Scoop and fall in love.

 

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Breakfast of Champions: Sausage Gravy

It is a warm 71 degrees here in South Florida making the whole "winter blues" thing very easy to deal with. The only downside of winter under the palms is that it is very hard to enjoy comfort food. I mean who really wants a heaping bowl of chili covered in melting yellow cheddar, crispy tortilla strips, and cool sour cream in the middle of a New England Summer? Not that many people, besides me, but I like to think I am the exception.

Regardless, I still make comfort food for Justin and I. Every now and again, usually when I have a day off or I go in to work late, I will make us a small batch of sausage gravy. Every time I whip up a bit of this super simple breakfast I think of two things: my mom ALWAYS mixing the milk and the flour together in drinking glass and waking up to the smell of it flooding the vacation house in Deep Creek Lake.

The best part of sausage gravy is how easy and versitile it is. Take out the sausage and add ham for a delicious alternative. Exchange the protien for spinach, corn, chard, etc. for creamed veggies. Leave out all of the add ins and pour that sawmill gravy over a pan fried pork cutlet and I am sure no one will complain.

 

Sausage Gravy

Yield: Enough to feed 4 hungry campers

1 pound Ground Sausage

1/2 Tbsp Butter

1 1/2 tsp Ground Thyme

4 oz All Purpose Flour

16 oz Milk, divided into 12oz and 4oz

Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper

Biscuits, Toast, Bagels, Something delicious to serve it over!

Directions:

1. In a medium sized pot, heat the butter over medium heat.

2. Once melted, add the sausage, salt, pepper, and thyme. Break the sausage up with a wooden spoon into small pieces.

3. While the sausage is browning, mix 12oz of the milk with the flour. This is the part that my mom does in a drinkng glass with a fork, so I recommend you do the same.

4. Once the sausage is completely cooked, add the milk mixture.

5. Stirring occsionally, bring the mix to a boil for about three minutes. By the end of the three minutes the gravy should look rich and luscious. Here is where the extra milk comes in: in case it starts to clump together or look a little too much like paste, add it and stir.

6. Serve over your favorite breakfast bread with plenty of fresh cracked black pepper and a cup of coffee.

 

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A Taste of Home: Berger Cookies

Every region has something unique, an item that only the locals know about. In central Maryland that secret, aside from Old Bay, is Berger Cookies. I remember going to The Farm Store as a little girl with my grandparents and getting a fountain soda and a pack of these delicious cookies coated in a thick layer of ganache. And although their recipe is a secret, I think I have concocted something pretty darn close to the original.

Without further ado:

 

Berger Cookies

Yield: 16 cookies

Ganache

3/4 pound Milk Chocolate

1/4 pound Dark Chocolate

1/2 pound Butter

1 cup Heavy Cream




Cookies

1/2 pound Butter, softened

4 oz Granulated Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

10oz All Purpose Flour

For the Ganache:

• In a small sauce pot combine the butter and the cream over low heat.
• Cut up the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heat safe bowl.

• Once the cream and butter boil, pour over the chopped chocolate. Do not stir the mixture for 7 minutes.
• After the 7 minutes has passed, stir the chocolate and cream mixture, with a spatula, until silky and smooth.

• Pour into a shallow baking dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Do not stir during this process, it will make the chocolate lose its shine a smooth texture.

For the Cookies

• Cream the sugar and the butter together.

• Once light and fluffy, add the egg and vanilla.
• Slowly stir in the flour until the dough comes together in a ball.
• On a greased cookie sheet, place rounded tablespoons of the dough.
• Press the centers of the balls down, creating a button shape.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 11 minutes or until slightly brown. These cookies are very light in color, naturally.
• Once baked, allow to cool on the cookie sheet until room temperature.

Assembly

• Flip the cookies upside down.

• With an offset spatula or a spoon, spread the ganache on the under side.

• Refrigerate for another hour before serving.
• Enjoy!

 

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Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Christmas is quickly approaching and just in case you didn't know what that means, let me remind you: COOKIES!

