word to my mother

Happy Mother's Day, Mommy Dearest! You sure do deserve your own special mention. I would not be me if not for you and we go back and forth on this all the time but I can never say it enough. I am very fortunate to have never wished "not to be my mother" when I was a bratty teen, even in the heat of slamming a door in your face or smashing something valuable into pieces (we have a history of tempers in our family but they are balanced with our fierce loyalty to each other, deal with it). Never have you looked down upon me or offered unsolicited advice (even if I don't outright say "help me," you always know when to). You forever have an open ear, even if you weren't thrilled with what was being said into it. I will forever love your mantra "anything you do, I did ten times worse to my mother when I was your age" and thus never felt the need to "rebel" and always felt I had a certain freedom. This resulted in the above mentioned need to spill all to you. If I ever have a secret, it never lasts long because it eats me alive and I have to come crawling to my Mommy Dearest for advice.

Words never suffice for these such days that should really be celebrated every day and so I will move on to something wholly inspired by my mom's taste buds. Clean, to the point with a dash of tartness. All her and all of my love.

Lemon-Ginger Cookie Sandwiches

from Big Fat Cookies
Yield: 9 large, 18 small
INGREDIENTS
cookie
2 C all-purpose flour
1/2 t salt
2 1/2 t ground ginger
1 t ground cinnamon
1 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1 C confectioners sugar
2 t finely grated lemon zest
1 t vanilla extract I added 1/2 t almond extract because my mom loves that flavor
1 C (4 oz) whole blanched almonds, toasted and finely ground

filling
1/2 C unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 C confectioners sugar
2 t finely grated lemon zest
1 T fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
cookies
1. Sift the flower, salt, ginger and cinnamon into a bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and powdered sugar in a mixer until fully incorporated. On low, mix in lemon zest, vanilla and ground almonds.
3. Beat in the flour mixture until the flour is incorporated and the dough holds together and pulls away from the side of the bowl.
4. Divide the dough in half and form two 6-inch disks. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and refrigerate until they is cold and firm enough to roll, about 30-40 minutes. While dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
5. Unwrap one piece of dough. Flour the rolling surface and roll out dough about 1/4 inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter 3 1/4 to 3 1/2-inch circles or smaller, cut out cookies (9-18). Unwrap the other piece of dough and cut out remaining cookies, to have an even number. Cut a circle or other shape from the center of half of the cookies.
6. Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are light brown and tops firm, 15-20 minutes. Cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to cooling racks.

filling
1. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, powdered sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice until smooth.
2. Spread the frosting onto cookies that do not have the holes in the center and make sandwiches with those that do have holes. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition (per1/18): 285 cal, 18g fat, 43mg sod, 28g carb, 16g sugar, 1g fiber, 3g protein

it's what's in the middle that counts

"You've been silent for a month and you are giving us bars?! Really?" I know that's what you are thinking and yes, I am. "Oat bars? AGAIN?" Yes, but these are different, I promise. I make bars and cookies and individual things a lot because I'm often doling them out for meetings with large groups of people and as much as I love cake and pie and tarts, you have to save all of that manhandling with the serving knife for your family. That and certain people need portion control. Come on, you all have that person in the office (or home, ahem) who thinks that "just one slice" equates to a quarter of the cake and before you know it a cake for sixteen has turned into a cake for six. Then you have people like me who say "oh just a sliver" and ten slivers later you've had two whole pieces. I am not in denial, people, I know my weaknesses. That being said, there is something awe-inspiring about toting in a nice, round confection eight inches across and six inches deep with simple, chic . I will have to tame the pie wrangler sooner or later.

Back to important matters, these squares are fabulous and I didn't do any crazy tweakage from the original recipe...the first time I made them. I am still perfecting a white chocolate pistachio version and if you master it before I, please let me know. I have a feeling it has to do with much more sugar occurring in white "chocolate" than dark and I need to mess around with that a bit. Ignoring the chemistry behind these for now, though, I have to say, these bars have satisfied my longing for Keebler® MAGIC MIDDLES! Do you remember these? Were you actually birthed when these things were in existence? I think I OD'd on these cookies around the same time I did on Cool Ranch Doritos® and Pizzarias Chips (also discontinued) but like all things from the past, they come back and haunt me every so often and I wonder why, oh why did they ever go away? The centers to these bars have the same melty-but-not-gooey consistency when left at room temp. If you put them in the fridge, they firm up nicely and are equally as enjoyable. However, if you want a trip down '90s junk food lane, leave them on your table and nix the nuts.

