Red Velvet "Crinkle" Cookies

I am fortunate and blessed to have been the monthly recipe contributor to a local publication called, Women's Lifestyle Magazine for the past couple of years. My contact person there and I have become good friends, and we typically plan out the recipes two months in advance. Generally, one of us will think of an idea and then we go back and forth about what the best recipe will be for that particular month. I really love being the recipe contributor, because it keeps me on my "toes" as far as thinking outside of my "comfort zone." These cookies are a great example of that!!!!  The original recipe for February was going to be a slice and bake cookie with a red heart in the middle of the cookie. I had recently watched one of the baking shows on the Food Network, where the bakers made it look so easy. Oh my. It took me HOURS to make the cookies (I tested it out using Christmas trees). Let's just say, it was a DISASTER. They looked pretty bad, but tasted okay. My family will eat anything, so those cookies are long gone! LOL. Plan B was to make the Red Velvet "Crinkle" Cookies!! They are pretty cool, because they can be for Christmas or Valentine's Day. The hubby needed three dozen for the cookie exchange at work yesterday, so I made him some and saved the rest. After work, he told me, "your cookies were very popular at the party!" AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cathy's Kitchen LOVES to hear that!!!!

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 ½ cups white sugar
4 large eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups white flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1-ounce bottle liquid red food coloring
½ cup powdered sugar (reserved)

Preheat oven to 350° and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside. In a large bowl, put the butter and white sugar and beat by hand with a large spoon or with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the four eggs and vanilla extract and combine well. Next, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cream of tartar. Mix well again and then carefully add the entire one-ounce bottle of the liquid red food coloring. Stir very gently by hand with a large spoon until the liquid red food coloring is entirely incorporated into the batter. In a small bowl, put the ½ cup powdered sugar. Using the palm of your hands, roll out four dozen balls approximately one inch each. Roll each ball into the powdered sugar until it is completely covered. Bake a dozen at a time for 12-14 minutes until they are starting to look done in the middle. Remove from oven and let them sit on the cookie sheet for five minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to let them continue to cool. If desired, you can sprinkle additional powdered sugar on top! 

Dill Pickle Soup

One of my very good friends and I have this running "joke" about pickles. It started a while back (I really don't remember how) and now, every time I find a food item that has pickles as an ingredient, I will send it to her. It's actually quite surprising how MANY pickle items are out there!! There are pickle flavored sprinkles, mints, ice cream, popsicles and my very favorite - the pickle flavored candy cane! There is even a National Pickle Day!! This year it is November 14 (in case you were wondering). Even if you weren't, you know now, LOL. In one of my conversations with my pickle "buddy," I jokingly sent her a recipe for Dill Pickle Soup. After discussing it a bit more, we decided I would make it and report back to her what it tasted like. Earlier this week, I went to the grocery store and picked up the ingredients to make the soup. This past Wednesday night, I whipped it up! It didn't take any time at all (the longest time was cutting the potatoes, carrots and pickles)!! It was really good if I do say so myself (and I just did)! In our house, we typically eat pickles that are heavily seasoned. After a little research, I learned that this type of soup is actually a Polish recipe. I've never noticed it before, but you can buy Polish dill pickles at the grocery store. We always get the kosher dill pickles. I was a teeny bit hesitant when I started eating this soup, just because I've never made it before. Wow, it was super duper creamy and delicious - I had two bowlfuls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ingredients

2 14-ounce cans reduced sodium chicken broth +
      1 1/2 cups water
6 cups peeled and chopped potatoes
2 cups peeled and chopped carrots
1 cup Polish dill pickles, chopped
1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1/2 cup white flour
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup dill pickle juice
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

In a large stockpot, combine the chicken broth, water, potatoes, carrots and butter and bring to a boil. Turn down to simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender (about 15 minutes).  Add the chopped pickles and return to boil. While the soup is boiling, you need to make up the "paste." In a small to medium bowl, put the flour, sour cream and water. Using a whisk or a large spoon, stir until the mixture is smooth. Drop two tablespoons of the "paste" at a time into the boiling soup, stirring constantly. Some of the potatoes might get broken up a bit, but don't worry.  You might also see some small balls of flour form as you are doing this, but they will eventually almost completely disappear. When you are done adding all of the "paste," add the pickle juice, Old Bay seasoning, black pepper and the crushed red pepper flakes. Boil an additional five minutes. If the soup is too thick, add a little water until you get it to the consistency you want. *Garnish with a spring of dill or sliced pickles if desired. Serve immediately.