To kick of this sugar coated holiday, I thought what better cookie to make than these peanut butter kiss cookies. Justin and I both have childhood memories of this super delicious, super simple cookie, so making it was like bringing a piece of home to Florida.

Lets get to the recipe!

Peanut Butter Kiss Cooies

Yield: 3 dozen cookies

1/2 cup Butter, softened

1/2 cup Peanut Butter, room temperature

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1 cup Granulated Sugar, divided

1 Egg

1 3/4 cup All Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 Tbsp Milk

36 Hershey Kisses, unwrapped

 

• Whip the butter and the peanut butter together until smooth.
• Add the 1/2 of the granulated sugar and all of the brown sugar. Whip until fluffy and light.
• Add in the egg, the vanilla, and baking soda.
• Once combined, slowly fold in the flour by hand.
• Scoop the dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the remaining sugar.

• Place onto an ungreased cookie sheet and make a small dent in the center of each ball.

• Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and press kisses into the center of each cookie. Return to the oven for 2 minutes.

• Allow to cool completely before enjoying!

 

 

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Shiitake and Goat Cheese Flatbread

Big things have been happening around here: Christmas is coming, Nash is finally potty trained, Justin bought me this amazing new iPad, and I moved from The Bistro to The Atlantic Bar and Grill at work. What has any of this news to do with this amazing recipe? There are flatbreads on the menu at The Atlantic Bar and Grill! And of course it is what inspired me to make this for lunch today.

My flatbread has shiitake mushrooms, caramelized onions, goat cheese, tomatoes, and wild arugula (aka rocket). But of course you can put whatever your heart desires on your flatbread. And, in case you couldn't think of a spectacular hors d'oeuvre for your family Christmas party, go ahead and whip up a couple of these, cut them into two bite pieces and voila! You are a holiday hero.


Flatbread with Vegetables and Goat Cheese
Yield: 1 flatbread

1 Naan Flatbread, found in the deli aisle near the pita
1 oz Goat Cheese, softened
1 small Bunch of Arugula
1/2 Roma Tomato, diced
1/4 White Onion, julienned
5 Shiitake Mushrooms, caps only, julienned
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

 

1. In a heavy bottomed pan, heat one half of the oil. Once very hot, almost smoking, add the julienned shiitakes. Allow to cook until browned and crispy, about 5 minutes.

2. Remove the mushrooms and wipe out the pan.

3. Heat the remaining oil in the pan. Once hot, add the onions.

4. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until golden and soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the pan.

5. On the Naan, spread the goat cheese in a thin layer.

6. Top with the Arugula.

 

7. Next, layer on the onions, followed by the mushrooms and then the tomatoes.

8. Place in a 350 degree oven and bake until the cheese is melted and the naan is warm.

 

9. Cut into pieces and enjoy!

 

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Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

Although October is long gone, I am still on a crazy pumpkin kick. Justin loves pumpkin pie, and I love...anything sweet, so after some research I whipped up this little gem of a recipe: Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies.

They came out way better than I anticipated and stay moist and delicious until you can manage to eat them all! Anytime you add pumpkin to a dish it just stays miraculously moist without adding all of the fat from oil (which would give you the same result). Give it a go! I am sure no one at your house will be complaining.

Oh and these are super easy because, well I cheated and used boxed brownie mix :)

Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies
Yield: 1ea 9"x13" Pan
 
1 box of brownie mix
All of the ingredients listed on the box
6 oz Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Pumpkin Puree
2 Tbsp Flour
1 Egg
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp Vanilla
1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice

• Whip up the brownies according to the directions on the box. 
• Pour into a 9"x13", greased baking pan. 
• In a new bowl, beat together the remaining ingredients. 
• Drizzle over the unbaked brownie batter. With a spoon, swirl the two flavors together. 
• Bake according to box direction. 
• Allow to cool completely, then cut and enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer

After making those delicious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, I had just enough pumpkin puree left over to make--well, absolutely nothing. Seeing as I can't fathom the idea of throwing it away, I whipped up this little gem of a recipe to use it up. Justin really seems to love it, so I am sure you will, too.