Chocolate Oatmeal Almost-Candy Bars

adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan
Yield: 32

INGREDIENTS
oatmeal dough
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 stick and 6T unsalted butter, room temperature
2 C brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
2 t pure vanilla extract
3 C old-fashioned (rolled) oats

chocolate filling
14-oz can sweetened condensed milk, any fat content
2 C (12 oz) semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T unsalted butter
1/4 t salt
1 t pure vanilla extract
3/4 C salted peanuts, coarsely chopped I think anything goes here. I tried macadamias, almonds and cashews and they all turned out great!

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil or grease thoroughly.
oatmeal dough
1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and set aside.
2. With an electric mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until thoroughly combined.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating for a minute after each egg goes in. Beat in the vanilla. The mixture should be light and fluffy.
4. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Still on low speed, or working by hand with a rubber spatula, stir in the oats.
5. Set aside 1 1/2 to 2 cups of the mixture, then evenly press the remaining dough over the bottom of the pan. Set aside while you prepare the chocolate layer.

chocolate filling
1. If you don't have a double-boiler, set a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.
2. Put the condensed milk, chocolate chips, butter, and salt in the bowl and stir occasionally until the milk is warm and the chocolate and butter are melted. Remove the bowl from the pan of water and stir in the vanilla and nuts.
3. Pour the warm chocolate over the oatmeal crust, then drop the remaining oatmeal mixture over the top in clumps.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the chocolate layer is matte and starting to come away from the sides of the pan. Transfer the baking pan to a rack and cool for about 2 hours before cutting.

Nutrition: 341 cal, 17.5g fat, 190mg sod, 42g carb, 23g sugar, 1g fiber, 4g protein

 

yummy things still exist

I do this a lot in life. I just kind of...trail off and leave people hanging. It's become a learned thing. Something I would like to blame on other people for introducing it to me or me to it but really it has been there all along. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed and responsible for every piece of minutia that is in my life. Will my best friend be just a smidgen more annoyed with me today if I put off calling her again or will she be colossally annoyed to the point of not talking to me at all, ever? If I wait one more day to send in my grad application will I not get in? If I eat this piece of cookie will it go straight to that awful place where my ass meets my hips and force me to wear a wetsuit for my single beach jaunt this summer? This stuff keeps me up at night, every night and basically has since I was twelve. So, sometimes I let things slide and pretend they are not there and that is basically what I have done here.  Not because this is a thorn in my side, more because I have let some other stuff be. LAME, I KNOW. Trust me, I have a pile of sweet treats (and hopefully not so sweet because I think even I am getting a toothache) that I'll be tossing out there. So sit tight and praise to you if you even peek in here anymore!

tricolor treat

Since we boozed it up earlier and last year with the Irish sweets, this is more akin to spring and a cutesy representation of the Irish flag. I also thought that after several servings of stout with a side of corned beef, people's stomachs might want something light, if there is room for anything at all.

Carrot Cake, the Lighter Side

adapted from Cook's Country
Yield: 24 cupcakes, 1 9x13-inch cake or 1 8-inch two-tiered cake

INGREDIENTS
cake
2 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/8 t ground cloves
1/2 t salt
2 large eggs
1/2 C vegetable oil
1 4-oz jar carrot baby food
1 C packed dark brown sugar
1 lb carrots, peeled and shredded

cream cheese frosting
1 8-oz package of Neufchatel cream cheese, softened
1 C marshmallow cream
1 1/2 t vanilla
1/4 C confectioners sugar

DIRECTIONS
cake
Preheat the oven to 350. Grease and line your 12 cup muffin pan, 9x13-inch pan or 2 8-inch round pans.
1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt in a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl mix the eggs, baby food and sugar until smooth and creamy. 3. Slowly add the oil to the egg mixture, while still mixing. Mix until thoroughly incorporated.
4. Add the flour mixture in two additions, mixing until nearly smooth. Fold in the carrots.
5. Spread the batter in the prepped pan and bake until a toothpick comes out almost clean, about 25-30 minutes. Cool completely before frosting.

cream cheese frosting
1. Beat together the cream cheese, marshmallow cream and vanilla. Add the sugar and mix till smooth.


Nutrition (per cupcake):  166cal, 7g fat, 202mg sod, 25g carb, 13g sugar, .5g fiber, 2g protein

st. pat's staples

Sit down to a traditional boiled dinner, pour some whiskey down your throat and top it off with these little treats as you declare yourself Irish for a day. We're pulling out all of the stops this year with the corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, soda bread and beer. These little gems were a concoction from the most Irish person I know, Torren "I was named after an Irish Cabbage Patch Kid" Doherty. Thank you for bumping up the percentage of green blood in the household.

