Great Chocolate Chip Cookies

I like to make cookies to give to my clients for different holidays.  I get cute cellophane bags and put a couple of cookies in each and staple them closed with my business card attached.   So with Halloween on Monday I had to get going today making cookies.   My favorite chocolate chip cookies that everyone loves is a recipe I obtained in the 8th grade.  My friend's sister made theses and sent them to some function.  I recognized right away that these were wonderful cookies and asked for the recipe.  I have been making them ever since even though I have lost touch with my friend, Marcy Kaufman.

Oatmeal, Sugar, Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 c brown sugar

1 c white sugar

1 c shortening

2 eggs

2 c flour

2 c oatmeal

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 T vanilla

1 t salt

1 lg pkg chocolate chips

Mix first 4 ingredients.  Blend dry ingredients and add to the sugar/shortening mixture. Add the chocolate chips.  Roll into balls, then roll in granulated sugar.  Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes. 

My Modifications to the recipe--- I use half shortening and half butter and I use half milk chocolate chips and half semi sweet chocolate chip    I use a cookie scoop to put them on the cookie sheets which makes it go pretty fast then I sprinkled them with course sugar, rather than rolling them in sugar as  the directions say.  It works fine either way. 

Also these freeze well after they are baked.
I forgot to add, that when we were in Tenakee someone had eaten all the chocolate chips, so we substituted in trail mix with M&M's, raisins, and nuts.   We did pick through to get more M&M's but the cookies turned out great then also. 

Turkey Carving Demo [video]

Last Thanksgiving I had Chris video the turkey carving so he would have it one day when he needed to carve a turkey.  I learned this technique from my Late Great Uncle Jack.   Every Thanksgiving he carved the turkey and I helped from the time I was old enough to hold a plate.   I thought is was a perfect time to post it with Thanksgiving coming up. In the future I will be posting how to cook a turkey as I have friends who have never cooked a turkey.  It really is a simple process, much easier than carving it.  Now if this does not make you hungry for turkey, I do not know what will!  This turkey was cooked to 165 degrees  and then I let it set for a few minutes while the gravy is being made.  I always stuff our Thanksgiving turkey so the stuffing in the main is removed before carving  and can be removed from the chest cavity as well.  In this video I only removed the dressing from the main cavity but had not gotten it out of the chest cavity which is shown at the end of the video. Also Hunter was right there learning the process as well and willing to help out if there was any type of turkey mishap.

Star shaped bread

I was very excited that my star shaped bread tube came in the mail today and I had to try it out.  I used a recipe off the King Arthur Flour web site:Sandwich Bread Canapes Recipe

You Bake it upright in the oven.  Gosh I did not realize my baking stone was so stained!

The internal temperature needs to get to 190 degree.   I used the temperature probe, since you can't see how it is browning it is really necessary.

 

 It made 3 loaves and I think they turned out really cute!  They will be great for serving appetizers on or for special occasions!

 

Jam-Filled Sour Cream Coffee Bread

This is what I made yesterday.  I got the recipe off the King Arthur Flour web site. Jam filled Sour Cream Coffee Bread
It made two loaves and this is all that is left in not even 24 hours. Mine did not turn out as nice looking as it looks on the King Arthur web site.  Chris loved it.

Problems I had:  I did not have all the King Arthur stuff so used the alternatives they listed.  I put Almond extract in dough.   I also have not had good luck with instant yeast so used twice the amount listed of fast rise yeast.  I used thickened raspberries as the filling not jam.   The first problem I had was making the cream cheese filling. The filling directions and ingredients are written to add the filling ingredients, but it listed the egg white with a little water which is actually used to paint on the top before adding the sugar.  I initally added it to my cream cheese filling and it was runny and gross so ended up throwing it out and starting over.  Then when,  I rolled it out put the fillings in then had a really tough time getting it off the counter onto the cookie sheet. Not because it stuck but because it was heavy with the filling and I was afraid the dough would break.  The filling was a little oozy.  The second one I rolled out right on the Silpat and that worked much better to be able to move it to the cookie sheet.  The second rise went to long, I think it was related to the yeast but one of the loaves expanded so much it had air bubbles in the dough and you could not see the weave at all.   It tasted great.  I will probably make it again just to see if I can get it to turn out better.  Also I think it would be better with a little icing drizzled over the top. 

Hazel Nut Crusted Crab Stuffed Halibut

I made recipe up tonight and it is what we had for dinner.  I served it with some braised red cabbage Chris made, and some spinach salad.  Also when roasting the hazel nuts, be sure and roast a few extra as they are difficult to avoid eating after they are roasted in butter and salted. 

