Category Archives: Cookies

Shopping and Baking and Decorating…Oh My!

27 Tuesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Christmas, Cookies, Holidays, Recipes, Very Best Baking

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The Woods of Warren, MA

As I settle back into reality from our week in the woods, I’m beginning to plot out those pesky things that need to be done for Christmas; you know shopping and baking and decorating.   First up is baking, this weekend’s project. 

I absolutely love to bake but don’t do it as much as I would like.  It’s just my husband and myself and baking for two leads to over-indulgence (and, he’s gone Paleo on me).  So to get my fix, I make cookies — hundreds of cookies — for my husband’s students, usually about 400 (which isn’t that many when you start doling them out).

Italian Cookies…Yummy!

On the list are My Italian Grandma’s Cookies, a standard; Biscotti from The Gourmet Cookbook edited by Ruth Reichl, a book stuffed with some of the best recipes that are relatively manageable to make; pumpkin cookies, a recipe ripped from Very Best Baking; and, new to the roster, traditional gingersnaps.  The gingersnaps were added last year and  while I didn’t feel they met proper gingersnap standards — I tasted them right out of the oven — I realized a few days later, the secret to a great gingersnap is to let them rest for a few days.

While not necessarily pertaining to baking, but having everything to do with Christmas, I tripped across a pretty cool website: Eat This, Not That!  A journalist I worked with in a previous life, Laurie Wilson, writes for them and penned a fantastic article, 24 Vintage Christmas Dinner Recipes.  It’s a fun article filled with fantastic bits and intriguing recipes from Christmas’ past.  For the traditionalists among us, check it out. 

That’s it for this evening (I need to take stock of the cupboards and put my cookie shopping list together).  As always, I wish you all safe travels and, of course, bon appetite!

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Random Musings…

10 Saturday Nov 2018

Posted by in Christmas, Cookies, Epicurean, Friday Night, Holidays, Italian, Very Best Baking

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Here I sit, in the kitchen, awaiting the arrival of my sister-in-law and niece, watching My Cousin Vinnie which is the perfect elixir as I do need to laugh. Prior to putting fingers to keyboard, I spent a good 3 hours cleaning out my 20-year-old email account as I’m switching ISPs.  A blast from the past, I tripped across a few tidbits worth sharing:

Zingerman'sZingerman’s: With the holiday’s coming up, we all need that trusty, go-to-source for food stuff; one of mine is Zingerman’s. A ‘community of businesses,’ Zingerman’s is a family of small, food-related companies located in the Ann Arbor, MI area.  Zingermans.com is ‘The Online Shop for Food Lovers’ featuring hearth baked breads, handmade cheeses, varietal coffee, estate bottled olive oils and customized presents. For me, the best part of visiting Zingermans.com are the cartoon pigs strategically placed throughout the site (I’m sure it’s some sort of ‘thing’).  At the bottom of each page is a flying pig with a quippy ‘Great food just flew to…’ and the city and state of the most recent shipment listed.  Absolutely brilliant, fun marketing.

Old Fashioned Pumpkin Cookies:  We don’t have kids, but that doesn’t mean I’ve escaped the ‘yeah, I need cookies for tomorrow’ plea.  Years ago, that very lament came my way at a time when I had limited supplies — sugar, a can of pumpkin, butter, and eggs. Muttering about the lack of ingredients, I googled pumpkin and found a recipe for Old Fashioned Pumpkin Cookies which are now a mainstay that I trot out throughout the fall and winter seasons (giving very little credit to Libby’s, of course).  Even if you’re unsure about a pumpkin cookie, you must try these; they are delicious and easy to make — what could be better?!?

Back to the emails.  A digital heavyweight is being lifted off my shoulders and it feels great.  Within the next month, my junk email will be virtually non-existent (until my new address gets sold). As I skim through the various mailboxes I created to see what I might want to keep, I’m finding all kinds of sites I may/may not want to revisit; in particular:

Very Best Baking: Apparently a Nestle website, it’s where I found the Pumpkin Cookie recipe.  Back in the day it was a ‘go to’ and extremely engaging site (of course the constant giveaways and contests didn’t hurt).  I’m not sure if Nestle owned the site then, but it was a fun, informative site you should consider checking out.  I’ll give a deeper report (more in depth than, ‘hey this used to be a cool site’) after I check it out.

TV Food Network:  Another site to revisit.  I love the station (OK, 1/2 the station, some programs drive me nuts; others, like the Baking Championship series I can’t get enough of).  I don’t visit the site frequently, I tend to default to my trusty cookbooks, however when I do need a recipe or am looking for something a bit different, that’s where I go.  If you haven’t visited, you should.

Avocados: A parting tip.  My husband loves his avocados (I could do without them), but they are a weird purchase — they either aren’t ripe or they are borderline ready to rot.  After a few shopping mishaps, I discovered what to do:  buy them by ripeness — a brown-skin soft sucker to be consumed immediately, light brown/green ‘cado to be eaten within the coming few days and the shiny, hard green avocados to be used a good week out.  Such a simple trick that brings satisfaction to those who eat them on a regular basis.

