Cindy’s Maple Snickerdoodles

3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 egg
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp cream of targar
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream butter and sugars.

Add vanilla, syrup and egg and beat until well combined.

Mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Then slowly incorporate into wet ingredients.

Chill at least 1 hour.

Mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon in a small bowl

Roll dough in 1.5″ balls, and roll them in the cinnamon sugar.

Bake 8-10 minutes until set and the tops crack.

Mark’s Lemon Zucchini Bread

From Kitchn

Cooking spray or butter, for greasing the pans
1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium)
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup olive oil or canola oil (Mark uses canola)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional mix-ins: 1 cup chopped nuts, 1 cup raisins, or 1 cup chocolate chips (Mark did not use these)

1. Heat the oven to 350°F. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350ºF. Coat 2 (8×4-inch) loaf pans with cooking spray or butter.

2. Grate the zucchini. Trim the stem and root-end from the zucchinis and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. You should end up with about 3 cups of shredded zucchini.

3. Squeeze the moisture from the shredded zucchini. Place the zucchini in a clean kitchen towel or several layers of cheesecloth. Gather up the sides and squeeze to press out as much moisture from the zucchini as possible.

4. Combine the dry and wet ingredients in separate bowls. Place the flour, baking powder, lemon zest, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl and whisk to combine; set aside. Place the eggs, sugars, oil, and vanilla in a medium bowl and whisk to combine.

5. Mix the batter. Add the zucchini and any mix-ins (nuts, raisins, chocolate chips) to the flour mixture. Pour the liquids over top. Gently stir and fold just until no more dry flour is visible. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.

6. Bake the loaves and cool. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. The finished loaves should have a golden-brown crust and feel springy if you give the top a little pat. Let them cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack, on their sides*, to cool completely.

   *Cool the loaves on their sides. This tiny trick makes for more tender loaves with crisp sides — especially ideal if you plan on freezing that extra loaf, which you should.

   Storage: Loaves will keep in an airtight container for several days. They can also be wrapped in foil and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight or in a warm oven for 20 minutes.

 

To Try: Nancy Kaplan’s Nut Cake Ring

1 cup butter
2 and ¾ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 and ¾ cup sugar
1 cup milk
2 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs
1 cup finely chopped walnuts (can go a little heavier if you want like maybe an extra 1/4 cup).

Prepare in the usual way you would a cake! Cream the butter and sugar together and then add the liquids. Mix the dry ingredients together. Combine it all together. Best to use a cake mixer for a couple minutes.

Bake in a greased tube pan at 375 degrees for about 45-50 minutes…. until it passes the usual tests for doneness!

 

Orange Icing

¾ stick butter
¾ small can of frozen concentrated orange juice (which I believe to be 4.5 oz…. they don’t do small cans anymore it seems)
¼ teaspoon salt
confectioner sugar to the right consistency, standard butter cream, easy to spread (which I measured once to be about 4 cups and 4 heaping tablespoons)

The icing also comes out better if you use a mixer on it.

 

Snickets

2 sticks salted butter, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon lemon extract
zest of 4 lemons
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients in a stand mixer until well blended. Using 2 teaspoon scoop, drop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet. Press tines of a fork on each dough ball to flatten to about 1/3″. Sprinkle with sanding sugar if desired. Bake 15 minutes until lightly brown around the edges. Cool on a rack.

Sam’s Sugar Cookies

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softerened
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup sprinkles

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a Kitchenaid mixer, combine all ingredients except sprinkles.