Chocolate Stout and Irish Cream Sandwich Cookies

Yield: 18 sandwiches

INGREDIENTS
cookies
3/4 C butter
3/4 C dark brown sugar
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
12 oz. stout I used Young's Double Chocolate

filling
2 C confectioners sugar
1/4 C unsalted butter
2-3 T Bailey's® Irish Creme liqueur

DIRECTIONS
cookies
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
1. Reduce stout in a saucepan at a constant simmer over medium heat, until it is a thick syrup, about 1/4 to 1/3 of a cup. Make sure to keep an eye on the pan and stir every so often so it will not boil over or burn.
2. As the stout is simmering, cream together butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla. Meanwhile, check on the stout.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda.
4. When the stout syrup is fully reduced, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Alternating, add the flour mixture and stout syrup to the creamed mixture.
5. Drop tablespoons of the cookie dough. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool completely on rack before frosting.

filling
1. Cream butter and slowly add confectioners sugar.
2. Beat in liqueur.
3. Spread generously between two cookies and serve.

Nutrition: 242 cal, 11g fat, 155mg sod, 33g carb, 21g sugar, .5g fiber, 2g protein

in like a lion out like a fluffy cupcake

For the sake of our auto insurance, let's hope that this freezing apocalyptic winter is coming to an end and that we won't have to worry about cars skating down the hill into our innocent parked ones or attempting to pack all of our residents in front of our house thanks to our neighbors' bogus handicap space while being overjoyed that we only had to make a ten point turn out of the space instead of a twenty. True, these things will happen as the snow and ice melt but in a less precarious fashion. Hopefully I won't rue this statement in July or something after I have parallel parked on top of our next door neighbor's cat.

There have been plenty of bright spots, however, and most of them surround the crazy amount of people who are hovering around thirty and still having birthday parties! Maybe that wears off once people start having kids? Or maybe it can't be denied that people like to have a shindig and even more so when it's bleak and blustery out. HA. I think I'll stick to my August birthday of lazing on the beach with the two people who still talk to me on a regular basis, thanks! Regardless, I can't complain that the rash of celebrations has provided me with plenty of opportunities to get creative with cupcakey prezzies and wrappers and boxes. Here are the results from one of my go-to recipes that young and old seem to enjoy.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Yield: 12

INGREDIENTS
cake
1/2 C melted unsalted butter, browned and cooled
1 egg
1 t vanilla
3/4 C dark brown sugar
1/2 C buttermilk any fat content
1 1/3 C all-purpose flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 C mini chocolate chips

cookie dough filling
1/4 C butter, softened
1/4 C plus 2 T brown sugar
1 T milk
1/2 t vanilla
1/2 C flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 C mini chocolate chips

cookie dough frosting from Annie Eats
3/4 C unsalted butter, softened
1/4 C plus 2 T brown sugar, packed
1 3/4 C confectioners’ sugar
1/2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1 1/2 T milk
1 t vanilla extract
mini chocolate chips for sprinkling

DIRECTIONS
cake
Line 12 cup cupcake tin with liners. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
1. Combine flour, baking soda and baking powder in a medium bowl.
2. Whisk browned butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl.
3. Alternating, beat buttermilk and flour mix into the sugar mixture until just incorporated. Stir in mini chocolate chips.
4. Pour batter into cupcake liners 3/4 of the way and bake for 20-25 min. or until cupcake tops spring back to the touch and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cupcakes cool completely before assembly.

eggless cookie dough filling
1. Cream the butter and sugar in a small bowl. Add milk and vanilla and mix well. 2. Beat flour and salt until just combined. Stir in mini chocolate chips. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.

cookie dough frosting
1. Cream together the butter and brown sugar.
2. Mix in confectioners’ sugar until smooth.
3. Beat in the flour and salt.
4. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth.

 Cone method

assembly
1. Once cupcakes have cooled, use the cone method to carve out the tops.
2. Make little balls of the cookie dough and place in the hole. Cover with top.
3. Frost with cookie dough frosting and sprinkle chips on top for garnish. Fab!

