Egg Salad

Egg salad reminds me of the lunches I brought to grammar school on Fridays during Lent, and I tend to remember them as mushy and bland. But when I was staring into my rather empty refrigerator on a snowy day, I decided that was the best option for lunch. I used yogurt instead of mayonnaise to save calories, and served the egg salad on toast so the sandwich would have more texture. I think I’ll be eating these more often in the future!

4 eggs, hard boiled and sliced
1 T mustard
2 T fat free Greek style yogurt
Salt & Pepper

Makes enough egg salad for 2 sandwiches.

There are a lot of theories out there on how to make the perfect hard boiled eggs. My method is to place the eggs in cold water, and cook on the stove top until the water comes to a boil. Allow the eggs to boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, cover for 10 minutes, and rinse with cold water.

Peel and slice the eggs, and mash slightly with a fork. Add in mustard and yogurt, and salt and pepper to taste.

Peppermint Bark

This was my personal favorite from this year’s cookie swap. The bark was so festive, and who can resist the combination of chocolate and mint? Thanks for sharing the recipe Catherine!

1 bag white chocolate chips (approx. 12 oz.)
1 bag of milk or dark chocolate chips
8 candy canes
peppermint extract (optional)

1) Line cookie sheet with wax paper.
2) Unwrap candy canes, place in zip-top bag and crush.
3) Melt milk chocolate in double-boiler or microwave.
4) If desired, mix 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract into melted milk chocolate.
5) Spread milk chocolate evenly over entire cookie sheet.
6) Place cookie sheet in refrigerator for approx. 15-20 minutes. Check to see if chocolate has set before proceeding to step 7.
7) Melt white chocolate.
8) Mix 1/2 of the crushed candy cane into the white chocolate.
9) Spread melted white chocolate over the hardened milk chocolate.
10) Sprinkle remaining crushed candy canes on white chocolate.
11) Place cookie sheet in freezer for at least 30 minutes. When chocolate has hardened, break up peppermint bark.

If you melt the chocolate in the microwave, go low and slow so it doesn’t seize or scorch. White chocolate is particularly fussy. It’s always good to have an extra bag on hand, just in case. I usually start heating for 1 minute at 50% power and then heat at 30 second intervals until it’s sufficiently melted.

Almond Heath Bar Cookies

Susan and Caprice teamed up to make these cookies for this year’s swap. They look somewhat similar to Phil’s Chocolate Chunk Cookies, but they definitely had a different taste with the Heath Bar pieces and almonds, and I liked them a lot. Susan and I talked about how messy it can be to drizzle chocolate on cookies; it seems as if the chocolate ends up everywhere! But apparently Caprice has the magic touch and can do this without making a mess. Now that’s another secret we need to know.

2 1/2 c. flour

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 c. butter, softened

3/4 c. sugar

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. almond extract

2 eggs

2 c. Heath bar pieces

slivered almonds

chocolate chips

Beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and almond extract in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, and beat well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir in Heath bar pieces.

Roll dough into balls the size of a ping pong ball, then roll in almond slivers to coat. You will need to press slivers on. Bake at 375F for 11-13 minutes or until done. Cool cookies on rack.

When cookies are cool, melt about 1/2 c. chocolate chips over double boiler, and drizzle chocolate onto cookies.

Italian Toto Cookies

My sister Kelly made these Italian Toto cookies for this year’s swap. She worked very hard to get this recipe just right, making test batches for her husband and family. If you are a fan of this type of cookie, definitely give this recipe a try.

4 c. sifted flour
2 t cloves
2 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
4 heaping T cocoa
2 t cinnamon
2 T baking powder
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. chopped walnuts
1 t vanilla
1/2 c. shortening, melted and cooled
1 c. raisins
1 c. warm coffee
2 bars Hershey’s Milk Chocolate, chopped
3/4 c. applesauce

Sift together flour, cocoa, spices, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Mix together the shortening and sugar. Stir in vanilla, warm coffee, and applesauce. Gradually add the shortening/coffee mixture to the flour mixture until blended well. Add nuts, raisins, and chocolate, and mix well. Roll dough into 1″ balls. Bake at 350F for 9 minutes only. When cookies are cool, drizzle with mixture of 1 c. powdered sugar, 1 t cocoa, and 2 T water.

Makes 6 dozen.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies (Phil shares his secret!)

I asked Phil to share the secret behind his prize winning cookies, and he came through big time! There’s a lot of great info here and I will be referring back to this the next time I bake cookies. Thanks so much Phil!