Pumpkin Pie Coffee Creamer
Yield: about 1 quart

1 pint Half and Half
7 oz (half a can) Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/4 cup Pumpkin Puree
1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (Check out my recipe for it here!)
1/4 tsp Salt

• Combine everything in a pot over medium heat. Whisk continuously. 
• Bring to a boil and remove from heat. 
• Strain through a fine mesh strainer, cool and store in an air tight container in the fridge.
• Shake well before each use and impress your family.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I remember the first time I ever had Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. I was in high school, taking my culinary tech class, when Chef handed out this recipe for chocolate chip cookies. At first glance I was disgusted. "Why would you make cookies healthy?" I thought.

Who am I kidding? I now know that simply adding a fruit to something does not make it automatically healthy...it makes it delicious!

So here is an amazing recipe for some amazing cookies. Oh and the best part is that they stay super soft for a long time.


Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Yield: 5 Dozen 

1 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Brown Sugar
8 oz Butter, softened
2 Eggs
1 cup Pumpkin
3 cups All Purpose Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp Vanilla
2 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice (check out my recipe for it here)
1 tsp Salt
2 cups Milk Chocolate Chips

• Cream together the sugars and the butter. 
• Once light and fluffy add the eggs, vanilla and pumpkin. 
• Gradually fold in the flour, salt and baking powder. Reserve a 1/4 cup of the flour. 

• Toss the chocolate chips in the reserved flour and then fold the dusted chips into the batter. 
• Spoon rounded tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for about 12 minutes. 

 

• Allow to cool and store in an air tight container.

Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Fall is in the air, even here in South Florida. So you know what that means--bring on the pumpkin! I am willing to bet that most of your beloved pumpkin infused recipes call for some variation of pumpkin pie spice. So why buy something you will only use once a year when you can make your own?

 Here is my recipe for pumpkin pie spice. It makes about 1/4 cup so use some now and save the rest for later.


Pumpkin Pie Spice
7 tsp Cinnamon
2 tsp Nutmeg, fresh grated
2 tsp Allspice, fresh ground
2 tsp Cloves, fresh ground

Simply grind all of the spices together in your spice grinder and voila! Pumpkin Pie Spice. Store it in an air tight container and you are all set for Fall.  

Fall is in the Air

Fall is rapidly approaching and I am so excited for Fall inspired candles, Fall holidays and most importantly, cooler weather!

During Hurricane Issac, it kind of felt like Fall- darker sky, wind, cooler weather. So I hunkered down with Justin, burned an apple pie scented candle and made Chicken Pot Pie.

The first time I made this recipe it was the day after Thanksgiving in Deep Creek Lake with my family. We had so much left-over turkey no one knew what to do with it, so Gammy made the biscuits and I made the filling and the result was delicious. This recipe is made with chicken instead of turkey (because I was using the leftovers) and Pillsbury Biscuits (because I already had them), but you can use whatever meat and biscuit combination you would like.

As for the veggies. Choose whichever ones you like. Most grocery stores carry frozen mixed vegetables which work great for this but, If you want to use fresh, make sure to sweat/blanch them before mixing them into the filling. 

Chicken Pot Pie

Yield: 4 (generous) servings

32 fl oz Chicken Stock
1 1/2 cup All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp Rosemary
1 Tbsp Thyme
1 cup Mixed Veg
3 cups Chicken, cooked, shredded
8 Biscuits

• In a  pot, whisk together the flour and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring periodically.
• Simmer for 7 minutes.
• Add the chicken and the vegetables.
• Pour into an ungreased 9x9 baking dish.
• Top with the biscuits.

• Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until the top of the biscuits are golden brown.
• Cover the top with foil and bake for another 4 minutes.
• Allow to cool for 5 minutes before digging in. 
• Enjoy!