Nutrition (not for the diet friendly): 480 cal, 27g fat, 136mg sod, 57g carb, 38g sugar, 1g fiber, 4.5g protein

second time's a charm

I love the sections in Cook's Illustrated where they "revisit" a traditional home recipe like chocolate brownies, carrot cake or corn chowder and try to perfect and rejuvenate it.  Sometimes a recipe is just too good to give up on. Such was the case with these bars that Mommy Dearest made for the Christmas cookie plates. She followed the directions perfectly and regardless of what Kraft may say, they did not solidify and ended up leaking over many of our other lovely confections. Caramel Peppermint Crescents? Not a great combination.

The ingredient combo in these bars appealed to most of us but we had a very difficult time prying them off of the plates to actually taste them. I had to come up with a way to remedy the issue because caramel, marshmallow and graham crackers are too high on my list to pass this recipe up. Below is the result. You can view the original recipe for a comparison and you will see in the reviews that several people had the same issue that we did and also felt there was too much chocolate (which I pared down). I am not entirely surprised considering the process and ingredients used in the original recipe would most likely not yield a solid bar unless frozen and then your dentist would be thanking you and your wallet would be crying.

Caramel Crunch Bars

adapted from Kraft
Yield: 24

INGREDIENTS
9 Graham cracker sheets
2 14-oz can sweetened condensed milk any fat content will do, I used one can fat free
1/2 C unsalted butter again, you can use light sticks of butter
1/2 C roasted peanuts I prefer the dry roasted
1 C miniature marshmallows
1 C (3-oz) coarsely crushed pretzels
4 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 T melted peanut butter for drizzling optional

DIRECTIONS
Line 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick foil or grease regular foil generously.
1. Fit 7 1/2 graham cracker sheets along the base of the pan as tightly as possible. Crush up the remaining graham crackers to distribute crumbs between the cracks. This was a particular complaint among the original recipe- people felt the caramel leaked below the crackers and created a sticky mess.
2. Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in sweetened condensed milk and turn up heat to medium-high, bring mixture to a boil and then reduce to medium-low to simmer. Stir mixture constantly until it thickens and turns amber in color. Time will vary depending on your stove top but with my gas range it took about 20-25 minutes (a little less if I cooked on medium heat but be careful not to burn and do NOT walk away from the stove).
3. Gently pour and smooth caramel over graham crackers.
4. Press peanuts, marshmallows, pretzels and chocolate over the caramel. To ensure that everything sticks and to give a toasted look to the marshmallows, I will turn on the broiler and put the pan in the oven for 2 min.
5. Drizzle peanut butter over top if desired.

Nutrition: 245 cal, 9g fat, 120mg sod, 38g carb, 32g sugar, 1g fiber, 5g protein

buttered up with lurve

V-Day (not this one though it would be much better to have something donated to this than a box of chocolate donated to my hips) is approaching. It is difficult to avoid the onslaught of chocolate, hearts and unnaturally winter-grown  flowers. Valentine's Day is a nice reason to have something to look forward to in the oppressive static of winter (have I complained about this enough yet?) and it doesn't have to be some massive smorgasbord of diamonds and puppies and retail therapy. I would like to say that I ignore it altogether and my husband would be thrilled that the "corporate holiday" did not manage to grasp me in its clutches. However, as mentioned numerous times, my family celebrates everything and my parents always seized an opportunity to include us on this day of lurve. From a mini My Little Pony with a heart on its bum to a sweet sentiment of a heart-shaped box that was my mother's, the day was marked as something special for everyone, not just the couples. This year I am most looking forward to being at an elementary school during the festivities. Remember the days when you would make a giant heart envelope and taped it to the end of your desk to receive valentines with Transformers or Care Bears on them? When I was in first grade I even got one with a phone number on the back, quite daring for even some people I know now...

It cannot be denied that sweets are as much a part of this day as the hearts. As a little precursor I whipped up this batch of pink peppermint to spread on dark chocolate cupcakes and am sending a batch out to some much-loved people who have had a bit of a rough start to the year. I think Torren would rather I showered the love of the Hallmark holiday elsewhere anyway.

Boiled Buttercream

Yield: 24 servings
*Warning: this is not a frosting that will hold up well on hot days.

INGREDIENTS
1 C milk
1/4 C all-purpose flour, sifted this is important or it will be lumpy!
1 C unsalted butter, room temp.
1 1/2 C granulated sugar
2 t vanilla extract for altering the flavor to mint almond or otherwise, I reduce the vanilla to 1 t and add in 1/4 t of the additional extract

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium saucepan, continually whisk together the sifted flour and milk on medium heat until the mixture thickens to a spreadable paste. Stir in extracts. Let cool completely.
2. Cream together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fully combined.
3. Beat in cooled flour mixture starting on medium speed. Then beat on high until the frosting is light, almost like a whipped cream, about 3-5 minutes. Decorate to your liking.