Easy Caramel Apples

Did you know that October is National Caramel Month? Growing up, I had NO clue that each month had one of more foods associated with it! Did something like that even exist 50 years ago?!?!? Anyways, I made these caramel apples recently for the October issue of the Capital Area Women's Lifestyle Magazine, a local monthly magazine. The gal that I collaborate with over there is fabulous to work with. We share the same sort of "food humor." We bounce ideas back and forth, until we find a recipe we both can agree on. I think my first thought was to make candy apples, until I saw how involved they were. It usually takes us a little while to decide what to make! It has to be able to photograph well and easy to make. I am not a trained chef or baker and though sometimes recipes may look great, they can be VERY difficult to master. I guess I could have attempted to make homemade caramel, but why should I? I bought a bag of Kraft caramels at the store. Why make it hard, when it can be easy?!?!?!

Five medium-large apples (I used Gala)
11-ounce package Kraft Caramels
Two tablespoons milk
Sprinkles (for decorating)

Five “Treat” Sticks (I used the Wilton brand)

 

Wash, completely dry and remove the stems of the apples. Sometimes apples have a “wax” coating. You want to make sure you get that off or the caramel won’t stick, it will slide right off. Place the apples on a plate and put in the freezer for 15 minutes. Cover a plate with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. Unwrap the caramels and put in a medium saucepan. Add the two tablespoons of milk and bring to a medium-high boil, stirring constantly with a large spoon until smooth. Remove from the heat and let it sit about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, so it doesn’t harden up. Put chopped nuts and/or sprinkles into small bowls. Put a “treat” stick into each apple and push down. Dip the apple into the caramel, covering it completely. You can also spoon it on and smooth with a dinner knife. Roll in the nuts and/or sprinkles and place on the parchment paper. You will use a lot more sprinkles than you think you will need. I used over an ounce of sprinkles to cover ONE apple. Put in the fridge for 15 minutes to cool. These must be kept refrigerated!

Vanilla Sugar Wafer "Pencil" Cookies

I don't know about you, but I really feel that this summer is just whizzing by! School will be here before you know it!!  I really can't believe that Dominic will be going into 10th grade in about five weeks, YIKES!!! A friend posted this recipe on her personal Facebook page and they looked so easy to make I just knew I had to make them. Aren't they so cool to make for "back-to-school?" Plus, you don't have to heat up the oven. Dominic and the hubby LOVED these cookies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I still have a little more "practice" to do, but this first batch came out pretty well if I do say so myself! One thing I discovered is that out of a 14.1 ounce package of Vanilla Sugar Wafers (I used the Voortman brand), some had broke and others the top came off. They are way more fragile than I thought. 

Vanilla Sugar Wafer "Pencil" Cookies

 

14.1 ounce package Vanilla Sugar Wafers

1 cup white candy melts

1 cup pink candy melts

24 chocolate chips

Using a sharp knife, cut one end of 24 vanilla sugar wafers, so it resembles a point of a pencil and place on a large cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Melt the  white candy melts in a small bowl in the microwave until smooth. Dip the pointed end of the vanilla sugar wafer in the white candy melts and place on the parchment paper. Place a chocolate chip on the "point." Let dry. Melt the pink candy melts in a small bowl in the microwave until smooth. Dip the other end of the vanilla sugar wafer in the pink candy melts and place on the parchment paper to dry. Keep covered at room temperature. Makes 24 "pencils."

Tie Dye Fudge

Doesn't this fudge look super duper yummy?!?! This was my second attempt at making fudge. My first batch was a different recipe and let's just say, it definitely wasn't super duper yummy. My husband keeps telling me it's good, but I just think he doesn't want to hurt my feelings. What a guy, huh? Anyways,  Lauren came home last Thursday for the long Memorial Day weekend. Since she is now a "working girl" and lives over an hour away, we don't get to see her too much, so when she is home, I like to make things I think she would like to eat. Shortly after she got home, I told her the story of the "two" fudges. She took a bite of my first attempt at fudge and said it was very sweet. Then, I told her to take a piece of my second attempt. She really liked it!! This past Saturday night, I took what was left of the fudge out of the fridge and put it on the table. Dominic and Lauren came over and each had a small piece. There was a big piece sitting on the plate and I called the hubby over. I said, "hey, there is one piece left would you like it?" I assumed he would just break off a piece, since Lauren, Dominic and I were sitting there looking at him. Nope, he popped the whole piece into his mouth! Well, that meant I needed to make more! On Sunday afternoon, I told the hubby when he went to the store, to pick up a small bag of white chocolate chips and a 13-ounce jar of marshmallow crème. Instead, he brought home a HUGE bag of white chocolate chips and a 7-ounce jar of marshmallow crème. Hmm, okay. Since I didn't want to go back to the store or go on Memorial Day, I decided to make just half of the original recipe. I wanted Lauren to be able to take it back with her on Monday night as an early birthday present. I am happy to report that even half of this recipe is fine. Do you want to know how I got the colors above? I used "gel" food coloring. I love that stuff. You usually have to go to a place like Hobby Lobby, JoAnn's or Michael's to find it, but it's worth it. They have TONS of colors! 

