Russian Tea Cakes

I should have started posting cookie recipes earlier for the holidays but, here goes. To hopefully make up for my lateness, I'm posting 2 cookie recipes for this week and 2 for my next post. Also, I'm posting on December 17, (Tuesday) because I'm traveling and will not have access to my computer that day.
Russian Tea Cakes have several different names, but all are tasty. These cookies are very rich
and buttery tasting. The pecans add a good nutty flavor, while the confectioner's sugar brings in a sweet, delicate flavor. The cookie crumbles as you eat it and melts in your mouth. Makes about 30 cookies.
Ingredients:
1 Cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 Cup sifted confectioner's sugar, plus more
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 Cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 Cup finely (but not chopped to a powder!) chopped pecans

1.  In a medium sized bowl stir together the flour, salt, and nuts; set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla until combined. Don't beat until light and fluffy. Beat the flour mixture on low into the butter mixture, until combined. Dough will be somewhat dry.Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours, or in the freeze for 30 to 45 minutes.
2.  Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Put some confectioner's sugar in a cereal bowl, and set aside. ( Later you may need more). Take pieces of chilled dough and roll them into 1" balls, using clean hands. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake until set but not brown, 10-12 minutes. 
3. Once cookies are done let cool for about 5 minutes, remove 1 cookie at a time and roll it in the confectioner's sugar. Continue until all of the cookies are coated. Let them cool for an hour and roll them again in more powdered sugar. If you want, roll the cookies a third time in confectioner's sugar.
   
   
   

Double Chocolate Cookies

These cookies are so delicious. It is almost like your eating a brownie. I love how soft and chewy these cookies are. There is plenty of chocolate, so don't worry! You can also make the dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge for 1 day, or freeze it for up to a month. Makes about 48 cookies.
Ingredients:
2 sticks (1 Cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 Cups (packed) light brown sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 Cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease your cookie sheets with nonstick spray. Cream the butter and brown sugar. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
2. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt to the wet mixture. Mix well.
3. Add the chocolate chips. scrape the bottom of the bowl to make sure everything is evenly blended.
4. Drop spoonfuls of dough 2-inches apart on greased pans. Bake 8-10 minutes. Once done cooking let cookies rest on the sheet for 2 minutes, then remove from pan. Cool completely on a wire rack and enjoy!

From The Year of the Cookie by Rose Dunnington

Alton Brown's Steamed Vegetarian dumplings

Dumplings are one of my favorite foods. I think this recipe is better than most take-out dumplings. The ginger seriously pops in this dish making it amazing. There are also hints of the sesame and cilantro that are a nice touch. You can  also make the filling a few hours ahead. I've read that you can infuse your dumplings with extra flavor while they steam, by placing either crushed garlic cloves or ginger in your pot of water. You will impress friends and family with these flavorful dumplings.  Serves about 6 people
Ingredients:
1/2 a package of firm or extra firm tofu. I prefer using extra firm.
1 rounded Cup shredded Napa cabbage. Regular green cabbage works too.
2 Tablespoons finely chopped red bell peppers
2 Tablespoons finely chopped scallions, or any kind of onion works
1 Tablespoon finely minced ginger. You can reduce it a little bit if you really don't like ginger.
1 Tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
1 Tablespoon hoison sauce
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon or a tad more cayenne pepper (optional)
Bowl of water, plus more for steaming
40-48 small wonton wrappers

1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees F. Cut the tofu in half horizontally and lay between layers of paper towels. Place on a plate, top with another plate, and place a weight on top ( 14 oz can of vegetables works great.) Let stand 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, cut tofu into 1/4-inch cubes and place into a large mixing bowl. Add all the ingredients until the black pepper, or (if using) cayenne pepper. Lightly stir until combined.
2. To form dumplings, remove 1 wonton wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Using either your finger or brush, wet the edges of the wrapper lightly with water. place 1/2 rounded teaspoon of the tofu mixture in the center of the wrapper. Shape as desired. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat process until all of the filling is gone.
3. Using a steaming apparatus of your choice bring a third filled pot of water to a simmer over medium heat. Spray the steamer's surface with non-stick vegetable spray to prevent sticking. Place as many dumplings as will fit into steamer, without touching each other. Cover and Steam for 10-12 minutes over medium heat. Remove the dumplings from the steam to either a heatproof plate or glass dish sprayed with vegetable oil, and place in oven to keep warm. You may need to add more water as you continue cooking your dumplings. 