¾ cup toasted Hazelnuts

1/8 t ground red pepper

1T Lemon zest

1t thyme

3-4 halibut Filets

2 oz light cream cheese

2T finely chopped white onion

2T chopped cilantro

1 cup crab meat

Start with the halibut filets, if they are thicker than ½ inch then cut them so they are about ½ inch thick.  Salt and Pepper the filets.  

To toast the hazel nuts: put some butter in a pan and place the nuts in it then roll the nuts around. Put them in the oven at 425 for 10-15 minutes.  Salt them lightly and rub off the dark skins that come off.  

To make the hazel nut crust: Put the hazel nuts, red pepper, lemon zest and thyme in a food processor and chop up the nuts.

Make the cream cheese filling: mix the cream cheese, cilantro and white onion in a glass bowl, microwave for about 20 seconds to soften the cream cheese mixture so it will be easier to spread.  If you are using crab meat you can mix it all together, but if using crab legs, do not mix so you don’t break up the leg pieces. 

To Assemble: Spread the cream cheese mixture on the halibut filets.

   Arrange the crab legs on the cream cheese mixture.

 Roll the filets to make them into logs.   

  Roll the filets in some melted butter and pat on the hazel nut crust to coat them.  

 Place them on an olive oiled baking pan.   Bake at 425 for 10-15 minutes, 

and it is dinner time!

Oregano Lime Chicken Marinade

This is so good.  I got it out of a magazine (Lady's Home Journal I think).  Tonight I am going to try marinating a whole chicken with it.  I did not have coriander so substituted cumin and also added a wad of fresh cilantro chopped.  UPDATE 10/21/2011 It worked for the whole chicken but the marinade burned in the pan a little while it was baking.  I cooked the chicken breast side down which made the breast meat very tender and juicy.  It is definitely better on skinless chicken breasts on the BBQ because you get more of the marinade flavor. 

Oregano Lime Chicken Marinade -(the way it was written in the magazine)

In a ziplock bag combine

1/3 cup Olive Oil

Zest from 1 lime

1/4c lime juice (I use whatever amount I get out of the lime from squeezing it after I zest the peel)

1tsp dried oregano

1tsp ground coriander

1/4tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp salt

Add 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, seal the ziplock  and chill 1-4 hours

Also good on steak and I will be trying it soon on salmon. 

Great Harvest Dakota Bread -copycat recipe

I made this last weekend, (10/16/11), and it turned out very good.  I don't think it is the actual Great Harvest bread as there are no nuts or seeds in this recipe but very good.  Next time I make it I will add some sunflower seeds and maybe some pumpkin seeds (just the insides) to the batter and then sprinkle them over the tops also.  Chris did not like the oatmeal on top as he complained it was to hard and crunchy. Update- 10/30/11 I remade this bread adding sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.  This is very good bread. 

Great Harvest DAKOTA BREAD

1 pkg yeast (I just use 2 1/2 tsp)
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup warm water
2 1/2 cups bread flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup rye flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 large egg
2 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
Oil & Cornmeal for pan
1 egg white/frothed w/fork
additional wheat germ/oats/sunflower nuts/assorted seeds for top.

STIR YEAST AND HONEY into water; let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. For food processor fitted with metal blade or mixer with dough hook, put remaining bread ingredients into bowl. Turn machine on and combine mixture. With machine running, slowly add yeast mixture. Mix until dough cleans sides of bowl.
If dough is too sticky, add more flour by the tablespoon, working it in before adding more. If dough is crumbly and dry, add more water by the teaspoon, working it in before adding more. Once desired consistency is reached, (moist but not sticky), mix dough until well kneaded, uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds in food processor, about 6 minutes
in mixer. Or by hand, put ingredients in large bowl. Mix well. Make well
in center. Pour yeast mixture into well. Work yeast mixture into
ingredients, then knead on floured board until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Transfer dough to large plastic bag, squeeze out air and seal at top. Place dough in bowl. Let rise in warm spot until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours. Oil a heat-proof glass pie plate.
Sprinkle lightly with cornmeal. Punch dough down and shape into smooth ball. Place smooth side up in prepared plate. Cover loosely with oiled plastic. Let rise in warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour. Fifteen minutes before baking, put rack in center of oven; set oven at 375F.
When loaf has doubled, brush top with egg white. Sprinkle with wheat
germ and(or) rolled oats. Bake until loaf is deep brown (cover with foil
last 5 minutes if too dark) and sounds hollow when rapped on bottom,
about 35 minutes. Place loaf on rack to cool. Yield: 1 round loaf.