Place the sprinkles in a small bowl.  Using a 2 Teaspoon scoop, scoop dough and dip one side into the sprinkles.  Place the dough balls, sprinkle side up, on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 3″ between cookies.  Press down slightly with the bottom of a measuring cup.  Bake until pale golden brown around the edges, about 10 minutes.  Remove from oven, let rest a minute or two on the baking sheet, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

To Try: Farro with Sausage & Apples

From Trader Joe’s 10-minute farro package

3/4 package Trader Joe’s 10-minute farro, boiled in broth
3 Sweet Italian Chicken Sausages, casings removed
1 Tablespoon butter, if needed
1 cup diced onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 large apple, diced small
salt and pepper, to taste
crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

Set aside prepared farrow.  In a large skilled over high heat, crumble sausage and stir until browned, about 5 minutes.  Remove sausage and set aside, keep sausage drippings.  If pan is too dry, add butter and melt.  Add onion, garlic and apple; saute until tender, about 5-6 minutes. Add farro and sausage back to skillet; season to taste with salt, pepper and chili flakes, stir until wamred through, about 1-2 minutes.  Serve warm.

Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili

From Eating Well Test Kitchen

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium-large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons chili powder
4 teaspoons ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground chipotle chile (or smoked paprika)
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ cups water
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (or tomatoes with chiles)
4 teaspoons lime juice
optional toppings:
chopped fresh cilantro
sour cream (for non-vegans)

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add sweet potato and onion and cook, stirring often, until the onion begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle or smoked paprika and salt and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Add water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook until the sweet potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes.  (I actually cooked it for much longer – like an hour.)

Add beans, tomatoes and lime juice; increase heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often. Reduce heat and simmer until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.

Cinnamon Caramel Ice Cream

Based on a recipe at SimplyRecipes.com

Makes about 1 quart

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plus 3 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 cups heavy cream
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Place the cinnamon in a medium saucepan over low heat and warm gently until fragrant.  Add the milk, sugar, salt and 1 cup of cream, whisking to mix well.

Fill a large bowl with ice and set aside.

Whisk the egg yolks in a medium-sized bowl.  1/4 cup at at time, at 3/4 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling.  Return the egg/milk mixture to the original milk saucepan and return to the stove, whisking well to combine.  Stir frequently over medium heat with a wooden spoon or heat-proof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir.

While the egg/milk mixture warms, wash the bowl used for beating the egg yolks, then set it over the ice bowl.  Place the remaining cup of cream into the chilling bowl and set a mesh trainer on top.

When the custard in the saucepan has thickened enough to coat a spoon and hold a line, pour it through the strainer into the cup of cream in the chilling bowl.  Stir until cool. Pour into a container, cover and chill in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, stir in the vanilla and freeze according to your ice cream maker’s directions.

Tin Roof Sundae Deluxe
cinnamon caramel ice cream
chocolate sauce
chopped salted peanuts
crushed pretzels

 

Easy Butter Chicken

Based on a recipe at Penzeys.com.  

1 lb. (2 cups) boneless & skinless chicken breast cubes, or chopped cooked chicken

Marinade:
2 Tablespoons plain yogurt
1 Tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon Garam Masala

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon butter
1 can petite-diced tomatoes in juice
2 Tablespoons – 1/3 cup half & half or cream
2 Tablespoons butter (optional)
Fresh Cilantro (optional)
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt

Combine chicken, yogurt and spices. Stir well, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Heat butter and oil over medium-low heat in a large pan. Add the chicken and cook, stirring, until the chicken is mostly cooked, about 15 minutes. (If using cooked chicken, heat just long enough to warm everything through.)  Add the tomatoes and their juice, stir well, cover and cook 20 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down and thickened the sauce. If there is still a lot of liquid, remove cover, raise heat and cook until liquid is reduced. Stir in the cream and optional 2 Tablespoons butter. Simmer over low heat until combined. Taste and add salt as desired. Serve with rice and top with cilantro if desired.

Grandma Euler’s Dill Dip

original recipe:

1 cup sour ceam
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
2 teaspoons dry onion
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 teaspoons dry parsley

1/2 recipe with variation:

1/2 cup light sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion
1/2 teaspoon Penzey’s Ozark seasoning
1 teaspoon lemon juice or 1 Tablespoon Greek yogurt
Best made a day or two ahead.