Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

I wanted to try a new cookie this holiday season and I had a couple bags of Andes peppermint chips on hand.  What goes better with peppermint than chocolate?  This recipe is going to be a regular every holiday season.

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies

 

1 stick butter

12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 bag Andes peppermint chips

1 tsp flour

Melt the butter and chocolate chips together, either in the microwave or a large saucepan.  In a large mixing bowl, beat together the sugar and eggs until they are a pale yellow.  Add in the chocolate and butter mixture, along with the vanilla.  Stir in the dry ingredients.  In a small bowl, mix together the peppermint chips and 1 tsp flour.  This is so they don’t sink to the bottom and melt on your cookie sheet.  Gently fold the chips into the batter and then scoop out onto parchment lined baking sheets.    Bake for 12 minutes at 350°. Let cool on the pan for 10 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.  Makes 48 cookies.

Cinnamon & Apple Breakfast Risotto

There's nothing like starting off a lazy weekend morning with the aroma of apples and cinnamon in the air.  I saw a risotto commercial a few weeks ago and thought why couldn't a risotto be made for breakfast...hence my morning mission today.  I had a some apples in the crisper and a box of golden raisins on hand for holiday baking so I borrowed some of each.  Remember to heat the apple juice and milk before adding to the rice to keep the rice cooking.

Cinnamon & Apple Breakfast Risotto

1 tbsp butter

1 cup arborio rice

1 1/2 cups apple juice

2 cups milk

1 apple, peeled and thin sliced

1/4 cup golden raisins

2 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 pinch of salt

1 pinch of nutmeg

Melt the butter in the bottom of a large saucepan.  Add in rice, stir and cook for a couple minutes.  Stir in the sliced apple and 1 cup apple juice.  Cook until the juice is absorbed.  Add in the additional 1/2 cup of heated juice.  Next start adding in the milk in 1/2 cup measures, stirring and cooking until it's absorbed.  Add in the raisins, honey, salt and spices.  Keep cooking until the rice is tender.  It will take about a half hour.

Cracked Black Pepper & Parmesan Biscuits

Light and flaky biscuits are a great way to start the day, especially when they are topped with sausage & gravy.  I took out the pepper from the gravy that I normally add and redirected it into these easy to make biscuits.  The secret is let your food processor do all of the work.  These would also make a great side for any meal.

Cracked Black Pepper & Parmesan Biscuits

2 cups flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 large egg
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 sticks of cold butter

Combine all the dry ingredients and Parmesan cheese in the food processor and give it a couple pulses to mix them up.  Add in the butter, one tbsp. at a time and the egg.  Pour in milk and pulse until it combines and forms a ball.  Turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Pat out dough until it's 1" thick and cut into rounds.  Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes at 450°.  Pull the biscuits from the oven and brush with buttermilk and sprinkle with some freshly ground pepper.  Return to the oven for another minute.

Makes 24 biscuits

Italian Roast Beef

It's time to get away from the turkey and leftovers and on to something different.  This is a delicious way to make a roast and you can either make it in the oven or crock pot.  If you do not have red wine to use in the pan, you can substitute red cooking wine, just don't use any salt in the rub or double the beef broth.

Italian Roast Beef

3# roast beef, I used a sirloin roast

1/2 small onion, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp thyme

1/2 cup beef broth

1/2 cup red wine

Combine all the spices in a small bowl and rub them on the roast.  Place the roast in the bottom of your crock pot and pour the broth and wine around the edges.  Cover and cook over medium for 6 hours.  Let rest 10 minutes before slicing on a plate.

Happy Thanksgiving

I'd like to wish everyone celebrating today a very happy Thanksgiving full of good food and time spent with those who mean the most to you.

Michele

Sparkling Cranberry Dessert

Lots of layers to this cranberry dessert and they all combine to make a delicious bite. It's not overly sweet...just right for the holiday season.  I saw this recipe on the Taste of Home website and tweaked it by using my own graham crust recipe and the addition of sparkling water to the Jello layer.

Sparkling Cranberry Dessert

Bottom layer ~

1/2 cup butter, melted

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Mix together and press in the bottom of an ungreased 9 x 13 pan.  Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Second layer ~

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup sugar

8 oz Cool Whip

Mix together and spread evenly over the bottom layer.  Return to the refrigerator.

Mix together ~

1 1/2 cups hot water

2 - 3 oz packages of cranberry Jello

Stir until completely dissolved.  Add in 1 - 14 oz can of whole cranberries and 1 1/2 cups of sparkling water.  Put in refrigerator for one hour and then pour over the second layer.  Return to the refrigerator for 4 hours before cutting into squares.  Top with the remaining whipped cream.

Pumpkin Biscotti

I woke up feeling ambitious this morning.  After reading the news, I had a choice - craft, read or cook.  I had some pumpkin that I had baked this fall and froze in small packets so I grabbed one of those and thawed it in warm water.  Plus it was chilly outside (18) so warming up the kitchen was a nice start to whatever happens next.

Pumpkin Biscotti

Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl ~

2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/4 tsp salt

Add in ~

1/2 cup pumpkin
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla

This mixture will seem really dry at first.  Walk away, start the oven, grease the pan...the pumpkin will gradually work it's way and moisten the flour mixture.  When the flour is all incorporated, shape into a log shape - about 12" long and 3-4" wide, 1" high.  Place on a greased baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool for 15 minutes.  Cut at a diagonal in 1/2" slices.  Place back on baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes at 300°.  Turn biscotti over and bake another 10 minutes.  Let cool and store in an airtight container.