Before I part, I just have to squeal — OMG, Meg Ryan and John Mellencamp are engaged…what?!?

With that, enjoy the weekend. I’m wishing you happy trails and bon appetite — Now I need to go bake.

 

Christmas Festivities…Part I

24 Saturday Dec 2011

Posted by in Cookies, Epicurean, Fannie Farmer, Holidays, New Jersey, Polish, Winter Solstice

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Today commences, what I believe to be, the beginning of the true Christmas season.  Tony and I do the gift giving thing on Little Christmas, January 6, and since we started this tradition, Christmas has been less stressful and more enjoyable, helped, immensely, by my December schedule at work, which usually entails having at least the last two weeks of the year off.   Yesterday was spent in Pennsylvania, dining at a little gem of a restaurant, A Taste of Portugal on Route 209 in East Stroudsburg.  Typical Portuguese fare, the prices are right and the ambience as homey as one could want.   The late afternoon drive home was capped off with billowy pink clouds and the mountains of the Delaware reflecting the rays of the setting sun.

Thursday, in honor of the Winter Solstice, we had a down and out Polish feast for dinner.  My theory is that there are two secular, non-patriotic days that should be celebrated each year in the company of good friends — the Winter and Summer Solstice.  Our friend, Brian, was kind enough to bring a selection of sausages and pierogies, as well as authentic sauerkraut, mustard and mayonnaise for dinner.   Himself a Pole, he picked everything up in Wallington, a town that has remained predominately Polish over the years.  In fact, the town is so steeped in its heritage that preference is given to those of Polish decent, no matter how much money others are offering, to homebuyers in Wallington.

Once Brian got settled in the kitchen, it’s not uncommon for friends to come over and man handle our kitchen, I demonstrated my cooking prowess in a manner that was borderline embarrassing.  ‘Help yourself to whatever you need, I’m no good in there,’ was my bold proclamation.  Kind of funny considering that the only culinary skills needed were the ability to boil water and toss some pierogi’s around in a frying pan.  The pierogi’s were delightful (not that I’m a connseiure of the pierogi).  

Super Deli

Coming from Super Deli, the lovely little suckers had a very subtle crunch on the outside; the insides were soft with a warm, almost creamy, texture of potato that left behind a surprising hint, actually the perfect tasting, of pepper.  The kielbasa and kabanos, purchased at Adams’ Deli, stuffed and smoked on premises, were also tasty.  Eaten on Polish rye bread, the sausages were accentuated by Bacik Musztarda and Polonaise Horseradish; delightful on their own, but even better when combined.  The meal was complemented with homemade apple sauce (from the ‘bible,’ aka the Fannie Farmer Cookbook), and clam dip (old family recipe) and wonderful Polish pastries that were made and delivered by one of Tony’s students. 

Earlier in the day, I had the pleasure of dining at the award winning Saddle River Inn where I had the most wonderful of tarts — truffle mushroom and onion.  The Inn, appropriately enough situated in the quaint town of Saddle River (yes, Jersey has some quaint towns), is a century old barn that is consistently ranked as a favorite by Zagats. 

Italian Cookies...Yummy!

Wednesday was spent at the Portuguese Club and, on Tuesday, I finished making my cookies.  Monday was spent in the good company of friends — both for lunch and dinner.  Dinner was a Portugese classic — the mixed grill (essentially a lot of meat on a plate) and, for lunch, we had Manny C Burgers.  Made by our good friend Manny C, it is perhaps the best burger I ever had.

Having recently received the Institute of Culinary Education (ICE) newsletter, I’ve begun plotting out 2012.  Am also preparing for the second half of my holiday with a trip to Massachusetts on the agenda as well as some more dinners with a motley assortment of characters.

My Italian Grandma’s Cookies…

18 Sunday Dec 2011

Posted by in Cookies, Epicurean, Holidays, Italian, New Jersey, Recipes

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I’m not Italian and have no right headlining this post as ‘My Italian Grandma’s’ anything.  However, I think it fair to say that we all have that one little ole Italian lady that strikes a sweet chord within us.  Mine is Annie, a lady, at least 75 years old, that I worked with for ~ 9 years.  She truly believed that she was the glue that kept her department together and that no one else could figure out the computer system.  She was always ready with a kind word, a random pill from the bottom of her purse, and, the wonders of home-made Italian food — whether it be a main meal or a random selection of desserts.