I use the recipe/instructions on the Nestle Tollhouse bag:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar (I like to use dark brown sugar, it has molasses)
2 sticks butter (I cut the butter into half inch pieces, before adding them to the mixing bowl, to help the butter blend better)
2 eggs (large eggs)
1 tbsp vanilla
2 1/4 cups flour (I pack the flour into the measuring cups when scooping it out of the flour bag)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 bag of Nestle chocolate chunks (I use slightly less than the 11.5 oz bag)

I use a Kitchen Aid mixer and a medium size ice cream scoop to portion the cookie dough onto the cookie trays.

Bake for 5 minutes and then swap the baking sheets between oven racks and also rotate them a half turn. I’m not sure if the swapping/rotating really makes a difference but I have always just done that.

Bake for another 5 minutes (the Nestle bag says bake 9 to 11 minutes but I have found 10 to be good) then transfer to cooling rack for 20 minutes.

*Basically, the cookies are ready to come out of the oven when you can slide a spatula underneath a cookie and be able to move/transfer the cookie without it breaking apart or losing form but not so cooked that the bottom of the cookie has changed to a noticeably darker color. Some cookie tops may still have a slightly glossy look to them, about the circumference of a dime, but they will continue to cook while on the cooling rack for a while. If you wait to take the cookies out of the oven until they look ready to eat, the bottom of the cookies will be browner/over cooked by then (and they will continue to cook even while on the cooling rack).

Melt a few squares of Ghirardelli 60% chocolate with a double boiler on medium to medium-high heat. Using a fork, drizzle chocolate over the tops of cookies and then put the cookies in the fridge for 15-20 minutes.

Apple Cottage Cheese Salad

This is a quick and easy recipe, which can be eaten for a breakfast or snack. It is simple yet satisfying!

2 c. fat free cottage cheese
2 small apples, chopped
1/4 c. dried cranberries
2 T lime juice
2 T honey

In a bowl, combine cottage cheese, apples, and dried cranberries. Combine lime juice and honey; add to apple mixture. Chill.

-Adapted from Taste of Home

2008 Cookie Swap Winner: Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Yesterday was my 9th annual Christmas Cookie Swap, and I hope that everyone had as much fun as I did! All of the kids were especially cute. There were a lot of cookies with chocolate drizzle this year which looked beautiful. I nibbled at least a bite of each and every cookie, and they all tasted fabulous.

But only one cookie can win first prize……….(drum roll, please)………

Congratulations to Phil, an experienced baker but first time cookie swapper who won with Chocolate Chunk cookies. The recipe is an adaptation of the Nestle Tollhouse cookies, and Phil has promised to share his secret on my blog. (Hint: Ghiradelli)

Here is Phil with his prize, the Food and Mood Cookbook:

Second place went to long time cookie swapper Jaime who made Chocolate Peppermint cookies this year.

Her prize was a snowman candle holder. The cookie recipe and more photos, including her adorable baking assistant, are coming soon!

That’s all for now, but more photos and cookie recipes will be posted soon. Thanks to all of those who made this year’s swap a wonderful success.

Chocolate Marshmallow Cups

Today is Cookie Swap Sunday – tomorrow’s post will feature the winner! Today I will leave you with an easy old fashioned candy recipe.

3 c. mini marshmallows (192)
12 oz. package chocolate chips
1 c. crunchy peanut butter
1/2 c. butter

Place 4 marshmallows in each of 48 mini muffin cups. Combine remaining ingredients in a saucepan and cook over low heat until melted and mixture is smooth. Spoon over marshmallows. Cover and refrigerate until set.

Macadamia Cranberry Cookies

My friend Susan brought these cookies to the swap a few years ago, but I still remember how much I liked them!

2/3 c. macadamia nuts
1/2 c. sugar
1/2. c. packed brown sugar
1 t vanilla
1 egg
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/8 t nutmeg
1/2 dried, sweetened cranberries

Process nuts in food processor until smooth. Combine macadamia butter, sugar, and brown sugar in large bowl and beat at medium speed. Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Combine dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture. Beat at low speed until combined (mixture will be thick.) Stir in cranberries and chill 10 minutes.

Roll dough into 30 balls. Place 1 T sugar into a small bowl, and lightly press each ball into sugar and place on cookie sheet. Make criss-cross pattern with forks. Bake at 375F for 9 minutes.

Caramelized Onion Bean Spread

I wanted to use some of the dried beans in my cabinet to make a portable meal. This bean spread came out pretty well, although I did end up adding more vinegar because it was a little dry. I ate it in a pita pocket, but it would have been even better on a bed of fresh spinach.

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 t brown sugar
2 c. dried white beans, soaked and cooked
3 T balsamic vinegar
3 T Parmesan cheese

Heat olive oil in a pan, and add onion. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat, and then add brown sugar. Continue cooking for another 15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to caramelize. Mash the beans with a fork, and add to the pan. Add the balsamic vinegar and Parmesan cheese. Mix thoroughly and heat through, adding salt and pepper to taste.