                                                   

Five Cup Salad

This is a really easy side dish to make for a party in a jiff. At my house we traditionally serve Five Cup Salad on Thanksgiving, because you can prepare this the night before. Five Cup Salad has a sweet and tangy flavor with tropical notes from the pineapple and coconut. Eating this makes me feel like I'm in Hawaii. I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow!
Ingredients:
1 rounded Cup of sour cream, regular or light
1 Cup sweetened coconut
1 can (11-once)  mandarin oranges in light syrup, drained
1 can (20-once) pineapple tidbits in juice, drained
1 heaping Cup of mini marshmallows

1. Put all the ingredients in a large bowl, and carefully stir everything until combined.
   

The Best Mac and Cheese

Homemade mac and cheese is really tasty, if you have the right recipe. This is a creamy, rich, and cheesy mac and cheese, that will knock your block off. Sharp cheddar cheese makes this mac and cheese wonderful. My favorite part is the smoked paprika, so don't omit! If you like the smoked paprika feel free to add a pinch more on the top of the mac and cheese before baking. Serves about 6  1/2 cup sizes.
Ingredients:
8 oz (1/2 lb or about 1 3/4 cups) macaroni or other medium sized tubular pasta
3 Tablespoons butter
1/4 Cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 1/2 Cups of either 2% milk, 1%, or whole milk.
3 Cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

1. Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and stir in either some butter or oil to avoid the pasta from sticking. Save that pot to make your sauce.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Faranheight. 
3. Over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour, salt, dry mustard, pepper, and smoked paprika. Stir constantly over medium heat for three minutes. Stir in the milk. Keeping on medium heat, whisk constantly until thicken, about 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and stir in 2 Cups of the cheese, until melted. Add the noodles to the sauce and stir, until covered. Add half the noddles to a 2 quart casserole dish, sprinkle half of the cheese, add the rest of the noddles, then sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top.
5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (30-40 if from refrigerator), or until it gets a light brown color on top.

Who could resist this?

Coconut Cake

I found this recipe off of Food Network's website. I did alter original recipe so that it would taste better. The cake was tender, somewhat on the heavy side, but still perfectly moist. I also find that toasting the sweetened coconut in the oven at 350 for a few minutes on a baking sheet enhances its flavor. The frosting is light and fluffy. It reminded me of marshmallow fluff and meringue. Serves 12-14
Ingredients:
2 Cups granulated sugar

1/2 Cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 Cup vegetable oil

5 eggs, separated
1 teaspoon coconut flavor, or if you don't want too much coconut replace with vanilla extract.

2 Cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 Cup ground pecans (you can omit this if you want. I did and it turned out just fine.)

1 Cup buttermilk, or sour milk. You can use low-fat buttermilk.

1 Cup freshly grated coconut, or unsweetened shredded coconut

For frosting:

1 Cup granulated sugar
1/3 Cup water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter
2 egg whites. Save the yolks for my chocolate chip cookie recipe.
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Toppings: 1 1/2-2 Cups of sweetened coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease and flour three 8-inch cake pans, or two 9-inch pans. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar. It will look somewhat like moist sand, so don't be alarmed if it doesn't appear normal. With the mixer running, add the oil and incorporate thoroughly.  Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each yolk. In a separate bowl, sift  the flour, salt, and baking soda together; stir in ground pecans if using.
2. Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the egg mixture, ending with the flour. Beat until incorporated. Fold in the coconut. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until stiff. Make sure your bowl is oil free. Wipe your bowl and beaters with some vinegar. Fold the egg whites into the batter. Pour batter into the prepared pans.
3. Bake for about 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool for 10-12 minutes on a wire rake, then remove from pans. Let cool completely before frosting the cakes.
4.  In a sauce pan combine sugar, water, and cream of tarter. Cook till bubbly and sugar dissolves. Make sure it is a hard boil. In a bowl combine eggs and vanilla extract. Add sugar mixture very slowly to egg whites, beating constantly with an electric mixer on high for seven minutes. If you add the sugar mixture too fast, it will take longer for your frosting to form. Then frost your cake and put the coconut on the top, in the middle of the layers, and sides of the cake.

Cake recipe from Emeril Lagasse
Frosting from The Better Homes and Garden Cookbook

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Spinach artichoke dip can be really good if it is made well. I haven't found a better recipe than this one. I love how creamy and garlicky this dip is. There is just a hint of spiciness from the cheese that adds a nice element. This is a savory dip that I love to make for parties. You can even make this dip a few hours ahead of time (without baking it) and refrigerate. Also using really spicy pepper jack cheese can easily overpower the garlic flavor, and also ruin it. (I've done this before.)  Serves 10-16 people, depending on how much people eat.

Ingredients:
1 package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained. To drain the spinach, take a small amount and squeeze out the liquid.
8 ounces ( 1 Cup) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
8 ounces or one regular sized block of pepper jack cheese, such as Kraft's brand.
4 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated
1 Cup mayonnaise. Light is fine but never fat-free.
1 Cup sour cream
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl, and stir well. Place mixture in a shallow glass casserole dish. (Ceramic works too.)
2. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes (increase time 20-25 minutes if from refrigerator), or until it is bubbling and the top turns golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for few minutes. Serve with crackers, crusty bread, and anything else you like.