Storm Trooper Sugar Cookies

Storm Trooper Sugar Cookies
cookie recipe from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking, cookie cutters from the Star Wars Cookie Cutter Set

Total Prep and Baking Time: 4 hours to chill + 45 minutes for prep/baking (does not include decorating time)
Yield: 18-20 2 1/2 inch cookies (I doubled this recipe and got about 45 cookies)

For the cookies:
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cups (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening
2/3 cup sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the royal icing:
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 large egg whites
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
black food coloring

1. First, make the sugar cookies. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Set aside. Beat together the butter, shortening, and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat until just combined. Add in the flour mixture and mix until just moistened. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours – this is important so that your dough is firm enough to cut into shapes. I let mine sit overnight.

2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line and/or grease two baking sheets. Dust a clean work surface with flour and unwrap the chilled dough, placing it on your work surface. Roll half of the dough to about 1/4 inch thick, and cut out the cookies into whatever shape you like (in my case, storm troopers). Transfer the cut-outs to the baking sheet and continue to roll the dough out and cut the cookies out until you have run out of dough.

3. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until set but not browned. They should just be ever so slightly golden on the very edges. Remove them from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets for at least 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to another surface to cool completely.

4. Now, make the royal icing. Whisk together the sugar, egg white, and lemon juice until it is completely smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. The mixture should have the texture of a glaze. If it’s too thin, add some more sugar. If it’s too thick, add a few more drops of lemon juice or water.

5. To make thick icing for outlining the cookies, place some of the icing in another bowl and add more confectioners’ sugar until thickened, but not too thick to pipe out through a squeeze bottle or a pastry bag. If you want to make the icing thinner for flooding the cookies after you have outlined them, place some of the icing in another bowl and add water or lemon juice until thin (it should be a bit thinner than you think it needs to be – believe me). Let the icing harden on the outline before flooding, and let the flooded icing harden before decorating. The cookies can be kept in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

(Source: crepesofwrath.net)

Red Velvet Crepes with Raspberry and Cream Cheese Filling

How can you resist spoiling your Valentine with this delicious recipe?? Chocolate, cream cheese, red velvet… need I say more??

Yield: 12 large or 16 small

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• pinch salt
• 3 Tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• dash of vanilla
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1½ Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
• red food color
• extra butter to cook with
• Raspberry Preserves
• Sweet Cream Cheese Filling
• Nutella (or chocolate)
Sweet Cream Cheese Filling
• 16 ounces cream cheese, softened
• ½ tsp lemon juice
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/ 2 cup ricotta
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 Tbsp strong coffee
• 1 tsp rum (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine 2 eggs + 1 egg yolk, milk, water, salt, sugar, vanilla food color, and melted butter in a blender and pulse until foamy.
2. Add flour and cocoa powder and pulse until smooth. Let the batter sit for an hour.
3. Prepare Cream Cheese Filling by mixing all filling ingredients with mixer until well combined and smooth, set aside.
4. After batter sits for one hour, heat a small non-stick pan. Add butter to coat. Pour 1 ounce of batter into the center of the pan and swirl to spread evenly. Cook until the top loses its gloss, which should only take a minute, then flip. The bottom should be golden. Cook the other side for about 15 seconds and then slide out onto a plate.
5. Repeat with remaining batter.
6. Prepare crepes by spreading a one inch wide strip of raspberry preserves down center of crepe, then top with cream cheese filling.
7. Fold each side of crepe over filling and plate.
8. Melt Nutella in microwave for about 30 seconds and drizzle over crepes.

(Source: tidymom.net)

Apple Spice Hummus

Apple Spice Hummus [yields ~3c]

• 15oz can [1.5c] chickpeas
• 1 1/3c unsweetened applesauce
• 1T sunflower oil
• 1T honey
• 1/4c raw cashew butter
• 1t molasses
• 2-2.5t cinnamon
• 1/2t salt
• 1/8-1/4t nutmeg
• 1/16t clove

1. Blend everything together in a food processor until smooth. [A mini food processor will work, but you may need to make it in 2-3 smaller batches.]
2. Taste + adjust spices if desired.

*Raw cashew butter [unsalted/unroasted] yields the best flavor, but other nut butters will work.  I recommend using them in their raw form, so the flavor is not too strong.  You can easily make raw cashew butter at home in your food processor.  Process 2c of cashews [for an 11c capacity processor], scraping the bowl when needed for about 8-12min, until cashews are buttery + smooth.  Add 1/2-2T oil if needed to smooth out.

*You can sub apple instead of applesauce if desired.  The texture will not be as smooth, but it’s still quite tasty.  You will need about 2c of chopped apples.

(Source: edibleperspective.com)

Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Sage Crostini

Everyone knows that I love to throw some fabulous dinner parties followed by a night of board games! I needed to come up with a few food ideas to fall in line with the fall season. This is the perfect blend of ingredients to match the crisp Autumn season. Perfect little finger foods for my party to enjoy!