Just to know, this frosting is less sweet than buttercream with confectioners sugar and has a slightly more granulated texture due to the sugar used.

Nutrition: 117 cal, 7g fat, 0mg sod, 13g carb, 12g sugar, 0g fiber, 0g protein

and on the snow day, we bake

 The latest dumping of snow left me with yet another a day off from school and I felt compelled to crank up the oven, toast my house and lick some batter off of a spoon (one of these days my Mommy Dearest will be proven right and I will get salmonella but I am willing to risk it). Inspired by the ever trendy shade of "winter sludge grey" that was piling up outside my windows from the plows, I decided to work on a dark chocolate cake with bright white frosting while trying to replicate that Oreo® taste.

Basically, the filling of an Oreo® is sweet without a defining flavor, not even much vanilla, and the cookie is very dark with little else than cocoa powder and sugar. I knew it would take a rich cocoa powder and plenty of it to replicate the color. After much trial and error, this is the most similarly tasty version without sacrificing moisture, a problem that chocolate cakes often present.

Oreo Cake

Yield: 24 cupcakes, 1 two or three layered cake

INGREDIENTS
cake
1 1/2 C sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
2 C all-purpose flour
1 C cocoa powder love my Hershey's® Special Dark, it really created the Oreo® taste
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
2 eggs
2 t vanilla
1 C butter milk any fat content, I made my own with skim milk
3/4 C butter, melted and cooled
1 C boiling water

frosting
3 C confectioners' sugar
3/4 C shortening (not butter)
1/2 T vanilla
2 T milk
crushed Oreos® optional
DIRECTIONS
cake
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Fill two standard sized 12-space cupcake tins with liners. If making cake, you can either grease two 9-inch cake pans or three 8-inch cake pans.
1. Combine dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
2. Whisk (do not use an electric mixer) in all wet ingredients except boiling water until just combined.
3. Stir in boiling water, batter will be thin.
4. Pour batter into tins or pans. For cupcakes, bake for 20-25 minutes until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. For cake, bake for 30-35 minutes until the toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before removing to frost.

frosting
1. Beat shortening, with electric mixer.
2. Slowly add confectioners' sugar until combined.
3. Beat in vanilla and milk.
4. Spread frosting over cooled cake and sprinkle with crushed cookies if you desire.

Nutrition (per 1 cupcake or 1/24): 283 cal, 12g fat, 106mg sod, 41g carb, 31g sugar, 1g fiber, 2g protein

a bright spot in days of grey

I actually saw two rainbows through the winter snow while driving in Upstate New York. I have seen rainbows many times as I drove along I-90 but never in the winter. (Inclement weather waits for me to hit the road or it is an ever present thing in Upstate. I believe it is the latter.) It was like one of those black and white photos that have been colorized to emphasize a certain subject or aspect minus the cheese factor (we're all entitled to our opinions, maybe you love Comic Sans, too? There, there, your new prescription lenses are on their way.). Regardless, the affect was something I cannot describe. Kind of a little prezzie reminding me that even winter in its harsh, grey glory had gifts to give.

I am done waxing poetic. These are my little rainbow winter prezzies. They are easy and tasty and I have found that dudes and kids (synonymous, no?) enjoy them especially.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Rounds

Yield: about 6 dozen

INGREDIENTS
2 C all-purpose flour
1/4 C + 2 T Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 3/4 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 C unsalted butter, room temp.
1/2 C reduced fat creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 C + 1/3 C firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 t vanilla extract
1 medium (11.4 oz) package Peanut Butter M&M's®, 6 dozen counted and set aside, crush the remaining M&M's® into small pieces
6 dozen chocolate covered pretzels I used an entire box of these

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
1. Cream brown sugar, peanut butter and butter with an electric mixer. Add eggs and vanilla until combined.
2. Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended. Stir in crushed M&M's®.
3. Roll a half tablespoon amount of dough per each cookie, place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.
4. Bake one baking sheet at a time for 8-9 minutes or until set. Do not over-bake.

ASSEMBLY
1. Immediately after removing cookies from the oven, press a chocolate covered pretzel on the top of each cookie.
2. As the chocolate is melting slightly, quickly press an M&M® on top of each pretzel.
3. Move cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Nutrition: 85 cal, 4g fat, 56mg sod, 11g carb, 5g sugar, .5g fiber, 1g protein

dark treats for dark winter days

In the dead of winter after all of the festivities have passed, a little cloud of sadness sometimes appears as you hope for spring to arrive. This cloud may be a little larger and darker with lake effect snow and blizzard-like winds if you live in the Northeast. Curses on you if you are basking in the glow of Texas sunshine. Or maybe I should say "you are so lucky and beautiful, would you please send me a plane ticket?"