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups white sugar

½ cup unsalted butter

5 ounces evaporated milk

13-ounce jar marshmallow crème

8 ounces white chocolate chips

Gel food coloring (red and blue)

*Note: to make half of the above recipe (like I did), halve everything, except the marshmallow crème (use a 7-ounce jar)! 

Spray an 8 x 8-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil and stir constantly with a large spoon for five minutes. Remove from heat and add the marshmallow crème and white chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Divide the mixture evenly into three bowls (be careful because the mixture is hot). Add two drops of the red food coloring to one of the bowls and stir with a small spoon until the color is mixed in (if you want a darker red, add a few more drops). To another bowl, add two drops of the blue food coloring and stir with a small spoon until the color is mixed in (if you want a darker blue, add a few more drops). Leave the last bowl white. Pour the red fudge into the prepared pan and spread evenly with a small knife. Add the white fudge next and then add the blue last. Using the small knife, drag through the fudge mixture, combining until you get the desired marble effect. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and put in the fridge for a minimum of six hours. When ready to serve, bring to room temperature or eat chilled! This will keep at room temperature for up to two weeks and up to three, if stored in the fridge. Just remember to keep tightly covered or in an air-tight container or else it will dry out!!!!!!!!!!

"Almost" Sugar-Free Applesauce and Walnut Bread with Cardamom

About a month ago, I was diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes. It's partially hereditary, but I also hadn't really been watching how much sugar I was eating!! I had fallen into a pattern of eating cookies or ice cream after dinner. At the beginning of 2019, I turned over a new "leaf." I decided I was going to stop eating chocolate, cake, cookies and ice cream! I also realized I needed to stop baking so much with butter and white sugar - this recipe has neither of those two ingredients! I made this bread this morning and didn't have a chance to "sample" it until late this afternoon. I was pleasantly surprised by how yummy it was!!!! I used an entire teaspoon of my favorite spice right now - cardamom!!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar, loosely packed
1/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup sour cream
1 cup applesauce, unsweetened
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cardamom
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a loaf pan (8.5 x 4.5 x 2.5 inches) with non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large bowl, put the flour, light brown sugar, canola oil, sour cream, applesauce and egg. Mix well with a whisk or large spoon until just combined. Add the salt, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder and vanilla extract. Combine until almost smooth and "fold" in the walnuts. Pour into pan and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the bread comes out clean.  Let cool about 15 minutes and then remove to wire rack to continue to cool. Store covered at room temperature.

Milk-Free Pancakes

These should really be called "Polar Vortex" pancakes!  The hubby bought milk this past Sunday, but with the subzero temperatures and Dominic aka "Mr. Milk"  being home all week from school, we ran out of milk last night. Having cold cereal was out of the question this morning for breakfast and I have had eggs several times this week, so I decided to whip up some pancakes with water instead. When I first told the hubby I was going to do that, his response was less than enthusiastic. Yes, he has been home two days in a row (his office is closed). Well, guess what? you really can't tell the difference. My husband was pleasantly surprised, because they were so scrumptious! I tossed some chopped walnuts into his and some chopped pecans into mine. One word - YUMMY!

Ingredients

2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups water
6 tablespoons white sugar
5 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups white flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, put the eggs, water, white sugar, canola oil and vanilla. Stir with a large spoon until well combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt and mix until just combined. A few lumps here and there is okay. Let it sit five minutes. Heat up an electric griddle or a griddle on the stove. Spray with non-stick cooking spray. If desired, add chopped walnuts or pecans or chocolate chips. This recipe makes eight 6-inch pancakes. Serve warm with butter and maple syrup. Store covered in the fridge.

Blueberry and Pecan Pancakes

The hubby has been home for the holiday break for over two weeks. Today is his last day before he goes back to work to his office tomorrow. He typically eats his breakfast at work - it's a bagel, oatmeal or cereal. I've made us scrambled eggs probably just two or three times since he's been home. This morning, I asked him if he would be interested in blueberry pancakes. He was, so I whipped some up and decided to toss in some chopped pecans too! Wow, these are yummy, but boy, are they FILLING. My hubby has a pretty healthy appetite, but he only had one!  I asked him how he liked the pancakes and he said, "they are good, they are REALLY good!" After over 28 years together, he knows just the right thing to say!

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups white flour
5 teaspoons baking powder
6 tablespoons white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups milk
6 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
1 cup chopped pecans

In a large bowl, put all ingredients except the blueberries and pecans. Using a whisk or large spoon, mix until just combined (a few lumps are okay). Gently fold in the blueberries and pecans with a large spoon. Pour batter onto a large griddle (on the stove) or an electric griddle (spray either with non-stick cooking spray first). This recipe makes six 6-inch pancakes. You can make them smaller if you would like.  Store covered in the fridge.