Butternut Squash, Ricotta, and Sage Crostini
from Bon Appetit October 2011

Ingredients:
-1 (2 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2” inch cubes (approximately 4 cups)
-3 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
-1 1/2 tsp packed light brown sugar
-coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
-24 fresh sage leaves
-3/4 cup fresh ricotta
-1/2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
-12 3/8”-thick baguette slices, toasted
-fresh lemon juice

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F. Toss squash, 2 tbsp oil, and sugar in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and arrange in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast, tossing occasionally, for 25-30 minutes (squash should be golden and tender). Allow to cool on the baking sheet.
2. In a small skillet, heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil and add sage, cooking until edges begin to curl and turn dark green (1-2 minutes). Remove sage leaves with a slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.
3. Mix ricotta and lemon zest in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. (Steps 1-3 can be done 1 day ahead of time. Cover and chill squash. Store sage airtight at room temperature. Cover and chill ricotta. Bring squash to room temperature before serving).
4. Spread 1 tbsp ricotta on each baguette. Top each with a few squash cubes and drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and top with fried sage leaves.

(Source: thesweetslife.com)

Chocolate Cranberry Cake

Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it’s about time you start thinking about what to bring to the table. Instead of the usual traditional pies, why not bring a decadent chocolate cranberry cake? Such an impeccable pair of flavors in a rich and bold cake.

(Source: purevege.com)

fantasticedibles:

Tomato and Pesto Pizza

Breakfast Smoothie with Blueberries, Strawberries and Oats

La-la-love smoothies! I’ve been drinking a lot more smoothies for breakfast lately and this is one I will sure try out! I think I’ll sub the non-fat yogurt with Honey Greek Yogurt! mmmmmm!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup plain non-fat yogurt
• 1/2 cup low-fat milk
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, frozen
• 1 cup fresh blueberries, frozen
• 1/2 cup of oats, soaked overnight in 1/2 cup water + squirt of lemon juice
• honey or sugar, to taste

Directions

Soak 1/2 cup of oats overnight in half a cup of water and a squirt of lemon juice.

Unless the berries are already frozen, clean the fresh berries and freeze them overnight.

In the morning, you add the yogurt, the milk, the frozen berries and the oats to a blender and combine well.

Sweeten with honey or sugar to taste.

(Source: balticmaid.com)

Yogurt Panna Cotta with Strawberries

Is it a little too early to be thinking sweets? This looks absolutely amazing!

Vanilla & Yogurt Panna Cotta

The Goods:

• 500 ml heavy cream
• 50 grams of sugar
• 3 sheets gelatine
• 100 grams yogurt
• 2 cups strawberries
• 2 tbsp. superfine sugar
• 3 tbsp. lemon juice

Prep:

1. In a medium saucepan add the heavy cream and sugar and stir until dissolved and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, soak the gelatine with ice cold water. When the cream has boiled, remove it from the heat and stir in the softened gelatine. Stir to dissolve.  
2. Pour into a clean bowl and let rest until room temperature. Add in the yogurt and stir until combined. Pour into four glasses or ramekins and move to fridge to set, about an hour.
3. Meanwhile, add the strawberries, sugar and juice to a blender and pulse until blended. Add to top of set cream and serve.

 

(Source: versesfrommykitchen.blogspot.com)

Sweet Temptations

Seriously, these are the best cupcakes ever! What’s even more amazing than their delicious cupcakes is their philanthropic business model! You see, this is not a “high society” bakery, they give back to society! Society Bakery donates throughout the year to over 100 different charities, schools and non-profit organizations.

Now, I do have a big sweet tooth, but I try and save it for the weekend! And boy, this is a well disciplined treat! Okay, maybe four cupcakes was a bit over the top, but i did have a rough week at work! LOL!

I’m not a big fan of frosting. Some frostings are just WAY too sweet for me. However, Society Bakery’s frosting is just pure genius! It tastes like it might be a rich cream cheese frosting and is just the right amount of sweetness. My top two Society Bakery obsessions right now are the Red Velvet and Peanut Butter cupcakes. Mmmmm deliciousness! Warm that up in the microwave for about 15 seconds with a glass of cold milk and you got yourself pure bliss!

Here at this bakery, you can be a little naughty and nice!

Chicken Tikka

Chicken Tikka by Season with Spice

What you’ll need:
3 pieces (approx. 1 1/2 pounds) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces or cubes
2/3 cup natural yogurt
4 cloves garlic, diced
3 tbsp tomato paste or puree
1 tbsp lime or lemon juice
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp butter
Salt & black pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh coriander, diced
Red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
6-8 skewers (if you use bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 20 minutes to prevent burning)

And spices…
2 tsp ground coriander
2 tsp curry powder (I used a pre-mix of chili, cardamom, star anise, cloves, fennel seeds)
2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cayenne pepper or chili powder
1/2 tsp turmeric - to add a yellowish-orange hue (optional)

Broiling the chicken tikka:
Day One or Morning:
1. In a large bowl, combine the spices, yogurt, garlic, tomato paste, lime juice, and ginger.
2. Add the chicken pieces to the mixture and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate. Marinate overnight or at least a few hours.

Day Two or Afternoon:
1. Alternating between chicken and red bell pepper pieces, thread onto skewers and remove excess marinade. Line a baking tray with aluminum foil and place skewers on top.

2. Brush the chicken pieces with butter, sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper to taste, and add diced coriander on all sides.

3. Broil the chicken skewers for 10 minutes, flip over, and broil for another 10 minutes until golden brown. Timing will depend on your oven’s broiling temperature and the size of the chicken pieces used.

Serve hot with a tortilla or flat bread, sour cream or yogurt, and a refreshing salad.

(Source: blog.seasonwithspice.com)