During these long months as the days ever so slowly gain light, we need something to warm our hearts, brains and stomachs. Caramel and chocolate are perfect dead-of-winter flavors and these will most certainly tide you over until the last signs of snow melt away by the end of Mar...{cough}May. I did say that we live in the Northeast.

Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies

from Southern Living Incredible Cookies
Yield: 4 dozen

INGREDIENTS
1 C butter or margarine, softened
1 C sugar
1 C firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
2 1/4 C all-purpose flour
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa I love Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa®
1 t baking soda
1 C chopped pecans, optional
9 oz package of chocolate covered caramels Rolo®s and Caramel Kisses® work well

DIRECTIONS
1. Beat butter at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating well. Add eggs and vanilla, beating until blended after each addition.
2. Combine flour, cocoa and baking soda; add to butter mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Cover dough and refrigerate for at least 30 min.
3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape one tablespoon dough around each chocolate piece, covering completely, to form balls.
4. If desired, gently press the top of each ball into the chopped pecans. In my world, kids won't touch anything with nuts on it and my lovely grandmother cannot have them so I skipped this step.
5. Place balls, pecan sides up, 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes. Cool on baking sheets 2 minutes. Remove from baking sheets; cool completely on wire racks.

Nutrition: 114 cal, 5g fat, 37mg sod, 17g carb, 11g sugar, .5g fiber, 2g protein

in with the new

People are bidding adieu to 2010 and sending a "hollllaaaa!" to 2011 all over the place.    Looking back to a year ago I was waffling over life decisions and trying to figure out what I wanted to do with myself by pinning no less than twelve career possibilities up on our living room wall. Fortunately, many (literally) did not stick and I think I am truly enjoying what I am doing right now. I just need to curb the procrastinating and finally wrap up some loose ends.

I figured I should post something that is a fresh start to the year and has been a recipe that I have long wanted to do but has made me a little wary. These Venetians or Neopolitans or Seven Layer Cookies as sometimes called elsewhere, are an easy segue into a petit four and I think I'll be able to tackle the real thing soon enough. These take a little while due to the baking of the layers and a lack of multiple 9x13-inch dishes but the prep and assembly was surprisingly easy and I will definitely make these again.

Happy 2011 and here's to tackling something new and perhaps a little daunting!

Venetians

adapted from Good Housekeeping
Yield: 56

INGREDIENTS
7 oz. macaroon or almond paste
1-1/4 C butter or margarine, softened
1 C granulated sugar
4 large eggs (separated)
2 C sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 T almond extract
1/4 t salt
20 drops red food coloring
20 drops green food coloring
1 (12 ounce) jar apricot or peach jam
4 oz. semi or bittersweet chocolate

DIRECTIONS
Grease three 9x13-inch baking pans. If you are not blessed an abundance of space and bake ware (like me) to own three, you will just have to take a little extra time and prep the dish three times. Line with wax paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
1. Combine almond paste, sugar, butter, egg yolks and almond extract. Beat until light and fluffy. Beat in flour and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. With a wooden spoon, fold into the almond mixture.
3. Divide dough into three 1-1/2-cup portions. Fully stir red coloring to one of the portions, green to another and leave the last colorless. Spread the batter in the three separate prepared pans (keeping the colors separate). If you are using less than three pans, cover the extra dough with plastic wrap so it won't dry out. Bake for 15 minutes, or until edges are golden brown. (Each layer will be 1/4 inch thick). Remove cakes from pan immediately. Cool thoroughly.

assembly
1. Stack layers in a 9x13 inch pan, spreading the fruit jam between layers (no jam on top layer).
2. For the record, I skipped this step due to time constraints and lived to tell the tale. If you have the time though, it would be ideal. Place second 9x13-inch pan or baking sheet on top layer and weigh down with two 5 pound bags of sugar or flour. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Melt chocolate in a double boiler and spread over cake. Allow to set. Trim edges and cut into 1-inch squares. Again, I actually cut the squares shortly after spreading the chocolate while it was still soft. This prevented any cracking of the chocolate, something I suspected might happen if it were cold.

Nutrition: 122 cal, 6g fat, 18mg sod, 16g carb, 7g sugar, 0g fiber, 1.5g protein