Surprise Cookies

These cookies will always hold a special place in my heart. They were my one of my sweet sister-in-law's signature cookies. As I've said before, anything Bunny baked turned out perfectly. I learned early on to never pass up one of her sweets.
The cookies are incredibly moist and chocolaty. Add the marshmallow and chocolate frosting and you have a sweet and sinful treat.


Surprise Cookies
Adapted from Martha Stewart Cookies
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 t coarse salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1 t vanilla
about 15 marshmallows, halved crosswise (just cut them in half with some kitchen shears or clean sharp scissors)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Make Cookies: sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a bowl.
Put butter and sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low; mix in egg, milk and vanilla. Mix in flour mixture, 1/2 cup at a time, until combined.
Using a 1 3/4 inch cookie scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until firm, 8-10 minutes. Immediately press a marshmallow half on top of each cookie. Bake until marshmallows begin to melt, 2 minutes more. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.
Make frosting.

Chocolate Satin Frosting
from Joy of Cooking

6 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 cup evaporated milk

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 t vanilla

Roughly chop chocolate. Set aside.

In small saucepan, bring evaporated milk to boil. Remove from heat and add chocolate pieces, without stirring. Cover and set aside for exactly 10 minutes. Scrape into bowl over mixer or food processor and add sugar, butter and vanilla. Process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and let sit in refrigerator until it reaches desired consistency (I let mine sit about 15 minutes)

This frosting keeps refrigerated for about 3 weeks, or can be frozen for 6 months. Let soften before using.

Spread about 1 tablespoon of frosting on top of each cookie to cover marshmallow. Let stand until set, about 10 minutes. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 2 days.

Peanut Butter Filled Chocolate Cupcakes

While these little goodies are labeled "cupcakes", I think of them as more of a brownie.

Either way, they combine two of my favorite sweet flavors together for one deliciously rich hand held treat.


from Martha Stewart's Cupcakes

Cupcake batter
2/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla

Peanut Butter Filling
4 T (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Put butter and chocolates in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of simmering water; stir until melted. Remove from heat, and let cool slightly.
Whisk granulated sugar into cooled chocolate mixture. Add eggs, and whisk until mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture; stir until well incorporated.
Make Peanut Butter filling by combining butter, confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, salt and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
Spoon 2 tablespoons chocolate batter into each lined cup, followed by 1 tablespoon peanut butter filling. Repeat with another tablespoon of batter and top with 1 teaspoon filling. Swirl top of cupcake batter and filling with a wooden skewer or toothpick.
Bake, rotating tin halfway through, until a cake tester inserted in centers comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, about 40 minutes. Transfer tin to a wire rack to cool completely before removing cupcakes. Cupcakes can be stored up to 3 days at room temperature in airtight containers.

"chips n salsa"

It's been a while, huh.

Remember this post?

The one about buns in the oven...
as in more than one bun...
no nuts....

Any of this a-ringin' a bell?

Salsa (l), Chips (r)

We welcomed our two little ones earlier this summer.

Since a lot of the conversation in this house revolves around food, it was fitting that our three year old nick-named them "chips" and "salsa".


Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

Chips
4 (7-inch) flour tortillas
Cinnamon-sugar mixture (I like cinnamon, so I mix 1 T cinnamon into 1/2 cup sugar, use less cinnamon if you wish)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Combine sugar and cinnamon. Lightly brush the tortillas with water and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Remove from oven and cool on the pan.

Fruit Salsa
2 cups chopped fruit:
we used a combination of peaches, kiwi, raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and blackberries
1 t lime zest
2 t lime juice (you should be able to get enough juice and zest from one large lime)
1 tsp sugar

Combine all salsa ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix gently.

Pumpkin Bars

This is one of my favorite cakes. I make it year round. No need to think of pumpkin as just an autumnal ingredient.

It is perfect for a party or potluck as it fills a half sheet pan, plus I generally have everything needed on hand.

Pumpkin Squares

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 cup oil

2 cups canned pumpkin

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Beat eggs, sugar and oil until smooth. Add pumpkin. Mix until blended. Add remaining ingredients. Mix.

Grease the bottom of a half sheet pan. Pour batter in pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Frosting

3 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 cup butter (room temperature)

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

zest of one orange (can omit, but I love the flavor)

Mix together and frost cooled cake.

Sweet Potato and Zucchini Bread

I recently joined a produce co-op. My family has loved all of the fresh fruits and vegetables. I love seeing sweet potatoes in my basket. I can bake one and eat it plain (delicious). The cyclist and girls prefer white potatoes.

So I sneak the sweet ones to them in a deliciously moist and perfectly spiced quick bread.

Sweet Potato and Zucchini Bread
recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cups grated peeled sweet potato
Cinnamon and Sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. Sift first 5 ingredients into medium bowl. Beat sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla to blend in large bowl. Mix in zucchini and sweet potato. Add dry ingredients and stir well.

Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle batter with cinnamon/sugar. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 20 minutes (check it about an hour into baking). Cool bread in pan on rack 15 minutes. Cut around bread to loosen. Turn out onto rack and cool completely. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and let stand at room temperature.)

Penne with Asparagus and Pecorino Cheese

I love everything about spring. I love hearing the birds during my morning run. I love seeing the crocus peeking out of the flower beds at my front door. I love not having to bundle up four kids before we can go anywhere.

I love cooking with good, fresh asparagus. It's so nice to watch my girls willingly gobble up a green vegetable!

This pasta dish was universally LOVED at our house. The combination of the zesty lemon, the salty cheese, the garlic and the crisp tender asparagus...so tasty. This will definitely be made again and again.


Penne with Asparagus and Pecorino Cheese
adapted from Cooking Light magazine
Serves 4

8 oz uncooked penne pasta
1 T kosher salt
2 T olive oil
1 lb asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup vegetable broth
1 T grated lemon rind
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh pecorino romano cheese
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 T shaved fresh pecorino romano cheese

Cook pasta in boiling water with 1 T kosher salt according to package directions. Drain.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to the pan, swirling to coat. Add asparagus to pan; cook until crisp-tender (about 3 minutes), stirring occasionally. Remove asparagus from pan; keep warm. Add broth, lemon rind, and garlic to pan; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/2 cup (about 6 minutes). Return asparagus to pan. Add pasta, grated cheese, salt and pepper; toss well. Serve topped with shaved cheese.

Mexican Hot-Chocolate Cookies

These rich chocolate cookies were a hit at my house. The addition of the cinnamon-sugar coating put them right over the edge.
We enjoyed them on the first day of spring with a glass of cold milk. But I will definitely bake up a batch on a cold snowy day next winter, and dip them into a mug of steaming hot cocoa.

Mexican Hot-Chocolate Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

2 1/4 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 3/4 cups sugar, divided
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips (not in the original recipe, but I thought they were a worthy addition)
2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1 1/2 cups of the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs and beat to combine. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture and beat until combined. Add chocolate chips (you will probably have to stir with a wooden spoon at this point).
In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar with the 2 tsp cinnamon. Using heaping tablespoons, form balls of dough and roll in cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place about 3 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are just set (7-8 minutes), rotating sheets halfway through (the recipe is written to cook for 10 minutes, until the centers begin to crack...around here, we don't like our cookies crispy, soft and chewy for us please. If you prefer a crisp cookie, cook the full ten minutes.). Let cookies cool on sheets on wire racks 5 minutes then transfer cookies to racks to cool completely.