Smiling right back at yah...Annie's Cookies

Without fail, Annie would make her Italian cookies at Christmas and, after the first bite, I believe it fair to say that I was addicted.  It took me many years to work up the courage to ask her about them, and a few additional years before I became so bold as to ask for the recipe; something she more than happily gave up.   I’ve probably had the recipe for 5 years or so, and this is the first year I pulled it out in an effort to liven up my holiday selection, of, well nothing but monster cookies (when a recipe makes ~ 400 cookies, do you really need any other?). Annie’s cookies have been yanked from the oven and will be frosted/sprinkled tomorrow, but according to the look on my Italian husband’s face, I believe, I found something good.    I have no idea as to where Annie got this recipe, I fantasize that it’s been handed down from generation to generation, and, for all I know, it could be from a book or the back of a bag of flour, but it is with the most heartfelt and warmest of thoughts that I share it with you today:

Annie’s Italian Cookies:

Melt 3 sticks of margarine; add one cup of sugar and cream together (Note, I, personally, use butter).

Add three eggs, mix thoroughly and then add 4 teaspoons of baking powder to mixture, one teaspoon of flavoring — organe, anisette or whatever you prefer, mix again.

Add 3.5 cups of flour or more and mix again (I wound up using about 5 cups of flour).

The doug should be pliable, not stiff.  If too soft, add more flour until the dough can be worked and is not sticky but very, very soft.  Make round balls, about 1 inch round, bake at 375 for about 15 minutes or until you see that the cookie looks whole and not soft.

Icing:

After the cookies have cooled, make a mixture of 1.5 cups of confectionery sugar, add 1 teaspoon of flavoring (to complement the flavoring used earlier, if not the same one); and 1 teaspoon of water to the sugar.  Mix together ( it should be thick, like cream.  If too loose, add more sugar), then dip the cookie into mixture and put round, colored sprinkles on top.

I also made pumpkin cookies tonight (a favorite), but alas, feel woefully inadequate as my aunt had a cookie party recently and wound up with ~1200 cookies.  I think I made all of 100 cookies today…oh well, c’est la vie.

Monster cookies to follow tomorrow (a half batch…) in between stuffing sausages…

Random Musings for the Weekend…

12 Monday Dec 2011

Posted by in Cookies, Cooking Schools, Holidays, Italian, Massachusetts, Pizza, Travel, Very Best Baking

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It’s that time of year when my weekend ends on Monday evenings. Actually, beginning Friday, I’ll be on holiday until the new year and am very excited as I can definitely use the time off to organize various projects I have for 2012; a big one being the plotting out of Q1 and the various classes I would like to take.  However, in the interim, few thoughts:

Tony's PIzza

Hmmm...Pizza from Restaurant Biola

Pizza, Pizza:  Pizza can be made in an electric oven!  My sister asked Tony to man lunch yesterday, specifically requesting his pizza.  Tony was honored, but then went into panic mode as he realized that she has an electric oven.  Here’s a guy who makes absolutely amazing pizza, but whose skill lies in gas stoves and wood burning ovens.  He was completely wigged out.  However, he stepped up to the plate, saying, ‘let’s do this.’ And, alas, the pizza was great even if he dotted over them as they baked away in the (gasp) electric oven.

Mohawk Trail:  What an amazing drive/trip.  Oh so picturesque (even if everyone kept saying ‘it’s so pretty in the fall’) and very relaxing (construction on 91 and all).  I’ll do a separate post, but parts of the route, Route 2 in Massachusetts, reminded me of driving Route 80 along the Delaware, Route 17 in southwestern New York, and just Massachusetts in general, in all its splendid glory.  While I tried to avoid the touristy thing, going to the Yankee Candle Shop in Deerfield, it’s apparently the only thing to do in Deerfield or, at least, the most convenient, was the highlight of the day, not taking into account the wonderful little liquor store we found with fantastically flavorful wine from the Rioja region of Spain.  We tried to go to the SugarLoaf Nature Reserve area, but couldn’t physically find it.  Happily, especially for our tummies, we avoided the restaurant at the candle store, Chandlers, and found a local, yokel hole in the wall in Deerfield, Wolfies. 

Baking:  As the clock ticks, the realization dawns on me that I have much baking to do for the holidays.  We have a relatively open weekend and will be spending a fair amount of time creating delectable treats for friends, family and, even, students alike (yes, I get suckered into making cookies for all of Tony’s students).  On the agenda, Monster (a Stifter family recipe) and Pumpkin cookies as well as cream cheese cupcakes…yummy.   Will round this out with a few desserts and some relatively easy apps for our winter solstice dinner as well as our Little Christmas party (details to follow).

Cards have  been sent, the tree trimmed and house decked out (as decked out as it’s going to get at any rate).  Am gearing up for the week ahead, planning my baking, getting ready for the winter solstice, and trying my best to enjoy the holiday season — a bit of snow would we welcome at this juncture (actually, it was nice as Route 2 was dotted with the remains of an early season snow fall).   We’ll review our weekend sojourn and let you in on some holiday baking tips; and we’ll do our best to maintain sanity and enjoy time with some amazingly wonderful friends over the next few days.